“We Can’t Allow That”
January 20th, 2022
The Rams have their Chris Godwin, Bruce Arians explains.
The perspective flowing from the Buccaneers’ head coach last night was a little tough to hear.
It spotlighted how much the Bucs are missing this postseason courtesy of Chris Godwin’s blown knee.
Bucco Bruce Arians joined SiriusXM NFL Radio and was asked about facing Rams All-Pro receiver Cooper Kupp on Sunday. Arians played the Godwin card.
“He’s a hard one, man,” Arians said of Kupp. “You know, some people say better than Chris Godwin. I think they’re the two best all-around wide receivers in the league right now because they block so well, they run inside, outside, they can do everything.
“And they’re hard tackles. I mean they’re both hard tackles. Getting [Kupp] on the ground is the biggest part. He’s going to catch those short ones and get 20, and we can’t allow that.”
Arians went on to talk about how Kupp moves all over the line of scrimmage and has success consistently.
So how will the Bucs do a better job covering him this time around? Kupp burned Tampa Bay for 9 catches, 96 yards and 2 touchdowns in Week 3.
Arians is confident that health will be a major factor, “We were down to the fourth and fifth corners early in that [first] game.”
Joe’s not terribly concerned about Kupp. The Bucs have talented guys that can at least keep him from going completely wild. Joe is more interested in the Bucs offense coming out fast and posting 30-plus points.
They’ve done that in their last five postseason games and it should be enough, if they can do it again, to beat the Rams at home.
January 20th, 2022 at 12:18 am
Our corners have grown up a lot since that game.
But the definition of a white Chris Godwin is an accurate description of Cooper Cupp.
He is one of the games best receivers, and he has Odell Beckham playing right next to him.
January 20th, 2022 at 12:28 am
Awfully tough to get 30 points with backups at center and guard and a backup’s backup at tackle, without the top two RBs, two top WRs, two promising backup WRs………….a brand new WR off the street and Dexter Jackson the 3rd flailing around cluelessly at WR and KR/PR.
Especially against this front four.
January 20th, 2022 at 1:01 am
Defense is gonna have to play lights out because the offense is missing about half their players at this point
January 20th, 2022 at 1:02 am
Brady Brady Brady
We have him and they don’t
January 20th, 2022 at 1:32 am
With the #2 seed on the line, at home the Rams could’t beat the 49ers. Last weekend they beat a falling apart Arizona team who late in the season lost at home by 24 to Carolina and by 18 at Detroit. Not impressed. 3 games ago a sports reporter on the Arizona sidelines the whole game said he saw no enthusiasm. Midseason the Rams lost 3 consecutive( at home to Tennesee, at San Fran, at Green Bay ). All playoff teams as are the Bucs. Also the Bucs and Packers have the best won-loss in both conferences. Rams at Ravens with backup QB Hunley playing, Harbaugh could have kicked extra point and went into OT but he went for 2 and lost. An inept Steeler offense also went to Baltimore and won. Not Impressed. A 31-0 lead against the Eagles tells me the Bucs players got their playoff intensity. 12 years of mediocrity at Detroit tells me Stafford was not the exception but part of the problem. Make Stafford throw the ball early before he wants to and his incompletions will go up and maybe the Bucs will get 1 or 2 inners.
January 20th, 2022 at 1:34 am
Maybe more than half
January 20th, 2022 at 2:18 am
Brady and a stout defense can do it. Proven.
January 20th, 2022 at 3:31 am
AB and Godwin were the best chain movers, both played at an elite level. You bet we miss them both, especially in the slot on those short to intermediate level passing plays that you need with the OL banged up.
January 20th, 2022 at 3:47 am
True that BA and the Rams celebrated that win a little to hard as if that was their measuring stick or super bowl. I think we smack the rams around this time, stafford starts throwing panic int’s like Winston
January 20th, 2022 at 5:04 am
That’s interesting to hear Bruce say that they’re the top two Wrs. I remember saying that to someone last year and they just laughed at me saying I didn’t know what I was talking about. Those two do it all just true MVPs of their offenses. Godwin has to be resigned.
January 20th, 2022 at 5:23 am
I think the Bucs will only have one new OLine starter on Sunday.
Cappa is big, Mean, and underrated. If they move hime to Right Tackle, he’ll do great. Stennie is a proven commodity at Right guard, and I’d bet Jensen plays.
That Oline can do the job.
The real Problem is a WR opposite Evans.
Our Defense played great last Week. Gotta do it again this week.
January 20th, 2022 at 5:39 am
Big stamp on the future this game. Young guys like vaughn, ty johnson, miller, cappa, dean and davis gotta come through with big games.
January 20th, 2022 at 7:42 am
‘Joe is more interested in the Bucs offense coming out fast and posting 30-plus points.’
Totally agree about the ‘coming out fast’ but I doubt we’ll be able to put ’30-plus points’ on the Rams’ defense given the limitations our offense now has. Bucs’ defense has to step-up-to-the-plate and do a much better job than it did in our first meetup with the Rams this year.
Rams scored on SIX consecutive drives in that game (4 TDs then 2 FGs) after we held them to punts on the 1st 2 drives. Each one of those 4 TDs they scored on included 1-2 huge pass plays of 20 yds or more (Kupp-22 yds; Jefferson-21 yds; Kupp-22 yds; Jackson-75 yds; Woods-20 yds; Jackson-40 yds). Those 6 pass completions alone gave them 198 of their 343 total passing yds (almost 60%).
We held them to FGs on those drives where we didn’t allow the long passing plays. We held them to just a little over 3 YPC rushing in 24 runs (38% run-pass ratio which is low for the Rams). IOW we got beaten by those explosive pass plays.
Last time we had no SMB & Dean went out after 12 plays. Davis (100% def snaps), Cockrell (88% def snaps) & Delaney (82% def snaps) were our CBs after that. We now have Dean (and hopefully SMB) back AND our backups have a LOT more experience in this defense. Our 2 Safeties are healthy, and I’ve got a hunch that Edwards (the ball-hawk) will see a lot more action than he did in that 1st game (only 23 def snaps).
Defensively we’re hurting, but we should still be a better defense than we were that 1st game. If we allow the explosive plays to happen again, we’ll lose. But we won’t. We just need our offense to put up the same 24 points we did in that game. Bucs win 24-20.
January 20th, 2022 at 9:05 am
Down AB & Godwin is one thing……but add Perriman & Grayson & we are depleted at WR……
We may see John Brown & Justin Watson Sunday……I also hope Darden can contribute.
January 20th, 2022 at 9:25 am
I like our chances this time around even with a banged up Oline. Hopefully everyone plays and we help Wirfs as needed. The thing that no one seems to be mentioning is that the Rams have Cam Akers back and that adds a dimension to their offense they didn’t have in the 1st game. Our defense has got to be ready for trick plays and change of direction plays. Seems we always fall for those things.
January 20th, 2022 at 10:16 am
Thanks, DR. I always read your excellent comments. The Bucs defense has to play its best game this season. That’s what it will take to beat the Rams. Are all the first teamers playing Sunday? When’s the last time that happened?
January 20th, 2022 at 10:50 am
We have our D back nuff said!!! Were gonna have to come out pressure the hell out of stafford make him throw INTs!! Hit them hard boys they are going to!! Make them pay for every inch!!!! LFGO!!!!!! TAMPA BAY ALL THE WAY
January 20th, 2022 at 10:51 am
LFGO!!! DEFENSE COME OUT AND MAKE THEM PAY FOR EVERY INCH PRESSURE THE HELL OUT OF STAFFORD!!! HE WILL THROW INTS!!! LOOK HOW 49ERS BEAT LA THEY OWN THEM!! WE GOT THIS!! TAMPA BAY ALL THE WAY
January 20th, 2022 at 3:17 pm
we had the chance to pick up OBJ and Von Miller–but passed on both??? we’re about to see both of them -more than we’d like….
I’ve lost count on hamstring injuries this season–maybe we should be looking for new Conditioning coach !!
January 20th, 2022 at 7:46 pm
We have plenty of WRs in Perriman and TJ and Scotty Miller !! Perriman is the one that caught the TD in the BILLS GAME and he had that CATCH OF THE YEAR a few weeks ago !! Let’s just worry about keeping Brady on his feet and the Bucs WIN !!
January 20th, 2022 at 8:01 pm
“Midseason the Rams lost 3 consecutive( at home to Tennesee, at San Fran, at Green Bay ”
Were any of those 3 teams down to 5th string scrubs on offense?
The bucs are screwed. It sucks but that’s the reality of the situation. Barring a massive Rams self destruction meltdown, Sunday is the end of the road for the bucs…and worse, possibly the end of the Brady era.
January 20th, 2022 at 8:11 pm
“We have plenty of WRs in Perriman and TJ and Scotty Miller !!”
Sure, against bad teams like the Panthers, the Eagles and(barely)the Jets.
Btw, Perriman is likely out for the game.
January 21st, 2022 at 10:17 am
All these armchair head coaches against the Bucks (PP) should consider another beer with a good dube and wait and see istead of smacking BS.