Todd Bowles Talks Akiem Hicks Revival
November 8th, 2022
Akiem Hicks
Todd Bowles’ radio show tonight didn’t seem like a conversation at a wake, as it sometimes does.
The Bucs snapped their three-game losing streak Sunday and Bowles was quite upbeat about his defense.
Joe was curious to hear what the big boss would say on the Buccaneers Radio Network about defensive tackle Akiem Hicks. The big-money free agent signing hadn’t played since injuring his foot in Week 2.
The Bucs put a hearty load on Hicks’ plate for a first game back. He played 33 snaps, two less than Vita Vea, and Bowles liked the results.
“He made his presence known,” Bowles said of Hicks. “You know, he helped everybody else make plays. And obviously they singled Vita more and doubled him a little bit, so he got guys open.
“He got Logan [Hall] off the edge. He got Joe [Tryon-Shoyinka] and [Genard] Avery and [Anthony] Nelson and Carl [Nassib]; he got all those guys some extra pressure by eating up double teams and taking on blocks. And we expect him to get better and better every week.”
The Rams have a poor running game, but Joe can’t let that take too much away from the job the Bucs did stuffing the run. The Rams handed off 22 times for 69 yards and were stoned when they tried to run to close out the game.
This Hicks return should be a huge positive, if he can stay healthy, which is always the question with Hicks.
November 8th, 2022 at 5:42 pm
“If he stays healthy”. Now that he’s had weeks off, what are the chances he stays on the field for the rest of the season?
November 8th, 2022 at 5:45 pm
If he can stay healthy, I will take him off the naughty “just-here-for-the-paycheck” list. Several other guys will stay on it until further notice.
November 8th, 2022 at 5:55 pm
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 Lol Jack I’m with u, on the naughty list.
😂😂😂😂 I got Tip Toe Lenny and Ice skates White
Julie.
November 8th, 2022 at 5:57 pm
Our Interior DLine owned that last game. Mostly against the pass. If that is what we thought we were getting replacing Suh its easy to see why we made the moves we did.
Problem is right now its been only 1 game we looked that strong upfront. If getting Hicks back means more defense like that 1 game we might be sittin pretty and i might be sniffin a 6 win streak
November 8th, 2022 at 5:58 pm
I am rejoicing Hicks return.
But I forgot what he looks like, and don’t know his number.
November 8th, 2022 at 6:01 pm
By our defense might go backwards if White decides he doesnt give a crap, again. He was nothing special on Sunday but he was solid, and actually got off a few blocks. I seen him misread a few little plays but overall played well……….We have great players atound White, we just need him to play fundamentslly sounds.
Ye, Im offically lowered my expectations for Devin.
November 8th, 2022 at 6:09 pm
Suh.
November 8th, 2022 at 6:11 pm
The super huge big-boss expects better and better each week.
Sounds like Mario Cart.
November 8th, 2022 at 6:17 pm
JimmyJack Says:
November 8th, 2022 at 5:57 pm
“Our Interior DLine owned that last game. Mostly against the pass. If that is what we thought we were getting replacing Suh its easy to see why we made the moves we did.”
I admire your optimism, bro.
Just think tho – if we cut some dead-weight at the WR position, we might could afford a roster spot for Suh. Imagine Vea, Hicks, AND Suh in a rotation.
As many astute observers have poignantly pointed out, perhaps signing Suh isn’t possible. But wouldn’t it be cool if it happened?
Only thing left after that is to sign Gronk and lure AB outta the loony bin.
Hey, it could happen…
November 8th, 2022 at 6:27 pm
Let’s see how the Bucs defense does this week against a quality running game, some receivers that can stretch the field and a quarterback who can get out of the pocket and make throws on the run. If they can stifle Kenneth Walker and make the Seahawks one dimensional maybe the Bucs have a shot in this one. If not it may be a long game.
November 8th, 2022 at 6:27 pm
Fingers crossed, he doesn’t get hurt again. We have a bye after this week, any word on Jensen’s status? Be great to get him back.
November 8th, 2022 at 6:43 pm
Hodad,
Jensen? JENSEN? Crap bro, we STILL don’t even have a diagnosis for him, let alone a prognosis. J-J-J-J-Jensen? (Jim Mora voice, LOL).
November 8th, 2022 at 6:51 pm
Sorry – but this guy is garbage.
Another old vet that has served too long.
Please retire and take Julio Jones with you…
Stop stealing money from the NFL.
November 8th, 2022 at 6:53 pm
Take Brett Perriman and Cam Brate with you as well…
What a joke!!!!!
November 8th, 2022 at 7:25 pm
Maybe hold him back on the games we still have left to play on artificial turf to protect the foot.
November 8th, 2022 at 8:08 pm
@Joe Bowles loves Hicks like Lovie loves Mike Jenkins
November 8th, 2022 at 8:17 pm
DRok I am spreading optimism but Im very skeptical.
In the end of the day Rams have OL problems and we have 1 game to our name where the interior DL dominated. They will need more work to start to impress me……..If they can show us a repeat this Sunday I might just start beating the drum for Vita, Hicks and co.(BTW Tryon also looked good on the EDGE, another spot to keep an eye on).
If this squad pulls it together and peaks at the right time we could maybe probably beat any team in the league.
GO BUCS!!
November 8th, 2022 at 8:23 pm
That was a revival? Where did the spirit move him to?
He was a solid chunk in the center, but seeing Vita out move him has to be embarrassing as hell.
November 8th, 2022 at 8:25 pm
Hicks is a dominate defensive player, when he is healthy.
He took players off Vea, and we all saw the results.
On paper, we are a very talented team, but we have had a ton of injuries.
IMHO, we would not have beat the Rams w/o Hicks.
His eating up double teams got many of our others players open.
Just his being on the field is going to present real problems for Pete Carroll and the Seahawks in Germany.
The German crowd will be on our side, because of Tom Brady, and also because when Germans go on Vacation, they come to Florida, not Seattle!
November 8th, 2022 at 8:27 pm
Hicks is a dominate defensive player, when he is healthy.
He took players off Vea, and we all saw the results.
On paper, we are a very talented team, but we have had a ton of injuries.
IMHO, we would not have beat the Rams w/o Hicks.
His eating up double teams got many of our others players open.
Just his being on the field is going to present real problems for Pete Carroll and the Seahawks in Germany.
The German crowd will be on our side, because of Tom Brady, and also because when Germans go on Vacation, they come to Florida, not Seattle!
LOL< there goes the duplicate content filter again! I am going to try and post this, so feel free to delete this post if it is a duplicate
November 8th, 2022 at 9:09 pm
@ Chris
“Hicks is a dominate defensive player, when he is healthy.”
He has only played in like 10 games the past 3 seasons…
We still will owe this lump like $4M next year and he won’t be playing.
This was as big a waste as Gage and Julio Jones.
I am a Jason Licht fan but he made several bad free agent investments this season.
November 8th, 2022 at 9:10 pm
The Internet ain’t what she used to be! I swear it!
I notice all kinds of hiccups and stumbles these days. For a long time I thought something was drastically wrong with me. I am getting on in years as they say. Now I realize that there are other problems I can’t control.
November 8th, 2022 at 9:14 pm
I saw a decline in Suh’s play last year. I think Licht had to gamble a bit more this year when he settled on Hicks with his injury history. We shall see how things go for the rest of this season.
Go Bucs! 🏈
November 8th, 2022 at 9:42 pm
Hicks was not fantastic. But he held his own. i watched him closely. At times he was double teamed. And that got vita clear. I just hope he can continue playing without getting injured. He is a big guy who takes up a lot od space. he does have an effect.
November 9th, 2022 at 3:16 am
Chris – not so sure about the crowd in Munich, even if I will do my very best ;-).
The NFL became really popular in Germany when Seattle won their Super Bowl, so — even if I hate to admit — they have a large fan base over here.
November 9th, 2022 at 3:38 am
There’s a reason SUH isn’t on a team. Just sayin
November 9th, 2022 at 11:15 pm
Hey German Buc, any chance you have some friends who could get Leftwich really hammered and then after he passes out, drop him off deep in the Black Forest with a picnic basket and a blanket?
Bucs fans everywhere would be grateful.