“Catching The Layups!”
May 28th, 2024
Todd Bowles is a big NBA fan, so he knows teams, at times, have brought in “shot doctors” to assist players with form shooting, free throws and more.
Considering how Bucs defensive backs and linebackers have had their share of the dropsies in recent years, and that Bowles is a typical defense-first head coach obsessed with generating turnovers, Joe’s wondering if the Bucs defense might benefit from using a catch specialist.
This hit Joe’s brain when Bowles spoke after a voluntary spring practice today and spoke about backup inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis.
Bowles noted how Dennis can make the special interception, — as Joe noted he did today in underwear football — and get jelly fingers on easy opportunities.
“He sees them. He makes the plays they throw at his feet; he drops the ones they throw at his hands,” Bowles said of Dennis. “So, he’s got to do a better job of catching the layups and not trying to have the slam dunk competition plays and just do the easy layups and do the fundamentals right. But he’s doing well.”
Dennis was a playmaker last offseason but injuries torpedoed his progression.
Joe’s not knocking current Bucs coaches. Cornerbacks coach Kevin Ross had 38 interceptions during his storied career. He certainly knows how to catch. But Joe thinks Bowles might want to think about bringing in a fresh catch coach for a few days, especially considering the Jamel Dean streak.
As for Bowles referencing the NBA slam dunk contest, Joe sees Bowles as having old school dunking champions among his favorites, perhaps Kenny “Sky” Walker if Joe were to guess.
May 28th, 2024 at 4:09 pm
Old School Dunks: Dominque Wilkins
Greatest Dunks: Vince Carter
May 28th, 2024 at 4:26 pm
I’d rather Dennis get the slam dunks at least, rather than miss the layups AND the dunks, a la Jamal Dean lol.
(And BTW I’m a big fan of Dean… when he’s healthy. Problem is, he’s rarely healthy).
That said, the entire defense besides Winfield could certainly benefit from some extra time on jugs machines.
May 28th, 2024 at 5:05 pm
Like a DB is a WR who can’t catch, a LB is a B who also can’t juke or catch.
May 28th, 2024 at 5:14 pm
Coat him in pine tar like Biletnikoff.
May 28th, 2024 at 5:29 pm
Coat Dean in the glop that coach gave WR Clifford Franklin in the movie “The Replacements”, haha!!
Bro said looked like I just j_cked off an elephant 😂😂😂!!!
May 28th, 2024 at 6:26 pm
“He sees them. He makes the plays they throw at his feet; he drops the ones they throw at his hands,”
I shouldn’t have laughed as hard as I did, but imagine Bowles followed this with some to the effect of “if we can’t get your hands improved, we’ll just have you play while doing a handstand” 😂 sounds like coach-dad level of comedy
May 28th, 2024 at 6:26 pm
“He makes the plays they throw at his feet; he drops the ones they throw at his hands,”
HMM, where have I heard THAT before
May 28th, 2024 at 10:31 pm
Our outstanding young safeties can catch.
Zyon and Izien look like they can catch.
But yeah, just looking at the playoff game- if our defense could catch- that game might have turned out differently..
A specialist might be a good idea. Hours on the Jugs machine is also a great idea.
But sadly, a lot of Defensive backs and linebackers, are WRs and TEs that couldnt catch.
At the NFL level, your job is football. If you cant catch- find a way and fix it..
At least we are getting lots of oportunities
May 28th, 2024 at 11:22 pm
Capt Tim – agreed. That should have been a pick in the end zone against Goff and then who knows. Last I checked, Dean has hands. Not lobster claws.
Heck even JPP with his two and a half fingered hand made interceptions that were harder than what Jamel drops.
May 29th, 2024 at 6:20 am
Umm… They have a Jugs? They have a WR coach or two? They have some back up QBs? A field after practice? I think the answers are all yes.
A catch guru? Seriously?
Go Bucs!