One-play mentality.

You’ve heard the old football cliché about how a cornerback has to have a short memory? That sooner or later he will get burned and he just has to forget it quickly and move on to the next play quickly?

It seems Jacob Parrish embraces that cliché.

The Bucs’ second-year corner is now a starting outside corner, full-time. And today, he’s going to face the very best. Here comes Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Welcome to life as an NFL outside corner.

Parrish looked really good last year as a nickel. That’s a different animal than outside corner.

KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles has faith in Parrish. A lot of faith. One reason, which Bowles often brags about Parrish for, is that Parrish just doesn’t care about what just happened. He is not fazed, Bowles said. As soon as one play is over, time for the next.

In other words, a very short memory.

Joe spoke with Parrish last week about this and Parrish said it is a trait he learned from a defensive coach at Kansas State. He embraced the next-play mentality and it has paid off. So far.

Parrish said it was a mentality that was drilled into him by Kansas State defensive passing game coordinator and assistant head coach Van Malone.

“He was always telling us, it’s about the next play,” Parrish said. “That stuck with me. Some bad plays are going to happen. [Receivers] are going to catch the ball.

“‘Don’t worry about it,'” Parrish said Malone told him. “‘Because if you do, another bad play will happen.'”

Joe can easily understand how Parrish took that to heart. Parrish is a super chill, really quiet dude. You can see just in his demeanor he doesn’t get worked up about anything. If you don’t see him, you don’t even know he’s around.

So not getting bent about a receiver making a play on him really does fit his personality.

“That’s what I preach on,” Parrish said about his next-play mentality. “And that’s what I work on.”

Joe hopes Parrish doesn’t have to use Malone’s advice very often today.