Tuesday, 3 a.m.
5 Thoughts
``1. I know Tom Brady had a bad game, and I know fans are upset at a 6-6 record. But if you're one of those who suggest the Bucs bench the best quarterback ever to play Kyle Trask, who has never thrown an NFL pass, you should have your opinion card revoked.
2. I can think of 12,987 running backs I'd rather see in office than Herschel Walker. Maybe 12,988. I forgot Joe Don Looney.
3. Just checking: On those last two drives by the Bucs, did anyone find fault with the play-calling? Anyone?
4. I admit it. Halfway through the fourth quarter, I wondered if the Bucs would win again this year. I still don't think it will happen as much as you want.
5. The underrated player of the game might have been tackle Josh Wells, filling in for Tristan Wires. Against him, Buc-killer Cam Jordan had all of one tackle.
5 Comments
(From Todd Bowles' day-after press conference)
(On incorporating more hurry-up offense in Tampa Bay’s offensive gameplan): "We’ve implemented it some. We did it against Atlanta. I thought we did it a little bit…It was either Carolina or Pittsburgh, as well. We can implement it more. Obviously, we can’t do that the whole game – the defense and special teams would be worn out. But we can try to take advantage of some things that way. Really, it’s a block here and a block there, a play here and a play there for us to continue keeping offensive drives alive.”
(On why the hurry-up offense works so well): "It all starts with the quarterback. He can dissect things – he’s seen it plenty of times. I guess the urgency clicked even more so in the two-minute [drill] being down that way and guys just locked in. You want to do that the entire game but unfortunately that didn’t happen. We’re just glad we got it in the end.”
(On the performance of LB Lavonte David on Monday night and if it’s strange that he doesn’t have a takeaway this season): "That’s something we’re trying to get done more. Obviously, we can help the offense more if the defense takes the ball away. He played a solid ballgame – him and Devin [White] passed the zones off very well. They tackled for the most part – missed one or two here and there. But his discipline in zones and actually getting a sack – they let him go on the sack because he never comes. Obviously, it’s always Devin [White] that blitzes so when he comes it was surprising the first time around. He plays a solid game for us, he’s one of our leaders on defense and everybody rallies behind him.”
(On Carl Nassib’s sack and his performance as of late) "Carl has become very valuable – the best play he made was the tipped ball on the third-and-2 that went down where they had to kick a field goal in addition to the sack. Carl has been very physical – he brings a lot of energy for us. We can’t replace Shaq [Barrett] but he can do some different things in the run game and be a power pass rusher for us to help out with the sacks.”
(On playing in so many close, low-scoring games): "In the NFL, you’re not going to blow a lot of people out. We won a lot of close games when we won the Super Bowl as well. Every year, it’s going to come down to a score or two – you’ve just got to have details and win the ballgame. [If] you win enough of them consistently, they’ll start turning into larger [margins] when the confidence grows. But it’s going to be a dogfight every week from here on out.”
Game Balls
Offense: With three minutes to go, no one qualified In the end, it was another of Tom Brady's saves.
Defense: Lovonte David had 12 tackles.
Special teams: Jake Camarda has had better nights -- he had two putts returned for 59 yards -- but he did average 49.4 yards per punt.
Grades
Quarterback: Nothing like pulling out a win to change one's grade, is there. Not Tom Brady's best game, but you can't argue with the finish: Grade: B.
Running back: Leonard Fournette ran hard. Rachaad White scored the winning touchdown. For a team that doesn't run well, that'll do. Grade: B.
Offensive line: Does Donovan Smith have the best hands on the Bucs? He certainly holds enough. Grade: C.
Receiver: Some key catches, but I wonder if Mike Evans owes Tom Brady money. Grade: B.
Linebacker: David was a beast. White not so much. Grade: B.
Secondary: Still gives up too many big plays. Grade: C.
Special teams: The punt coverage team needs work. Grade: C.
Power Rankings
- Philadelphia
2. Dallas
3. Buffalo
4. San Francisco
5. Kansas City.
14, Tampa Bay
Bottom 5
32. Houston
31. Denver
30. Chicago
29. Jacksonville
28. L.A. Rams
NFL Rankings
Passing yards Brady 5
Rushing yards Leonard Fournette 38
Receiving Yards Chris Godwin 11
Tackles Devin White 21
Punting Jake Camarda 10
Fourth-quarterback Comebacks
(NFL History)
Rank Player Games
1. Tom Brady 44
2. Peyton Manning 43
3. Ben Roethlisberger 41
4. Matt Ryan 38
5. Drew Brees 36
Game-Winning Drives
(NFL History)
Rank Player Games
1. Tom Brady 56
2. Peyton Manning 54
3t. Drew Brees 53
3t. Ben Roethlisberger 53
5. Dan Marino 47
Most Comebacks (10+ Point Deficit)
(NFL History)
Rank Player Games
- Tom Brady 40
2. Drew Brees 27
3. Peyton Manning 26
4. Ben Roethlisberger 22
5. Eli Manning 20
Best Rookies
- Jake Camarda
2. Rachaad White
3. Cade Otten
4. Ko Krieft
5. Zion McCollom
5 More Thoughts
- Here's a guess at what Aaron Judge said to Tom Brady Monday night: "It helps if you can go long."
2. Do you ever wonder what Joe Tryon-Shoyinka is doing these days? Oh, he is?
3. I wonder what Antonio Brown thinks of Herschel Walker.
4. I like Sean Payton, too. But if you're checking the stats, he's won as many Super Bowls as Bruce Arians.
5. World's smallest Christmas gift: A collection of Jaelon Darden's greatest plays.