Rapid Reactions: Bucs beat the Falcons 29-25

[Bootz]

I don't understood the criticism of the Falcons final drive. You want complete passes over the middle to burn time. Incompletions only increases the number of chances they have. Ideally, would've been shorter passes allowed. But hey, 4 starters were out. We got the job done.

[Doctor]

His play has gone up with the OLs like everyone else's. He's also been every bit the role we signed him to be.

[Bootz]

His play has gone up with the OLs like everyone else's. He's also been every bit the role we signed him to be.

You mean yesterday? Sure. He did well yesterday. But let's not pretend like this was some growing trend. Last week vs the Panthers he ran for 7 yards on 2 carries & 1 catch for 2 yards. He hasn't been good for the majority of this season.

[Navybuc]

One of the stranger games I have seen this franchise win. They were pretty much outplayed the whole game except most of the 4th quarter and still managed to win. But was also 5 yards away from losing on the last play of the game.

Really bad teams find ways to lose. That is the Atlanta Falcons. We play in a horrible division where arguably four of the worst 6 or 7 teams in the whole league play. We just happen to potentially be the best of those worst teams. Reality should hit when we play two good teams back to back coming up.

[Doctor]

His play has gone up with the OLs like everyone else's. He's also been every bit the role we signed him to be.

You mean yesterday? Sure. He did well yesterday. But let's not pretend like this was some growing trend. Last week vs the Panthers he ran for 7 yards on 2 carries & 1 catch for 2 yards. He hasn't been good for the majority of this season.

This is the difference between watching the games and reading the box score.

Edmomds has had some nice, jump start the offense, type runs for us this year called back due to penalties.

[Bootz]

You mean yesterday? Sure. He did well yesterday. But let's not pretend like this was some growing trend. Last week vs the Panthers he ran for 7 yards on 2 carries & 1 catch for 2 yards. He hasn't been good for the majority of this season.

This is the difference between watching the games and reading the box score.

Edmomds has had some nice, jump start the offense, type runs for us this year called back due to penalties.

When

[mdb1958]

Your eyes are not deceiving you. White had over 100 yards today, and had another 100+ yard day two weeks ago.

Indeed, over the last three games Rachaad White has had 286 rushing yards to go along with 65 receiving yards and two scores. Not elite numbers to be sure, but not far off in comparison to his more heralded peers. If he keeps up this kind of production, that will have knock-on effects throughout the offense.

An optimist might argue that the running game is turning the corner in a big way.

Add in the smaller Edmonds with his quickness & speed and we've seen a pretty good run game the past 2 weeks.

Yep Edmonds did well with his 12 snaps.

[mdb1958]

You mean yesterday? Sure. He did well yesterday. But let's not pretend like this was some growing trend. Last week vs the Panthers he ran for 7 yards on 2 carries & 1 catch for 2 yards. He hasn't been good for the majority of this season.

This is the difference between watching the games and reading the box score.

Edmomds has had some nice, jump start the offense, type runs for us this year called back due to penalties.

If - the offensive line has accumulated enough snaps to establish a cohesive opportunity for improvement, all backs would get a better audition. Even then, the o-line still needs to get stronger.

Are they getting closer to "there" or does more capital gotta be burned to use up snaps all over again.

[Jonny]

This is the difference between watching the games and reading the box score.

Edmomds has had some nice, jump start the offense, type runs for us this year called back due to penalties.

When

I don't remember them either. This game was easily the best Edmonds has looked. He always runs like he's about to slip and fall down though.

[GreatTimes]

This is the difference between watching the games and reading the box score.

Edmomds has had some nice, jump start the offense, type runs for us this year called back due to penalties.

If - the offensive line has accumulated enough snaps to establish a cohesive opportunity for improvement, all backs would get a better audition. Even then, the o-line still needs to get stronger.

Are they getting closer to "there" or does more capital gotta be burned to use up snaps all over again.

The Offensive line has improved since Stinnie took over for the FA LG Bowles signed in the off season.

[Buc2]

Add in the smaller Edmonds with his quickness & speed and we've seen a pretty good run game the past 2 weeks.

Yep Edmonds did well with his 12 snaps.

12 snaps. Yep...that's about right for your backup RB.

[Doctor]

[Buc2]

That after vid was probably @acmillis.

[Jonny]

I don't blame the Falcons fans for thinking they have the game in the bag after how pathetic our offense looked up until that point.

Major kudos to Baker for making plays when they needed to get made. It is not common and not easy for an offense to flip the switch despite never having any rhythm most of the game.

Even though Bucs held a 9 point lead at one point, it felt as if Falcons were a far superior team letting a chump of an opponent hang around for too long.

[Grahamburn]

All that video did was make me dizzy.

[Grahamburn]

I don't understood the criticism of the Falcons final drive. You want complete passes over the middle to burn time. Incompletions only increases the number of chances they have. Ideally, would've been shorter passes allowed. But hey, 4 starters were out. We got the job done.

Defense had already given away two games inside of a minute this season. One of them to that very same QB.

The problem isn't the completions. It's the length of them. Offense starts on the 25 and we're giving up an easy pitch and catch to the 50 almost immediately. Off coverage is fine, but I'm not sure why we can't contend those catches a little more. Give a cushion... Sure. We're giving a California king mattress.

I would prefer those first couple plays be press man with safeties deep and blitzing linebackers. Make the QB get rid of the ball quickly. It's pretty easy to find someone down the field the way we've been playing it dropping off 25 yards and rushing 3 guys.

[acmillis]

That after vid was probably @acmillis.

I will say the atmosphere they create in that stadium is awesome.
My son was talking crap the whole game. When we scored late, the stands started to empty, so I was yelling, “where are you going, it’s not over yet?!?!”
We had a blast.

[Babeinbucland]

Bowles haven't done anything to fix his mistake since the Rams playoff loss, so that's not new.

I've always said he shoulda been fired after that, instead we promote him. One of the most baffling calls I've seen in my life.

Apparently Bowels thinks (and convinced higher ups) that his plans are wonderful and are just not being executed appropriately.

[Selmon Rules]

I don't think Baker is the problem with the offense. Problem is, I don't think he is the solution either

[Nobody]

We are a million times better Gap running OL. Can we just invert our current tendencies and make this the core of our running game already and make Mid-Zone (which we aren't good at) a wrinkle?

Oh and both Britt and Russell are better players than Devin White. I'm not talking bottom-of-the-barrel White. I'm talking run-of-the-mill White.

[Grahamburn]

We are a million times better Gap running OL. Can we just invert our current tendencies and make this the core of our running game already and make Mid-Zone (which we aren't good at) a wrinkle?

Oh and both Britt and Russell are better players than Devin White. I'm not talking bottom-of-the-barrel White. I'm talking run-of-the-mill White.

Mauch has been flashing positively a lot more. Goedeke pulling and wiping people out. I don't think he has been talked about enough this year by the way. He has played really well. Stinnie has been better than Feiler. Hainsey mentioned before the game they felt like they were coming together a little more. It showed.

[Heisenberg]

I've always said he shoulda been fired after that, instead we promote him. One of the most baffling calls I've seen in my life.

Apparently Bowels thinks (and convinced higher ups) that his plans are wonderful and are just not being executed appropriately.

"Had a good practice"

[Heisenberg]

We are a million times better Gap running OL. Can we just invert our current tendencies and make this the core of our running game already and make Mid-Zone (which we aren't good at) a wrinkle?

Oh and both Britt and Russell are better players than Devin White. I'm not talking bottom-of-the-barrel White. I'm talking run-of-the-mill White.

Said the same on twitter about the running. Hopefully Canales and Bowles actually make some changes there, its too glaring not to do anything. Time to let the zone shit go Dave.

[kaimaru]

We are a million times better Gap running OL. Can we just invert our current tendencies and make this the core of our running game already and make Mid-Zone (which we aren't good at) a wrinkle?

Oh and both Britt and Russell are better players than Devin White. I'm not talking bottom-of-the-barrel White. I'm talking run-of-the-mill White.

I was told Britt is okay but his physical limitations limits his play. What limitations did you see?

[Sdbucs]

I don't think Baker is the problem with the offense. Problem is, I don't think he is the solution either

That’s what Baker is as a QB and why he’s good for 7-9 wins and nothing more after it

[Grahamburn]

I don't think Baker is the problem with the offense. Problem is, I don't think he is the solution either

That’s what Baker is as a QB and why he’s good for 7-9 wins and nothing more after it

Baker Mayfield has Cleveland's only playoff win in like the last 30 years. You put some real talent and good coaching around this guy he can win.

[Nobody]

We are a million times better Gap running OL. Can we just invert our current tendencies and make this the core of our running game already and make Mid-Zone (which we aren't good at) a wrinkle?

Oh and both Britt and Russell are better players than Devin White. I'm not talking bottom-of-the-barrel White. I'm talking run-of-the-mill White.

I was told Britt is okay but his physical limitations limits his play. What limitations did you see?

His processing loop is very solid when moving forward whether it be fitting C gap to C gap or pursuing on the boundary. Instinctive second level players who process well play plenty fast to do their assignment even if they're a step slower in underwear. And when you move and play under control and when you're relatively technically sound when dealing with climbing Guards? There is no advantage to being a better "underwear athlete" with worse instincts and worse processing; the advantage actually goes to the instincts and processing.

Playing Hole or Seam/Hook coverage or interior in match (so long as he isn't tasked with matching a vert against #3 in a Trips set), he's "ok." Not a difference-maker by any stretch, but he'll be enough of a problem for Over routes enough of the time (rather than failing to be aware of what concepts are coming, what they're trying to do to him specifically, failing to get depth to landmark, obliviously covering grass while chasing the QB's eyes, and inevitably biting and chasing "The Low" to repeatedly vacate his responsibility against "The High"). The difference between "ok" and "poor" is significant though. And the difference between "ok" and "terrible" is moreso.

And no, he doesn't have the juice to play Man coverage...but only LBers named LVD are tasked with that in this defense (or sub-package Safeties) while the other LBer position does the play-making, Bowles-scheme-facilitated stuff.

I've said it a million times before and I'll say it again. Except for Cornerbacks and Edge players and Running Backs who can't break tackles/who have no balance through contact (which...you don't want those guys anyway), "underwear 40/10 yard split" is about the most overrated and misleading metric possible. Its the high maintenance hot chick who is a miserable, worthless life companion that you regret opting into a few months down the line. Its right up there with getting totally dazzled by and preoccupied with intermediate depth or Deep Out velocity for QBs.

Britt is overwhelmingly "a dude" with typical 2nd level instincts and ability. The odds that he is going to ascend to some kind of unforseen ceiling is incredibly low. But you'll get "a dude" from him consistently and the defensive structure and playcalling is overwhelmingly what generates blitz-based plays for LBers anyway (not their underwear 40).

But anyway...I'd rather see Russel in that position, given what he put out there the week before.

[kaimaru]

Thank you for that analysis. So JJ Russell played better?

[Nobody]

Thank you for that analysis. So JJ Russell played better?

They played pretty comparable football in terms of assignment-soundness, read-react, physicality, and making the plays that were there for them to be made/schemed for them. However, Russell is a pretty fluid mover in all directions, the better of the two going backwards and, in their small sample of action, showed a better click-and-close in coverage (although Britt was surprisingly solid there as well last game). So, from that perspective, I'm seeing a fraction of a higher ceiling on Russell with still some potential to unlock further growth and possibly end up a better coverage player (he's not bereft of instincts and feel there like some LBers!)

Interestingly, I just discovered that Britt is younger than Russell by a year. With LBer like RB you're typically looking at a very small shelf-life and pretty steep drop-off (due to accrued injury/wear). So you really want to optimize that small window that you get out of them.

Regardless, their play the last few weeks goes a long way toward taking LBer off the table for draft needs next year. Sign LVD and there is no way we need to be drafting a LBer in next year's draft. LVD + 4th round pick, 5th round pick, UFA is plenty investment in the position...especially when we need to draft a QB, seem like we're going to have a big hole at WR, our TE room is more talent deficient than we'd like after dumping 3 picks into it the last few years, our RB room is utterly barren after White, and you always need to be refreshing the defensive backfield, OL, and pass rush.

[mdb1958]

We have no 5th round draft pick.

[Nobody]

We have no 5th round draft pick.

I’m referring to what we’ve already invested (Britt was a 5th, Dennis a 4th, Russell a UDFA).

That is plenty investment at the position with LVD in the fold for another year.

[Phantom]

We probably will have a 5th-round pick by the draft. .Ie: trade down for more pick.

[13F11B]

How are these rapid reactions on Wednesday after the game.