I Watched Every Buccaneers Game And All I Got Was This T-Shirt
23 repliesTony takes one for the team and watches every Tampa Bay Buccaneers game from the 2020 season to see what could be learned, and this is what he found.
Just like last year, that was a lie, I didn’t actually get a T-shirt. But also like last year I did watch every single game our Super Bowl opponent, this time the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, played in the 2020 season.
WK1 NO 34 TB 23
Brady was really aggressive this game, resulting in some nice throws, some PIs, and some INTs. Was a game TB could have won except for a Brady pick-6 and a ridiculous kickoff muff that NO recovered, but NO certainly deserved to win.
— Tony Sommer (@Tony_Sommer) January 25, 2021
WK3 TB 28 DEN 10
Jeff Driskel was starting for DEN and, surprise surprise, they couldn't do anything against the TB defense.
— Tony Sommer (@Tony_Sommer) January 26, 2021
WK5 CHI 20 TB 19
The infamous game where Brady forgot what down it was and then refused to shake Foles' hand. But he has nobody to blame but himself, as a hospital pass from him caused a fumble that gave CHI an easy TD that was the difference in the game.
— Tony Sommer (@Tony_Sommer) January 26, 2021
WK7 TB 45 LV 20
It was closer than it looked, with the score at 24-20 early in the 4th quarter. But then the Bucs scored, Carr threw a pick, and it got out of hand.
— Tony Sommer (@Tony_Sommer) January 27, 2021
WK 9 NO 38 TB 3
Even in a blowout it's obvious which side of the ball is better for TB. No the defense didn't play well, but a Mahomes-level performance on O could have won it. But Brady could do nothing, putting the TB D in terrible position for drive after drive.
— Tony Sommer (@Tony_Sommer) January 27, 2021
WK 11 LAR 27 TB 24
Both teams started hot, then the defenses dominated late. LAR managed a late FG drive, and Brady threw a game-losing interception.
— Tony Sommer (@Tony_Sommer) January 27, 2021
WK 13 TB 26 MIN 14
Not quite as bad as the final score indicates since MIN missed 3 FGs, an endzone pick got overturned due to a questionable PI call leading to a TB TD, and TB got a free 3 points at the end of the 1st half from a PI call on a hail mary.
— Tony Sommer (@Tony_Sommer) January 28, 2021
WK 16 TB 47 DET 7
Stafford got injured early so it was Daniel at QB for DET, but this was even worse than the score indicated, as TB was up 34-0 at half. Gabbert played the 2nd half, and Blough came in for the 4th quarter, so I didn't bother to watch beyond halftime.
— Tony Sommer (@Tony_Sommer) January 29, 2021
WC TB 31 WAS 23
Not a great game from TB allowing one of the worst playoff teams ever starting an XFL QB to hang around and have a chance to tie at the end. But to be fair it wasn't a complete disaster either, as Heinicke did play pretty well.
— Tony Sommer (@Tony_Sommer) January 29, 2021
NFCCG TB 31 GB 26
TB was actually pretty lucky to win this one. They got a fumble that turned into an easy TD, then had that TD at the end of the half, and despite that GB still had an opportunity to tie at the end as Brady tried to give the game away.
— Tony Sommer (@Tony_Sommer) January 30, 2021
Overview
- As you might expect from a team that made the Super Bowl, Tampa Bay is pretty good. But they’re not really good. In my playoff power rankings I had them at 7 (which is coincidentally where I had the 49ers last year), but as the 2nd best team in the NFC simply because the AFC overall was better, and nothing I saw would make me change my mind. The Bills are much better than them, and even though they beat them the Packers are also better and would likely come out on top if the NFL had a 7-game playoff series. This could honestly be the worst team Mahomes has ever played in the playoffs.
- Overall Tampa Bay is a defense-first team that hopes their offense can do just enough to win games. Brady is very obviously not an elite quarterback at this point, and even with possibly the most talented offensive weapons in the NFL surrounding him, he can still struggle at times. They actually remind me a bit of the Alex Smith Chiefs.
Are They Tougher Than The 49ers Last Year?
- They’re both very similar and not similar at all to the 2019 49ers. They’re similar in that the 49ers also had a strong defense and just-good-enough offense, but they took very different paths to get there.
- The 49ers defense was based on a strong pass rush, while Tampa Bay is a defense that’s more broadly good everywhere (again like the Alex Smith Chiefs). Where the Buccaneers defense excels the most is defending short passes like screens, obviously not all that helpful against Mahomes.
- On offense, they’re also very different. The 49ers have a very quarterback friendly system where you just need a guy who can hit wide open guys after play action. The Bruce Arians system is a quarterback unfriendly system that forces them to make difficult passes down the field, often in tight coverage. This means Tampa Bay is a lot more inconsistent than San Francisco was, but has more potential to put up a lot of points.
- Overall I’d say they’re pretty equal, but the 49ers matched up better against the Chiefs with their pass rush. I feel like Mahomes can tear apart the Tampa Bay defense without much problem. The only thing is that the Arians system has more potential to hit some home runs and engage in a shootout if they get some bounces their way.
Going based off of your tweets, if the Chiefs play a clean game, we should win easily. It seems that the Bucs take advantage of other teams mistakes.
I hope we don’t have anyone back to even try to catch a punt. Just take the ball wherever it stops rolling.
That’s pretty accurate IMO. If the Chiefs don’t make any mistakes (no dropped passes, no turnovers, no big kick returns allowed, etc.) it’ll be extremely hard for Tampa Bay to win.
Hey Tony! Thanks for watching all the games! It really does help guys like me who can’t do that. I appreciate it!
No problem, I’m glad people enjoy it.
I’d like to second that thanks. Interesting notes and info. You put in a lot of time here that maybe isn’t as appreciated as it should be.
I take Paypal and Venmo 🙂
Ah dang. I was gonna send over one bitcoin, but I don’t think they do crytpo
I just read on espn that groups were/are protesting the Chiefs name and the tomahawk chop/chant, and that they put up billboards in KC. I attended the last game the Chiefs played at arrowhead west, the chargers old stadium in San Diego, with my family, and something I will never forget is the sound of the chant reverberating through the tunnels of that old stadium after the Chiefs’ victory. Lots of great memories in Arrowhead too of course. Can we still call the stadium Arrowhead? Please tell me the Chiefs won’t completely cave to this nonsense. If you don’t like it, cheer for the Buc’s I guess, unless your ancestors were pirates and you are offended of course.
If you give them attention, you give them what they want.
It is nonsense. Tomahawk chop and chant as much as you want. That is practically a direct quote from a Native American friend of mine.
My friend is an 1/8th Native American. He chops and chants louder than me at the games.
The Bucs ARE good or they wouldn’t be in SB55 … Brady, much as I dislike the guy, is still very good (the guy can still put a 50 yd rainbow into a WR arms with no problem
the Tampa defense is very very good, and Bowles may be as good as Spags in coming up with inventive packages and coverage disguises …
Anyone thinking it’s gonna be a “walk in the park” or “a piece of cake” and thinking the Chiefs win easily is relying on homerism, thinking with the heart instead of the brain … this is gonna be a tough game
…so anyways. Chiefs win by a hunnert.
This made me laugh.I do think it will be a tough, close game, but I also think there’s a much better chance of the Chiefs blowing out the Bucs than the opposite.
No problem? He really winds up when he makes those throws now. If he has time to make these throws he will make them but if you get pressure and he cant wind up and put his whole body into the throw then no chance.
So I’m a homer. What’s your fricking point Ups? And by the way, we are gonna win easily. 😁
I agree. Anything can happen. The most I’ll say is that we have a great chance to win.
They’re good. It took good teams having complete meltdowns for them to win. The throw it on a hope and prayer game plan is too feast or famine to really guage the offense’s possible production. I don’t feel like their defense can keep the lid on us long enough to maintain any lead they might get.
Muchos gracias. Ive been trying to rewatch some, not all of the bucs games. First off they didnt really play many good teams, so I had a hard time picking games to watch. They beat 2 teams this year, including playoffs, that finished with winning records, GB (twice) and new orleans. They lost to chicago, the rams, us, and new orleans (twice) in the regular season. All teams with winning records. Cant pick your schedule but still pretty unimpressive. So far Ive rewatched the packers and saints playoff games, our game against them, and the first half of the last falcons game. From those games ive concluded: -Redzone offense. In the first half of the our first game against them we had the ball in the redzone 3 times and came away with 6 points. Likewise the infamous packers fg late in the game and NO failed to punch in it from inside the 5 at least once. I just dont see us having issues moving the ball between the 20s. In all the games I watched teams moved the ball fairly easily between the twenties when not committing stupid penalties or turning the ball over. And they did it with a mix of running and passing, granted all the games I watched were pass first teams but NO especially ran it up the middle effectively. -On defense. The bucs appear to be be pretty blah. Unlike the 49ers who ran all kinds of motions and end arounds etc, the bucs offense often reminded me of marty ball with much much much better receivers. Run the ball up the middle on first A LOT and sometimes do play action off that. Lot of intermediate stuff on 2nd down and then toss it up to your wrs on 3rd. The last point needs to be emphasized. Brady just chucks it up to his wrs a lot. We need to be willing to put our cbs on islands for the sake of getting in brady’s face. It will end up in some big gains but it will also end drives in drops… Read more »
That last paragraph in particular is spot on. Because Brady does chuck it up a lot there’s a potential for this game to be one of the biggest blowouts ever if those come down in Chiefs hands. But if they manage to come down with a bunch, or they get a bunch of PI calls, it could be a long day.
I think one of the most frustrating parts of today’s NFL is the ol’ “throw it up and hope for a PI call” offense that is becoming more popular.
<cough> Bashaud <cough> Breeland <cough>
I think we need to just accept a certain amount of these plays. We just cant completely counter these plays.