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~stomp stomp~?
Bucs Stuff...
- Thread starter Cotton
- Start date
bbgun
please don't "dur" me
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The rest of their team ain't 44.
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They aren't really a young team either but it doesn't seem to matter.
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Buccaneers CBs ooze confidence ahead of opener against stellar Cowboys receivers
By Greg Auman 3h ago
TAMPA, Fla. — For the Buccaneers’ young secondary, Thursday’s opener against the Cowboys might bring their toughest challenge of the upcoming season in terms of opposing receivers, with Dallas’ triumvirate of Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup.
The toughest challenge outside of what they face in practice every day, at least.
In Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown, the Bucs can stake a claim to having the best 1-2-3 in the NFL, and with apologies to Tom Brady, you could argue that nobody benefits from that more than Tampa Bay’s well-tested cornerbacks.
“Every year, I’ve been prepared by them to go up against these other receivers,” cornerback Carlton Davis said Sunday. “It allows me to play fearless because I’ve seen it all, just in practice alone.”
Even with only a half-season of Brown last year, those three combined for 24 touchdown catches, and the makeup of the Bucs receivers, with size here and speed there, makes for a comprehensive test over the course of a practice.
“Every camp, I’m really blessed to be able to go up against Mike, Chris, we added AB, even all the other receivers,” Davis said. “We have so much of a diversity with our receivers as far as quick, big, possession, strong. Just going up against those guys was great for me because it allowed me to work my technique, to get some game-like plays and reps in during this time where you’re developing and you’re trying to get back into the groove of the season. Those guys take no plays off.”
With Dak Prescott sidelined much of last season with an ankle injury, resulting in four different starting quarterbacks, Dallas’ big three still combined for 2,892 yards and 15 touchdowns last year. Bucs fans should remember Cooper well — the best road game of his NFL career came in Tampa in 2016 with the Raiders, as he went off for 12 catches for 173 yards and a touchdown. Gallup had his second career touchdown catch in a win against the Bucs in 2018. Lamb, the Cowboys’ first-round pick out of Oklahoma a year ago, had his only two 100-yard games and his only multi-touchdown game before Prescott’s injury, so even his promising rookie numbers (935 yards, five touchdowns) could be just the beginning of his emergence.
Dallas also brings a proven top-tier running back in Ezekiel Elliott, but the Cowboys will be without All-Pro guard Zack Martin, who tested positive for COVID-19 this week, and the Buccaneers have had the No. 1 run defense in the NFL each of the last two years. Prescott, who didn’t play in the preseason, hasn’t thrown a pass in 11 months, but that passing attack presents a threat to the Bucs secondary as Tampa opens the defense of its Super Bowl championship.
“They’re talented,” Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles said Monday. “It’s going to be a good challenge for us. It only helps (the secondary) going against great receivers. All great receivers are different. Dallas’ are different from ours, but from a competitive standpoint, it helps to get ready. You have to study the tendencies of other guys for that to help you.”
A year ago, the Bucs secondary found motivation in one national site ranking them as the NFL’s worst at the position, and while that won’t be happening again, they still seek greater recognition. Holding the Chiefs offense to three field goals in a Super Bowl is a remarkable feat, but the defense has allowed the headlines to go to Tom Brady and the rest of the offensive cast.
“We have to prove it. We have to show up every day. We have to put in the work,” said corner Sean Murphy-Bunting, who had interceptions in three straight playoff games last year. “Nothing is going to be handed to us. (It’s) just having that mindset and going to get it each and every play, no matter who you are. A lot of us on the back end don’t have names for ourselves, so it’s about putting on for not only us but for our families as well and representing ourselves in a great way.”
The secondary’s “GraveDiggers” nickname caught on with fans in the offseason after the Bucs defense ended the season for three elite quarterbacks: the Saints’ Drew Brees, the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers and the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes. That would bring confidence to any young player, and Davis — set to become a coveted free agent this spring — is still waiting on his first Pro Bowl nod but wants to be recognized among the best at his position.
“If you check the numbers, check the stats, check the film, I’m second to none,” Davis said. “I’m going to just keep holding it down, playing for my teammates, playing for the city and keep doing what I do. However it shakes out is however it shakes out, but I know at the end of the day, I know what I did. I can pull up stats, film, whatever. The players know, and if they don’t know, they will know.”
That same over-the-top confidence will be seen on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage, as Cooper has topped 1,000 receiving yards in five of his six NFL seasons but wants to show everyone how great he can be this season.
“I think I’m the best receiver in the league. But (there’s) a difference between thinking that you’re the best and actually going out there and proving it,” he told reporters Monday. “Do I think I’m the best? Yes. Have I proven it? I wouldn’t say I have.”
The Bucs pass defense still has ample room to improve — it ranked 21st last year in passing yards allowed, 20th in touchdown passes allowed and 18th in opposer passer rating. But Thursday is a chance to prove itself against one of the best receiving units in the league, setting the tone for the upcoming season.
“It’s a huge challenge,” coach Bruce Arians said Sunday. “They’re loaded, and they all do different things. I think that threesome might be the best. I’ll argue that ours might be, too. It’s a hell of a challenge when you have that many guys. Gallup goes deep, Cooper is Cooper, and CeeDee Lamb is a great runner after the (catch).”
By Greg Auman 3h ago
TAMPA, Fla. — For the Buccaneers’ young secondary, Thursday’s opener against the Cowboys might bring their toughest challenge of the upcoming season in terms of opposing receivers, with Dallas’ triumvirate of Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup.
The toughest challenge outside of what they face in practice every day, at least.
In Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown, the Bucs can stake a claim to having the best 1-2-3 in the NFL, and with apologies to Tom Brady, you could argue that nobody benefits from that more than Tampa Bay’s well-tested cornerbacks.
“Every year, I’ve been prepared by them to go up against these other receivers,” cornerback Carlton Davis said Sunday. “It allows me to play fearless because I’ve seen it all, just in practice alone.”
Even with only a half-season of Brown last year, those three combined for 24 touchdown catches, and the makeup of the Bucs receivers, with size here and speed there, makes for a comprehensive test over the course of a practice.
“Every camp, I’m really blessed to be able to go up against Mike, Chris, we added AB, even all the other receivers,” Davis said. “We have so much of a diversity with our receivers as far as quick, big, possession, strong. Just going up against those guys was great for me because it allowed me to work my technique, to get some game-like plays and reps in during this time where you’re developing and you’re trying to get back into the groove of the season. Those guys take no plays off.”
With Dak Prescott sidelined much of last season with an ankle injury, resulting in four different starting quarterbacks, Dallas’ big three still combined for 2,892 yards and 15 touchdowns last year. Bucs fans should remember Cooper well — the best road game of his NFL career came in Tampa in 2016 with the Raiders, as he went off for 12 catches for 173 yards and a touchdown. Gallup had his second career touchdown catch in a win against the Bucs in 2018. Lamb, the Cowboys’ first-round pick out of Oklahoma a year ago, had his only two 100-yard games and his only multi-touchdown game before Prescott’s injury, so even his promising rookie numbers (935 yards, five touchdowns) could be just the beginning of his emergence.
Dallas also brings a proven top-tier running back in Ezekiel Elliott, but the Cowboys will be without All-Pro guard Zack Martin, who tested positive for COVID-19 this week, and the Buccaneers have had the No. 1 run defense in the NFL each of the last two years. Prescott, who didn’t play in the preseason, hasn’t thrown a pass in 11 months, but that passing attack presents a threat to the Bucs secondary as Tampa opens the defense of its Super Bowl championship.
“They’re talented,” Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles said Monday. “It’s going to be a good challenge for us. It only helps (the secondary) going against great receivers. All great receivers are different. Dallas’ are different from ours, but from a competitive standpoint, it helps to get ready. You have to study the tendencies of other guys for that to help you.”
A year ago, the Bucs secondary found motivation in one national site ranking them as the NFL’s worst at the position, and while that won’t be happening again, they still seek greater recognition. Holding the Chiefs offense to three field goals in a Super Bowl is a remarkable feat, but the defense has allowed the headlines to go to Tom Brady and the rest of the offensive cast.
“We have to prove it. We have to show up every day. We have to put in the work,” said corner Sean Murphy-Bunting, who had interceptions in three straight playoff games last year. “Nothing is going to be handed to us. (It’s) just having that mindset and going to get it each and every play, no matter who you are. A lot of us on the back end don’t have names for ourselves, so it’s about putting on for not only us but for our families as well and representing ourselves in a great way.”
The secondary’s “GraveDiggers” nickname caught on with fans in the offseason after the Bucs defense ended the season for three elite quarterbacks: the Saints’ Drew Brees, the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers and the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes. That would bring confidence to any young player, and Davis — set to become a coveted free agent this spring — is still waiting on his first Pro Bowl nod but wants to be recognized among the best at his position.
“If you check the numbers, check the stats, check the film, I’m second to none,” Davis said. “I’m going to just keep holding it down, playing for my teammates, playing for the city and keep doing what I do. However it shakes out is however it shakes out, but I know at the end of the day, I know what I did. I can pull up stats, film, whatever. The players know, and if they don’t know, they will know.”
That same over-the-top confidence will be seen on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage, as Cooper has topped 1,000 receiving yards in five of his six NFL seasons but wants to show everyone how great he can be this season.
“I think I’m the best receiver in the league. But (there’s) a difference between thinking that you’re the best and actually going out there and proving it,” he told reporters Monday. “Do I think I’m the best? Yes. Have I proven it? I wouldn’t say I have.”
The Bucs pass defense still has ample room to improve — it ranked 21st last year in passing yards allowed, 20th in touchdown passes allowed and 18th in opposer passer rating. But Thursday is a chance to prove itself against one of the best receiving units in the league, setting the tone for the upcoming season.
“It’s a huge challenge,” coach Bruce Arians said Sunday. “They’re loaded, and they all do different things. I think that threesome might be the best. I’ll argue that ours might be, too. It’s a hell of a challenge when you have that many guys. Gallup goes deep, Cooper is Cooper, and CeeDee Lamb is a great runner after the (catch).”
Simpleton
DCC 4Life
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Their secondary is middle of the pack at best, they may be confident but it's because they're playing behind a front 7 that consistently forces offenses into 3rd and long and then gets to the QB in 3 seconds or less.
If our OL can somehow give Dak time and/or run the ball without Martin they're going to get roasted by our WR's.
If our OL can somehow give Dak time and/or run the ball without Martin they're going to get roasted by our WR's.
ravidubey
DCC 4Life
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Dak has to be accurate and lead our receivers, and so I'm concerned about arm fatigue from his not having seen full speed action causing our guys to have to slow up or come back for it allowing the CBs to catch up to them.
I have no confidence in our OL to be able to buy any time or open holes for the backs. The field will be natural grass, so it favors the Bucs IMO slowing things down even more.
Going to be a tough one for Zeke, IMO, though Pollard may have some opportunities.
If we can stay balanced, then everything changes, but to win we need Dak to really step up and be flawless Thursday night.
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Lol the man loves to try and act like things are stacked against him.
data
Forbes #1
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Right, because number changes are gonna confuse Brady into thinking Danny White was blitzing.
It’s not like the Cowboys changed to pewter and red uniforms
p1_
DCC 4Life
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He can’t bring himself to say it
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