Will Shaq Barrett Have a Breakout Game vs. Denver? | Bucs Insider

initial takeaways. Great to get a win, Great to win at home, even though the right no fans and hardly felt like a home game, but still that was such an important game. I feel like um for this team. And then I just want to hear for you the things that you felt really good about coming out of it, and then we're encouraging you. Yeah, I mean it was

another good effort by the defense. I know at the end Carolina had had put up a lot of yards, but a lot of that was on drives at the end um where we were clearly playing a defense designed to eat up as much clock as possible. But obviously the key things you need to make this defense work. We're there to takeaways and sacks. Four takeaways, five sacks. The way these guys are playing, if they can add those two elements, that's gonna be a winning effort most times,

I think. And it was good because it was a group effort. I mean there was four different guys with those five sacks, led by and Dominansoue with two, and uh, you know, four different guys really created the turnovers as well. It was good to see rookie Antoine Winfield make his first big, you know, big play, which I think is what they're expecting a lot of from him. And I think that that. I think Antoine Winfield's got a really bright future in this league. So that was another big

thing to see. It was good to see that interior pressure, you know, before uh, the season started in training camp at Nomenkinsoue was on one of these zoom calls and he's he you know, he kind of theorized that possibly he and Vita Vea might have a few more one on one opportunities this year because at this point, teams they have to start paying more attention to Shack and JPP on the outside. And I think that's what we saw in this game, in particular, you know, between Sue

and Will Golston that was three sacks. Um. We can talk about the offense as well, but I've been going on quite a bit about the defense. I'll stop for a second. Yeah, when that works out well, because we actually a question from Mike Um asking about how realistic is it that Winfields could have a chance for Defensive Player of the Year, and I feel like we might want to throw in the Rookie of the Year. Yeah. Yeah, I mean it's a player of the Year, but I feel like Rookie of the Years is a lot more

feasible for him to Yeah. Um, you don't see a lot of safeties win Defensive Player of the Year. I mean it was kind of a surprise when uh, when cornerback one last year usually goes either to whoever leads league in sacks or some linebacker who makes a million plays. Um, So it would be hard for any safety, and certainly a rookie safety is not likely to win Defensive Player

of the Year. He's got a shot, of course at rookie Defensive Player of the Year, but I wouldn't put odds on any particular player, especially after just two games, so I wouldn't suspect that's a real high chance to that, But what's gonna take is a lot of big place He's gonna have to have a you know, four or five six interceptions plus some other big plays, and the Buccaneers are gonna have to be really good for him to win that. But there may be some of those.

There's probably some awards in his future. I just I don't know. There's not a lot of evidence yet, but he just feels like he he came into this league like a veteran almost, so he's not He may not have that same rookie adjustment period that a lot of guys have, like you saw our cornerbacks have for the first half of last year. Yeah, I think that we cannot overstate how impressive it is for any rookie this year to play well, Like I just feel like, with

as much as they missed and how weird this offseason is. Um, it really is incredible for any of them to be seeming NFL ready and not a liability at the beginning, much less making some big splash plays early on. And that is where I'm sure him having you know, a dad that played in the league for fourteen years is probably helpful. You get to watch film with someone like that your whole life. You probably are going to be

a little bit more NF already. Yeah, And he said he learned early in his life from his dad the importance of watching tape and that he still goes over a game tape with his dad for about an hour after every game. So I mean that would be in addition to helping him. How much fun would that be to be able to do that with your dad? Yeah, that's cool. What's going on? Like that which you said about the rookies also applies to Tristan Worse, who's been

pretty darn solid his first two games. I completely agree, especially with Cam Jordan being your first matchups. Yeah, that's got to make us feel really great about where he's going to be. Is only going to get more comfortable in this offense, offense and more ready. Um John had asked, and I think this is a great question. Do you think we break the woes against backup quarterbacks this weekend? Denver?

You know, it's it's funny because it does feel that way, right, Like you go into a game against I don't know, Matt Moore, case Keenum and you think, well, we got a better shot because they're starters out that's like. The thing about that is it's relatively recent history that makes us feel that way. Um. You know, if you look at the two thousand and two Super Bowl season as an example, the Buccaneers got a little bit lucky that year.

They were a great team, obviously and especially by the end of the year, but that year was really crazy in the number of backup quarterbacks that didn't really last and leave at the Buck's face that you're like Randy Fasani and Carolina. Tell me if you remember these names. Randy Fasani. Um uh, Jeff Burris there was. His last name was Burrus. He was the Chicago starters in the year Baltimore had h I like a starter who are

who barely made any games that year? So I know what this this person is his name John right, I know what John is saying. I feel the same way. But it's there's no reason to expect that just because the backups in that terrible things are gonna happen for the Bucks again. And honestly, in this particular game, Jeff Driscoll, who's the backup, has more NFL starts than the guy he's replacing, Drew lock. Um, So I'm not sure how

much of a difference we're really looking at there. Okay, and Daniel had asked about, what are your observations of Gronk so far this year? Well, I mean, I think, for one thing, he's been on the field a lot, and he's in line as a blocker a lot and helping a lot in that respect. I think it was

that in particular, was better this week than in week two. Clearly, Um still working on getting him more involved in the passing game, and a couple of the plays we've tried to go to him have ended up in bad plays like the interception and the last one that's not necessarily his fault the ball sailed over his head. But Um, clearly that part of the offense has not been unlocked yet. And you know, coach said Coacharian said yesterday, our offense does not throw a million passes to the tight ends.

He didn't say million. I'm paraphrasing, you know, And that makes sense with the guys that we have. So I don't know if if you should we should probably temper our expectations at this point and not expect like an eight hundred yard season from Gronkowski. But I do believe

he's gonna be more involved. Yeah. Funny when I've talked to Bruce, you know, for the show that I do with him, and he kind of I asked him just about the Titans overall in the chemistry there, and it's funny he kind of um laughed and said, well, you know, I've never really thrown the tight ends as much as people seem to, you know, think or whatever. That it was kind of funny that you remember that. Yeah, I mean, part of it is going to just be the design

of the offense. There are only so many you know all to go around, and when you have so many offensive weapons, and um that maybe it is. It can mean that the Titans are doing a great job of what they're asked to do in this offense, and it may just not be what people assumed they were going to be asked to do in this offense, which is Yeah, I think what we need is just just one of those that first Gronck moment where he catches some pass over the middle of the field and starts bowling over guys.

I mean that's gonna happen at some point. I think we'd all feel that better once we get to see one or two of those. Yeah, and I just I need a gron spike in the end zone. Yeah, that's right. Okay. Richard asked, does Shack Bear go off this week for the revenge game? That makes a lot of sense. And I'm sure he's dying to get on the board after two games without a sack. You know, we only had four games that he didn't have a sack game last year, and uh, he had nine sacks by the end of

his first four games. So last year was the real hot start, a little bit of a lull, and then a good second half. Maybe this year it's it's a different pattern, but he still gets to double digits. And it sure would make a lot of sense for it to start here because I don't know, revenge is the right word, you know what I'm saying. It's not like they cut him. They gave him a shot. First of all, he was an undrafted rookie. They were the first team

to give him a shot, and uh, he played. He was there five years, played four years, and you know, he got to play quite a bit and it launched his career. And then he was a free agent and it wasn't like you know, den Vershuneda, really there wasn't He didn't have a ton of offers. If you remember, he got a one year deal from the Buccaneers, like a prove it deal and proved it in the biggest way possible. Uh. And that's awesome. All that is good news.

I'm sure he would like to show Denver what they're missing, especially now that they don't have Von Miller. But um, I don't know if revenge is the right word. Yeah, I was thinking that a lot of times we hear so much about football players do better when they have a bit of a chip on their shoulder, and after having nineteen and a half sacks, it might be a little harder to come up with a chip on your shoulder for some games. Except this one, though, feels like

that that leads itself to it a little bit. Well, I would say, in a bigger sense, the chip on his shoulder would be that to prove that last year was no fluke. And you know, this is also a player who's again on a one year contract because it's a franchise deal. Uh And obviously next year is hoping to get a long term deal, and so that would help for him to have another big season for sure. Timmy asked if for Nette has another solid game, do

you think he'll be the starter in week four? This is clearly the question that we're gonna have to answer every week in every forum, our podcast, this mail bags. We're gonna we're gonna be answering this question week after week after week until and unless that change is made, and it's gonna be the same answer every time. I don't think it's that big of a deal. Honestly, look at last year, Peyton Barber was the starter for the first seven games, then ron Jones was starter for the

last nine games. But even after the switch, they still were splitting the carry is almost the same amount um and and they're both wrong. Jones and Leonard Fronette are both going to run the football. That's going to happen. Clearly, you can tell from Bruce arians is usage of the back since he got here that he wants at least two guys that are basically feature backs, and he plans to use them both. And didn't matter that Leonard Fournett didn't start the last game. It really didn't, you know.

And we had several good drives with Ronald Jones on the field, and he scored a touchdown, had some nice runs, made some nice plays, and then Leonard Fournette had the fresh legs at the end, which was awesome. A power runner, and you know, he reached like twenty one point four miles per hour on the touchdown run. Uh, the formulas

working and and so there's no real need. I mean, does it matter who's the first guy on the field now that being said, if Leonard Fournette keeps having a hundred yard games, and yes, of course they will start them, but at this point it really doesn't matter. Yeah, And I thought this was an interesting question to go along with it because of the thin air in Denver. Could it be a good approach to have for Nette as

the closer in the second half? And I know coach talked about the idea of him having the fresh legs this last week. So to your point, the way you utilize guys isn't always just about a starter mindset. But yeah, I thought that I want to hear your thoughts on that, and then just maybe overall the altitude and the way it could affect the game plan overall. It's a good question on the altitude. You know, it's been eight years

since we've been there. Um, which means most people haven't even gone there that have been on this right now. I guess Lavante would remember. Maybe Will Golston um Shack obviously will know what it's like. Uh you know, I think this is where you lean on your sports science people, and I'm sure they are doing things to prepare for this,

just like they would for unique circumstances anywhere we go. Um. But to your point, if if there are issues with fatigue that are strengthened by the high altitude in the thinner air, then yeah, depth becomes more important this weekend. Where I think that might actually be more interesting to note is on defense, because through the first two games

we've really relied on our main core a lot. I mean, all of the guys that started have played a ton of snaps, and so guys like Anthony Nelson or Mike Edwards or Andrew Adams or Ryan Smith or Kevin a Mentor have played zero or very few snaps. And that could change this week. Maybe you have to rely on your debth for a little bit more. Okay, and Turner asked, do you think that we could make it to first place in the division soon? We already are, but Saints

have the I mean they got a tiebreaker. You know what apply tiebreakers right now? That's that's for playoffs, right If you say we've tied for first, yes, I could we get there? Of course we could get there and get there. This week we're playing at Denver and the Saints have the Packers. That's a tough draw. I mean it's in New Orleans, but still the Packers offense has been incredibly prolific. So sure it could happen this week. That'd be cool. James asked, do you guys travel with

the team to away games and where do you watch from? Well, it was James, was it? James? The answer to that question for twenty eight years and five seventy two games, not all of them, that's all games, not road games, was yes. But this year the streak is over. And uh and Casey you obviously I'm speaking for you, but you travel as well. Uh. We we were and generally

are part of the traveling party. And uh, it just this year because of the efforts to keep the game going in in this pandemic and and to keep that bubble as tight as possible. Um, most of us that usually travel that aren't players and coaches, are not traveling, so it's unfortunate. I'm sure you know from a personal standpoint, we would like to be traveling still and be there in person. But that's hardly the worst thing that's happened because of this, So you know, it just is what

it is, uh for me. I there, our radio broadcast is not traveling either, and they have set up shop and away games at Raymond same stadium in the control booth that runs the scoreboard because they can get a lot of extra feeds in there, the like an All twenty two feed where it helps your broadcasters see what's going on and see formations and so on, helps them

give the fans of better idea of what's going on. Uh. And because they're up there, and because I do a few things for the radio broadcasts and those feeds are nice. I worked the first game up there, and I intend to continue to do that until and unless we get to start traveling again. Casey, do you do years from home? Yeah? I I did it at home for the road game because I'm preparing for my radio and TV shows that

are on Monday. So that actually is really helpful for me in some ways to you know, beginning to just sit there with my laptop, taking notes, getting the script already to go, listening to the announcers, as compared to normally when you're kind of in a press box and things are a little hectic and um, you've got other stuff going on. You don't get to hear all the

commentary about the game and everything. So in some ways it's been helpful, but it is definitely sad to not feel as much a part of the team and and to know the sort of ins and outs of you know, all the little things that you see on the sideline before the game, and like there's a lot of insight that I do feel like I miss in some ways. But for me on just a preparation standpoint for my next day makes it a lot easier. And you know, not getting in at two and three in the morning,

for that's the over lining. Yes, actually a lot of what you said is actually true for here, not during the games, but here at home, you know, here at the at the facility. Um, I'm working at the facility. You come in sometimes, but we're not in contact with the players or the coaches. So it's a lot different this year, it is. It is very different, right, Well, that's gonna do it for us on Buccaneers Insider Live presented by middle Light. Thanks to all of you guys

for joining us, thanks to those amazing questions. We'll be back here next Wednesday at ten a m. See then,