Tag: Bruce Arians

Bucs vs. Jaguars: Week 13 Jags Wire staff picks and predictions

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be returning home to take on the Tampa Bay Bucs after spending a month away from TIAA Bank Field. They’ll be looking to end a three-game skid against a group that has some momentum after the Bucs took it to the Atlanta …

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be returning home to take on the Tampa Bay Bucs after spending a month away from TIAA Bank Field. They’ll be looking to end a three-game skid against a group that has some momentum after the Bucs took it to the Atlanta Falcons Week 12.

Here are our predictions for Week 13 as fans will get to witness an in-state rivalry in North Florida:

James Johnson (@Sportsgrind_Don): 35 Jags, 31 Bucs

Call it a gut feeling, but I believe both teams will score a lot of points. The Jags’ defense isn’t elite anymore and hasn’t been for a while. They also could be without starters Myles Jack and Tre Herndon against a very good Bucs passing unit to make matters worse. However, the Bucs’ defense is even worse (at least against the pass) making for the perfect situation for Nick Foles to find his groove. I believe the Jags will make one more key play than their in-state rivals a notch a win here.

Phil Smith (@PhiltheFilipino): Jags 16, Bucs 14

Three straight division losses have seemingly sent the locker room and fanbase into an all-out frenzy. The Jaguars are a better team than the Bucs, they should win this game handily, however, they’ll find a way to make it much closer than it needs to be. As I mentioned last week, it’s in the team’s best interest to lose out, but they’ll trip into a win in front of an empty TIAA Bank Stadium with fans growing tired of the poor choices by the organization.

Jacob DeLawrence (@_Jdela): Jags 17, Bucs 10

This game is literally the definition of a pick-em game. Both teams have fallen short of their expectations for the season. Both teams are also suffering from inconsistent quarterback play and that will likely be the theme of the day and the reason why the Jags win. Jameis Winston will throw a costly pick that leads to a field goal that seals it.

Daniel Griffis (@GriffisNFL): 26 Bucs, Jags 20

Confidence in the Jaguars has hit an all-time low. The team has lost three straight games by 20 or more points and have shown no signs of turning it around. Both sides of the balk are struggling, but with the turnover prone Tampa Bay Bucs coming to town, the team may be able to show signs of life. I think the Jags come away disappointed, but will manage to keep it close.

Robert Ricks (@rrickswriting): Bucs 36, Jags 23

The Jags will have their hands completely full with a potential makeshift group in the front seven, who will have to guard both Buccaneers receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. The Jaguars will need to force Jameis Winston into a couple of turnovers to keep this game even. I predict that Nick Foles will struggle, which could lead to him getting benched in favor of Gardner Minshew II in this game.

3 bold predictions for Bucs vs. Jags

DJ Chark could be up for another game with two touchdowns and 120-plus yards as the Bucs are struggling mightily against the pass.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be looking to start the month of December on the right track this Sunday against their in-state rivals in the Tampa Bay Bucs. Both teams will come into the game below .500, but most fans would agree they have the talent to make this game competitive and interesting.

Here are three bold predictions for Sunday’s game, which will take place at TIAA Bank Field:

Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

WR DJ Chark Jr. will have his second 150-plus yard day with two touchdowns

The Jags will be up against the No. 31 ranked passing defense (289.9 YPG average) Sunday, which sets DJ Chark Jr. and the passing game up to eat. He’s been Nick Foles’ favorite receiver since his return from collarbone surgery and that likely won’t change this year.

Despite the success of Foles’ and Chark’s connection, the young receiver had his second-lowest receiving yards total of the year last week against the Tennessee Titans (38). Typically when he doesn’t get going and/or Leonard Fournette struggles, the Jags normally don’t have a good day on offense. That said, they need to get to Chark early and often.

There will be times where he and the Jags’ other receivers are lining up against rookie cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, who is learning the game. He currently has a grade of 58.5 on Pro Football Focus while Chark is one of the highest-graded Jags on the roster with a 80.7. Those numbers alone should warrant a lot of targets for Chark.

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3 Jaguars to watch on defense vs. Bucs

The Jags defense will need to have a solid day Sunday against the Bucs passing attack, which could lead to Josh Allen getting more snaps.

The Jacksonville Jaguars went winless in November and will look to get away from that in December. First up on their schedule for the upcoming month are their in-state rivals in the Tampa Bay Bucs, who are coming off a solid win against the Atlanta Falcons.

Here are three Jaguars to watch on the defensive side of the ball, as the Jags try to cool down a hot Bucs offense:

Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

CB Tre Herndon

The Jags’ passing defense will be very important in Sunday’s game. Bruce Arians has his group clicking through the air as they rank fourth in passing yards (288.1 YPG), fourth in total yards (386.4 YPG) and third in points scored (28.4 PPG).

A big part of their success is due to their dynamic duo at the receiver position in Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, who have nine and seven touchdowns on the season, respectively. Both receivers will also roll into Sunday’s game with over 1,000 yards receiving and will be matched up against A.J. Bouye and Tre Herndon.

With Arians and former Jags quarterback turned coordinator Byron Leftwich making the game-plan, the Cards will test Herndon more than Bouye, and he must answer the call as he did against the New York Jets when he had two picks. However, if he doesn’t it could be a long day for the Jags on defense.

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Bruce Arians praises the play of rookie kicker Matt Gay

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians praised kicker Matt Gay, who has bounced back in a big way since Week 3.

It wasn’t that long ago that questions were swirling around Bucs rookie kicker Matt Gay, and whether he was another Robert Aguayo in the making.

Aguayo, who was infamously selected in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, lasted just one season in Tampa Bay after missing nine kicks and two extra points as a rookie.

Gay, who the team took in the fifth round of this year’s draft, had a nightmare performance back in Week 3 against the New York Giants, ultimately costing his team a victory by missing a potential game-winning field goal at the end of the game.

But, as rough an outing as that was for the rookie out of Utah, Gay has bounced back in a big way since Week 3, and his play hasn’t gone unnoticed by head coach Bruce Arians.

Take a look.

Tampa Bay has been struggling for years to find stability at the kicker position. A lot of people questioned the team’s decision to draft another kicker, especially with a fifth-round pick, but the gamble seems to have paid off for Jason Licht.

Hopefully, Gay can be the franchise kicker the Bucs believe he is.

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Bruce Arians says Falcons QB Matt Ryan is ‘one of the premier pocket passers’

The Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are two of the biggest disappointments in the league this season, with a combined record of 6-14 entering their Week 12 matchup.

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The Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are two of the biggest disappointments in the league this season, with a combined record of 6-14 entering their Week 12 matchup.

Neither team appears to be headed to the playoffs despite having two of the NFL’s most potent passing offenses. The Bucs are averaging 285.6 yards per game through the air, which ranks fourth. The Falcons are averaging 300.3 passing yards per contest, the third-highest in the league.

The problem for Tampa Bay has been its 32nd-ranked defense, which has allowed 31.2 points per game. Atlanta isn’t too far behind, allowing 26.2 points per game, even after two dominant defensive performances.

Bucs coach Bruce Arians spoke with team reporters and was asked about Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. Arians, who’s worked with some great QBs including Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck and Carson Palmer, had high praise for Ryan:

“I’ve always been a fan,” said Arians. “I think he’s one of the premier pocket passers, and he’s just been an outstanding player for a long time.”

Atlanta has played complementary football during its current two-game win streak, accounting for 11 sacks and four interceptions, while putting up 27.5 points per game. The Bucs, meanwhile, are coming off a 34-17 loss to the Saints in Week 11.

The Falcons are favored for the first time in over a month, opening as a 4.5-point favorite over Tampa Bay in Week 12.

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A look at O.J. Howard’s route trees in Bruce Arians’ offense vs. Dirk Koetter’s

Take a look at the route trees of Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard in his last two offensive systems.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard has had a rough go of things this season, his first year playing under head coach Bruce Arians.

Howard, who was put on blast by Arians earlier this year for his poor play, caused an interception in last week’s loss to the New Orleans Saints, juggling the ball against his body and behind his back before it was eventually picked off. For the season, the third-year tight end out of Alabama has just 17 receptions for 223 yards and a touchdown.

So, what’s been the issue?

Well, looking at Howard’s route trees in Arians’ offense compared to former coach and current Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter’s, it’s clear the two systems are utilizing the tight end very differently.

Take a look.

Arians had this to say about the tight ends of the Arizona Cardinals back in 2015, when he was the team’s head coach: “We pay Larry (Fitzgerald) and those guys too much money to throw it to the tight ends. They’re here to block.”

You would’ve hoped that Arians and Byron Leftwich would’ve seen the potential in Howard and utilized him more in the offense as a pass catcher.

It’ll be interesting to see how the team proceeds with Howard at the end of the season. Remember, the New England Patriots inquired about Howard last month before the trade deadline, but were told no by Tampa Bay.

Maybe they’ll change their tune in the offseason.

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Cutting Vernon Hargreaves was a smart business move by the Bucs

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ decision to cut cornerback Vernon Hargreaves likely had a lot to do with his 2020 option.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made the surprising move of cutting former first-round pick Vernon Hargreaves today, just days after the cornerback was benched for lack of hustle during the team’s win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Hargreaves, who started all nine games this season and had an interception and touchdown back in Week 1, is still guaranteed the rest of his 2019 salary. But, by cutting Hargreaves now, the team made a smart business move, one that could’ve been costly had they kept him on the roster.

While Hargreaves has played in all nine games this year, he played in just 10 total over the previous two seasons, so he certainly has a history of suffering season-ending injuries.

It’s clear Hargreaves didn’t fit into the team’s long-term plans, so better to part ways now rather than risk paying him more.

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Bucs cut former first-rounder Vernon Hargreaves before Saints game

WR Michael Thomas and the New Orleans Saints will play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers without top CB Vernon Hargreaves, who was released Tuesday.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a big move at cornerback, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Schefter reported that Tampa Bay cut starting cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, their former first-round pick in 2016 out of Florida. Hargreaves had played the third-most defensive snaps of all Buccaneers this season (582), including 46 snaps last Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. Hargreaves will now go on waivers.

Their pass defense was ranked worst in the league, so some change was inevitable. It’s just strange to outright cut someone who led his position in playing-time at this point in the season, even if Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians benched Hargreaves late in the game for a perceived lack of hustle.

Hargreaves’ release might look as if it’s coming at a strange time, but it makes some sense; at a distant third-place in the NFC South with a 3-6 record, the Buccaneers are shifting their focus towards self-evaluating and figuring out which players will still be here next year. Cutting a former top draft pick sends a clear message that no one is safe, and lacking effort won’t be tolerated.

So what does this mean for the New Orleans Saints? They’re inbound for Tampa Bay, bringing a receiving corps that’s pretty much been a one-man show. Michael Thomas has caught 86 passes this year, while the other wide receivers (Ted Ginn Jr. Tre’Quan Smith, Deonte Harris, and Austin Carr) have combined for 30 receptions. New Orleans has had to get creative in its use of pass-catching tight ends, running backs, fullbacks, and quarterback Taysom Hill to try and pick up the slack.

Sunday should be another big game for Thomas. He dropped a season-high 182 receiving yards on Tampa Bay in their last meeting inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, outmuscling every defensive back they tried to assign to him. And he did that with Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback. Without Hargreaves on the field and with Drew Brees throwing to him, there’s no reason Thomas should slow down any time soon.

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Bruce Arians liked what he saw from TE O.J. Howard on Sunday

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians talked about tight end O.J. Howard and Sunday’s big win over the Arizona Cardinals.

It seems a little home cooking was just what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed to get back on the winning track.

After playing away from Raymond James Stadium since Week 3, the Bucs returned home in Week 10 and halted their four-game skid by taking down the Arizona Cardinals, 30-27.

While quarterback Jameis Winston had two more interceptions, he did have one touchdown pass — to tight end O.J. Howard of all people.

For Howard, who missed the previous two games with a hamstring injury, it was his first touchdown of the season. Hopefully, Sunday’s performance (four receptions for 47 yards and the score) is a sign of things to come in the second half of the season.

Head coach Bruce Arians, who put Howard on blast earlier this season for his poor play, talked today about Howard’s performance on Sunday.

Take a look.

The Bucs will play at home again in Week 11 when the New Orleans Saints come to visit.

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