Based mostly on accidents and group personnel, the Bucs have been compelled to play a handful of younger gamers in elevated roles this season. The outcomes have been diverse. There have been nice outcomes with rookies Bucky Irving at operating again, Tykee Smith at nickel and Graham Barton at facilities. However, there’s additionally been performances which have held the Bucs again. Determining cornerback between second-year participant Josh Hayes and undrafted rookie Tyrek Funderburk has been a difficulty. Huge receiver has been an issue as nicely as a result of first and second-year gamers Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer and Rakim Jarrett haven’t emerged simply but.
There’s no straightforward resolution for when gamers go down or there are not any different choices at a place. Generally you simply must go along with what you bought and coach them up. The Bucs are operating into that concern for the time being. Take for instance cornerback. Tampa Bay had good depth going with Jamel Dean, Zyon McCollum and Bryce Corridor as their prime three.
Nevertheless, Corridor broke his leg within the first recreation of the season and is out for the yr. Dean has been on injured reserve and received’t be again till no less than after the bye. That leaves McCollum on one aspect with fourth and fifth stringers Hayes and Funderburk on the opposite. Not precisely how the Bucs drew it up.
Bucs Younger CBs Can’t Come Up With Play In Large Second
“You don’t anticipate these issues, however they make the group for a cause,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles answered on the problem of placing them in. “All people is in the identical recreation plan conferences. It’s important to mentally put together in case you can’t bodily put together so once you go on the market and also you get a possibility, it’s a must to make one of the best of it. That’s in soccer, that’s in life.”
Through the newest recreation for Tampa Bay in opposition to San Francisco, McCollum exited the sport late within the fourth quarter with a hamstring damage. This put Hayes and Funderburk in at nook for the ultimate drive because the 49ers drove far sufficient down the sector with solely 40 seconds to go to kick the game-winning area aim.
Bucs CB Josh Hayes – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
There have been complaints of Tampa Bay taking part in an excessive amount of off the ball, permitting San Francisco to run quick out routes to maintain going ahead and likewise get out of bounds to cease the clock. Even after the 49ers used their final timeout, the Bucs nonetheless performed off and allowed them to get nearer into area aim vary. This made an enormous distinction as kicker Jake Moody had already been struggling lacking three area targets. He linked, however the ball was nonetheless crusing to the proper, so had he been a few yards again, it might need missed once more.
This isn’t the primary time Todd Bowles has come beneath scrutiny for enjoying such gentle protection on the line of scrimmage. However with who was on the sector, Bowles could have felt like he had no different selection.
“It is determined by who’s the weak point and who’s the weak spot we’re attempting to guard – completely different guys we attempt to shield,” Bowles mentioned. “Generally it’s exterior, typically it’s inside, you attempt to shield them as you go. You’re taking part in with [Tyrek] Funderburk, you’re taking part in with Josh [Hayes], you’re taking part in with a few guys that [are] getting their first style of full-time motion so it’s a must to watch out with lots of issues, however we must always nonetheless be dropping the place we have to drop at and that’s not getting throughout for 4 quarters.”
He expanded additional upon why in zone protection receivers have gotten tons of separation.
“A part of it’s as a result of the quarterback has a bit bit extra time to throw than he usually has,” Bowles mentioned. “And a part of it’s that we’re not in the proper space on the play motion.”
Bucs’ WRs Haven’t Confirmed Up Both
We knew it was going to be powerful sledding for the Bucs at huge receiver after Mike Evans and Chris Godwin went out, however I don’t assume many have anticipated it to be this dangerous. It’s been huge receiver by committee to get the job carried out between veteran huge receiver Sterling Shepard, second-year wideouts Trey Palmer, Rakim Jarrett and Ryan Miller and rookie Jalen McMillan.
Bucs WR Ryan Miller – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
There’s been temporary sparks of moments by the group, similar to contributions from Shepard, Palmer and Miller on the game-tying drive on Monday night time soccer in opposition to the Chiefs the place Miller’s landing put them able to tie it up.
However take the 49ers recreation for what it was.
Miller had one catch for 11 yards. Shepard had one catch for seven yards and Jarrett had two catches for 10 yards within the recreation. Palmer didn’t report a catch or any receiving yards. Pedestrian is an understatement to their outcomes, and there’s a cause why tight finish Cade Otton and the operating backs are the focal factors within the passing recreation.
Jalen McMillan was dressed for this recreation however primarily missed his second recreation in a row with a hamstring damage and his fourth of the season. His absence is one other story itself however the backside line is that he’s not serving to the time both. The Bucs want Mike Evans badly to come back again quickly.
“It’s a bit little bit of the whole lot,” Bowles mentioned of the dearth of manufacturing at receiver. “Any time you lose two All-Execs and you’ve got a man that’s taking part in for the primary time, actually – ‘Shep’ (Sterling Shepard) has performed on this league however it’s his first time within the system – ‘J-Mac’ (Jalen McMillan) is a rookie, Trey [Palmer] is [in his] second yr, you’ve got Ryan [Miller] coming off the follow squad, so there [are] going to be some chemistry issues.
“There may be going to be a change within the offense and it’s going to look a bit completely different. We’ve been throwing the ball fairly [well] these days and had some success – yesterday wasn’t the case. They did job slanting down.”
