"why the heck are you still blitzing!"

How bout them Cowboys! Well if the Bucs take that same Casino Blitz mentality into this week's game at Dallas they will see the same results as last week...a record setting day for an elite quarterback. The Bucs coaching staff features 2 coordinators who were with the Giants last year. You would think they would know better than to play right into the Giants strengths and expose the Bucs weaknesses. When you review the coaches' film (available every Wednesday on nfl.com rewind) you see the Bucs blitzed early, often and most times with disastrous results. Given the Bucs built an early lead it's even more surprising they wouldn't sit back in their vaunted Tampa 2 and make the Giants work their way down the field for scores. Defensively the Bucs Blitz happy scheme was smoked for 510 yards passing by an elite quarterback using experienced receivers well versed in exploiting the blitz. As I wrote in the pre-season, the Bucs defensive game plan appears to be predicated on the blitz and when you are facing elite QB's in 12 of your 16 games that is a recipe for disaster. As we do every week, with the help of opinions from players, coaches and former NFL coaches...let's review the game quarter by quarter and pick out the good, the bad and the "why the heck are you still blitzing!"

First Quarter

It's clear from play one the Giants game plan is to isolate Hakeem Nicks on Aqib Talib and go after him. Talib had an awful day. When he wasn't holding he was getting beat and sometimes both on the same play. To keep saying this guy is an elite corner is ridiculous because obviously other teams think he's extremely vulnerable. On the second play Manning hits Nicks for 40 yards down the sideline beating Talib. After a David Wilson dropped pass, Manning goes after Talib again and this time Talib makes a nice play forcing a field goal but the Giants were just getting started. 3-0 G-Men

The Bucs first possession they try and establish the run with Doug Martin behind Carl Nicks and Donald Penn. Nicks obliterates the linebacker but the Giants are waiting for Martin's cutback move and he only gets 4. If he hugs the double team he might get more. Freeman then checks to a hot route to Mike Williams as the Giants threaten blitz. He throws on time, on target, perfect execution as Williams makes a guy miss and gets 11. As I predicted on my show on 620 WDAE Saturday morning the Bucs would take an early shot deep to Vincent Jackson off play-action and they execute to perfection. VJax uses a veteran nudge on Cory Webster to create space (replacement refs aren't calling this subtle move) and Freeman drops it in for 41. The drive stalls when the Bucs can't execute 2 screen plays. On 3-7 DJ Ware (not LaGarrette Blount) stumbles to get to his receiving point throwing the timing off, Dallas Clark whiffs his block (not unusual) and Jason Pierre Paul (JPP) runs down the play from the backside. Conner Barth hits from 45 and it's 3-3.

On the Giants next possession rookie LB Levonte David shines. On a 1st-10 the Giants go misdirection but David is not fooled. He takes no false steps reads his keys, slips the block and makes the tackle! This kid is going to be fabulous. David hurt his hand/wrist later in the game and simply wasn't as effective playing with one hand obviously and it really aided the Giants comeback in my opinion. Later in the drive on 3-5 the Bucs come again with the blitz and get burned. Victor Cruz finds an opening and beats Eric Wright and gets 20 to keep the drive alive. On 2nd and goal from the 2, David, Roy Miller and Gerald McCoy do a great job slipping blocks and stopping Bradshaw short. On 3rd and goal from the 6, the Bucs rush 3 this time and Bennett can't handle the pass from Eli forcing a field goal. Notice the Rush 3 working, the blitz not working...a theme of this game and the Bucs never adjusted. 6-3 Giants.

Bucs next possession another great play action pass to VJax where Freeman throws on time and on target. These plays will be the staple of the Bucs offense and when you can execute like this they are unstoppable! Especially when you combine them with deep routes off play-action which the Bucs do on the very next play. VJax is wide open but Freeman overthrows him! You have to give your guy a chance in 1 on 1 coverage and the overthrow is the cardinal sin. The Bucs have to punt instead of hanging 6 more on the Giants.

Second Quarter

The second quarter starts with a nice pick by Mason Foster on a very badly thrown ball by Eli off pressure from Bennett while just rushing 4. No Blitz! The Bucs covert the turnover into 7 points when the Giants get burned by the Blitz, Freeman reads it perfectly and floats the ball up to VJax who again uses the subtle nudge to gain separation and secure the touchdown. 10-6 Bucs. Freeman and VJax are developing great chemistry against the blitz just like Eli has with Nicks, Cruz and Bennett. Even though the Bucs lost they are developing winning tools. Play action passing with VJax, Martin in the running game but they need more weapons and certainly an identity on defense.

The Bucs have a nice couple defensive series on next 2 NY possessions. Mason Foster with a rare quick read and beats the tackle to the spot to stuff the run. Clayborn, Bennett and McCoy overpower blocks. This is how Schiano wants his team to play against the run. On the next Giant possession 3rd-6, the Bucs rush 3, drop 8 and Brandon McDonald is there to collect the Manning overthrow and get the pick. From there the Bucs running game needs just 2 plays to score. A well blocked first down play to Martin that gets 5 and then Martin shows his incredible talent and vision, he presses the hole inside then spins outside and outruns everyone to the corner. Give Nicks, Penn and Lorig credit for dominating blocks but Martin makes an incredible individual play 17-6 Bucs.

The Giants next possession they start running the football as Andre Brown the Giants 3rd string back gets 46 yards on 4 carries. On 2 plays Mason Foster gets blocked and can't get off, David hurts his wrist missing the tackle, Talib looks unwilling to tackle Brown and the d-line is getting handled as the Bucs work in some back-ups. The lack of depth is startling. Later in the drive Eric Wright is called for holding Cruz on a 2nd-20 to keep the drive alive. Killer penalty. Then on 1-10, the Bucs blitz 6 and get burned again. Talib 1 on 1 can't get a good jam on Cruz who easily scores on a skinny post. 17-13 Bucs lead.

After a Bucs 3 and out, Eli beats the Bucs blitz on back to back plays for 11 and 13 yards. Then Wright throws out the bait and Eli bites, he fakes the blitz and drops back in the passing lane and picks Manning taking it to the house just before halftime! The Pick 6 puts the Bucs up 24-13 at the half and they classy Giant fans are booing Eli off the field after 3 interceptions! The Super Bowl Honeymoon didn't last long! Notice the free agent pay-offs for the Bucs. VJax, Wright, Nicks paying huge dividends! Hmmm...maybe this spending money thing does help! While Bucs fans must be feeling good, the coaches should be making adjustments to stop blitzing and getting burned but clearly they did not.

3rd Quarter

The Bucs special teams played well and put 3 points up on the first possession. Arrelious Benn rips off a 55 yard return showing the guts to hit the hole with speed. After a 3 and out Conner Barth hits from 52 right down the middle. On the Giants next possession on 3-5 the Bucs rush 4 and Dakoda Watson knocks the ball down to force a punt.

On the Bucs next possession on a 1-15 Freeman goes back shoulder fade to VJax with perfect execution. This play takes detailed execution and chemistry which we saw little of in the passing game last year. A huge leap for Freeman and a staple of many great offenses including the Giants. On a 2-8 the Bucs new staple running play. They pull the massive but incredibly agile 360 pound Nicks from the off side, they also pull 6-9 330 pound Demar Dotson (Who played well and will start again this week for Trueblood) and wham! 8 easy yards as the 5-7 Martin hides behind the human wall! Next, a key missed call by the "replacements" on 2nd-6 Martin sweeps left and clearly gets his facemask yanked right in front of the side judge! No Call! Instead of 1-10 at the Giants 35, the Bucs get stuffed on 3rd-1 and must punt it away. Killer no-call .

On the next Giants possession Talib gets called for holding and pass interference one of the calls negating a possible Ronde interception. On the final 2 plays of the drive from the Bucs 18, the Bucs decide NOT to blitz and Mark Barron makes a great diving knock away to save a touchdown and Ronde almost gets a pick 6 to deny the next play. The Bucs rarely blitzed in the Red Zone and forced 4 field goals while they got burned from long range on the blitz giving up huge plays for TD's and let the Giants score too quickly.

On the Bucs last possession of the third quarter the "replacements" strike again. VJax is hammered by Kenny Phillips in a text book example of defenseless receiver and a helmet to helmet hit. Aikman exclaims on the broadcast "I'm not sure there is an easier call to make!" On the next play Freeman throws a horrific pick. He throws off his back foot, late over the middle and high. The "Triple Lindy" of QB mistakes!

Fourth Quarter

The Giants have to settle for another field goal as the Bucs rush 3 (no blitz) on 3rd and goal from the 5 forcing Manning to throw it away. 27-19 Bucs still lead.

On the Bucs next possession a crucial mistake by WR Mike Williams that reminds of last years lack of attention to details. On 3rd-8 a crucial possession play, Williams runs his rout 2 yards short of the stick. The Bucs pick up the Blitz, Freeman delivers on time and on target but Williams dances instead of diving for the first down! Details men! Details! The Bucs would have had a first down at the Giants 48 with 7:52 to play. Instead they have to punt the ball away.

3 plays later on a 3rd-2, The Bucs call a Nickel/Will blitz with Eric Wright comes off the slot man on a blitz and Mason Foster blitzes from the middle. Foster almost gets home but at the last second Brown reaches out and just forces Foster wide of Manning. Meanwhile Ronde is now 1 on 1 with Cruz. Ronde squats on the route expecting Cruz to cut the pattern off in the face of Wright's blitz but Cruz takes it deep and he's wide open for an 82 yard score. The Giants covert the 2 point conversion and it's 27-27 with 6:48 to play. If the Bucs play 2 high safeties and make Eli check it down they might score but it would eat up a ton more clock. Schiano gambled and lost again with the Blitz.

The Bucs can't answer on offense and go 3 and out. On the critical 3rd and 6 VJax can't come up with the back shoulder fade and the Bucs punt it away to a red hot Manning. The Bucs get burned on the next blitz as Nicks gets wide open inside for 15. Then on 1st-10 the Bucs don't blitz and the 5-10 Mcdonald is in perfect position but plays the bigger man instead of the ball. The 6-6 Bennett beats him up high for the touchdown. By the way where is 6-2 Myron Lewis the Bucs biggest corner? Now it's 34-27 Giants with 3:59 to play.

Now that the Bucs have to score they go wide open. The new Bucs offensive coaches OC Mike Sullivan and QB coach Ron Turner have worked extensively with Freeman's mechanics and "quieting his helmet" and making him more focused in the pocket. Freeman is spot on with three darts to the previously invisible Dallas Clark for 3 straight completions. Then Freeman shows incredible arm strength throwing deep off his back foot 60 yards in the air to Mike Williams who is 1 on 1 with Tryon and Williams makes a great adjustment, cuts in front for a terrific TD and we are tied at 34 with 1:58 left.

On 1-10 the Bucs rush 3 and get burned in the seam by a wide open Barden for a 24 yard gain. So the Bucs go back to the blitz sending Barber and Barron and guess what...Hicks beats Talib again! This time down the sideline for 50 yards. With 1:20 left Schiano calls for the Bucs to allow the score, a gutsy and brilliant call that few rookie coaches would make. But the Giants are too smart, just like in the Super Bowl they take a knee at the one and eat up another 40 seconds as they score on the next play. Now the Bucs get it with 25 seconds instead. Freeman almost pulls off a miracle with 2 great throws. The first to VJax for 21 then a laser down the sideline to Mike Williams that would have set up the Bucs at the 16 yard line with 2 shots at the end zone. Williams makes the catch in bounds but coughs it up on a crunching hit. The replay assistant challenges the call and the "replacements" get the call right as Williams needed to control the ball to the ground and did not. Freeman throws a desperation pick on the next play and game over....except for "kneel-gate" which we dealt with in our previous post.

The Bucs are in trouble defensively this week at Dallas. They certainly can't live by the blitz against Tony Romo who will do exactly what Eli did if the Bucs go that route. The good news is the Bucs have some offensive weapons to work with mainly VJax and Doug Martin. Freeman is much improved, the running game is dangerous and if they can just slow teams down, make them work for their scores they can possibly outscore teams. Until they can find some credible pass rushers they will struggle on defense. No question this team is much more competitive and will rarely get blown out. However...if they get some key injuries...they will get blown out!

Whiny New Yorkers Can’t Handle the Tampa Heat…again!

On Sunday the Giants beat the Bucs with a terrific 25 point fourth quarter comeback and simply made more plays. But it was the final play that caused all the water cooler talk on Monday. With 5 seconds left, the Giants up 7 and the ball on the Giants 30 yard line Eli Manning lined them up in the Victory formation to take a knee. The Bucs clearly lined up in an aggressive four point stance looking to create a fumble and tie the game. The Bucs fired off knocking the Giants back and knocking a surprised Eli Manning on his fanny. It’s hardly far fetched to think the clearly surprised Manning could have fumbled the exchange! Given the level of indignation and shock both he and his coach Tom Coughlin displayed after the game they were clearly caught with their collective Giant pants down. Oh by the way…a few years back in the infamous Miracle in the Meadowlands the Giants gave away a game on a final play with a fumble. Coughlin then tried to intimidate Bucs rookie head coach Greg Schiano during the obligatory handshake but Schiano, much like his young scrappy team, wasn’t backing down. Courtesy of my former colleague WFLA Videographer Bob Hansen who was as usual right in the middle of the handshake scrum…here is a blow by blow of the bout!

Coughlin walking up: "What the the F*** is that all about trying to hurt the QB? That's Bullsh**, That's bullsh**."

As Couglin tries to walk away without shaking hands...Schiano grabs his arm and hand in hand shake position. Just wondering how hard that grip was.

Schiano: "Hey Tom, Hey Tom...(inaudible) we were going for the ball"
Coughlin: "Going for the ball? You're trying too hurt the QB."

Schiano: "Balogna"

A Classic! Balogna! From a coach that has already made his mark as a no bologna type of guy. Bucs fans have to love this and here's why. I remind you of a scrappy young Tampa Bay team of 2008 called the Rays. That Spring in the 9th inning of a game against the "mighty" Yankees...reserve Elliot Johnson ran over Yankees catching prospect Francisco Cervelli who tried to block the plate. Cervelli fractured his wrist on the play igniting a similar controversy to what we saw Sunday. What are these unwritten rules that spell out when you should expect to play hard and when you should expect to play soft? Even then those "gritty" New Yorkers were whining like spoiled brats.
Joe Girardi believed the play was "uncalled for" and said, "I'm all for playing hard, but I don't think it's the time when you run over a catcher in Spring Training." Rays manager Joe Maddon called the play "hardball," and that there was nothing at all dirty about the play.
Former Yankee bench coach, and current Rays' Senior Advisor Don Zimmer disagreed with Girardi's comments, saying;

"I am surprised the way Girardi said what he did. The plate was blocked, and our guy bowled him over. That's the way to play the game. I mean, I'm talking about a guy who is like a son to me. But I can't believe he went after it the way he did, because that's not Joe Girardi – and being a catcher on top of that."

Later that spring Yankee Shelly Duncan went in spikes high on a double play in obvious retaliation and to try and regain the upper hand. Rays Outfielder Jonny Gomes came from right field and blasted Duncan in retaliation as to say "We will not be intimidated by you anymore." Maddon believes those exchanges altered the attitude and dynamic between the two teams and launched the Rays to their surprising 2008 World Series run. An otherwise meaningless play becoming a rallying point and important teaching moment.

For Schiano and his young Bucs this could be a similar seminal moment. This team got embarrassed and slapped around last year and they desperately need to regain some confidence, swagger and forge a new physical, intimidating identity. It started last week against the Panthers holding them to 10 yards rushing and physically owning them on both lines of scrimmage. Sunday the Bucs lost the battle giving up half a mile in yardage and 41 points but they may have won the war. The Bucs knocked out 3 Giant starters. Let's see how New York plays Thursday night after this physical whipping. The Bucs and their coach certainly weren't backing down until the final whistle and maybe even past that. After the game Schiano stood his ground and the players emphatically had his back.

"There's nothing dirty about it. There's nothing illegal about it. You know, we crowd the ball, and we try to knock it loose. At Rutgers, if you watched us, that's what we did at the end of games. We're not going to quit.
"I don't have any hesitation; that's the way we play — clean hard football until they tell us the game's over."
"I don't know if that's something that's not done in the National Football League, but what I do with our football team is fight until the game is over,'' Schiano said.
"That was a first,'' said Manning, who threw for 510 yards and three touchdowns, plus three interceptions. "Obviously I think it's a little bit of a cheap shot. That's a way to get someone hurt.''
While Manning and Coughlin were whining, Bucs All-Pro corner and 16 year veteran Ronde Barber, who has seen a few NFL plays, essentially said...stop crying!
"I don't really care about their frustration,'' Barber said. "Coach Schiano believes in playing until the ref puts his hands over his head and ends the game and that's what we're going to do. It is what it is. That's my job.''

And how's this for hypocrisy. Today on ESPN's First Take, Antonio Pierce, who played for and won a Super Bowl with Coughlin as his defensive captain, said he did the same thing multiple times on a kneel down play! When asked by Skip Bayless if he was ever chastised by a Giants coach for such a "dirty" play...Pierce said No, Never! OK Coughlin...so it's fine when your defensive captain gets after it on the Victory formation but not so much when the Bucs do it to you? Funny how these things come back to bite you in the butt!

Bottom line for me...Schiano could not have written a better script. You can tell players who you want them to be (like Raheem last year...Fast, Physical, Youngry...how did that work out?) or you can show them. For a young coach trying to earn credibility and gravitas in this league and with his players...this is the Perfect Storm... just like it was for Joe Maddon back in 2008. A final otherwise meaningless play becomes a rallying point and important teaching moment. A young team coming of age and finally standing up to the big bully on the block. Like when Ralphie goes postal on Scut Farkas in "The Christmas Story" that came to be known as the "Scut Farkus Affair". Ralphie became the bad ass on the block and of course got his Red Rider BB Gun! So it can be for the Bucs as it was for the Rays. And the gritty New Yorkers may still be whining about it!

Schiano Era begins with REAL defense and a BucBall win.

10 Yards rushing total for the Panthers? DeAngelo Wiliams 6 carries for -1 yard? Cam Newton 5 Carries for 4 yards? Where was Superman today? The Bucs kryptonite was delivered by a gang tackling defense that played with discipline and aggression. It also doesn’t hurt when you hold the Panthers to just 49 offensive plays and 15 minutes less in possession time. They only attempted 11 running plays. This from a team that routinely hangs 200 on the Bucs and averaged 43 points a game in two beat downs of the Bucs last year. I asked coach Greg Schiano about this run defense rejuvenation and he pointed to the possession time first.

“They can’t run it if they are on the sidelines.” Said Schiano.

Gerald McCoy repeated the Schiano mantra.

“Do your job. “ McCoy said. “I’m not worried about Gerald…I’m worried about the Bucs. We were disciplined. Everybody where they were supposed to be.”

The other players I spoke with repeated the same refrain. Discipline, effort, physical, do your job. Panther coach Ron Rivera saw the same thing.

“I’ve got to give a lot of credit to what Coach Schiano and his staff have done with that football team. It’s solid and those guys play very hard and have responded very well to Coach Schiano’s style.”

Translation…that team was a joke last year. No discipline, no fight, no coaching. Schiano has totally transformed that group. I’m impressed. That’s what Rivera was really thinking and Bucs fans should feel the same way.

This was a hell of a debut for Schiano and this football team. They weren’t spectacular but they were extremely solid. No turnovers, very few missed tackles, only four penalties and they gave up just 2 sacks. They were much more physical offensively with Doug Martin pounding the ball 24 times for 95 yards. Martin ran right behind a Donald Penn/Carl Nicks (combined 700 pounds of fury) double team to close out the game telling me he just followed the big guys.

Offensively the Bucs did the damage in the first half wearing down the Panthers with two long drives. To open the game…an 80 yard TD drive that ate 7:20 of cock time. The next possession ate up most of the second quarter going 90 yards in 8:43 but ended with a field goal. They mixed run and pass with some creative play calls and used Vincent Jackson, Martin , Eric Lorig and Dallas Clark…four players they didn’t have or didn’t use last year. Offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan was creative on third down and the Bucs executed the details. Josh Freeman’s numbers were solid 16-24-138 and a touchdown. But he was extremely accurate, threw on time and avoided the big mistake. A winning performance. You never got the feeling he was forcing things like last year.

Schiano said the key momentum shift came in the fourth quarter when Aqib Talib blocked a punt that set up a fourth quarter field goal and gave the Bucs a 2 score cushion. Talib also had a nice knock away in the end zone and a tipped pass that ended up in the hands of the day’s honored veteran Ronde Barber.

Barber celebrated his 200^th consecutive start (most active players ) with a pick (his 44^th) and a sack (his 28^th most by any corner in NFL history) and perhaps the play of the game nobody will talk about. On 3rd and goal with 3 minutes left, Newton had the perfect play call…QB Draw with no linebackers in the box. Barber (5-10, 180) read the play, beat 2 blockers and knocked the 6-5 250 pound quarterback back at the 4 and forcing the field goal. Vintage Ronde!

Rookie safety Mark Barron also made a few huge plays included a horizontal touchdown saving knock away in the fourth quarter. Barron also rocked veteran WR Steve Smith a couple times. Barron told me he talked a little trash to Smith (one of the NFL’s notorious smack talks) and got no response…that’s respect!

The Bucs get a win 16-10 but it was much more than that. It was early validation to the fans and players that Schiano’s detailed, demanding and no non-sense approach can win games in the NFL. It was very Dungy-esque.. Run the ball, play defense and don’t turn it over. Buc-Ball! It may not be the most exciting but it sure beats watching the Keystone Cops of last year’s 10 game losing streak run into each other on pass routes while the ball is tipped in the air, intercepted and returned for a pick six (remember Atlanta last year!)! A very nice start…and hopefully a beginning of another championship run.

JP chats with former Bucs defensive coordinator Doug Graber about New Bucs coach Greg Schiano and his incredible practice tempo. Graber calls it he best football practice routine he has ever seen!

Kellen Winslow does his best Greag Schiano impression and says the Bucs "fired the wrong guy".

JP opens Wednesday's show by reflecting on Schiano's first mini-camp and whats going to happen with Aqib Talib and the upcoming draft.

Tampa Bay Buccaners Cornerback, Ronde Barber, talks with JP about Coach Schiano and what he expects from him in the 2012 season. Barber also talks about his 2 handicap and his favorite golf partners.