SB Nation - Tanard Jackson

Deja-Bruce! Similarities between Gradkowski's Turkey Day 2006 bring this video to mind!

Niko Houllis — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:02:08 -0000

Bruce Gradkowski led a fantastic two minute drive to beat the Cincinnati Bengals, then, proudly marched on Texas Stadium to take on the Cowboys.

The year? 2006.

And 2009. Yes, history in this case is repeating itself, as Gradkowski will take the field in a Raider uniform against the Cowboys, after leading Oakland in a 2 minute drive to beat the Bengals, who are playing a lot better than they did in 2006.

So today's video is a highlight of the Bucs one and only appearance on Thanksgiving Day in 2006. Things looked pretty dark back then too. Our secondary was terrible, as was our Defensive line. Funny how that happens when you lost Rod Marinelli and Mike Tomlin, the Bucs D line and secondary coaches. Of course, Raheem Morris would have been given the job, but he left before them all not knowing Tomliln would take the gig as D Coordinator for the Vikings. The next year the Bucs got Morris back, and the secondary rebounded with rookie draft pick Tanard Jackson.

From the entire BucEm staff, enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!

Another look... The Picks, The PICKS, and the Franchise

Niko Houllis — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:00:27 -0000

Rather than focus on one element of the game, lets take a look at some of the positives and negatives of the game.

For one, the offense can run the ball when the game is in doubt. The defense is starting to show signs of life since the return of Tanard Jackson. The Defensive line with newcomers Crowder and Miller are starting to show improvement, and the secondary is opportunistic, picking off 4 passes in the last two games.

On the other side, Josh Freeman shows us why the second part of our movie is about The FreeChise. (Im sticking with it until someone comes up with something better!!)

Enjoy the movie. Remember Mystery Science Theatre 3000? or whatever it was called?

Thank goodness our readers dont do that to this video. I can only imagine what would be said during the phone call.

By the way, NO....Gene Deckerhoff did NOT have his voice raised two octaves or learn a fake British accent.

Bucs on the verge of a Top 10 Pass Defense!

Niko Houllis — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:45:10 -0000

More photos » by Reinhold Matay - AP

One of the reasons the Bucs have improved in pass defense.

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Before you go down your own "Life on Mars" checklist of possible causes of this unbelievable headline, know one thing. It is NOT a misprint or typo. Use whatever reasoning you want to in coming up with an explanation, (like the fact we have the 31st rushing defense) but the numbers do not lie. We are currently the 11th Passing defense, at 198.5 yards per game, and that's not the only statistic that the Bucs are better than the average bear in.

In what is exclusively an offensive catagory, the Bucs are tied for 14th in sacks allowed. This is easy to understand, as Josh Johnson is not easilly sacked, and the fact that our Offensive Line is one of our biggest assets.

Then you have probably the only catagory that both sides have to contribute to, the turnover margin. In this realm, the Bucs are a respectable 16th (Tied) at -1, meaning with one more interception by a Tanard Jackson or so, the Bucs will have given the ball away as often as they have taken it.

So what does it all mean? Well speaking of T-jack, it may be no mystery that since his return the Bucs pass defense has improved (along the lines of Jimmy Wilkerson and Styles White increased results in rushing the passers) in passing stats. Rushing stats however, the Bucs are virtually dead last, 31st, at 171.7 yards per game, absolutely absurd for an NFL team. Clearly the Bucs need to invest in their interior defensive line, somthing has really has not been news for several years now, going back to the weekly requests by former Head Coach Jon Gruden calling for more effort from his D line. One by one the stars on the line have gone, and have not been replaced adequately.

Simeon Rice ---> Gaines Adams---> Styles G White...

Warren Sapp--->Chartric Darby---->Anthony McFarland--->Ellis Wyms---->Jovan Haye---->Ryan Simms....

Brad Culppeper---->Anthony McFarland---->Chris Hovan....

Greg Spires---->Kevin Carter---->Jimmy Wilkerson

as you can see, only one, and that is probably debatable, is close to the same level as the guys who rushed the passer in the heyday of Franchise. Luckily, the 2010 draft of which the Bucs are stacked with an ultra high #1 and #2 pick, as well as an extra #2 pick of the Bears for the trade involving Gaines Adams. Expect youngsters like Roy Miller to get serious playing time for the rest of 2009 as Raheem Morris looks to see what he has from the latest picks.

One game in, Adams replacement a marked improvement

Niko Houllis — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:00:30 -0000

Now appearing in the stat line; The Right Defensive End.

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He's only one number higher in the grand scheme of things. But #91 added much more to the game than #90 has all year. Styles G. White, a name you have to check twice before you finalize any document, started Sunday in place of Gaines Adams who was traded midweek to the Chicago Bears. Several games this year Adams was not even able to appear in the stat line whatsoever. In his first start since the trade, White did not catch the NFL on fire, but he at least brought something to the table. When Adams can go games without a single tackle, White's first one as a starter produced eight tackles, one sack, a quarterback hit, and two tackles for a loss. Basically half a season's worth of stats for Adams.

Kudos to Aqib Talib:

The effort will probably go lost, as the defensive line gave up a second straight 250+ yard rushing performance to Carolina, including a final drive in which the Panthers passed the ball on only one play, a pass to Steve Smith; Smith's only reception of the game. Blanketed by Talib, Smith was unable, or unneeded to make a game changing play on Sunday. This marks 3 consecutive games that Talib has dominated in the secondary, also blanking young phenom DeSean Jackson to one catch for 4 yards last week, and grabbing 3 interception against the Redskins, despite giving up a touchdown deep. Its the last time Talib has given up a score, as he is starting to provide dividends for his high draft status in his first season as a full time starter. Tanard Jackson with his Pick 6 and Talib are showing Bucs fans a glimpse into the future.

Bucs find heart, still lack muscle.

Niko Houllis — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:07:24 -0000

More photos » by Brian Blanco - AP

Johnson seemed to run more than pass effectively in this game. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)

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The rollercoaster ride that is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took us on another ride today. Starting out looking like Superbowl contenders, the Bucs somehow managed to turn what should have been a 14-0 lead into a 7-7 tie, and gave up 21 consecutive points before fighting back in extreme fashion to tie the game in the 4th quarter. By the time the game finished, it was a comedy of errors, and the team showed no matter how much heart it has, it lacks what it needs to get the job done.

Both Carolina running backs went over 100 yards each, as the Panthers took the ball and marched down the field on a Bucs defense that was helpless to stop them.

Another culprit today was the regressed play of Josh Johnson, who had many leaping on board the J.J. wagon; instead in all likelihood the team is one game away from the first start of Josh Freeman in 3 weeks vs the Packers.

Despite the erratic play of Johnson, the Bucs heroically got back into the game with a franchise best 97 yard Kick Off Return for a touchdown, then the defense got into the act by getting pressure on Jake Delhomme causing him to throw a pick 6 to Tanard Jackson.

Pressure is sure to mound on rookie head coach Raheem Morris, despite the team showing no sign of quitting. Next Week, The Bucs head to London, England to play the Patriots, before the Bye week, and a date with the Packers in Orange Uniforms.

Slow it Down: Confused Defense

UNFNOLE — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:48:14 -0000

More photos » by Mel Evans - AP

End Result of the play we dissect: Weaver's TD over Geno Hayes.

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This week Inside the Play (courtesy of Niko) brings you a defensive failure. I do want to warn you this can be nauseating in slow-motion. This week we have some music to keep you from being bored! **The video will be inside of the thread due to its size and intrusiveness to the website. Enjoy*

Pre-Play: The very first split second of the play is cut-off, so I am not sure if there were stunts, an audible (which I would assume there wasn't) or what have you. However, you can still tell what formation they ended up in. The Eagles are in a standard I-Formation with Brent Celek (TE) to the Right. Desean Jackson is up top with Jeremy Maclin on the strong-side. LeSean McCoy is in the backfield along with Leonard Weaver.

The Bucs are in their base 4-3 defense. Tanard Jackson is cheating torwards the LOS (most athletic FS will do this often). Ronde Barber is up top covering Jackson.

Play: It's Play-Action. As you know, the goal is to freeze the S and LB's. Jackson runs what seems to be a post route while It looks like Celek and Maclin are running some sort of Wheel and Corner route, however whatever it was, was ran poorly. As they McNabb is making the play fake to McCoy it gives Weaver enough time to get to the 2nd level. From here he runs directly at the Mike and the runs straight for the sideline.

The Bucs act like they have never seen this before. First, watch Geno Hayes. He completely bites on the play action and realizes Weaver just ran right by him. If you watch the slo-mo enough you will get enjoyment from the move he makes to recover. However, look at the pocket. It was a 5 step-drop play and the closest DL to McNabb is Wilkerson...4 YARDS FROM HIM. The Defensive Line got completely manhandled here. Tanard Jackson gets a great jam on Weaver but then sees Jackson behind him. It def. looks like the Bucs are in man coverage so I am not sure why he reacts the way he does. This could be the result of absence from the team and not building a good on-the field rhythm with the other DBs. Because he pulls off of Weaver (which seems to clearly be Hayes man due to his reaction) Weaver now has a huge cushion and is wide open. McNabb wisely finds Weaver.

Because the WR ran everyone off of the sideline Weaver has only Hayes to beat. Hayes recovers well and covers a lot of ground, takes a good angle and makes a great effort after his missed assignment, but it's not enough. You will also clearly see a block in the back on Tanard Jackson, away from the play (which didn't impede Jackson from making a play, but regardless, it's still a penalty).

I am not sure how old all of the readers are. My guess is you vary in age. If you are in high school or younger playing football, watch Weavers fundamentals. He makes a crisp break to the sideline and gets their as quickly as possible. When he pulls the ball in, he makes sure it will be on his outside arm. If he keeps it inside, Geno Hayes has an excellent chance to create a fumble. He also doesn't leave his feet trying to "reach" for the end-zone. The second he leaves his feet he loses all power. He stays low and allows Hayes to tackle him into the end-zone. Very fundamentally sound.

The result is a 20 yard Touchdown to a FB who had 2 receptions for 14 yards coming into the game.

With game 5 coming up, a look at some Top 5's.....

Niko Houllis — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 19:00:19 -0000

game 5

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Some Top 5 things from our 5th game of the season, at the Linc in Philadelphia!

5 BEST PLAYERS ON THE FIELD FOR THE BUCS-

The new 2009 Cadillac Williams looks BETTER than the 2005 model!
Tanard Jackson returns to help out at safety. Is he just sticking his thumb in the dyke?
Chris Hovan is becoming a vocal leader on the defense.
Geno Hayes and Quincy Black are quickly catching up to Barrett Ruud. Linebackers are becoming best unit on the team.
Ronde Barber's body is in a state of temporal flux. His body is in his 30's, while Barber's legs are in his 20s.

5 PLAYERS STRUGGLING TO KEEP THEIR JOBS BASED ON PERFORMANCE-

Gaines Adams received a stay of execution from the govonor last week, but one quarter does not a season make. He may not get a chance this week with an injury bug.
After week one, Michael Clayton had Raheem Morris and Steve Duemig daring anyone to call and ask why the Bucs resigned him. Both signed up for unlisted numbers this week.
Kellen Winslow has 5 catches for 35 yards over the last two games. Young Quarterbacks best friend my BEEP!
Jeremy Trueblood is supposed to be part of the strongest unit on the Bucs. Instead he is becoming the weakest link with 4 false starts in 4 games. This after leading the Bucs in penalties last year.
Josh Johnson may not exactly deserve to be on this list as he only has one start for the team, but this team has already got a QB that it expects to have to deal with growing pains for. Johnson looked sharp on his first pass, but looked every bit the roll of the young first start QB afterwards. Going against the Eagles defense will not be J.J.s fault, but a very poor outing could bring Leftwich back up to 1 on the depth chart; at least until Faine returns and/or the bye week when we could see Josh Freeman. more after the jump...

5 WAYS THE BUCS CAN WIN THIS SUNDAY-

Eagles veterans get 2002 NFC Championship flashbacks and drive to the Veterans Stadium location instead of the Linc.
Matt Bryant releases the Matt Bryant Day Curse and new kicker Shane Andrus makes all his kicks.
Josh Johnson is able to find K2 and Jeremy Stevens 7-10 yards downfield consistantly.
Our fully restored 2005 Cadillac Williams is featured by Morris in the run & short passing game.
Bucs defense continues to show improvement and faith buying into Jim Bates' system.

5 REASONS TO WATCH THE ENTIRE GAME-

Your a Bucs fan, die hard, and you dont miss a single game.
Your a glutton for punishment.
You were the one screaming for J.J. to start this preseason, and here he is.
You enjoy watching the 2 guys who make the most money on the team get overpaid to not do their job.
Your part of the 10% that does NOT root for the underdog, and will scream "NO MERCY" in the 4th Quarter.

and last but not least...

5 THINGS WERE TIRED OF HEARING FROM THE FOX BROADCASTING TEAM

How the Bucs don't have Derrick Brooks on the team anymore.
The fact that fantasy football players pick every opponent vs the Bucs to win.
Our 28th or 31st rankings in either catagory.
That Monte Kiffin isnt on the team anymore. And finally...
Anything from Tony Siragusa!

T-Jack returns; just in time? Or too late?

Niko Houllis — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:00:23 -0000

Back from a 4 game suspension, Jackson was not even allowed to practice with the team.

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It only took about one half of football before the first Bucs fan said the words..."Man we need Tanard Jackson out there"!

And so we waited, and watched the secondary look like an attraction at Busch Gardens....Up...Down...Rinse, Lather, repeat. Well the wait is over, and Jackson is ready to come back. Problem solved?

Not so fast...As of midweek he was not even on the roster yet!

That will probably come Saturday, but the questions on this man continue to linger on all fronts. Can he play right away? Will he help? What did he do?

Jackson has still not come forward and explained the reason for his suspension. One gets the feeling though that the young man has learned a valuable lesson from all of this, from the way he sounds.

"I learned a lot. I could sit here and go on forever as to how much I learned. The main thing is that this is what I love to do, this is what I am blessed to do and this is where I am." Tanard Jackson

Jackson may never come forward and tell the public what happened, but he does admit that being away gave him plenty of time to reflect on things. We have no idea if drugs are the issue at stake, but usually when they are involved, a person shows true growth when they realize they have hurt others with their mistakes. Tanard appears to have leaned into that, admitting he realizes he has let down his team-mates and coaches.

As for if he will be able to help the 31st ranked defense in the league...that is a question that may not even be answered on Sunday. It is clear he's considered an elite talent in the NFL. Andy Reid, Philadelphia's Head Coach has said as much....

"They're getting a Pro-Bowl-caliber safety back, Reid said of the third year pro out of Syracuse. "I don't know how much he is going to play but I presume its going to be a lot." Andy Reid

Never say Andy Reid isn't a smart man! The Bucs hope just having him in the lineup will change the way offenses look at the Bucs....instead of sharpening their claws when they game plan for our leaky secondary. Jackson's presence should assure that offenses take another look downfield first before firing. But will he actually be able to make the difference? Asked what he did to pass the time away, and Jackson will tell you how he worked out in Syracuse, NY; his home.

His first sight when he returned? Head Coach Raheem Morris at the airport, who was giving him a pick up from the terminal. Forget about 'his' issues though..if you ask him about the team..T-Jack's solution is a simple one; To get all three phases of the team working together. Basically, what we have been saying all along here at Buc'em.

Oh, thats 4 phases of the game that need improving;

Coaching too, if you ask Buc'em readers !

BUCSHOTS! Midweek edition- Power(less) Rankings, Clayton rantings, and T-Jack sightings!

Niko Houllis — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:26:34 -0000

More photos » by Don Heupel - AP

Clayton has asked to be a bigger part of the offense. Comments?

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PowerRankings meter still has the Bucs at the near bottom, and despite playing a more competitive game, continue to sink in the minds of the NFLs writers.

CBS Pete Prisco - #27 - Bucs can forget about the playoffs. Really Pete? Thanks, I was starting to print tickets.

Fox's Adrian Hasenmayer- #31- The only feel good story is Cadillac Williams. Yo Adrian, we feel good kickin Nugent to the curb!

ESPN- #31- Only the Chief's are converting third downs less frequently.

SI- Don Banks- #31- Leftwich sits and Josh Johnson gets his turn. Raheem says we're married to Josh Freeman. Sounds like Jon Gruden era never really ended!

Buccaneers.com has a great interview and awesome clips of Gene Deckerhoff, voice of the Bucs Radio! MUST CHECK THIS OUT Buc fans!

Excellent Gene Deckerhoff piece

More BucShots after the jump!

Paul Stewart of Bucpower.com remembers other 0-4 starts by the Buccaneers. 8 in all including two others this decade.

Paul Stewart's editorial on other 0-4 Bucs teams.

Bucs Center Jeff Faine is not quite ready to return just yet reports St. Pete Times' Stephen Holder.

Jeff Faine not ready to return

Michael Clayton wants to be more involved in the offense. Seems to me if you catch the ball, that involves you. I'll let you guys touch on this one in the comments.....

Clayton asks for more involvement

Associated Press reports Donovan McNabb is ready to start vs Bucs. Vegas is trying to set the odds on if it matters.

PennLive's AP report on McNabb

Pewter Reports Charlie Campbell and Jim Flynn discuss Tanard Jackson's return to the Bucs after a 4 game suspension.

PR's article on Tanard Jackson returning

And Finally, where do the Bucs rank vs the rest of the NFL in general stats?

Bucs Offense #27

Bucs Defense #31

Last time both units were down at the bottom together?

1995, the year before Dungy took over, with rookies Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks starting along with Brad Culperpper, John Lynch, and Hardy Nickerson. #27 on Offense and #27 on Defense, out of 30 teams. Rusty Tillman was the defensive coordinator.

More Bucshots Saturday!!

Does roster makeup pre-determine outcome?

Buc Wild — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:30:14 -0000

Lee Caz posted an article the other day that looked at our secondary and the round at which they were drafted. It got me thinking, is there any correlation with the Bucs in terms of talent and draft position? So I took the two deep roster of the Bucs, ignoring special teams and looked at their draft position, how we acquired them, and who acquired them (front office). The who acquired them was just for historical purposes, in case that argument ever gets brought up.

I also will look at two other nameless teams and chart their draft positions only to see if there is any rhyme or reason to the outcome of a season and player draft position. For those teams I'll go two deep where available and use just the round they were drafted in.

Onwards we go.

First up, we'll look at the Bucs. Remember, I'm only looking at the two-deep chart here, meaning I'm only looking at starters and backups. I'm also looking at our expected starting line up, meaning Tanard Jackson and Phillips will be in the lineups. Same for the two teams below.

Here's the Buc's two deep roster

Player	Year Drafted	Round	how acquired
Byron Leftwich	2003	1st	free agent (Dominik)
Josh Freeman	2009	1st	drafted (Dominik)
Cadillac Williams	2005	1st	drafted (Allen)
Derrick Ward	2004	7th	free agent (Dominik)
Earnest Graham	2003	undrafted	free agent (Allen)
B.J. Askew	2003	3rd	free agent (Allen)
Antonio Bryant	2002	2nd	free agent (Allen)
Michael Clayton	2004	1st	drafted (Allen)
Kellen Winslow	2004	1st	free agent (Dominik)
Jerramy Stevens	2002	1st	free agent (Allen)
Donald Penn	2006	undrafted	free agent (Allen)
Jeremy Zuttah	2008	3rd	drafted (Allen)
Marc Dile	2009	undrafted	free agent (Dominik)
Jeff Faine	2003	1st	free agent (Allen)
Sean Mahan	2003	5th	free agent (Dominik)
Davin Joseph	2006	1st	drafted (Allen)
Marcus Johnson	2005	2nd	free agent (Dominik)
Jeremy Trueblood	2006	2nd	drafted (Allen)
Demar Dotson	2009	undrafted	free agent (Dominik)

Jimmy Wilkerson	2003	6th	free agent (Allen)
Kyle Moore	2009	4th	drafted (Dominik)
Ryan Sims	2002	1st	trade (Allen)
Roy Miller	2009	3rd	drafted (Dominik)
Chris Hovan	2000	1st	free agent (Allen)
Dre Moore	2008	4th	drafted (Allen)
Gaines Adams	2007	1st	drafted (Allen)
Stylez White	2002	7th	free agent (Allen)
Geno Hayes	2008	6th	drafted (Allen)
Matt McCoy	2005	2nd	free agent (Allen)
Barrett Ruud	2005	2nd	drafted (Allen)
Niko Koutouvides	2004	4th	free agent (Dominik)
Quincy Black	2007	3rd	drafted (Allen)
Adam Hayward	2007	6th	free agent (Allen)
Aqib Talib	2008	1st	drafted (Allen)
Torrie Cox	2003	6th	drafted (Allen)
Ronde Barber	1997	3rd	drafted (McKay)
Elbert Mack	2008	undrafted	free agent (Allen)
Jermaine Phillips	2002	5th	drafted (McKay)
Will Allen	2004	4th	free agent (Allen)
Tanard Jackson	2007	4th	drafted (Allen)
Sabby Piscitelli	2007	2nd	drafted (Allen)

We have a TON of early round talent on offense with a few later round or undrafted players thrown in there. We can sport about 7 first rounders on offense on any given play. But first round status doesn't mean they are/were elite players.

On the defensive side, it's a hodge podge of players. Seems we have guys from just about every round possible.

Looking at the other two teams let's see where their players were drafted. (When reading this, the starter is listed first, then back up. For positions like Tackle or End, it is listed as left/right)

Position	Team 1	Team 2	Bucs
Quarterback	1st/2nd	6th/1st	1st/1st
Running Back	undrafted/1st	1st/undrafted	1st/7th
Fullback	5th	5th	3rd
Wide Receiver	3rd/1st	2nd/3rd	2nd/1st
Tight End	1st/3rd	4th/undrafted	1st/1st
Tackle	3rd/4th	1st/1st	undrafted/2nd
Guard	6th/3rd	5th/3rd	3rd/1st
Center	6th	4th	1st
Defensive End	4th/7th	1st/3rd	6th/1st
Defensive Tackle	1st	5th/undrafted	1st/3rd
Outside Linebacker	undrafted/2nd	7th/3rd	6th/3rd
Middle Linebacker	1st/1st	2nd	2nd
Cornerback	5th/4th	2nd/3rd	1st/3rd
Safety	1st/undrafted	undrafted/3rd	4th/5th

When I look at the first two teams, I don't see any drastic differences. They are fairly similar in make up across the board. Offensively, the 2nd team has higher picks and defensively, it's pretty close. So no real difference right?

Looking at the Bucs, we seem to have more talent (based on draft status only) on the offensive side of the ball and are close to being in line on the defensive side of the ball. No real variance between the three teams. Of course, we are only looking at three teams, so there could be some variance with the rest of the league.

I look at this set up and don't see any difference, but yet I see three separate paths in terms of each team. Looking at a team based on draft status of starters doesn't show us anything. Three different teams, three different records, three different histories, but very similar roster make up when looking at only draft position.

It leads me to the conclusion that draft status means virtually nothing outside of pay grade. The real emphasis and what not only gives a roster character, but what defines it and ultimately decides which way it goes is coaching, system and scouting. Proper scouting and making the right selection at your draft slot plays a much more integral role than what round your pick comes from. In theory, every team has a pick in rounds 1-7, so there shouldn't be any differentiation. Obviously each team picks at different slot, but it's what you do with that pick that matters. Properly scout it, determine strengths and weaknesses in your system and make your pick. Or blindly pick a player and expect success due to draft status. I feel pretty good in saying that the above charts show draft status at position alone don't mean anything, it's the work done before and after the pick that makes the difference.

By the way, Team 1 is the Pittsburgh Steelers and Team 2 is the St. Louis Rams.