The Buccaneers are in full learning mode. They are learning that everything starts with just one good play. Follow that another good play. Pretty soon the good plays start to come in bunches on both sides of the ball. Picking out THE best play from a game with so many good plays can be hard.
Becoming a habit
There are many reasons a team reports to summer camp. With a new coaching staff there are schemes to fully implement. Personnel to evaluate. Players bonding and getting to know each other as the team sets out on the six month tour they call the season.
One of the most important aspects to so many film room sessions, full team practices, and drills, drills, drills are to get into the habit of making good plays. For too many seasons over the last decade Tampa Bay has had a habit of making bad plays. Just as good plays will add up to a good quarter, good half, and ultimately a great game. Those bad habits will quickly come together for the other result. Losses.
One of the good ones
Sometimes the big splash play. The one that really stands out in a fans mind is the 67 yard bomb to from Winston to Evans, It could be the strip sack by Barrett with the TD return by the ‘Suh’nami. The 58 yard field goal by the ‘Ute Boot’, Matt Gay.
The one I liked the most didn’t put points on the board. It had no change of possession. There was no record set. It was RoJo’s 24 yard run off right tackle in the 4th quarter(seen here). The play set the Buccaneers up at the Rams 6 yard line and would result in a field goal on that drive.
No splash?
On the subject of the making of good plays becoming a habit. Most Buccaneer fans would agree that any positive yards in the Tampa Bay rushing attack are good. The fact that last years second round pick, Ronald Jones II is starting to blossom. Even better. What made this play great was as the 2nd year back approached the Rams 10 yard line. With just over 4 minutes left in the game. RoJo turns it back inside, still picks up another nickel, but in a total veteran move, keeps the clock running.
The Rams still had all 3 timeous left and had started to mount a mini-comeback. Who we kidding? They thought they smelled blood in the water. With everything in the air like a juggler with six chainsaws. Jones demonstrated that the Buccaneers are starting to make a habit of making good plays. That goes to coaching. Which in turns goes back to the players.
Putting strings of good plays together. Making a habit of making the right decisions. Breaking the will of opposing teams by making those good decisions at the right time. Those positive vibes feed off one another. The Buccaneers seemed poised to do a lot of feeding off those vibes on this road trip.
Photo credit: buccaneers.com
