Teaches tackling.
Joe knows former Bucs scout, Jets linebackers coach and front office suit Pat Kirwan, the current co-host of the best damn football-only radio show, “Movin’ the Chains,” always gripes about the following on his SiriusXM-exclusive platform.
The NFL is the villain for the widespread sloppy tackling because the NFL (in conjunction with its partner, the NFLPA) greatly limits teams practicing in pads. Non-padded practices are basically flag football. Kirwan constantly preaches that the rules are the reason for sloppy, undisciplined defense.
The NFL labor agreement allows 16 padded practices during training camp, with no more than three on consecutive days, and a maximum of 14 padded practices during the regular season, In-season, no more than 11 padded practices in the first 11 weeks of the season are allowed, and no more than three padded practices in the final six weeks of the regular season.
Joe has always been dubious of Kirwan’s claim that a lack of padded practices is the lone culprit for sloppy fundamentals. Joe does believe lesser coaches use it as a crutch. It doesn’t require a physical, padded practice to learn the basic fundamentals of wrapping up. Quite the contrary.
Does it help to have a padded practice to prepare for a Derrick Henry stiffarm? Sure. Is it necessary to learn how to wrap up? How to plant your feet? How to square up on a ballcarrier? How to aim for the football? Not one bit.
So this season, and into this past weekend’s games, Joe noticed how the Chargers under defensive coordinator Jesse Minter are often excellent at tackling, at wrapping up, at being physical.
And last night we saw Houston, under DeMeco Ryans, hit, splash people, wrap up and tackle. It can be done.
Joe is pretty confident Minter and Ryans adhere to all of the same, rigid, NFL guidelines, rules and barriers for practices as do the Bucs. Yet Minter and Ryans can coach up their players to tackle and hit.
And that’s why Joe has little to no patience when he sees Bucs players mistackle and not wrap up.