Solving Chris Lindstrom.
Joe has been to too many combines to count. Each year, Joe is on a quest to find out how many NFL coaches or front office shot-callers think the PFF tribe’s mindless “grades” are worth a bucket of warm beer.
Joe has yet to find one. Joe thought he once found an assistant coach, but when the coach realized Joe was asking about the PFF tribe’s grades and not quality control stats, the coach freaked out on Joe in the middle of St. Elmo’s and nearly puked on Joe.
In particular, Joe found that some front office people grow visibly angry when mentioning offensive line grades. Their biggest issue is how does the PFF tribe know offensive linemen’s assignments on any given play.
Fair point.
So, Dalton Wasserman of the PFF tribe, armed with the mindless offensive line grades, claimed Dixie Chicks guard Chris Lindstrom gives the Bucs more fits than any NFL player in the league.
Lindstrom has played terrifically against Tampa Bay throughout his career, [including] seven of their 10 most recent meetings. As is customary, Lindstrom has dominated the Buccaneers on the ground. Still just 28 years old, he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so Tampa Bay will have to figure out a way to beat him.
So Joe decided to put some thought behind this. Who would Lindstrom be going against? Likely Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey.
Joe looked up Kancey’s numbers against Atlanta. He’s only played Atlanta three times. Kancey’s done something in those games, with one sack in those three games and a quarterback hit in each of the three games. So it’s not like Kancey’s getting shut down by the Dixie Chicks.
Vea? His numbers against Atlanta the past two years (also only three games), Vea has been mostly held in check, though Vea does have a sack and a quarterback hit in those three games.
Joe is pretty confident if Lindstrom is going against Vea he’s not doing it alone.
Logan Hall last year in the loss at Atlanta went nuts, with two sacks and five quarterback hits. Otherwise, he’s been pretty invisible against the Dixie Chicks.
Could Lindstrom be owning the Bucs? Perhaps. But a guard isn’t the reason the Bucs lost to the Dixie Chicks twice last season, that’s for sure.