Buc 'Em: FanPosts

Does Josh Freeman have poise?

2009-11-18T04:50:17Z

A lot of people have been throwing the P word out there about young Joshua. Well lets take a look see.

Take what you will from this, but it is clear the "clutch" veteran QB's have very high 4th QT QB RAT, and you would expect a young QB in the crunch time to crack...well they do apparently.

QB RATINGS

Quarter Josh Freeman Drew Brees David Garrad Peyton Manning Mathew Stafford

1. 116 105 96 101 105

2. 18 90 91 110 35

3. 66 107 75 86 62

4. 117 124 69 117 44

Some other notable 4th Quarter QB ratings/compared to their normal QB Rating

Mark Sanches-47/66

Matt Shaub-85/98

Kurt Warner-57/91

Tom Brady-101/100

Matt Ryan-51/78

Joe Flacco-117/90

Jason Cambell-102/87

Brett Favre-119/107(what a suprise)

So as any sports person will know, stats can easily be manipulated. This was only 2 games for Freeman, so of course seven games from now, it may look completely different. As of right know though, I think it is ok to say he has "poise", considering the stats. I know... I know, some teams sit on the ball in the 4th quarter, some teams are behind, some have bad teams, some have good teams. Its not suprising the names of the QB's who have much higher 4th Quarter QB ratings. If Freeman can keep this up, then us Buc fans should look forward to some great come backs in the future.

Poll

Its way too early, but for fun, do we have the next John Elway?

Time For A What If? Moment

2009-11-16T21:54:32Z

Yesterday I was watching the NFL Today and they did a fantasy segment on where they would send people if they could. When it was Boomer's turn he said he would send Bill Cowher to Cleveland so they could have a real coach.To which Cowher exclaimed "beam me back Scotty" it dosen't take a genius torealize he wants to coach again. So that brings us to this, what if he wanted to coach the Bucs?

Poll

If Cowher was available should the Bucs hire him?

THATS A WIN VS THE FINS...CUZ WE HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE!

2009-11-16T16:08:47Z

Call me crazy....

The season is most likely over as far as the Bucs making the playoffs. So lets focus on the fact that, minus that game changing call, whether it was the right call or not, we almost had that game in the bag. Our D showed up again and made plays when it needed too. They slowed the wildcat when it mattered. Our offense made some great plays when it mattered as well. They made some bad ones too, but the good ones out weighed the bad. Freeman looked like a stud. He made some nice throws. He ran hard when he needed too. Even ran some people over, clearly taking last weeks slide to heart. They could have easily played flat yesterday after that win, but they didn't. They played to win. Minus an odd call and a dropped pass there towards the end, the Bucs "BEAT" a solid team in the Dolphins, a team who "BEAT" the Colts and the Saints recently. Okay, I'm going to finish my "INSTANT" coffee now...

Probably wasnt the best move, but I liked seeing Raheem get so emotional. Anyones heart sink when they heard Caddie scream? Thoughts?

Official discussion board for Week 10 officiating

2009-11-15T21:20:56Z

I've never been one to complain about officiating. I understand that it is a difficult job, and they do their best to get it right. However, as the quality of officiating deteriorates in the NFL, some games are getting increasingly difficult to watch.

What do you think about the officiating in Week 10's 25-23 loss to Miami?

Quarterback Cliche's I Hate

2009-11-14T02:26:37Z

I've just been reading a lot of nonsense and excitement this past week mostly stemming from Freemans OK game against GNB. Here are some cliches that are used by sportscasters and fans alike that need to be squashed. They mean absolutely nothing.

"He sure does have a lot of poise." - I think the only thing that is going to keep someone from saying this about a quarterback is if he literally urinates himself on national TV. It's said when quarterbacks stand in the pocket and wait for plays to develop (their job). It's said when quarterbacks leave the pocket and throw the ball. It's said when they decide to throw it away. It's said when a quarterback audibles. It's said when they take the field. It's a bunch of garbage speak that means absolutely nothing.

"He wants to be a Quarterback first and run second." What fast, scrambling quarterback is this not said about? Of course they want to be a quarterback first, because it's the only way they can market themselves to potential employers. They say it because it's what people want to hear. There is nothing wrong with being a scrambling quarterback, just own it. Stop trying to be Dan Marino when you are Randall Cunningham.

"The TE is a young quarterbacks security blanket." - I get why 'they' say this. It's essentially a big WR that in theory shouldn't be deep downfield. However, I have never seen any numbers to back it up. Frankly, I think it's more dangerous considering you are throwing over the middle where anything can happen.

"The coaches love his strong arm." - First, Chad Pennington is the only one with a weak arm. Second, what does this mean? Does this mean he can zip it like Brett Favre, or does this mean he throws a good deep ball. Lastly, Is this good? Do you want a quarterback who relies on his strength to complete passes? I don't think that works a lot of times. Sure, extra zip helps in certain situations, but it first takes an intelligent quarterback to make these kind of decisions. I want a High football IQ Quarterback. They succeed at a much higher rate.

What are your pet peeves?

Several Bucs listed on early injury report for Week 10

2009-11-13T18:30:45Z

The Week 10 injury report for the Bucs doesn't look good so far. We have a few big names on it for our showdown at Miami.

Derrick Ward is questionable with knee issues. Of course, with the amount we run (read: not a lot) this may not be a big issue

Antonio Bryant is doubtful. This will probably be a season long issue. $9.8MM down the drain.

Stylez G. White is listed as doubtful. Ouch. He may not be Dwight Freeney or DeMarcus Ware, but right now he's the best we got.

As a reminder, questionable means there is a 50% chance they play and doubtful is 25% chance to play.

Bucs vs Dolphins (Florida bragging rights)

2009-11-13T10:36:30Z

I know Buc' em does a poll on who thinks will win, but lets put the score predictions with our names next to it. That way we can rub it in eatch others faces who was right, or horribly wrong. (LOL)

Here is some interesting stuff from some articles off of yahoo sports on the two.

These Florida foes have split eight all-time meetings but the Bucs have won the last three dating to 1991.

The Dolphins (3-5) took Brown with the second overall pick in 2005, while Williams fell to the Buccaneers (1-7) three spots later. Williams won The Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year award, but has been hampered by injuries since then.

Though Henne hasn’t made many mistakes, Miami is next-to-last in the NFL in yards per completion at 9.8.

According to Williams, the Bucs experimented with the Wildcat formation, but scrapped the idea because Greg Olson replaced Jeff Jagodzinski.

The multitude of problems plaguing Tampa Bay’s 30th-ranked rushing defense, which gives up an average of 163 yards rushing per game, figures to be magnified Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.

Miami’s defense, meanwhile, has had a tendency to give up big plays, ranking last in yards allowed per completion at 14.2, and may be without its top pass rusher. Linebacker Joey Porter.

Josh Bidwell, a police officer, four Washington Apples and Doug Williams

2009-11-10T05:53:34Z

Training Camp, 2006.

Setting: The Tavern at Celebration, Orlando, Florida.

Characters: Me (Paul Mueller), Josh Bidwell, a Police Officer, a reasonably good-looking female bartender and Doug Williams.

Four of my friends and I traveled to training camp and stayed overnight so we could catch two days of action. After practice on the first day, we got a tip that the players stayed at the hotel at Celebration, and it would be a great place to get autographs because the players usually go out near the hotel at night. We had dinner at the Tavern at Celebration later that evening, anticipating running into some Buccaneer players.

Since we were on a mini-vacation, we splurged and had the lobster at the tavern. Whole, Maine lobsters. If I told you it was awful, I’d be lying. It was the best lobster I have ever tasted. Not that I’m a seafood aficionado or anything, I’ve just never had better lobster. My friend, JJ, who is likely more educated on the lobster subject, agreed. Then, after a couple of pitchers of whatever my three comrades were drinking, I had an idea.

Me: We should try to sneak into the hotel and get some autographs.

My friends are immediately on board. Eavesdroppers roll their eyes and look away. The reasonably good-looking female bartender laughs.

Reasonably good-looking female bartender (laughing): If you guys sneak into the hotel, I’ll buy you a round of shots.

I slap my hand on the bar top.

Me: Game on.

We pay our tab and walk about 300 yards to the hotel. It’s about 6 p.m. and not quite dusk. Facing the hotel, it’s shaped like a squared-off horseshoe pointing at us. It's a white, colonial-style hotel with lush, colorful shrubbery. On the left point, there is an emergency exit that rests at the bottom of a staircase.

After hopping the fence and walking around the back of the hotel, I come across a set of glass double doors to a conference room. I bend down and peek through. It’s the defensive meetings. Monte Kiffin is conducting the meeting, with Jon Gruden at his side. Directly in front of me are Brian Kelly and Ronde Barber. Out of fear of being spotted, I retreat past the pool and back to my friends outside the hotel.

From a distance, as I contemplate an angle of attack on the hotel, I see Buccaneer punter Josh Bidwell walk out the side door, propping it open with a brick so he can re-enter. Meetings must be over. Once he walks away, the coast is clear.

It’s time.

With my vintage, creamsicle Bucco Bruce helmet in hand, one of my friends and I head for the door. Nonchalantly, acting like we’re supposed to be there, we walk inside and up to the second floor.

The player’s names are posted on each door; however, the second floor appears to be the management floor, with few names I recognize. Then, posted on one door, I see a familiar name, and feel like I have stumbled upon gold.

Doug Williams.

I peer down at my old-school Bucs helmet, thinking, "This is perfect".

I knock on the door. Quickly, as if expecting me, Williams answers wearing a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt. He's on the telephone. He tells the person on the other end to hold on.

Doug Williams: Can I help you?

Me: Excuse me, Mr. Williams, I don’t mean to bother you, but I was hoping you’d have a moment to sign this helmet for me.

Doug Williams: How’d you get up here?

Me: Someone left the side door open. We snuck in.

He pauses.

Doug Williams: You know what? You guys beat the system . . . I like that. Yea, I’ll sign your helmet, but I’ll have to escort you out.

I smile.

Me: No problem, Mr. Williams.

He grabs the helmet.

Doug Williams: You got a pen?

I search my pockets frantically.

Me: Awww, you know what? I don’t . . .

Doug Williams: I’ll tell you what: Look for me tomorrow at practice. You’ll be out there, right? I’ll sign some stuff for you then. Okay?

I agree and he escorts us down the very stairs we came up. A police officer is outside, but Williams assures him there is no problem and the cop disregards the mishap.

I begin to think, "There’s no way we’re gonna find him tomorrow, and if we do, he’s gonna be too busy to take care of us." So, there was only one thing to do: Sneak back in. I went to the car and retrieved a Sharpie. After making sure it worked, I crept back in the same side door, up the same flight of stairs and knocked on Williams’s door for a second time. At this point, it’s been about 20 minutes since the first interaction.

Williams answers, still on the telephone. He tells the person on the other end to hold on.

Doug Williams: You, again?

Me: Mr. Williams, I’m sorry to bother you again, but I have a Sharpie this time. If you could please . . .

I hold out the helmet.

Me: I’ll escort myself out.

Williams looks at me for a moment and shakes his head in apparent disbelief.

Doug Williams: Okay, but you have to leave right away.

Me: You got it.

He signs the helmet, and I hold up my end of the bargain, walking right back down the stairs, triumphantly.

Outside the door is the same police officer. This time I am alone, and reprimanded. He gives me a citation and tells me I am no longer welcome at the hotel. If I am reprimanded in Celebration for any other reason, I will be arrested. He was kind of a jerk, but just doing his job, I guess.

I accepted the citation. I got what I came for.

I returned to my friends and we walked back to the tavern. We walked in and I set the helmet, freshly inked by Williams, on the bar top with enough force to draw the attention of people nearby.

Me: We’ll take four Washington Apples.

The reasonably good-looking female bartender was practically speechless.

Reasonable good-looking female bartender: Wow . . . you got it.

I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure they were the best-tasting shots anyone has ever had. Ever. It was truly an historic trip, at least in my lifetime. A great time with some good friends that truly transcended fanhood and bordered insanity.

I have not been back to the hotel at Celebration since. I do, however, have the confidence that if I ever come across Doug Williams again, I could surely say, "Hey, remember the guy that snuck into the hotel at Celebration . . . twice . . . to get your autograph a few years ago?" Of course, he would remember, and I would triumphantly say, "Yea, that was me." In my mind, we’d have a good laugh like we were old buddies or something and go on our way.

A terrific moment in a great trip.

Training camp is some truly good fun, and I encourage everyone to experience it at some time in their life. While it may not be as wild and crazy as some I’ve been a part of, it’s always a great memory nevertheless, as me and my pal Doug Williams would surely agree.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC? THE BUCS JUST MIGHT!

2009-11-10T03:42:51Z

I can honestly say that with football I've kind been more of an NFL fan than an individual team fan.When I saw this last Bucs game though,there was some magic out there.I don't know what it was about watching the unknown rookies scramble together in the old uniforms looking for a way out of the unsuccessful season streak,but there was magic. I even placed Freeman on my Fantasy team,thats the confidence I have in the next few weeks,some major changes happening for this team.Good Luck Bucs fans,your football savior has just made his way to your field.

I also want to add that the positive energy,the smiles on the faces of those rookies,kept me interested,happy,and on their side the whole game! I almost feel as if though the college mentality will be drizzled on this team in a way that they can bring some fresh young enthusiam and plays-use it to their advantage against the veterans who have seen a lot of the same things in their time with the NFL. Regardless the next few weeks watching them grow will be entertaining.Congrats on the first win young bucs!

Congratulations!

2009-11-09T21:07:01Z

I am a Steelers fan and I live in Ocala. I am old enough to say I remember the Bucs first season, and that I was hoping they would beat the Rams so they could play the Steelers in Super Bowl XIV. My favorite Bucs players where the Selmon brothers, and Hardy Nickerson (wish the Steelers never let him go).

Just wanted to stop by and congratulate you and your team for a great game yesterday. I'll be cheering you guys on in Miami next weekend, I got tickets down in section 126.

By the way, I like the new uniforms, but there is something about those old ones....... the pirate, the colors, alone terrible, together.... well, I love it!

Sammie Scores!

2009-11-09T02:00:30Z

So, I'm a self-confessed Sammie Stroughter fan. I promised myself after the Josh Freeman pick I despised that I would pick a selection that I liked and track his progress over the rookie season. The pick I made was Sammie Stroughter. Reasons and more past the jump.

In my short time playing football myself, I played almost exclusively at wide receiver. I've always thought like it since. I'm one of those snobs who says that wide receivers are always underrated in the draft, always underrated in the Heisman race, wide receivers aren't given enough exposure, etc. Thus, I've been tracking Sammie whenever and wherever I can. I must say, given some of his shadowy performances, he's been quite impressive. On the season, he has 16 catches for 214 yards. He has 6 kickoff returns, with a long of 97 yards (he scored on it). He has 3 punt returns for 29 yards. I'll be watching this rookie wideout from lowly Oregon State. What he could be is part of a Buccaneer return from the dead.

Draft 2010

2009-11-04T05:43:17Z

Well, I've noticed a certain tendency among fans recently to rate draft picks for the Bucs next year. Being one part college football fan and one part pro ball fan, I'd like to hazard my guesses at what the Bucs should consider for next season. Go on past the jump...(edited on November 8)

Most Buc fans will likely agree with me in saying that one of the primary problems this season has been quarterback-receiver connections. It's one of the focal points of an explosive offense, and the Buccaneers have not had it this season. Whether it be Leftwich or Johnson (and shoot, why should Freeman be any better? Any reasons to believe he's better?) there is just no chemistry apparent in the Bucs offense so far. However, this is often shelved, due to a glaring problem. Tampa's defense. We've seen it since the first regular season game. Although the Bucs haven't faced a mass number of solid offensive units, there have been a lot of torch runs for touchdowns, both through the air and on the ground. So, which should the Bucs focus on? Fact is, it's not so simple. But, we can look at some possibilities.

First and foremost that come to mind are the likes of Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy, Brandon Spikes, and the outside possibility of Sam Bradford, who, due to injury troubles, plans on entering the draft in April. These four are the most immediately apparent not only for their abilities on the field, but also for their on- and off-field leadership, something the Buccaneers sorely lack. If we're going to base a first-round pick simply based on leadership off the field, Tebow seems to be the immediate choice. But there are defense concerns. Here would be my top three picks.

#1: Ndamukong Suh (DT, Nebraska)

The Bucs lack a pass rush, and Suh would probably be the best shot at providing a pass rush. His power is what most fans focus on, but he does have fairly good speed for a DT. He could be the next Lee Roy Selmon if his success continues. Purportedly, he's also a good run stopper, though he rarely gets to showcase this in the Big 12.

Didn't get him? The next choice would be: Brandon Spikes (MLB/ILB, Florida)

#2:Taylor Mays (S, USC)

I hesitate to pick Mays, based on a few big passing touchdowns the Trojans have given up this year. But we do lack a substantial secondary at this point. As good as a solid pass rush can be, the facts state that Sabby Piscatelli just doesn't have what it takes.

Didn't get him? The next choice would be: Eric Berry (S, Tennessee)

#3: Jordan Shipley (WR, Texas)

Fact: The Buccaneers need something substantial at WR. We've lacked a decent passing attack this season, and with our ever-present rushing problems, we need something through the air. Also, sadly, one passing target (Kellen Winslow) just won't cut the mustard. A second, speedier pass catcher is needed. Shipley provides not only the speed, but the hands to match.

Didn't get him? The next choice would be a good tight end or a good wideout, i.e. Jermaine Gresham or Dez Bryant, who has elected to enter the draft next year, according to most sports news sources I could cook up.

Congrats from the Purple and Gold!

2009-11-08T21:39:21Z

A very nice comeback, a good game from a rookie and a coach that looked fired up for his first win with which I think is a bright future with the Buc's! Many more to the Buc's and thanks for adding to the Pack's ever growing misery this season. No doubt you've probably experienced some of the lesser qualities of some of their overly egomaniac fans. Here's to a more successful second half for you guy's.

SKOL Buc's!

Check out NFL Fan in ENGLAND's pics from Buccs game in LONDON baby!

2009-11-08T12:29:28Z

Check out my 13 blog posts from the Wembley game -

It has taken me about a week to do all of this but I have added 13 separate posts to my blog all about the Buccs v Pats game at Wembley last sunday.

For those of you who did not attend or did not get tailgate tickets I hope these posts make you smile.

I have some pretty cool picture and a video of one of the touchdowns.

Start by clicking here

http://nflfaninengland.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/nflfaninengland-london-road-trip-part-1-wembley-welcoming/
as this is part 1 - then scroll up through my blog for pictures and some comments.

I have more pics so if anyone wants to see anything else I may have captured it.

Let me know your thoughts by posting back on my blog and feel free to forward to anyone you like.

Sorry its taken a week but I hope it was worth the wait.

cheers

Lawrence.
lawrencevos@yahoo.co.uk

cheers

Lawrence

http://nflfaninengland.wordpress.com/

History Says our Win will come in.....

2009-11-06T01:25:41Z

Out of curiosity I traced all of the teams that went 0-7 in the last 20 years. I wanted to know what the average week they got their win was and how many games (on average) they won. I know this has no implications on our season, but my thought behind this was there has to be a breaking point. I wanted to find that. At some point teams are able to put it together enough to come out on top for at least 1 week. Below is a chart that tracks all of these teams.

Year	Team	Game Won	Total Wins
89	Cowboys	9th Game	1
91	Colts	10th Game	1
93	Bengals	11th Game	3
94	Bengals	9	3
96	Falcons	9	3
96	Jets	9	1
97	Bears	8	4
97	Colts	11	3
98	Panthers	8	4
99	Browns	8	2
00	Chargers	12	1
02	Bengals	8	2
07	Dolphins	9	3
07	Rams	14	1
08	Bengals	9	4.5
08	Lions	0	0
Avg		10	2

The Lions skew the averages a bit, but if the averages tell us anything it says the Bucs will get their win in Week 11 (10th game) against the Saints. Obviously, I wouldn't play the averages on this, but it gives us an expectation that we should win a game between Weeks 10-13. The numbers also say that the average team to go 0-7, wins at least two games. I don't think this is unreasonable.

Again, I do think their is a tipping point. It obviously includes a lot of variables (opponent, injuries, etc), but we'll see it come at some point. Just be patient.

Marcus Jones on TUF

2009-11-05T19:06:16Z

In case any you haven't been watching this season's "The Ultimate Fighter" on Spike TV, former Buccaneers' first round draft pick Marcus Jones is participating in this year's competition. Jones was selected 22nd overall out of the University of North Carolina as a Defensive End.

Although Jones was huge (6'6 270) he never really panned out for the Bucs. His career lasted seven seasons, but the only two years he was really productive were 1999 and 2000, in which he tallied 7 and 13 sacks respectively. I think it would be fair to say that he was a pretty gigantic bust. The reason for this may have been found on last night's episode.

SPOILERS AHEAD

In an interview prior to Jones' absolute destruction of a man 6 inches shorter than him (Mike Wessel)on last night's episode, Jones stated that he "never developed a head for the game" and never really loved to play football. He went on to state that he has put all of his life into being the best MMA Fighter he can be.

As a Bucs fan, I was pretty taken aback by this admission. It explained so much. I guess part of me realizes that you can't blame the guy for entering the draft, and obviously he can't help where he gets picked. But he strung us Bucs fans along for seven long years while we waited for him to live up to his potential. Obviously that day never came. Now to sit there and hear him pretty much just say that he was just never that into it is extremely disappointing. Was he that good of an actor? Is he just making excuses for a failed NFL career or did the coaching staff keep rewarding a player with a roster spot that didn't really have his heart set on producing on the field.

Just something to think about. Obviously this old news, and has nothing to do with the current plight of our beloved Buccaneers, but it still bothered me and I thought I would do a little write up about it. What do you guys think?

For the record, Jones did really impress me his Jiu Jitsu skills, he arm barred Wessel in about 30 seconds. It would have been nice to see what he could have done on the gridiron had his heart been in it.

Bucs of Days Gone By

2009-11-05T16:44:54Z

So, I was reading about the Chiefs and their poor record today, and noticed that during one of the Chiefs' "legacy games", the coach was wearing the coach's polo for the Dallas Texans. Would you want Raheem Morris to wear the old orange, white and red too this Sunday? There's more past the jump...

This brings up something interesting, in my mind. Back in 1976, my mother was one of the early Bucs fans, one of the folks who still watched or showed up to games during Ye Grande Olde 0-26. She was telling me about that season, and I noticed a few parallels. Back in 1976, the Buccaneers had a coach with a lack of previous NFL experience (Raheem Morris was a coordinator for a couple of years, coached college ball before that). The Bucs had difficulty picking a starting quarterback. The defense couldn't decide whether it would bite down or give up long touchdown plays. And of course, they were 0-7 in week 8 of that 1976 season, but they had scored touchdowns by then.

So why is this interesting or otherwise unusual? I just thought I'd point out how ironic the game on Sunday will be. That 1976 had its moments of lacking in discipline, but more specifically, the sorry play in spite of the talent on the team (some of those guys played their way into the Pro Bowl and the 1979 NFC title game...can't really deny they had some talent), the seeming ineptitude in particular of the offense, and the lack of stability at the quarterback position are the most glaring similarities. It almost seems fitting that the game the Bucs bring back the orange and white is in the middle of an 0-7 season. It almost would be wrong otherwise.

Fortunately, we've not had such bad things happen as, say, Aqib Talib being thrown out of a game for fighting (which would hark back to Mike Washington doing the same in week 4 against the Baltimore Colts in '76). The difference, perhaps, would be that whereas Rich McKay was often finding biting humor in the Bucs' poor 1976 performance, Raheem really seems to think it's just going to get better. But if Raheem's post-game comments are any indicator, our poor Bucs have a long ways to go yet.

So, in summation–should Raheem wear the orange, red, and white to go with the old Bucs uniforms on Sunday?

Week 9 Preview: Green Bay Packers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2009-11-04T03:01:19Z

vs.

Overview: After a much-needed week off to nurse some bumps and try to get the nightmare of the London Massacre out of their domes, the Buccaneers return to the field this Sunday at Raymond James Stadium for a tilt with their former NFC Central rival, the Green Bay Packers. The Bay of Pigs, as Chris Berman donned it. Both teams come in looking to turn their seasons around, but for different reasons. The Packers come to town fresh off of the receiving end of a William Gay-esque trucking courtesy of Adrian Peterson and the Vikings. The Packers actually held up ok against AP and the Viking rushing attack on Sunday (allowed 110 yards), but surrendered 4 TD passes to the ol' gunslinger in an emotional homecoming at Lambeau. The Bucs come in looking for something, anything, to spark a fading, winless team following a curbstomping on the other side of the pond at the hands of the Patriots. Moreover, there are growing rumors among media outlets of off the field issues between the head coach and certain players. Well, the future is now in Tampa, as the Bucs have given the keys to the offense to rookie QB Josh Freeman in what will be his first career start. However, the Bucs are going to have to establish a consistent running attack to have any chance to sustain drives against the Packer defense.

3 Brief Keys to a Packer Victory:

1. Stick to the basics - run the ball. With the talent Green Bay has under center and at WR, the Packers have had success through the air. However, as will be discussed later, they have had major protection problems this month, with Rodgers winding up on his back far too often. No need to put Rodgers in harm's way too much this week. If the Packers feed the ball to Ryan Grant, they should find success against a Buccaneer defense that ranks dead last statistically against the run in the NFL.

2. Force Caddy off the road. With a rookie QB at the helm and two great cover corners, it's no doubt the Packers will try to take the Buccaneer running game out of play and force the Bucs to use Josh Freeman's untested arm to move the ball. Also, I doubt Freeman will be given much flex to audible at the line, so the Bucs could be looking at an aggressive set of run blitzes and unblocked safeties on a regular basis.

3. Your defense is quicksand... bury the new kid early. If the Pack can drop Freeman a few times early or force a turnover or two, the playbook will likely tighten up quickly and the young QB will become more and more timid to make another mistake. Doing so will force the Bucs into more predictable running plays early and into the Packer defensive front, which is playing well lately.

3 Brief Keys to a Buccaneer Victory:

1. Finally live up to that "we're going to be a violent team" moniker. For a team that has a healthy, impressive stable of backs and an O-line line chock full of returning starters, they sure don't do much to show them off. Take the fight to the Green Bay front 7 and run the ball early and often. Dive plays, misdirections, off-tackle runs, end arounds. For every running play, every down and distance, this team has a back for it. Finally use them all properly.

2. Baby steps... manage the game efficiently and stay out of 3rd and longs. Easier said than done, but sticking with the running game more than they have so far on 2nd down and 6-8 yds should make for more manageable 3rd down opportunities. Running the ball early will help establish play action at key times as well. Also, RB screen passes and WR hitches and screens are effective against the right defensive sets. Use them much more than you have so far. Remember, baby steps for your baby QB.

3. Continue to make life miserable for Rodgers. 19. That's how many times poor Aaron Rodgers has been sacked the past four games, averaging almost five per game. Rodgers and his stable of talented wideouts can decimate a defense if given time, so it'll be essential for Jimmy and Stylez to generate consistent pressure out of 4 and 5 man rushes, disrupt Rodgers, and put the Packers in a fair number of 2nd/3rd and long situations.

Buccaneer Offense vs. Packer Defense

The 2009 Packer defense ranks statistically as one of the league's best, although part of those stats come from holding the inept Lion and Brown offenses to 3 total points. They rank 2nd in total YPG at 283.4 and 10th against the run at 99.4 YPG. What's more impressive about that defensive statistic is that they've held the great Adrian Peterson to under 100 yards rushing in each game. The Packers employ a 3-4 front. A great part of the success of this scheme lies in their magnificent set of linebackers. Aaron Kampman moved to OLB from his 4-3 DE position and has held his own against the run, but is not generating much of a pass rush, totaling 2.5 sacks in '09. 1st round pick Clay Matthews mans the opposite side OLB. Matthews has already made impact plays as a rookie, stripping Peterson and returning it for a TD in the Pack's first matchup with Minny. Headhunters AJ Hawk and Nick Barnett man the middle of the line. All in all, this front 7 is big, physical, and very capable of stopping the run, but is susceptible in the passing game. There are opportunities for Winslow and Stevens to take advantage of some one-one-one matchups in man coverage on shorter routes.

That being said, everything starts up front for the Green Bay defense with their massive Nose Tackle, 340 lb Ryan Pickett. He's a space eater than commands double teams. The question is whether the center and guard can hold him in place or whether he can step into the A-gap and push the linemen back a few steps, closing the lane and forcing the RB outside towards the OLBs. If the Bucs want to establish a power interior running game (which are primary fakes for play-action), Jeff Faine and Zuttah/Joseph will have their hands full. They will have to at least hold the big guy at bay and create some narrow interior lanes for the backs.

Where the Buccaneers might find success running the football is off-tackle on the left side. RDE Cullin Jenkins is about 20 pounds lighter than his LDE counterpart, Johnny Jolly, and has generally been a more effective pass rusher than run-stopper. Big Donald Penn and Stevens can knock holes between the RDE and ROLB, with Earnest Graham opening up a hole to the secondary with a kickout block on the ILB.

In the secondary, veterans Al Harris and Charles Woodson are as good a pair of cover corners as a coach could hope for. They love to crowd the WR at the line and jam him off his routes. Although not as young as spring chickens anymore, both have seen it all and should be able to stick with the Buccaneer wideouts, although Bryant still can create some opportunities deep. However, as we've seen this season so far, if there's one spot where the Packer defense is soft, it's in the secondary right down the middle of the field. The Vikings exposed this weakness in both matchups, with Favre torching the secondary right down the middle. Moreover, both starting Packer safeties have missed time this year due to injury and SS Nick Collins left Sunday's game after colliding with FS Atari Bigby and is expected to be listed as questionable on this week's injury report. If the Bucs run the ball and work the short passing game as they should, the opportunity should be there to mix in shots to Antonio Bryant on a deep post in play action or the occassional seam/deep-in patterns to Winslow.

It's worth noting that the Defensive Coordinator Dom Caper has gone under scrutiny from his own players for questions of his schemes in recent games, namely their last 2 matchups with the Vikings. Charles Woodson and DEs Johnny Jolly and Cullen Jenkins have spoken out against the Packers' lack of aggressiveness against QB Brett Favre, and both have received private conversations from coaching for their dissent. Another team with internal turmoil... not a bad thing for the Bucs. With a first-time QB taking the reins for the Bucs, Capers would be foolish not to bring more pressure.

Packer Offense vs. Buccaneer Defense

The Packers' passing offense may rank 9th in the NFL, but Rodgers is having an MVP-calibur season. For the great numbers that Peyton Manning and Brett Favre have put up so far, Aaron Rodgers actually leads the NFL in pass efficiency at just over 110. He's been nothing short of great, especially with him having to continually check for pressure due to suspect offensive line play. He can scan the field, read the defense, and find the open receiver, spreading the ball around early and often to James Jones, Jennings, Driver, Finley, Havner, Donald Lee, and Ryan Grant.

However, the Green Bay offensive line, as noted, has been violated by opposing defenses this month, allowing 19 sacks in 4 games and a league-high 31 sacks on the season. The news isn't great for the Packers, as both tackles are fighting the injury bug. LT Chad Clifton is questionable for Sunday's game with a bum ankle, with RT Mark Tauscher fighting a sore knee. Although the Bucs haven't been confused recently as a team with a consistent pass rush, they should be able to reach double digits in QB hits on Sunday and hopefully tally 3 or 4 sacks. Heck, they'd better or else...

... Aaron Rodgers will pick them apart. The Packers love to run 3 and 4 wide in one back sets, creating opportunities on deep drag/in routes and timing patterns with their athetic receivers, presenting matchup problems for many teams in one-on-one situations. With Elbert Mack struggling this season, the Bucs will have trouble matching up against the Packers' slot receivers. TE Jermichael Finley, who is considered 50/50 to play Sunday, is a big target and a true threat down the field. If he's unable to go, Donald Lee is not much of a drop off and is a big weapon in play action between the backers and safeties and even more so in the red zone when matched up against a linebacker.

The Packers employ a zone blocking run scheme. Although their offensive line has been battered in the pass rush, they are agile and capable of getting outside in run blocking and getting to the secondary for the extra downfield block, making the offtackle runs and outside stretch plays a significant part of their running attack. It will be important for Hayes, Black, Piscitelli, Talib, and Barber to get off blocks and prevent Grant from getting a big lane outside and away from the middle of the defense.

What Will Happen: With a young QB at the helm, the Bucs will finally come out running the football effectively, mixing in an assortment of short passes early. However, the Packers defensive front will bend in the red zone and hold the Bucs to field goal attempts much of the day. The Bucs will get a strong push on Rodgers in the first half, but will tire in the 2nd half, as Rodgers finds more time to connect with Driver and Jennings, with Ryan Grant putting the game away in the 4th quarter late.

Line: Green Bay -10.5

Final Score: Packers 27, Buccaneers 16

Freeman's First Season?

2009-11-04T16:41:28Z

I'll be honest–I didn't like Freeman from the get-go, when he was drafted, and that was probably a mistake on my part. But, that's not really important at this stage. Skip past the jump for more...

Josh Freeman, if you weren't aware, was the Buccaneers' first draft pick of 2009. He came out of Kansas State in what ended up being a good bit of pomp and circumstance. A media circus in the Tampa area swirled around him fairly quickly after some of his comments on being drafted by the Buccaneers. This was a bit of an issue for me, having not even heard of Freeman before, and his comments circulated around Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez, a pair of quarterbacks with experience on the national stage. Freeman's comments seemed quite misplaced, but, it's his choice to say what he wants. If someone wants to say something they'll regret later, it's not really my problem.

However, in the preseason, although we had but small tastes of Freeman's ability, I for one certainly had yet to see the quarterback deserving of being picked ahead of Stafford and Sanchez. However, at this stage, Freeman's career is hardly over–he just has ground to make up. If he can go out there and win a game or two this season, he's on the right track. If even he can't win games, then we have one of the classic four problems facing the Buccaneers. Continued defeat could mean that there is simply no skill under center. This is entirely possible, but the fact that Byron Leftwich, an experienced and fairly talented quarterback, couldn't win a game, suggests that this probably isn't the case. I'd even go so far as to say Freeman could do quite well, given the mentoring and playing time he needs. The next possibility would be a bad receiving corps. This isn't really the problem either, seeing as there are receivers catching passes and scoring the occasional touchdown. The tight ends are getting the job done as well, however, they might be used as much as they ought, in spite of their numbers. There's of course coaching. But even this can't fully be the answer, because the coaches aren't on the field, making the decisions. The players are. I feel that the coaching most certainly is playing a role right now, however, I wouldn't dare say that is the problem. Then, lastly, we have the defense. If I had to pick a single problem, I would most likely pick the defense. Between the lack of pressure up front, and the lack of stopping power deep, the defense is simply not up to the task. Many teams can get away with a mediocre defense, but at times, it seems the Buccaneers don't even have that much.

The fault with the defense is not just at one position. It's more like an epidemic through each position. I don't think that a total change in defensive scheme helps matters much at all. Much like the sudden and constant changes at quarterback, a change in defensive schemes isn't going to make things easy for the guys already in the defensive unit. Most teams in the league don't use the scheme Bates uses. They're just not ready for it, they're not mentally prepared for that style of defending. Now, how does all of this tie into Freeman?

Well, the problem is that a lot of people are going to pin the blame on Josh if the Bucs continue to lose, and chances are that most likely, that won't actually be the case. Sure, I don't think he really will be a franchise QB. No, I don't think he's going to win any games either. But from one Josh un-fan to any others out there, if we keep losing with Josh under center, it's probably not going to be (entirely) his fault. There's twenty-two guys on a starting lineup, not one. If football was one-on-one, then, sure. It would be Josh's fault. But I think we need to cut Josh a bit of slack and realize that there are in truth deeper problems with the Bucs than the quarterback they probably shouldn't have drafted.

As a final criticism of the choice to take Freeman...why would the Buccaneers take Freeman if the Leftwich deal was lined up, and we had Leftwich, McCown, and Johnson? I don't know if anyone can explain that to me or not. It seems like a confusing decision, in retrospect, considering that this year's upcoming crop of QBs is going to be much richer than last year's was (which does indeed say something!)

Funny story about Michael Clayton

2009-11-03T04:10:59Z

Training Camp, 2006.

Setting: Outside the hotel at Celebration in Orlando, Florida.

Characters: My friend Jay, Cadillac Williams, Joey Galloway, A Shuttle Bus and Michael Clayton.

The players were leaving the hotel and heading toward the shuttle van which was sent to take them to the Wide World of Sports, where the Buccaneers held training camp before moving to the new facility at One Buc Place. We experienced three noteworthy players, the rest were scout team and backup players. Here's how it went down:

Wide receiver Joey Galloway walks over to a crowd of about twenty or so fans stand along the sidewalk behind ropes and security. He signs a few autographs, waves and gets on the bus.

Cadillac Williams walks out the front door and toward the shuttle, approximately 30 yards. As fans plead for autographs, he walks to the van, clearly gearing up for practice with his studio-style headphones covering his ears.

Michael Clayton walks out the front door and to the bus, ignoring the crowd. He is not wearing headphones.

Jay: Hey, Michael!

Clayton doesn't even turn and boards the van.

Jay: Hey, Michael, you'd better come sign something . . . I spent half my season tickets last year watching you drop crucial passes!

The fans go silent. Clayton pokes his head out the double doors of the van and glares at Jay, saying nothing.

After about ten seconds of an akward stare, Clayton realizes Jay has a point, and takes his seat on the bus.

It's possible that it was one of those "I guess you had to be there" stories. But if you were there, and you saw Clayton's face, you could tell that he was reasoning in his own head why he should just sit down and go to practice, because Jay was right, and Clayton knew it.

A lot can happen in ten seconds. A human brain can process almost a hundred thoughts. An Olympic sprinter can run 100 meters. A ball can go from a center's snap to a quarterback's grip and through Michael Clayton's hands.

I wish I had taken a picture of his face. Too funny.

More stories to come from the same historic trip. The next will be a story about Josh Bidwell, a lobster, four Washington Apples, a police officer and Doug Williams.

Stay tuned!