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Oft overlooked numbers point to optimism for Bucs
by Buc Wild on Nov 6, 2009 10:03 AM EST
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We all saw the results of the Buc 'Em poll posted this week. Based on our readership, the glass was most definitely half empty on Morris and his coaching to date. For the sake of full disclosure, I voted as "Undecided" which came with the addition of giving him through (at least 2010) to prove himself. We've all debated and discussed his successes and failures to this point. What I want to focus on is a few points that are often overlooked that actually reflect positively on the Bucs.
Coaching is more than giving the General Manager your opinion on a player. As a head coach who has both an offensive and defensive coordinator, he does not generate the game plan, but oversees it. We've documented a few of the issues on the defensive side of the ball, the "lackluster" personnel for the current scheme being the chief issue. We've talked about the offensive coordinators (yes, plural) and some of the oddities in the play calling, namely not running the ball.
But the discipline, in regards to on the field play, has improved.
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With kickers coming and going, should Dirk Johnson be next?
by Buc Wild on Nov 3, 2009 4:00 PM EST
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Over the first 8 weeks of the NFL season, the Bucs have signed three different kickers to handle the kickoffs and field goal attempts. Sadly, two have failed thus far, Nugent and Andrus, with Connor Barth being the latest to be called on to put an oblong object through two yellow poles. With Matt Bryant handling the kicking duties last year, this makes 4 kickers in our last 9 games, which coincidentally is the same number of quarterbacks we've used.
With the apparent close eye on the kickers, I wonder what is being done about our punting situation. I have nothing personal against Dirk Johnson, but as I've pointed out a few times, he has some issues.
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Questionable decisions already starting to mount for Freeman
by Buc Wild on Nov 2, 2009 12:15 PM EST
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Let me get this out of the way. This is not a factual piece. It's based on my opinion and take on football, in particular quarterbacks.
Now that we've got the whole disclaimer part out of the way, allow me to vent my frustration with Freeman. He hasn't taken a starting snap in the NFL yet, and I'm already leery. This has nothing to do with his collegiate success, the fact we took him in the first round, or the apparent tag by Morris as franchise QB. This is about Freeman and his habits.
There's a quarterback out in Oakland, perhaps you've heard of him. He parlayed a strong bowl game into the #1 pick for a dysfunctional franchise and has become their dysfunctional starting quarterback. Talk about a match made in heaven. Jamarcus Russell has trouble completing 50% of his passes and seems to regress with each snap he takes. But plenty of quarterbacks have failed in the NFL. What makes his failure to this point so aggravating for fans is his apparent nonchalance to his bad play as he proclaims himself not the problem. It's his inability to read a defense, but more so than that, his inability to maintain a healthy playing weight, and put in the time required of quarterbacks. There supposed to be the field general which means you want them to be a leader and to be a hard working, dedicated individual, something Russell hasn't been accused of yet.
So what does this have to do with Freeman?
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Want some depressing news? Check out our DL stats
by Buc Wild on Oct 29, 2009 10:00 AM EDT
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I'm not going to lie. this won't be pretty. We have all seen our defensive line get abused game after game in this 2009 season. The most telling example being the final drive against Carolina as they continued to just pound the ball on the ground while our line flailed about as they were pushed 3-4 yards off the ball. This has been an issue for a few years now. The lack of pass rush and inability to stop the run is a trend that continues this year.
One of the worst things about being a writer, or even a fan is trying to quantify what the eyes see. There are teams and players that we think are good, but the stats don't back it up and vice versa. But the holy grail of these situations is when your eyes tell you something and you go to check out the data and the stats back you up. 'Tis a good feeling.
So on this point, to illustrate just how awful the defensive line is playing, I thought I'd go back to our friends at Football Outsiders and use some of their advanced stats.
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Grooming a young quarterback, but which one?
by Buc Wild on Oct 28, 2009 10:47 AM EDT
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The Bucs wandered into the 2009 season with a veteran quarterback as the starter and two unproven young players behind him. The goal seemed to be let Leftwich lead us to a few wins, a losing record and then the front office would flip the switch on Freeman and that era would begin. I don't think anyone intended for Josh Johnsonto stick his name into the mix, but after three weeks of a beating, Leftwich was yanked, Johnson was put in to start, at least for the upcoming four games.
Then, in a rout of a loss in London, JJ was pulled, Freeman was put in, and it would seem that Freeman will be the guy for the rest of the year. I would like to point out that no one has announced Freeman is starting against Green Bay, it is speculation on my part, but it holds true to what I've thought all along. I always figured after a slow start and the bye week would be Freeman's most logical first start. The appearance in London did nothing to dissuade me from that opinion.
But where does this leave the Bucs at quarterback? More importantly, how should they bring Freeman along at this point?
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Dear Greg Olson
by Buc Wild on Oct 23, 2009 11:15 AM EDT
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Mr. Olson, I have watched every offensive snap for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this year. I consider that to be a bad thing at this point. I have watched the offense spin it's wheels to get nowhere. I have seen two different quarterbacks take a beating, several receivers drop passes and more turnovers than I'd like to see. What I haven't seen is a running game. This may come as a surprise to you, but it is permissible to run the ball more than 15 times a game. I know it's boring and it doesn't seem as exciting as a 5 step drop that leads to a wild 3 yard scramble, but there is value in running the ball.
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Clock and team management need another look
by Buc Wild on Oct 22, 2009 1:30 PM EDT
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In a recent discussion with some fellow Bucs fans, a question arose. We'll get to that question in a minute, but it centered around team management and ability to effectively game planinngthe moment. There are always a few plays each game for both teams that make you wonder what the coach was thinking. Us fans are given the freedom of hindsight and lack of accountability. It's easy for me to say going for it on 4th down was stupid when we don't pick up the first. It's also easy for me to say throw the ball more (or less) when I don't have to be accountable to anyone. It makes us easy to soundlikegeniuses because we can spout off on every play with a prediction and it doesn't matter the outcome.
But to tie this back in to the Bucsthis year, I've felt several times there were some key mistakes in game/clock/team management. Most of these occasions I've been lucky enough to put it in writing as it's happening. But with the Bucs in general, and more specifically the coaches coming under fire, I wanted to run through some of the curious decisions (in my eyes) that were made.
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Lack of commitment continues to haunt the Bucs
by Buc Wild on Oct 19, 2009 10:00 AM EDT
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Over the last 7 years, the Bucshave been like a bad stereotype of a guy in a chick flick. The one that won't commit. This seems to be more a habitual problem that has managed to infest just about every facet of the organization. As fans we've seen coaches come and go, general managers come and go, and certainly players that have had a quick cup of coffee with the Bucs. Stability seems to be something that pushes an organization forwards. That doesn't mean you stand pat with bad players, coaches and systems, but more you make a commitment to finding those people that will fit what you want to do as a team and then you press onward.
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