Return Game Needs To Step Up

November 17th, 2010

Joe’s loves hearing “Run Micheal Run” from Gene Deckerhoff as much as the next guy, but a few big plays don’t take away from a lot of substandard stuff Bucs fans have seen from the return game this season.

What was a major strength of the Bucs last year — possibly the best return unit in the NFL — has lost its consistency.

Raheem Morris talked about the questionable decision making on special teams and lack of consistency on Monday during his news conference. And it was Micheal Spurlock himself who fought off the usual barrage of Scott Ledger softballs Friday evening on the Buccaneers Radio Network to express disappointment.

Despite his big returns against Atlanta, Spurlock talked about how the return game hadn’t done much before that and about how he hoped success against the Falcons would give them a spark.

Of course, fans hardly saw the Bucs best Sunday against Carolina.

Surely, Rich Bissacia hasn’t forgotten how to coach these guys at a high level.

Without watching coach’s film, Joe must assume that so many rookies on special teams is causing some problems, although poor communication and decision-making between Spurlock and Maurice Stovall is not a rookie thing.

Joe hopes Spurlock can add some Clifton Smith-caliber consistency to his homerun returns, and the Bucs can figure the whole thing out.

The Bucs’ special teams kept the team in games last season, and it’s an area that seems like it could be improved very quickly.

24 Responses to “Return Game Needs To Step Up”

  1. JDouble Says:

    I wanna know what Stovall was doing on the the play where Spurlock had bobbled and dropped the kick, then picked it up and was ready to run, but instead of blocking for him, Stovall was turned around facinf Spurlock. In his face, blocking him.

    It looked like when the returner catches a kick in the endzone and that lead guy will turn around and stop him. Telling him to take and knee rather than bring it out. The only problem was they were standing on the 7 yard line.

    I’d love to know WTH Stovall was doing.

  2. Buc You Says:

    Saying the special teams is sub par after a few run backs is pretty odd. Especially since one pretty much gave us the points to win a game.

    It’s as odd as Bristol Palin beating out Brandy on DWTS, albeit by people’s choice. The people have spoken on that one!

    Makes you wonder if the people have spoken about the black outs?

  3. Gary Says:

    We are going to need a big day from ST to beat the niners. Gore will be running through our soft D all day, we need good FP for the offense. Whatever the problem is, Bissachia, Spurlock, whoever, needs to get this fixed before sunday.

  4. lakeland bob Says:

    What in the hell does that mean?

  5. McBuc Says:

    Hey Buc You…The D has scored to help win games as well, you can not have your cake and eat it too.

  6. Capt.Tim Says:

    Buc yourself- Silence Town fool! All the black outs mean, is that everyone is outta work! Nothing to do with yer stupid [be nice Capt.Tim! — Joe ] Agenda! Now, BACK to your home amongst the swine. Again, you bring your foolery forth uncalled! Twenty lashes, and back to the pigs!! We will summon you when are need to laugh at the foolish grows great! Until then, Be off!

  7. Buc You Says:

    hey Tina, what does 3+3+6 equal?

    Make sure you paste over and over with exclamation marks too.

    Nice math job you town drunk.

  8. Dr. Dave Says:

    Fewer holding and illegal block calls
    See what happens?
    Stovall had HUA

  9. Buc You Says:

    There is a player in the NFL that reminds me of Raheem.

    Raheem is to Ocho Cinco
    As
    Andy Reid is to Peyton Manning

  10. Fire Greg Olson! Says:

    Buc You:America::Herpes:America

    That’s how analogies are written…

  11. Buc You Says:

    Hey FGO, didn’t you say yesterday that the offense was great?

    So when are you going to change your name?

  12. New Era Buc Says:

    Dancing with the stars? ROFLMFAO! Might want to leave the football talk to the big boys

  13. squadoosh1 Says:

    At least we know what Buc You is good at now: cheering and critiquing D list celebrity dance moves. We look forward with baited breath to your assessment of the dance performance of the “Situation”!

  14. oar Says:

    You bet your ass you won’t see the likes of Emmitt Smith, Warren Sapp, Michael Irving, or Jason Taylor on that show!

  15. derf Says:

    Hey Buc U who’s winning on Survivor?

  16. derf Says:

    Oh yeah how about Hell’s Kitchen?

    I’ll bet a manly football stud you U watch that show too?

  17. beernutz Says:

    When Stroughter isn’t on the mend, he should be fielding kicks. He isn’t doing much as a receiver but has shown he can be an effective returner ie Bizzaro Spurlock

  18. Bucnjim Says:

    Bad Girls Club….LOL

  19. Capt.Tim Says:

    Buc yourself- 3+3+6 equals = tada !Your IQ, if you complete the equation 3+3+6-6-3=3

  20. Capt.Tim Says:

    Awwww, geez, Joe!!! Lol

  21. Fire Greg Olson! Says:

    @Buc You

    I still don’t like Greg Olson and I’m not the only one.

    Olson, especially last year, has shown plenty of times that he is not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

    One example off the top of my head is when he gave Chris Pressley his first NFL carry on 4th and goal on the 1, because he thought Earnest Graham was in the game. The way I look at it is, if I know the jersey number of all the Bucs, Olson can at least know the offensive players’ numbers…

  22. oar Says:

    FOG,
    Hell, you’re at every single game! When that stuff happens, why don’t you just jump down there and straighten him out?

  23. Buc You Says:

    FOG likes Raheem who’s defense is performing worse than any other year in history yet he hates Olson when the offense is winning all the games.

    Sure dude.

    DWTS reference was based on a link I read about Bristol Palin laying the smack down on Brandy. If you read into that, then you understand the bigger travesty. Even though Brandy did better at dancing, the people voted for Palin.

    Pretty funny how it all works out huh?

  24. tampa2 Says:

    Awww, isn’t that cute! Someone taught Lil Tugboat Timmie a joke and like his lil puddy, he beats it to death. When you going to come up with an original joke, Timmie. I don’t know why your Mama let you have your tugboat back. You never did clean that ring around the bath tub!
    Buc You is right! The defense is the worst it’s ever been, yet Raheem is still taking glory. I bashed Olsen when he first became OC, but he has proved me wrong for sure. But Raheem’s defense is doing just as expected. Maybe Raheem will fire Bissaccia and take over the S.T. That would be great! Then the Glazer’s would lose the last 40,000 fans and Raheem can screw the Special Teams up like he has the Defense! Smart guy, that Raheem! hahaha