Schiano Expects “More Over-The-Top Coverage”

October 16th, 2012

The leader of the New Schiano Orders says conditions are ripe for “frustrated” Dallas Clark’s emergence

Mike Williams and Vincent Jackson are ripping the top off NFL defenses.

Their yards-per-catch numbers are stunning. Among receivers with 10 or more receptions, Williams ranks second (22.1 ypc) in the NFL and Jackson ranks fifth (18.5).

This kind of deep threat is going to quickly draw significant attention, says Greg Schiano. And the head coach expects life to change for “frustrated” (Schiano’s word) Dallas Clark.

“I want to get Dallas [Clark] more involved, myself. But you know what, when things are there you take them,” Schiano said on WDAE-AM Monday. “And I think what’s going to happen here soon, there’s going to be a lot more over-the-top coverage, which is what’s natural to happen when guys are making plays down the field. That opens up the middle of the defense. And hopefully Dallas and Luke and all the guys can have a bigger impact in the pass game.”

Schiano went on to say he knows Clark is down on his lack of action.

“I know he’s frustrated,’ Schiano said of Clark. “Heck, he’s been such a productive player for so long. But you wouldn’t be able to tell it by the way he’s acting on the sideline, and in the practice and in the meeting rooms. Certainly, I’m hoping we can get him the ball and he can feel personal satisfaction as well as team satisfaction. But he knows how much he means to this team and how he’s playing a big, big part. It’ll happen. It always does. It goes in cycles.”

Joe also would expect teams to try and take away the deep ball and make Josh Freeman beat them in the short game and over the middle. But that doesn’t necessarily mean a ton of work for Clark.

More over-the-top coverage also plays to strengths of Jackson and Williams. Neither is a one-trick pony, and both are good on slants and short routes.

32 Responses to “Schiano Expects “More Over-The-Top Coverage””

  1. grif4foozball Says:

    Too bad our quarterback cant make the short to intermediate throws,huh?

  2. Have A Nice Day Says:

    I’m more frustrated with our run blocking. For a team that is supposed to run the ball, we aren’t doing it very well.

  3. Jbrooks8604 Says:

    @grif
    Exactly, so far at least. His accuracy has been pretty deplorable so far this year so he’s only been effective throwing jump balls. Any D coordinator worth his salt will see this and force Freeman to play to his weakness.

    I will say this, I think it was the first drive in the fourth quarter where Freeman was picking the Cheifs apart with short passes. Specifically one where he hit V Jax on a slant through 3 chiefs defenders. So he’s obviously capable of making accurate passes, something is just off mentally keeping him from doing it consistently well.

  4. Jerrjenn2 Says:

    Wow! As soon as teams stop loading the box, Martin and Blount will run wild.

  5. Miracle Says:

    @Jbrooks8604 the problem with your logic is that very few teams have the personnel to matchup to our receivers on a consistent basis. 8 to 9 times out of 10 our tall and physically gifted receivers are going to come down with a jump ball on 1 on 1 coverage. You put 2 men on each of those receivers then everything else opens up just as the article states.

    The one team I’d be worried about is Seattle in terms of shutting down our receivers. They have some huge corners and safeties.

  6. J 2.0 Says:

    @Jerrjenn2

    I think you’re right!

  7. Jbrooks8604 Says:

    @Miracle
    Honestly you could be right. I have always been high on our receivers but the reason I feel the way I do about that style of bombs away passing is I have never seen anyone in the NFL play like that. It just doesn’t seem feasible specifically with safeties helping corners over the top. I just don’t think that is possible in the NFL. Sure our guys might come down with those passes but their is a lot if risk in it. Again I’m just going off of feeling here because I have never seen an offense base a game plan on jump balls. I still believe Freeman will have to improve accuracy wise so he can take advantage of deep safeties instead of throwing into them.

  8. The Dutcher Journal (Pete Dutcher) Says:

    The opposite can happen too…stack the box and don’t give Free time to go deep.

    I still think Josh will be elite one day.

  9. blackmagic00 Says:

    I’m with Dutch. But if our line can hold up josh can turn elite with bombs away.

  10. JBUC24 Says:

    Opens up the run and the screen game! Liked how they finally ran Martin to the outside on sweeps and short passes. Our offense is starting to click and improve moving forward!!

  11. Colorado Buc Says:

    I agree with Dutcher, I think Free can/will be elite. The young man needs some time in a system he can get comfortable in. Let him develop under Sullivan, stop running coaches out of town, get him the tutelage he needs, and let him do his thing. He is only 24 years old, in his 4th season. I can’t wait to see him in another 4

  12. SteveK Says:

    Happy for Freeman. I hope he catapults from this performance and establishes 4 Good quarters…. Almost sounds like Freeman suffers from what ailed LeBron for years. Cojońes.

  13. J-VilleBucs84 Says:

    Chris Williams just got cut from the Bear. Bucs should pick him up and put him at RT instead od LT.

  14. Pete 422 Says:

    Definitely the Bucs can exploit the Saints defense backfield this week.

    I look for Bill Sheridan to get creative by mixing coverages to combat Brees.

  15. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    @J-VilleBucs,

    Our problem isn’t at right tackle, it’s at right guard. So you think we should give up on Demar Dotson (who has played very well, minus one bad play), as well as Trueblood, for someone who lost his job to the LT from Chicago (you know, the worst offensive line in the league)? And to top it all off, you want him to switch from the left side to the right side? Tell me the truth, had you ever even heard of Chris Williams until today? If the answer is yes, please tell me what he has ever done to make you feel he is a good player. I really wonder sometimes if people even watch the games.

  16. Mr Lucky Says:

    This is one of those articles that sounds great on paper but seriously???

    Maybe if the Bucs has a Phillip Rivers as a QB I could read this article without laughing but with Josh Freeman playing QB – good luck.

    Yeah it’s great that Freeman looks like a good QB when playing the abysmal Chiefs but what happens when they start playing REAL NFL teams?

  17. Tbbucfan7282 Says:

    @jbrooks8604

    “Honestly you could be right. I have always been high on our receivers but the reason I feel the way I do about that style of bombs away passing is I have never seen anyone in the NFL play like that.”

    See the 1998 Vikings. Three physically gifted receivers (Carter, Moss, Reed) and a QB (Randall Cunningham)that just chucked it up and let the playmakers play. One of just a handful of teams to go 15-1.

  18. Mike J Says:

    J-VilleBucs84 , what radio station are the Bucs on now? Not 930 AM…thanks.

  19. Menofear Says:

    Give Oc and Freeman time..this is only their 1 yr together. Eli took 3 yrs to ace this offense. Everything will be just fine.. relax guys…..

  20. J-VilleBucs84 Says:

    Hawaiian Buc

    All am saying is Matt Forte and Chris Williams came out together. Somebody was helping blocking when he was running and a couple years back helped Jared Allen get a sackless game, which you got to give him some credit. Also He played LT LG and RG for the Bears most LT, but the shows versatility to an offense the could use depth. WOW!!! Dotson over Trueblood must have been hard to win that job. Tell me something outside of Bucs fan who’s herd of Trueblood? The stat sheet couple years back saying he held the RECORD FOR MOST FALSE START PENALTIES. Inconsistent lets give you a pay cut to stay on the team. If Dotson didn’t beat him out then his ass should have been cut. All i’m saying is work him out if he sucks then don’t sign him, but don’t expect me to believe in Trueblood. Dotson I’ll give a chance, but if Penn and Dotson go down who do we got at the tackle position. Dotson was Penns back up

  21. Sneedy16 Says:

    @Mr Lucky

    Chiefs has 12th ranked pass defense. The only problem the Chiefs had was they didn’t have a QB.

  22. J-VilleBucs84 Says:

    Mike J

    When you want to say some, say something iintelligent.

  23. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    @J-VilleBucs,

    First of all, just because of the success of Forte doesn’t mean Williams is responsible. They are atrocious at pass protection. Just because he held Jared Allen to a sackless game once means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things. Besides, sacks don’t always tell the story of how good of a job he did. If he was a good player, he wouldn’t have been cut from a team with a miserable offensive line. That is a fact that truly can’t be argued. I really could care less if we sign him for depth, but he shouldn’t be even in consideration to start for us. That idea would be horrible beyond words. If a Pro Bowl Right Guard gets cut, then I’m pretty sure Dominik would be all over that like Miguel would be to clean Chip Kelly’s toilet.

  24. tommy Says:

    @ mr. lucky, yes josh has his problems, the deep ball is not one of them, dont forget the cheifs get paid to play to, every team as bad as you think they are have great athletes on their team!!@ hawaiian….god bless you for calling out that jackwad miguel!!!! you rock bro!!!

  25. Dallas Clark Frustrated With Role In Buccaneers Offense Says:

    […] want to get Dallas [Clark] more involved, myself. But you know what, when things are there you take them,” Schiano said, via JoeBucsFan.com.  “And I think what’s going to happen here soon, […]

  26. Ladyz Says:

    Free’s problem is fear of getting hurt. When he gets that out of his head you will see his passing and running game return. He has the skills, just has to get back his confidence.

  27. AtlBucsFan Says:

    If the long ball doesn’t get us into the end zone we are still dealing with Freeman’s short and intermediate passing accuracy when we get down near or into the red zone. I’ll be thrilled when he is consistently accurate on these throws.

  28. J-VilleBucs84 Says:

    Hawiian Bucs

    Agreed!! You have to think though just because someone is cut doesn’t mean they aren’t good. Look at Blount 49ers cut him and the Titans, but he’s been great here. Just saying if you put him on our team with a Penn, Nicks, and Joseph(when we get him back next year, He might not be so bad. No one really worried about TrueBlood, but when Davin went down TrueBlood was exposed and look he lost his starting job and took a pay cut. I feel my team is going to let him go at the end of this year and I would like to have some sort of back up plan.

  29. Gus Says:

    Also the Ravens play a very similar style of offense and was barely able to move ghe ball. I’m hoping this was our break out game

  30. McBuc Says:

    Blount was not cut 5 games into a veteran season, he was an undrafted rookie on teams with established backs, bad comparison.

    People keep talking about how bad the Chiefs are, but that just suck in scoring. they had the 2nd best running attack, the 4th best offense, and the 12th best pass defense coming into the game. The Bucs shut down the run holding the yardage leader to 40, held their QB to a crazy low QB rating, and scored 31 points on offense and 7 on defense. I hate fans that talk about the Bucs sucking when they are beat by a good team, but when one has a bad record they discount the win. It makes no sense. I guess this great win means nothing because the Chiefs are not undefeated…Give me a break.

  31. kenny Says:

    We need to establish the run or pass to set up the other

  32. Mike J Says:

    J-VilleBucs84: er, bud, I asked a simple question; don’t know what you are babbling about in response.
    Thanks for the help. (Sarcasm BTW.)