Bucs Are Fortunate
October 24th, 2016
“Hey PFF tribe, can’t hear ‘ya!”
Joe gets a chuckle out of the PFF tribe when they rap their knuckles together in outrage over Bucs left tackle Donovan Smith. It’s actually sort of cute.
To read the PFF tribe freakout over the Bucs’ offensive line, you would think it is a sieve. Joe has been saying for weeks it is an underrated and good offensive line, and the numbers (!) prove it.
Those who suggest otherwise must live in vacuums or do not watch NFL football outside of the Bucs. Consider what airline-napping, steerage-flying, Yogi Berra-worshiping, urinal picture-taking, video game-playing, Taylor Swift-listening, pickpocket-thwarting, Bucs-uniform-frowning, Allie-LaForce-smitten, Big-Ten-Network-hating, pedestrian-bumping, olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, beer-chugging, cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-naïve, baseball-box-score-reading, NPR-honk, filthy-hotel-staying, fight-instigating, barista-training Peter King, of Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports fame, wrote about the state of offensive lines in the NFL this morning.
I think it’s hard to count how many offensive lines in the NFL stink, but a lot do. It’s the position group that’s the most subpar in the league right now. Did you see Sunday night, when four Seahawks (and I know the Seattle defense front is very good) met at Carson Palmer midway through the first quarter and combo-sacked him? Palmer never had a chance. So many quarterbacks feel that way right now.
And Seattle’s offensive line is a jailbreak as well. Even Bill Belicheat was pulling his hair out last year over his rotten line.
Meanwhile, the offensive line of the Bucs is blowing holes open for running backs to run through and giving America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, sufficient time to throw.
So the Bucs have a bad offensive line? Ha! The Bucs, specifically AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht, appear to have built a sound and deep offensive line.
October 24th, 2016 at 3:22 pm
Good run blockers…as stated previously…Winston has been hit a ton. Some of that is on him…but still. All this while recovering from The Sweezy Swindle.
October 24th, 2016 at 3:35 pm
Watch Kevin P. On the Payton Barber TD run. That dude and Ali have been playing lights out.
October 24th, 2016 at 3:45 pm
Sweezy Who????
October 24th, 2016 at 3:50 pm
WE seem to have trouble with our receivers getting separation… or maybe JW3 needs to unlock from ME13 on every play. Actually once we started running a few screens and Shepard made a couple catches things opened up for ME13 just a little bit. Having a run game has helped a lot…..now to utilize the pass just a bit more and we will be dangerous. Our line has done a nice job opening holes and now that the dancing bear is on IR it’s refreshing to see a back hit a hole quickly. When DM gets back I think we may have a explosive 1-2 punch.
October 24th, 2016 at 3:55 pm
Please see the play where JW got picked. Count how many seconds before he got drilled in the mouth. Ty.
October 24th, 2016 at 3:58 pm
imagine how much better the line would be if Dotson would block someone occasionally and stop getting dumb penalties.
October 24th, 2016 at 4:17 pm
Yes, the o-line is run-blocking well and they would become better pass-blockers if Jameis could find an open receiver sooner (no separation & patting the ball) and/or we called a quick slant/anything pass, ever. Do we have one in our playbook?
October 24th, 2016 at 4:18 pm
It was Dotson who missed the block which led to the hit which led to the pick which led to Mikey 13 almost being sent to the IR with 4 broken ribs.
October 24th, 2016 at 4:50 pm
you are right, the offensive line is good. not great, but good. having said that, they have the chance to be very good in a few years. They are only 1 year and a few games into this system. The team is average as a whole and after a few more drafts, could be very good.
October 24th, 2016 at 4:56 pm
As stated DB, offensive lines throughout the league stink. Probably county on one hand and not use all the digits how many are really good. Each game you pick one hit where the defense lays a good one on JW, however I can point out two of the nine hits where Jameis throws the ball away he wouldn’t have gotten hit at all . The line is not doing a bad job. Run blocking is great, and they haven’t put 6 qbs in the hospital like the Browns. And this isn’t a post to knock Jameis, so don’t get your panties in a wad.
October 24th, 2016 at 5:13 pm
I think the OFFs play too much Madden because in Madden there is no such thing as physical football. Now in real football, for an Olineman, physicality is all the matters……….Since Donavon Smith is mentioned i specifically saw him back plant an opponent on a chop block yesterday. On another play he got 9 yards down field and could have broke a linebackers tailbone on a devastating block( almost caught Quizz on that one……Not sure if it was Smith but i did see a ST safety fly 3 yards in the air one a block. And I know Smith was part of the three team pancake block that our one LBs into
October 24th, 2016 at 5:22 pm
Chris
It’s really just Dotson (I think) everyone else is playing well.
October 24th, 2016 at 5:27 pm
DB55 and Chris
Dotson is the weakest link by far. I am a big D. Smith but I am not 100% he is the playing the right position. I think he is a good LT but could be a GREAT or Elite RT…
I think eventually we will see this line
LT = D. Smith
LG = Pamp
C = Marpet
RG = Sweezy
RT = Benenoch (sp?)
October 24th, 2016 at 5:43 pm
Idk enough about Sweezy. But I like everything else. Maybe slide smith to guard. Idk
October 24th, 2016 at 5:53 pm
Check it again – I saw Cherilus playing quite a few snaps early on and getting beat badly. I was screaming for them to put Dotson in and, when they did, I could see immediately the improvement in blocking from the RT position.
October 24th, 2016 at 6:11 pm
Cherilus is done…..Dotson has had plenty of time to get good….he needs to become a backup…
Here would be my line…
D. Smith LT
Sweezy LG
Hawley C
Marpet RG
Pamphile RT
And, we have some pretty good depth which include Dotson, Benenoch, EDS & Wester
As for Jameis getting hit……he needs just a touch of fear…..he hangs in too long sometimes…..and he needs receivers that can get open along with some shorter quick drop passes. He’s a tough guy….many of these hit would put others out. And, it looks like they have told him not to run.
October 24th, 2016 at 6:11 pm
Ok DB I’m in agreement with you. Dotson is playing like garbage . Everytime a lineman got flagged I expected it to be him. Although, he and Marpet were opening up things in the running game
October 24th, 2016 at 6:11 pm
Idontwannahearitanymore
you clearly were watching a different game. Dotson was abused like a prison beotch most if not all the time he was on the filed.
October 24th, 2016 at 6:14 pm
I like Dotson….lets keep him around but not let him play….he’s a good dude…and looks really big.
October 24th, 2016 at 6:31 pm
Tampabaybucfan
At least you are honest..
October 24th, 2016 at 7:00 pm
According to ESPN, Winston has 7 TD passes while under duress this season. Most in the NFL.
But please keep in consideration that he’s an inaccurate bust! Smh
October 24th, 2016 at 7:23 pm
Marpett is a beast….
October 24th, 2016 at 9:00 pm
So we’re completely blaming the bad o line play on Charles Sims it seems. yes he did a lot of dancing and it was so darn annoying but no one dames when there’s an open hole to run through. The offensive line is back to last year’s form though and as they go this team goes short of like the cowboys
October 24th, 2016 at 9:59 pm
It started with the signing of Ali Marpet and Donavan Smith. Remember 2015 when Garret Gilkey and others were stinking it up and everyone thought the Coach Warthrop needed to go and D. Koetter said no we have worked together before and I believe in what he does. Sometimes knowing that others above you believe in you makes you better, rather than Koetter steamrolling him in a presser. What a turn around our line has been. It’s great to hear that Caleb. B is getting some praise Joe as he deserves. Jason lighct has been far from perfect, but has done a good job in the draft, with possibly the selection of our Kicker, which I believe is coming out of his slump and adjusting to the NFL. Time we’ll tell and already has for some. Let’s get after the Raiders and run it down there throats. Then we should all see a different bucs team that we wanted to see. Go buc’s
October 25th, 2016 at 7:58 am
Honestly Dotson will get better. He has had some tough games/ matchups so far ( von miller etc.) If he continues to give up flags and free yards then he should go to the bench but for now they should see what he can bring.