Comments on: “It Could Be Some Mechanics”

By: hamilton

hamilton — Mon, 28 May 2012 19:18:42 +0000

when we get a running game,freeman will be ok.

By: BamBamBuc

BamBamBuc — Sun, 27 May 2012 19:19:37 +0000

whoops, yeah, either way, he’s had 2 off-seasons of basically no coaching and probably took a big step backward last year “teaching himself” and not getting anything on his mechanics.

By: aj

aj — Sun, 27 May 2012 18:27:34 +0000

BamBam, you are missing a year. Free is in year 4.

Free’s biggest problem comes in reading coverage and progressing through his reads. Fortunately, QBs tend to get better at that. He seems to have preconceived notions of where the defense will be and he tends to stare down and throw to his #1 or #2 read.

Free will often skip his reads and go straight to the back out of the backfield, especially with EG and Caddy when he was here. There was a lot of talk about him forcing it, but I think that was more his lack of reading the defense than it was purposely throwing into coverage.

The same problems Free had last year he has in 2010. He just had a WR that shut off half the field last year, in Benn, had another that slumped to start the year (Williams). And over time he lost confidence.

Also, defenses started figuring him out, big time starting with the San Fran game.

By: BamBamBuc

BamBamBuc — Sun, 27 May 2012 15:27:23 +0000

Don’t forget that Free really hasn’t had an offseason as the #1 guy yet either. Much like the situation with Blount, both have had success with limited time in the off-season for coaching. The off-season, for QBs, is when they work on things like mechanics. Free’s first year he was “3rd string” behind Leftwich/McCown and Josh Johnson (so basically 4th string for off-season). His second year was a lock-out where he lead team work-outs. How’s he supposed to work on his own mechanics without coaching? That was a big fear last year… that players were practicing AND making mistakes, so they were essentially practicing MAKING mistakes. Without coaches correction, the players basically are “learning” repeatedly how to make mistakes. Then that has to be coached out of them again. We should see huge improvement with ALL players this year… Free, Blount, Williams, Benn, GMC, Clay, Price, Foster, etc. They’re all getting off-season workouts WITH coaching.

By: Miguel Grande

Miguel Grande — Sun, 27 May 2012 14:15:09 +0000

For a team that was behind by three touchdowns for most of the season, we should have been ranked #1 in passing yardage. Stats won’t cover up for a miserable performance.

By: NJBuc

NJBuc — Sun, 27 May 2012 12:33:20 +0000

Let’s not get to carried away with this. I get that every Buc fan thinks this was the single worst season any QB has had at any level, but let’s all remember the following:

16th ranked passing attack (not 32nd)
3,500 plus yards in 15 games
62% plus completions (higher than 2010)
Team was top five in drops
They ran the offense through a guy not required to practice
Not clear if I should call Olsen’s work an offense

In reality, Free needs to not throw about 20 passes last year that were truly egregious mistakes. (Half to Winslow) Not out of the ordinary for anyone in their second full year as a starter.

By: Have A Nice Day

Have A Nice Day — Sun, 27 May 2012 10:54:43 +0000

“Like I’ve said all along, Freeman is a mirror image of Tim Tebow. ”

This quote will be brought up later for fun.

By: Mr Lucky

Mr Lucky — Sun, 27 May 2012 10:52:47 +0000

Still on record as saying the Bucs should’ve traded Benn to Denver for Tebow.

I’ll bet they would’ve taken winslodw for Tebow straight up.

By: Miguel Grande

Miguel Grande — Sun, 27 May 2012 06:22:30 +0000

Like I’ve said all along, Freeman is a mirror image of Tim Tebow. Mecanics are something tat can be coached, something that was not analyzed or addressed in the previous regime.

I know its a mortal sin to point that out, but Josh can be top 5 QB material with some correction. Same thing with LaGarette.

By: BucFan20

BucFan20 — Sun, 27 May 2012 01:12:52 +0000

How do you hear “kind of an explanation”? Guess they didn’t fall for the evreyone else made me do it. Some where someone forgot to ask if they saw the other things the rest of us did. Like he couldn’t read a defense if they gave him the playbook.

By: Macabee

Macabee — Sun, 27 May 2012 00:37:25 +0000

I hope this isn’t the beginning of the end for Josh Freeman. I’m a staunch proponent of the use of science to improve man physiologically and ergonomically. But I get nervous when we attempt to “robo-cop” or re-engineer people to maximize performance. I believe in the concept of the natural athlete where training, experience, and improved decision-making take advantage of natural ability.

Freeman did something right when he won 10 games in 2010. Was his mechanics visibly bad then or did they get that way in 2011 and what caused it? I don’t want to fix his arm or throwing motion and mess up his head. I think his head (coolness under pressure) is his most outstanding attribute. I would prefer to help him improve his decision-making – when to throw the ball or not throw the ball – when to throw it away or take the sack.

Take Freeman out of situations where he doesn’t perform well and focus on his strengths. Do not fit Freeman to the playbook, design the playbook around him. He was not born an Aaron Rodgers and never will be. But we know he can win games because we’ve seen it!

Brad Johnson is just now getting credit for being a pretty good QB, instead of just a game manager. Brad won us a Super Bowl and Freeman can to if we focus on his strengths and not try to re-engineer the man!

By: Brad

Brad — Sat, 26 May 2012 23:43:16 +0000

If he can complete over 60% of his passes with bad mechanics, the league better look out if his mechanics get even a little fixed. Not only will he be elite, he will top 5.