Game Managers
July 15th, 2014
Former Bucs rock star GM Mark Dominik talks Bucs QB Josh McCown and “game managers.”
Joe keeps hearing people parrot this nonsense of quarterbacks as “game managers,” And it almost always comes from the same crowd, the type who hate offensive football and buy in to this myth that you can win championships with defense.
(“Your honor, Joe enters into court Exhibit-A: Father Dungy’s offensive offenses with the Bucs in January games.”)
Maybe it is not meant to be or maybe it’s just Joe, but this title “game manager” sure has a terribly negative connotation. It’s almost like saying, “We can only trust the guy to hand the ball off and if this guy has to drop back to pass, hide the women and children.”
This fire in Joe was ignited by former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik recently when he spoke on SiriusXM NFL Radio during an otherwise enlightening look at quarterbacks.
Dominik, co-hosting “The Blitz” with Howard David last week, suggested that if Bucs starting quarterback Josh McCown is a middle of the pack quarterback, then the Bucs have a decent shot at winning the NFC South.
“Here is where I think the National Football League is at: There are four or five guys you can just give the ball to the quarterback and say, ‘Go win the game.’ And they can do it. I think there are another group of guys, 15 or 18, that you say, ‘Just don’t lose the game for us.’ And they can do it. And then you have the rest.
“And then you’ve got the rest. You are just hoping every week they don’t lose the game. You are not sure they can win it but you hope they just don’t lose the game. That is where I think Tampa has to be. They have to be in that middle group. Guys that are game managers.
“That is what I think Lovie Smith is going to want. A game manager who can do the right thing. There’s another down, it’s OK to punt. Our blueprint to win the Super Bowl was that with Brad Johnson, and I think that’s where Josh McCown is and I think Lovie Smith [believes] Josh McCown is. And I think that is what Mike Glennon can be.”
Joe has no gripe with Dominik’s comments. But this game manager tripe is a loser mentality. “Hey, it’s alright. We can punt. It’s all good.” No!
Yes, Joe can understand if a play is not there and a quarterback throws the ball away rather than forcing a pass and getting it picked. But never, ever should a punt ever be considered a positive on offense.
What happens when you tell somebody over and over failure is OK? That becomes the standard.
And late in the game when you need to march 80 yards or lose the game, what kind of confidence can a team have in a quarterback who has been programmed to accept failure? That’s backwards! That’s like telling a pitcher it is fine to walk batters rather than give up a double. Technically true, but now the pitcher isn’t focused on location. All of a sudden the guy walks the bases loaded and now you expect him to throw strikes?
You can’t be a winning quarterback playing with your tail between your legs. This game manager nonsense sure smells to Joe like a team is trying to hide a quarterback. If Joe was a quarterback and anyone called him a game manager, Joe would be insulted.
July 15th, 2014 at 6:55 am
If we had drafted Johnny Football we would have a guy who could win games for us at quarterback. Now we will be looking for a quarterback next year.
July 15th, 2014 at 7:01 am
Easy there Joe. I hear you. I’m with you but this comes from the Super Star x-GM.
Having tall receivers will help McCown be more risky. An up tempo offense does not sound like lets play it safe offense. An up tempo offense sounds like lets keep them of balance and attack! Speed causes mismatch and a better odds of the defense being caught off guard.
I don’t think we will see eggshells on the field. Those were removed with Schiano & Dominik…
July 15th, 2014 at 7:08 am
phil…If we had drafted Johnny Football, we would be complaining that he is spending valuable time in Vegas instead of hitting his playbook.
Instead, we have his former team mate who is working his tail off in the hot Florida sun with another pro-bowl receiver because he believes he needs to get better and 5 pesky lbs are too much for him.
I’ll take Mike Evans over Johnny Football all day everyday and twice on Sunday.
July 15th, 2014 at 7:08 am
If we play as well as Dungy’s teams I’ll be damn happy.
July 15th, 2014 at 7:44 am
Agree with you totally Joe on the ‘game manager’ mentality leading to bad doo-doo. However, I don’t think that’s who Josh McCown is (nor Mike Glennon), nor where the Bucs are trying to go under Lovie and Jeff Tedford.
Like many professions, NFL football is all about risk IMO. Every team has weaknesses, but every team does their best to minimize those weaknesses. Both Josh and Mike do certain things very well, and the Bucs seem to be doing all they can to play to their strengths (and minimize their weaknesses). I think that’s why the Bucs loaded up on tall targets (Jackson/Evans/ASJ) with tons of speed on the roster to complement those three. That combination just has to give defensive coordinators fits, while at the same time making it somewhat easier on our QBs in the passing game. Add in some excellent RBs to keep the defenses off-balance, and the offense’s possibilities just opened up a lot more.
Of course, the only way to really find out how well their strategy works is to actually play the game. Season can’t start fast enough for me.
July 15th, 2014 at 7:45 am
The only time for a game manager is when you’re ahead by 21 points in the 4th quarter!!!
July 15th, 2014 at 7:51 am
Johnny Football? Still? Really? I realize that if both players end up grading out as A+ professionals Johnny Football would be more valuable than Mike Evans. Yes a star QB is worth more than a star WR.
But seriously! Which player represents the biggest gamble? If you had to bet the house on which player will grade out the highest in their career would you make that bet on Evans of J.F.B.? Just askin’.
July 15th, 2014 at 7:52 am
We don’t have one of those 4 or 5 guys that can go win you the game. That’s just what it is this year. You can wave the flag all you want about what the philosophy should be but the players we have are the ones we for this year. Maybe next year we’ll get a QB that you can ask to legitimately go out and win games but, right now, we are hoping that we have a guy that is competent and capable of doing what we want him to do. We should have a strong defense that will keep us from getting way behind and may even score for us a good bit but, most importantly, should keep the score low and that’ll be good enough for our offense to do what it needs to do. This year anyway. Next year I’d love to get more capable at the QB position but that’s a conversation for next offseason. This year, we can hope for a great game manager who may not light the sky up but won’t lose the game for us. I’ll be happy with that
July 15th, 2014 at 7:52 am
dick2111:
Maybe it is just Joe, but the mindset of this “game manager” montra sure smells defeatist to Joe.
July 15th, 2014 at 7:53 am
Tampabaybucsfan:
Bingo!
July 15th, 2014 at 7:53 am
I believe that a “game manager” is simply another way of saying…….A quarterback who manages to win games……
Is that too simple?
July 15th, 2014 at 7:54 am
Tom:
You mean a guy that is lucky to win games?
July 15th, 2014 at 8:20 am
Joe
When I hear game manager, I think of bean counters.
A QB has to be a leader so the rest of the offense wants to play well and he has to have a mind and heart, the drive to win.
Again I point to Steve Young as a result of a team change, yes they are far and few between, but with the right person, it happens. Drew Brees was good in San Diego, but he was not great like in New Orleans.
July 15th, 2014 at 8:32 am
Let’s be perfectly clear here AGAIN! THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS HAS BEEN A DEFENSE FIRST FOOTBALL TEAM SINCE 1976.
July 15th, 2014 at 8:32 am
Let’s be perfectly clear here AGAIN! THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS HAS BEEN A DEFENSE FIRST FOOTBALL TEAM SINCE 1976.
July 15th, 2014 at 8:35 am
Let’s be crystal clear:
THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS LONE SUPER BOWL WAS WON WITH AN OFFENSIVE COACH AND A PRO BOWL QUARTERBACK.
July 15th, 2014 at 8:56 am
If your QB blows you have no chance, no matter how good the defense.
However, when you have the great defense the skill set of the QB is different, it is taking advantage of the turnovers, not creating turnovers, and managing the clock.
That doesn’t mean the QB isn’t required to make key throws and big plays, just different than Air Coryell or the Greatest Show on Turf.
Brad Johnson made a lot of big plays in 2002. But not Warner numbers. Or Favre, or Manning, etc.
Again, excellent quarterbacking is required. Just of a different type when you have the smothering defense.
July 15th, 2014 at 8:59 am
It’s good to see an offense win some games they were not expected to win. This Bucs fan base is starving for a heaping helping of well fought wins. That will take some offensive explosion unseen in Tampa for well, forever.
July 15th, 2014 at 9:00 am
Joe, agree that the ‘game manager’ mentality is defeatist.
At the same time, I don’t see Josh McCown as being any more of a game manager QB than Brad Johnson was. A lot of similarities between the two to me.
Josh is going to surprise a lot of NFL fans this year. Personally don’t think a lot of folks are giving him enough credit for his leadership skills, his athleticism, and his judgment.
July 15th, 2014 at 9:01 am
“THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS LONE SUPER BOWL WAS WON WITH AN OFFENSIVE COACH AND A PRO BOWL QUARTERBACK,” says Joe.
When McCown continues this year with his performance of last year he will be eating pineapple. This team could be the most balanced team in Bucs history.
opps, I forgot! We are not even in training camp yet. Wow that was one hell of a vision. But hey according to history the last time we changed uniforms we went 9-7. I’ll take that for now…
July 15th, 2014 at 9:06 am
“…I think that is what Mike Glennon can be.”
I take this to mean that The Rock Star puts The Cannon into the bottom category. That MG8 does not yet have the skills to be called a game manager. Outside of Schiano, no one knows The Cannon’s qualifications better than Dom, since he scouted and drafted him. Disturbing.
July 15th, 2014 at 9:06 am
Your definition of game manager is different than mine. Brad Johnson was a game manager, Russell Wilson…aside from his ability to run, throws the football like a game manager…and of course punting is not acceptable, but guess what, every team punts…and it’s a hell of a lot better if you’re forced to punt after getting two first downs, giving your defense a breather, and getting in a position to pin the other team back, then it is to punt after a quick three and out because you’ve got a quarterback with terrible completion percentage because he’s a piss poor game manager (like we dealt with through the Freeman era).
9 of the top 11 scoring defenses were in the playoffs last season (1 that wasn’t had 10 wins)…let’s start there. Tony Dungy never had a game manager…he always had awful quarterbacks and a worse game plan. Brad Johnson, Russell Wilson, the things that those guys have in common in that they played smart and they got the ball into the hands of their playmakers…that’s game managing to me.
July 15th, 2014 at 9:19 am
@ Harry – Don’t worry. The Cannon actually has a great supporting cast and a real QB coach this year. We should see improvement from him. And don’t forget that was Dominik’s opinion.
Come on preseason…
July 15th, 2014 at 9:21 am
Joe here is the truth about 2002:
Offensive YPG rank: 24
Defenseive YPG rank: 1
Offensive Passing YPG rank: 15
Defensive Passing YPG rank: 1
Offenseive Rushing YPG rank: 27
Defensive Rushing YPG rank: 5
The only thing the offense was ranked top 10 in was field goals, which we were 1st in.
Brad Johnson, as indicated by Mark Dominik in this article, was a great game manager. He had a high completion percentage and didn’t throw interceptions.
I would agree the offensive coaching was atrocious under Dungy, but the team that won that Super Bowl was the defense. Period.
You want offense go back to the midwest and worship Cleveland or Detroit.
This BS is why I don’t like coming to this site.
July 15th, 2014 at 9:26 am
“A game manager is a quarterback who, despite relatively poor individual statistics such as passing yards and touchdowns, manages to perform well enough to WIN games.
Game managers often benefit from strong defense and rushing offense on their teams. The player is expected to not lose games with interceptions, fumbles, or poor decisions, particularly during important situations near the end of a game.”
• The New York Times called it a “backhanded compliment”.
• The San Francisco Chronicle wrote, “As consolation … Quarterbacks are called game managers only if they’re winning.”
• The Associated Press opined, “But like any cliche, [game manager is] oversimplified”.
• Former Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian laughed, “Every quarterback is a game manager, it’s what the job is all about.”
• College coach Nick Saban added that “I don’t think you can be a good quarterback unless you’re a really good game manager.”
• Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, and Tom Brady are considered to be some of the game managers to ever play the game
July 15th, 2014 at 9:28 am
300:
Guess the offense late in the season and in the playoffs was a figment of people’s imaginations, huh?
Sorry pal. Chuck Noll figured out nearly 40 years ago you had to open up the offense. Only fools like you haven’t. Even Sapp, Brooks and Lynch said the Bucs needed offense and the defense-only Father Dungy needed to go. Hello?
Joe’s here to stay. Will be buried in Florida. You are the guy who needs to go away. And since you don’t like coming to the site, Joe will help you.
Only a fool thinks defenses alone win championships. Have fun living in the caveman days.
July 15th, 2014 at 9:29 am
@Brian- I see it that way too.
IMO McCown will not have a problem doing just that.
July 15th, 2014 at 9:37 am
@300 wow you are full of it!
I guess Pitman, McCardell, Alstott, Jurevisus, Dilger and Brad Johnson just watch the game from your living room….
July 15th, 2014 at 9:39 am
@300- wow you are full of it!
I guess Pitman, McCardell, Alstott, Jurevisus, Dilger and Brad Johnson just watch the game from your living room….
July 15th, 2014 at 9:40 am
TDTB:
300 always tells Joe to move to the Midwest because he doesn’t like this “BS.” Apparently, he is not aware that Joe can get internet access in the cornfields. 🙂
July 15th, 2014 at 9:52 am
@joe
that is why Manziel uses his money phone!!! Money Phone gets access everywhere.
July 15th, 2014 at 9:57 am
Joe,
Defense will always WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS. Its like a Heavy weight fight, you can dance around all you like-Throw all your little punches. But eventually after a few well delivered body blows-You’ll drop them hands and get your chin clipped-Game over. Seen way to many overhyped, so called high powered get moped by dominating defenses.
Every decade, you hear how the evolution of the passing game/rule changes will level the playing field. Yet still dominate defenses lay them on their backs errrrr time.
July 15th, 2014 at 10:02 am
Lol, so you think Brad Johnson not only makes it to the Super Bowl, but Wins without our #1 Defense?
July 15th, 2014 at 10:06 am
*Seen way to many overhyped, so called high powered offenses get moped by dominating defenses.
July 15th, 2014 at 10:26 am
If Joe were a QB, he wouldn’t be for long once JoeBucsFan got him in their crosshairs. Of course we all know that this would never happen to Joe because Joe would be elite and Joe would either score a touch down on every drive or just turn the ball over on downs. Remember Joe don’t punt. So in Joe’s world if you are not one of the handful of elite QB’s you’re just a pretender and a bum. Thank GOD Brad Johnson was elite, or how else would we have won a SB. ..and don’t say by defense ..that’s a nasty excuse on this corner of the interweb.
July 15th, 2014 at 10:36 am
THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS LONE SUPER BOWL WAS WON WITH AN OFFENSIVE COACH AND A PRO BOWL QUARTERBACK.
——————————————
You keep saying this Joe but Johnson threw for 3200 yards that season. That’s not exactly exceptional QBing play. More like a game manager… So are you saying you two are one of these who “hate offensive football”
July 15th, 2014 at 10:56 am
The Broncos had the best offense in NFL HISTORY and got smacked by Seattle in the Super Bowl. Care to guess why?
July 15th, 2014 at 11:22 am
I guess that’s why Joe likes Johnny Football so much because Johnny will Never be a game manager. I believe that’s why Johnny will never be successful in the NFL because he’s not a game manager. I believe when Johnny tries to win games by running all over the place he will throw way too many turnovers and will get hurt too often. Johnny will never be a game manager and that will be his downfall. Johnny will be in that (bottom) third tear of QBs, than out of the league. I think Joe’s perspective of a ” game manager” is not what most coach’s perspective of a “game manager” is. Just because a QB is a game manager doesn’t mean they don’t throw deep balls or have big plays. I think it has more to do with a QB’s limitations and the Offensive players limitations around the QB. If your not one of the best (top 5-10 QBs) and you don’t have Calvin Johnson or Jimmy graham or other great, elite weapons you wont win if your not a “game manager”.
July 15th, 2014 at 11:32 am
Probably to late for Joe to read a comment here, but I disagree with your rockstar dominik and your interpretation of a game manager.
I think the elite QBs can do something special to make the play. It might be running, or just being mobile enough to keep a play alive. It may also mean they have the gun and vision to fit a ball in on a dime at the exact right moment, where other QBs would have a lower completion percentage.
As for the game managers, they may not have the strongest arm, or be the most mobile, but they are smart players that know how and when to get the ball in a playmakers hands and let them make the play. That may be getting the ball to the best receiver, or just getting the ball to the open guy, defined by the play call, at the right time so he can make a solid gain. It also may mean they are good at selling the play action. These are all solid QB traits, but more often than not, some of the “elite athletes” have trouble being consistent with these things, as they try to do too much.
I think the third group are the guys you just hope don’t implode and loose the game. Those are the bottom 10 to 15 teams that are looking for anything different at the QB position.
I don’t know where we are yet, but I would be willing to bet we are in the game manager slot.
July 15th, 2014 at 11:41 am
fb, Exactly! That’s exactly what I meant by a QBs limitations. The players around the QB have limitations (lake of elite talent) also and that makes it important to be a QB who can manage a lack of talent in some cases.
July 15th, 2014 at 11:46 am
I don’t understand why everyone gets so upset when they hear the term game manager. I think Bill Polian hit the nail on the head when he said that is a quarterbacks job, to manage the game. John Gruden said the same thing on draft day, he said to him game manager is the ultimate compliment, it means you have a guy that fits your system, can make the throws your system requires and doesn’t make mistakes, drives you down the field and scores. What the hell more do you want, just give me a guy who can get down the field and score. Enough said!
July 15th, 2014 at 11:52 am
The only way a team is going to have winning seasons year in year out is with first downs and at least three points 4 out of every five possessions. You have to maintain control. 14 points dont win games anymore with a hood defense consistently. Sure it happens….but not enough to be considered a threat year in year out. In my opinion I believe the offensive coordinator is the most important roll or just as important as the qb. They go together. Ones the engine the others the fuel. Engine sputter when ran on bad fuel….
Much like our offense has for years.
July 15th, 2014 at 12:24 pm
QB’s job = get the ball into the hands of playmakers, don’t turn the ball over, make big plays when they’re there, inspire confidence in crunch time. You can call that whatever you want, but that’s WINNING football especially if you play great defense. It’s not necessary to throw the ball 50 times a game for 300+ yards every week. Joe might have a fetish for offensive football. I’d rather win and have a QB who averages 250 yards passing.
July 15th, 2014 at 12:41 pm
Those of you, including Joe, that view a punt as surrender or raising the white flag, are included in a group that have mostly gone the way of hippies and there haven’t been any of those around for centuries.
At one time, the punt was viewed as surrender. With the advent of punters like Ray Guy and others, the punt became an offensive weapon capable of altering the all important field position battle. While I’m sure all of you arm-chair coaches, and I include Joe in that group, dream of 80-yard drive after 80-yard drive the reality is those are rare in today’s NFL. Instead, you want good field position preferably on the defense’s side of your 40-yard line and a good punter can make that happen by altering the field position battle.
With a good defense, which it appears Tampa will have this season and a good punter who can pin an offense inside its 30 or better yet its 20, then you offense starts in better position to put together a short 50 or 60 yard drive. There are just too many variables to expect consistent 80-yard drives out of any offense.
July 15th, 2014 at 12:46 pm
I don’t know why Joe irritates me so much with some of this stuff. If I hear this sort of thing from Steve Duemig or Rick Stroud, I just shrug it off and move on with my life. When Joe says it, I feel like I got kicked in the teeth and I need to do something about it! I guess it must be a testament to how much I like this site.
So, Dominick says there are four or five QBs who can carry their teams, and the very best in the league besides those four or five are the ‘game managers’ we’re talking about? Why would we want a QB without elite decision-making skills and/or elite accuracy trying to force balls into tight windows or taking low-risk shots down the field on 3rd-and-short? It seems that you are so obsessed with Josh Freeman that you are re-writing history to make it seem like his reckless, inconsistent play is preferable to winning games.
“But he led so many 4th quarter comebacks!” Why are we glorifying his inability to manage a game by suggesting it’s better to be behind in the fourth quarter than to have a lead?
I can’t believe you would rather see a QB constantly trying to force things that aren’t there because “managing the game” is a losing mentality.
And since you apparently believe that any quarterback that is not a top 5 QB in this league is insufficient to win championships, I might suggest taking a look at this thing that happens every year called the ‘NFL’. They actually stage real world experiments on a weekly basis where these sorts of hypotheses are tested. You may be surprised to learn that Manning, Brady, Brees and Rodgers do not win every game. In fact, sometimes they lose, and sometimes teams quarterbacked by other people can even win championships.
July 15th, 2014 at 2:39 pm
If you playing against drew brees and the saints youd better be able to score some points. If you view it any other way I would have to disagree
July 15th, 2014 at 2:42 pm
LOL
When a team is willing giving up the ball and hoping it is not returned for six, it’s hard for Joe to classify such a play as a “weapon.”
July 15th, 2014 at 3:38 pm
Joe I am just trying to help you understand the demographic of the fanbase for the Bucs. And you are trying to tell all of us that we are wrong!
Go tell a Steelers fan (as you referenced them when they had a top 5 defense and offense during an entirely different time) that defense doesn’t win championships and see how they react. Do the same for a Baltimore fan. You will be told that may idea may work in Miami but it doesn’t work here.
Most Bucs fans would rather see a sack than a first down. An interception returned for a touchdown than a bomb for a touchdown. There is nothing better than shutting down a high powered offense with a Bucs DEFENSE!
And your reference of what the Bucs offense did later in 2002 is still not correct. Do your research before stating something as fact. Brad Johnson averaged just over 6 yards per completion in the playoffs (same as during the regular season). The Bucs averged less than 5 yards per play and around 3.5 yards per run. You are right. That is an offensive juggernaught right there!
But keep writing your opinions about the neanderthal that believes in dominant defensive football teams and you will continue to alienate your readers. Look at the posts Joe. It isn’t like we are all supportive of your stance. Not like your interview with Davin Joseph.
July 15th, 2014 at 3:52 pm
300:
Joe doesn’t give a rat’s arse about demographics. Joe wants rings. He would hope Bucs fans also have the same goals, but apparently not. 🙁
Joe has written the following several times: You obviously have never seen the 1978 Steelers America’s Game episode where Mel Blount talked about how Chuck Noll gathered the team together and said, with the rules changes (that are still in place today), he was going to open up the offense. There was a guy on that same team by the name of Tony Dungy who, Joe guesses, was sick that day and didn’t hear Noll.
The last three of the four Super Bowls the Steelers won in the 1970s was won with — wait for it — offense. Go look at the box scores (Joe remembers watching each one on TV). In 1978, Terry Bradshaw was the first quarterback to throw for over 300 yards in a Super Bowl. The 1976, 78 and 79 Super Bowl MVPs were wither Bradshaw or Lynn Swann, not any defensive player. You can argue John Stallworth got robbed of one.
Nobody loves bone-cracking defense like Joe. The greatest defensive performance Joe has ever seen was the Bucs in the 1999 NFC title game. A game they lost which to this day is a crying shame because the team has such a putrid, never-take-a-chance offense.
Joe loves defense. Every Bucs jersey he owns is of a defensive player. His favorite player initially was Batman Wood. But Joe also lives in the real world. Without a decent-to-good quarterback, it’s just spinning your tires in the mud.
July 15th, 2014 at 4:19 pm
OH, NO!! Brad Johnson is a ‘Pro Bowler’. That makes him an ‘elite’ QB, rather than a ‘game manager’? Let’s see how he stacks up as an offensive powerhouse.
Brees, Manning (Payton), and Brady have career y/a averages of 7.5 (or better). Brad is back @ 6.7 (Dilfer is 6.5). In FOUR Super Bowls, Bradshaw has an 11.0 y/a average. Johnson got his first Pro Bowl for being the starting QB on a Redskin team that hadn’t seen the playoffs in almost a decade. Playing in Washington can get you noticed. His next, and only other PB, was with the Bucs on their Super Bowl run. Oh, yea, his y/a during the playoffs (’02) were 6.8. Being the starting QB on the most ridiculed team of all time certainly didn’t hurt his selection. BTW, McCown’s average is 6.6. Talk about Mr. Checkdown.
There is NOTHING wrong with being a game manager. There will NEVER be more than a handful of ‘elite’ QBs at any given time. Super Bowls can be won with a game manager (LOTS of proof out there). Lovie is trying to prove it again.
I mostly agree with John McKillop, Brian Dorry55, and LUVMYBUCS.
Joe, your definition of ‘game manager’ is what’s causing you problemst.
July 15th, 2014 at 4:23 pm
So I am a Neanderthal for saying defense wins championships, but you can reference a dynasty that dates back to pre-free agency? In the process throw a jab at TONY DUNGY? I think we would all rather go back to the days of making the playoffs every year under Dungy with no drama than what has happened after (including Chucky and his one good year).
BTW, your last paragraph says we need a decent to good quarterback. Somebody like oh, I don’t know, a GAME MANAGER? Couldn’t agree with you more Joe.
This team is built on DEFENSE. What this team needs is a game managing quarterback like Brad Johnson that took a lot of sacks (broke his back remember Kenyatta Walker) and threw 6 INTs. As Dominik references, we have two of those QBs on the roster.
We lost the 1999 championship game because your boy Smoothie King sucked and didn’t manage the game (2 INTs and a safety including the INT that set up the Rams winning TD). If Brad Johnson would have been on that same team the defense would have taken us to the Super Bowl.
July 15th, 2014 at 4:33 pm
Wagner: Broncos Looked Scared In SB
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11218899/seattle-seahawks-lb-bobby-wagner-denver-broncos-offense-was-scared-super-bowl
Dude don’t like 2 get smacked..lol
July 15th, 2014 at 4:52 pm
Go ahead and look at Brad Johnsons stats that post season, mediocre at best.
All you have to do is make it to January, a very average QB post season won us a super bowl.
/End
July 15th, 2014 at 5:06 pm
*1975 Pittsburgh Steelers
Scored 373 points (26.6/g), 5th of 26 in the NFL.
Allowed 162 points (11.6/g), 2nd.
• Rank Offense (Passing) 14th
• Rank Offense (Rushing) 2nd
-Terry Bradshaw
• Cmp% 57.7
• Yds 2055
• TD (18) Ints (9)
-Franco Harris
• Rushing Yds: 1246 TD’s (10)
*1978 Pittsburgh Steelers
Scored 356 points (22.2/g), 5th of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 195 points (12.2/g), 1st.
• Rank Offense (Passing YDs) 12th
• Rank Offense (Rushing YDs) 14th
-Terry Bradshaw
• Cmp% 56.3
• Yds 2915
• TD (28) Ints (20)
-Franco Harris
• Rushing Yds: 1082 TD’s (8)
1979 Pittsburgh Steelers
Scored 416 points (26.0/g), 1st of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 262 points (16.4/g), 5th.
• Rank Offense (Passing YDs) 2nd
• Rank Offense (Rushing YDs) 2nd
-Terry Bradshaw
• Cmp% 54.9
• Yds 3724
• TD (26) Ints (25)
-Franco Harris
• Rushing Yds: 1186 TD’s (11)
July 15th, 2014 at 5:21 pm
Apologize not adding the contributions of Rocky Bleier/John Fugua.
Note: Of those 4 Super Bowls in the 70’s.
The Only Receiver to catch more than 65 catches in a single year was?
-(71) John Stallworth (1979)
The Only Receiver to gain more than a 1000 yds in a single year was?
-(1183) John Stallworth (1979)
July 15th, 2014 at 11:17 pm
You can keep throwing stats all over the board but at the end of the day they are just numbers. Who cares? What really matters is how a qb handles every single snap and tries to get the most out of it. I don’t think there are too many Bucs fans out there that know anything about qb play that wouldn’t give anything to have Brad Johnson back in Tampa running this offense. He wasn’t flashy but he won games and rarely put our defense in bad situations. If that is what a “game manager” is than sign me up. Because with the D that Lovie can put together, then that’s all we will need.
July 17th, 2014 at 10:03 am
Dilfer and Brad Johnson were merely game managers. Troy Aikman was probably the greatest game manager that ever played the game, even got himself into the Hall of Fame.