Lay Off ASJ!
October 27th, 2014
TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins “manned up” to his costly overtime error after the touchdown shown above. (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com)
The last couple of games, rookie tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins showed why he was a second-round pick. Likely still bothered by a foot surgically-repaired foot before the draft, and a sprained ankle on opening day, ASJ was beginning to separate himself from the chafe.
Yesterday, it looked like he had the game-winning touchdown when he hauled in a Mike Glennon offering in the corner of the end zone in double-coverage.
That put the Bucs up by a field goal late. Then, disaster struck.
The Bucs defense, when needed most, didn’t show up and allowed the Vikings, just like the Lambs earlier in the season, to march down the field for a game-tying field goal. The Bucs got the ball first in overtime. On the first play, Glennon hit ASJ near the right sideline when Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr, himself a rookie, stipped ASJ, scooped and scored to give the Vikings a win.
ASJ was the ultimate man after the game. Most players, including one specific defensive player that is way, way overrated, might hide from the pen and mic club on such a day. Said unnamed player would have run out of the Bucs locker room without showering, or at least would bark “not talking,” not enough of a man to face the music.
Not ASJ. He told Bucs media relations staff he would talk right away. So when the doors to the locker room were thrown open, there was ASJ standing up, waiting to talk about the fumble. Like a man.
“No excuse. I’ve got to hold onto the ball better than that,” ASJ said. “Regardless of where [the ball] was I need to protect it better. I fumbled the ball [and] they scored a touchdown so it’s not good, we lost the game. [I was] the last one to touch the ball on [the] team so obviously it’s upsetting that [I] had control over it.”
There was no hiding. ASJ was honest, blunt, raw. Joe has always been impressed with ASJ’s attitude. This just reinforced it.
Trust Joe, ASJ manning up made a deep impression up on his teammates, including linebacker Lavonte David, who was won over by the rookie from Washington.
“It means a lot, man,” David said of ASJ’s stand-up move. “I was in a similiar situation last year, first game of the season. So he manned up to it. It shows why type of character he [has], what type of a guy he is. He is a young man now. He will learn from his mistakes. We’ll have his back.”
To Joe, that is pretty damn impressive.
An aside: When former Bucs commander Greg Schiano took over, he emphasized the turnover ratio, as Lovie Smith claims to do (what coach doesn’t?). Schiano immediately, in minicamps and OTAs, barked “bite the football,” holding the football high against your shoulder pads where it is less likely to be fumbled.
Schiano also had ropes tied around balls and tried to pry them from running backs. Often, assistant coaches would be whacking at footballs with tackling dummies to not just punch the ball loose, but to get the ball carriers used to protecting the ball.
Joe has seen little of this, and has seen zero “biting the football” exercises with Lovie.
Make of this what you wish. In 2012, not one Buccaneer caught a football and fumbled it, a stunning stat.
To hear more from ASJ and David, click the button(s) below. Audio courtesy of Joe’s friends at WDAE-AM 620.
October 27th, 2014 at 1:41 pm
ASJ is going to be a star!
Go Bucs!!
October 27th, 2014 at 1:45 pm
Do all the ball control drills you want but nothing will fix that problem faster than single handedly losing a football game in front of dozens of fans and a guy that I’m positive was a real life Viking that must’ve been chiseled from some ice prison.
ASJ will be a dominate force in this league.
October 27th, 2014 at 1:45 pm
So you are saying bring Schiano back?
October 27th, 2014 at 1:46 pm
Ive been holding out on my public opinions on MG8 until I saw what I saw yesterday. Mariotta here we come.
October 27th, 2014 at 1:48 pm
Lovie the Horrible (TM) vs Schiano the Great (TM)
Tim Wright 7catches 61yards 1TD
Tim just want to say “thank you” to Lovie and the TB fans that wanted him gone cuz he sucks. At least we got Mankins and his 2 sacks allowed per game. Yey! Ice cream for everybody!
October 27th, 2014 at 1:56 pm
LOL…… damn joe, you don’t need no need pads or lotion?
stop with the man love. He made one friggin TD catch. that does not make up for the drops in this game, nor the big time drops before this in previous games. other than talking the talk and “manning up” (i.e. talking to joe)
this guy has done nothing, zero, zilch special, except lose games!
October 27th, 2014 at 1:59 pm
It’s not just the fumble yesterday that has me ticked at ASJ. It’s the dropped balls and costly penalties that he got in other games in addition to the fumble yesterday that has me ticked at him. Look at the first half of either the Saints or Steelers game again. He hasn’t done anything this season except maybe in practice against that horrible defense.
October 27th, 2014 at 2:06 pm
I like ASJ, but he would of been more impressive if he had held on to that ball he fumbled. Rookie mistake, it happens.
October 27th, 2014 at 2:07 pm
Joe,
we get enough evidence that the coaching is not up to par. We know we’re being out-coached week in and out, we see the same mistakes being made, and there are as few mid-game adjustments being made as there have been in recent years w much less “experienced” coaching staffs. So what gives? What’s the reason for this? Is Lovie not active and vocal on the practice field? Is there not enough time given to the players for practice? Is it the absence of Tedford? And what’s up with L Frazier?
I have yet to hear an explanation for this ineptitude…. In years past it was inexperience and/or being used to coaching college.
October 27th, 2014 at 2:08 pm
ASJ has not had a good year, plain and simple. He has had countless drops and a couple huge penalties that negated big yards. He almost dropped the TD catch yesterday that was thrown right in his lap over Barr.
Will he be good? I can see it because of his size. But Tim Wright was WAY BETTER than ASJ last year…not even close. Lovie didn’t give Wright a chance and kept two blocking TEs over Wright. Another disastrous move by Lovie that no one talks about.
October 27th, 2014 at 2:11 pm
ASJ has a long way to go, but I’m not worried. He’ll get there. He has the physical tools, just has to stop those drops and hold onto the ball.
October 27th, 2014 at 2:18 pm
Remember….Mike Evans fumbled a would-be touchdown in preseason…..hasn’t done it since…I think it made a huge impression on him as will the ASJ funble…
This guy is a rookie….he is the very least of our problems….I, for one think he will be a great NFL TE….
October 27th, 2014 at 2:21 pm
That play in overtime was just another typical, comic blunder made by the Yuccaneers. We keep doing that and we’ll be on Comedy Central before you know it.
October 27th, 2014 at 2:25 pm
Mike10:
Joe can give you a two-word answer that sums it up. “Bad coaching.”
October 27th, 2014 at 2:36 pm
Yesterday was a bucs top 10 “snatching defeat from the jaws of victory” . gonna make a list lol…get back later…asj and Evans provide hope. Gonna be solid players. Fix OL. Find QB. Fill a few defensive holes. Voila. NFL team 🙂
October 27th, 2014 at 2:46 pm
The Bucs could have had my choices, Anthony Barr (name sound familiar?) & Allen Robinson (49-453-2 in 2014).
BTW–it sure hurt watching Golden Tate (not as good as Rejus Benn, certainly) catch for 151 yards yesterday morning….A week after 154 vs. the Saints.
October 27th, 2014 at 2:49 pm
Schiano was the devil – LOLOL.
October 27th, 2014 at 3:01 pm
I was disappointed to see all the players holding the ball however they wanted this year. I would think the players would take the good things a coach taught you in the past and apply it to your overall game.
October 27th, 2014 at 3:15 pm
@tbbf, totally agree. The kid is a rookie.
We’ve now seen it with him and with Evans, it’s going to take a season for these guys to get used to playing in the NFL. And, I believe like Evans, he will learn from that mistake.
Think ASJ has a very bright future ahead of him, he is the least of our worries with this team.
@Joe, that is a pretty crazy stat from last year regarding no fumbles after a catch!
October 27th, 2014 at 3:19 pm
@Architek Schiano wasn’t the devil but he just didn’t have the credentials or resume for anyone to assess whether he was the problem or the players.
October 27th, 2014 at 3:32 pm
I don’t know why anyone cares anymore. Like seriously this team/franchise is sooo far behind it’s sickening. It’s time to get McCoy($93mill) some help around him, David some help. Entire offensive line, a QB that fits the mold of a new offensive scheme, another reciever once VJ is gone. Lol this shithole is at least 3yrs away from producing. ie. love smith signed 5yr deal.
Find something else to do on Sundays for the next few seasons.
October 27th, 2014 at 3:34 pm
I am off the MGM at this point. We need a top level QB in the draft. You cannot wait until the fourth quarter to start playing.
October 27th, 2014 at 4:16 pm
Don’t care how he reacts to the media. Just because other players are cowards, doesn’t make him owning up to his mistake a big deal. Hopefully, he has a big upside. As of right now, it’s all talk and he’s been just another player, not a game changer.
October 27th, 2014 at 4:33 pm
Leave it up to JOE to find a silver lining every time ASJ FUKS up. What a crock of $hit. Get off his jock strap already JOE. Its embarrassing what you do. Get on his a$$ the same way you do every other player. No excuses. Its not all his fault they lost but he FUKD up yet you still find a way to give him a BJ.
October 27th, 2014 at 4:44 pm
Joe, stay out of Ray’s elevator, he sounds upset.
October 27th, 2014 at 5:04 pm
The Bucs would be a better team had they retained Schiano.
This team shows no signs of preparation or discipline!
October 27th, 2014 at 5:23 pm
I don’t know how you are supposed to hold onto a football when you get your bell rung the way he did.
October 27th, 2014 at 5:47 pm
It’s gotten so bad we’re analyzing players’ reactions to a players reaction to losing the game..
October 27th, 2014 at 5:49 pm
Well Zam…he better learn how and real quickly.
October 27th, 2014 at 5:58 pm
So it’s Lovie’s fault he fumbled?
He needs to trained to not fumble?
Does he also need to be trained to not beat up his girl?
Does he need to be trained not to shoot someone?
If you need to be told to not fumble, then there is a laundry list of other obvious things he should be told too.
October 27th, 2014 at 6:09 pm
No wait.
It was Bush’s fault. Or maybe
At this point, what difference does it make??!!
October 27th, 2014 at 6:14 pm
how about our worthless DB’s that could have iced 2 games…weak freaking sauce
October 27th, 2014 at 6:48 pm
Keep fumbling just lose baby!
October 27th, 2014 at 7:08 pm
Good on ASJ for being real. He’s a rookie still learning NFL speed and play. The other members of the team have committed far worse….just wasnt highlighted like his fumble play.
October 27th, 2014 at 7:10 pm
“Make of this what you wish. In 2012, not one Buccaneer caught a football and fumbled it, a stunning stat.”
Man it’s really gonna smart if Schiano gets a DC job on some NFL team next year and fields a top 10 “Rutgers” D while the Bucs are bottom 5 and still trying to learn the complexities of the Frazier-Smith “pro” D. Fans will be jumping off the Skyway if Schiano gets another NFL HC shot and immediately starts winning all while the Glaziers sit dejected in a warehouse full of new logo Bucs merchandise that didn’t sell because Lovie has yet to reach 10 wins after two seasons 🙁
October 27th, 2014 at 7:18 pm
Track on topic…no free passes for ASJ just because Joe likes him and thinks he’s a cool stand up man-beast. The guy has not lived up to a second round pick at all. Granted he was injured early on, but so far he’s been inconsistent. In fairness the team around him pretty much sucks, but as Joe points out great players elevate the play of others around them. Maybe eventually, but not yet
October 27th, 2014 at 7:37 pm
Zam–play tough??
October 27th, 2014 at 10:17 pm
I would love to know what is emphasized at practice Joe. Surely tackling angles are not a high priority either.
October 27th, 2014 at 11:23 pm
So he manned up after losing the game for the Bucs, kind of what Lavonte David did last year when his personal foul cost the Bucs a win over the Jets but the point is that he MIGHT have cost the Bucs the game, no guarantee the Bucs were going to score in OT, the game probably would have ended as either a Vike win or a tie…. Considering that the Bucs D folded like a cheap tent in the final 2 minutes I say this to ASJ: yeah you ****ed up but 11 guys on D and the coaching staff did the same exact thing and did not own up to losing the game at least you had the cojones to do that…..
October 28th, 2014 at 3:34 am
Could almost make an honest man a bit sorry he helped run Schiano out of town. Dog’s still proud of his part.