Still Worried About A Signal-Caller
August 14th, 2014
How can any quarterback perform when this is the result on virtually every snap?
Bucs fans are still buzzing — not in a good way — about the offensive line that showed up for the first preseason game in Jacksonville. Yes, Joe believes the offensive line will get better. It simply can’t get worse than what we witnessed.
The numbers crunchers over at Pro Football Focus watched the game, too. Joe guesses on GameRewind. For the spreadsheeters like Steve Palazzolo, who typed the breakdown, he wasn’t exactly warmed over with the quarterback play from the pewter and red troops.
Just as the offensive line is a major concern for the Bucs, so too is the quarterback position, that is if you believe that last year’s impressive performance by Josh McCown was more mirage than turning points. While McCown was outstanding for the Chicago Bears, grading at +17.9 on 427 snaps, he doesn’t have an extended track record of success. He was exceptional when pressured a year ago, but he was unable to continue his success against Jacksonville. Though he fumbled twice, it’s tough to put much blame on the quarterback when his arm is hit during the throw, but McCown likely held onto the ball a tick too long on the strip sack at the 14:01 mark of the second quarter. His worst play of the night also came under pressure as he overthrew rookie wide receiver Mike Evans on the deep crossing route, right into waiting arms of free safety Winston Guy who put on a few nifty moves to take it into the end zone. With the potential for issues on the offensive line, the Bucs are hoping for more of last year’s magic rather than last night’s indecisiveness and inaccuracy.
After McCown, Mike Glennon came on for the majority of the game, and his problems were much different. He was pressured on eight of his 20 drop-backs, but he managed a +0.7 grade on those plays. It was the other 12 snaps, with no pressure, that saw him struggle as he fired the ball all over the place on his way to a -3.0 grade from a clean pocket. Whether it was challenging coverage down the seam at the 10:46 mark of the second quarter, throwing well behind his receiver on the corner route at the 11:35 mark of the third quarter, or under-throwing WR Robert Herron in the end zone and hitting CB Mike Harris in the back of the helmet with 14:15 to go in the fourth, Glennon’s accuracy can best be described as scattershot for the evening.
Did Josh McCown prove to Joe he is anything more than what he was prior to last season, a journeyman? No. Still, it’s harsh to skin McCown for his performance last Friday.
As Joe learned from his old man when Joe was a kid, a quarterback can’t do a damned thing when he is on his arse. McCown was running for his friggin’ life play after play. The one time he was sacked for holding onto the ball a bit too long, Joe believes McCown was in fact stunned that he actually had some time to throw, he was being chased and pounded so much.
One could say the same for Glennon. Though he fared better than McCown, Glennon, too, was fending off wave after wave of defenders.
No, McCown didn’t light things up. His play was depressing, in fact. Still, it’s hard for Joe to fingerpoint at McCown simply because the front line Pearl Harbored just about every play that was called. McCown was in a virtual no-win situation.
August 14th, 2014 at 7:08 am
Sorry Joe, but those of us in the Glennon Mob have been told time and again that poor O-line play can NOT be used as an excuse for poor QB play.
August 14th, 2014 at 7:17 am
Yes still using that he was a rookie excuse. I find it so odd that the offensive line was an excuse last year for having the worst passing offense of any team but mccown faces more pressure in one quarter than Glennon ever did and somehow this giraffe like qb would have performed better under that pressure. Your not a mob your a delusional cult that has no sense of reality
August 14th, 2014 at 7:19 am
Yeah joe understand that but I think this article is more about the track record. Minus those 5 games last year McCown has been a mediocre backup who couldn’t cut it as a starter.
August 14th, 2014 at 7:19 am
McCown gets another start this week, and Mike Glennon has a chance to shine.
August 14th, 2014 at 7:21 am
Buc4lyfe,
Poor offensive line play can not be see as an excuse for poor quarterback play. Glennon, as a rookie with less weapons, did not get the same excuse.
Glennon may take the starting job sooner rather than later.
August 14th, 2014 at 7:41 am
Lol I just want someone to actually earn the job rather than just giving it to the guy who sucks the least.
August 14th, 2014 at 7:45 am
Any QB can have a rough day when he doesn’t get protection…..remember Manning in the Superbowl?
But this isn’t really about our QBs…..its about our Oline……keep in mind we didn’t run the ball well either….and, when has a Buc QB ever had a good game when we couldn’t run?
August 14th, 2014 at 7:46 am
here is thinking the Glennon Mob just loves him so damn much because they haven´t seen ‘okay’ QB play for Bucs since a long time.
Glennon:
+ Hot Girlfriend
+ Hard Worker
+ Makes progress in understanding who SHOULD be open based on coverage
+ He is not Freeman
+ attitude
+ throws nice spiral
– Noodle-Armed, Armed with a Noodle-Cannon
– Throw on the run
– Deep throws
– Accuracy/Ball placement
– Football IQ, but learning and making progess
– Not what you would call an good athlete
August 14th, 2014 at 7:58 am
SteveK Says:
August 14th, 2014 at 7:19 am
McCown gets another start this week, and Mike Glennon has a chance to shine.
Don’t look at the final stat sheet and say Glennon shined because even this article says he didn’t but I guess you know more… This isn’t about fantasy football. He’s just a guy
August 14th, 2014 at 8:03 am
We need a bigger sample size before we can say anything definitive about McCown.
August 14th, 2014 at 8:13 am
as to Glennon being off target…one could also say Glennon has not been practicing with the 1’s and therefor does not have his chemistry/timing down with them.
I saw him reading the defense and in much more command than mccown pre-snap. thats what I liked. his ability to read the D. that and not winging up a pick 6 and fumbling a couple times. lol the line sucked, but mccown either tried to har/held the ball to long or he just sucks
August 14th, 2014 at 8:22 am
Mediocre QB. Mediocre oline. Mediocre expectations. Welcome to Tampa bay!
August 14th, 2014 at 8:23 am
louden says,
– Not what you would call an good athlete
_________________
Yeah, it’s so easy to make it in the NFL without being an athlete.
August 14th, 2014 at 8:28 am
I think the only reason this team doesn’t make the playoffs are these quarterbacks not the O line. Teams with bad lines make the playoffs but with the defense we have I just don’t see a franchise qb falling in our lap through the draft or free agency
August 14th, 2014 at 8:37 am
I think if that were a regular season game, McCown would have played better…I think he was pressing to make something happen because he knew he was only going to get a few drives…and as the bad plays kept piling up, he started pressing more and more until he threw the bad pick. In a regular season game at 0-0, I think you would take your lumps and be patient but I can understand why he got ansy. As for anyone who thinks Glennon the statue could have performed better behind that offensive line…you’re high.
August 14th, 2014 at 8:43 am
How can the bucs win, When Old man mcCown “lead the worst offense in league in the pre-season so far”
now Joe, ask this question to all NFL media you run into!
August 14th, 2014 at 8:44 am
^^^^^^^^^ LMAO!
August 14th, 2014 at 8:55 am
The_Buc_Realist Says:
August 14th, 2014 at 8:43 am
How can the bucs win, When Old man mcCown “lead the worst offense in league in the pre-season so far”
lead the worst offense in league in the pre-season so far? After one preseason game in which he played one quarter? And that’s worse than the 13 game sample size of the worst offense in league in 2013 I would say that’s the dumbest thing you ever said but there are so many it’s tough to choose, it’s not to early to wake and bake but you should really wait until you don’t have to think.
August 14th, 2014 at 9:04 am
@buc4lyfe
you can add old man mcCown’s whole career if you like, that still puts him as the second best QB on the Bucs, and the worst QB in the division. It was also a play of what Joe was doing in the offseason,
I don’t know why I just tried to explain this you. I am breaking my rule of trying to talk sense to the senseless.
August 14th, 2014 at 9:27 am
After one lousy preseason performance the fan angst is battling each other to place the blame where it squarely belongs. Former McCown supporters have tempered their opinions of his worthiness, yet still insist Glennon sucks. There is a happy medium here somewhere, I feel like I’m riding a seesaw.
August 14th, 2014 at 1:42 pm
If McCown was a former pro bowler or even a good to average starting QB in his career then I would understand why they would just hand him the starting job. But since he’s accomplished absolutely nothing in this league in 12 years. Cept for 5 good games. Open the competition up. Let the best QB win. We wont know who the best QB is otherwise. I trust lovie when it comes to defense but his offensive strategy is highly questionable.