Offensive Line Coming Together

October 4th, 2014
Anthony Collins and the Bucs offensive line are asserting themselves.

Anthony Collins and the Bucs offensive line are asserting themselves.

In the preseason, the Bucs’ offensive line would have scared even Freddie Kruger it was so bad. Limited holes to run through, and, egad, the (lack of) pass protection.

Joe was starting to worry for Josh McCown’s well-being.

Since, things have stabilized. Anthony Collins has had strong games against top defensive ends. The trade for Logan Mankins really solidified the line, and Evan Dietrich-Smith, save for the Atlanta debacle (who didn’t play bad in that game?), has been pretty steady but not great.

In his weekly breakdown of film, Andy Benoit believes the big reason for quarterback Mike Glennon’s winning play was the strong blocking up front.

This is good to read. EDS and Mankins both insisted to Joe that it takes a while for a new offensive line to come together. It appears that is beginning to happen.

With the Saints stinking and beat up in their secondary, if Glennon can get time to throw Sunday, well, maybe the Bucs could pull off the unthinkable?

Who watching that Atlanta debacle ever thought the Bucs would have a prayer two weeks later in New Orleans?

22 Responses to “Offensive Line Coming Together”

  1. RastaMon Says:

    They’d be even better with Richie…..I is pure PC witch hunt for him to be not playing in the NFL today !

  2. iamkingsu Says:

    Why hasn’t any praised glennon for being able to avoid the disaster on 1st down and just getting rid of the football on that last drive? Probably the best play he made all game

  3. lue0615 Says:

    2nd and 25 and he throws a dart to jenkins cmon not many qbs can make that throw

  4. Soggy Says:

    @ ALL THE HATERS BEFORE YOU START YOUR CRAP, Support the team, glennon is the best we got right now, let him prove himself good or whatever it might be, You writing your short and sometimes long stories here bashing over and over who are you trying to convince you or us?
    He has shown much improvement and who knows his limits, He does not even look like the same guy as last year, He has 14 games so back off BOZO’S..

  5. kevin Says:

    It was a thirty yard bullet!!!

  6. Bucsfan4lyf Says:

    Mike Glennon played his best game in his career last Sunday, the stats don’t show it but the highlights do. What a difference a better offensive line and coaching staff does for a player. He is only going to get better once the running game gets going and teh defense is bound to get better as they keep learning Lovie’s defense.

    What a great feeling it would be to se ethe Bucs win on Sunday and watch them (live) come back home and play the Ravens.

    GO BUCS!!!

    #MGM

  7. PanthersSuck! Says:

    FIRE THE CANNON!!!!

  8. Jeagan1999 Says:

    Joe….you hit the nail right on the head. The O-line has started to come together and I think we have Logan Mankins to thank for it! So many times last Sunday I wayched him block his own guy and then help out Collins or EDS with his guy. Re watch that last 40 yard throw to Louis Murphy and you’ll see that there isn’t a steeler within 5 yards of Glennon. A clean pocket and time to throw made all the difference. Can’t wait to see these guys do even better in New Orleans!

    The Cannon is only an effective weapon when you fire it! #FireThe Cannon!

  9. rhenry Says:

    This is a chance to right the ship and the players know it. I am predicting a Bucs Victory Sunday and a decent season as long as Glennon remains the starter. The light bulb seemed to turn on at the beginning of the third quarter in Pitt. What a drive to open the second half. Things are definitely looking up for this team.

  10. Jon Says:

    How come we all know glennon was the better QB and the head coach and GM didn’t????

  11. Mr. Mudge Says:

    RastaMon Says:
    October 4th, 2014 at 8:34 am

    They’d be even better with Richie…..I is pure PC witch hunt for him to be not playing in the NFL today !

    That anyone would still be beating that dead horse is mind boggling. Let it go. Seriously. 32 teams don’t want a locker room headache. That’s not PC. Regardless, this is old news. We’ve moved on.

  12. Boomer33 Says:

    Agree with MrMudge. The Bucs brought him in to talk to him, and said no thank you. Most of the other teams didn’t even consider talking to him.

  13. ddneast Says:

    Have to agree with Rastaman but that isn’t going to change anything.
    I root for the starting QB of the Bucs whoever it is but I was enthused by Glennon’s play. Hope to see him do it two games in a row.
    Iamkingsu makes a very valid point especially to Steve Duemig if he would ever shut up. The last time I saw McCown going down behind the line like that he tossed the ball up into the middle of the field for an INT on the Rams 3.
    Coaches are creatures of habit. They will always go with the veteran at the beginning of the season.
    You didn’t see Tom Brady play until the starter in front of him was injured.
    I still maintain the reason some people are down on Glennon is because he doesn’t have Hollywood good looks and it fact, looks a tad geeky.
    Now I’m not comparing his abilities to Peyton Manning, but he certainly looked geeky as well when he was 22 and it didn’t seem to affect his ability. Of course he had a better pedigree at the time.
    This country is so obsessed with appearances that if you don’t look the part, you can’t play the part.
    Companies fail, marriages end in divorce, and relationships don’t even begin with that type of thinking.
    Think about it.

  14. ddneast Says:

    I want Lovie to demonstrate to the offense how much confidence he has in them on Sunday.
    If the Bucs win the toss, take the ball like Dallas did. The worse thing that could happen is the Bucs don’t score, the Saints get the ball and score and they are playing from behind.
    The same thing that might and probably would have happened if you had deferred in the first place.
    If a team is supposed to play to its strengths, I’m not sure the defense is at that point yet.
    On a very positive side, I can’t remember the last time a Bucs offense took the second half kickoff and drove the length of the field for a TD.
    Also, one more shout out to a guy I have been taking shots at on defense.
    Let’s not anyone forget about Bowers dragging Rothberg down from behind for a sack at the end of the 2nd quarter. Caused the Steleers kicker to miss the FG.

  15. Boomer33 Says:

    I could care less what our QB looks like as long as he can do the job he’s paid to do, but saying that Glennon looks a tad geeky is like saying Elanor Roosevelt was a tad ugly.

  16. BUCSLEGENDS Says:

    ddneast, I agree with everything you just said !!!!!!! GO BUCS !!!!!!!

  17. Tackleblockwin Says:

    Said it once, said it twice, so why not say it a third time. This game comes down to the Bucs ability to run the ball effectively for four quarters. I think our RBs can get it done with help from Oline. We can worry about Defense and Glennon all day long, but the rushing attack is priority one IMO. Dallas was perfectly balanced on O last week. Their Oline dominated that game.

  18. Buc1987 Says:

    Tackleblockwin….but Glennon is the 4th best QB in the division. …We can’t possibly EVE have a prayer. (sarcasm I just hate that nonsense when people type it like that matters)

  19. Pickgrin Says:

    OL and DL coming together and playing well consistently will turn this season around in a hurry – or at least make the Bucs competitive which is perhaps the best we can hope for right now. But it all starts up front on both sides of the ball.

    And anyone still pining for Incognito and wondering why he is being shunned by NFL teams because of the”bullying situation” has obviously never bothered to look up how much crap he has caused and had gotten away with previously – going all the way back to high school. Google is your friend. Richie has been trouble his whole career everywhere he goes. Let it go already. RI was used as a pawn to give leverage in the Mankins deal – and for that move alone we should be praising L&L. We practically stole Mankins and the Patriots are now paying the price for a bad deal on their end.

  20. Owlykat Says:

    I think Martin showing better blocking ability made our line look better. I saw plays where our LT was beat but no sack occurred because Martin took out the rusher, but that said, I saw real OL improvement. I also expect our defensive backfield to learn the new system in half our season, because Dungy lost a lot the first half of his first season but won a lot the second half.
    So don’t be shocked if we give up a lot of yards to the Saints tomorrow. With good OL blocking we should have a good offensive day too, and it could come down to turnovers as to who wins.

  21. Buc1987 Says:

    Owlykat Says:

    “because Dungy lost a lot the first half of his first season but won a lot the second half.”

    DUNGY = LOVIE Alert. We’ve got another and go figure look who it is. Mike Glennon’s best fan.

    Owycat…. Lovie is not Dungy. History is exactly that. History.

  22. Capt.Tim Says:

    Line is playing well. We have a real chance to beat The Saints.