Still In The Hunt
October 3rd, 2014
When NFL teams start 0-3, it is time to start studying the draft. There are fewer sound death knells to a season than an 0-3 record out of the chute
And the Bucs lost some ugly, ugly games. Halloween-type. But, wow what a different a win at Pittsburgh makes.
Beating that team in that city was a massive, historical mountain for the Bucs to climb. So now, with that feel-good victory, and sloppy play by their fellow NFC South brethren, the Bucs are not a lost ship. Yet, notes Tampa Tribune humorist Martin Fennelly, the Drew Brees task this week is still daunting.
Yes, the Bucs should be able to run the ball against New Orleans, which was trampled by Dallas, but the Bucs have run well in only one of their first four games. Doug Martin isn’t doing much. Bobby Rainey can’t hold on to the ball.
Yes, the Bucs should be able to throw against the Saints, who are 29th in the league in total defense and tied for 28th in pass defense, and have no interceptions. But Glennon won’t have injured Mike Evans, so it’s Murphy, or maybe more tosses to Austin Seferian-Jenkins, or maybe Vincent Jackson, who caught the game-winner in Pittsburgh when he wasn’t disappearing regularly.
The real problem is, Brees should be able to throw the ball, too. Even when the Bucs’ pass rush was there in the first half against the Steelers (five sacks), Pittsburgh still made plays. Oh, did we mention the team the Saints are tied with for 28th in pass defense is the Bucs?
While the Saints have shown little life this season, Joe is still worried Drew Brees can just flip a switch and ignite that Superdome crowd.
And until the Bucs can prove they can stop a tight end, Jimmy Graham scares the heck out of Joe.
October 3rd, 2014 at 8:07 am
Bress at home is scary. And, like the Bucs after the ATL game, the Saints will feel they need to redeem themselves after the embarrassment in Dallas on National TV. This is a very dangerous team. A good showing by the Bucs Sunday would say a lot.
October 3rd, 2014 at 8:16 am
When does Charles Simms return ?…or whatever his name is
October 3rd, 2014 at 8:26 am
He can play after week 8. I’m pretty sure he can start practice week 7.
October 3rd, 2014 at 8:28 am
The Bucs do have other players they can throw the ball to, it’s time for those receivers to step up and help out the team.
October 3rd, 2014 at 8:55 am
Where is the depth on this team? Oh yeah traded or not resigned….I saw that all five former Bucs are starting on lines this week. Wow, imagine that depth. Now Mike Williams will have a real QB to throw to him.
October 3rd, 2014 at 8:57 am
Buccfan37 Says:
The Bucs do have other players they can throw the ball to, it’s time for those receivers to step up and help out the team.
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Precisely.
October 3rd, 2014 at 9:00 am
Confidence!!
One of The big differences between the first three games and game 4 is like Mankins said. The line was not ready. The coaches were not ready, the system was not ready-nobody was ready to play together.
As each week progressed, the team became more comfortable with the plays coaches each other, etc. and by week 4 at Pitt it became evident that this team is still learning but they can PLAY.
Now the team is beginning to have confidence in themselves, the coaches, the plays etc.
Lovies plan may have gotten pushed back by all the late trades and putting the final lineup together very late but the team is showing signs that it may have been a good plan overall.
I am anxious to see how this confidence level comes out this week.
I’d like to see them let Jimmy Graham know right from the get-go that he don’t scare anybody on the bucs.
October 3rd, 2014 at 9:03 am
Jon Says:
October 3rd, 2014 at 8:55 am
Where is the depth on this team? Oh yeah traded or not resigned….I saw that all five former Bucs are starting on lines this week. Wow, imagine that depth. Now Mike Williams will have a real QB to throw to him.
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Last years OL was overpaid garbage. Zuttah being traded was the only question mark.
EJ Manuel has been benched in Buffalo in favor of Kyle Orton? Your Williams comment is off kilter.
October 3rd, 2014 at 9:12 am
Jon. Do you even know where Mike Williams is playing at this year? Hint. It’s not Denver.
October 3rd, 2014 at 10:32 am
Temper your expectations, or you will have a really bad Monday. The Bucs didn’t just change from an 0-3 team into a playoff contender based on one game with a last minute comeback. It is a 70% that they will lose by 7-10 points in the dome at least and could be a serious beat down like the Atlanta game.
October 3rd, 2014 at 11:00 am
The computers have the Buccs with a 25 percent chance of winning. The Buccs are going need a few turn overs, a couple bounces to go their way. Not to mention, control TOP, keep Brees and Co. off the field on long td drives (not fg drives). And force a stop once in a while, and keep the crowd out of it. Martin and ASJ will need big games as part of that ball control aspect, and Arroyo will need to take the occasional shot down field as he did in Pittsburgh to loosen up the Saints D’ to run the ball or open up the short passing game underneath.
October 3rd, 2014 at 11:22 am
Everybody say it at the same time: Winston! Winston! Winston!!
October 3rd, 2014 at 11:29 am
New Orleans did not turn into a play off team at 1 -3 either. If you are what your record says you are, we’ll they both are 1 – 3. Maybe the saints run is coming to an end like New England.
October 3rd, 2014 at 11:31 am
I would rather have that kid from Oregon, Winston will have a hard time in the new heavy handed NFL. Teams will think his off field antics are not worth the risk, unless he does a great deal of growing up over the next year.
October 3rd, 2014 at 11:32 am
It would be even better is glennon gets it done.
October 3rd, 2014 at 11:33 am
Biff and boomer
Orton > Manuel. So mike Williams will have better QB throwing to him
Fact: Penn, Larsen, Zuttah, Joseph and Carimi all start in the league this week
October 3rd, 2014 at 2:16 pm
Glennon likes to focus on a target and ignore the others. It happened early in the game to mike Evans and after he went down it was all about Louis Murphy. Hopefully that is just because glennon read the defense and that was the where the hole was. But I don’t think that’s the case. He did that all last season with Jackson and wright on and off during entire games.
It could be the offense not utilizing other receivers, as a whole the bucs offenses have never had a diverse receiving game. It’s always been a couple main targets with little to no 3rd or 4th WR help.
October 3rd, 2014 at 2:20 pm
Did someone really just say mike williams has a “real” quarterback now that they switched to Kyle Orton?!?! Hahaha. Bucs fans.
October 3rd, 2014 at 2:23 pm
@Trubucfan22, he was exploiting the matchup against Pittsburg’s rookie corner who was starting due to injury.
October 3rd, 2014 at 2:59 pm
So he was zeroing on a target and not reading the defense. I didn’t think he was.
October 3rd, 2014 at 3:17 pm
Hard to say, could be a bit of both. All good quarterbacks know where the matchups are to exploit. I fully expected him to target that corner before the game even started, it was a glaring weakness in their defense.
As for locking onto a single target.. Guess we’ll have to see more of his play this year to decide on that. I agree last year that definitely happened for stretches in games, but he was a rookie. Sometimes 1 guy is just always getting open when vjax is being double teamed.
October 3rd, 2014 at 3:30 pm
still in the hunt…
for a real starting qb.