Curious Roster Choice
November 30th, 2014
Bucs offensive lineman Garrett Gilkey had never played center in his life before today.
Here is one for you. Most NFL teams often have back-up centers. Said back-up centers usually have experience at some point in their lives snapping the ball.
This could be college or even the NFL. Apparently, the Bucs, under overlord of football operations Lovie Smith, thought that experience was a luxury.
So when starting center Evan Dietrich-Smith got sick this week and couldn’t go today — watching too much of his own film? — the man who replaced him was Garrett Gilkey.
Yes, the man who started at center for the Bucs, in the NFL, against a division leader, made his first snaps at center in his life.
Gilkey, before today, said he had never snapped the ball in college, not in high school, not even in youth football.
Now Gilkey took the blame for a lot of the penalties the Bucs offense committed today. Still, the Bucs run blocked better than they ever have this season. Joe does not think that is a coincidence. The Bucs may be better off in the long run with Gilkey starting at center; at least run blocking.
Still, to have a guy starting against an NFL division leader — playing center for the first time in his life — is a bit more than curious.
November 30th, 2014 at 6:20 pm
Lovie Smith is a horrible coach and talent evaluator. He should of only peaked at D Coordinator. Please get rid of his simplistic ass.
November 30th, 2014 at 6:23 pm
No wonder EDS plays soft and lazy…..he has no one pushing him…..the Gilkey holding penalty in field goal range at the end of the game was perfectly awful….anything…but no holding!!!……think he had one bad snap…..not too bad there….
Our playcalling was terrible again…..two running plays at the 10….and then three running plays from the 1 yd line…..realizing we were going to give them good field position….way too conservative…
November 30th, 2014 at 6:25 pm
Gilkey looked more inspired in the huddle than Mccown
November 30th, 2014 at 6:29 pm
Keep criticizing Lovie. This team is on the verge of really turning it around. With a real OC and an above-average QB this team wins the NFC South by about 6 games. One offseason change at OC and QB may do wonders for this team. The defense is playing excellent ball right now and should only get better.
November 30th, 2014 at 6:36 pm
I didn’t notice any dropoff. Let him keep playing. It seems like a lot of no-names are starting to improve….get rid of the overpaid chumps.
November 30th, 2014 at 6:36 pm
Lovie watched the low snaps, penalties, and poor blocking with the same blank stare with which he watched 12 men line up on the field. Don’t blame Lovie. He has no idea what’s happening at any given time.
November 30th, 2014 at 6:40 pm
Gilkey does not belong in the NFL and he proved it today… Bad snaps, four penalties and he allowed a few sacks and a bunch of QB pressures and hits… When his man was blocked he got called for holding… Boo boo boo!!!
November 30th, 2014 at 6:41 pm
@ Brandon – It’s OK the criticize a coach who has done a horrible job at….coaching. The defense has improved greatly (from the poor defense he originally fielded), and the test will be the Packers. This team is not on the verge of anything and the magical QB and OC that are just waiting to be hired to turn the Bucs around don’t actually exist.
November 30th, 2014 at 6:44 pm
Lovie is as Lovie does.
November 30th, 2014 at 6:45 pm
EDS has actually been good after a shaky start. This Gilkey guy was terrible.
November 30th, 2014 at 6:51 pm
Lovie sucks and at best will make as a mediocre football team. We can and should do better. He hasn’t changed at all from his Chicago run. We can’t expect all that much from him, it’s an ugly, borderline unwatchable brand of football. Today and all the recent games have been ugly as sin.
November 30th, 2014 at 6:52 pm
Gilkey looks like one of the Sons of Anarchy in that picture….
November 30th, 2014 at 6:53 pm
Hey Brandon, you forgot to add how accurate McCown is, to your Lovie is a great coach yada, yada, yada crap.
November 30th, 2014 at 7:07 pm
It seemed often the Bucs stopped the Bengal run game on 1st and 2nd down, but then on third and long somebody was always open for the 1st down. The Bucs were in the area but not actually covering the receiver. I knew it was going to happen before the play. Predictable fail.
November 30th, 2014 at 7:33 pm
Maybe he can play guard in the future.
November 30th, 2014 at 8:47 pm
@ Brandon Where can I get some of whatever you are taking? Must be righteous
December 1st, 2014 at 9:03 am
does anyone really think that the head coach that’s purely a defensive guy went through the week saying yes play gilkey at center, the guy who’s never played it before, the guy who doesn’t even play guard very well. they should have gone with the guy they activated from the practice squad. I don’t think lovie spends enough time with the offense to evaluate who should start at center that’s just stupid, he has his hands full with the defense