Gosder Cherilus And His Groin
December 20th, 2016
Mystery.
Joe has a little issue with the sudden injury of Gosder Cherilus and his swinging saloon door pass blocking.
Now Joe is in no position — and never will be — to tell a guy if he can play or not due to injury. Each player has his own threshold for pain and performance with a specific injury.
It’s noble if a guy wants to play through an injury, but often it’s short-sighted if not stupid. A player can do a lot more harm than good playing injured, both to himself and to his team.
This brings Joe to Dirk Koetter’s admission on the Buccaneers Radio Network after the loss in Dallas that Cherilus, who was repeatedly ragdolled in the fourth quarter on pass plays, was playing hurt, as if Koetter was trying to excuse Cherilus.
Joe understands Koetter will always defend a player. No issue with that. But let’s hold up here.
Sadly, Joe has only one pair of eyes, despite what his Twitter followers think. Joe cannot focus on one player or one position solely and see what is happening elsewhere. Joe must look at the big picture. But Joe watched three consecutive plays in the second half of Cherilus playing right tackle (starter Demar Dotson is in concussion protocol and unavailable) in the win over the Saints. On those three plays, Dotson got lit up like a short-wired Christmas tree.
Fast forward to the Dallas game, and in the fourth quarter, the way Dotson tried to block, it looked like the Three Stooges trying to dance in an old western bar (5:28 mark)
After it became all too apparent that Cherilus was about to get someone killed with his (non) pass blocking, the Bucs pulled him mid-possession and replaced him with undrafted rookie Leonard Wester from Division-II Missouri Western.
Here is the thing: Joe doesn’t doubt one iota that Cherilus was injured. Was he injured a week ago playing the Saints? Joe never saw his name on an injury report. And if Cherilus was injured this badly Sunday — props to him for trying to play through it — where all the world could see Cherilus had turned into an oversized fire hydrant, why did the Bucs, knowing he was hurt, leave him out there to twist in the wind and possibly blow America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston?
Frankly, Koetter talking about Cherilus’ injury seems more to protect Cherilus and cover for his sinkhole pass blocking than anything else.
December 20th, 2016 at 8:17 am
Couldn’t agree more.
December 20th, 2016 at 8:42 am
Celeb Benenoch played right tackle for UCLA, drafted in the 5th round. So why did Wester UDFA, from a crap division 3 school get the nod ahead of Celeb?
December 20th, 2016 at 8:44 am
On the same play that Cherilus got thrown like a rag doll, Marpet also got pancaked. We need to build up the Oline this offseason. I think everyone is over reacting to the Dallas game. The Bucs did not play their best, and the Cowboys played a one of their best games: Elliot and his Oline were friggin unstoppable. Prescott went 32 of 36. Yet, we were in it to the very end. Think about that.
FARVE MANNING LUCK WINSTON
Year Age /Rating Age /Rating Age /Rating Age /Rating
1st 22 / Sat 22 / 71.2 23 / 76.5 21 / 84.2
2nd 23 / 85.3 23 / 90.7 24 / 87 22 / 87.2
3rd 24 / 72.2 24 / 94.7 25 / 96.5 Can’t wait to see!!!!!!!
My point using the above stats is 2 fold (first, let me say I know QBR is over-simplistic, however):
1) the Bucs are YOUNG – we have to crawl before we can walk; we are in the position that the young Raiders were in LAST year – look at them now (and we are better then the Raiders of last year, arguably a FG away from being better then them this year), and
2) Winston is YOUNG, but his future is so bright we need sunglasses. Cut him some slack. SNF’s game and the other prime time games he has played in are learning experiences. Jameis has a better passer rating then Farve (in his 2nd and 3rd years) and Luck, and better than Manning’s 1st year, AND he is younger than all three were. I would also argue, the Bucs are a far less talented team than what the other 3 had their first years.
And I agree we need help building the Oline and WR, BUT it was D that got the NYGs win over Dallas, and we saw how our Dline could NOT stop Elliot or rookie Prescott. Defense wins Championships!
Sorry for the long post…
December 20th, 2016 at 9:01 am
Harry, good stuff. Right on target. Hodad, don’t think Benenoch dressed for the game, but might be wrong. But Evan Smith did (played 4 ST plays) … possibly he could’ve gone in at either RT or LG (switch Pamphile who plays multiple positions to RT). Cherilus hurt the team with his poor play, and if injured should’ve been replaced one way or another. Or at the very least, give him help over on that side. In any event. we learned one valuable lesson: reworking our OLine definitely needs to be a priority this off-season.
December 20th, 2016 at 9:04 am
I’m never pessi when it comes to my beloved BuCCS. I grateful we’ve taken a step,we are truly on the cusp. But in honesty wr are one more offseason away from truly being contenders. I don’t wanna just make the playoffs for the purpose of being able to say wr made it. I wanna go deep when we get inn,we require three fixes in order to be really ready. #1 Licht needs to find a RT in free agency we don’t have one #2 we need a speedy WR opposite ME,teams are simply doubling down ME and #3 draft Dalvin Cook out of FSU. This offense requires a dual threat on first and second down.Ima say it again Cook is Jamal Charles 2.0 Just faster. We close but ima be patient just one more offseason.
December 20th, 2016 at 9:08 am
This draft I suspect will be mainly offensive why ??? Because coach K is a offensive coach and stated last week a need to get better football players around Fameis. I agree. Defensively we see the returns of last seasons defensive draft. Time to add weapons.
December 20th, 2016 at 9:08 am
Chris likes Dirks defense of his players, and praise his loyalty. Chris thinks coach knows that it was very obvious, to the fans, that Gos was hot garbage Sunday Night. Props to Jaboo for not lighting his ass up on the field, and not blaming him in the post game presser. We have had an issue at RT for a while, and Chris can only assume an attempt will be made to beef it up in the offseason. Meanwhile, let’s look forward to the Aints!
December 20th, 2016 at 9:25 am
Jameis been hit too much. Time for a new oline coach. #You’reFired
December 20th, 2016 at 9:33 am
Are we sure it wasnt cherilous butthole that got hurt?
December 20th, 2016 at 9:35 am
‘Next man up’ mentality is essential, but reality says that the Bucs are badly beaten up right now, and it’s showing on the field these last several games. Sounds like we lost not only Cherilus in the Dallas game, but also Will Gholston (dislocated elbow). Stocker might still be healing up because he got relatively few snaps, and we needed him big-time to help in the run blocking and pass blocking. Dotson still hasn’t practiced yet, and may not be back from his concussion this week. We do get Jude back from his suspension, but apparently he’s still healing up too. Makes me appreciate all the more what these guys have accomplished already this season.
December 20th, 2016 at 9:48 am
NoSBoS and several other regulars on here are with me that the Bucs aren’t quite playoff ready–yet. We need this off-season to let DK, MS and the A/C-D/C fan fix the final few holes. Next season is shaping up to be the Bucs Bomb. I’m just going to kick back, enjoy the holidays and listening to the final two games w/my radio bunch. 🙂
December 20th, 2016 at 10:00 am
@orlbucfan
Did we defeat the Falcons on the road, the Chiefs on the road and the Seahawks? Are they playoff ready teams. You people with that “we are not a playoff caliber team” attitude just blow my mind. We lose to the best team in the NFC at their house by 6 points and all of a sudden we are not worthy of a playoff team status. Guess what? There is still a good chance we can make the playoffs. If we lose our last 2 games then we can say we were not a playoff team and not before then.
December 20th, 2016 at 10:09 am
rayjay everyone knows all teams place more emphasis on taking away your strengths in the playoffs. I honestly don’t feel like wr were defeated by a superior team my belief is well no one would listen so keep my opinion to myself. I just find it funny all of sudden we couldn’t figure out a way to touch the otber teams QB. My point is bro we need to get more explosive on the offensive side. ME is getting pep rally attention and Brate is bcoming a more known commodity every game. We’re getting nothing from the rb position. Show up to the tournament like that we can expect a quick exist pass back home.
December 20th, 2016 at 10:26 am
I agree Joe. It’s unfair to expect a 2nd year QB to not have happy feet when he’s constantly being harassed and can’t survey without some sort of pressure.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this for the past two days and I’m wondering if the Bucs wanted to become Dallas Cowboy like on the OL they could make the following lineup changes:
– (LT) Aquired Thru Draft
– (LG) Pamphile/Smith
– (C) Marpet
– (RG) Pamphile/Smith
– (RT) FA/Smith
I know it’s extremely difficult to project LTs late in the draft but I think Bucs interior would be arguably as powerful and athletic as Dallas with Marpet, Smith, and Pamphile. The tackle position has to get better and more athletic. Dotson and Cherilus are clearly not the answer and this is not a news flash but are the Bucs really serious about developing into a dominant team or just patching along the way? That’s the million dollar question.
December 20th, 2016 at 10:31 am
So let me see if I understand this, clearly. Koetter sent out a guy, who sucks when he’s healthy, with a bad groin to pass “protect” his franchise QB??? And, with that bad groin, he’s still better than your 5th round draft pick and UFA??? Uh, yeah…it’s one thing to protect your players, another to look like a complete clown doing so.
And for everything that went wrong Sunday night, they still had a chance to win the game. They’re another WR, TWO offensive tackles and a running back short of being hard to deal with on offense. Defensively, for the third straight game, minimal pressure in the fourth quarter. These guys are worn out, especially Spence who definitely has hit the rookie wall. He did beat Tyron Smith bad on two occasions, but his presence was limited at best.
They’re a pass rushing DE, stud DT in the mold of Linval Joseph, a legit free safety and a playmaking strong side backer from being serious on defense. Haven’t heard Daryl Smith’s named mentioned once this year…still in it, so lets get after the Saints this Saturday!!!
December 20th, 2016 at 10:31 am
Hey Nole, you make valid points and based on what we have seen displayed lately you are on point. I just get annoyed when people automatically write us off after one loss to a team that very well may represent the NFC in the Super bowl. We definitely need to vastly improve at the OL and we need another solid WR to compliment ME13 who has been outstanding. We are fortunate to have him. I think also that Brate is really becoming a very solid pass catching TE. We need some speed though like back when we had Joey Galloway.
I am not sure what the answer is to get even an average running game. I do not know if it is the OL not getting holes open or if it is Martin having a “I just got paid, so who cares” type of season, but especially in the post season, we have to be able to run the ball well.
My last thing is that as much as I love Winston, he just has to somehow develop better accuracy. Especially on his long throws, but even on shorter routes he tends to throw the ball too high. I hope that is something that can be coached and developed as he matures as a QB.
Let us rally behind this team and maybe we still can make some noise. I will be at the game this Saturday doing my part to make some noise!
Go Bucs!!
December 20th, 2016 at 11:19 am
Joe you have written “Dotson” in several places where you clearly mean “cherilus”, FYI
December 20th, 2016 at 12:19 pm
Harry in Costa Rica Says:
December 20th, 2016 at 8:44 am
On the same play that Cherilus got thrown like a rag doll, Marpet also got pancaked. We need to build up the Oline this offseason. I think everyone is over reacting to the Dallas game. The Bucs did not play their best, and the Cowboys played a one of their best games: Elliot and his Oline were friggin unstoppable. Prescott went 32 of 36. Yet, we were in it to the very end. Think about that.
FARVE MANNING LUCK WINSTON
——————–
You lost me at “FARVE”.
December 20th, 2016 at 2:01 pm
We need more help. Marpet is great and all but we have a serious issue if he is by far the best linemen we have.
December 20th, 2016 at 5:17 pm
Cherilus was actually pretty much well done after his stint with the Colts. Lets put him out to pasture with a nice bottle of bubbly and a barbeque Grill. He’s done peoples. Stick a fork in’em!! Lets get some beef in this yrs upcoming draft for our line. You all witnessed Dallas Pushing us around all over the playing field this past Sunday. WE NEED MORE BEEF!!!!