Sad Slap At Demar Dotson
May 23rd, 2017
Wrongly called out.
For the house organ of the NFL, this is embarrassing.
Sometimes, all it takes is a slip-up to ruin what would otherwise be a fine video presentation. And so it was on “Total Access” last night on NFL Network, when a feature on the Bucs offense was highlighted.
Joe is not going to call out the man who was the face of the video because Joe likes the guy a lot and he’s always been good to Joe. But damn, where are the producers? And for crying out loud, can’t anyone pull up a roster from a team website?
The Bucs are hot right now and there have been all sorts of features and chatter about the Bucs the past couple of weeks on NFL Network — whether it is It-Girl Kay Adams breathlessly talking about DeSean Jackson, or Charlie Casserly discussing if there is any potential way to slow the Bucs this fall.
Last night in this video feature, it was demonstrated how just a little better talent at receiver could have made a huge difference last year. All-22 video was used to show how the Bucs missed so many explosive plays in close losses, and that a bigger receiver than Rudy Humphries or a faster receiver on the outside would have mattered.
Then, Brian Baldinger, who otherwise believes the Bucs could have a lethal offense, gave pause wondering why Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht didn’t pick up an offensive lineman.
A play was highlighted from the loss to Dallas as an example of where the Bucs need to upgrade on the line, said Baldinger.
“Maybe if Jameis Winston gets better protection than he does when David Irving throws Demar Dotson aside,” Baldinger voiced over a clip of Dallas defensive end David Irving rag-dolling a Bucs right tackle.
One small detail missing here, however. Demar Dotson never played in that game. He was hurt. The guy NFL Network used as an example of where the Bucs are soft up front wasn’t Dotson; it was retired swinging saloon doors Gosder Cherilus.
This gaffe reminds Joe of when NFL Network broke down the Bucs and built a depth chart just before the 2016 draft, and it omitted Kwon Alexander from the depth chart as if he wasn’t even on the team.
It’s cool the Bucs are getting so much run on lately. Joe just wishes a production assistant would actually look at a roster and at least look at the number of a player they are throwing under the bus. Wrongly.
May 23rd, 2017 at 5:10 am
The national media always plays to the narrative dang shame because I really like B. Baldinger!
May 23rd, 2017 at 7:00 am
Dotson is an average NFL right tackle but we had other needs to address that matched what was available in the draft and free agency
May 23rd, 2017 at 7:08 am
Brian Baldinger report on the Bucs yesterday was pathetic.
May 23rd, 2017 at 7:40 am
Lol what a joke. Could he not see the number or name difference on the jersey? Oh well, national media are mostly corporate clowns anyways. Go Bucs!!
May 23rd, 2017 at 8:06 am
“Fake Sports News”
May 23rd, 2017 at 8:10 am
This is my biggest current disagreement with you Joe. Nobody can suggest we need another OT without you bending the statement into a criticism of Smith or Dotson.
I don’t like Smith, but even if I did, we need more talent at the T position. The Dallas game has become the ‘poster game’ so to speak, but for good reason. We’re 1 injury away from dysfunction.
May 23rd, 2017 at 8:29 am
Mike Mayock on draft day, not knowing Marpet moving to center or Ryan Smith no longer playing safety, now Baldinger not knowing who played right tackle that game and Jon Gruden calling Mike Alstott , Mark, it’s still a climb to respect.
May 23rd, 2017 at 8:50 am
Ryan Clady. For depth.
May 23rd, 2017 at 8:59 am
Baldinger is an idiot.
May 23rd, 2017 at 9:19 am
Tackling Fuel
-Waterboy
May 23rd, 2017 at 9:21 am
Oops! But really how much difference was there? I like Dot and I liked Cherilus who just ran out of gas but at least gave it a shot. But RT was missing in action last year whether it was Dot or Cherilus. Saying that Dot played better than Cherilus is just damning him with faint praise.
If Sweezy is healthy we’re down to RT. We have plenty of depth up the middle with Smith and Hawley able to play all three spots…we’re thin at tackle and in fact have no right tackle unless Benenoch is ready to start this year.
I’m very hopeful for Benenoch who could be a hidden gem…from Africa played more Soccer than American football…very athletic…very fast for an OL…knocked off Marpet’s 40 time when he ran the combine.
If not I sense another FA…hopefully a better quality than Gosder…a Mankins level talent to plug and play for a year or two would do the trick…yeah I know Mankins played guard…just talking about talent level. We need a solid starter at RT.
May 23rd, 2017 at 10:39 am
Man, I hope Dot has a better year than last year. There’s a lot to sort out without worrying about RT.
Pick it up Dot! We need you buddy.
May 23rd, 2017 at 11:16 am
Dot has not been reliable for the last 2 years – basically ever since he got hurt in preseason of 2015.
I hope that Benenoch, Wester or Pamphile if need be can step up and take that job from Dotson. No offense Demar but tackle play is too important in this league to settle for mediocrity or worse when it comes to protecting our young franchise QB. No shame in being a back-up NFL swing tackle. Still puts you among the top 100 people in the world who do what you do…
May 23rd, 2017 at 11:33 am
We do have the worst O-Line in the NFC South. I don’t understand why Licht didn’t get a decent CB,DE,OT during the draft or free agency.
May 23rd, 2017 at 11:48 am
LakeLandBuc” … we have the worst O-line in the NFC South…” -never seen the Panthers O-line in action.
May 23rd, 2017 at 12:59 pm
That’s why the Panthers drafted Taylor Moton and signed Matt Kalil. We were graded as the worst O-Line in the NFC South last season, and we did nothing in the draft or free agency. But we can always use Doug Martin as a scapegoat for a pathetic O-Line.
May 23rd, 2017 at 1:11 pm
If you want to see how poor the O-Line performed last season in run-blocking, just read this chart from Football Outsiders. And this is not PFF, it’s Football Outsiders.
May 23rd, 2017 at 1:12 pm
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol
May 23rd, 2017 at 1:21 pm
Demar Dotson would have been beat in that game too. They are right in saying Right Tackle is an issue. IT was the biggest issue along the line…anyone who thinks it was center is wrong for two reasons:
1 Licht had a plan in place for both Center and Guard already, without using a craft pick.
2 Last year, Center suffered because Joe Hawley was weakened by his injuries and they had no depth. Had he been healthy, he would have been a good starter.
The ONLY reason Marpet has been moved to center is Sweezy. The Bucs want him to play Marpet’s spot because they refuse to admit the MIGHT have made the wrong move in signing Sweezy. Maybe they didn’t. We’ll see.
But there is a reason they brought Hawley back.
May 23rd, 2017 at 1:27 pm
“Maybe if Jameis Winston gets better protection than he does when David Irving throws Demar Dotson aside,” Baldinger voiced over a clip of Dallas defensive end David Irving rag-dolling a Bucs right tackle. One small detail missing here, however. Demar Dotson never played in that game. He was hurt. The guy NFL Network used as an example of where the Bucs are soft up front wasn’t Dotson; it was retired swinging saloon doors Gosder Cherilus.
Sure, David Irving rag-dolled a one-legged Gos Cherilus that day. And Davis just picked up a 4-game PED suspension. So yes, there were two reasons why Irving was a wrecking ball in that game.
May 23rd, 2017 at 1:30 pm
Stpetebucsfan Says
“If Sweezy is healthy we’re down to RT. We have plenty of depth up the middle with Smith and Hawley able to play all three spots…we’re thin at tackle and in fact have no right tackle unless Benenoch is ready to start this year.”
We also have to hope that Marpet can actually play center. Remember, if he has never attempted it, no one actually knows he will do well there. If he can’t play center, for example, and Sweezy does well at guard…then what?
Dump Marpet? Demote him? A Pro Bowl guard?
This is why I think this is the wrong plan. Sweezy should be playing the other guard spot, leave Marpet in his rightful spot, and either get Hawley healthy or find another center.
But you are right…we are very thin at tackle.
May 23rd, 2017 at 1:48 pm
Bonzai-
To add to that, it would’ve been prudent to test Pamphile at RT because you still have Smith who can play G/C along with Hawley. That gives you even more flexibility.
We’ll see how it shakes out, fingers crossed!
May 23rd, 2017 at 3:18 pm
It wasn’t just “Goz” that looked horrible on that play, Marpet looked like a clueless camp meat rookie.