Long Ball Bewilderment

December 18th, 2017

Work with his strengths.

Joe knows Bucs fans grind their gears because America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, cannot connect with DeSean Jackson on bombs.

Joe’s response? So, what?

So fans want to run off a quarterback because he struggles with low percentage throws? Joe’s of the mind that you don’t keep going to the well time and again expecting a different result. If it’s not working, it’s not working. Move on to something that is working, like intermediate passes.

Per multimedia maven Scott Smith, the Bucs lead the NFL completing passes in the 15-19-yard range, and by a good amount. The Bucs have completed 53 such passes through 13 games. No. 2 is the Belicheats with 48. Atlanta, tonight’s opponent, is fifth in the league with 37.

If Jameis is good at intermediate throws — which apparently he is — and if he is good at throwing out of the pocket, which NFL Films suggests he is, then how about crafting the offense around what a quarterback excels at?

Is it so wrong to get the ball to Jackson in space and let his wheels take over?

28 Responses to “Long Ball Bewilderment”

  1. DB55 Says:

    Honestly this is like the best article you’ve written in a while.

  2. BrianBucs Says:

    Joe

    Agreed. Any smart coach or coordinator should build his offense around his QB’s strengths and avoid his weaknesses, and here Jameis has plenty of both

  3. Season Is Over Says:

    Bewilderment? I feel like I am in The Twilight Zone. Gruden will make Mr. Magoo a winner.

  4. 941bucsfan Says:

    What wheels? Djax got ran down when we played against the pats. Once upon a time you could never overthrow this guy, not anymore. He runs 1 go route then he runs to the sideline and doesn’t come back in until we get a first down. People seem to forget in his last 2 years before he came to Tampa he only has 8 tds combined in 2015 and 2016. Not great, everyone thought we were getting the philly version of djax, the guy who could run balls down, nah we aint get the bentley whth the ferrari engine, we got the ferrari with a mustang engine

  5. Joe Says:

    Thank you DB55.

  6. Blackmagic00 Says:

    And where exactly are we picking in the draft? Looking at stats was last week. Who cares?!?! I’m on the ‘put the dumpster fire out’ train wreck crowd. Back to watching football teams who I don’t care about just to see the sport I love

  7. Eric Says:

    The #1 pick in the draft can’t do what most quarterbacks do with ease. Can’t get more pathetic than that. Long balls are part of football, it’s what keeps the defense on it’s toes, without it our offense will always be ineffective. And you people think he isn’t a bust….what a joke

  8. Eric Says:

    Name a quarterback that is considered great that can’t throw a long ball as bad as Tampa’s disappointment.
    I’ll wait….

  9. lurker Says:

    not just long ball…winston is a poor thrower.
    yes he makes some tight window throws, but receiver bail him out a ton.

    when does winston ever lead a receiver to let them yac? they usually get ac, if they do, because a defender makes a play and is out of position. the catch is made, stopped, the he runs again.

    winston rarely leads receivers.

    or i’m mistaken

  10. LifeOfABucFan Says:

    LOL!!! No need to worry about Jameis’ lack of the long ball!!??? HAHAHA!!! This ain’t high school football!

  11. Defense Rules Says:

    Intermediate throws? Throwing from out of the pocket? Not exactly a novel idea Joe, but it’s nice to see you come around to that way of thinking. Many JBF commenters have been saying that all year, but instead our OC & our QB coach keep trying to make Jameis into something that he’s not.

    This season Jameis has played in 10 games & has 22 runs to his credit for 79 yards & ZERO TDs (average: 7.7 yds/game). In 2016 he played in 16 games & had 53 runs for 165 yards & 1 TD (average 10.3 yds/game). In 2015 he also played in 16 games & had 54 runs for 213 yards & SIX (6) TDs (average: 13.3 yds/game).

    Looking at how Jameis’ TDs scored & at his running yards/game have steadily decreased each year, it sure does appear that Bucs’ coaches have reined Jameis in. Admittedly our W-L record improved in 2016 versus 2015, but that was largely due to the defense IMO (Bucs’ total offensive yardage actually was about 500 yards LESS in 2016 than it was in 2015 when Jameis was more mobile).

  12. satchseven Says:

    jameis needs to stop forcing things ,plus his footwork is poor how you going to throw a bomb if you got happy feet.

  13. grafikdetail Says:

    and this is the very reason why i’m pretty much done with koetter… he’s not gonna adjust his system to fit jameis’ or the team’s strengths… bring a gruden or mcdaniels – two offensive guys with HC experience… no more 1st time NFL HCs

  14. Tom Edrington Says:

    Wasn’t Jameis a substitute in the Pro Bowl because the good QBs don’t want to go? I don’t know how the Joes can worship Jameis to the degree they do when he is the fourth-best quarterback in a four-team division.

  15. Bird Says:

    So the coach just needs to run plays for wide open receivers 15-19 yards down the field And yes he needs to be wide open for Jameis to throw this pass. Cause Jameis is the guy that is making the aggressive decision to make a home run play each down. He has guys open short every game but he doesn’t check down Charley. Bucsnation wrote about it just a week ago. Now that was a great article. Damn you koetter for not being able to devise these simple plays of guys wide open in that yardage range.

    “Great article joe. “Way to figure this out. You truly know the bucs. Wish we could get you assistant offensive coordinator gig.

    And you said thank you to DB 55 about article who is basically a Jameis die hard enthusiast who blames everyone but Jameis.

    This website is getting harder and harder to follow.

    Boooooo

    Gruden will be Jameis last chance at turning his average play at best around. Wouldn’t be surprised if Jameis has good game tonight. Usually 1 out of 4 or so. And the Joe’s tomorrow will call all the non messiah worshippers idiots for not believing in Americas quarterback. Nobody hates Jameis. Just the way you have covered him since he got here.

  16. Bird Says:

    Joejameisfan.com

  17. Bird Says:

    Joeloveshisman.com

  18. Bob in Valrico Says:

    Last week was the first run I remember this year where Jameis put his head down and ran with purpose. But he has often been indecisive on whether to run or pass this year. Throwing a pass three yards over the line of scrimmage. is one example. NFL defenses are too fast ,and they will converge on you while you are trying to decide whether to run or doing two pump fakes as you run.
    While I agree that that the intermediate pass is a Jameis strength. Limiting your offense to only those types of plays will be predictable for the defense. An offensive coordinator has to have the ability to mix in sideline passes and deeper
    passes when needed to the stretch the defense and create running lanes. Can’t
    argue with the idea that there are too many of the deep passes with little to show for it. Don’t think its helping Jameis’s shoulder. Then again being both a releiver and QB in college ,could have added to the ‘tired arm” he had during the combine and he may be experiencing now along with the shoulder issue.

  19. darin Says:

    All on dirk. Teams are playing their coverages to protect against the long ball. Gota short ball them until they open up. Dirks insanity tells him otherwise. Not a big gruden back here fan but anyone with a brain would take him over dirk. Bad coach.

  20. Bob in Valrico Says:

    Ultimately it will be an indictment on Licht if Jameis can’t master the deeper passes as he gains more experience and regains his health. Pretty sure he didn’t draft Jameis to be a game manager.

  21. BoJim Says:

    ‘Is it so wrong to get the ball to Jackson in space and let his wheels take over?’

    Apparently so.

  22. Cobraboy Says:

    I thought great QBs can make all the throws. Seems Winston can’t.

    Maybe we should rename Winston from “America’s quarterback” to “Hillsborough’s quarterback.”

    Any speculation on the stats the guy rolls up after coming off a six-game suspension in 2018?

    I’d like to see what Griffin has for at least one game of the Falcons smack down a blowout. If you’re gonna tank, then tank.

  23. derrickbrooksforGM Says:

    I understand there are 2 Joes but is there like a retard Joe you kept in the basement that somehow got out and has taken the good Joes hostage? The takes have been so bad lately.

  24. SteveK Says:

    The Buccaneers did not invest a #1 overall draft choice on a QB that can’t throw deep, did they? Al Davis would be more upset about a #1 overall draft choice that can’t throw deep than he would the Raiders’ move to Las Vegas.

    I would understand if Jameis were a mid round pick, but he was picked, tabbed, propped by Joe to be a franchise QB.

    I pray Jameis can get more accurate, or else we will suck.

  25. Nate Says:

    Facts!!!!….that’s a problem I’m sorry forget deep an accurate over 40yds consistently in the area to be catchable

    you need that in your offense to a degree…..unless you have barry sanders back there and all defenses play up

  26. Locked In Says:

    One problem I see is that Jackson’s ‘wheels’ too often take him out of bounds rather than cutting up field and making a defender miss or breaking a tackle.

  27. loggedontosay Says:

    Lurker

    Everyone knows that you are a dumbass.

  28. Makie Lovie Says:

    Jar Jar