Flipping The Script

July 28th, 2019

Didn’t get the memo.

Joe cannot believe the hate folks are throwing at Joe for being honest.

Man, on Twitter, and to a lesser degree on this here corner of the interwebs, Joe is getting blasted by folks for having the gall to write that Jameis had an awful practice Friday, and yesterday was less than sharp.

You would have thought Joe was advocating for an insurrection of some sort.

Yes, yes, Bucco Bruce Arians said Jameis had a “fantastic” practice. If you would have witnessed it, Joe is pretty confident you would have had a different conclusion.

Just to make sure Joe was not offbase, Joe consulted with three fellow members of the pen and mic club (two writers and one TV guy) and all three thought Jameis had a rotten practice. One writer who has been covering the Bucs since the glory years thought it was the worst practice he had ever seen from Jameis.

One guy on Twitter claimed Joe has an ax to grind with Jameis and is trying to run him out of town. Regular readers of Joe should know how ridiculous of a notion that is.

Now one common theme/excuse is, well, Jameis is learning a new offense. Really? Guess the rookie corners who are balling out didn’t get that e-mail. Aren’t they also learning a new defense?

So let’s flip the script here that Joe is trying to run Jameis out of town (with one-liners like that, someone should be writing for Jerry Seinfeld).

The Bucs’ secondary, and the rookie defensive backs, are totally balling out. All over the field. Clogging passing lanes. Batting down passes. And most importantly, getting picks. Mind you, these guys are going against arguably the best group of wide receivers and tight ends in the NFL.

Maybe folks, instead of trying to create fiction that Joe is a Jameis-hater (that’s like saying Joe hates Hooters wings and cold beer), they themselves who crave “positive” stories should be looking at the other side.

Though very early in training camp, the Bucs pass defense is light years ahead of what it has been in the past.

59 Responses to “Flipping The Script”

  1. TexBuc Says:

    Would rather Winston practice against aggressive DB’s than DB’s playing 8-12 yards off in zone in every play.

    Iron sharpens steel

  2. NOSBOS Says:

    Just watched the interview, I love Jamel comments about how surprised he is about the speed and pace of Bucs practice. That will translates to game day. Practice fast play fast. This should help people understand why practices seem to end 10 to 15 minutes early everyday. I recall Richard Sherman saying this about Seahawks practice, it definitely showed on Sunday’s.

  3. Cobraboy Says:

    A bad Winston practice may be more of a testament to the DB than a reflection on a “bad” QB.

    “Steel sharpens steel.”

    I am less concerned about Winston being prepared for opening day than I am of the defense continuing to play at a high level.

    The latter will determine the season more than the former.

  4. Pelbuc61 Says:

    Or maybe the DBs look sharp bc JW continues his turnover ways. This team will never make any noise while JW is QB. We’ve had plenty of time to figure him out. BA will not suddenly convert him to an elite or even above average QB cuz JW will continue to ignore coaching and revert to his bonehead plays.

  5. Nutterbutter95 Says:

    Andy Reid said that Pat Mahomes throwing a multitude of picks in training camp last year was not seen as a bad thing. It allows Qbs to test the limits of their capabilities in a new offense. The key for Winston is to LEARN from these picks rather than nod his head and make the same bonehead move three drives later. Hopefully there is coach in his ear every time to adjust his thinking. I think this isnt doom and gloom until week 1

  6. Magadude Says:

    Joe, seriously you are just part of the negative, unfair media bias covered in the ridiculous book of half-truths about Winston. The apologists will never be objective. Keep your honest opinions coming in calling it like you see it. All should be pushing him hard. He makes millions; if the can’t stand the heat, he shouldn’t be playing. His apologists are weak sauce. Want all love and sunshine up your butt? Go to buccaneers.com.

  7. B-Rad Says:

    Joe you are doing exactly what the haters thought you would do.. you are creating a bs story when there isn’t one and you are trying to breath life into it just to prove your right all while bashing our starting QB. I’m guessing once the national scribes pick it up that Jameis looks awful your job will be done. You make it look like you don’t know a thing about football or people . Look no further then you not understanding why Devin White was so down after his horse died . Really?
    Jameis will only get better. I’m guessing if Jameis was carving up the DB’s you would have written how bad our D still looks. If our head coach is not concerned and he’s not then I’m not. So quit trying to bring the team and fans down.

  8. Magadude Says:

    Running tally of Winston Apologist Excuses:
    – Joe sucks.
    – It’s a new offense.
    – His arm is getting too much work.
    – Unfair negative media and false narratives get him down.
    – He tries too hard.
    – The D sucks.
    – The O Line sucks.
    – The coaching sucks.
    – He can’t idenitfy with his coaches.
    – The software sucks.
    – The weather sucks.
    – The WRs can’t run their routes.
    – The receivers can’t catch.

  9. Magadude Says:

    ^^^Dang….forgot…the run game sucks.

  10. Joe Says:

    Joe you are doing exactly what the haters thought you would do.. you are creating a bs story when there isn’t one

    Joe isn’t “creating” a damn thing. Joe’s not the one throwing passes on the practice field.

  11. Jean Lafitte Says:

    This young secondary is going to make Jameis look terrible or maybe Jameis is trying to make them feel great.

  12. Anthony Dickson Says:

    Break out the torches and pitchforks! It’s an old fashioned shindig.

  13. LordCorn Says:

    With new offense and defense the D still has the edge early in camps; at least per all the talk radio I’ve heard on this subject; which has come up a lot in Denver as they’ve seen the same trend

  14. Defense Rules Says:

    Magadude … How about this one: ‘Friday was their first team practice in well over a month’.

    Oh wait, that’s not an excuse. It actually was their FIRST team practice in over a month. Folks need to chill. This is why they call it PRACTICE.

  15. AlabamaBucsFan Says:

    Jameis is shaking off the rust. He’s just not use to see his own team playing a 3-4 defense.

  16. Magadude Says:

    “Joe isn’t “creating” a damn thing. Joe’s not the one throwing passes on the practice field.”

    BOOM!

  17. Magadude Says:

    DR…good point. For sure.

  18. Kalind Says:

    Pretty poor comparison Joe. Sorry, you’re the man. But I can’t believe I just read you write that a CB learning a defense was equivalent to a QB learning an offense.

    Did I catch that correctly? Surely you jest.

  19. Buc_U Says:

    Joe I don’t think you a Winston hater I think you have battered spouse syndrome. You are so used to bad things happening that any little thing triggers a negative emotional response. It’s ok Joe, it was one bad practice, it will be ok. Now if he starts accumulating bad practices then maybe there is need for concern. I actually see this as a good thing. Jameis was practicing against a terrible defense under Smith so he was able to get away BS and he took that mentality into games. Todd Bowles defense ain’t having it. This is a sign that are defense is playing better as we hoped. Now Jamie’s will have to adjust in practice and it will translate in the games. So take a deep breath and relax Joe.

  20. Magadude Says:

    So I suppose I need to refine the excuse “Joe Sucks” to “Joe torpedoed Winston”

  21. Christopher Schiefen Says:

    2 things…learning a new offense is way more complex than learning a new defense. And this was one of the reasons I “went off” the other day ☺️…the new talent brought in by the team (especially in the secondary) plus a professional, interesting scheme were factors IMO not being considering with one of the Joe’s constant “well, we’re gonna suck again” narrative.

  22. Bird Says:

    Joe

    I can’t believe you sunk to their level
    You had to justify in a second article that you are not a Jameis hater
    One of the most obssessed Jameis fan on the planet.

    What a joke.
    Joe has written maybe 10 articles out of 5,000 that held Jameis in some kind of negative light. And by negative , he said Jameis had a bad practices. The nerve of you joe. How could you. How dare you act objective about Jameis.

    And It’s funny to see all the new names here too . B-rad …is that you Webster ?

    Just wait until Jameis has a good practice which will probably be today. They will scream and shout “oh , I thought Jameis couldn’t have a good practice. “”. Geez joe you are clueless.. you don’t know anything about football “

    Florida State buccaneers unite .

  23. fernando diaz Says:

    underwear football we talking about practice!!! Practice!!!

  24. jmarkbuc Says:

    Terrific that rookie DB’s are flying around making plays, but the other side of that coin is pretty grim.

    #1 draft pick with “High Football IQ”, in his fifth year with an excellent receiving corps, who by all accounts has been putting in tons of work…throwing picks left and right. All in underwear football and no contact…geez.

    Most of the time, if it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck….What’s troubling is BA’s penchant for protecting JW’s pcyche…I thought BA was all about accountability. A fifth year QB with head problems is good for no one.

    All that being said, it is the first week of practice, so maybe everything gets ironed out..but already that sinking feeling is gathering like an afternoon thunder shower in central Florida. You can set your watch by them.

  25. BucEmUp Says:

    Yaaaaawn…..

  26. Buc believer Says:

    Yes sir the members of the pen and mic club and also Joe sure know more than the coach so let’s just take them at their word people….

  27. Whothefcares Says:

    @joe correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t BA say earlier in the off season that Winston will struggle against this new D and that Blaine Gabbert will probably be looking the best out of everyone early on? I’m certain that’s exactly what he said. So far so good in my book. Lets let Winston f up in practice and hopefully he becomes better because of it.

    Also screw the haters- they are still on here making you money

  28. ATrain Says:

    Please

    Joe writes a TRUTHFUL STORY about Winston and now a Dumb A states Joe is running them out of town

    HAS THIS PERSON EVER READ JOE BUCS.

    Obviously NO!!!

    Joe has two loves Winston and GMC

    So to those who wrote this Junk. PLEASE NO WHAT YOUR TALKIG ABOUT

  29. SC Bucs Fan Says:

    Joe caring about someone else’s opinion that isn’t a writer or player? When did that happen?

  30. Ndog Says:

    You’re right Joe let’s get the chant started. Cut him now! Cut him now! Cut him now! I mean we all know that the only reason we have been losing games is because of Jameis Winston and every QB, in the first two days of training camp dominates in a brand new offense going against a brand new defense! I mean come on we expect,, scratch that, demand perfection as that is what are used to around these parts and goodness know the guys we have waiting in the wings cannot possibly be as bad as this loser. So let’s get it going folks CUT HIM NOW! CUT HIM NOW! CUT HIM NOW!

  31. AlteredEgo Say: Your comment is awaiting moderation. Says:

    Welcome to my world…

  32. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Did anyone, including Joe, notice that Joe didn’t refer to Jameis as “Pro Bowler, America’s Quarterback” in this article.

    I could be wrong but this is the first time that has happened.

    Can we read anything into that?

  33. Couch Fan Says:

    Lets turn this whole thing around and look at it from a different perspective. What were Joe or anyone expecting on the 1st practice of training camp or even 2nd day for that matter? Were you expecting him to look like an all pro in a completely new system? Were you expecting him to look just decent? What were the expectations? Me personally, I expected bad throws and mistakes. Its all a learning process. I expect Jameis to be challenged early and often. Nothing more. IMO having any expectations this soon is beyond insane. And making it out as if he had some career defining practice is asinine, sadly thats becoming all to familiar on my favorite website.

  34. Duthsty Rhothdes Says:

    You “fans” realize its the Tampa Bay Bucs not the FSU Jameis’s. Love the objective reports from the practices. Previous years i felt the joes had an inside guy hyping the bucs OL when it was painfully obvious the OL was/is horrible. The blind defense of #3 is craxy. Some of you all are acting like jameis is facing a space jam defense never seen before. Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Cam would be lightning these rookie dbs up and laughing at them. Thanks joes for being an objective tell it like you (and others) see it. Too many people in this new generation get lost over criticism that is made to help and inform. Toughen up, jameis will or it will be the Gabbert Gaboon Vipers Offense this year

  35. jmarkbuc Says:

    Couch Fan

    “Me personally, I expected bad throws and mistakes. Its all a learning process.”

    Well then you have certainly gotten your money’s worth FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

    What is most troubling are the YEARLY stories about how hard JW works…First in last out, extra offseason work, reporting early, VR at home…How’s that working out?

    You play how you practice, that’s what my coaches taught me.

  36. Couch Fan Says:

    Yea that makes no sense Jmark. Winston has had plenty of good practices through his first 4 years. Every QB has bad practices once in a while. How hard someone works doesnt mean they wont have bad practices.

    You are clearly reflecting your own personal hate for Winston into your comment. You are free to have your own opinion but I noticed you didnt answer my question. What was your expectations on Day 1 of training camp? Ill wait.

  37. jmarkbuc Says:

    After all the “extra” work…I wouldn’t expect mostly rookie DB’s to be having their way with JW

    It ain’t Patrick Peterson and Xavier Rhodes back there.

    I’ll say it again…#1 draft pick, “Most NFL Ready prospect since Andrew Luck”, four years experience.. IN a pivotal contract year, no less.

    I would expect JW to be eating DB’s lunch, maybe with one hand tied behind his back.

    I have no “personal hate” for JW…Hate is too strong an emotion to waste on someone you don’t know.

    Just seems to me that the more things change the more they stay the same, but the games have yet to be played, so everything will become apparent.

    Hope I didn’t keep you waiting

  38. Ozzie the Sports Junkie Says:

    Having gone back and forth about the “Current” Bucs qb #3 with Joe for at least the past 2 seasons ,i can confirm he has been defensive and tries to spin positive regarding #3, so to say Joe has been anti #3 is way off..BTW this also was “Americas Quarterback” if I recall…say what you will and they will…Hall of Famer or future Montreal Alouette# 3 has been the MOST hot button no middle ground like him or hate him QB in franchise history…I don’t ever remember the Casey Weldon V Craig Erickson bloodbath skirmishes…I remember a full on riot at a Houlihans Family eatery in 89 when i mentioned Marc Vlassic should start a week 10 meaningless game over Trent Dilfer….if I only had a forum to express these deep,sarcastic yet passionate fairly obvious Bucs takes…maybe someday…..

  39. J Says:

    BA’s meaning of fantastic could mean something completely different to us. Sure JW may not have had a great practice to the eye test but maybe he was making all the right decisions? Just a thought, obviously not a fact.

  40. jmarkbuc Says:

    J

    IMHO, if the practice was as bad as Joe intimated (highly unusual for a Joe), the best thing BA could have done was say “Jameis sucked today”

    There are plenty of posters here who believe that JW would greatly benefit from “tough coaching”. If JW is that fragile, he’ll never make it…and so far he hasn’t.

  41. Duthsty Rhothdes Says:

    Ozzie spot on dilfer, weldon, johnson, garcia, heck simms, who i personally loved and he left his body on field for the bucs…but if ppl said dilfer is garbage no one claimed “your a racist or do not know football or rattled off meaningless stats”

  42. Couch Fan Says:

    Odd. I could of sworn I ask What were your expectations, not what were you not expecting.

    Is it that hard a question?

    Im going to assume you expected them to play like All pros. Again you are entitled to your own opinion but if this is the case, I think you are way off base. I dont think anyone should be eating anyones lunch on day 1 in a new system. Everyone is learning. According to Joes own notes, JW has had just as many good throws as he had bad throws. Not to mention all 3 QBs have been throwing picks. If someone was thinking with an open mind, wouldnt it make more sense that the secondary as a whole is improving? Just something to make you think a little.

    Its also odd how you keep to compare 1 practice to JWs whole career then say its not hate. IDK that seems like you are making it personal to me.

  43. jmarkbuc Says:

    “I would expect JW to be eating DB’s lunch, maybe with one hand tied behind his back.”

    You can read, no?

    It’s not about one practice, it’s about his whole body of work and his tendencies.

    C’mon Couch, we’re all Buc fans here and you know as well as I do that you cheer for the Jersey, essentially..the players come and go. The Hate angle is way overblown. I’ll never be Tmax, and call someone a cancer,,but I won’t be NDog and kiss my Jameis poster every night at bedtime either.

    I just wonder how many years Jameis gets to turn the corner…seems like every year is the “put up or shut up” year, and it’s tiresome.

  44. BucsBandit Says:

    Many of us on this site, diehard Bucs fans that want our team to get back to winning ways, have been telling other fans that Winston isn’t all that.

    Winston has some decent yardage stats, but the “Eye Test” of watching him play shows how MEDIOCRE he really is.

    You know what Jameis is stinkin’ it up in Training Camp?

    It’s that he’s struggling with a new Offense…

    It’s because he went from previous years of Training Camp against one of the WORST DEFENSIVE UNITS in the NFL to now training against a “half decent” Defense with much improved personnel in the secondary.

    #BYEBYEWINSTON

  45. Buczilla Says:

    Joe’s, if anything, you are very pro Jameis but criticize when warranted. I am in trust but verify mode with the dude. My patience is wearing out (Vinny aged me far too prematurely) for all of the quarterbacks that we have had with “potential”.

    With all of the draft capitol that we have thrown at defensive backs, some of them should end up solid at worst with good coaching and so far so good. Hopefully, by the end of preseason we have a surplus of solid db’s that someone would be willing to trade a decent running back for. I have no faith in Licht to pick up Jay Ajayi, since that just makes too much sense. 😅

  46. jmarkbuc Says:

    Bandit

    “Winston has some decent yardage stats, but the “Eye Test” of watching him play shows how MEDIOCRE he really is.”

    BINGO!! The Eye Test, exactly.

    I don’t hate the man, although his off field issues don’t make him a good guy…What I don’t like is his Quarterbacking.

  47. mark2001 Says:

    I think part of the problem is local fan myopia. And that myopia is particularly strong when someone played for or against your favorite team. As I remember Steve Duemig pointed out one time, just talking like a “Bucs are Great” homer wouldn’t just be boring and uninformative, but intellectually dishonest. Most of us want reality, and not that.

    At best, some of us travel around the country and have a chance to interact with knowledgeable fans from other cities; but we don’t have the chance to talk to NFL players, staff, and GM’s current and former, and the best sports writers in the business. Joe does all three and is a position to be able to more objectively compare and contrast our guys to the standards around the league.

    Bottom line.. I’d bet Joe wants the Bucs to be ultimately successful, regardless of the player line up. He benefits in a multitude of ways with that occurring. Don’t “shoot” the messenger for telling you what he sees.

  48. BigMacAttack Says:

    Man up Joe and stop worrying about what people think 🤔. Anyone who doesn’t know how you feel about the team and players, doesn’t read your writing enough. You have the number 1 Bucs’ site and you’re worried about petty BS. Just keep doing what you do

  49. Couch Fan Says:

    You can read, no?

    Yea I can read just didnt think that was an honest answer. Seems rather silly to expect that kind of play on day 1 of training camp from a 25 year old QB in a new system. But I guess thats my fault for expecting sensibility.

    I dont use “hate” very often as you are right its way over blown. Im no stranger to hating on some of our players when warranted. But over reacting tends to be normal on this website lately. like the over reaction on day 1 of training camp.

  50. jmarkbuc Says:

    We’ll all have to wait and see together (again)

  51. Race to 10 Says:

    Yep theres a lot you dont understand but it’s ok it is what it is. But once again media is giving all this hype to the defense and specifically the secondary for going up an offense and players they already know well only to watch them in preseason against the unknown and be surprised by their struggles

  52. WestChap Says:

    Anyone questioning Joe as a JW hater is visiting the site from another team’s fan base. Joe loves Jameis… and I’m relieved to see any criticism of JW from Joe as it means we can trust Joe more when he says JW has a good day at camp.

  53. D-Rome Says:

    One guy on Twitter claimed Joe has an ax to grind with Jameis and is trying to run him out of town. Regular readers of Joe should know how ridiculous of a notion that is.

    This is an absurd notion. Journalists cannot run a player out of town. Players run themselves out of town. If Jay-Miss continues to throw into double coverage like he did on Friday then he’ll be ran out of town by the team.

    6-10.

  54. Clay Travis Says:

    Yes, keep doing the Lord’s work @Magadude! Do your best to run Jameis out of town and to stop people from reading:

    JAMEIS WINSTON DERANGEMENT SYNDROME: How Media Bias Causes Us to Overlook the Start of a Hall of Fame NFL Career

    That book should be banned in Tampa! We can not have any Bucs fan knowing that JAY-MISS compares well to every Hall of Fame quarterback through his first four seasons, even when adjusting for era!

    We can not have any Bucs fan knowing the media has slandered him, ignored actual facts and is dedicated to pushing a false narrative.

    Keep doing the Lord’s work buddy and stop by for our usual cuddle later. I’ll have the Jameis bobble head out and we can throw eggs at it and laugh like always!

    WE WILL WIN for WE ARE LEGION!

  55. lewis Says:

    Joe is drama boy

  56. LongSeason Says:

    Is it possible that the once daunted secondary is now the dauntless secondary and Jameis is feeling that new love from the defense. Tough love. I will never mistake Joe for constructive criticism against Jameis as let’s get rid of him. Nope. Joe has been a Jameis fan from day 1.

  57. Greg Says:

    Joe with an axe to grind? Seriously? Towards Winston? Has that guy ever even read this website before? If Joe showed Jameis any more love he would be a fluffer in Jamesis honeymoon video!

  58. Bucsfanman Says:

    What D-Rome said! It won’t be media or fans who usher Jameis out, if he’s ushered out. Hopefully the ‘bugs’ will get worked out in camp. It’ll be a long season if not!

  59. Buccfan37 Says:

    The Joe’s love for Jameis has been blatant and in our face since day one.