Countdown: Top 10 X-factors For 2018 – No. 1
July 25th, 2018
“Do you believe this selection, Jason?”
Training camp opens tomorrow at One Buc Palace!!
So it’s time for No. 1 on the mighty countdown of the top 10 X-factors for your 2018 Buccaneers season.
Enjoy!
No. 1 – Team Glazer
No member of Team Glazer will line up for a field goal or cover Michael Thomas on opening day in New Orleans, but ownership very likely has big decisions to make this season — and they revolve around the quarterback and the head coach.
There are so many variables and potential scenarios.
First and foremost, will Team Glazer call the shots on who plays quarterback in Week 4 this season? Will they step in? Insert whatever record you want for the Buccaneers after three games; that Week 4 decision at QB could go a variety of ways. A good start to the season will bring forth a massive quarterback controversy — like it or not.
Then there’s the very hot seat of Dirk Koetter. No offense to Koetter, but any third-year NFL head coach coming off a losing season is on a hot seat. Simple as that.
Might Team Glazer pull the plug on Koetter in November if he has a third consecutive poor first half of the season? It appears that’s becoming an increasing NFL trend.
Joe wants the football people making all the football decisions, but that’s just not NFL reality. And this season might bring ownership calls to the forefront more than ever before. Usually, that’s a bad thing.
Joe will drink a cold one tonight hoping the Bucs find a way to start the season 2-2 and avoid fans — and possibly ownership — getting dejected and disgusted by the Week 5 bye week.
No. 2 – Brent Grimes
No. 3 – Jameis Winston
No. 4 – Rookie Corners
No. 5 – Jason Pierre-Paul
No. 6 – Todd Monken Impact
No. 7 – Ronald Jones
No. 8 – Contract Years
No. 9 – Ryan Fitzpatrick
No. 10 – Noah Spence
And just in case you missed the series introduction, here are four guys you won’t see on The Countdown and why.
July 25th, 2018 at 2:25 pm
I’m just wondering if they do fire Koetter in November does Smitty go too, or become the Interim HC.
I’m inclined to think if the Bucs are losing it has got to be on the defensive side of the ball.
Is Todd Monken the interim or does Buckner throw his hat in the ring?
Obviously I hate to avoid all this, but I sure would like to see what Todd Monken can do calling plays if Dirk sails his ship out of Buccaneer Cove.
July 25th, 2018 at 2:34 pm
I feel like this team is going to the playoffs ifeverything goes right or the wheels fall off and we pick in the top 5 again. No in between. It will be interesting to see but like Joe… lets start at least 2-2 to make it interesting. Tough start, even chicago looks tough on a short week
July 25th, 2018 at 2:45 pm
43
well, if dirk is fired in Nov. I would think the team as a whole is underachieving…..no scoring and not stopping anyone from scoring….I doubt dirk would fire smitty in Oct. if the defense is still lousy which would lead to both getting canned in Nov.
in that situation if both are canned, I would like to see what buckner can do….he’s a former player so I think he would have a better understanding of what it takes to win imo….
with that said, if we do underachieve licht is mostly gone and the new GM will want his staff….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
July 25th, 2018 at 2:52 pm
@Joe … “A good start to the season will bring forth a massive quarterback controversy — like it or not.” I like it.
July 25th, 2018 at 2:52 pm
Dirk “We were done before Columbus Day” Koetter.
July 25th, 2018 at 2:54 pm
“A good start to the season will bring forth a massive quarterback controversy — like it or not.” I like it.
***************************************************************
it aint how you start….its how you finish!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
July 25th, 2018 at 2:56 pm
“Then there’s the very hot seat of Dirk Koetter.”
Sorry, but I think the only people who “know” that Coach K is on the ‘hot seat’ are the Glazers. For everyone else, it’s just speculation, based on whether they think Coach K should be…or not. If he isn’t, you’ll all go looking for excuses why not, or just ignore the fact. If he is fired, you’ll crow about how you knew all along. Just typical talking head behavior.
July 25th, 2018 at 2:57 pm
“First the Glazers dont fire mid season
2nd, Gump isnt going nowhere because the Glazers adore Forrest.
3rd, If Klueless doesnt go 8-8, Gump will fire him
4th, Jim Schwarrtz is by far the top candidate for HC next year
5th, JW3 will play the rest of the year and hopefully get the best trade value for him (late 1st round)
6th, Gump will draft a QB in the first round and Gump and Jim Schwartz will sign Nick Foles to be the bridge QB and starter for the 2019 Tampa Bay Bucs”
“7th, I Kobe Faker aka “Jameis Uhaul driver” will be posting at a Canadian football blog”
Canada’s Quarterback Jameis Winston
July 25th, 2018 at 3:19 pm
I’ve got a couple buddies who run a fan site. Their traffic will go way down if we start 0-3 or 1-4. Nobody takes them into consideration when decisions are made. It’s patently unfair.
July 25th, 2018 at 3:23 pm
There should be zero QB controversy when Winstons suspension ends. That should be addressed by DK in the first team meeting prior to camp starting. Even if the Bucs start 3-0, Winston should start game 4. He is the quarterback, Fitz is his backup. A 3-0 start would also put more pressure on Jamies to play well (which I believe he will). If Fitz can win the first 3, and the Bucs start to lose the next 3-4 games when Jamies returns, then you put Fitz back in. If that’s the case then we will have a new QB in camp next year.
July 25th, 2018 at 3:34 pm
The only question on game 4 is who is best prepared to start….it’s a short week and Jameis would have been out for three weeks prior…..if Jameis is ready, he will start.
July 25th, 2018 at 3:44 pm
The Glazers have a track record of not firing coaches mid season but I do believe this year is different in many ways. The are terribly embarrassed that the leader of their team, which I see as all smoke and no fire, lied to them with a straight face and then team Glazers turns around and supports him publicly. They are pissed beyond belief. This will result in the GM and HC termination before the season is over. Smith will most likely be the interim coach, and then he will be relieved of his duties at the end of the year. There will be a new GM and he will bring in his own crew. 2019 will be one heck of a rebuilding year. To that end, the new regime will want nothing to do with JW, just as Gruden did not.
July 25th, 2018 at 3:45 pm
Glazers are the #1 “X-Factor”???
C’Mon Joe. That only applies if the team is outright terrible.
If the Bucs are competitive and winning at least half their games – the owners are going to sit back and observe what happens and not say or do a thing until they see the final 2018 results.
How could “Defensive Line” not be your #1 X-Factor?? – Much less not even make the list???
Better yet – “The Trenches” – because last year’s Oline was as ineffective at run blocking as the Dline was at stopping it.
July 25th, 2018 at 3:49 pm
Dirk Koetter will be the Head Coach for the next 3-5 years, as a result of this season. Watch and see!
Joe threw me a twist with the #1 spot!
July 25th, 2018 at 4:07 pm
It’s really no mystery about Team Glazer. They will give everyone raises and contract extensions only then to fire everyone. #PaidFloridaVacation #GlazerLootIsTheBest
July 25th, 2018 at 4:10 pm
Jp_09 Says– I disagree completely. First off Winston won’t play week 4 no matter what. He will have no practice time with the team and they will wait for the bye to consider playing him. If Fitz is 3-1 Winston is done…
July 25th, 2018 at 4:33 pm
Team Glazer #1 ?…………..We’re screwed
July 25th, 2018 at 4:36 pm
I don’t see ownership doing anything during the season. If MRSA, a QB controversy, billboards, a giraffe, and an 0-8 start didn’t spur action from the Glazers mid-season then nothing will.
July 25th, 2018 at 4:55 pm
@Jp_09 … “Even if the Bucs start 3-0, Winston should start game 4. He is the quarterback, Fitz is his backup.” Most JBFers would probably agree with you JP, but I don’t. You play … at EVERY position … the player who gives the TEAM the best chance of winning. No exceptions for QBs or RBs who get themselves suspended, or for anyone else on the TEAM. If the Bucs start 3-0 and Fitz is playing great in leading the TEAM to that record, I’m sorry Jameis, but you’re still on the bench. Now if the Bucs start 3-0 and Fitz is playing mediocre, then it’s a different story. But the bottom line remains the same: you play whoever gives the TEAM the best chance of winning. No exceptions.
July 25th, 2018 at 4:58 pm
@Pickgrin … “How could “Defensive Line” not be your #1 X-Factor?? – Much less not even make the list??? Better yet – “The Trenches” I was thinking the same thing Pickgrin. Only I thought the OLine would be #1 and the DLine would be #2. It’s all about what happens in ‘The Trenches’ this year. And our OLine IMO is more of a concern … right now at least … than the DLine.
July 25th, 2018 at 5:04 pm
Defense rules no matter how good Fitzpatrick is playing jameis will start. Jameis is better than Fitzpatrick hands down no one can disagree with that. So you play your best players. If we are 3-0 with Fitzpatrick then we should be even better with jameis playing qb. If Mike Evans gets hurt for 3 games and Godwin goes off and we go 3-0 do you say sorry mike. Godwin is the starter now we went 3-0 with him. So get ready for some special teams coverage. You will be are 4th wide receiver on passing downs. Heck no he comes back starts and we are that much better
July 25th, 2018 at 5:41 pm
Jeffbuc, guess we gotta agree to disagree. To me it’s all about TEAM … play whoever gives you the best chance of winning. If Koetter had followed that one simple rule we would’ve won more games IMO. For instance, Jameis was definitely hurting in Game 5 against the Cards (watch the tape where he gets body-slammed on the shoulder). Instead of sitting him right then, he starts Games 6, 7 & 8 … ALL LOSSES. Everyone blames the defense (and they certainly didn’t rise to the occasion, except against the Panthers where they only gave up 17 pts), but we might’ve had a better chance had we scored more than 3 pts against Carolina & 10 pts against the Saints. Hard to say how the game would’ve played out. Playing Martin BTW was the same thing … he obviously made a lot more $$$ than Barber, but he didn’t give us the best chance of winning.
July 25th, 2018 at 5:42 pm
Hopefully the Glazers show how much they really do care about their franchise and their fan base and Winston NEVER sees the field in a Bucs uniform again.
July 25th, 2018 at 5:43 pm
Then there’s the very hot seat of Dirk Koetter. No offense to Koetter,
JOE – you have such a way with words, was there a pun intended there?
July 25th, 2018 at 6:00 pm
I can’t believe I’m saying this:
Good post Kobe Faker. A little out there but pretty good!
July 25th, 2018 at 6:33 pm
How number’s 1, 2 and 3 aren’t Dirk Koetter, Mike Smith and Brenston Buckner is beyond me. The efforts of the coaching staff are far, far more important to the success of the 2018 Bucs than the owners are.
July 25th, 2018 at 9:16 pm
Everybody assumes that Koetter will be fired if the Bucs post a (pick your choice) record.
I believe the Glazers will look at what happens and how we get to our record.
Remember Chucky had a losing record for the Bucs after that SB season. Yet even after he seemed to turn a corner with back to back 9-7 he was fired.
Going into December his last year, the Buccaneers were on pace at 9-3 to make the playoffs, claim a bye week and have home field advantage. However, the Buccaneers went winless in the month of December, in no small part due to a defensive collapse that saw the team give up an average of 30.75 points per game.
How you get to your record is almost as important as what the record is itself.
We’ll never know if the Glazers might have fired Koetter if the Bucs had lost that final game…or at minimum if they hadn’t proved they didn’t quit on him as players did earlier with Chucky.
There are so many variables to this season we’re going to have to wait to see how things turn out and how this team plays for Koetter in terms of effort and preparation.
July 25th, 2018 at 9:59 pm
If Fitz starts I think Jameis starts week 4 regardless. If Griffin starts and goes 3 and 0, or 2 and 1, Jameis may have played his last snap as a buc. Anything could happen.
None of that matters as long as Mike Smith is still here though.
July 25th, 2018 at 10:17 pm
I can’t see the Glazers stepping on Licht or Koetter’s toes. No way. It doesn’t fit their M.O.
July 25th, 2018 at 10:18 pm
After the season if it’s bad they will step in, but not on who plays. No way Jose.
July 25th, 2018 at 11:51 pm
spbf Says:
“We’ll never know if the Glazers might have fired Koetter if the Bucs had lost that final game…”
Glazers came out publicly 2 days before the Saints game and said Koetter was coming back…. The coaching staff was coming back win or lose that last game.
July 26th, 2018 at 10:07 pm
The 4th game is a decade away. Let’s see how we get through the first 3 games first. If Fitz is 2-1 or better there’s no telling how Koetter, with his job on the line, might decide. He might feel safer with Fitz managing the game.