No Pulling Back
December 20th, 2019
Gun it.
It’s full steam ahead for the Bucs offense, despite the wide receiver corps being virtually wiped out by injuries.
Mike Evans is done for the season. Chris Godwin cannot go Saturday (when Kay Adams comes to visit the Den of Depression) and neither can Scotty Miller.
So the Bucs are basically relying on guys that have limited NFL experience or even limited football experience to fill the holes. For example, Cyril Grayson has been on various teams’ practice squads for the past two seasons. Before that he was a track star at LSU but never played football for the Tigers.
Ishmael Hyman is best known for catching four passes for Steve Spurrier’s Orlando Apollos of the now-defunct AAF.
So the Bucs are going to pare back the offense so these guys can contribute, right?
Not in Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians’ world. Arians said Thursday he has no plans on dialing anything back.
“No, the guys that have been here – you put them in positions [that] you think they can do it and be successful,” Arians said. “Just give Jameis [Winston] the trust to go through his progressions and his reads and trust who is out there.”
This just looks awful for the Bucs. Houston is still fighting for a playoff berth. The Texans have a one-game lead in the AFC South with two games to go.
Not only do the Bucs not have a running game, but their passing attack might just be neutered.
If there was ever a time this season for the Bucs tight ends to dominate, this is the time.
December 20th, 2019 at 12:08 am
OJ and Cam to the rescue.
December 20th, 2019 at 12:29 am
RoJo needs to catch 8+ balls Saturday.
December 20th, 2019 at 12:34 am
Jameis wont use the TE that much imo I believe he is at a level where the WRs we have will be sufficient to get the Win. It’s again going to have to come from the defensive side. Force some 3 and outs don’t give up explosive plays, let’s see a pass rush.
December 20th, 2019 at 12:58 am
Where’s Vero Beach Freddie Martino?
December 20th, 2019 at 1:11 am
Clean House – he’s with the XFL Vipers. And they have a strong policy of not releasing players from their contracts to graduate to the NFL prior to completing the season.
Does this mean JW will throw more interceptions than normal? Just kidding. He’s played his way to an extension, how much and how long who knows. I’m guessing 5 yrs $140M. Starting QB pay is what it is. I think BA and BL have seen enough to know they can work with JW.
Go Bucs!
In BA I Trust!
December 20th, 2019 at 1:48 am
38-17 Texans with 1 TD pass and 4 INTs for Jameis … and JW will still deserve to get PAID, as any other gunslinger who didn’t care about stats would have the same sort of game missing both his starting receivers & playing with no run game and behind a bad O-Line.
December 20th, 2019 at 2:48 am
July Joe … Your logic for us losing 38-17 eludes me. You pick the Texans to win big, for Jameis to throw a bunch of picks, but yet “JW will still deserve to get PAID” because the rest of the team sucks in your opinion? That’s what it sounds like to me. Sorry, but great QBs RAISE UP the rest of the team as we’ve seen time & time again throughout NFL history. And great QBs FIND A WAY to lead their team to victory. They don’t need people making excuses for them (bad OLine, no running game, missing receivers).
Houston’s Secondary is circumspect. They rank 28th in Passing Yardage Allowed and 28th in Passing TDs Allowed. WHY should it be ‘acceptable’ for ANY QB to throw 4 INTs (as you offered up) against THAT defense? Jameis has Perriman, OJ, Brate, Barber, RoJo & Dare plus a few others to throw to. Newsflash: they’re ALL NFL professionals who can catch the ball. And BTW, Houston also ranks 19th in Rushing Yardage Allowed, so the Bucs SHOULD be able to run some against them. To ONLY put up 17 points like you’re proposing JJ is condescending to this offense. We’re #3 in Points Scored, remember?
BTW, there’s no reason in the world for the Bucs’ DEFENSE to allow 38 points to this Houston offense (as you offered). Houston’s offense is decent, and averaging a little over 24 PPG, but that’s 2 TDs shy of the 38 points you say they’ll score. Our defense has been averaging 24.3 PPG in this 2nd half of the season (and actually only 22.0 PPG if you subtract the 2 Pick-6’s Jameis coughed up against the Saints & Colts). Our defense is improving steadily, and they’re healthy. This is their opportunity to show that they can hold their own with playoff contenders, as well as to show that they know how to win. And they’ll do exactly that JJ. NO EXCUSES.
December 20th, 2019 at 3:16 am
This is the time we need the Oline to play stout pass blocking to allow Jameis to go through his progressions. I think when he spreads it around to the open guy rather than staring down a receiver and trying to fit tight windows to certain guys is when he gets in trouble. Last game Jameis was hitting guys in stride.
December 20th, 2019 at 4:34 am
Thank you, DR! Big fan of your posts. Love how our defense came to play since JPP is back and VH3 was released.
December 20th, 2019 at 5:49 am
Mixed emotions with this game. Jameis has played well enough for the Bucs to miss out on the best QB prospects in the draft but not well enough for them to be in the playoffs. If he plays well this weekend Bucs could be forced to overpay him going forward. If he plays poorly (showing that some of his recent success is the result of play calling and an exceptional receiving Corp), then his contract value goes down but the Bucs are no better off. Would like to see the Bucs win despite Jameis so that they can negotiate a contract reflective of his career to date rather than recent games against other non-playoff teams. No fun to be routing for business interests rather than football.
December 20th, 2019 at 6:21 am
When Evans went down, everyone said “uh oh,” looks like Godwin will have to pick up the slack. He did and Jameis threw for 456 yards. When Godwin went down, everyone said “uh oh,” now we’re screwed. Apparently we weren’t as Jameis threw for 458. When Scotty Miller went down, everyone said “when is this guy not hurt?”
TDTB would have you believe that Jameis’s recent successes are most likely the result of an exceptional receiving corp and superior play calling. My talking dog, Biff, has a retort to that sublime form of hatred; “why don’t you make like a tree and get outta here.”
December 20th, 2019 at 7:18 am
Jameis will have a good game. When you have sud receivers it’s so easy for him to get locked into their route. However, I’ve noticed that when Mike goes down Jameis spreads the ball around very easily. He goes through is progression the way you teach it. On top of that our play calling has been very good at putting receivers in position to succeed. So I look for Jameis to put up some solid numbers. To me this game will come down to our protection and our defense limiting those extended plays by Watson. Also our special teams fg and punt team. If we can do those things I see us winning 27 – 20
December 20th, 2019 at 7:21 am
I’m betting on JW taking advantage of that 28th ranked passing defense…38-17, LOL, okay.
December 20th, 2019 at 7:37 am
Time for the Defense & the running game to show up……..time for many screens and dumps to Rojo……
December 20th, 2019 at 7:43 am
You are delusional “defense rules”. And your name is ironic. You guys act like this defense is LIGHTS OUT or something. Still a ways to go. And the offensive line is way behind that. Forget the running game…”Paltry” is too kind a word.
Favre “lifted up” SQUAT until Reggie White entered the fold.
Saying Jameis can’t overcome the Texans, himself, isn’t an admission that he’s at fault. Quite the opposite. Switch qbs and it’s the SAME result. THATS the point, goofballs.
December 20th, 2019 at 7:44 am
Simple game plan. Everybody go deep. Especially if the football gods bless you with being covered by Hargreaves.
December 20th, 2019 at 7:45 am
IMO there is absolutely 0 pressure on our QB1 in this game. We are shorthanded. I’m kind of confused why all people focus on is our QB. This game doesnt mean sheet to us. The mentality is let’s go out and play some football. These guys we are up against are a playoff team. Let’s go out there and have fun and hit some mo fos. Let’s air it up. Lets see who makes more big plays.
We are not in the playoffs. Let’s not be happy about it. Run somebody over. This site is called Joe Bucs Fan. I’m a Bucs Fan. 4 life. It’s time us the fans get behind our team. Some of the posts I read on this site are such a joke. Constructive criticism is one thing. But I will tell any of you fair weather fans one thing it’s time to make your decision. Trust the coach the management the team. Have there back. Do not allow anyone to talk sheeet. If we lose be bummed out. But do not point fingers. And wine like a bunch of little female dogs. Cheers everyone and let’s goooo!!!!!!!!!
December 20th, 2019 at 7:46 am
31-26 Texans.
Jameis has 50+ attempts 440 yds 3 tds 2 int’s.
#1 or #2 wr and it’s another W.
December 20th, 2019 at 8:06 am
I’m glad to see Watson get his opportunity. He’s not a rookie, very smart fellow, has the physical talent. Tomorrow we’ll see what beats in his chest. How will Perriman do as the #1? Can B.L. tweak his offense this week getting the T.E.’s more involved? Be sad if we were in the playoff hunt missing Mike, and Chris, but in the long run, this will help the team down the road.
December 20th, 2019 at 8:07 am
@DR,
“…great QBs RAISE UP the rest of the team as we’ve seen time & time again…”
I somewhat agree with this statement, but there is a limit to the unrealistic threshold you are putting Jameis in. So, if we don’t win, its Jameis’ fault? Since “great QBs raise up, how did the GOAT Brady do against this same team in 2019?
Personally, I think Jameis does a great job of making those around him better. Perriman is having a career year; same for Hump when he was here; Brate, Godwin, etc. If it were only ME, one could make the argument ME makes Jameis look good, but that is obviously not the case. But there is a limit. A QB needs some talent in his WRs, as evidenced by the year Brady is having. And to add to the potential problems we may face against the Texans, is route knowledge and chemistry with Jameis. The Texans are not the great, but they are a playoff team. Hopefully, Jameis and the Bucs will rise up!!
December 20th, 2019 at 8:14 am
Does anyone really believe the Bucs can win this game? Not a chance…playing a team still in contention….oodles of injuries to key players. I smell blowout and of course the racists and Gator fans can blow up on Winston.
December 20th, 2019 at 8:34 am
I expect the passing game to still be fairly explosive this week – even without either of the best 1-2 receiving combo in the league.
Jameis will throw for over 300 yards vs the Texans while making his #3 and #5 receivers plus a couple of practice squad guys look like legit starters….
Winston is on a roll and will prove beyond doubt this coming Sunday why he is worth upwards of $25M.
December 20th, 2019 at 8:34 am
next man up….
GO BUCS!!!!!
December 20th, 2019 at 8:37 am
Licht headed—you are light headed. Way to go Buc47Life—I could not have said it better!!!!!!!!
December 20th, 2019 at 8:40 am
HopefullyVH3 will be on the field and JW and BL should exploit him. This game will come down to minimizing turnovers and containing Their QB in the pocket with hopefully our strong pass rush.
December 20th, 2019 at 9:10 am
GD Bucs47life now you got me all hyped up. I too am sick of the fair weather, negative fans that feel that always have something to say, win or lose. Let’s get behind our team & play angry.
December 20th, 2019 at 9:10 am
GD Bucs47life now you got me all hyped up. I too am sick of the fair weather, negative fans that feel they always have something to say, win or lose. Let’s get behind our team & play angry.
December 20th, 2019 at 10:31 am
Jameis is on the verge of being an even bigger millionaire than he already is.
That would make me nervous as heck.
But one thing everyone can agree on, Jaboo dances to the beat of a different drummer.
December 20th, 2019 at 11:03 am
Lets keep it simple.We all need to put all our chips in the middle of the table and fearlessly back our Bucs these last two weeks.KICK ASS JAMEIS AND TAKE NO PRISONERS!!!!!!!!!!
December 20th, 2019 at 11:15 am
Where is BOBO wilson this is his shot. He’ll get to play the last two games with his buddy and audition for other teams.
December 20th, 2019 at 11:21 am
Bobo Wilson is under contract with the Carolina Panthers.
December 20th, 2019 at 3:39 pm
Joe Says:
“Bobo Wilson is under contract with the Carolina Panthers.”
Wilson is on the Panthers Practice Squad. Bucs could have signed Bobo to our 53 man roster off Carolina’s PS if BA had wanted him back. Obviously they didn’t want Bobo back….