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The Panthers are awful this year and banged up. But Derek “Old School” Fournier of WhatTheBuc.net cautions Bucs fans that John Fox is a damned good coach and isn’t about to throw in the towel.
The way “Run Micheal Run” Spurlock has played for the Bucs, both in a previous stint and his current hitch, it’s hard to believe or imagine Spurlock was nearly out of football.
Cut by the San Francisco 49ers and relegated to the UFL, Spurlock has a new found love of the NFL and the Bucs, so writes Joe Henderson of the Tampa Tribune.
“It was a very humbling period,” Spurlock said. “Everything was on the up and up in San Francisco. It was looking like I had a home. Then, all of a sudden, you have to go home and tell your wife you don’t have a job.”
He wound up in Orlando, where commercial flights weren’t the only difference. “In the UFL, you’re limited to one or two pair of cleats,” he said. “You get maybe one or two pair of gloves. Everything is limited. It was almost like you were back in high school; this guy might have an extra pair of socks or gloves, so you deal with him.
“It made guys closer, but it also made me respect the NFL and what it’s all about. I think we take for granted what we have, what the NFL stands for, and all the people before us who made it what it is today.”
In the story, Henderson writes that quarterback Josh Freeman trusts very few teammates more than Spurlock, and often goes to the wide receiver when all hell seems to be breaking loose.
Great story, as can be expected, from Henderson. Spurlock is one of Joe’s favorite players and he hopes to hear Gene Deckerhoff yell “run Micheal run” early and often Sunday.
You know him. You love him. He is Pat Kirwan of CBSSports.com. In this video, he and his partner Jason Horowitz break down the Panthers-Bucs game.
It appears Jeremy Zuttah's days as a left guard may be over with the Bucs. Local product Ted Larsen has kept the starting job at left guard.
Ted Larsen grew up in Pinellas County. He played for that (not so much) football powerhouse Palm Harbor University High. Larsen was the school’s first Division-I recruit.
After passing through the Patriots organization he landed with the Bucs and, due to injuries found himself in the starting lineup. It appears he will be there for a few more games, per eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune who Twittered the news on the TBO Bucs Twitter feed.
Rookie Ted Larsen may have won the starting job at left guard ahead of third-year pro Jeremy Zuttah. It’s something to watch Sunday.
Jeremy Zuttah has been somewhat of a disappointment as a left guard. But as a center (he filled in for injured Jeff Faine) and previously at right guard (when he played for an injured Davin Joseph as a rookie), Zuttah has done quite well.
It seems the Bucs have come to the same conclusion. Should Faine (with a hefty contract) be concerned?
As one local member of the Bucs press corps texted Joe Thursday afternoon, “Steve White tells it like it is.”
The former Bucs defensive end has keen interest in the Bucs, the Bucs defensive line, and in particular Gerald McCoy. The struggling Bucs rookie defensive tackle is starting to come under criticism from some sports radio talking heads and White has kept a watching gaze as to how the Bucs are handing his development.
White devours just about anything written about the Bucs. In his latest post on his blog “Passing on the Game,” White has a hunch there are certain eyes that are monitoring his blog and he believes he has some evidence of such.
But in particular, White focuses on how GMC is being coached up and, to be succinct, White believes someone on the defensive staff is dropping the ball, in so many words.
Here’s the truth, Ive watched every game and I don’t think any team has changed their pass protection rules because of McCoy. In fact I’m about as close to being sure of it as you can get next to sitting in the offensive line meeting rooms of the opposing teams. But if you don’t know what the opposing team protection scheme is and you keep sending McCoy to the side where the center is already supposed to slide, then yeah I guess he WILL keep getting double teamed.
White’s post is explosive and not too kind on the Bucs defensive staff. Joe strongly encourages his readers to educate themselves and read White’s post in its entirety.
Someone called Emory Hunt has a video where he explains how the Panthers can beat the Bucs. He also explains how the Bucs can beat the Panthers. Joe finds his logic faulty when Hunt claims the Panthers would be wise to chase Freeman out of the pocket. Well, how’d that turn out for the Kittens earlier this year? Joe says, “Keep that up John Fox!”
Joe knows there are talking heads on local sports radio trying to whip Bucs fans into a frenzy saying 2010 first round pick Gerald McCoy is the next coming of the late Gaines Adams.
Joe thinks this is outrageous, that rookie defensive tackles struggle and to expect GMC to be the next Warren Sapp or even Booger McFarland his rookie year is simply over the top.
Peter King can sense the pressure building about GMC from his lofty condo in chilly Boston. But he believes that GMC will have a break out game this weekend.
Languishing in the shadow of the very famous rookie defensive-tackle twin Ndamukong Suh, McCoy trails Suh in sacks after half a season, 6.5 to 0. That could change when the Bucs host Carolina on Sunday. Sack-starved Tampa Bay, last in the NFL with six sacks, plans to start trying to free up McCoy so he’ll have a better chance and more freedom to rush the passer. McCoy was considered a strong interior pass-rush prospect when drafted out of Oklahoma, one slot behind Suh in Detroit, and while he’s been disruptive at times in the season’s first half, he hasn’t pressured the quarterback nearly as much as the Bucs had hoped. Look for some defensive calls to try to get McCoy isolated on one blocker against Carolina.
Joe’s not going to go over point-by-point why it’s insane to bury GMC already. Joe’s written why too many times.
Joe just asks Bucs fans to be patient.
Earlier this week, Joe heard Josh Freeman utter the folllowing quote that appears today in a feature story on Cadillac Williams by Woody Cummings of The Tampa Tribune:
“Cadillac knows it as well as anybody,” Freeman said. “We’ll go up to the line and he knows the protection calls and exactly who’s blocking who. “He even knows the offensive line matchups, so if we have a mismatch or they’re stunting inside, he knows he can step up and help a guy out.
“A guy like Cadillac, it’s really impossible to replace what he’s doing for us right now.”
This is all very nice. But while the Bucs can’t replace Cadillac’s blocking prowess, they can adjust the offense to need him to do a lot less of it.
Is that on the way? They have to be smarter about how they use LeGarrette Blount.
Early in the Atlanta game, the Bucs trotted out Blount for the first time, didn’t hand him the ball and stuck him in a position to pick up a blitz. Blount failed and Freeman got nailed.
Joe is stuck on all this because more Blount and less Cadillac is ultimately going to be a key to the Bucs posting a winning season.
A weekend is not complete without the solid, educational, informative fantasy football advice from Joe’s good friend Justin Pawlowski of WDAE-AM 620. Justin seems to have been influenced by Cosmic Schein in a couple of ways. See if you can tell Joe what those examples are.
Slur-hurling Trey Wingo, Darren Woodson and Herm Edwards discuss the Panthers-Bucs game in this BSPN video.
The Bucs’ head coach is 5-3 and his team is on the rise. He’s also 8-16 overall for an organization that wasn’t satisfied with 9-7 and wants to build a lasting contender.
Does Raheem Morris deserve a new contract?
Rick Stroud, of the St. Pete Times, shared some tender time with the head coach to talk about what Stroud says is Team Glazer’s one-year option on Raheem for 2011 and what the future holds.
“I’ve been Mr. One-Year Contract Boy for a long time,” [Raheem] said. “I kind of like being a free agent. It makes you hotter.
“A lot of people are not confident in that situation. But I’ve got a lot of confidence and belief in myself and in what we’re doing that things will work itself out.”
Assuming there’s a football season next year, Joe’s quite certain Raheem will return, barring a total collapse during the remainer of 2010. Joe would define a collapse as the Bucs winning just two more games to finish 7-9.
If that happened, barring an injury to Josh Freeman, Joe wouldn’t be so confident in Raheem’s future.
Perhaps that sounds harsh, but a 2-6 finish to the season and major struggles at the gate is a poor combination for any head coach.
There is no better way to prepare for the NFL weekend than the latest edition of “Cosmic Schein,” featuring Adam Schein of FoxSports.com. Among the topics are Eric Mangini, “America’s quarterback” David Garrard, and Jerry Jones. Joe has a hunch Bucs fans will enjoy what Schein has to say about the Bucs game with Carolina.
"Olie, get ready to throw 50 times in Baltimore."
As a manly man, Joe has NFL Network. Therefore Joe watched a hell of a game last night between the Ravens and Falcons.
Unfortunately, Atlanta is now 7-2, a game and a half ahead of the Bucs.
The Falcons came out throwing, and on the second play from scrimmage Matt Ryan was all but decapitated by Tyrell Suggs. Joe had to laugh, remembering how the Bucs never got to the Falcons QB.
The Ravens made the Falcons’ stud running game look feeble, holding Michael Turner to 39 yards on 17 carries. His longest run was eight yards. But the Falcons had too much firepower and won 26-21, about the same score they beat the Bucs five days ago.
Raheem Morris seemed to know earlier this week that the Ravens would stop Turner while talking about the Bucs’ challenges stopping the run.
“We’re not the Ravens yet. You know I’m not going to kid you there,” Raheem said. “We don’t go out there and stand up … shed blocks and shed tackles all day. Limit you to minus-2 rushing or something like that. I’m not going to be unrealistic.”
Rather than believe in the Falcons’ incredible home record, Joe believed Raheem was seeing something special for the Ravens’ defense on film as it related to Atlanta, and Joe took the Ravens and 1 1/2 points in his pool. Oh, well.
The Bucs’ trip to Baltimore in a few Sundays might require a miracle of epic proportions. Hopefully, they’ll be 7-3 when they get there.
Good guy Stephen Holder discusses potential changes upcoming for the Bucs offensive line in this St. Petersburg Times video.
Despite Joel Glazer saying loud and clear that “money will never be an issue” when it comes to building the Bucs, Rick Stroud of the St. Pete Times doesn’t seem to believe him.
Stroud told his followers cutting Derrick Ward was a business decision. Now Stroud says Jeff Faine possibly riding the bench this week could also be a business decision.
Stroud was reacting to Raheem Morris saying at his news conference today that Faine will have to battle for his job with fill-in center Jeremy Zuttah and there is a concern that Faine is not in game shape despite being healthy.
“There’s an economic angle to this,” Stroud said on 1010 AM to host J.P. Peterson Thursday.
Stroud talked about the mega millions of non-guaranteed cash owed Faine and said “purely from a business standpoint, …knowing what you know about the Bucs, is it a stretch to think [Faine’s] not within their plans?”
Joe knows the Bucs are light years below what would be the salary cap floor when/if a salary cap returns to the NFL with a new labor agreement.
The Bucs will be forced to spend gobs of cash when that day comes. Considering Faine’s age and time missed for injury, Joe would rather see the Bucs spend that dough elsewhere versus on Faine.
Now Joe is sure his readers fly to Vegas to wager legally, versus placing bets with the guy whose cell number changes every week.
Regardless of how or why you wager, Joe knows there are many aspiring handicappers reading. So to please the gambling crowd, Joe has turned to superpicker Bob Fox. A writer for various sports publications over the years, Fox flashed his stellar picking skills back in 2008 on JoeBucsFan.com, when Joe had a contest here among sports media.
Fox gives you a handful of games here every week. To date, Fox is 24-12 on the season. Not too shabby.
By BOB FOX
JoeBucsFan.com analyst
Baltimore Ravens 24, Atlanta Falcons 20
This game will be the first televised by the NFL Network in 2010, and it matches two teams that are 6-2 and leading their respective divisions. The Falcons are coming off a big win vs. the Bucs, which was also in Atlanta, like this game will be. However, the Tampa Bay game might have come at a very large cost as WR Roddy White suffered a knee injury that has made him questionable for tonight. White is key in the Atlanta passing game, along with TE Tony Gonzales. But the running game is what makes the Falcons click, as they are sixth in the NFL in rushing, behind RB Michael Turner. The Ravens can stop the run at times, as they are ranked 13th in the NFL, plus they play the pass well (led by S Ed Reed), as they are ranked ninth. The Ravens offense is very balanced, as they are ranked 10th in rushing and 14th in passing behind QB Joe Flacco. I just like the Ravens ability to make big plays more in this game, whether it’s someone like RB Ray Rice, ILB Ray Lewis or a ball hawking safety like Reed making a game changing play. I know there won’t be many fans disappointed in the Tampa Bay area if the Ravens win, that’s for sure.
Florida Gators 31, South Carolina Gamecocks 24
Who would have believed just a few weeks ago that the Gators would have any chance of winning the SEC East and advancing to the SEC championship game after dropping three straight games in October. Luckily for the Gators, those three losses all came from SEC West teams (Alabama, LSU and Mississippi State). Since then, the Gators have turned it around, winning a key game vs. Georgia and then blowing out Vanderbilt. QB John Brantley has been exceptionally sharp under center in these last two games for the Gators, completing 63 percent of his passes for 350 yards and two touchdowns as the Gators offense is starting to play pretty well. The Gators defense has been solid all year, as they are ranked seventh nationally. South Carolina, meanwhile, has gone 2-2 after upsetting top ranked Alabama. The loss last week to Arkansas was eye-opening, as the Gamecocks secondary gave up 303 yards to Ryan Mallet in a 41-20 beat down. South Carolina plays the run pretty well, but the Cocks are ranked 106th in the country vs. the pass. QB Stephen Garcia has had a nice season overall, but he’ll be going against a very tough secondary. The Cocks have lost to the Gators four straight years, plus this year’s game is at the Swamp, so I see the Gators taking care of their former old ball coach…Steve Spurrier…as Gator nation will be thrilled by the win.
Chicago Bears 20, Minnesota Vikings 17
The game between the Vikings and the Bears in Chicago is huge for many reasons. The Bears need to win to stay even with the Packers who are 6-3 and lead the NFC North. The Vikings need to win, as another loss will put them 3-6 and on life support with another game vs. the Pack looming next week. The Vikings are still a team that is imploding, even thought they came back from two touchdowns down very late in the game last week to defeat Arizona at home. It was another classic Brett Favre comeback that led the way, but the win also allowed head coach Brad Childress to keep his job, the same week he waived WR Randy Moss without first gaining approval by team owner Zygi Wilf. The Vikings had acquired Moss just a month or so ago by trading a third-round pick to the Patriots. In addition to all that, Childress had a spirited argument with WR Percy Harvin last week at practice, just a week or so after throwing Favre under the bus after the game in the 28-24 loss to the Packers at Lambeau. Talk about a dysfunctional family. Da Bears have played Favre and the Vikings very tough at home recently (beat the Vikes 36-30 last year in the Windy City), and I see the eighth-ranked Chicago defense (led by Brian Urlacher and Charles Tillman) making enough big plays to cause a total implosion for the Vikings.
Pittsburgh Steelers 27, New England Patriots 24
The Steelers come off a big road win against the Bengals on Monday night, while the Patriots suffered a shocking 34-14 defeat on the road at the hands of the suddenly surging Browns. This game on Sunday night will be at Heinz Field, and all signs point to another Pittsburgh win. The Pats are 6-2, but seem to be winning behind smoke and mirrors, as the New England offense is ranked only 19th, while the defense is ranked 27th. QB Tom Brady has been very solid though, as he has thrown 14 TD passes to just four interceptions, for a 95.7 QB rating. The Steelers also have an elite QB in Ben Roethlisberger, as the rust is starting to wear off from his four-game suspension to start the year, as Big Ben has thrown 6 TD passes compared to three picks, for a QB rating of 96.8. In addition, the Steelers have a nice running game as well, led by RB Rashard Mendenhall, who has 702 yards rushing thus far, along with seven TDs. But in Pittsburgh, everything starts with the defense and this year is no exception, as the Steelers are ranked fourth. The Steel Curtain defense is ranked No. 1 vs. the run in the NFL, while they are only 24th in pass defense. Brady could use that to his advantage, if he can stay upright. The Steelers are tied for fifth in the NFL in sacks, while Brady has only been sacked 13 times in 8 games. Bottom line, I see the Steelers outlasting the Pats.
Ronde Barber told a group of Carolina reporters yesterday that Raheem Morris’ approach is spot on for this young football team.
Joe listened in on the Panthers’ official website and Barber said there’s been no let up to Raheem’s high-energy approach since Day 1.
“Raheem’s a lot looser than some of the other coaches I’ve had here, but his approach to football and his approach to what goes on in this building I think relates well to a young football team. And so everybody’s excited for it, still excited for it,” Barber said. “That energy hasn’t died down at all. It’s always a hard transition when you’re getting a new coach. But he made it as easy as possible, even though we were struggling a little bit last year.”
No doubt Raheem has the Bucs playing extraordinarily hard from top to bottom on the roster.
Joe wonders whether Raheem will have the magic touch for knowing when to tighten — or futher loosen — the reigns and manage the club when it matures this year and beyond.
Yes, the gorgeous Jenny Dell has returned after vanishing last week, to babble statistical nonsense at you, not that whatever comes out of Jenny’s mouth truly matters in this BSPN video.
For some reason the local newspaper scribes have decided to focus on Gerald McCoy and the anemic pass rush today, and changes coming to the defensive line play.
Joe’s merely browsed through the assorted mumbo jumbo, since Joe prefers his D-line analysis from former Bucs defensive lineman Steve White’s blog, which is usually light years ahead of the curve.
But one quote in Sarasota Herald-Tribune beat writer Tom Balog’s story stood out to Joe. It comes from Bucs D-line coach Todd Wash on Gerald McCoy.
“He’s really, I’d say, five plays away from having five sacks and being right where he needs to be,” said Buccaneers defensive line coach Todd Wash. “Maybe it’s technique letdown. He’s close. He’s seeing those little tiny things that maybe he got away with in college are really keeping him from getting three or four sacks up to this point.”
Now if stats are for losers, then who are almost stats are for? Stats like the five plays Wash is talking about.
Joe has to see it on the field at this point. The Bucs are winning, but they’re awful against the run and they’re flirting with the NFL record for fewest sacks in a season.
Joe wants to see if the Bucs can really coach up the young linemen on the fly and realize some success from the youth. They’ll need it to make a real playoff run.
“We’re entertainers. We’re in the entertainment business.” — Raheem Morris
THE PESSIMIST is a diehard Bucs fan whose negative writings appear occasionally on JoeBucsFan.com. His views surely do not necessarily reflect those of Joe. However, Joe sure gets a kick out of them.
The head coach has busted out this entertainment line and philosophy oh so many times. Every time it makes THE PESSIMIST laugh, but for the wrong reasons. He did it again yesterday.
THE PESSIMIST would love to see Raheem Morris dance and sing, maybe even tell a few dirty jokes because the Bucs play at home needs a helluva lot more entertertainment value. It’s been anything but worth watching.
THE PESSIMIST feels like he’s gotten nowhere near his money’s worth buying tickets these last two years. It’s sickening.
THE PESSIMIST is here to tell Raheem Morris that it’s not good enough to squeak out a win Sunday against the heinous Panthers. Carolina is the worst team in the NFL and on a downward slide. The Panthers suck at 1-7. Jimmy freakin’ Clausen is starting on Sunday. Dan Conner is gone, and DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart aren’t practicing because of injury.
The Bucs need style points Sunday. They need to pound the crap out of Carolina. There will be nothing entertaining about another fourth quarter comeback against this crap team. Nothing.
Good teams on the rise clobber crap teams at home, especially the ones with loads of injuries, rookie quarterbacks, a coach on the hotseat and that have probably given up on the season.
There are no more excuses. If they’re entertainers, then Sunday is the easiest stage they’ll get the rest of the way.
No fans are paying $100 a ticket for fat cheerleaders or second-rate football. For THE PESSIMIST, the win is meaningless this week. The entertainment is everything.
No amount of spin and Rah-Rah from the head coach will convince the Bucs they’re a good team this week if they can’t bury the Panthers by three scores.
Joe has gone on record several times that Bucs third overall draft pick Gerald McCoy cannot be expected to do much at defensive tackle in 2010 because, well, he’s a rookie, and that he’s getting absolutely no help.
Anwar Richardson of the Tampa Tribune isn’t exactly buying that line of thinking. In this edition of a TBO Bucs vlog, Richardson details his thoughts on GMC’s rookie year. Please let Joe know what you think of Richardson’s views.
In case your coffee hasn’t kicked in yet this morning, it’s Veterans Day, the 11th day of the 11th month.
There’s quite a few people all around you — you may know a few, be related to a few — that did a whole helluva lot just so you can read Joe’s daily screeds about the Bucs (and the Bolts and the Rays and of course, Rachel Watson).
So if you know someone that served once upon a time, just say thanks. Or, Joe recommends what Joe does, a tradition he started a few years ago.
Later this afternoon, Joe will walk into a local VFW hall — an American Legion post will suffice — and step up to the bar and buy a round for the vets. Joe will then promptly walk out once the bill is paid.
It’s a small token of appreciation for what quite a few did so slobs like us wouldn’t be forced to eat sauerkraut each day with a side of sushi and subjected to soccer.
Also, try to keep those who are currently serving overseas to protect us from the animals that fly planes into buildings in your thoughts at least once today.
You’ll be better off for it, trust Joe.
