Jameis Watch: “Perennial Pro Bowler”

January 11th, 2015

jameis 0108

Crab-legs-stealing, BB-gun-shooting, obscenity-hollering, Heisman-Trophy-winning, former national champion Jameis Winston, the pride of Florida State University, continues to look like a much better quarterback prospect than Mike Glennon and Josh McCown.

It’s Joe’s daily nugget on the Jameis Watch, celebrating the best quarterback to wear No. 5 ever in the state of Florida. [read more]

“Makes Me Wonder Who ESPN Is Hiring As Draft Experts”

January 11th, 2015

WinstonMariota

The biggest knock on University of Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota is that he’s not running anything close to an NFL offense, therefore, the experts say, he’s got a lot to learn in order to become NFL-ready. [read more]

Improved Pass Rush

January 11th, 2015
The Bucs improved their sack total this past season, despite a ghostly figure playing right defensive end.

The Bucs improved their sack total this past season, despite a ghostly figure playing right defensive end.

Little gets Bucs fans aggravated more than talking about sacks. Or in the case of the Bucs, that would be lack of sacks.

(By the way, yesterday, the two teams that ran the ball better than their opponents lost. The Bucs have no quarterback and have the No. 1 pick overall for being the most miserable team in the NFL. Anyone else besides Joe see a pattern here? In other words, it was yet another rough day for the naive “defense wins championships” crowd.) [read more]

Lavonte David Talks Koetter, QBs & More

January 11th, 2015

LavonteDavidWait a minute.

Lavonte David engaged in a quarterback discussion last night and didn’t reference Josh McCown or Mike Glennon? [read more]

Murphy Has Bad Drop Numbers

January 11th, 2015
Bucs WR Louis Murphy may have had the biggest catch of the 2014 season for the Bucs, but was one of the NFL's top receivers in dropped passes.

Louis Murphy may have had the biggest catch of the 2014 season for the Bucs, but was one of the NFL’s top receivers in dropped passes.

Joe has labeled Bucs receiver Vincent Jackson as “V-Drops” for his way too many drops. Joe can’t refer to Jackson that way today.

The title of Butterfingers of the Bucs now belongs to Louis Murphy per SportingCharts.com, which monitors dropped passes, among other stats. [read more]

Jameis Watch: “The Only Choice”

January 10th, 2015

jameis winston 1113

Crab-legs-stealing, BB-gun-shooting, obscenity-hollering, Heisman-Trophy-winning, former national champion Jameis Winston, the pride of Florida State University, continues to look like a much better quarterback prospect than Mike Glennon and Josh McCown.

It’s Joe’s daily nugget on the Jameis Watch, celebrating the best quarterback to wear No. 5 ever in the state of Florida. [read more]

Todd Herremans Could Be Licht’s “Cap Casualty”

January 10th, 2015

Todd Herremans, Andy ReidLast week, Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht hopped on the Buccaneers Radio Network and talked about how his staff already has a list of potential “cap casualties” on which the Bucs are ready to pounce. [read more]

Dirk Koetter And Up-Tempo Offense

January 10th, 2015
Will Dirk Koetter run an up-tempo offense?

Will Dirk Koetter run an up-tempo offense?

Among the many songs and dances Tampa Bay fans were promised by Lovie Smith a little over a year ago was that the Bucs were going to play an up-tempo offensive style.

Well, if what Lovie meant by up-tempo was Josh McCown running for his life and making some of the most ghastly turnovers Joe has ever seen, with little to no running game, then, yeah, he was right on the nose with his prediction. [read more]

“A Good Pick If You’re Not Going To Play Him”

January 10th, 2015

marcus mariota

Marcus Mariota got a quite a backhanded endorsement from a Super Bowl-winning quarterback this week. [read more]

Bowers’ Only Shot At A Return

January 10th, 2015
Could defensive lineman Da'Quan Bowers return as a reserve lineman?

Could defensive lineman Da’Quan Bowers return as a reserve lineman?

Sometimes, Joe thinks defensive lineman Da’Quan Bowers is a walking embodiment of a cat with nine lives.

How many guys who have produced as little as Bowers, who regularly refuses to get in proper shape, have been granted chance after chance after chance to redeem themselves? [read more]

Dominik Emerges In Jets’ Hunt

January 10th, 2015
dominik and schiano

“I hear what you’re saying, Mark. But I don’t see how Wallace Gilberry, George Selvie and Chris Jones could fit in around here.”

Joe’s not sure whether former Bucs rockstar general manager Mark Dominik has every performed in a circus — though he did have a front row seat for the Greg Schiano regime. [read more]

Dirk Koetter And The Red Zone

January 10th, 2015

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The Bucs offense was miserable last season. Joe knows that. You know that.

But believe it or not, despite being led (mostly) by turnover-prone Josh McCown and guided by ill-suited Marcus Arroyo (yes, he’s still with the Bucs), the Bucs improved in their red zone offense over 2013. [read more]

Is Dirk Koetter In It For The Short Term?

January 9th, 2015

KoetterdownNew Bucs offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter’s resumé is impressive.

He’s been a winning head coach at two college programs: Boise State and Arizona State, and he’s had top-10 offenses with two NFL teams: Jacksonville and Atlanta. [read more]

Jameis Watch: “Rather Impressive”

January 9th, 2015

jameis winston 1225Crab-legs-stealing, BB-gun-shooting, obscenity-hollering, Heisman-Trophy-winning, former national champion James Winston, the pride of Florida State University, continues to look like a much better quarterback prospect than Mike Glennon and Josh McCown.

It’s Joe’s daily nugget on the Jameis Watch, celebrating the best quarterback to wear No. 5 ever in the state of Florida. [read more]

“Quarterbacking This Defense From The Back”

January 9th, 2015
Lynch

How critical is finding another John Lynch type to the current Bucs? Derrick Brooks weighs in.

Father Dungy and John Lynch are back among the Hall of Fame finalists for the second consecutive year.

They’re longshots to get in on the final vote on the 2015 class later this month, but it could happen for the Bucs icons. [read more]

“We Kind Of Got Our Coach Fired”

January 9th, 2015

Roddy White talked about the last hours of the Falcons’ 2014 offense under Dirk Koetter

New Bucs offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter sure left the Falcons with a sour taste in his mouth.

His last game was an epic nightmare. [read more]

Glum Mood Over Koetter Departure

January 9th, 2015
Folks from Atlanta are not in a good mood seeing Dirk Koetter taking over the Bucs offense.

Folks from Atlanta are not in a good mood seeing Dirk Koetter taking over the Bucs offense.

Researching new Bucs offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, Joe wanted to get a sense of precisely what Koetter meant to the Dixie Chicks.

Joe had heard Matt Ryan — he of the 19 picks his senior year at Boston College — was none too happy at Koetter leaving Flowery Branch, the site of the Dixie Chicks compound some 45 minutes northeast of Atlanta. [read more]

Doug Flutie Picks His No. 1 College QB

January 9th, 2015

Size matters, says one of the shortest quarterbacks of all time. [read more]

Charles Sims Breakout In 2015?

January 9th, 2015
Can RB Charles Sims have a breakout season this fall?

Can Charles Sims have a breakout season this fall?

If there was one player that played a lot of minutes in the second half of the season who maybe didn’t deserve it, it was rookie running back Charles Sims.

His play made Joe scratch his head as to why he got so many carries, and not Bobby Rainey. [read more]

Koetter Came Hester Approved?

January 9th, 2015

HesterLovie

Iconic, electric Falcons return man Devin Hester and Lovie Smith might have the closest relationship around, when it comes to a coach and a former player.

It’s still mind-boggling to Joe how Hester landed in Atlanta last season — while the Bucs struggled all year to find a returner and tapped their shaky receiver depth. [read more]