“When He Played Well …”

July 15th, 2013

Bucs icon Derrick Brooks says he feels the pressure on the shoulders of Josh Freeman and it’s all about inconsistency and contract status, so Brooks claimed on the Ron and Ian show on WDAE-AM 620 recently.

Brooks compared Freeman to Joe Flacco, who, like Freeman, entered the final year of his rookie contract without an extension. Flacco, of course, had years of playoff experience before 2012 and is now a Super Bowl champion.

“[Freeman] knows as well as anybody that much of the team’s success will ride on his play. And he deserves that. You look at the record last year, when he played well how well the team performed,” Brooks said.

Brooks went on to say he advises Freeman to “take it one day at a time, be the best quarterback of that particular day, and get better.” While acknowledging that the Bucs revolve around the quarterback. Brooks also said winning will take more than Freeman.

Unlike his former teammate, Shaun King, Brooks did not say the Bucs should already have locked up Freeman to a new deal. (You can catch the entire Brooks interview below.)

Bucs’ Most Important Assistant

July 15th, 2013
Is John McNulty really the most important assistant on Greg Schiano's staff?

Is John McNulty really the most important assistant on Greg Schiano’s staff?

One could argue a team is only as strong as its assistant coaches. Joe is a coaches kind of guy; always has been. Good coaches can virtually squeeze blood out of a rock. Bad coaches, well, they can implode a team.

In Joe’s eyes, Bob Bostad, the Bucs’ offensive line coach, is one of those guys who can make a rock bleed. Just look what he did last year when his offensive line was in disarray with injuries and guys getting benched? Most offensive lines with that kind of a chaos would turn into turnstiles. Instead, Bostad had one of the better offensive lines.

Joe also is a Bryan Cox fan. As the Bucs’ front seven coach last year, he took a team that was the worst in the NFL in rush defense, and with only adding one player, Lavonte David, he turned the Bucs into the best rush defense. That’s damned solid work.

ESPN South blogger Pat Yasinskas believes there is an important assistant that will be more critical to the success of the Bucs this season, and that is quarterbacks coach John McNulty.

This one is easy because everything in Tampa Bay this season is about quarterback Josh Freeman. He’s headed into the final year of his contract and this season will determine if he has a long-term future with the Bucs.

That’s why I’m going with quarterbacks coach John McNulty. He’s new to the Bucs, but has history with coach Greg Schiano. McNulty worked for Schiano at Rutgers. Schiano tried to hire McNulty to his staff last year, but was refused permission by Arizona, where McNulty was coaching the wide receivers.

McNulty has a reputation for having a bright offensive mind and it will be up to him and offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan to help Freeman become more consistent.

Not a bad choice, but Joe believes Josh Freeman does his most important work with Mike Sullivan versus the quarterbacks coach. Joe was not fond at all of former Bucs quarterback coach Ron Turner. He was an abject failure in developing quarterbacks unless, of course, you count the immortal Kurt Kittner as a success.

Aside from his stint as a quarterbacks coach with Greg Schiano at Rutgers, McNulty has been a lifelong receivers coach. Granted, Joe didn’t follow the [nee] Big East closely, but Joe cannot remember a decent pro quarterback coming out of Rutgers.

Josh Freeman Can Be A “Top-10” QB

July 15th, 2013

There is no subject — not even close — that makes Bucs fans pound on a keyboard or turn their car radios up as if they are cranking Van Halen quite like the subject of Josh Freeman.

Joe knows people in local sports radio, and virtually each guy has told Joe he could do a Josh Freeman topic each day of the week and the phone lines would constantly be full.

No subject is more polarizing than Freeman (except for perhaps, Shaun King).

Ron Jaworski, “Jaws,” the former Rams and Eagles quarterback who works for NFL Films and BSPN, recently ranked Freeman the No. 21 quarterback in the NFL — down four spots from last year — which worked up Bucs fans more than the Darrelle Revis signing.

Recently, “Jaws” called in to the “Booger and Rich Show,” heard on WHFS-FM 98.7 to discuss his Freeman findings.

“I think what I’d like for people to understand is that when I do this quarterback big board, I do study every quarterback. I go through all the throws each quarterback makes. I have an independent reel that has all of their touchdown passes, all their interceptions, all the times they have been sacked, to see if maybe it is the offensive line’s fault or the running back’s fault, a hot read or the quarterback not holding onto the ball. So I get a pretty good template on their skills set,” Jaworski said.

“I think Josh Freeman has a tremendous skill set. What is absolutely baffling to me is his inconsistency. He had a stretch of games last year where he was the best quarterback in the NFL. The Buccaneers were a red hot football team. For whatever reason, his play began to diminish down the stretch. In the NFL, all of these quarterbacks have the talent. It’s the guy who plays the most consistent week in and week out which is able to get his team to the playoffs.

“Josh has the ability to take this team to the playoffs. He must become more consistent. He must have better ball control. He has to anticipate a little bit better. When he has guys open he has to hit them. These are things he can correct to become a top 10 quarterback.”

Well now. That’s not exactly a crucifixion of Freeman, is it?

It really is quite simple: If Freeman has another up-and-down year, so too will the Bucs, and playing in the postseason will be a stretch.

Bucs Better, But Maybe Not Good Enough

July 15th, 2013

Doug Martin could be the second best running back in the NFL. Is that good enough to get the Bucs to the playoffs?

There is no question the Bucs should be a better team this fall. With a revamped secondary and key cogs coming back from injuries, Joe doesn’t know how this team won’t be better.

As Joe has written before, he’s not ready to punch their tickets to the playoffs. The conference is way too stacked for Joe’s comfort and, frankly, this is the Dixie Chicks’ division until proven otherwise.

It seems “The Professor” sort of sees it the same way. ESPN’s John Clayton thinks the Bucs may have one of the best secondaries in the NFL, but isn’t sure that alone will get the Bucs to play meaningful January games.

Q: With the almost complete revamping of the defensive backfield with the addition of Darrelle Revis, et al, and the return of the two Pro Bowlers to the offensive line plus a few other additions, will the Bucs be strong enough to make the playoffs — if the play of Josh Freeman is up to where it should be? If Josh plays well, I would think they will be in the running.

Jim in Clearwater, Fla.

A: Next to Seattle, the Bucs might have one of the best secondaries in football. Mark Barron has Pro Bowl ability. Dashon Goldson is a Pro Bowler. Revis is one of the best corners of this era. Eric Wright has plenty of talent. If Freeman does well, the team has a chance. It runs the ball well. It has a good offensive line. Still, on paper, I think the Falcons and Saints have more talent.

Joe will state this again: The NFC is, on paper, the strongest since Bill Walsh, Joe Gibbs, Mike Ditka and Bill Parcells prowled the sidelines. It is very possible a team with 10 wins won’t make a Wild Card. Winning the division must be the goal if the Bucs want to play in January.

The Bucs Call Out A “Cheap Shot”

July 14th, 2013

Installment 2 of the Buccaneers official “Read and React” column doesn’t come with the same fireworks as the first one, when Tampa Bay Times beat writer Stephen Holder was fingered for targeting Greg Schiano. This time, the Bucs gently wagged a finger at Joe Fortenbaugh, of NationalFootballPost.com.

Fortenbaugh claims rockstar general manager Mark Dominik’s front office is among those under intense pressure this offseason. It seems Fortenbaugh believes the Bucs’ secondary made the team a laughing stock in 2012.

Given what unfolded last year with the Buccaneers, when a promising 5-2 start slid into a 7-9 finish and the pass defense emerged as the team’s main weakness, these seem like two very reasonable targets for Fortenbaugh to supply.  Fortenbaugh’s last line in his paragraph of analysis seems like a bit of a cheap shot – “It’s time for the opposition to worry about a matchup with the Bucs, not laugh” – but his premise is sound.  The Bucs have not been shy about adding big contracts through free agency and the trade market over the last two offseasons, and that has brought more attention on the team.  If added attention equals added pressure, than the Bucs definitely belong on this list.

Joe loves this new feature on the Bucs, where the team puts a spotlight on the media in various ways. (You can click through above to read the whole thing.)

As for the pressure on Dominik and the front office, Joe’s not seeing a load of heat under Dominik. Surely Greg Schiano has a bigger weight on his shoulders.

When you’re stocked with eight Pro Bowlers in their prime and emerging stars like Lavonte David and Mike Williams, you absolutely have to produce.

Mike Williams, Bucs Not At Odds

July 13th, 2013

Yesterday on Twitter, Bucs wide receiver Mike Williams, who is in the process of contract extension negotiations with the Bucs, had a cryptic rant Joe couldn’t make heads or tails of.

In his screed, nowhere were the words “Bucs,” “contract,” “negotiations,” or “Dominik” used. So to Joe, it was not clear what Williams ranted about. This didn’t stop some from trafficking in guesswork adding two and two and coming out with seven, thinking the Bucs and Williams had come to some sort of dicey impasse in the contract talks.

This didn’t seem to sit well with Williams as he took to Twitter again today, and denied there was any ill will with the Bucs.

@Mikebuc19: These guys should stop this reading between the lines stuff if you really want to know….. I’M TALKING ABOUT ME AND MY BABY MOTHER AND HER FAMILY GOING THREW [sic] IT just ask and I will tell you what I’m talking about never once mention those words yall talking about I don’t even know what is going on don’t c how yall do. REMEMBER WHAT “ASSUME” MAKES LOL

For clarity on the issue, Joe texted a trusted Bucs source who told Joe that if there is any friction between the Bucs and Williams’ agent, Hadley Englehard, that it’s news to the Bucs.So those thinking that Williams might hold out or he is hacked off at the team, fear not.

You may resume your previously programmed weekend of alcohol consumption.

[Hat tip to the Pewter Plank crowd.]

Are The Bucs Ninth Worst In The NFL?

July 13th, 2013

Joe’s not sure the Bucs are a winning football team yet, but Tampa Bay sure shouldn’t be a losing team, and the Bucs definitely should be at least an average NFL team.

But not according to the esteemed braintrust at ProFootballTalk.com.

Hall of Fame voter ProFootballTalk.com writer Darin Gantt penned the site’s in-depth, preseason power ranking of Tampa Bay, and the Bucs check in at No. 24, ninth worst in the NFL.

Gantt doesn’t believe in the Bucs’ roster infrastructure or Josh Freeman. Here’s a snippet:

Prospects.

The degree to which their entire season hinges on Freeman is fascinating, and layered.

Keeping the offensive system in place should help, but the pressure of knowing your own financial future and the direction of a franchise sits on your shoulders has to be a burden.

The Bucs have done a good job of putting parts in place around Freeman to make it easier to succeed, specifically by giving him a second year with offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan. That kind of stability is necessary for him to develop confidence.

At the same time, there are enough questions up front to make you wonder whether the big expenditures in the back will help.

As good as Revis is, if quarterbacks are never pressured, opponents will find cornerback Eric Wright’s guy more easily.

They’ve done an admirable job of addressing needs, but it’s still unclear if they’ve built on a stable foundation.

You can click above to read the entire breakdown.

Joe’s confident that when all the various media predictions of the 2013 Bucs are released, no NFL team will have as wide a range of prognostications. Some will pick the Bucs to win 11 or 12 and take the NFC South, others will put them in last place with six wins.

Joe wonders what Team Glazer would consider a good showing by the Bucs.

Big Step Forward For Mark Barron?

July 13th, 2013

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The other day, Joe was driving down the road and noticed a woman picking up the waste from walking her dog and it reminded Joe of the Bucs secondary in 2012. In other words, Greg Schiano and Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik had a lot of picking up to do with Publix grocery bags from the droppings left by their cornerbacks.

It wasn’t the safties who left feces on the field at the Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway; it was the corners. So Dominik went out and refurbished the secondary, and playing with new, talented blood should help out second-year safety Mark Barron, so writes NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas writes in a recent chat.

Marlon (Decatur, GA)

Hey Pat…Big Bucs fan here…who is helped the most by the presence of Revis on defense in the secondary? I say Barron…

Pat Yasinskas

I’d tend to agree with you. Think the arrival of Revis and Goldson will allow Barron to be more of an in-the-box safety, which is where he’s at his best.

Not just that, but there are other, perhaps hidden benefits for Barron.

Yes, with Ronde Barber playing a more in-the-box safety last year, Barron often landed in center field, not necessarily his strength. Now Darrelle Revis (if healthy) can take care of damned near a third of the field, so the Bucs can shade coverage to the opposite side of the field to not only help Barron but also the other starting cornerback, possibly rookie Johnthan Banks.

Joe also believes Barron hit the rookie wall last year. Given some NFL experience under his belt and loads of help surrounding him, Joe expects Barron to make a big leap this season.

Joe doubts you will see Dominik or Schiano walking the sidelines of the Stadium of Dale Mabry Highway with handfuls of Publix grocery bags after the secondary comes off the field this fall.

Fifth Longest Playoff Drought

July 12th, 2013

It feels like forever since the Bucs have been in the playoffs. But Joe was somewhat surprised to learn the Bucs are tied with the Jaguars for the fifth longest playoff drought in the NFL. The Bills, Browns, Raiders and Rams are worse.

No wonder Bucs fans are so on edge — excited and tense — about the 2013 season. The Bucs are loaded with talent and it’s been so long since fans could hold their heads up high in January.

Joe remembers that last Bucs playoff game against the Giants, when Chucky’s division-crown Bucs were overmatched by the eventual Super Bowl champs. Unfortunately, Joe most remembers that game for the massive sea of blue in the stadium on Dale Mabry Highway.

Joe suspects that wouldn’t happen again. Joe’s got a gut feeling that the locals are so playoff starved that this town would go absolutely crazy if the Bucs made the playoffs.

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July 12th, 2013

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Losing Isn’t Thriving

July 12th, 2013

Before the era of statistical gibberish and fantasy fun that doesn’t involve women, sports were all about winning and losing.

The “W” was the almighty. Being called a “winner” was the highest compliment. Call Joe old school, but winning is what Joe cares about most. It’s the greatest intangible in any sport — in life, too. There are winners; there are losers. Any man who’s ever set foot on a field of competitive sports knows some players just find a way to win consistently and/or play like a winner over and over again.

So Joe was intrigued by the recent headline on Buccaneers.com: “Welcome Back Orange: Freeman Has Thrived in Throwback Gear”

Freeman is 1-2 in throwback games.

“In all, Freeman has completed 57 of 111 passes for 806 yards, seven touchdowns and just two interceptions while wearing the Bucs’ throwback uniforms.  The completion percentage is lower than his career average, thanks mostly to a 14-for-31 effort in his debut start, but his averages of 269 yards per game and 7.26 yards per throw are well above his career marks.  That coupled with the excellent 7-2 TD-INT ratio has helped Freeman compile a strong 88.6 passer rating in Throwback Games.  He’s even run nine times for 61 yards in those three outings.”

Joe understands the Bucs’ marketing machine working to put a positive spin on how No. 5 plays in throwback-uniform games. But this was a bit much for Joe.

Losing is never “thriving.” And Freeman’s stats in those games aren’t blow-your-mind great.

Joe only really likes what Freeman did in his first throwback game, his first career start. He led his team to victory against a strong Packers team. It was one of Freeman’s six career wins against teams with a winning record.

Chasing Joe Greene And Jack Hamm

July 12th, 2013

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One of the biggest transformations in NFL history happened when Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks had just finished their rookie seasons with the Bucs. Sam Wyche was fired and Malcolm Glazer brought in Father Dungy.

Father Dungy, as astute a defensive mind as there was in the game, knew all about the great Mean Joe Greene and Jack Hamm, perhaps the greatest defensive tackle and weakside linebacker, respectively. And Father Dungy was their teammate with the Steelers. So when he studied Bucs film after taking the job, he thought he had the second coming of both Greene and Hamm in Tampa with Sapp and Brooks.

Sapp, when talking to a gaggle of reporters this spring, recounted how he thought, initially, Father Dungy was off his rocker.

“He told us to chase them,” Sapp said. “Me and Brooks walked out of the room and said, ‘Is he crazy? That’s a good challenge though, dude. This was 1996 when he first walked in the door. These are icons of the game! We are talking about Mean Joe Greene from Texas. Mr. Coca Cola. Are you kidding me? Come on, man. Brooks looks to me and says, ‘We have our work cut out for us. Let’s go to work.’

“It wasn’t something we actually ran from. We actually embraced it. [Father Dungy] thought that much of us. He was the guru of everything we could possibly imagine. He was going to give us structure, defense, everything we needed. That’s what you got when you talked to Derrick Thomas about this man. That’s what you got from Neil Smith when you talked to him about this man. We wanted that, Lynch too.”

Now, one could argue neither Sapp nor Brooks caught up to the level Greene and Hamm, but it was damned close. Both Sapp and Brooks will be in the same fraternity as Greene and Hamm, the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

As Vince Lombardi once said, “Gentlemen, we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it, because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase it, because in the process we will catch excellence.”

That’s exactly what Sapp and Brooks did.

Cautiously Optimistic

July 12th, 2013

Doug Martin could lead the Bucs to double-digit wins. A division title? Time will tell.

On paper the Bucs look to have a very strong team sans two positions, perhaps three at the most. Joe fully expects the Bucs to be better. Playoffs? Joe can’t go there yet.

It’s not the first time Joe has written that. And for the same reason, Woody Cummings of The Tampa Tribune isn’t ready to anoint the Bucs a playoff team.Cummings appeared recently with “The Fabulous Sports Babe” on WHFS-FM 98.7 to talk about the Bucs’ chances this season.

“I am excited for this football team, too. I think this team has a real opportunity to win nine or 10 games and get into the tournament and make some noise there,” Cummings said. “The concern I have, it is just a damned, difficult division that they are in.

“Nobody else in the NFL has to go up against the Saints and Drew Brees twice and the Falcons and Matt Ryan twice and even Carolina and what they provide. There are two big obstacles in front of them in winning this division. They could win 10 games and not get to the playoffs just like happened a couple of years ago. It can happen again. They could have a tremendous season and not get a payoff.

“That to me is the real downer, but the big thing is, I expect this team to be much improved again. They almost doubled their victories [from the previous season] last year. I don’t think they will double them this year but if they win four or five more and get to 10 or 11 wins, they have a shot at the playoffs and we all know anything can happen. That has to be the objective.”

Joe totally agrees with Cummings. The NFC, not just the NFC South, is simply friggin’ loaded. The Bears won 10 games last year and missed the playoffs. There is no weak team in the NFC North. The NFC West has two of the game’s best teams, San Francisco and Seattle. For this reason and this reason alone, the only way Joe can see the Bucs making the playoffs is by winning the division, and Joe isn’t ready to crown the Bucs division champs quite yet.

The Bucs should be an improved team. Not sure winning the division is in the cards.

Is Josh Freeman Too Bottled Up?

July 11th, 2013

josh freeman 0711

Now Joe doesn’t need to rehash how important this season is for Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman. If a Bucs fan isn’t aware of that by now, it’s time to go back to playing Rip Van Winkle and sleeping another two decades.

Joe does know last year Greg Schiano (and perhaps also offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan) put a kibosh on Freeman from running outside the pocket.Part of this was, naturally, to keep Freeman upright. Whatever chances the Bucs had at a postseason run would have been immediately flushed down the toilet with Dan Orlovsky behind center.

Another reason for Freeman being instructed to stay in the pocket at virtually all costs is Schiano believed that was one way to cut down on Freeman’s interceptions. Turnovers, in Schiano’s mind, are akin to the Ebola virus.

Football guru Greg Cosell seemed to hint that may not be a good thing for Freeman.

Cosell is a producer for NFL Films and there are few better guys not employed as coaches who break down Xs and Os. Also, Cosell personally works with “Jaws,” BSPN NFL analyst and former NFL quarterback Ron Jaworski. It is Jaws’ ranking of Freeman at No. 21 that has so many Bucs fans rankled and Cosell appeared with Joe’s good friend Justin Pawlowski of WHFS-FM 98.7 to discuss Jaws’ rankings.

In the process, Cosell may have unlocked the secret to Freeman’s success.

“For me, it goes back to his first full year as a starter when he had very good numbers,” Cosell said. “This is my world view of the quarterback position. In his first full year as a starter, he had 25 touchdowns and only six picks. At that point there was a sense that this kid was on his way to being elite. When I looked at that year carefully after the season, I thought many of his plays came off improvisation, came off movement.

“I am not suggesting that is a negative. It is very hard to be consistent playing that way because there is such a random and arbitrary element to that. We never talk about the plays that don’t work when quarterbacks move, we only talk about the plays that do work.

“I thought even in that first year he needed a lot of work as a consistent, precision pocket passer. And I think he has been very erratic in his development in that area.”

Cosell may have hit the nail on the head. The thing about Freeman was, when he was out of the pocket, Freeman was making plays both with his arm and his legs. Defenses not only had to defend receivers, they had to defend Freeman running on the outside. That spread defenses out a bit, which in turn may have created more holes for receivers.

Joe just wonders if Schiano and Sullivan would allow Freeman a bit more freedom, which might could loosen things up for Freeman, thereby creating more victories in the process.

Creamsicle Vs. Pewter And Red

July 11th, 2013

Joe, like many, many, many Bucs fans, became a Bucs fan when the creamsicles were in vogue. One reason young Joe liked the Bucs was, well, he thought the creamsicles were cool. It matched the Florida sunshine.

But soon those creamsicles came to be known more for woeful football than winning football or cool jerseys.

NFL.com, in an effort kill time before training camp to honor NFL jerseys, has the Bucs current pewter and red jerseys as the 11th best in the NFL. In this video, Dave Dameshek talks about how he believes the red and pewter colors are far superior to the creamsicles.

Joe tends to agree. And while Joe likes the creamsicles, he agrees Bucco Bruce isn’t cool.

Now if the Bucs lose to the Desert Rats on throwback day in September, giving the creamsicle throwbacks a 1-4 record, Joe will be OK if those things are put back in mothballs for another decade.

“I Think Coach Schiano Knows How To Use Me”

July 11th, 2013

Like every running back, Bucs veteran running back Brian Leonard wants the rock. And yesterday he told his rural New York hometown newspaper that he expects to get it in Tampa Bay after four seasons on the Bengals.

For weeks, Joe’s been trying to alert fans that Leonard will play a huge role if healthy come opening day, and Leonard revealed a little of what that role might be.

“I’m excited. I had a great time in Cincinnati and have some good friends there, and the fans are great. But I needed a change and I think Coach Schiano knows how to use me. Hopefully I’ll progress throughout camp and show my skills, and my role with the team will get bigger and bigger. …

“Tampa Bay was in a lot of close games last year, and we’ve been working a lot on the two-minute drill,” Leonard said. “Coach has brought me in to help relieve Doug Martin when needed. I’ll be all right as long as I can prove myself in camp.”

Hmmm, well, Leonard was a third-down back for the Bengals, who were frequent visitors to the playoffs during his time there. So Leonard says he thinks Schiano knows how to use him and he’s talking about coming to Tampa to spell Doug Martin, then Joe’s going to make a not-so-wild leap and say the Bucs are planning for Leonard to be a lot busier than D.J. Ware was last season.

Joe’s confident Doug Martin will get even more work in 2013, especially on third down, but there still should be plenty of touches for Leonard. The veteran also plays fullback, which could give the Bucs more versatility and unpredictability in the backfield.

Ball Carrier Depth Isn’t Celebrated

July 11th, 2013

Yes, Joe’s on record scratching his head that the Bucs sent LeGarrette Blount to the Patriots for the NFL equivalent of a half-dozen day old bagels.

Blount represented great depth, a backup running back who legitimately could carry the load of 20+ carries a game in the event of injury to Doug Martin. What Blount could accomplish in that situation behind the Bucs’ manbeast offensive line was potentially mind-blowing.

But the Bucs waved goodbye. And per new rankings on NFL.com, the Bucs don’t have one of the NFL’s top-12 deepest backfields. The rushing depth of their NFC South counterparts, however, made the cut.

Much like at defensive end, the Bucs passed on veteran running back depth in favor of youth — another decision to scrutinize this season. Mike James and Michael Smith have zero NFL handoffs under their belt. However, Joe believes versatile Brian Leonard is an upgrade over D.J. Ware and could be an underrated rusher.

Intrigue On The Defensive Front

July 11th, 2013
Da'Quan Bowers is just one of many pieces to the Bucs pass rushing puzzle the team hopes to solve this summer.

Da’Quan Bowers is just one of many pieces to the Bucs’ pass rushing puzzle the team hopes to solve this summer.

This morning marks exactly two weeks from the Bucs’ first practice of 2013 training camp. That’s right, on July 25, the Bucs will sweat like banshees in the brutal Florida morning sun as football season, for all intents and purposes, begins anew.

Joe suspects many fans will focus on the defensive line. Not only are there numerous questions to be answered this year on the defensive front, intrepid Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com, the pride of Northwestern, suggests there is virtually no end to the amount of intrigue that will be played out by Bucs defensive linemen this summer.

Start at right end. Adrian Clayborn had a very strong rookie season in 2011, leading the team with 7.5 sacks, and was off to a good start last year before a knee injury took him out after just three games. Many, myself included, are expecting a breakout year from Clayborn in 2013; will we see evidence of that in training camp? Next to him is the biggest question mark on the line: Who will start at nose tackle with Roy Miller now in Jacksonville? The Bucs’ drafted Illinois’ Akeem Spence in the fourth round with the thought that he might be able to step right in, but again we can’t take a rookie’s production for granted until we see it. And will a veteran like Gary Gibson or Derek Landri keep Spence from getting that starting job, anyway?

Next to Spence is perhaps the surest thing on the line, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. He was a Pro Bowler last year and one of the league’s rising stars, and he has apparently dedicated himself to getting into even better physical shape this year. I don’t think we have any worries here, but there is still the question of whether McCoy can continue his ascension and emerge as one of the very best performers in the league. Finally, at right end, we presumably have Da’Quan Bowers stepping into the starting lineup on opening day for the first time in his three seasons. He made a remarkable recovery from his offseason Achilles heel injury last year to even make a second-half impact last year – and a promising half-season it was – but he must now prove he can handle a starter’s share of snaps. Bowers might be the biggest wild card on that line, capable of giving the Bucs a ton of production from the left side, so I think he’ll be very interesting to watch in July and August.

Actually, I shouldn’t have said “finally” because the intrigue doesn’t end with the presumptive starters. The Bucs hope a vastly improved secondary will help the pass rush by giving the big men that extra second they need. Still, the team didn’t stop there in trying to amp up that pressure on the quarterback, something that has not met expectations for several seasons now. The draft brought two more potential helpers up front in fifth-rounder William Gholston and sixth-rounder Steven Means. How much can they help, and how soon?

Here is the thing: Bowers, Joe suspects, on passing downs, will be moved to the inside as Spence is not known as a pass rusher. The Bucs are so desperate to put heat on the quarterback, Joe’s pretty sure they will forego bulk for speed on the inside on obvious passing situations. Plus Bowers did that last season at times.

So what then happens at left defensive end position? It sure seems like rookies Means and Gholston will be given every possible opportunity to battle for a shot to be designated pass rusher. After all, that’s why those two were drafted.

Now if Gholston really dominates in camp, it’s very possible the Bucs would leave Bowers at left end and and put Gholston in the middle to rush the passer. Gholston played inside at Michigan State with varying degrees of success. With Gholston’s massive wingspan, it sure would be cool for a change to see a Bucs player bat down passes rather than the other way around.

Fighting Fire With Fire

July 10th, 2013

Those who don’t think the Bucs play in a tough NFC South has either been too drunk to watch football or is an NFC East acolyte. Year in and year out the NFC East is the most overrated and grossly over-hyped division in the NFL.

You have Matty Ice and the Dixie Chicks, as loaded an offense as there is in the NFL. Then you have lethal Drew Brees, as dangerous of a gunslinger as there has been since Dan Marino. Then there is Cam Newton who, potentially, is no less than explosive with both his arm and his legs.

So how does Bucs coach Greg Schiano hope to keep the Bucs with their heads above the water in the division? You attack them the same way they will attack you, he seemed to say in a recent NFL.com podcast. You go after them with your own weapons.

Dave Damshek: It seems like the way you built your defense and with Doug Marin there, it seems you are trying to shorten the games. Is that the proper approach when facing those high-powered offenses?

Greg Schiano: You know, maybe at the beginning. But our offense is pretty high-powered as well. What I am hoping for is this year, for Josh [Freeman] being in the second year in the system for his second go-around with the emergence of Doug Martin, with Vincent Jackson on the outside along with Mike Williams, we have some threats, too. So we will have some different tempos on offense occasionally, which I think will give us a chance to expose some things on our opponents’ defense. Looking forward to being able to pull that off and then slow the game down when we want to.

It’s an interesting thought and not exactly illogical, either. The Bucs are loaded with aerial talent: Jackson, Williams and potentially, Freeman. Why not use those tools to your advantage?

Of course, this doesn’t mean Schiano or the Bucs will ignore the run. If you have a road grader line and a running back like Martin, if an opponent is soft on the run, pound them till they beg for their mother.

In other words, the Bucs offense is flexible enough to attack a defense in multiple ways. At least, that would be a wise move.

Kiffin Wanted Sapp Out On Third Downs

July 10th, 2013

Talk to Warren Sapp about Father Dungy and Sapp speaks with reverence. Ask Sapp about Chucky and he can’t stop laughing with all the stories. Bring up former Bucs defensive line coach Rod Marinelli and Sapp’s words boom with gusto and respect.

What about former Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin? Sapp, to his credit, will try to change the subject or flat out shake his head and won’t say anything. It’s clear Kiffin is not Sapp’s favorite subject.

Joe may have stumbled upon why Sapp didn’t place Kiffin on the same pedestal as the aforementioned coaches. It’s because, per Sapp, Kiffin wanted Sapp off the field on third downs, so Sapp told a gaggle of reporters, including Joe, earlier this year.

“Monte Kiffin was taking me out on third downs,” Sapp said of his first season with Kiffin. “I went to TV and said if I am getting double- and triple-teamed on first and second downs, I must be allowed to rush on third downs. [Tony Dungy] said, ‘You got it.’

“If we were going to be the team we need to be, I have to be in there on third downs. I will give you all I have on first and second down. Hold the double-team, spill it, whatever you want to do. I am with you. Third down has got to be mine! That’s how we went about it.”

And it worked!

Imagine how different Bucs history much less Sapp’s history with the Bucs would have been. Would the Bucs have ever won a Super Bowl with Sapp not rushing the quarterback? Would Sapp have been in the Bucs’ Ring of Honor (to come Nov. 11) much less inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame next month?

Sapp has a long memory. If he believes anyone slighted him, he won’t forget. If he feels someone helped him out, he won’t forget that, either.

Kiffin was a fantastic defensive coordinator. No one is perfect. In the case of Kiffin and Sapp, Kiffin really dropped the ball. Thankfully, Father Dungy intervened.

Overrated: Meshawn Johnson

July 10th, 2013

Yes, NFL.com is breaking down the most overrated/underrated players in the NFL, going team-by-team each day without killing an otherwise good sports radio show.

Earlier this morning, Joe sent along the information that Dan Rachal believed that tight end Jimmie Giles was an underrated Bucs player, among others.

Now, for the overrated.

Among the five players Rachal listed as the most overrated was former Bucs wide receiver Meshawn Johnson.

Keyshawn Johnson — WR, 2000-03
The Bucs surrendered two first-round draft picks to acquire Johnson from the New York Jets in 2000 to improve an anemic passing attack. Johnson was the highest paid receiver in the NFL and in return, the Bucs passing offense went from bad to mediocre and they averaged a 15th place finish in scoring offense during Johnson’s tenure. His best year was 2001, when he ranked fourth in receptions and seventh in yards, but only hauled in one touchdown. After an argument with Jon Gruden, Johnson was kicked off the team in 2003 and never suited up for the Bucs again.

Outside of one great season, this is a no-brainer. Johnson was supposed to open up the Bucs’ anemic offense after the debacle in St. Louis in the NFC Championship game of the 1999 season. Yet, it was the same old ground-and-pound offense that would have made Sid Luckman roll in his grave.

Not until the Bucs obtained Keenan McCardell, Ken Dilger and Joe Jurevicius did the offense begin to open up. This of course didn’t take place until Chucky was running the show.

As Warren Sapp once asked on “America’s Game,” was Meshawn “one of those rare-air special guys? No.” But with weapons around him and with an offensive coach, Johnson was good. He didn’t necessarily make others around him that much better.

Meshawn may have been the best possession receiver in the game. He was reliable, never blinking going over the middle. Meshawn was also a helluva blocker.

Hall of Famer? No way.

Other wide receivers on that list include the immortal Alvin Harper and the notorious Hurt Emanuel.

If Stafford Got A 5-Year, $76 Million Extension …

July 10th, 2013

While Josh Freeman is no money hound, he must be cracking at least a little smile this morning, as word comes from USA Today that his 2010 draftmate, Lions QB Matthew Stafford, has signed a $76 million, five-year contract extension. The deal includes $43 million guaranteed.

Stafford, like Freeman, has only one great season under his belt and has an ugly career won-loss record. Unlike Freeman, Stafford has had serious injury issues.

So what the heck is Freeman now worth on the crazy quarterback market? A hell of lot.

Donovan McNabb, speaking on NFL Network, seems somewhat aghast by the money flowing Stafford’s way. 

“It’s about wins and losses,” McNabb said. “What has he really done for the Detroit Lions? Nothing.” McNabb went on to question Stafford’s decision-making and consistency late in games. It sounded an awful lot like criticism tossed Freeman’s way.

Regardless, Freeman’s leverage with the Bucs was just bumped up big time. Imagine if Freeman has a great season in 2013. He’ll certainly command Darrelle Revis money and more.