The Morning After
September 26th, 2016
(Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com)
Welcome to reality, Bucs fans. Even Dirk Koetter admits it: This team is possessed.
Lot of things to touch upon here so let’s get going.
* America’s Quarterback is a different quarterback. How does Joe know this? That last play last night, Jameis easily could have taken off and ran. Would he have scored? Who knows? Last year Jameis wouldn’t have hesitated. Last night, it looked like he was scared to run. Joe asked Jameis after the game if he was ordered not to run. Jameis said no. Joe may be totally wrong, but the appearance didn’t seem like the Jameis of last year.
* Joe will have more on Charles Sims later. Remember, there are two Joes that run this here site. And sometimes there is disagreement. The Sims catch and failing to get out of bounds is one example. One Joe buys Dirk Koetter’s tale that he told Sims to make a play if he thinks he can, and Koetter not calling time out is the problem, not Sims. “This Joe” doesn’t buy that. It’s a frankly lazy logic if not dodgeball. Yeah, he dove for a first down along the sideline, but he also easily could have dove for the first and still got out of bounds, or just, at worst, simply, you know, got out of bounds. Even if Sims doesn’t get the first down, it is third-and-two, maybe third-and-a-yard. This is just Football Common Sense 101: Get out of bounds and kill the clock in the final drive. A high school kid would get destroyed by a coach for not getting out of bounds.
* So Jameis is inaccurate? Joe gets Twitters all game long every week how rotten Jameis’ accuracy is. He isn’t and likely never will be Dan Marino. Jameis was much more accurate in college. Yet this wildness doesn’t seem to apply to Mike Evans. Or Rudy Humphries. Or Sims. Vincent Jackson was targeted six times but caught just three passes. Evans was targeted 13 times and caught 10 passes. Humphries was targeted 12 times with 9 catches. Sims had eight targets and caught six (one pass Jameis hit Sims right in the hands on the numbers and Sims failed to secure the ball, which turned into a pick when he got hit). So how is it that Jameis is able to complete passes to Evans and Humphries and Sims, but for some odd reason Jameis can’t hit the broadside of a barn throwing to Jackson? Remember last week when Jackson said he needs to get better at reaching his spots? Think about it.
Tidbits Joe jotted down during the game.
* Helluva catch and run by Rudy to get near the red zone late in first quarter, cutback against grain. Maybe he should be a running back?
* Thought Chris Conte was a Looney Tunes character the way he bounced back and forth after a fumble recovery along the left sideline looking for an opening. Sure thought he was going to fumble trying to juke so much.
* That pick on Jameis late in first half is all on Sims. He had the ball and it was debatable whether he fumbled when he got hit. Second time in two weeks he failed to secure a pass and it goes for a pick. Not good.
* Early third quarter Bucs offense was like watching paint dry. Boring as it was ineffective. They were doing their best to keep this crap team hanging around in the game.
* Guessing Dan Quinn is beating his head against the wall wondering how he lost to the Bucs.
* There is simply something wrong with this passing offense. The quarterback and/or receivers are just off. And, yes, Jameis is floating passes. Not sure if routes are being run wrong or what?
Game balls:
Adam Humphries: Guy was solid yesterday.
Offensive line: Pass blocking was not an issue yesterday. Yeah, they gave two sacks. Facing Aaron Donald and Robert Quinn and Alec Ogletree and Mark Barron and only allowing two sacks on 58 throws, that’s a fine day.
Quotes:
“Well I’m concerned with everything that contributed to us losing and that was one of the things, I mean, there’s a lot of things that contributed to our team losing tonight. Heck, I was one of those people that contributed, but of course I’m concerned with it.” — Dirk Koetter on Roberto Aguayo.
“I think this game in particular, just quarterback play. I’ve got to complete the football. That’s the main thing. I had Vincent Jackson wide open for a touchdown in the corner of the end zone. That’s just pitch and catch. I had Vincent Jackson wide open for another big completion. That’s just pitch and catch – I overthrew him. I had Charles Sims coming over on the check down – overthrew him. But I’m going to get better, I’m going to get better, I guarantee you. I guarantee you I’m going to get better.” — Jameis Winston on what is missing from the offense.
“Confidence is always there. Just excited to get back to next week and doing my kicks. It’s there. Times like this are going to happen, you’ve just got to go back. The confidence isn’t shaken, I know what to do. I’m excited to get back on the field and kick again.” — Aguayo on if he is rattled.
“The first touchdown, this one’s going to sit on my shoulders for a long time because when you lose by five – the very first touchdown we had a play where the offensive line split, I had a one-on-one and I missed with my hands. I know if I were to just landed [correctly] with my hands, I would’ve at least hit him, at worst. I was thinking about that the rest of the game. As time went on, you’ve got to move on, but I know this one will bug me all night because I know us losing by five, that one play was a touchdown.” – Gerald McCoy.
“It was a little bit of a miscommunication on my part, but at the end of the day I’ve got to make that play. That’s pretty much enough said about that one, it was my play to make and I didn’t make it.” — Alterraun Verner and the first touchdown by the Rams.
“We executed. We put it in the endzone. We had a couple of goal line series where we had a lot of plays down there and the offensive line did a great job of blocking for (running back) Todd (Gurley) and Todd finished on all of those, which was really good. And then the couple of explosive plays – guys getting up and downfield making plays for me, which was great.” — Rams quarterback Case Keenum on ability to score touchdowns Sunday.
Punts
Random quick thoughts not necessarily NFL-related.
Hey, did you see ASJ’s new jersey? … Joe understands folks going to games is not a Tampa Bay thing (outside of Lightning games) and Joe doesn’t care. If folks want to go to a game, cool. If they don’t, so what? Doesn’t mean a damned thing to Joe. And Joe doesn’t understand why it means anything to anyone other than a Team Glazer accountant. Still, the limited “crowd” in the upper deck on the east side was shocking for an opening game. It convinced Joe that the losing ways of the team have really turned off the fanbase. … What comes first, a new Rays stadium, a train system for the Tampa Bay area or double-digit sacks from a Bucs defensive lineman? … If yesterday was any indication, the Bucs will be looking to draft a running back next spring. … With so many injuries to defensive ends, how is it that Noah Spence can’t get on the field more? If you didn’t know better, you’d have guessed he was inactive. … Ryan Fitzpatrick, eh? … The #PAC12AfterDark hashtag is great. It’s one of the better secrets in college football. Those games are fun and only sick folks like Joe are up to 2 a.m. on Sunday mornings watching those games. … The defensive meathead coaching epidemic continues: Kirby (Not So) Smart trailed at halftime and had the ball at midfield with two timeouts just before half. Try to score? Nah, let’s go to the locker and drink some water. Who needs stinking points? … Joe is shocked Les Miles was fired yesterday. Not so much that he was fired, but the timing. In September. So the Cardinals hang (again) with the Cubs in Wrigley. The Redbirds are unlikely to make the World Series much less the wild card but damn, that would be so freaking hilarious to see them kill the dreams of the Cubs. … What a lousy day it was for sports yesterday. Can’t get much worse.
September 26th, 2016 at 7:05 am
I’d fire that clock management coach Koetter was all happy about this morning.
Then I’d start looking for safeties that are bagging at publix. That would be a huge improvement.
September 26th, 2016 at 7:08 am
It’s the “Curse of Chuckie!!” – the football Gods are still not happy with us ditching him. I thought the firing of enept Lovie would have appeased them, but nay……
September 26th, 2016 at 7:09 am
@joe
Huh?? Even if he doesn’t get the first down it’s 3rd and 2?? That’s only 2 downs joe You have 4 fresh set of downs from the 15 with 45 seconds left. You burn the timeout
September 26th, 2016 at 7:12 am
Wtf do you need to 2 timeouts at your 15?? You need downs to go and time we ran out of both but we saved a timeout though
September 26th, 2016 at 7:13 am
Noah , Simeon part 2 , can’t start ahead of a undrafted fa from Auburn? This orginization wants so hard to be the smartest guys out there . Play the guys with talent. He can’t stop the run? So what,… didn’t see Gurley or anyone the first three games running for a hundred yards on us. We need pass rush, this guy was suppose to be” the most naturally talented pass rusher we’ve seen”. Ok you hit on Brate and Humphries, stop the damn undrafted fa nonsense. They’re undrafted for a reason. Oh yeah and Aguayo might go down with the Beesley Reece type of a draft pick we’ve been known for for 40 yrs now.
September 26th, 2016 at 7:15 am
Never saw Simeon benched for an undrafted fa from the University of Wallemaroo, he was a little weak against the run too
September 26th, 2016 at 7:16 am
“There is simply something wrong with this passing offense.”
The problem is that we are a running offense that can no longer run the ball!!! Without that playaction, our Big, Slow Wr cannot and/or take to long to get open!!!! That is why JW3 is holding on to the ball in the 4-7 second range!!!! That is why the offense looks so wild and not efficient!!!!
Bucs 2017 nfl draft Wr, safety, TE!!!!!
September 26th, 2016 at 7:17 am
You’re inside the redzone not your own territory and you still would’ve had another timeout. So you could’ve threw another pass in bounds and burn another one. And the rest is shots to the end zone
September 26th, 2016 at 7:18 am
It’s that time of year my fellow bucs fans, not even October and let’s start talking draft 2017. Good ole’ Thunderchunky lives in the Philly area, and hopes to see you here for the draft. I can show you where the locals get the REAL cheesesteaks, and the best places to visit while you are here. Joe’s, please let me know if you will be here draft weekend, we can set up Joe Bucs Fan draft place
September 26th, 2016 at 7:20 am
So I bought Sunday ticket so I can watch my Bucs here in Texas. I changed the channel after the first quarter and didn’t change it back until after the delay was over only because nothing else was on tv. I watched them lose and I just started laughing. Why waste my Sunday on this team you know? Oh and I bought tickets for the Dallas/Tampa game here and I really don’t want to go anymore. I’ve been a fan for over twenty years now and absolutely nothing has changed. I believe the yucs should be 0-3 honestly. Even if somehow they start winning and by some miracle they get winning season it still won’t feel any better, because somehow this team finds a way to screw everything up. Anyway I’m pissed off, gotta let out some steam this morning. Why do I love this team so much!?
September 26th, 2016 at 7:31 am
I can’t disagree much with this Joe’s takes.
I’m really tired of looking for good things from a Buc loss….but what else can you do?
Adam Humphries has made it…..it appears that VH3 was not part of the problem last night….Mike Evans has matured and seems to have lost the K Y. We don’t miss ASJ. Our Oline is still pretty solid. As for Jameis….except for the last series, he kept us in the game with his outstanding play…..36-56…..3Tds, 405 yards on the Rams defense.
And….here’s a weird one…..We aren’t going to lose Mike Smith to a head coaching job. (Not sure at this point that’s a good thing)
September 26th, 2016 at 7:32 am
The University of Seffner campus right right now is speechless, and shocked about last night.☹️
September 26th, 2016 at 7:36 am
It was encouraging and Jameis did keep us in the game. He lit up their defense and still left some on the board!
We need to fix the hole in out def ASAP. idk whos getting beat for these long TDs but it has to stop!!!
September 26th, 2016 at 7:40 am
Joe the stadium is dead with no energy because this team has no energy or dedication. We support and pay guys like McCoy who do nothing yet lives the good life while us losers pay 1400 a year to sit in nose bleeds year after year in 100 degree temp to watch them find ways to lose. Well this is the last year this loser pays to watch this crap so next year there will be 2 more empty on the west side as well.
September 26th, 2016 at 7:48 am
So Joe claims Jameis is accurate but also types he’s “floating” passes. Then quotes Jameis saying how he’s missing an open Vincent Jackson. This is why writers have Editors, to keep you from contradicting yourself.
Jameis needs a string of ZERO turnover games to make me believe he’s a franchise type guy. 8 TD’s and 8 turnovers thru 3 games isn’t cutting it. He is hurting this team with turnovers and inaccurate passes to wide open receivers
September 26th, 2016 at 7:51 am
If the Aints win tonight then the Bucs will somehow still be in a 4 way tie for first which simply illustrates how the Panthers have regressed and the fact that the ATL and Aints are about as pathetic as our Bucccos. The one thing the Bucs have going for them is that the NFC South looks to be a weak division and the Bucs did manage to beat the ATL already but somehow I suspect that the Bucs will only manage 2 more wins in division; likely sweeping the ATL and splitting with Aints. 3-3 in division and 3-7 out of division (wins vs the Bears, possibly an AFC West team and an NFC Least team known as the cowgirls) equals 6-10. Isn’t that the same mark that got Lovie fired? Going to be a tough season fellow Buc fans.
September 26th, 2016 at 7:59 am
A lot of hate dumped on Aguayo, but did Winston have something to do with selecting his FSU buddy in the second round? Guess we’ll never know…
September 26th, 2016 at 8:23 am
Someone send a voodoo priest out onto the 50 yard line to sacrifice some Chucky dolls. This team is cursed!
September 26th, 2016 at 8:39 am
Not McCoys fault, nor Jameis, deffently not AJS, this loss falls on Licth for drafting a kicker when we could have had a top notch Saftey or Wide/out with speed, and on the shoulders of The Glazers for letting the BACK/STABBER lead them like a Bull with a ring in his nose in Licth’s wish for All/Power, causing them to ditch LOVIE, and for what not a damn thing has changed! 13 games to play and 8 games to win!
September 26th, 2016 at 8:43 am
Joe stop blaming every single player of the team except Jameis.
I don’t know what Tampa does to QB but we are watching another one turn into a bust.
September 26th, 2016 at 8:47 am
Had we won this game all of you would be so happy about it. Yeah as lost to the Rams but it’s only the third game of the season. Look at what the 49ers did to the Rams the fist week, and look at what Seattle did to 49rs this week after being defensively shutout by the Rams the week before.
You eliminate a few “splash plays” due to lack of execution, communication or what not and we win that game. With exception to the time management the coaches put our guys in the position .
September 26th, 2016 at 9:19 am
And now we present..KC’s hits from the 60’s. On the turntable.. Its my party and I’ll cry if I want to..By Leslie Gore. Next up…Its cryin time again..by that handsome pair..Willie Nelson and Ray Charles.
September 26th, 2016 at 9:20 am
@Ndog- I’m not sure why GMC is drawing your ire this morning. He showed up unlike our secondary.
We outplayed the Rams in almost every facet yet here we are talking about a loss. I’m still shaking my head! How?!
We still have a ways to go to become a good football team.
We all want Noah Spence to be Simeon Rice. Maybe he’s just not as good as we think he is. Otherwise, he’d be starting.
September 26th, 2016 at 9:26 am
Two weeks ago Bucs fans were talking Super Bowl after a great win to open the season. This week many are talking 6-10 at best. Amazing how fickle fans and writers can be … me included. Was convinced Bucs could go 9-7 or even 10-6 with this starting lineup. Not so fast.
Bucs lack continuity, chemistry and depth (I don’t buy the ‘Bucs players lack heart’ argument). Dirk Koetter and Mike Smith have gone from being the toasts of the town 2 weeks ago, to being managers of the dog pound this week, all without throwing a single pass or making a single tackle. Our defense is simply giving up too many big plays, passes especially. Example: Rams went deep 3 times all game, and hit on all 3 (44-43-19 yds). Our offense isn’t making enough big plays … Bucs only went deep 3 times all game and hit on 2 of them (16 & 17 yds). Turnovers, penalties and ST hurt us yesterday, but what I think hurt us the most yesterday was a very conservative game plan. Example: All but 3 passes were short passes and all but 3 of the rushes were up the middle. Jameis hardly ever rolled out (until the end of the game) and seems very reluctant to run anymore. Frustrating.
September 26th, 2016 at 9:41 am
The only thing I know anymore is that we won’t go 0-16. 1-15 is looking promising.
September 26th, 2016 at 10:12 am
@joe…I disagree….bad clock management by dirk….you cant roll over timeouts to the next game….we lost with 1 timeout remaining….after sims gets the first down which was very important and needed at the time you burn a timeout…simple as that….dirk blow the game along with the kicker and smitty with his trash a$$ defense…..how do you let a team with case freaking keenum score 30plus points after not scoring a td in 2 weeks?….and some thought lovie was incompetent….guess again….GO BUCS!!!!
September 26th, 2016 at 10:23 am
This much poor team play points to a lack of accountability that won’t be fixed until the players decide they’ve had enough.
September 26th, 2016 at 11:18 am
if you emotionally invest in this team then you’re kind of sad…because this team and organization is weak…it all started when the Glazers used you and this team to pay down their debt service to Man U that has NEVER wanted for nothing…Does Man U go out and get first time coaches, college coaches or draft stupid, yes I said it legitimately dumb players?…NOPE in fact they secured “the most expensive footballer on the planet” this year in Pogba…save your soul…take back your fall Sundays, DVR the game and fast forward though this garbage…or ruin your day/s…your call
September 26th, 2016 at 12:22 pm
I did not like the clock management in last drive but this lost is all on the safety play then the kicker. I liked Aguayo but we cant have 6 on every TD we scored just as much as them you have to make kicks. He makes the field goal and every extra point that last drive is a game winning field goal. The last play the whole team stood at the goal line….. I want a pass attempt like every other fan but i understand he was trying to find something…. He is still the same Winston.
September 26th, 2016 at 12:26 pm
Chucky curse is a real thing I Google it
September 26th, 2016 at 2:42 pm
I wouldn’t say that the O-line deserves a game ball. Sure they only let up 2 sacks but let’s not kid ourselves here, one of those led to 6 points and it changed the entire game. We were driving and in position to score before that. The O-line also had a number of penalties which negated a couple of good plays.
When it comes to the offense as a whole it seems to me like Jameis is in a little bit of a funk. Whether it’s confidence (which I doubt) or just his throws a little off. Maybe it’s the lack of a running game. He’s been seeing A LOT of blitzes in his first 3 games this season
September 26th, 2016 at 2:51 pm
This team still isn’t a finished product, But We’ll get there…