“Stunned” By Raheem Morris’ Decision
December 20th, 2010
There were plenty of things that made Bucs fans scratch their heads over yesterday.
There was the benching of LeGarrette Blount late.
There was the bizarre play-calling late.
But good guy Stephen Holder of the St. Petersburg Times is particularly puzzled by a move made by Raheem Morris late in regulation in the Bucs loss to the rebuilding since 1957 Detroit Lions, a loss that for all intents and purposes, puts the Bucs in 2011 draft mode.
In short, after resting on the issue overnight, Holder cannot believe Raheem didn’t go for the win, and settled for a field goal in the final minutes of regulation.
@HolderStephen The more I think about Raheem Morris’ decision to put game in hands of a leaky defense the more stunned I am. ‘You play to win the game!’
Joe understands where Holder is coming from and doesn’t totally disagree, but Joe can also see where Raheem is coming from.
To that point, when the Bucs kicked a go-ahead field goal with 1:39 left in the fourth, the Bucs had held the Lions to one touchdown in the second half, that came early in the third quarter.
Raheem, being a defensive guy and seeing how his defense held the Lions scoreless for some 27 minutes, decided to trust his defense.
Joe can see where Raheem was coming from.
As a Bucs beat writer e-mailed Joe this morning, the Bucs all season have been searching for that “signature win.” Instead yesterday, they suffered a signature loss.
December 20th, 2010 at 11:23 am
I’m 100% with Holder on this one. Would the Patriots, Steelers, Falcons, Saints, Packers, or any quality team, play that timid in that situation. No way. A touchdown in that situation and you win that game.
December 20th, 2010 at 11:30 am
Good Lord, it was 4th down and a bunch, we were 3 points behind, Tampa did what we had to, we tied the game. WHY they benched Blount during that final series is beyond me, but we did.
December 20th, 2010 at 11:33 am
I dunno, making that decision with Tom Brady or Brees is a bit easier.
Remember the critical pick Freeman threw in the Atlanta game?
December 20th, 2010 at 11:40 am
Thank you Stephen Holder AKA Captain Hindsight.
This is not even an argument. It was 4th down. The field goal gave us the lead.
If your defense cant stop a 3-10 team playing a third string QB from scoring with less than two minutes then you don’t deserve to win the game.
December 20th, 2010 at 11:45 am
This game (and season) came down to this teams inability to gain one yard in crucial situations. For the second week in a row the Bucs failed to score a TD on a first and goal from the 1. Go back to the ATL game and it cost us another. And the way the Bucs are coming out in shotgun and 5 wr sets in 3rds and 1 or 2 shows the complete lack of confidence the coaching staff has in the OL’s ability and our RB’s ability. It’s a problem that MUST be addressed in the offseason.
December 20th, 2010 at 11:46 am
Bingo!
December 20th, 2010 at 11:47 am
You forgot to add “at home” d-money.
Or be in the playoffs!
December 20th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Raheem’s plan would’ve been great if the defense would’ve shown up. While I was there, I was also questioning it, but realized it was the smartest thing after looking at the Lions’ timeouts. By running the ball, it forced the Lions to use all of their timeouts and still put us in the lead. Once again, if defense did some what of their job, the plan would have been GREAT.
December 20th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
I have said this and I will repeat it, this team is the mirror image of the Falcons last season. Making strides but not mature enough to beat more dynamic teams and the coaches aren’t ready for the spotlight. See the Pats week in and out, simple gameplan but effective in eliminating the opposition best player or using their best attributes against them. All coaching and approach, not arrogance. Raheem and Olson may have hit the wall.
December 20th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
so we gonna make the playoffs or what?
December 20th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
No playoffs, but what does that matter.
People “feel good”.
December 20th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
I will “feel good” when Rah comes back next year and mindless haters like you will have more opportunities to secretly cry when the bucs win!
December 20th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
I will laugh if the Glazers barely exercise his option, with no word of a new contract, with a fat bonus.
The Glazers HAVE to sign him to a big deal or Roy Cummings will set out to defame the ownership for not signing his choice of coach. Just like when Roy ran off Gruden, he will come to Raheems rescue and put the media pressure on the Glazers.
December 20th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
But raheem has earned a 2011 opportunity to coach the first 8 games. See how he does in his first 8 games… If he underachieves (5-3 or worse) then he should get fired at mid season.
Another 8 games on a short leash seem more than reasonable.
December 20th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
@ architek79
Man I’ve been thinking the EXACT same thing!
2007 – Bobby Petrino/Mike Vick combo blows up in their faces and the Falcons go 4-12
2008 – Draft Matt Ryan, add Mike Turner & benefit from a favorable schedule to go 11-5 and lose in the 1st round of the playoffs
2009 – Fail to meet expectations and miss the playoffs going 9-7
2010 – Rise to the top of the NFC at 12-2
The silver lining in all this is that we’re growing on a similar arch. Last’s years Bucs are eerily similar to the ’07 Falcons and this year’s young but talented team nearly matched the wins from the ’08 Falcons.
Using this as a background and combining the young talent we’ve acquired, the players that have been exposed as non-players, the growing pains the coaching staff has gone through, and the playoff level intensity that we’ve gone through since the last Falcons game, I feel good about where we are as a franchise.
December 20th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
You have to be able to punch it in. Jets were in the same boat yesterday, 4th and 1 and Sanchez ran it in. I can understand Rah, but man that loss hurt.
I will say that while that loss hurts, I am thanking the Good Lord I am not a Giants fan. To lose when you are 31-10 with 7 minutes to go has to be a gut wrenching experience (Colts-Bucs 2003 MNF like).
December 20th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
Coming into this game I didn’t think we were a playoff caliber team – and for the second straight week – that includes the coaching staff.
How can you NOT go for the win when the only part of your team with enough playmakers still able to start – are in position TO go for them win?
For some reason Raheem Morris thought he had the famed “2002 Tampa-2” on the field!? REALITY CHECK RAHEEM: you’re starting defensive tackle was just promoted from the PRACTICE SQUAD, your corner STUD, your rookie Safety phenom, and your lightning fast LB….WERE STANDING BESIDE YOU IN STREET CLOTHES!!
If even I know that the best players we have are on OFFENSE right now, why -IN THE FREAKING WORLD – would you not go out and let them get you a WIN?
Inside the mond of Raheem: “…hmmm, what to do on 3rd and 5 inside the 40 with less than 3 minutes to go….should I let Josh Freeman, Mike Williams, LeGarrett Blount, Rejus Benn, and The Souldja, try to score a TD…or should I kick a field goal and run out the clock with Frank Okam, Al Woods, Dekoda Watson, and EJ Biggers….”
Gee, that’s a tough one – and with so little time on your hands to make a tough call on that one…hmm…
NOT!
Who are you kiddin? If you want men to put it all on the line for you – then you have GOT to use the RIGHT GUYS!
(HINT: the guys whose names even the casual fans know…)
Holy cow did we let one get away….I’ll be muttering about this one all off-season.
Grrrrrrr….
December 20th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
If the Bucs end 8-8 after being 7-3, you guys should be screaming to fire this coach, but why is it that people are actually out there wanting to give this guy an extenstion of his contract. This team has not beaten any team again with a winning record and are playing against a similar a schedule to atlanta and new orleans who both have two to three wins more than you do. Last place schedule and nothing to show for it but a few more wins. Get rid of MOrris and get a real coach.
December 20th, 2010 at 4:01 pm
If he went for seven and missed it, you guys would be saying “you always go for the points”. Hind sight is 20/20 people. The D had done the usual bend but don’t break, but in the end it broke. Time to move on and get ready for next weeks game.
December 20th, 2010 at 4:04 pm
Bobby Corbin…What are you trying to say? Are you using sarcasm about the Saints and Falcons records? Do you really think Morris should be fired becasue ATL and NO have a couple more wins than the Bucs? I am really asking, for your post is not clear.
December 20th, 2010 at 4:06 pm
McBuc:
Joe’s got to get rolling but Joe wasn’t aware until a reader commented that Raheem has only a total of two wins in two years against teams with a winning record and one of those wins was with the heinous Jim Bates Experiment.
That nugget of information makes Joe say, “Hhhhmmm?”
December 20th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
That does make you ho hmmmm, and when you think about it that sounds about right. It is hard to say what would happen if we played more teams with winning records this year though. I feel would would have lost half the games we won this year if we played them last year. The team is better than it was…They are not great but they are getting better.
December 20th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
The offense is promising. Raheem looks completely lost as a head coach and as a DC.