Where Was The Hard Count, Trickery?
December 6th, 2010
Any fan can pick apart yesterday’s painful Bucs-Falcons game, but one point keeps sticking in Joe’s gut like a three day old ham sandwich.
With all the trickery and creativity the Bucs have employed this year on offense, Joe has yet to see them attempt a hard count to draw a team offsides.
The Bucs had 4th-and-1 on the Atlanta 41 yard line with 3:30 left in the third quarter on the heels of LeGarrette Blount getting stuffed on 3rd-and-1. And the Bucs sent out the punt team.
Although Joe is still stunned that Raheem Morris got ultra conservative in that spot, where at least was the hard count to draw off Atlanta?
Maybe throw Josh Johnson in at quarterback with Blount in the backfield and a weird looking formation to push Atlanta into a timeout?
Something?
At that point, the Bucs could have taken a delay of game penalty. The situation was ripe to try to draw Atlanta off.
Not even trying shortchanged the team. Hey, it was good enough for New Orleans yesterday.
December 6th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
With the benefit of hindsight everyone thinks they’re an offensive coordinator.
December 6th, 2010 at 3:41 pm
Maybe they could have treid something there, but this is getting pretty ‘nitpickey’
I’ll stick with screaming at Stovall for not making the tackle on the KO return
AND
the defense for dumb horse collar penalty and bad play on 3rd and 20.
Oh well… got to believe they start getting over the hump against the better teams next year.
Quite honestly, the only thing I am really concerned about right now is Faine and Talib’s injuries. Looks to me like faine (torn or not) is probably gone at least 2 games.
Talib scares me because they have been very quiet about it.
December 6th, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Knowing the right time for this trickeration comes with experience
December 6th, 2010 at 4:04 pm
D-money…ur dead on with that statement.
December 6th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Will someone re watch the game and see if Freeman licks his fingers twice before every passing play. Nervous habit? Tell?
December 6th, 2010 at 4:28 pm
Screw triceration! Why isnt anyone talking about the two ALT FAGons holding and one with a face mask on the return for 102 yards! We are young and look to have a great future, but dam twice we could of beat the ATL and we blew it! OUR FAILOR WAS THE KICK return!!!
December 6th, 2010 at 4:39 pm
Good article Joe, I knew once they decided to kick that field goal that those 4 points would be the difference, lo and behold it was! Rah and Olson coached scared and not to lose… they’ll learn from that debacle. Playoff like game and at home in Atlanta’s end, you go for it with a a trick play whatever, you go for it.
December 6th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
faine out 4 year
fun
December 6th, 2010 at 5:15 pm
@Joe: I wanted him to go for it, but I think it was a smart call. If we would have been stopped short, people would have been saying how stupid it was…
December 6th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
Hunter,
You hit the nail on the head. It’s easy to look back and say they should have done this or that.
If they go for it and don’t get it a whole new group of people are bitching today about how stupid it was.
Actually it would probably be the same people who are bitching about not going for it.
December 6th, 2010 at 6:37 pm
No Doubt!
December 6th, 2010 at 7:03 pm
The field goal in the 3rd quarter to take the lead was the right call. Up 24-14 late in the game with a team at 3rd & 20 should be a good situation. Experience is a central issue here.
Think about it, before the season, we would have taken 8-8, let alone the real potential for 10-6. NOBODY was thinking playoffs.
December 6th, 2010 at 7:27 pm
Joe – couldn’t agree more. While I hate the call to punt on 4th and 1 from their 41, that part of it is at least defensible.
But if you’re gonna do it, you just can’t pass up the chance to let something good happen before you commit to the punt. Punting from the 46 is almost exactly the same as punting from the 41, therefore taking the shot at drawing them offsides costs you essentially nothing if it doesn’t work, and has a huge payoff if it doesn’t work.
Failures of execution (pass interference on 3rd and 20, not tackling the kick returner, etc) certainly suck, but they’re part of the game. I mean, this ain’t Auburn vs. Nicholls State — the other guy is good enough to make things happen. Failures of playcalling happen, too — again, it’s part of the game (can’t win ’em all).
But obvious tactical blunders — like giving up this no-lose opportunity –that’s what I just can’t stand.
Oh well. Bucs are still in it and I can’t wait for Sunday. This one’s for the season!
December 6th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
*if it DOES work
December 6th, 2010 at 8:07 pm
They probably didn’t go with the hard count because they weren’t playing the Bengals. Atlanta would not have jumped.
December 6th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
Where Was The Hard Count, Trickery?
probably on some chartered bus at Lee Roy Selmon in Ft Meyers
December 6th, 2010 at 8:25 pm
Joe here,
@RastaMon — Not sure what you’re getting at, but I hope you’re not bitter than some Bucs fans choose to be fans on The Blackout Tour. Not everyone can enjoy the stadium experience.
December 6th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
“Not everyone can enjoy the stadium experience.”
ahh….yeah if they can do the bus thing they can go to “”A game…
and you know that is the truth !
December 6th, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Joe here,
@RastaMon – Frankly, this attitude has really suprised Joe since the Blackout Tour launched.
1) Most who have attended The Blackout Tour go to real games. They just can’t afford to go to all of them yet still enjoy themselves by their standards, such as arriving early (which means they woudln’t find a cheap ticket outside), buying concessions, paying for parking, etc. Or they just can’t afford it period.
2) There are people who have gone on The Blackout Tour who physically can’t do a game (walking, etc) and still enjoy themselves.
But ultimately, those on the tour enjoy the inexpensive opportunity to get drunk and Bucs crazy with other fans. It’s a rolling tailgate. But it’s still respectable enough for those who don’t want to party. There’s a young teen, his dad and two older uncles who routinely go. Joe is quite certain they’re hauling to Fort Myers to save money and because they can’t sleep if they miss a game.
Only hardcore fans would make the trip, of course, and Joe feels great about having offered this opportunity. Met a lot of great fans, too.