How Good Is The Bucs Offense?
May 2nd, 2011
Everyone can analyze the Bucs’ draft 20 different ways, but it’s very clear the Bucs made at least one bold statement: the team is happy returning its 2010 offense.
It’s interesting, considering the Bucs were 20th in the NFL last year in points scored and 19th in total yards, even with Josh Freeman have a stunning season through the air and on the ground.
The Bucs didn’t address the offense until halfway through the draft. Fourth-round pick Luke Stocker seems to be a solid player, but Kellen Winslow is still the go-to guy in the passing game, and there’s no reason to think that’s going to change. And sixth-round running back Allen Bradford has about zero chance of being a starter.
Obviously, the Bucs envision Freeman, the receivers, LeGarrette Blount and the offense improving from experience, but that’s hardly a given.
The odds of the Bucs adding a skill position player in free agency seem about as likely has Joe dating Bucs cheerleaders, so this is it. There’s a lot riding on Freeman and Blount’s big shoulders.
May 2nd, 2011 at 11:42 am
I see it a bit different
The Bucs traded next years 4th round pick to ensure they get Luke Stocker .. and although Allen Bradford was drafted in the 6th round he could see significant carries .. Hell Blount was picked off the waiver wire
Depending on the Labor stuff we may have most of our O-Line back on tenders and FA has yet to take place
To say the Bucs are gonna sit pat on Offense is jumping the Gun just a bit
May 2nd, 2011 at 11:48 am
Joe here,
@jvato C’mon, Bradford seems to have a darn good chance of sitting on the practice squad or not even wearing a hat on gameday. Let’s not get carried away. Blount, Cadillac (if signed), Graham, Huggins, Lumpkin, Bradford. He’s got a ways to go to make the team. Joe’s going to have a post on this later.
May 2nd, 2011 at 11:49 am
What people fail to realize is this offense is ranked 20th including the 6 games prior to Blount starting. Considering we essentially played those games without a running game, its easy to say we were 20th. However, if you start the season against the Cardinals when we gave Blount the start and bulk carries, we end the season as a top 10 offense. Amazing how much difference a running game makes.
May 2nd, 2011 at 11:58 am
Come on, Joe, a free agent skill player isn’t that big of reach. Benn is recovering, Caddy is a FA, our backup QBs are suspect. Not saying a big signing is on the way, but surely there’s room for competition behind Freeman, Williams and Blount.
May 2nd, 2011 at 12:02 pm
Joe here,
@lovethepewter — Let’s get the facts clear.
After Blount became the feature back the Bucs averaged 348 yards per game and 24 points per game. If they had done that the entire season, based on 2010 league stats, the Bucs would have finished 12th overall in points scored and 15th overall in total. We could all that slightly above average.
Blount was a beast, but he didn’t make the Bucs a top-10 offense.
May 2nd, 2011 at 12:05 pm
I think Tampa was to concerned with character issue players that it hurt them in the draft. They are more comfortable taking players with serious medical issues instead of star players with questionable characters. Jimmy Smith is the top CB in the draft as far as shut down potential and that is our weak spot besides DE.
Clayborn is ok, but with his issues and to pass up on a guy with Smith’s talent is beyond me. Oh no Talib was a problem so automatically Smith will be as well. Thats not how you build your team.
Carolina went with players in the past that had no character issues and look where that got them. The #1 pick in the draft. At some point you have to have faith in your coaches and players and draft those kids who will instantly help your team.
The Bowers pick has huge reward with little risk considering it was pick 51. I’m ok with that pick, although Mikel Leshoure was there and I think along with many other people, will be the top back in this draft. And no OL help???????????? Sorry but we will struggle this year at RT for sure. Brandon Carter can play G along with Joseph, but we needed a Center for the future along with atleast one OT to build on….
May 2nd, 2011 at 12:21 pm
The Bucs O-line was ranked #2 last year in Cold Hard Facts’ Offensive Hog rating index. I really don’t see a need to go after anyone else as long as Davin Joseph resigns and Demar Dotson is healthy…
May 2nd, 2011 at 12:47 pm
Can we,as fans & tax payers, sue the league for wasting our tax dollars over this? The smart thing here is to split the damn 9 billon down the center and call it a day!…..No owners no players, no players no owner because they will be out of business!….I say we all should file a class action suit against the nfl!
May 2nd, 2011 at 12:54 pm
We should re-sign Joseph and TrueBlood. My understanding is that O-line coach Pat Morris prefers road-grader types for a run-oriented offense. James Lee is a natural guard out of SC State. Larsen was drafted as C. We should trade Faine to get our 4th round 2012 draft pick back. We should move Lee to LG, Larsen to C, Hardman to RG, and Dotson to RT. Then let’s have these training camp battles – best man starts – Penn vs Barker (LT), Lee vs Carter (LG), Larsen vs Zuttah (C), Joseph vs Hardman (RG), and Dotson vs Trueblood (RT). We should sign Zach Hurd (OG) and David Mims (OT) to the practice squad. Then in September, let’s go out and grade some road!
May 2nd, 2011 at 1:02 pm
@Macabee
That is not a bad plan. I’m really big on Brandon Carter at LG. Penn at LT, I think Zuttah would make a solid C, Joesph at RG, but can Dotson hold up all season at RT??? Not sure about that one. That was the position I felt needed to be addressed the most on the Offensive side of the ball, and it wasn’t.
May 2nd, 2011 at 1:09 pm
Get em’ Joe. Facts don’t lie but people with misinformation do lie and its great to hear people get called out. That was funny!! Thanks for that one Joe!!!
May 2nd, 2011 at 1:11 pm
Well the Bucs dont need Bradford to be a starter. Joe has about zero chance of predicting what Bradford will become. We all know by now starting caliber backs can easily come from the 6th round. Bradford has incredible measurables. He was hurt and got buried down the depth chart on a team full of starting caliber backs. He was productive when featured and he has awesome speed for his size. He has as much chance as being the #2 back as anyone.
May 2nd, 2011 at 1:31 pm
Im comfortable with the skill positions on this team. If they resign Joseph and Trueblood they willl have incredible depth and a decent starting line so I guess I’m ok with that too. Ultimately, the determining factor in the Bucs raising that 20th in scoring stat is whether or not Josh Freeman takes the next step in his development and goes from very good QB to truly elite QB.
May 2nd, 2011 at 1:57 pm
@Funky Munkey
I am sorry could you please rephrase your posts it didn’t make sense. Why would you not want productive-high character players that are not dirt bag’s?
May 2nd, 2011 at 2:34 pm
We have won a Championship with a much lesser offence …. DEFENCE BABY that keeps you in games and that wins you games . Our Offense now never had this talent. WE will win a superbowl within a few years or sooner .
May 2nd, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Big BIG shoulders that is.
May 2nd, 2011 at 3:08 pm
@Joe
Where are you getting your numbers from?
The Bucs scored 24.3 points per game over the last 10 games which would be tied for 10th with Green Bay in points per game (if they played that way all year).
The Bucs had a net total yards of 3517 yards over the last 10 games, obviously 351.7 yards per game, which I apologize, is 11th in the league (again if we played this way all year).
Am I missing something here Joe?
May 2nd, 2011 at 4:53 pm
Clayborn had the biggest medical concerns besides Bowers and we ended up with both. The team was too worried about drafting someone with a bad rep. even though this kid punched a cab driver ala Talib. Carolina went through the same phase with Fred Lane, and Ray Carruth or whatever and Steve Smith. Some of the best players have that “thug” image and still produce and stay out of trouble. So to avoid Jimmy Smith to me is crazy. None of our current CBs besides Talib are shutdown corners. Playing ATL and NO 4 times a year will be difficult with no playmakers on the outside.
May 2nd, 2011 at 7:26 pm
Disagree Joe. Most of our skilled position players were rookies. There is no reason to believe that, Freeman, Blount, Williams, Benn, and our other receivers wont be better this year. Of course that’s assuming they have a training camp. Plus when Blount started getting used regulary our offense was clicking. I’d be interested in knowing how the Bucs offense ranked the last 8 games of the season. I know Freeman got better and was his best the last quarter of the season.
May 2nd, 2011 at 7:34 pm
Our offense just got better…. we drafted Clayborn and Bowers and Foster…
And if you don’t understand that, let me help out. We were horrid against the run last year. Other teams would run the ball against us, and that eats a lot of clock. If we’re more capable of stopping the run this year, and get more pressure on the QB in passing situations, we’ll get the ball back more often and have more opportunities on offense. That’s how they improved the offense this year.
The players on offense will be the same, and they should play at least the same, if not better. If they improve at all, the offensive stats will improve with them. But, if our defense improves and we stop other teams from moving the ball up and down the field against us, our offense will have better statistics based on that as well. Sometimes the best offense is a good defense. In this case, we may have improved both.
May 2nd, 2011 at 10:17 pm
I like that thinking BamBam.
May 3rd, 2011 at 10:00 am
Joe you can date any Buc cheerleader you want but leave the Watson to me.
May 3rd, 2011 at 11:28 am
If we don’t have an offensive line it doesn’t matter how great or good our D. is. And currently we have Penn, Carter, Faine under contract. Dotson needs to stay healthy and we have to resign Joseph. I could care less about Truedud.
But if we don’t have Talib, how are we going to stop anyone from throwing all over us??? No shut down corner, so our zone better be great and everyone must stay in their gaps to have a chance!!