Blaming Greg Olson Unfair?
September 17th, 2011
Bucs fans were livid after the season-opening loss to the Lions because Bucs offensive coordinator Greg Olson didn’t give the rock to LeGarrette Blount enough. The Bucs’ 1,000-yard rusher from last season had a grand total of five carries Sunday.
Fingers were even pointed at Olson from the BSPN crowd. In a recent NFC South chat, even ESPN’s Pat Yasinskas joined in.
GurS (Edgware, UK)
I’m convinced the person at most to blame for the Bucs’ loss to the Lions last week is
Greg Olson. Agree or disagree?Pat Yasinskas
I’d have to agree with you there.
The NFL Network crew also befuddled by the play-calling. Brian Baldinger demonstrated with video that when Blount ran from an I-formation, not only were there holes to run through, but there was also room for Blount to run.
But as we found out earlier this week from no less than Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman, it was Bucs coach Raheem Morris who directed Olson to ditch the running attack.
Joe found it interesting this week listening to Pat Kirwan, who along with Tim Ryan co-hosts “Movin’ the Chains” heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, suggested the Bucs offense is at its best in a no-huddle therefore if he was Olson, he would have the Bucs run no-huddle as much as possible tomorrow against the Vikings.
September 17th, 2011 at 9:31 am
Blaming the rookies and near-rookies for last weeks fiasco is like blaming the kids in the backseat for the wreck you just caused. It was a bad game plan executed poorly and made worse by some offseason changes that should never have been made. It is always fair to blame the coaches and GM when we lose as it is fair to give them credit when we win!!
September 17th, 2011 at 9:37 am
i remember that play the lions had their whole d blitzing in one spot of the field and there were like 5 big holes open to run and blount runs the ball right into like 10 players even the announcers were like what are the bucs doing
September 17th, 2011 at 10:02 am
Joe: When people say they blame Greg Olson for the play calling, we’re not just talking about the run. So, no, don’t blame Raheem for the play calling. Almost every single play was just dumb. I was at the game, and every single play (until the 4th qtr) just left me dumbfounded. Including the last play…Hail Mary would’ve have worked A LOT better than the little trick play from 40 yards out. Just plain stupid. If Greg Olson keeps doing this terrible play calling, dating back to last season, not just the first game, he either needs to give the job to Freeman and/or re-evaluate himself. Another point is, have you ever noticed Olson doesn’t actually try to score in the 1st quarter, IMO. It looks like he just tries to confuse the opposing team in order to execute later on. I truly hope he realizes that the 1st quarter is part of a REAL game.
September 17th, 2011 at 10:26 am
Notice I never said “it’s his fault and his alone”. There was a failure to execute across the board. But ultimately, we fell behind as much as we did because the D never had the opportunity to rest, and THAT is on Olson’s shoulders
September 17th, 2011 at 11:22 am
Hate to say this, but Olson is not the man in charge, so if it’s indeed true that Rah told him (by his own admission) to run the 2-minute fairly early in the game then all the 3-and-outs are on Rah. It’s not on Olson. Rah admitted that he didn’t give Olson a free hand in this game but basically told him to ditch the run. That more than anything was the cause of our defense being on the field so much.
I’m a Rah fan, but let’s place blame where blame is due.
September 17th, 2011 at 11:43 am
Here is what I see, Olson’s offense does not work well w/o a running game. Before Tampa discovered Blount, we had little offense. Once Blount established himself as a threat, Olson became a “genius”.
September 17th, 2011 at 11:58 am
I can prove Olson is a poor play caller: I can remember 3 specific situations where 1 yard would give the Bucs a 1st down. All three hand offs went to Graham. Graham was stuffed all three times. Why oh why is Olson so frightened to call a sneak with the biggest QB in the league behind a Pro Bowl guard? It kills me that when I watch theae games, simple, basic, low-risk, high-reward strategy is ignored. 12 year olds with 2 hours of Madden experience can honestly call a better game.
September 17th, 2011 at 12:38 pm
Hell no it’s not unfair. We were doomed from the very start. I was at the game and was shocked to see Graham as the lone running back on the very first offensive play of the game. Blount was on the sideline. WTF. And it went downhill from there as far as play calling.
September 17th, 2011 at 12:44 pm
Yep Greg you dropped a turd!!!!
Graham fumbling didn’t help either.
September 17th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
I think Rah is still learing on the job . He was outcoached twice against the Lions
September 17th, 2011 at 2:19 pm
I think Rageem fell on the sword for Olson. What a predictable boring unimaginative offense. To have a great QB, RB, TE, WR, and a line that’s been together for a bit, who else can you blame. I think if Olson doesn’t get his shi* together this week he better start updating his resume cause I don’t see Dominic or Rah waiting. The offense has to be the strength and driving force while the D grows up. There was a reason Dominic didn’t get any offensive weapons during this draft. He feels experience and growth is all it needs. If Olson is uncapable of getting this offense to next level they will find someone in a hurry to replace him. This team not getting off to a fast start is unacceptable. It happened too often last year and Olson won’t be able to hide behind using the offense as being young as an excuse this year. He must produce or move aside.
September 17th, 2011 at 2:40 pm
I was at the GAME TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LET’S put blame in the correct place!!! FREE was takin to long to throw i.e., late-way up in the air int. in end zone. Winslow WIDE open for 2 seconds, late throw bat down by CB (think it was a 3 down in 2nd qtr.) He HAS (preseason) had people open and he is throwing late or not throwing at all. But #1, MIKE “Freakin” Williams throw him the ball more…CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 17th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
If we get just one of those 1st downs in the 1st half our D isn’t on the field the whole time. maybe we score 3 or maybe we just have the ball longer therefore keeping the Lions off the board. We only lost by 7.
September 17th, 2011 at 2:49 pm
I’ve felt all along that the lockout would seriously hinder our defense’s performance for the first half of this season with them being the youngest in the NFL and only having one month together instead of the usual six months. However, there should be no excuse for the offense under Olson because it’s all the same players from last year. If anything they should be more effective, not less. Hopefully they get this sorted out against the Vikes.
September 17th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
OUT COACHED????????????????????????? We LOST BY 7!!!!! Sean jones should have been behind Talib and knocked the ball down on the 3rd down. That would have been at least 4 less point’s right there for the Lions. Free tossed the ball up in the air. The Lions got yards but we did hold them to lots of field goals. The line didn’t block all that well on Oline and the Young Dline didn’t hit the QB all that much. Although Bowers had a good hit that I saw. SEVERAL OF U UP THERE SAY Blount had holes he just ran into the line. Maybe it was a good play call just Blount didn’t use his vision. I love Free but he needs a lot of blame and especially for time of possession.
September 17th, 2011 at 2:56 pm
Time of possession also led to us giving up the RUN and throwing 43 times.
September 17th, 2011 at 3:18 pm
Rageem doesnt fall in swords, he inserts them between the shoulder blades of asst coaches.
September 17th, 2011 at 3:29 pm
Ask jags, bates, wash, mangurian in just 2 years? Biasaccia ran before he was knifed.
Amazing how all these accomplished, successful, respected men forgot how to coach the day rah was hired. Coincidence? Or does rah just not get it.
September 17th, 2011 at 3:37 pm
um, dude, jags got fired as the HC of a UFL TEAM. are you seriously attempting to tell me someone who fails in the f’ing UFL is accomplished, successful or respected?
September 17th, 2011 at 4:21 pm
unless it is a obvious passing down, blount needs to be on the field. hell, he needs to be out there on passing downs too. how the hell else is the guy supposed to learn and freeman needs to be cognisant of who he’s got behind him and audible accordingly
September 17th, 2011 at 4:59 pm
The play calling was bad, but the miscues and lack of execution is what hurt the most. The three dropped passes on 3rd down, Sean Jones dropping an INT, Black missing the FR, Grahams fumble etc. We never took advantage of the Lions mistakes on defense. Our ridiculous penalties didn’t help either. Each of those plays may have led a drive to a score.
September 17th, 2011 at 5:19 pm
The play call wasn’t to throw a pick. The play call wasn’t to throw the ball late a lot.
September 17th, 2011 at 5:32 pm
@Joe
That’s a lie. That is not what Freeman said at all. They said Morris had a plan and they stuck to it…but that’s not the case. They clearly abandoned the running game to try and generate points through the passing game.
September 17th, 2011 at 5:39 pm
GurS…You have to know T2, he will rip on Rah when the Bucs lose, and he will say that they win despite Morris. He has an agenda against Morris for some “unknown” reason. It was clear that the assistance that were let go needed to be. This team took action and righted their mistakes…but Thomas sees it as scape goating. Just like he always dies. he ripps on them for hiring the assistant coaches, then rips on them for fixing the problem. Morris is in a no win with Thomas. He is a troll that should be ignored.
September 17th, 2011 at 5:39 pm
I will say this…time of possession is going to continue to be an issue. Our defense is learning on the job. When our offense starts getting the ball back more quickly, that means our defense is getting better.
September 17th, 2011 at 5:43 pm
Don’t rag on Freeman. He played as good as he could with the short amount of time and small pocket given to him by the OL and the underwhelming play of the receiving core. In fact, if the receivers catch those 5 dropped passes and remove the 2 spiked balls from the att/comp stats, Freeman went 33 comp of 41 att for at least 328 yards with a completion percentage of %80.4
You can’t blame Freeman for dropped passes and irrelevant stat counts.
September 17th, 2011 at 5:59 pm
Underwhelming? He doesn’t throw it to our best WR enough. People were open Free threw Late I like him too. But he has played bad throughout the preseason even the game we won he threw late.
September 17th, 2011 at 6:00 pm
late and not to Mike “Freakin” Williams.
September 17th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
Williams had a dropped pass as well. Why would he throw to Williams when Williams isn’t open at all. He was just as much a culprit of the “underwhelming” receiving core.
Go back and watch the game. There was no “late” that you speak of. There was a collapsing pocket and no separation by the WR.Even through all that, he got them the ball 33 times and 5 times they dropped it.
September 17th, 2011 at 7:07 pm
Winslow was open for 2 seconds crossin pattern himes side going towards the south endzone. The int was late and way up in the air.
September 17th, 2011 at 7:09 pm
he threw it late and the CB knocked it down Kellen had room to run if it was thrown soon enough it was so late the CB almost caught U GOO WATCH AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 17th, 2011 at 7:17 pm
The TV view you can’t always watch the WR’s I was at the game watchin from north endzone I CLEARLY saw Kelln open and others and there were late throws I am not sayin it was all Free’s fault. O line didn’t play that good and if the above people are correct that Blount had the back door open. That was his fault too.
Despite all that in the preseason like I stated before Free is throwin late. He is still my Fav QB in NFL right now but no IT IS NOT OLSEN’s play callin. Which is what the article is about.
September 17th, 2011 at 7:18 pm
Remember, he effectually only had 8 incompletions. I can name 33 other passes he did well at. I can name 5 dropped passes.
As far as the play you gave, you said you wanted him to give the ball to mike Will. Well, on that play he waited for Williams to get open and Will never did. Then he went to his second option. It was behind, yes. There goes one of 8 true incompletions in a game where he was forcing balls left and right to WR that had no separation.
I highly suggest you watch the game again. Focus on the OL and WR and you will see I am not making this stuff up.
September 17th, 2011 at 7:19 pm
And yes, Olsen had horrible play calling in this game. Most fans and even the national media agrees. At least those who watched the game and took notice.
September 17th, 2011 at 7:24 pm
If you are struggling to see the WR on plays, you should get the NFL Rewind package. It is cheap and you get different angles of plays.
September 17th, 2011 at 7:46 pm
Sorry u r wrong.
September 17th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
the passes he completed lots were short non risk takeing throws.
September 17th, 2011 at 7:49 pm
And Mike doesn’t need room to catch a ball and he is strong enough and has the Cunning/Ball Skillz to get the ball.
September 17th, 2011 at 7:53 pm
43 throws and only 260 yards that are easy short throws. And no it wasn’t because the wr/te were covered
September 17th, 2011 at 7:54 pm
6 yards a Completion not good and = short throws
September 17th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
do u at least admit the INT was a Late and poor throw?
September 17th, 2011 at 8:01 pm
Kellen may have been the second option but he was lookin @ winslow awhile before he threw it. He took too long to throw in the preseason every game.
September 17th, 2011 at 8:02 pm
and if the WR aren’t getting off coverage how is that playcallin that is young wr not getting it done.
September 17th, 2011 at 8:04 pm
I am not a negative person towards my teams anymore I am just tryin to tell the truth here. The O was bad it had many componets butplaycallin wasn’t the reason plays on the field lost it for us we should of had at least one INT on D that we dropped.
September 17th, 2011 at 8:06 pm
and had coverage deep on the TD just SJ didn’t get deep enough
September 17th, 2011 at 8:35 pm
The passes were short because there was no separation downfield, no time for long plays to develop, and no running game. All can be relegated to poor WR play, poor OL, and poor play calling.
Mike does need room to ensure the QB room to get the ball to him. Mike needs to get separation. That is his job.
It would have been at least 9.9 yards per completion had those 5 passes not been dropped. I say “at least” because who knows what the YAC could have been.
I admit the 8 incompletions were poor throws(which includes the int), but even Tom Brady has incompletes each week.
If the WR aren’t getting separation, it is up to the OC to figure out how to make it happen i.e. running the ball and running more quick slants (Mike ran 1 the entire game) That is bad play calling.
I don’t think you are negative towards the team.
I totally agree that the Defense had its share of missed opportunities. The Black FR and the Sean Jones missed int come to mind immediately.
Just to be clear, I am not blaming the loss solely on play calling. Their were many factors. Just point out that the play calling was one of them.
September 17th, 2011 at 9:08 pm
the 99 TD thrown by Tom Brady it was tight coverage welker just stiff armed and ran 99 yards SEPERATION MEANS NOTHING!!!! On the goalline, their QB threw to CJ and Talib was inside his Jersey. Lions QB threw another long pass to CJ and he HAD 3 Bucs on him tight coverage means nothing you really don’t know as much as you think about football.
September 17th, 2011 at 9:09 pm
I take that back. you know a lot! But ur wrong this time.
September 17th, 2011 at 9:11 pm
ohh yeah Tom Brady was in his own Endzone and wasn’t scared to throw into tight coverage
September 17th, 2011 at 9:13 pm
another time Free got tackled on a 3rd down he started to run then pulled up then ran again. He had a major chance to run for it. He was not making decisions quick enough weather to run throw and when to throw.
September 17th, 2011 at 9:15 pm
Lots and lots of times it’s one on one coverage and lots AND LOTS AND LOTS of times it VERY TIGHT coverage. It’s the NFL everybody’s good.
September 17th, 2011 at 9:18 pm
Maybe he was cramping up and couldn’t throw when he wanted to? If you look at the stats he played better in the 4th qtr. I’m betting it’s because he finally started getting comfortable. AND stopped holding the ball. SORRY BUT I LOVE CAPS!!!!
September 17th, 2011 at 9:19 pm
Welker had plenty separation(the safety was in complete chase mode in no position to make a play) and Mike Williams does not have Calvin Johnson’s athletic ability or height.
You say “SEPARATION MEANS NOTHING” then tell me “you don’t really know as much as you think about football”. This is nothing more than a projection of your own football ignorance onto me. I will not further an argument that has turned into empty nonsense. Take care, friend.
September 17th, 2011 at 9:25 pm
I take back the part about it being a safety. I remember that guy sucking as a Viking. lol poor bastard was fired over it lol
September 17th, 2011 at 10:31 pm
Chase mode? Chase mode? He was right next to him when Tom Released it AND there was a LB or Saftey in the vicinity. He was anticipating the throw something Free didn’t do in the bucs game.
If u think there are wideopen WR’s all the time in the NFL ur a TOTAL numb nutz. it’s the begining of the year the O should be ahead of the D. It was for Detroit but it wasn’t for Free.
September 17th, 2011 at 10:37 pm
or our O-line.
September 18th, 2011 at 8:28 am
You said above that CJ is a Mismatch for Talib and that is why it was fine fo Lions QB to throw into tight coverage (unlike your view of Free not having seperation therefore he shouldn’t throw). The Lions have a bad secondary. So is Mike “Freakin” Williams (one of the 2 bucs to represent the NFL’s top 100 players) not a mismatch againts the Lions Secondary?????????????? You don’t want to argue with me anymore BECAUSE I AM RIGHT!!!
September 18th, 2011 at 10:59 am
The Comish @620 on his Bucs Sunday Morning show just said you couldn’t have better coverage on CJ than Talib had on the one on one TD. And the lions QB still threw it.
There aren’t too many open players in most games. How many famous touchdowns have been thrown into tight coverage, Double coverage and sometimes even 3 on 1. Get out of here with your SEPARATION is important argument. THESE ARE NFL DEFENSES!!!!!!!!!!