A Silver Lining To The Yellow Flags
October 28th, 2011
It was an ugly loss in London to the Bears. The franchise quarterback has outdone Rex Grossman in interceptions. Injuries have piled up more than a M*A*S*H unit.
But Bucs coach Raheem Morris is not throwing in a towel quite yet on the season as the Bucs enter their bye week, despite the number of yellow towels the zebras have thrown at the Bucs.
From stupid personal fouls to untimely holding calls, the Bucs have been crippled by penalties.
But Bucs coach Raheem Morris sees a silver lining, or at least a light at the end of the tunnel (no, Joe won’t use any more cliches).
The Tampa Tribune’s eye-RAH Kaufman details why Morris is taking a positive approach.
The Bucs have been flagged for 493 yards, well above the NFL average (354.5), and Morris said many of those penalties either undermined Tampa Bay drives or sustained possessions by opposing clubs during the club’s 4-3 start.
Still, Morris is proud that the Bucs have remained within striking distance through seven weeks, despite the sloppy play.
“The best team in the NFL has seven wins,” he said, referring to the defending-champion Packers. “The next-best teams have five, so we’re only one game away from being the second-best team in the NFL.”
It’s an interesting point. Despite the Bucs sleepwalking through the first three quarters of too many games, despite the Bucs inability to force turnovers, despite the Bucs shooting themselves in the foot constantly, the Bucs are just one game back from having the second-best record in the NFL.
The sky is not (yet) falling.
October 28th, 2011 at 8:53 am
Not quite the 2nd best record with the Lions, Bears and 49ers having tie-breakers over us.
The Bucs will have to a minimum of 6-3 over the last 9 and beat the Saints and the Falcons and the Panthers at least once which wont be so easy.
If the Bucs get beat by the Saints next week they will have to go 6-2 if not 7-1 to finish the season if they want 10 or 11 wins. That is with 3 home games.
Definitely not being negative, but this is reality for this team that doesnt look like a playoff team so far.
A win in NO Increases the odds by quite a bit, A loss makes it that much further.
October 28th, 2011 at 8:57 am
I cant honestly say this doesnt look like a playoff team, But the playcalling offensively to me lacks creativity and doesnt know how to reel it in and go back to basics when things arent working.
Where are the 3 step drops and Fire to get rythym or Slant Patterns ??
Where is Mike Spurlock who was a clutch player last season ?? Where is Arrelious Benn , or is it the Gruden Rule that you cant certain receivers on the field at the same time. It seems like the only time Olson calls a good game is when he starts to come under fire by the fans and media.
October 28th, 2011 at 9:00 am
I like Raheem and his ability to make corrections but this sounds a little like a Head Coach in denial.
October 28th, 2011 at 9:19 am
Penalties=lack of discipline. lack of discipline = poor coaching….so
Penalties=poor coaching. Clean it up coach, enough bluster. There is only one “best team” and thats teh one standing at the end. STFU and fix it.
October 28th, 2011 at 9:26 am
He is completely right. As ugly as the wins and losses are, we played six games and came out 4-3.
After seeing those penalty yards, which average out to over 82 yards a game, it is easy to see what ails us the most. 82 yards a game is a very long drive for a TD score or 28 yards of help on 3 short drives for 3 FGs. These penalties are equating to points for the other team every single game. That is ridiculous!!!! 82 penalty yards a game is MFing unacceptable.
I don’t know what he can do, but Raheem has to do something. The sheer amount of holding, false start, offsides and neutral zone infractions are through the roof. These have nothing to do with player skill and everything to do with mental focus.
This team is on the cusp of greatness. Penalties and mental discipline are holding them back but if your head coach isn’t mentally disciplined the team won’t be. If the manager is not the head coach won’t be. If owners are not, then the manager won’t be.
Someone needs to do something. Be it Morris, Dominik, or the Glazers. Get this team into the playoffs, guys!
October 28th, 2011 at 9:30 am
Yup, all things considered, we are doing fine. Youngest team in the league. Making lots of youthful mistakes. Really young coach and GM – they have made youthful mistakes. But despite all that- we are winning! Undefeated in our division. Things are good this year. Next year, with a full off season with our coaches, a couple of high draft picks at CB and OLB- man, we will be absolutely fearsome
It’s hard to believe how bright this team’s future is! Despite all the idiots crying that the sky is falling, it’s actually a great time to be a Bucs fan!
October 28th, 2011 at 9:58 am
Capt Tim, I’m going to buy your ugly duckling theory for now. I am going to wait for the swan next year. But it’s like being in love with an ugly woman that gives great sex. Surely, you can understand the mixed emotions. LOL.
October 28th, 2011 at 10:03 am
It’s kind of what everyone was clambering for during the Preseason. Most of us KNEW this team wasn’t going to be as good as they were last year. Due to the increased difficulty of the schedule and the Asinine lock out. But we did exactly what we needed to. Came out of the first half of the season with a winning record.
This team has a few problems. Most of which are easily fixable. I have a feeling these boys are going to wake up after this BYE week and come out ready to run for the playoff’s. I’m hoping there season is like their game play. Start out a lil rocky and slow. Then get stout and on fire towards the final few games.
October 28th, 2011 at 10:10 am
We are not going for 10-11 wins. We tried that last year and still sat out of the playoffs. We are only worried about WINNING our Division. To us nothing else really matters. The Sea Hawks went to the play off last year as what a 7-9 team? The only thing we really really need to stay focused on is Winning against the Saints, Panthers and Falcons. Nothing else really matters. Sadly our last 2 games Are Carolina and Atlanta (in order). So we wont know if we clinched a spot till the very last game:)
October 28th, 2011 at 10:28 am
941…. it’ll be just like needing 7 instead of 3 late in the 4th, I agree.
We are in a huge hole with these tiebreakers. Lions or Bears will be one of the WC no doubt and I doubt we would get enough wins to surpass them and the saints and the falcons as well. We need a lot of help in the Saints not racking up wins outside the division too.
Look, a lot of people still thought we were going to take a step back this year and clearly we are with player slumps, penalties and bad playcalling. We are still the youngest team in the NFL. This is a growing year and there are pains associated with it. But this team definetly had the talent assembled to dominate once it matures.
So lets all take a step back, see the bigger picture, lower our blood pressure a little (myself included), and just enjoy the journey.
October 28th, 2011 at 10:39 am
They are also 2 games out of last in the division with 2 games to play against the last team. These Panthers are not the 2010 Panthers.
Also, the two top wild card teams are det and chicago, both beat us. They are in okay position, not good position. They are going to need to beat atlanta and the panthers twice.
October 28th, 2011 at 10:40 am
for us to make the playoffs this year this saints game could be the season for us. If we can beat them we come within 1 game of the saints and we stil will be undefeated in the division and have momentum going into the houston game. Houston;s a good team but I think we have a shot to beat them if we beat up schaub and keep foster down (easier said then done). Then we got the packers which I don’t have a ton of confidence in us winning. But hey I hope im wrong. And tennessee is coming back down to earth I believe. If we can come out of this break 3-1 is the best case scenario and 2-2 being manageable. I believe we could possibly sweep are whole division this year and go 6-0 which would be huge.
October 28th, 2011 at 10:42 am
Tim,
We are looking at 4 straight years and no playoffs. Home games are blacked out. This is the worst time in 20 years to be a buc fan, are you kidding. When did consecutive years and no playoffs become acceptable in the era of free agency and 1 year turnarounds?
October 28th, 2011 at 11:00 am
Its acceptable Thomas because this young team is heading in the right direction. Young and talented but in ned of a little experience. This, of ocurse, in contrast to Chucky who seemed to be quite satisfied with a rotating cadre of QB’s, mediocre receivers, fossils and a first round knock out at the playoffs.
October 28th, 2011 at 11:08 am
Rhomas, watching a young team come together and grow is what Tim is talking about. Way to see the glass half empty though, I do not expect anything else from you.
October 28th, 2011 at 11:15 am
Also, the season has plenty of games to play, so how can you count the Bucs out at 4-3? Teams that are winning fall (see the 2008 Bucs), so there is still no telling what will happen.
October 28th, 2011 at 12:19 pm
Thomas, old buddy, I think your version of “good times to be a Buc fan” would be something like this
You can see the smoke for Miles, as the Stadium continues to burn. The parking lot is full of angry mobs, carrying torches and pitchforks. As you trudge thru the ashes, you see the Glazers, all hung from the mast of the pirate ship. Raheem and Dominick each have been crucified on a goal post.
The Buccaneer players lie in battered heaps on the field. The opposing Dallas Cowboys, continue to score unopposed. The scoreboard reads 2,569-0.
The Cowboys new coach, Chucky Gruden, sits on a golden throne, sneering at his team to score faster!( unfortunately, they are all really old, and cant run fast.
And above the sound of anguish and carnage, one cheering voice can be heard- Thomas 2.2, who finally is happy with the direction the team has taken. . .
October 28th, 2011 at 12:21 pm
I forgot- Chucky, with his feet proped up on Gerald McCoys unconscious body”
But you get the picture. Am I close? LoL