More On “Heated” Winslow-Freeman Discussion
October 17th, 2011
When Preston Parker caught a 19-yard second-quarter touchdown pass to give the Bucs a 19-7 lead, Kellen Winslow didn’t look happy.
On that play, the Saints were late to the line of scrimmage in having a guy cover Winslow, who was lined up in the flat. Winslow was flailing and screaming for a quick snap of the ball because he was alone, but it didn’t come. The Saints did, in fact, finally get a man over before the snap to cover Winslow, who was signaling Josh Freeman to throw him the ball, seemingly because Winslow liked the 1-0n-1 matchup against the smaller defender.
At the snap, Winslow broke for the corner of the end zone. He wasn’t open. And Freeman hit Parker over the middle, just inside of Winslow for the score. Parker’s touchdown celebration was near Winslow in the end zone, but Winslow didn’t join in. Winslow had a slumped posture and was the last player off the field.
His first stop was Josh Freeman to talk about something that didn’t look too celebratory.
At the time, Joe was stunned that a guy would get in his quarterback’s ear, clearly with some negativity, seconds after a pivotal touchdown.
On the next Bucs’ offensive series, the Bucs, after running the ball successfully, threw three consecutive forced passes into Winslow. All were incomplete. Then Winslow and Freeman had what looked like another intense conversation picked up by FOX-TV cameras, which seemed to follow their sideline discussion intermittently.
Now Joe doesn’t know what was said, of course, but the way it all played out looked really crappy for Winslow.
After the game, Winslow told Joe, “We had some arguments out there. It was real heated out there. But I’m kind of glad it happened because it really brought us together.”
Following a win like this, Joe’s choosing to believe in all aspects of the fairy tale ending to yeterday’s story against the Saints, even in the case of the Winslow-Freeman squabble. But given some of the negative perceptions that came with Winslow from Cleveland, his relationship with Freeman bears keeping an eye on.
October 17th, 2011 at 8:58 am
@Joe, if there is one thing I took from my years in the military is, adversity under pressure bonds men. Guarantee, Winslow would still take the proverbial bullett for Free and vis versa.
October 17th, 2011 at 9:10 am
K2 needs to realize that he is a valuable weapon on our team but not the ONLY weapon. I understand his frustration given he seems to be having a down year d/t the offensive struggles, but lets not turn into the diva he was in Cleveland
October 17th, 2011 at 9:30 am
Saw the same thing Joe and I was in amazement Winslow was there crying on probably Josh Freemans best performance of the year and after a touchdown? You have got to be kidding me. This is where Raheems non confrontationial style lets the team down a little bit. If I were Rah I would have been in Winslows grill. Thats not team football. There definitely is an “I” in Winslow.
October 17th, 2011 at 9:33 am
@Nick2 Players have these quibbles regularly. It happens with every team. That has nothing to do with the coach.
October 17th, 2011 at 9:42 am
Make no mistake this is Freeman’s team. Winslow may scream loud, but in futility. Mark, Raheem, Freeman, Olsen – none of them will put up with anything less than team play. (see Antonio Bryant)
It means nothing now because they won. If it had been a loss, different story.
October 17th, 2011 at 9:43 am
Starship5 seems to get into the most trouble this year when he’s trying to force stuff to K2. A couple of his earlier endzone interceptions this year seemed that way. What troubled me the most, was Starship5 trying to force stuff into K2 hands while they’re trying to ice the game. The series w/ the blowup was just ridiculousness and could’ve easily cost the Bucs the game. Somehow the coaches need to step in and make sure that K2 is forcing Starship out of his game. Because if he is, it will cost the Bucs big time at some point this season.
October 17th, 2011 at 9:55 am
Fly’s sources tell him that this is just a continuation of the bad blood that was created by the K State win over The U. The truth be told, KW was upset that he was just used as a fill-in for “number 69 is an eligible receiver” who palyed a heck of a game.
October 17th, 2011 at 9:57 am
Where is spell check at this place?
October 17th, 2011 at 10:04 am
K2 has the talent to be a really really good weapon. The thing i don’t like about him tho. Is he seems to muff catches when defenders may lay a hit on him and regularly breaks off his routes short. I just don’t see him putting 100% in unless he knows the ball is coming his way and he isn’t going to get hit right away. He needs to keep his attitude in check.
#69-Demar Dotson played a heck of a game a blocking TE. He p[layed basket ball in college. I wonder if he’s got hands too? at 6’9” and BIG i am curious to think how he does.
October 17th, 2011 at 10:06 am
Suggestion for Winslow if he’d like more balls thrown his way: Catch them. One throw last night was about 3 feet from his hands and he made 0 effort to lay it out there to catch the ball. All other receivers are making dynamic plays and actually get their uniform dirty if needed to make a play. Winslow is getting bypassed because he doesn’t do whatever it takes to make a play
October 17th, 2011 at 10:11 am
I was 5 rows behind the Bucs bench. K2 got so pissed at Josh, that Legarrette Blount stepped up and got into K2’s face. They kept arguing and had to be separated. Part of the game.
October 17th, 2011 at 10:23 am
This is a huge problem, whenever you have a player who screams for the ball, the QB will force getting the ball to him, it makes the QB take an extra second just to look his way. I also saw Blount screaming at Winslow, it wouldn’t bother me at all if they Keyshawn his ass. These players HAVE to learn it’s not all about them!!! Not having to deal with Winslow would take a huge monkey off of Freemans back….
October 17th, 2011 at 10:23 am
Joe this is just messy, really? Cmon, you don’t read about this at any other source and it takes the glaze off a great win for this young team. I haven’t read or seen a report about this incident at any other media outlet. Translation, it’s not a story and the team we deal with it. It happens in every organization and family. Geez, it’s stuff like this that started the other finger pointing…
Freeman is the unquestionable leader, Winslow is one of the few bonified playmakers we have. What do you expect out of competitors. It happens to the best and its no issue. Like Winslow said they are probably better now that it happened. Adversity brings out your character and this scenario is no different. This is like a BSPN Ed Werder – TO report…
October 17th, 2011 at 10:42 am
Architek,
Watch the game replay. That sequence with 3 passes to Winslow turned my stomach. His body language was terrible, and then he and Josh were in each others’ face. It looks like a real problem.
October 17th, 2011 at 10:50 am
Architek, while you’re probably right about the “better left unsaid” category…. It is apparent that Winslow is struggling and frustrated. He’s always covered, and unable to make the catch… and when he’s open (on that extremely rare occasion)… Freeman has been badly off target, because of the rush, or sometimes simply a bad throw.
Seeing this particular dynamic of our team… (who had the lead, at the time).. was a little disappointing and showed immaturity on Winslow’s part, because he’s supposed to be the “vetran” on the youngest team in the league.
…I liked seeing Blount “up in his face” to remind him, this is a team game. I thought it was awesome, to see him acting as an enforcer for Freeman…
If I were the OC, he’d have been used as a decoy the rest of the game.. competetive spirit or not, his ego needs to take a back seat to the success of the team.
October 17th, 2011 at 10:53 am
I have heard nothing but positives about K2 since the day he joined the Bucs, so I will NOT say anything bad.
As far as speculation of what was said, this is all a guess but I think Winslow was open at first and was screaming for a quick snap.
Freeman did not do it and K2 told him about it.
He should NOT have looked upset on the field after a TD, but I understand being upset about Freeman not doing an audible. He should have, especially since he has had his decision making come into question this year and has struggled a little bit.
Basically, I just see K2 trying to explain to him why he should have done something and, in the end, it worked out the other way with Parker so the point is kind of getting lost.
October 17th, 2011 at 11:01 am
Architek:
Not so. Tim Brando was Twittering about this during the game and totally blasting K2.
October 17th, 2011 at 11:31 am
@Architek — The main reason I read Joe is because he won’t ignore stuff the outher sources do all the time. This issue was front and center on the TV broadcast. How could anyone ignore it?
October 17th, 2011 at 11:34 am
he should be used more in tha red zone and endzone jumpballs. He henders tha run game and is whiny cuz he isn’t having tha season he desires.
October 17th, 2011 at 11:41 am
So many of you are so quick to jump on a guy. ON incident and you all are calling K2 a whiny and a quitter on routes, etc…
SERIOUSLY!?!?!?!??
There has been absolutely NOTHING bu positive stuff said about him by the coaches, Freeman, the WRs and other TEs since the day he has gotten here.
Lighten up people and stop trying to run someone out of town when one little thing happens. It really is ridiculous.
October 17th, 2011 at 11:41 am
Winslow is a diva he miss practices . I went to the bengals game and saw how the whole team was together minus winslow. Is he worth it he is a top five paid te . He throws fits after every tackle the bucs are a team not a one man army
October 17th, 2011 at 11:47 am
TpaBayFlyFisher said:
“KW was upset that he was just used as a fill-in for “number 69 is an eligible receiver”
LMAO! I thought I was watching a porn yesterday! Demar Dotson is a star!
October 17th, 2011 at 3:38 pm
@tj,
Winslow misses practices as a coaches decision.
October 17th, 2011 at 3:42 pm
QB’s and their receivers get into it every now and then. Teammates get into it every now and then. Anyone who has played sports competitively knows this. This is not a problem. Good players always want the ball. That competitiveness is what makes them good. It’s not going to affect Freeman one bit.
The one thing that does get kind of irritating about Winslow is that every time he gets tackled, he gets into it with the defender. I mean every single time! He could attempt to break a tackle every now and then – that way he wouldn’t have to get so mad at the defender for doing his job.
October 17th, 2011 at 9:44 pm
K2 overheard Josh say “Graham…now there is one bad @#% TE! Wish I had a guy that tall with good hands and two good knees that I could actually throw balls to on Wednesdays.” Kellen was more than a little pissed…
October 18th, 2011 at 1:15 am
Free has been thrownin late to a lot more players than just Kellen. Let’s all not just look at the easy answer and bash Kellen for his crappy attitude. Free hasn’t played all that good this preseason and season. Sunday he did, but still threw 4-5 passes late.