Rich Gannon Talks To Joe
November 17th, 2011
Prior to the Bucs game with the Texans last Sunday, Joe got a brief moment with Rich Gannon. The former Super Bowl quarterback was in town to call the game for CBS-TV. As a result, Gannon got to spend time watching the Bucs practice Friday and had one-on-one interviews with Bucs players and coaching staff members. Currently, football fans enjoy listening to Gannon as he co-hosts “The Blitz” with popular sports radio personality Adam Schein, heard exclusively weekdays on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
JoeBucsFan: Your observations of Josh Freeman, why is he struggling?
Rich Gannon: I think there are a number of factors. The fact they have been inconsistent running the football, that has factored into it. I think another thing is he has taken some unnecessary risks with the ball. He’s been a little bit more aggressive. I talked to him on Friday about that and he said he came out in the beginning of the season and was overly aggressive. He tried to fit every ball in there, taking chances with it. I think he has learned you can’t do that.
I think he trusts some players. He trusts a guy like Mike Williams, he trusts a guy like Kellen Winslow. You have to be able to pull it in. The one [thing] that really troubles you is the five interceptions in the red zone, four coming on first downs.
Another thing I have seen on tape is that he at times is sloppy with his footwork. He gets a little lazy, not getting away from the center fast enough. I think a lot of that is being in a shotgun so much, you can develop bad habits, you are just sitting there.
I see him falling away from throws at times when there is pressure inside. There are some things, some fundaments and some technical things he needs to work on, but hey, he has a ton of talent. He’s a big, strong guy who stands in there and is willing to take a hit. He just has to fight his way through it. He is capable.
Joe: There has been some talk that the Bucs receivers aren’t getting open is a factor in his struggles. How do you see that?
Gannon: I don’t think either one of those guys [Bucs receivers] are speed demons. They are guys who use their size. The receivers have to get separation and you don’t see that right now on the film.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:15 pm
I just read somewhere that arron rodgers thought he was going to be a buc! im going to go puke right now…
November 17th, 2011 at 1:29 pm
Nate
Gruden flew himself, Jerry Rice, and Paul Hackett out to give Rodgers a tryout prior to the 2005 draft. Rodgers said, he was innaccurate and missed several throws to Rice, so we picked Caddy instead.
With that said, dont forget Rodgers sat behind and learned from watching Farve and probablly improved his accuracy for 3 years(playing in only 7 games), before he got his chance and did go 6-10 his first full starting year. Nobody knows what he would be like, had he been thrown out there his first year.
November 17th, 2011 at 1:32 pm
Plus 22 other teams missed out on him too! So, dont feel to sick!
November 17th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
i mean he might go down as the best quarterback ever….
November 17th, 2011 at 1:48 pm
not anything we dont know already. Maybe gannon can come in and tutor a little. We do need a consultant…
November 17th, 2011 at 2:19 pm
As for what the Bucs have done, or not, it’s irrelevant right now. It’s about where do we go from here…what are we going to do? The first step is work on the fundamentals and instill some discipline. The second step is to quit characterizing the Bucs as a run first team. Dink and dunk does not stretch the defense, it makes them more compact knowing you’re not going to run many vertical routes. In turn, it makes it easier for a defense to play against the run and the pass. If we are constantly running vertical routes, it spreads the defense a little in their pre-snap positioning. That does two things, 1)helps you find the weaknesses quicker, and 2) helps open the run game. Dink and Dunk is built off formation misdirection and matchups. Heavy vertical routes will open up the intermediate routes and give an offense a little wiggle room. We hear Freeman (and others) preach better execution. He’s right, but what is not being said, is that with dink and dunk your execution has to be damn near perfect. You want to know what Freeman has been so successful in 4th quarter\2 min offense? Because the defense plays a little deeper which opens things up. Think about it, they KNOW you’re going to pass it and he still succeeds.
Look, Freeman is far from perfect, but he IS very talented – a strength. We should use that as a weapon. We are not a run first team. It’s not that we can’t be, we shouldn’t be. Williams, Benn, Winslow, Parker, Briscoe, Stocker and Freeman. What does Olsen do? Hand it off to Blount with 8 men in the box. 3rd down? Blount goes out, defense knows we’re going to throw it. Keep them guessing and leave him in. I’m not anti-Blount, but we have too much talent to not call plays to our strengths.
November 17th, 2011 at 2:35 pm
Its so easy to see him falling away from throws. Its the equivalent in basketball of a fadeaway jumper rather that squaring up and taking a shot. In other words a much more difficult throw. I believe he started it when his protection broke down in the Bears game or earlier but for Van Pelt or Olson or even Raheem not to demand he consciously fix this part of his game is inexcusable. Show him the film. Tell him its a habit which will make his throws much less accurate. Tell him to fix it!!!!! Its easily correctible. Step into your throws JOSH!!!!!
November 17th, 2011 at 5:15 pm
7 INTs in the red zone, 4 on 1st Down. Read into that: Greg Olsen, needing 19 yards or less for a touchdown THREW on first down AT LEAST 4 of 7 times.
November 17th, 2011 at 6:15 pm
I’m sure Joe asked that last question praying the Gannon would say the Wr’s are not part of the problem. Afterall , he thinks the team is soooooo talented. Especially Arrelious Benn , who he inexplicably thinks is great and should become a focus of the offense. That’s all we need is to start trying to force the ball to yet another guy who is never open , lol.
November 18th, 2011 at 12:35 am
I think our passing offense is far too predictable, and teams have figured out what we like to do, and when we are going to do it.