Offensive Line Scary Thin
August 31st, 2012
Without adding a quality body to the offensive line, the Bucs will be in dire shape if backup guard/center Ted Larsen goes down.
In between watching coverage of the Republican National Convention and waiting for the college football season to kick off (South Carolina at Vanderbilt was a pretty good game last night), Joe decided to watch some of the Bucs-Redskins game on replay on the NFL Network.
No, Joe was sober. Had Joe not had work to do later, he would have emptied his bottle of Bushmills it was so unnerving.
It was late in the first half and the Bucs offensive line had shamed matadors throughout the region. Bucs backup quarterback Brett Ratliff was sacked five times in the first half — FIVE! — and helped the ground game amass a grand total of three yards rushing (which would have made Greg Olson green with envy).
It was so awful that former Redskins quarterback Joe Theisman, analyst for the Redskins broadcast, was simply appalled.
“Either the Redskins backups on the defensive line are Supermen or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive line simply doesn’t know how to block,” Theismann said, channeling the pain that Ratliff was enduring.
Theismann was especially rough on Jamon Meredith, who was trying to secure a position as possibly starting right guard, and failing miserably. Theismann said of Meredith, “All you have to do is get in front of someone!”
This is a frightening concept for the Bucs. The team wants to run the ball, smashmouth style, and Joe is good with that. But without injured Davin Joseph at right guard, the Bucs are thinner than wet toilet paper on the line and cannot risk another injury up front.
Just what NFL team does not have an offensive lineman banged up at least once during the regular season?
If the Bucs are going to try to be smashmouth, and if they want to keep quarterback Josh Freeman in one piece, Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik is likely going to have to go shopping, if for nothing else than to add some depth to the offensive line.
August 31st, 2012 at 8:11 am
It’s a result of a bad GM getting bad players and a brutal conditioning test that hurt our good players
August 31st, 2012 at 8:13 am
I agree Joe. I am of the mindset that our season will simply come down to 3 key factors:
– Freeman’s consistency
– OLine play collectively
– DLine play and production
I believe Dominik almost has to make a trade to acquire a guard because this could really hamper the offense thats still developing. The quality of the depth is apparent already, now let’s fix it.
August 31st, 2012 at 8:17 am
Any word on current free agent visits?
August 31st, 2012 at 8:19 am
Calling Dr. Dom, please fix this teams depth. Seriously, what has this guy been doing the last four years? I’m sorry to say, but if this dude has any say in personel then our owners, coach and Butch Davis are not the answer. The rebuild is complete! I use to like the Dom but as the softness of this team keeps rearing its ugly head, the more a tool this guy becomes in my eyes.
August 31st, 2012 at 8:23 am
You need depth to trade unless you give up picks! We. Are. Screwed!
Dom, keep that seat warm for Butch!
August 31st, 2012 at 8:42 am
Defensive line is also scary thin.
August 31st, 2012 at 8:56 am
You can’t just pull good players out of thin air! Before Joseph’s injury; the Bucs were considered to have one of the best (on paper) offensive lines in the league. The defensive line was starting to shape up a little before injuries all the way across the board. These things happen to ALL teams! It just seems like the Bucs have had more than their share. Jon Gruden went out and got a couple of O lineman off the scrap heap before the 2002 season & they worked out pretty well so let’s wait and see.
August 31st, 2012 at 9:13 am
robert Says:
August 31st, 2012 at 8:11 am
It’s a result of a bad GM getting bad players and a brutal conditioning test that hurt our good players
.
That is so idiotic. If you are going to comment, show an element of intellect.
In nearly ever case, the injuries are caused by the bad techniques of other players. A “Brutal Conditioning Test” has zero affect on that. So stop whining and get on with the more intelligent points.
August 31st, 2012 at 9:17 am
I said in the off season offensive line would become a problem if there were ay injuries. In the past we had Zuttah as a floater. He wasn’t great, but he did the job. Now we don’t have him and it’s scarey. I have faith that Dominick and Schiano will work it out. It might take a couple weeks to fix the issue though.
Although I have to say…is I were and olineman looking for my one shot…I would jump on the opportunity. A good player can become great with this line, and could completely end up replacing Joseph…which is good for fans.
August 31st, 2012 at 9:47 am
I really think this shows how miserably Dominik has failed in the draft and letting veterans go too soon. Not sure what this guy has to do to wake up the Glazers but just about every decision this GM has made has weakened this team considerably. I have think Schiano might have second guessed his decision if he really looked into Dominik, his moves, and how inexperienced this GM is. He has to be fired and replaced with someone that really knows how to build a team. For Schiano’s, the fans, and the owners sake.
August 31st, 2012 at 9:58 am
Actually, we’re not hurting all that badly when you look at the roster. Those guys playing Wednesday would never have been starters anyway. It was a smokescreen.
We have several players that can fill in. I suspect this panic is just what the Bucs wanted going into the opener.
August 31st, 2012 at 10:15 am
How does a team sell tickets? Create a smokescreen that implies the team is week!
August 31st, 2012 at 10:16 am
robert Says:
August 31st, 2012 at 8:11 am
“It’s a result of a bad GM getting bad players and a brutal conditioning test that hurt our good players”
If ONLY message board posters could be cut. Today would truly be a good day!
August 31st, 2012 at 10:43 am
Dominick and Hickey can’t draft, but they seem to be pretty good at going thru the NFL’s version of Goodwill for a few gems.
August 31st, 2012 at 11:19 am
@ Pete. You going to be the new 2.2 and tell everyone what they can and cannot post or how ?
August 31st, 2012 at 11:31 am
See, Joe, in reality the ‘Skins gameplan was all a brilliant plan to get the rest of the NFL teams to underestimate us for the remainder of the season. That’s my explanation, & I’m stocking with it thru thick & thin.
August 31st, 2012 at 12:22 pm
I believe the Bucs have the highest paid starting offensive line in the league. With so much money invested in the starters, it is hard to spare any on quality back ups.
August 31st, 2012 at 12:59 pm
@ Dutcher & Garv,
Robert’s obviously about 12 years old, give the kid a break., 🙂