Ball Security Not Equating To Wins
October 5th, 2012
The Bucs have a strong +3 turnover ratio with a losing record. That’s a rare combination.
All that “biting” of the football in training camp seems to be paying off for the Bucs.
The Bucs are one of only four teams in the NFL that have yet to have a running back fumble, and two of those clubs (Tampa Bay and Chicago) have chalked up 100+ carries. Every other NFL team has coughed up balls in their running game.
The Bucs’ +3 turnover ratio ranks tied for ninth best in the NFL, but sadly, Tampa Bay is the only team that protects the ball that well and still has a losing record.
Usually, good turnover stats equate to wins — in any era, for any team. So hopefully, that’s a sign good things are on the horizon for the Bucs.
So who is is the worst team in the NFL at protecting the football? That would be the Bucs’ next opponent, the Chiefs. Kansas City sports a heinous -13 turnover ratio.
Matt Cassell alone has seven interceptions and three lost fumbles, and the Chiefs are 1-3, just like the Bucs.
October 5th, 2012 at 9:48 am
So, what are you saying? We should fumble more to justify our 1-3 record.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:03 am
Where do you get that? If the Bucs keep protecting the ball, they’ll stay in games and probably win six. That sucks, but it’s a start.
October 5th, 2012 at 10:42 am
Yeah turnovers are bad. But need to you know……….move the damn ball downfield too!! Our offense sucks!
October 5th, 2012 at 11:43 am
In the 4th quarter of the Redskins game, all the Bucs needed to do was run on 2nd and 3rd downs to force the opponents to use their time outs. They had Blount who averages 4.6 ypc and has totally bought into the bite the ball theory. They needed 9 yards for a 1st down.
All they had to do was run twice and kick the winning field goal. First down or not, they win that horribly ugly game. My wife could have coached them to victory.
The only thing that could stop the Bucs from winning was a turnover or an incomplete pass. They haven’t turned the ball over by running all year, they have thrown many interceptions. The apparent play call was for Freeman to throw a pick to a wide open Redskin DB. Luckily #19 dove and broke it up. That was all the Skins needed to win.
They snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
How butch is that?
October 5th, 2012 at 11:56 am
Ball security is keeping them in games versus more talented teams. Let’s face it, the Cowboys and Giants are better teams than us.
So yes, it’s working. It should work even better when we play teams of comparable quality.
October 5th, 2012 at 11:57 am
The ball carriers aren’t the problem. Everything else about the offense is the problem: play calling, RB rotation, Freeman, Sullivan, Freeman’s inability to hit an open reciever, Freeman’s comfort level in the pocket and progressing through his reads.
That is the problem.
It is awfully hard to run the ball, and run it well, when everything else about the offense is inconsistent to say the least.
Straight up, Freeman needs to hone in and be given some freedom. Ride or die with #5, I believe in him, the coaches just need to.
October 5th, 2012 at 12:01 pm
Fatmosh,
You said it. We need to play conservative on Offense because of the talent level.
The Defense has played much better than anticipated, and their exposure late in games may have to do with a little bit of half time adjustments. However, the main culprit for not winning is the execution of the offense, McKay “I am all for it!”.
Freeman needs to watch Big Ben play, that is how he needs to play. Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers he is not. Freeman has a big arm and athleticism, and he is 4 games late this year in showing that.
October 5th, 2012 at 12:28 pm
Steve,
You’re missing the most important aspect of having a good offense; Blocking! Freeman has had very little time & the running backs can’t find the light of day. You’ve got Trueblood who has lost his starting job as well as Joseph going down. We can only hope one of these second level lineman can step up, but now we need two of these guys to play well. One of the only ways we’ll be able to battle back is to have Freeman take off running on plays that break down. This will at least keep the defense honest.
October 5th, 2012 at 1:10 pm
The defence is prone to coverage lapes.When they leave a guy open the leave him WIDE OPEN.Very very inconsistant tackle in the back field one play then leave a WR open with no player within 20 Yard’s the next play.Seem’s like if we blitz LBers and they run we stuff them.But if the LB blitz and they pass they Never get there.The offence need’s to GO up top.Freeman is showing he can throw deep (against prevent to boot)and his stat’s throwing under 10 yard’s are real bad.Opposing defence’s are keying on what Freeman has done thru his first 3 year’s in the league.Stairs down reciever’s,dink’s and dunk’s(short passes),barely ever run’s.Why would you ever double over the top if the Qb never throw’s deep.That’s how the run will open up and the middle of the field.Too many defender’s play within 20 yard’s from the line of scrimage against the buc’s.Aikman said in the Dallas game that Cowboy’s DC Ryan said they planned to defend just the side Freeman look’s to first.Because he barely ever get’s the chance to look backside.I expect they get it together during the bye week and come out gun’s a blazing against KC
October 5th, 2012 at 3:28 pm
Let’s face it — we need a real QB and OC. Until then we just have to hope for miracales.
October 5th, 2012 at 11:21 pm
Bucnjim
I agree. If the offensive line were more consistent, Freeman would do much better.
Injuries have hurt bad too.