Play To “The Strength Of Your Team”
October 11th, 2012
“King, I’m your fourth offensive coordinator and your worst nightmare. You’re lucky I love you, man.”
Former Bucs quarterback Shaun King, one of only three men to lead the Bucs to the NFC Championship game, says the Bucs should start transitioning to a throw-first offense immediately.
But it’s not because that philosophy is dominant in the NFL, King says, it’s because throwing is the strength of the current Bucs offense. Injuries and film through the first four games reveal it.
“With [Davin] Joseph down and Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams excelling … that’s the strength of your team,” King said this morning on the Ron and Ian Show on WDAE-AM 620.
Sometimes the simplest takes are the best, and Joe likes this one.
The essence of coaching is to get the most out of your talent, and right now there’s clearly trouble in the Bucs running game, as evidenced by the roulette wheel at right guard and a poor yards-per-carry average.
Joe’s still all in favor of pounding LeGarrette Blount and Doug Martin, but the Bucs have to play more to their strengths on the outside.
October 11th, 2012 at 10:31 am
I agree, wholeheartedly. Our running game is struggling, instead of running to open up the passing game, why not pass to open up the running game? 4 games in we can tell the deep passing game is our strength. As crazy as it sounds Freeman is actually more accurate throwing deep balls than he is short to intermediate routes. Air it out. We wont become the Packers overnight, but there is nothing wrong with throwing 35-40 times per game when that’s obviously our strength.
October 11th, 2012 at 10:35 am
Smartest thing King has said in a long time….
October 11th, 2012 at 10:37 am
@Travis the Patriots do it, the throw it around the field to open up the running game, get Freeman comfortable and in a rhythm and mix in some nice run calls and play action this offense could be explosive… Mike Will is on his game again and V-Jax will get his!
October 11th, 2012 at 11:00 am
I have to say the same thing.. I believe in Free and think he can get it done
October 11th, 2012 at 11:21 am
I’d like to see a real dose of Blount before we go changing the approach.
October 11th, 2012 at 11:39 am
@big007hed
Patriots and Packers are successful at using the pass to set up the run, but the only problem will be if Josh can get those short first down passes he been struggling to get. It will be difficult to beat teams deep when the safeties are 15 yards back waiting on the deep passes. Teams will not respect the underneath passes if he can make them.
Getting those short completions are critical when they are driving down the field, because two runs and an incomplete pass is what I’m been seeing a lot of lately. Burning defenses on 3rd down with short passes is what Tom Brady is used to doing which forces LB out the box to cover those lanes. Which should open up the running game.
October 11th, 2012 at 12:40 pm
With the talent and speed that we have, even if the OL is healthy passing is the strength…and Passing will open up the run.
October 11th, 2012 at 1:24 pm
Line up wide, 3 WRs… force the D to spread out and cover everyone. That should be the Bucs’ base offense. If they’re going to blitz, audible to a slant or a swing pass.
You can use the pass to open up the run. Going max-protect to open running lanes just brings more people to the point of attack.
October 11th, 2012 at 1:32 pm
This should have been a suspicion in week 1, and OBVIOUS by week 2. V-Jax and Freeman’s arm should strike fear or heavy concern in every defense we play against.
But our brilliant coach with the cool Knute Rockne haircut has refused to acknowledge it.
“No!” he says, “First we’ll repeatedly shoot our pea guns at them TO BREAK THEM TO OUR WILL. Then MAYBE in the last two minutes of the war I’ll allow the lieutenant to use the nuclear thermo-blasters…”
Schiano has got to be the laughing stock of every other coaches’ meeting room…
October 11th, 2012 at 4:56 pm
I said this the other day in the John Lynch thread. We have talented players: Use them! Scrap the little gen bs submit to our will crap. It really shows arrogance, stubbornness and stupidity for them failing to make adjustments. If we dont win this game, its going to be a bad run of losses. This is the only easy W we have and we need it bad. If the season starts to fall apart and we are looking at another high pick, I blame it on the Glazers moving like molasses to find a new coach. Y’all remember? “Oh were going to take our time to get the right staff!” Bullcrap! Look where we are now and look at your stadium. I respect what Schiano did at Rutgers but come on man! Hire a guy with a losing record?