The Roscoe Parrish Experience
October 26th, 2012
The Bucs might just keep juggling punt returners after last night’s mess
First it was Preson Parker continuing his fumbling, bumbling punt return ways into the 2012 season. Then it was Jordan Shipley costing the Bucs dearly in Dallas while replacing injured Sammie Strougther.
And now Bucs fans have the Roscoe Parrish Experience.
He fumbled once last night, nearly a critical early turnover against Minnesota, and struggled mightily to field two other punts. He can’t even blame the wind in the old Hefty bag dome.
Parrish was a guy who had a great returner career, but the Raiders cut him in the preseason after multiple cough-ups.
Maybe Parrish can right his ship, but the Bucs have gotten a solid sampling of his work, and it’s clear he doesn’t have the jets or hands he once did.
Joe’s not sure where the Bucs turn next. Is anyone on the street? The trade deadline is Tuesday.
For those wondering, Run Michael Run Spurlock ran a punt back 28 yards last week to set up a score for Jacksonville, his new home after the Chargers cut him earlier this year. Joe’s wondering this morning why Spurlock wasn’t given a shot in the New Schiano Order, or a real chance in 2011.
October 26th, 2012 at 10:03 am
Don’t know if you have ever been in the big-baggy but the nigh time lighting can be brutal, during the day natural light gets filtered thru the roof but at night the indoor lights can be an issue, especially while trying to field a high arching punt.
October 26th, 2012 at 10:13 am
I’m still baffled why we don’t use Smith. There has to be an underlying issue why we don’t use him more.
October 26th, 2012 at 10:20 am
@FLmike – C’mon dude. Parrish is a veteran and he had plenty of pregame time to practice in the dark
October 26th, 2012 at 10:20 am
Calling Michael Smith…
But that dome can be tricky to field punts according to Dave Moore and other players.
October 26th, 2012 at 10:29 am
Seriously, can Smith not catch punts? He’s more of an all around weapon than Parish is anywho
October 26th, 2012 at 10:42 am
I hate the fact that it seems that michael smith isnt even on the team anymore we should be getting this guy ready to be martins back up cause its obvious blount is not the same player. on every carry blount got he ran right into his own line he had a couple of holes but its like he dosent even look for the holes he is justing flying right into his lineman. if michael smith is hurt they should just say it if not play him why are we using dj ware as our 3 rb its obvious he is not going to be with the bucs next year so let michael smith learn on the job and give him a kick off atleast why they hell did we sign parrish if michael can actually produce even if he fumbles atleast it wont be on every kick like it almost was last night. we have 2 players that we do not need Ware and Parrish, smith can do both of thier jobs and the best thing he is already on the team.
October 26th, 2012 at 10:48 am
Since when has fielding punts and kickoffs become a lost art? Benn has also displayed poor decision making on returns costing the Bucs valuable field position. I hope we can get this part of the game worked out before it causes any more damage.
October 26th, 2012 at 10:52 am
@ joe bucs
I could not stop laughing last night when the bucs ran the benned around play it actually got yards but that hit benn took hopefully this is the last time we see this play. Joe can you imagine if we had never cut underwood how much more different our offense would have been for those other games you could see it in freemans eyes he has alot of trust in underwood unlike benn.
October 26th, 2012 at 11:08 am
I agree with flmike. I’m pretty sure those lights messed him up. There are many MLB outfielders who’ll atest to that. There have been many fly balls miss judged in that stadium because of the lighting.
October 26th, 2012 at 11:11 am
I think they give Roscoe another chance.
October 26th, 2012 at 11:31 am
lol the lights a problem come on man thier where no lights on in the saints game and he had the same problems. God forgives the bucs coaching stuff does not I bet they are looking for a replacement for him as we speak. The last thing Schiano wants is to have to hold his breath on a fair catch of a punt and thats exactly what he did last night as we all did.
October 26th, 2012 at 11:33 am
Parrish is NOT the answer. We have the answer on the team, but he’s been inactive every game. It’s like Schiano only feels WRs can be returners.
Personally, I really liked Spurlock…but he is getting up there in years. Still productive though.
The reluctance to at least give Smith a shot at it is the only major mistake I have seen out of this coaching staff thus far. I mean, I realize we don’t know everything and Smith could get in there and blow it…but at least we would find out.
Is it because Sullivan doesn’t want too many RBs active? Let’s be honest here…we are totally set at WR. Even if Williams were injured, we’d have Underwood to step up. Jackson is key. But we have some other decent pass catchers that can step up if given the chance.
So, I really don’t see why Smith isn’t made active. At worst, he could only return kicks. At best he could be a Warrick Dunn-type in a pinch.
October 26th, 2012 at 11:41 am
It is the rookies or near rookies year, bring on Mike Smith and use him as a back also, he is even faster than Martin. Put them both in the backfield and see what happens.
Let Mike run back the punts and kickoffs. Benn doesn’t seem to be fast on anything.
Last item, I thing David would have caught Pederson on his TD run if he wasn’t blocked, your thoughts Joe?
October 26th, 2012 at 11:52 am
I said we should have jumped on Spurlock when the Chargers cut him two weeks ago and I was right. If the Jags cut him we better jump on him asap. Benn is garbage. Parrish is garbage. Michael Smith is garbage.
October 26th, 2012 at 12:10 pm
@ jessup
I guess you did not see any of the preseason games cause that was the only time Smith got the ball. He has got no work at all in the regular season in any kind of way so how do you say he is garbage. I guess you think Martin is garbage too but if you give guys chances and play them they can perform. Look at Johnson last night UDFA and he didnt look like it im still mad we drafted dunsmore and not him but we where lucky to get him.
October 26th, 2012 at 1:27 pm
Tim Brown can handle punts…
October 26th, 2012 at 2:15 pm
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Michael Smith has had opportunities in practice to field punts. I know this may be crazy since many of you think he is the next Devin Hester, but I do suspect the coaching staff is smarter and has more input than any of us (even more than el estupido). They watch Smith in practice every day (he does actually practice with the team you know). Do any of you? I guess you saw enough in preseason to make you more educated on the matter than the coaching staff. Its great to have an opinion, but many of you need to realize that it’s just that.
If we are talking hypotheticals, the one player I wouldn’t mind seeing back in Tampa is Clifton Smith. He was playing in the UFL, so he’s at least in decent playing shape. He’s still the best return man we ever had. Thanks a lot to that douche bag from Carolina!!!!
October 26th, 2012 at 4:19 pm
We never should have cut Spurlock. He might be getting older but he was always a solid return guy and became a servicable backup reciever in 2010. I too am at a loss as to why they put the kabosh on him last season. Bad move in my opinion.
October 26th, 2012 at 4:21 pm
@Hawaiian Buc
Clifton Smith would of made this roster so much better with his return ability.
October 26th, 2012 at 4:24 pm
Regus Benn was supposed to be a good return specialist. The only specialist he has been is on the Benn around and that isn’t really all that effective.
October 26th, 2012 at 5:49 pm
I believe Joe wrote an informative article that simply stated that some players simply can not field punts. They can catch kick offs, but the spin, rotation and trajectory of punts are different.
Hawaiian is correct, this time. They have certainly punted the ball to him in practice and he probably wasn’t very good at it.
My theory is that he embarrassed Schiano in the pre-season when he got caught from behind on a kick return. He was in the open with nothing but grass between and a touchdown and got run down by a UPS delivery man. The announcer said it looked like he had “tired legs.”
He just hasn’t been able to climb out of that doghouse.
October 26th, 2012 at 6:11 pm
@ miguel
you have got to be kidding me that play was not like the v jack play where jenkins came out no where to make touchdown saving tackle. On that play Marcus Brown was with him the whole way plus the fact marcus brown is much more faster then smith so its understandable for him to get caught from behind he also broke a couple of tackles as well. Devin hester hell no but better than Shipley,parker and parrish hell yes. Of course the coaches have a better insight then any of us they should but one thing they cannot measure or actually predict is how someone is going to perform when the lights are on
October 26th, 2012 at 6:21 pm
Some players transform and rise up some fall flat on thier face. I am betting he is the type that rises just like Johnson last night got his chance and had a great game. sometimes all you need is a chance Tom Brady , Arian Foster , tony romo all these players where virtually nobodies untill they got a chance to play and thats all they needed.
October 26th, 2012 at 9:20 pm
No coach is going to put a player in who hasn’t performed well in practice. If they do, what’s the point of having practice? So you think it would be fair to put in a 7th round rookie in with no punt return experience, simply because you have a hunch he can play well with the lights on? Do you see how that’s not logical?
The funny thing is, all you fans who pretend to be huge Michael Smith fans will turn on him in a second if he makes a critical mistake in a game. You’ll want him traded or cut, then you will blame Schiano for putting him in in the first place.
And before anyone says how great he looked in preseason, I would remind you that Dexter Jackson returned a punt for a TD in a preseason game too. He ran by everyone like they were standing still.
October 27th, 2012 at 8:44 pm
@ Hawaiian Buc
So I guess you see logic in signing a guy who was cut by his previous team for the same reason. Even though that is his only job to return kicks he is not going to go run routes for us Parrish WAS a good returner. So what he was a 7 round pick Alfred morris was a 6 round pick do you think they are not going to put him in the game cause of that. Hawaiian Buc do you actually prefer to have a vet that is done making these mistakes than a rookie that is learning? We drafted Michael Smith for that role to be a change of pace back and to return kicks for us. Im pretty sure you like what Doug Martin did for us this guy is just as explosive and faster come on. How long do you think this guy would last on the waiver wire a couple of days or weeks no try a couple of hours. He will be snatched up faster than Allen Bradford was last year!!! And for good reason much more of a runner has way better vision and speed. Lmao are you seriously mentioning Dexter Jackson in what round was he picked in lmao I guess sometimes I give you to much credit with alot stuff you say Michael Smith a 7 round pick not the same at all as Dexter Jackson.