No Denying Impressive Pass Blocking Numbers
December 20th, 2012
Joe often delivers readers data from the popular ProFootballFocus.com, which provides detailed grades for all players after every NFL game.
But make no mistake, Joe does not consider the ProFootballFocus stuff to be gospel. Yes, Joe realizes a handful of NFL teams pay for the data and consider it strongly, as Peter King of Sports Illustrated has reported, but logic tells Joe the data is extraordinarily subjective and Joe’s skeptical of the credentials of the evaluators.
League stats issued by the Buccaneers this week on pass blocking, however, are not debatable.
The Bucs’ offensive line is allowing sacks on only 4.2 percent of pass plays, tied for sixth-best in the NFL. The Bucs finished last season ranked 11th in the league in that category.
This is darn impressive, especially considering the injuries along the offensive line, and the fact that Josh Freeman isn’t known for his quick release and fast decision-making.
The numbers also add some fuel to the Josh Freeman doubters, who can add strong pass blocking to the list of offensive riches that surround Freeman.
December 20th, 2012 at 12:21 pm
Now now Joe lol don’t go committing cardinal sins against the poster child Free Free.
December 20th, 2012 at 12:30 pm
which proves my point….Joshua see’s pressure that is NOT there….that’s a BAD sign
December 20th, 2012 at 12:35 pm
Just because he wasn’t sacked doesn’t mean he wasn’t pressured, hurried, or hit. Correct?
December 20th, 2012 at 12:38 pm
“The numbers also add some fuel to the Josh Freeman doubters, who can add strong pass blocking to the list of offensive riches that surround Freeman.”
Not necessarily. The eye test tells me that the line is porous and that Free does an ok job moving around in the pocket.
December 20th, 2012 at 12:41 pm
Numbers don’t lie. Freeman is struggling. The offensive line trouble right now is with the run game. The running game hasn’t been going too well. From what I’ve seen this offense and Freeman rely on momentum. When everything clicks the offense looks as good as any. The losses are not on the offensive line that’s for sure. One of the best patch works I’ve ever seen on an offensive line. Only one person starting at the position they started at in the beginning of the season.
December 20th, 2012 at 12:59 pm
don’t EVER expect Carl Nicks or Davin Joseph to EVER be the same players again after those injuries……..so Josh better get used to THIS offensive line (fat ass players decline after injuries like that…then get cut b/c they make too much $$$$$$$$)
December 20th, 2012 at 1:06 pm
Were not running cause teams are stacking the line to stop Hamster, forcing Free to pass.
December 20th, 2012 at 1:14 pm
I don’t think the line is as good as the numbers show. I’m with SensibleBuc, Freeman has done a decent job moving around and getting the ball away. However, some of the throws he makes when he has time aren’t much better than the ones he makes when he is pressured.
December 20th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
PFF judges by pressures, hits, hurries and sacks. NFL.com is just judging it on sacks alone.
December 20th, 2012 at 1:52 pm
Although I do question the credentials of the PFF staff, their stats are made to not be subjective. The NFL.com is the one that is”extraordinarily subjective”, they are just giving stats on sacks only.
December 20th, 2012 at 2:15 pm
Hence Joe’s article name “No Denying Impressive Pass Blocking Numbers”. PFF takes all things into consideration.
December 20th, 2012 at 2:30 pm
Yeah no way the line is really that good. Every game I have watched freeman is getting pressured consistently. A lot of the reason his pass % is so low is that he just avoids sacks by making bad throws . This line doesn’t get any push.
December 20th, 2012 at 2:31 pm
Bob Bostad has performed a minor miracle with this group. By far, the best hire of assistant coaches, IMO.
December 20th, 2012 at 2:37 pm
Bostad has done a great job, but there is a difference between QB sacks and QB pressures. Wonder where we stand on those numbers.
December 20th, 2012 at 3:20 pm
Freeman thinks the initial contact off the line of scrimmage is pressure… Lol
December 20th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
Joe, I’m sorry, but I hate you. You’re a dishonest journalist with an agenda. I suppose you like taking faux brash positions in order to stir discussion and generate website hits; I can’t blame you, everyone needs to make a living.
You have clearly become a Josh Freeman hater that is merely hedging himself in the event he becomes an “elite” QB in the NFL. For you, the same man that condescends “number crunching nerds,” to blatantly manipulate a simplistic meteric like a sack rate % in a way that your final conclusion is that it’s a NET NEGATIVE for Freeman and “fuel for the doubters,” is mind boggling.
Readers: This man has no credibility. He’s a manipulator and troll blogger posing as a pseudo journalist. The low sack rate could just as easily (read: likely) be at 4.2% because Freeman has the guts to hang in there until the last moment/he takes advantage of his 6’6″ 240+ frame to shake off defenders. HE’S NOT BEING KEPT UP RIGHT BY THE LIKES OF JAMON MEREDITH AND TED LARSEN. IT’S AN UTTER JOKE.
Happy Holidays, Joe! Hope your dishonest posts generate the hits (and money) your heart desires.
December 20th, 2012 at 6:21 pm
@Eric,thank you thats what ive been tying to tell people.Josh is hurting everyones game and attitude.
December 20th, 2012 at 8:46 pm
@Bucs4Life
Easy solution. Leave, Joe’s not forcing you to read his articles or to spend time here. To say you “hate” Joe goes a long way in painting a picture of the kind of person you are, yet Joe’s the “bad guy”??? C’mon man really, very classy.
– I get you like Free, but try not to get too emotionally involved.
December 21st, 2012 at 9:54 am
Guys the pressure is not the problem with JFree. It is another ‘P’ word and that is PROGRESSION. This along with AWARENESS will take JFree to the next level. He needs to get with Eli and Peyton and learn that pocket foot-shuffle that keeps them moving and the football ‘pat’ that helps them move through their progressions (Tom B does this great as well). He has all day back there, but if he is not AWARE of the hot reads and able to PROGRESS through his targets, we will see the same results.
I also thinks he needs to start moving outside the pocket to buy time for himself and move the receivers into place (ala Big Ben). This is what made him the player he was in 2010 (in which he had the 2nd most rush yards for a QB, I believe). It keeps the defense tired and on their toes.
I see the potential like plenty of others. But it is all on him to commit to being great.
As for the defense, NEED A SHUTDOWN CORNER and a BIG, PHYSICAL nickle back. Front seven are playing phenomenal with the exception of our LBs in zone coverage.