The Poor Decision That Doomed The Bucs
December 23rd, 2012
Yet another loss, yet another frustrating outing for Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman.
It was early in the fourth quarter and the game was still in doubt at a two-score margin, 28-13 Rams. The Bucs had a legitimate scoring threat in the making.
The Bucs had driven deep in Rams territory with just over 12 minutes to go and on fourth down at the Rams-7, the Bucs went for broke, needing seven points.
From a shotgun, Freeman checked down to Doug Martin who was well-covered but caught the ball and managed to get three yards, far short of six points.
Why?
Why in the world are you throwing to a guy who has nearly zero chance of scoring? More important, Joe cannot fathom why a play was called where every blanketty-blank receiver wasn’t in the end zone.
You needed more than a catch, you needed six to stay alive!
No, Freeman shouldn’t have checked down to an option that had minimal chance of scoring. Worse, Freeman was sort of hung out to dry by not having all receivers in a position to score a touchdown with a ball, not tackled short.
December 23rd, 2012 at 6:17 pm
You don’t send every reciever to the endzone only to clog it up with defenders. Football 101. However, the same play was available to him on 2nd with Martin at the 5 which is when you take it. His decisions such as these worry me.
December 23rd, 2012 at 6:24 pm
You could see it coming too: Jump ball to M. Williams is pretty much the only play the Bucs run from that distance. That didnt work out so plan B is Doug Martin and hope breaks one.
December 23rd, 2012 at 6:25 pm
@Joe
You guys should write an article called 0 For Fourth, I don’t think they converted a single 4th down today and there was a bunch.
December 23rd, 2012 at 6:27 pm
Happened right in front of me and all I could yell was WHY WHY WHY WHY? The TWO fade routes/jump balls to Mike Williams didn’t help either. It’s already been proven that Freeman doesn’t think and constantly makes bad choices so why even give him a check down option.
December 23rd, 2012 at 6:45 pm
How about a draft pick post?
December 23rd, 2012 at 7:11 pm
Starting #5 ?
December 23rd, 2012 at 8:55 pm
Starting Freeman, oops someone stole my thunder
December 24th, 2012 at 12:22 am
The poor decision was letting Morris talk Dom into drafting him in the FIRST PLACE!