5-For-17 On Third Down
October 21st, 2013
A hopeful stat for the Bucs before yesterday’s beating by the Falcons was that Atlanta had the NFL’s worst defense on third down.
How bad were the Falcons? Teams were converting against them on third down at a 50 percent clip. Teams were even getting it done at better than 40 percent at 3rd-and-8 or longer.
But in came the Bucs offense. Tampa Bay was a flimsy 5-for-17 on third down yesterday. That just shouldn’t happen to an offense that has Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams.
Interestingly, Buccaneers staff member Scott Smith Twittered during the game that Jackson made his first third-down catch in a Bucs uniform without converting it for a first down. And then it happened again.
Of course, all those third downs are troubling on their own. It lets you know the Bucs aren’t moving the chains enough on first and second downs.
October 21st, 2013 at 11:15 am
Our offense is miserable & it hasn’t been the QB play….we are pressured….predictable…don’t get open….drop passes….incur penalties….
How in the world Sullivan is getting a pass from most fans baffles me. Teams seem to be in our huddle….
October 21st, 2013 at 11:17 am
Sully’s scheme stinks. The routes are flawed and options limited. What you see in terms of separation (as referenced in an earlier article) and the 3rd down inefficiency is a result of an over-complicated, ineffective system.
Joe, I also hear what you’re saying on firing Schiano- as opposed to Yasinskas, who has been out of touch for years. Nevertheless, I’ll say what I said after the first two games of the season, the organization is in a total state of decay. It started at the end of Giants game last year on the kneel-down (when Schiano lost some fans-and arguably some in his locker room) and worked its way through the handling of the QB situation in the offseason, the GMs Ahab-like quest for Revis (blinding him to the other holes on the roster), MRSA, Tynes, Nicks, Freeman debacle and oh yeah 11 of 12 losses (with the one win coming against a team with nothing to play for). If the Dexter Jackson story is true, it only adds to the shame Schiano has brought to this organization.
Yeah, I want a franchise QB. Sure I’d love a stud LT or DE. But I also want to feel good about being a fan. I’ve watched this team religiously since the early 1980s. I’ve seen terrible football. This team, top down, is as bad as its has ever been. Maybe worse b/c there are some talented young players out there that aren’t being coached up/schemed up to be put in the best position to win. Schiano continues to live in denial that his way has lead to proven results…the rest of us continue to scratch our heads looking for them.
Time for the crapfest to end. The GM and Coach both need to go. Though I wonder if the Glazers are waiting until the NFLPA investigation is over–so they can terminate with cause and not pay the balance of their coach’s contract?!?!?
October 21st, 2013 at 11:25 am
I dont know about anybody else. But I hear all the time that its the scheme, its the coaching blah blah blah. But to me the main problem more than anything is the O-Line penalties. Every single drive we are on the move until a penalty wipes out all our progress. It’s impossible to do anything with this line playing so dam awful.
Last year we had a decent line with a bunch of scrubs… wtf happened?
October 21st, 2013 at 11:26 am
I said it last week and you laughed. I said the Falcons would right their wrongs against the Bucs. No one listened.
I know this team inside and out.
October 21st, 2013 at 11:26 am
The Larsen penalty was one of the most bonehead penalties I have ever seen.
October 21st, 2013 at 11:35 am
@ couch
The Larsen penalty was the most forgivable penalty of the game. He was playing to the whistle unlike Penn and Joseph who give a half assed effort and then turn around and watch as their man makes the tackle.
October 21st, 2013 at 11:39 am
Theres a difference between playing to the whistle and playing stupid to the whistle.
October 21st, 2013 at 12:00 pm
Outcoached, plain and simple. Schiano and his staff are out of their league.
October 21st, 2013 at 12:20 pm
Scheme and game plan?
Try catching some damn balls and quit making so many drive (and TD) killing penalties and the game plan will work!
October 21st, 2013 at 1:11 pm
anyone notice at the kneel downs are in the shotgun formation to me that’s embarrassing
October 21st, 2013 at 1:43 pm
I don’t have an issue with the offense as much as I do the penalties. The penalties have taken back long gains and touchdowns. Like Mike Williams said, it’s bad enough when you give 100 yards to an individual,but we are giving that up in penalties. You just can’t win that way. As for the kneel downs, I have no issue with Sciano making his guys play until every opportunity is exhausted. A one possession lead is fair game to me.
October 21st, 2013 at 2:50 pm
Dredfull reporting….. one siided and biased.
Denver 5-16 on 3rd downs
colts 5-17 on 3rd downs.
October 21st, 2013 at 2:57 pm
Dallas 5-16 3rd downs
philly 4-18 3rd downs.
new england 1-12 3rd downs
October 21st, 2013 at 3:32 pm
wow you guys have got problem jo mama luther hat does h coach taste like
October 21st, 2013 at 5:34 pm
Why is the staff tweeting during the game ? Not enough work to do ?