Gameday Tampa Bay
October 13th, 2013
Game 5
Beagles (2-3) at Bucs (0-4)
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
TV: WTVT-TV, Channel 13 locally (the game is not blacked out). Outside the Tampa Bay area, DirecTV Channel 708.
Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (in Tampa WFUS-FM 103.5, and WDAE-AM 620); SiriusXM Channel 112.
Weather: Per Mark Collins of WTSP-TV Channel 10, expect a sun-kissed Florida Chamber of Commerce day with a temperature of 84 with a slight breeze out of the northeast with no chance of rain. This is why we live in Florida.
Odds: Per FootballLocks.com, Beagles-2.5.
Outlook: As Joe has written before, Joe truly believes the Bucs are at an organizational crossroads today. Not a team crossroads, not a players crossroads, but an organizational crossroads. The Bucs are coming off a bye week. Plenty of time to prepare for a team, despite the hosannas of the Chip Kelly offense, the Eagles are a losing team, likely starting a backup quarterback. If the Bucs lose today, then Joe is confident “Coach Watch” will be launched. Now Joe is not saying Bucs commander Greg Schiano will be fired. Team Glazer has never let a coach go before the end of a season. But a loss today brings Schiano’s record to 1-10 in his last 11 games. Remember, Raheem Morris was fired for losing 10 in a row and Chucky, despite being under contract for three more years and consecutive 9-7 seasons, was jettisoned. Has Schiano done a good job with the Bucs defense? Sure has. But the offense, which Team Glazer has poured tens of millions of dollars into, is a shambles and there is no end in sight to all the drama and circus, which has to be embarrassing Team Glazer. Joe personally likes Schiano, but this is the NFL which, as Jerry Glanville famously said, means “Not For Long.” If you can’t win, you won’t be around long. It is really that simple. Despite the Beagles starting backup Nick Foles, virtually every Bucs fans has tried some remedy to purge the memory of Foles, as a rookie, throwing for 300 yards on the Bucs on the very same field he will take today. Foles beat the Bucs last December, killing any playoff hopes the Bucs had. If the Bucs are going to win this game, the Bucs are going to need to run the ball, which the Bucs have been unable to do despite a stud running back and a well-paid offensive line. To expect quarterback Mike Glennon, a rookie making his second start, to beat the Eagles is a bit much. If the Bucs cannot run the ball and the offense is sluggish against a weak Beagles defense and the Bucs lose, and the Bucs had two weeks to prepare for the Beagles, well, that’s on Schiano and his staff, plain and simple.
October 13th, 2013 at 10:13 am
As much as I hate to say it. I agree. This is a huge game for us. Really really hoping the bye week helped.
October 13th, 2013 at 10:19 am
As crazy as this may sound to many of you….hoping for a loss IF it means a coaching change follows. Otherwise, it’s near impossible for me to watch and not root for The Bucs.
October 13th, 2013 at 10:20 am
Have you ever seen a picture of an ordinarily great looking woman but knowing where she was from you could just hear an annoying Philly accent coming out of her mouth and it totally ruins it.
October 13th, 2013 at 10:22 am
@ JonBuc – i’m onboard as well. What good does 2 or 3 wins do for us? Especially with Jacksonville in the express lane for the first pick.
October 13th, 2013 at 10:28 am
Does anyone really think we’ll win today?
I surely don’t. Schiano couldn’t game plan to save his life, much less his job.
October 13th, 2013 at 10:29 am
Don’t forget, the Bucs are also a losing team starting a back up QB. A rookie QB as well.
October 13th, 2013 at 10:38 am
I’ve heard of people hoping for a loss for draft position. But so-called “fans” hoping we lose because they dont like the coach? Get the F out of here! I dont want to see your face around this team! Go root for someone else!
October 13th, 2013 at 10:40 am
My fellow Bucs fans, say a prayer for my wife and I. We live 30 mins from Philly, and these fans are drunkin’ goobers. Please, Please, Please Bucs win this game and make the Pigeons life TERRIBLE!!!
October 13th, 2013 at 10:43 am
Raheem Morris got fired for the WAY we lost, not just that we lost. Those games were decided in the first quarter. This team has been competitive and but for a few plays we could easily be 3-1. Don’t for a minute think that goes unnoticed with the Glazers. They are not as blind as many of the fans and I’m sure they see a huge turnaround on defense.
Offense is the problem and if the Glazers are the ones that pulled the plug on Freeman (which I’m sure they are) then they are giving Schiano and Sullivan time to show progress with Glennon. If Mike Sullivan is mainly responsible for the offensive scheme and it continues to falter but Glennon shows promise then I believe that Sully will be the one gone and Schiano will be given another year with a new OC. If he doesn’t produce in 2014 then he is gone the way of Freeman. Don’t get me wrong, he has to show steady improvement this year too but I think the Glazers have a longer leash on him than one might guess. I could be wrong but I don’t think I am. We’ll see.
October 13th, 2013 at 10:46 am
Jerry,
Couldn’t agree more. Hoping for a loss?
I disliked Freeman immensely, but never hoped for a loss when he was QBing.
What stupidity to hope for a loss, just so you can prove some goober point.
GO BUCS!
October 13th, 2013 at 10:47 am
Jerry-curl…you sound both tough and mad…remind me not to watch MMA with you. It’s because I like The Bucs so much that I want necessary change. Let me give you an example that may apply to you.Let’s say you’re doing your thing @ the fry bin @ Jack-In-The- Box. Wouldn’t you perform better under a manager you liked and respected….not some angry clown that keeps ruining your shifts and the restaurant’s reputation?
October 13th, 2013 at 11:57 am
Jon buck. Better quit trying to explain- only digging a bigger hole. I’m pulling for a W. when the cards start falling our way, what side will you be on then? If you got sick , your job hit a downside guess you ought to be fired also. Get a life! Your either a real fan or you are a Jane Fonda – I know what your sounding like!
October 13th, 2013 at 12:04 pm
Huh? ^^^ Ok…you’re right…let’s win just enough to keep Schiano around as long as possible. He makes Rich Kotite look like Vince Lombardi.I’m glad your Jane Fonda’s workout videos are working for you.Also, thank you for your service in Vietnam.
October 13th, 2013 at 1:10 pm
Way to go Schiano. Great preparation