Offensive Player Of The Week
November 4th, 2013
It was one of the finest performances Joe has seen from a Bucs player in a long time. Rookie running back Mike James pounding his way through the Seahawks defense and, playing Steve Alford, hit a short jump shot to Tom Crabtree for a touchdown pass.
James’ one-man gang of a game did not escape the watchful gaze of olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, beer-chugging, cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-naïve,baseball box score-reading Peter King, of Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports fame, who knighted James with his “Offensive Player of the Week” honor, as detailed in King’s must-read “Monday Morning Quarterback” column on theMMQB.com.
Mike James, running back, Tampa Bay. Drafted in the sixth round last April by the Bucs after a part-time starting career at the University of Miami, James, in his seventh NFL game, had the best day of any back in football Sunday: 28 carries, 158 yards, 5.6 yards per rush … in Seattle, against a team that had been respectable in run defense. By quarters: 37, 45, 58, 16, and two yards rushing in OT. But it was James’ touchdown pass—the play of the day in the NFL, in my opinion—that made him a lock here. He threw a Tebow-esque two-yard jump-pass touchdown to Tom Crabtree to give the Bucs a 21-0 lead in the second quarter.
A sixth-round draft pick? Why, Joe has never heard of such a thing. Damn, that Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik! What a scoundrel!
Joe will ask again: How in the world (or who?) did the Bucs pull the plug on easily their best offensive weapon yesterday when the Bucs had the Seahawks on the ropes in the fourth quarter? A guy runs for 158 yards and doesn’t touch the ball in the final seven minutes of a close game? In what world?
Joe is confident Team Glazer is asking that same question under their breath today. It is a question with no logical answer.
November 4th, 2013 at 1:32 pm
Yes damn that mark dominik to heck! Fire him. Lol james proved in the 3rd quarter that he could consistently run on seattle n they couldnt stop him. In the 2nd half is when teams make big changes but seattle had no answer for james. Why go away from that?
November 4th, 2013 at 1:33 pm
the new Nathan Wonsley!
November 4th, 2013 at 1:56 pm
Almost as good as the all pro 1600 yard rusher that idiot Bruce Allen picked in the sixth round last year.
To go along with the all pro left tackle and QB, also drafted by Bruce.
Only the Rock can do this!
Hilarious pimping.
November 4th, 2013 at 1:56 pm
Yes!! Mike James!!! The sixth round RB equivalent of Sammie Stroughter!! Mark Dominik your so….oh wait thats right just another fail..
#prisonerofthemoment
November 4th, 2013 at 1:57 pm
Schiano must have thought he had reached his ‘touches’ maximuim! Kinda like a pitch count in baseball, oh, sorry, this is (touch) football.
November 4th, 2013 at 2:15 pm
“By quarters: 37, 45, 58, 16, and two yards rushing in OT.” This is the issue.
16 and 2. Unless James got injured or something that prevented him from performing his RB role, we shot ourselves in the foot by benching him or limiting him. Why stop all of a sudden? Did we think we had the game sealed and won? By the 2nd quarter we started to just kill the clock, Saints/Jets game anyone???
As Joe mentioned on twitter, Schiano took his foot off the pedal way too early and in the end we had a field goal in the second half. While our defense got wrecked by wilson and company.
November 4th, 2013 at 2:47 pm
@joe
Haven’t you noticed that the Rockstars picks have been way better the last two years! hmmmm I woner why? All together now…..Schiano is helping pick the draft.
November 4th, 2013 at 3:02 pm
Schiano, much like his role model George Costanza, should do the opposite of what his gut tells him to do in order to start seeing some positive results. Why kill the clock and keep Seattle on their heels when you can allow Michael Bennett et. al to pin their ears back and bum-rush Glennon. Gotta make sure Seattle has enough time to knot things up before OT for crying out loud!
November 4th, 2013 at 3:31 pm
Wow… he hit on a 6th round pick. Astounding.
Doesn’t make up for resigning Michael Clayton.
November 4th, 2013 at 3:36 pm
Yes, “RS” has had a couple decent to good (not great) drafts in the last two. Riddle me this, name me even a good draft he had anything to do with prior to the last two! No, one good player in a draft doesn’t excuse 6 busts! I am not one of those screaming to fire “RS” but I would like to see him McKayed upstairs only to manage contracts.
November 4th, 2013 at 3:41 pm
That 2009 draft was a winner… oh wait, no one from that draft is still on the team.
November 4th, 2013 at 3:45 pm
James played hard yesterday, but let’s not get to carried away. St. Louis rammed the ball down their throat the week before…I’m sensing more of a Seattle issue with stopping the run than how good the Bucs are at running it.
But that’s part of football – attack your opponent’s weakness. I’m happy to see the Bucs coaching staff watch that film and attack it the way St Louis did last week.
I still don’t understand why we went away from it. The Bucs weren’t just good running the ball yesterday, but great! I think the coaches over thought it.
November 4th, 2013 at 4:02 pm
…and Joe, the yards per quarter really highlight James’ dismal use in the 4th qtr and OT. When he gains “By quarters: 37, 45, 58, 16, and 2 yards rushing in OT”. How does any coach pull back on a running back and O-line that just the quarter before got 58 yards? Isn’t one of the reasons you run the ball, is to ‘wear the D down for the 4th qtr’? Stupid.
@Adam L – how is that axe sharpening going buddy? Are people only supposed to be judged by the mistakes they make? I do agree though, Clayton was a big one, I remember it well.
November 4th, 2013 at 4:08 pm
Even more funny is the Joe(s) repeated assertions on here not to pick running back high because of the ease they can be acquired in the later rounds or UFA.
Remember that UFA Earnest Graham. He helped us win a couple of Division Titles.
But only the rock can do it!
The grasping at straws to crop up a GM whose team is on a 1-13 skid is highly entertaining.
November 4th, 2013 at 7:46 pm
We all know he’s BLOWN a lot more picks than He’s got right but the real question is can he save this sinking ship! Coaching is horrible and I can only wonder if at the end of next off season if were all thinking WTF with new coaching hire because our 1st and 2nd choices turned this joke of a franchise down like years past and we end up with left overs again. Hope your right about rock star joe because $10 beers are getting hard to swallow watching this crap in person….. At least the Jaguars were given away free beer
November 5th, 2013 at 9:46 am
Dom drafting James only confirms the ole saying
” occasionally, even a blind squirrel finds a nut”