The Other 95 Percent
August 16th, 2014
Artist Jeff Tedford will not be painting his canvas tonight
You didn’t really think the Bucs’ offensive line was playing for real in the preseason opener last week. That was all part of a great hoax perpetrated by Lovie Smith and Jeff Tedford.
The mysteriousness of the Tampa Bay offense will be a plus when it faces the nasty Carolina defense on opening day. So why not kick the mystery up a notch?
Josh McCown even said this week how beneficial and good it was for him to finally take a good drilling, sort of a way to help a quarterback to get ready for the season after not being allowed to be hit in training camp. So there you have it; the Bucs’ matador offensive line was probably all part of the plan. Heck, Jamon Meredith has moved to backup tackle now. He wasn’t even a guard, despite starting last week. It was all a big gag.
McCown also talked about the existing “veil” (his word) over the offense and how that will help the Bucs, their edge under new leadership and a new-to-the-NFL coordinator. Center Evan Dietrich-Smith estimated earlier this week that the Bucs showed maybe 5 percent of their offense in Jacksonville, and fans will have to wait to see that other 95 percent.
Joe wants to prevent heart attacks caution fans who are expecting a revived Bucs offense tonight. Hopefully, it will be better, but it won’t be “the offense,” or anything close.
Keeping McCown upright will be a first-team focus, as will moving the chains and trying to establish any kind of rhythm. Lovie Smith probably would be ecstatic to walk out the stadium tonight with a belief that his offensive line can do more good than bad, and that his first-team offense can execute at a reasonable rate. That would be progress, and that’s all the Bucs are seeking prior to the “veil” being removed.
August 16th, 2014 at 10:01 am
I hope this is not like the “titanic” special, where 2 hours of lead up, then they open the stupid vault and there was nothing inside. If tedford doesn’t show anything during the pre-season, then open the vault on the first game and there is nothing, The fans will scream and yell and make the Jim Bates firing seem like a mutual breakup!!!!
August 16th, 2014 at 10:03 am
Someone’s drinking the Kool-Aid. The problem is that 95% of the fans aren’t tripping.
Opening day for the Eagles last year featured he unveiling of Chip Kelly’s much anticipated offense. It took their opponent 1/2 to figure it out.
Chip hadn’t practiced it enough to realize that hi own players hadn’t bought in.
August 16th, 2014 at 10:06 am
How about we just have the first team offensive line come out and NOT have their asses handed to them?
We need to set the tone.
Also, Tedford better be in a nice rhythm calling plays on opening day. Preseason is for knocking the dust off. Once the real bullets start flying, I expect improvement.
August 16th, 2014 at 10:13 am
Preseason is when dolphins chew the barnacles off the bottom of the pirate ship. I hope and pray the cannons aren’t primed and loaded in vain and McGowan can stand upright before, during and after tonight’s target practice.
August 16th, 2014 at 10:34 am
Center Evan Dietrich-Smith estimated earlier this week that the Bucs showed maybe 5 percent of their offense in Jacksonville, and fans will have to wait to see that other 95 percent.
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Isn’t 95 percent of zero the same as 5 percent of zero?
August 16th, 2014 at 10:44 am
The terrible outing in Jax was just a shrewdly devised plan to lull our future competitors into a false sense of security by making think that we cannot adequately protect our QB or open holes for our RB’s! In fact, Simms foot injury is just a clever ruse to further sell the plan. All we need to do now is let Josh McCown suffer a concussion tonight and allow Doug Martin to be tackled in the backfield 4 or 5 times, and the illusion will be complete! Never fear Bucs fans….Coach Tedford has got our opponents right where he wants them!!!!
August 16th, 2014 at 10:49 am
Second week Stats for Offensive Line
Jax gave up 7 sacks in game 1 only 1 sack in game 2
Miami gave up 1 sack in game 1 and a had zero sacks against Atl
If Miami’s defense is able to put up high sack numbers we really have a problem.
Go Bucs
August 16th, 2014 at 11:01 am
@Buc_Realist…. “I hope this is not like the “titanic” special, where 2 hours of lead up, then they open the stupid vault and there was nothing inside.”
Actually there was something inside the Titanic safe, albeit not much…a diamond bracelet and some coins. The Al Capone vault was the one that was empty…as empty as your evaluation of Clayborn.
August 16th, 2014 at 11:04 am
Maybe the big secret is the super-spectacular O-line that will be revealed week 1. Hiding offensive wrinkles is useful for gimmick plays (TD passes to Sapp, Penn, etc) but it’s hard to see how not practicing the real offense under game conditions gets it ready for the season.
August 16th, 2014 at 11:07 am
The offensive line is a single unit. When you put them out there one on one, they will mostly get beat. Just look at last year’s pro bowl. L&L now have film on all the offensive linemen, and are adjusting accordingly. To quote Douglas Adams “Don’t Panic”
August 16th, 2014 at 11:19 am
@phreakybucfan….love the “Hitchhikers” reference, but unless our O-line starts to play better, we are far more likely to hear “So long, and thanks for all the sacks!” From opposing defenses this year.
August 16th, 2014 at 11:25 am
Can someone please explain to me why oniel cousins is starting tonight? I mean really! Everyone outside of one buc place knows he isn’t a starter. How can everyone else know this but not L&L? Typical bucs and it’s these types of things that make the bucs the bucs. It’s always something.
August 16th, 2014 at 12:03 pm
Maybe after tonight we make our pitch to San Fran for Boone.
August 16th, 2014 at 12:20 pm
Cousins is still starting. All is not well on that line. What more is there to say?It’s not panic when you notice one of the worst players in the NFL is manning a critical spot on the team. What gives?
August 16th, 2014 at 12:58 pm
I hope these guards took off their underwear and put on their big boy pads (as Raheem Morris would say)
August 16th, 2014 at 1:08 pm
I expect to see a little more this week but not expecting too much. They are still using preseason games to evaluate possible backups who might fit into the scheme of things for the big picture which is far more important than a preseason win or loss. They need to evaluate many more positions and players other than OG which is the one position they are likely to add or trade for a player very shortly anyway as they become much more available in the next couple weeks. They are looking at their backups more than anything tonight. 1st string is only getting a little more warm up and not much else. This is a serious game for guys trying to make the team but not so much for the first stringers. Cuts are coming shortly for the backups.
August 16th, 2014 at 1:42 pm
Well, the first 5% looked like absolute crap EDS, now how bout them guys to ur left and right??
August 16th, 2014 at 3:08 pm
@whiskeybuc: Well, they certainly didn’t put their faces on people.
August 16th, 2014 at 3:31 pm
Sorry to say it but as bad as this offense has looked the 1st string needs all the snaps they can get. Not just a series or two but a whole half at least. Otherwise it’ll just roll right into the season with the same problems as we see now. I keep hearing you people say give it time and they need to evaluate backups. Paaaaaaleaaassssseeeeee already. They can’t “gell” sitting on the darn bench watching “backups”.