“We Have Work To Do… “
August 18th, 2014
Starting right Patrick Omameh was lauded for his play Saturday night by Lovie Smith today.
Bucs fans climbed off ledges and drove away from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge Sunday after the Bucs’ offensive line looked like they could block a little bit. It was relieving if not refreshing.
Images of the loss to Jacksonville to open the preseason were all too fresh in Bucs fans’ minds. That night, sans Demar Dotson, the line couldn’t block a tackling dummy. It was every bit the word “trainwreck” sounds like.
In the days after, Bucs coach Lovie Smith preached patience. And, his patience, and the work of the offensive line paid off with a decent performance. Still, Lovie said in his Monday presser, the Bucs are “nowhere” near regular-season ready up front. In fact, Lovie admitted he couldn’t name a starting offensive line this afternoon there is so much more to polish.
“We haven’t gone that far but it is working itself out,” Lovie said. “Believe me, we played better on the offensive line. Patrick Omameh … offensive line got better, simple as that. Individually, the players did. That should be the norm. We are not there yet. We have not locked in a starting offensive line Same as last week. We will keep continuing to look at the players and we have a little bit more time.
“We definitely think we were more physical this game, there were definitely some plays where we saw a look the way we wanted, a positive play we wanted. We need all of them like that. We are nowhere near — these guys [have] seen Carolina play [Sunday] night — we’re not there yet. They are still the division champs. We have work to do before we will be ready.”
Remember that all on the offensive line (sans the benched Jamon Meredith) besides Dotson are new to the Bucs or have no regular season experience. Each and every offensive lineman will tell you he needs time to grow. Lovie all but promised a better offensive line performance on Saturday and they delivered.
No, it wasn’t the 1976 Raiders offensive line, but it was better. If the Bucs can improve the blocking that much more this coming week at Buffalo, then Joe will feel a lot better as the Bucs wind down preseason and prepare for the Stinking Panthers.
August 18th, 2014 at 3:22 pm
meh, they still sucked
August 18th, 2014 at 3:27 pm
^^ Way to stay positive.
August 18th, 2014 at 3:29 pm
They were average at best and the reality is they have one more game to improve because they won’t play much in preseason game 4.
I REALLY like the direction of the team, but I’m pretty confident in saying that L&L evaluated the guard position poorly.
August 18th, 2014 at 3:35 pm
sorry man…..maybe it’s all part of the plan. many teams go 0-4 in preseason and then kill it in the season because they are working on their weaknesses and putting them on tape without showing the strenghts. hopefully thats the case. the ONLY brightspot I have seen is GMC. The playcalling is lackluster at best. the O line sucks outloud. The secondary sure hasn’t lived up to the hyp (but they are new to cover 2 and some guys are hurt so I’ll cut them some slack) McCown…..well he looks like a career backup, and Glennon (mob member) has not really progressed from what I can see. What I see is them trying to run the ball, which they need a lot of practice in blocking, so why not. The passing game is weak, but the QB has no time. The secondary is getting picked apart like the old bucs vs. the colts and the D line outside of GMC isn’t getting pressure. but …….damn, I can’t think of anything positive. 🙁
August 18th, 2014 at 3:36 pm
carolina is gonna put our QB on IR
August 18th, 2014 at 3:38 pm
I liked the direction “I heard/thought” they were going in. but that seems like a pipe dream at this point…..buying more pepto before the season starts.
August 18th, 2014 at 3:46 pm
Its time that Bucs fans start being positive!! so I will take the first step. After game 1 am positive that beer sales will be thru the roof!
August 18th, 2014 at 3:50 pm
Carolina is gonna put our olinemen on IR too!
August 18th, 2014 at 3:52 pm
we have alot of injured guys already. where are the cornerbacks. ?
August 18th, 2014 at 3:58 pm
People are making too much of preseason games. They’re glorified practices. And yeah, they need more practice… This team is going to get better as the season goes on. There’s lots of new faces, adjustments to new schemes. I don’t see what the point is in complaining so much. It’s still early. Plus, if you were expecting a Superbowl run this year, you were out of your mind. I believe they’re headed in the right direction.
August 18th, 2014 at 4:15 pm
Who is for a 18 game season with only two preseason games?
August 18th, 2014 at 4:21 pm
not complaining, just stating the facts. cover two gets picked apart by a good QB…..and don’t even bring up the seahawks, they were holding more than joe with a picture of RW in his left hand.
and it take a long time to get in sync.
August 18th, 2014 at 5:20 pm
BucinNC:
Count Joe in!
August 18th, 2014 at 5:40 pm
Gonna be a work in progress allllll season. That Carolina game is going to be a woodshed moment for that oline.
August 18th, 2014 at 6:18 pm
We are two solid drafts away from being a year in year out playoff team- 7-9 boys
August 18th, 2014 at 6:36 pm
Joe: Just step away from the kool-ade. The players playing a bit better is not a cause for NOT going to the Sunshine Bridge. Some are still going to jump. And some of us are going to hang out on the side until much better OR worse news…The team overall is not looking even like a 50-50 team. More mediocre than promising.
Just sayin….
August 18th, 2014 at 7:40 pm
This is what happens when you draft for best player available instead of drafting for need. We needed a future Franchise QB in the first round, a MLB with ability like Urlacher, and quality Guards. I felt we also needed a backup three technique too, but Lovie is planning to use Bowers there when he is well. Licht ignored those needs to pick who he felt was the best player available, and we are now paying for it.
August 18th, 2014 at 8:02 pm
After this last game, I still feel no better about Cousins in the starting line-up. but will reserve a more fixed judgement (on the O line only) until after this next game…their latest offering performance wise atleast warrants that.
August 18th, 2014 at 8:56 pm
Owlykat Says:
August 18th, 2014 at 7:40 pm
It’s the second preseason game. Look at the playmaking they added with Evans and ASJ (not to mention Sims when he is fully healed)… Are you saying you would rather have inferior players at that draft slot just to fill a need? And what makes you think a “MLB with ability like Urlacher, and quality Guards” were available at those draft positions?
Frankly, I think you’re completely off your rocker. The teams that draft best are those that draft BPA with consideration of needs, which is what they’ve done this year. Such short term thinking around here………
August 18th, 2014 at 9:26 pm
Orca- wanting us to draft potential franchise QB in the first round and quality olinemen thereafter is not “off your rocker” crazy talk. Makes a lot of sense and many successful teams have done it just that way. You disagree by insisting the sane thing to do is head into the season with a mediocre at best QB and mediocre at best oline…but at least you have beast WR & TE. Too bad you don’t have an oline or QB to get them the ball. Great plan. I like the plan that tries to solve the QB position and run game first but I guess that’s crazy talk!
August 18th, 2014 at 9:51 pm
Lets be happy Shiano is out of town. Sure he can evaluate talent, but noone is more happy than me he is gone. Lets give L&L a chance. If we had the worst offense last year than why not go all offense in the draft. We now have 3 or 4 6’5″ mammoth receivers. In all my time as a Bucs fan I never saw this and wondered why we had soo many small receivers. In free agency they picked up a lot of solid players too. Especially on defense. Its gonna take time to get more players. Thinking we are 9-7.
August 18th, 2014 at 10:02 pm
What a bunch of losers on this site! This team was light years ahead of last week and could already beat last years team. Why would you waste your 3rd round pick on a guard if you thought you already had some and you had the worst offense in the league last year. Most of these posters make me ill. None of you guys ever “pulled” in college, as Joe would say. Don’t go trying to climb onto the Lovie train after it has left the station.
August 18th, 2014 at 11:08 pm
Okay Buccos, let’s try to break this down:
“This team was light years ahead of last week” Light years? The offense only scored once and struggled to move the ball all night. Was maybe better but not by much.
“…and could already beat last years team.” That is A) not proveable, B) not saying much and C) completely irrelevant!
“Why would you waste your 3rd round pick on a guard if you thought you already had some and you had the worst offense in the league last year.” Because at that time we had cut or traded the healthy starting caliber guards we had and, as you put it, we had the worst offense in the league last year. This is in large part due to the fact that our starting caliber guards were injured with Joseph playing on a bum leg and some scrub playing for Nicks.
“Most of these posters make me ill.” Maybe you should see a doctor about your poor constitution. Perhaps you were conceived with a weak sperm!
“None of you guys ever “pulled” in college, as Joe would say.” That was random and seemingly irrelevant to whatever disjointed points you are struggling to make but…okay!
“Don’t go trying to climb onto the Lovie train after it has left the station.” If I do what are you going to do about it tough guy?
“Buccos”…do you still grin and wink at people with a dagger in your teeth and a feather in your hat?
Please share more of that cogent train of thought with us losers! That was fun!
August 18th, 2014 at 11:31 pm
He still lives in south Tampa. Built a house.
August 19th, 2014 at 6:49 am
Maybe it’s just me but I didn’t think the offensive line looked good against Miami. I thought they looked like crap. Unless they get a lot better quickly we may not complete 5 passes against the Panthers.