Did Rainey Fumble Away A Starting Gig?
September 19th, 2014
Did Bobby Rainey lose his starting job last night by losing two fumbles? Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.
Yes, Bobby Rainey fumbled twice last night. No, he did not cost the Bucs the game. The Bucs were whipped at every level and in no way had a prayer.
But Lovie loathes turnovers, hates them. The Bucs still had an uphill climb to get back in the game when Rainey went all Mrs. Butterworth.
Something is going on with the man Bucs fans affectionately refer to as the “Muscle Hamster,” running back Doug Martin. Joe isn’t sure what the deal is.
Sure, Martin has a dinged up knee. No need to fool with that. It just seems that from the day Bucs coach Lovie Smith was hired, he has had his eye on other running backs, namely Rainey.
From the time Joe first got to meet Lovie at the NFL Scouting Combine, Lovie seemed to have a crush on Rainey. While Lovie always referred to Martin as his “bellcow,” Lovie rarely failed to invoke Rainey’s name.
(For example, Lovie rarely spoke of Mike James).
When the draft came, the Bucs drafted Charles Sims in the third round. Lovie immediately said the selection was because of Sims’ ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Nevermind that Martin had a reputation for catching the ball out of the backfield.
Martin hasn’t really done a thing since his rookie season in 2012. And the running back who has made the biggest impact with running the ball is Rainey.
So last week, with Martin getting banged up, Rainey turned in a fine performance. It appeared the Bucs had a new running back. Given another start with Martin still on the shelf, Rainey fumbled last night.
“Bobby is a good runner, but you can’t turn the ball over,” Lovie said last night.
Joe wonders if Rainey also fumbled away his starting job and is no longer the twinkle in Lovie’s eye?
September 19th, 2014 at 8:02 am
It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters.
September 19th, 2014 at 8:06 am
It’s petulant to bench a guy as some sort of punishment for fumbling the ball. It’s not like he wants to fumble.
Fumbles happen, but you don’t correct that tendency by sitting a guy for a series. In fact the opposite, which is exactly what happened when Rainey fumbled a second time.
You correct it in practice, just look at how Alstott changed from a chronic fumbler to extremely reliable.
September 19th, 2014 at 8:08 am
Yep. As much as I still feel Martin is overrated, one thing about him is he rarely ever lays the ball on the ground.
September 19th, 2014 at 8:12 am
Did you even have to pose the question in the headline of this post?
On good football teams, guys who fumble don’t play.
Oh geez, that’s a little harsh, after all, this is not a good football team.
It would hurt Bobby’s feelings and erode his confidence, just keep giving him the ball.
September 19th, 2014 at 8:13 am
meh Says:
September 19th, 2014 at 8:02 am
It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters.
_______________________________________
Nothing to with this team does. After 38 seasons of this, I’m finding something else to do with my time. They’re looking to move the team to London anyway, so why invest anymore time or $$?
September 19th, 2014 at 8:14 am
Who cares. The Bucs are bad with or without him.
September 19th, 2014 at 8:15 am
http://youtu.be/DMHvrfsx0HU
September 19th, 2014 at 8:15 am
You will 100% get benched if you cannot protect the football. You don’t get benched as “punishment”. You get benched because you’re hurting your team more than you are helping. Rainey has 3 fumbles in 3 games.
September 19th, 2014 at 8:18 am
Umm…if that were the case then McKown should have no starting gig either. If turnovers are the measuring stick.
September 19th, 2014 at 8:19 am
If Lovie hates turnovers so much McCown should not only be benched but CUT! Yet it took a busted thumb for Lovie to go to the better QB.
September 19th, 2014 at 8:21 am
This just in, GMac doesn’t have to re-sign with this team. I think he will sign with the best team to make him a competitive offer. This team flat out sucks. Why not pick a winner to play for. Same for Lavonte when it’s his turn. Good job Joes. The season is over as far as I’m concerned. I’ll come back on here if the Bucs get to .500.
September 19th, 2014 at 8:22 am
i believe dougie was benched in favor of rainey. another dumb move by lovie
you cant tell me that after martin said he wanted to come back in the game two weeks ago that he isn’t ready. they benched him because he missed some blitz assignments and made lovies man crush mcclown look bad.
anothe lovie blunder
#firelovie
September 19th, 2014 at 8:24 am
Wow, considering Lovie has fumbled this thing since being hired, maybe he should bench himself..
September 19th, 2014 at 8:24 am
It doesn’t matter about him fumbling because the quarterback throws interceptions, o-line won’t block, receiver drops passes, d-line no pressure, linebacker missing tackles & so easily fooled by play actions, secondary so confused with blown coverages we had 4 freaking people chasing one guy while somebody else is wide open so no him fumbling is so irrelevant right now I feel like a husband who has been cheated on over and over by a whoreish wife I love you so much and put so much feeling and emotion into this and all you do is break my heart IM DONE GUYS good luck on the rest of the year im getting a divorce!
September 19th, 2014 at 8:27 am
That could be asked of the whole team!
September 19th, 2014 at 8:28 am
“Lovie loathes turnovers” well what about the last two games he has lost? I good coach doesn’t get fired from a football team nor does he sit out for a full season waiting for a job. Lovie is a second rated coach and is surrounded by seconds rouds staff. Glazers thanks for another loosing season,yes its your fault.
September 19th, 2014 at 8:30 am
Turnover suck but at least Rainey was one of the 3 or 4 guys who actually gave a damn out there last night.
September 19th, 2014 at 8:30 am
Philly + head coach=winning seasons
September 19th, 2014 at 8:32 am
Damn Lovie ur teams is getting the pants beat off of them and all you do is walk up and down the sideline stone face.
September 19th, 2014 at 8:37 am
Joe
Big difference in coaching, we come out running, Atlanta comes out passing, we go three and out, they run out of the end zone. We need to pass first and than run or at least do play action but that is hard to do when you run on a lot of plays and you can’t pass more than five yards. At least Glennon aired it out.
I just wonder what all the pen and mic club members that bit on we are great is going to say about us for the rest of the season. One thing for sure we will be under the radar, if not under the ground next year because no one and I mean no one will believe anything coming out of the Bucs.
I wonder how long they will broadcast every home game with an empty stadium.
Joe it is your job to give us hope down the road, unless Lovie has a brain transplant or his boss gives him an ass whupping, nothing will change until someone decides enough of this managment, we need a leader with vision. I even wonder if Raheem has grown as a coach to be a leader because we do not have one yet.
September 19th, 2014 at 8:49 am
JOE
Thanks for a great site sir. Even though nobody might be reading or listening to my gripes itfeels like such a great relief to air it out. Ahhhh its like free therapy. Keep up the good work, great articles and insight.
September 19th, 2014 at 8:53 am
@darin
We read so we don’t feel like we are on this sinking ooops sunken boat alone.
September 19th, 2014 at 8:59 am
The best RB on this team and for this team is on IR until the season will be well out of hand.
September 19th, 2014 at 9:04 am
@RealityCheck, if it’s not punishment then you don’t put him back in 2 series later.
September 19th, 2014 at 9:07 am
Your speculation Joe…. It was never going to be his job to begin with, guess that’s the reason he couldn’t manage to stick with a team until he got here
September 19th, 2014 at 9:07 am
Im sorry you have to cut it off at the head. Starts with the qb
September 19th, 2014 at 9:31 am
Who cares
September 19th, 2014 at 9:34 am
For all those people that were saying Rainey is better than Doug Martin…
Your opinions have just become invalid until further notice!
September 19th, 2014 at 10:23 am
Derp-de-der Bucs derp-ee derp de do.
September 19th, 2014 at 10:37 am
Back before the season started, I pointed out that Rainey might develop an issue with ball security. I was called stupid at the time. Told that I say the dumbest things.
Here we are, I was right. Toot-toot. Doug Martin is the true starter. Period.
The good news is that the issue can be fixed with Rainey.
I still want to see Lane run the ball. Why do we even have a full back? He certainly isn’t protecting the QB or doing well at run blocking.
September 19th, 2014 at 10:38 am
buc4lyfe Says
“Your speculation Joe…. It was never going to be his job to begin with…”
Actually, it was the speculation of the fans, not just Joe.
September 19th, 2014 at 10:43 am
Nah, Rainey still plays with a huge amount of effort. As bad as the offense is we’ve seen them play better and it’s not hard to see them playing better football if they have the will. Can’t say that for the defense. The preseason showed us that this collection of 2s and 3s playing as 1s and 2s were undersized and slow, couldn’t cover in man or play in position in zone. That’s the biggest problem that’s going to take more than this season to fix.
September 19th, 2014 at 11:07 am
If Rainey should get benched for the 3 fumbles then McNown deserves the bench for the 4 forced picks he has thrown. This signing of him as a starting QB was a bad decision, kind of like the Creamsicle Bucs wasting a first rounder on Jack Thompson, seeing this McNown flounder on the field reminds me of those bad, bad Buc teams of the ’80s…..
September 19th, 2014 at 11:28 am
He also dropped a key third down ;( early-on…i mean it was in his bread basket and the defender made a good play, but still gotta find a way to catch that.
September 19th, 2014 at 11:32 am
If he would of been carrying it how Schiano taught him, he would of been fine 😉 😉
September 19th, 2014 at 11:51 am
Rainey has three fumbles in three games, McCown has four int’s which have all led to points or taken away points. Lovie was correct with one thing, a good defense can win 8 games, I guess the Rams, Panthers and Birds were listening, because our offense has been offensive against those defenses
September 19th, 2014 at 2:54 pm
#43 ! …had jerry eckwood flashbacks last night, drop-fumble-fumble
September 19th, 2014 at 3:51 pm
If McClown keeps playing make sure we feed Rainey the rock so he can fumble it as much as McClown throws pics!!!!
September 20th, 2014 at 1:32 am
Wish we had Bortles, or any qbs for that matter