Marcus Arroyo’s Last Stand
December 6th, 2014
Over at One Buc Palace, preparations should be in full swing for Tampa Bay to be ready to hire the best offensive coordinator money can buy in 23 days.
However, Joe believes Lovie Smith yearns for a different path.
Lovie’s dream scenario would be as follows:
The Bucs win their final four games with the offensive finally clicking to complement a defense that continues to be among the NFL’s best, where they’ve been the past month.
Lovie then talks about how things just took a little extra time, and about how a certain team back in 1996 had a similar season and record.
The praise for Josh McCown, Lovie’s handpicked quarterback, would reach record levels, and McCown would dump loads of credit on de facto offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo and the bond they’ve built. Lovie then brings back Arroyo and doesn’t have to dive into the transitional upheaval that often comes with a new offensive coordinator, especially a strong-minded, successful one.
Yes, Arroyo can still make a last stand and save his job. The odds are very long, and the Detroit Lions — in Detroit — are one of the toughest NFL tests for any offense right now.
No, Joe doesn’t believe the Bucs can muster any offensive miracles, not with their quarterbacks. But Joe will enjoy pulling for Arroyo and McCown, a couple of good guys who appear to be way over their heads.
December 6th, 2014 at 1:22 pm
Funny but the people running this site keep pushing Jameis Winston down our throats but say Marriota would be fine but he needs to “improve his accuracy”
LOL 36 tds to 2 ints and Winston is the better candidate. LOL Ice to an Eskimo
December 6th, 2014 at 1:24 pm
Sorry the pass defense has been improved… But we haven’t improved against the run..
Hopefully we take a good long look at some Qb coaches who have had success and promote them to OC.. Then have the balls to say to Lovie go get me Mariota or Hundley.. This mediocre QB play has to come to an end… We have a potential superstar in Mike Evans and need someone he can grow with!
December 6th, 2014 at 1:26 pm
Lovie’s dream scenario is Bucs fans worst nightmare.
December 6th, 2014 at 1:29 pm
Arroyo was in over his head as the QB coach, never mind being the OC.
He was thrown into a bad situation, but this is a business. Go out and get someone with some proven success in the NFL. Just do it.
I’m not sold on drafting either of those QBs in the first, unless maybe we traded way down. OL in the first, QB in the second, DE and OL the rest of the way. Maybe a MLB in there somewhere too.
December 6th, 2014 at 1:29 pm
No need to make stuff up. Joe hasn’t issued any endorsement of either on these pages.
December 6th, 2014 at 1:38 pm
Throw Warhop on the steaming pile too Joe.
How come he gets a flyer?
December 6th, 2014 at 1:40 pm
@ Joe
The only “endorsement” Ive seen you give recently is [deleted for BS]
lols
December 6th, 2014 at 1:44 pm
Watch the tape Marion’s throws 2-5 yard passes Winston has to make reads and he has no help on offense your a stats guy prolly never seen mariotta play he’s good but let’s see who’s he remind you of kaeperpick or rg pee himself. Winston will be better than Mariotta quote me! Also watch a game look at tape
December 6th, 2014 at 1:48 pm
Lovie has several years in this league… In his history, has he shown anyone that he will roll with a rookie QB….. The same foolish coach that hand picked Josh McCown…
I fully expect him to remain being consistant at making foolish errors until he is finally out of one Bucs place rather it be in 4 weeks or 4 Years… He wasn’t a world beater in Chicago and he just won’t be in Tampa no matter how delusional people may be about someone employed by the Bucs as if they could never bring in the wrong person…
December 6th, 2014 at 1:48 pm
gatrbuc17 Says:
December 6th, 2014 at 1:22 pm
Funny but the people running this site keep pushing Jameis Winston down our throats but say Marriota would be fine but he needs to “improve his accuracy”
LOL 36 tds to 2 ints and Winston is the better candidate. LOL Ice to an Eskimo
Totally agree. Joe if you aren’t pushing Winston why go you only have a daily blog about him and not the much, much better QB from last night that destroyed the 7th ranked team in the country?
Simple. Joe finds Winston interesting to write about now. –Joe
December 6th, 2014 at 1:51 pm
Joe could care less about us drafting Winston….and he doesn’t care about our collective opinions (except for his Lovie Confidence Poll).
Joe writes what Joe likes to write about and he likes to write about Winston.
Joe says he doen’t want to do a poll because Winston hasn’t even declared yet…but he’s worthy of a daily article.
As long as there’s a daily article, there will be a request for a poll.
Now as for Arroyo turning things around the last four games….at least he doesn’t have to worry about Tedford disrupting things….only our self-destruction and opposing defenses.
Color him gone!!!
December 6th, 2014 at 1:52 pm
Arroy-NO
Bucs needs to stop being a lab for unproven coaches
December 6th, 2014 at 1:53 pm
How can he save his job as an offensive coordinator when he was never announced to be the offensive coordinator. I am sure his job as the quarterbacks coach is not in jeopardy, but when we bring in a real offensive coordinator won’t he want his own people in here as well? This is going to be very interesting once the season ends.
Even if we win out and the offense looks good I don’t see how there is any possible way Lovie brings back Arroyo as the OC. Lovie has to be smarter than that. Lovie is coaching for his job as well and he has to know he needs to have an established offensive coach on that side of the ball.
December 6th, 2014 at 1:53 pm
Howard is starting to buy into Joes QB obsession.
The four 9-3 teams as of today are:
The Mannings
The Rodgers
The Chip Kelly Offense
and The Palmer/Stanton
Wow.
That’s an indictment of anyone who doesn’t believe in the
power of offense and QB play in today’s NFL.
December 6th, 2014 at 1:55 pm
Lovie must of been a hot commodity before the Bucs tied their future to his direction. I mean teams were beating down his doors to bring him aboard. Figures he had been here before, thus the hire. Offense play is shunned here in Tampa. The Bucs have always been about defense, It’s going to take an explosive offense to reverse the Bucs decades long misery.
December 6th, 2014 at 1:56 pm
@ gatrbuc17
Thanks in advance for your support for a poll…..
It’s us old farts that have figured out what’s going on….. Sorry you don’t get to ascribe motives to Joe, especially those that are false. Give it a rest. It’s rude. Joe has no interest in babysitting your malicious commentary. –Joe
December 6th, 2014 at 1:57 pm
I don’t know. Even if the offense looks decent these last four weeks it’s hard to ignore the ineptitude they’ve shown in 10 of their 12 games.
December 6th, 2014 at 1:57 pm
As awful as it sounds, Arroyo has been one of the worst offensive play callers I have ever seen and we just went through Greg Olson and Mike Sullivan, so that is saying a lot. Do we even know what type of offense they are trying to run, its a mystery and we have seen 12 games of it now. Arroyo lacks guidance and vision for this offense.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:06 pm
Arroyo is silly, he needs to keep it simple. Max protect, ME13 go long on every play. When they stop that, flip the play to the other side. Simple as that. Every time I see evans running an arrow I have a minor heart condition that makes me want to take an indefinite leave from watching this offense ATTEMPT to play foolsball. #thanksobama
December 6th, 2014 at 3:09 pm
I’m not worried mccown will lose out
December 6th, 2014 at 3:12 pm
@todd
Exactly. It’s a mute point. Patiently waiting for mccown to go on an permanent leave of absence.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:38 pm
Count me as one of the few that thinks Arroyo hasn’t called too many bad games. He is rarely conservative in his play calling except for earlier on in the season. Penalties have killed us. Poor QB play has killed us. Marcus Arroyo has called good games and the players have let him down. Changing offensive schemes and playbook AGAIN is a really really bad idea. Roll with Arroyo.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:42 pm
Mike Norvell, Arizona State, my pick for new OC
December 6th, 2014 at 3:47 pm
Pj Fleck with Mangiurian as OL coach
December 6th, 2014 at 3:50 pm
Win their last four games? Hilarious. They MIGHT be able to squeak out a win against Carolina – but they’re 1-3 at absolute best from here on out.
They absolutely need to draft Mariota or Winston and find an OC with a legitimate pedigree. Otherwise this team will eventually improve to a 7-9 to 9-7 type range year in and year out with occasional wild card losses in the playoffs.
December 6th, 2014 at 3:51 pm
@Steve, mariota throws a pretty nice intermediate /deep ball. He isn’t a run first QB, reminds me more of a taller Russell Wilson than kaepernick or RGIII. Oregon has option plays but when he scrambles he is normally looking downfield. Funny to me also to make the RGIII comparison when Jameis seems to have the same “me first” attitude.
December 6th, 2014 at 4:14 pm
Phillip Says:
December 6th, 2014 at 1:24 pm
Sorry the pass defense has been improved… But we haven’t improved against the run..
–[
Well that’s news. The team is allowing less than 300 yards of total offense per game since the bye week (6 games). I recall getting torched royally by the Ravens and Falcons against the run. We’ve had no such terrible outing since the bye.
December 6th, 2014 at 5:30 pm
Hope I am wrong but the lions are going to feast tomorrow on some Tankaneers..
December 6th, 2014 at 6:25 pm
All in for Mariotta.
Winston can play, but he’s a pick machine this season. The baggage is an issue huge unknown as well.
December 6th, 2014 at 7:46 pm
Can you be fired from a position you were never actually hired for in the first place? Sounds weird.
Go get lane Kiffin?
December 6th, 2014 at 8:08 pm
@Brandon
Every game except for the Cleveland game we have given up some major yardage to RB’s and TD’s to them as well… No they have not eclipsed 100 yards by a single RB but go ahead and do some research…
Wait nevermind already did this for you…
Phillip Says:
November 29th, 2014 at 9:50 am
Even though it took 23 carries Forte still had 89 yards (3.9 avg) and 2 TD’s… I wouldn’t say we limited the Bears or Forte… Especially when the Packers defense held him to much lower numbers(17 for 54 for 3.2 avg) and I wouldn’t call the Packers defense anything close to special. I know they got up big but he still got 17 carries in that game.
Btw if he had 4 more yards his avg would’ve been 4.0 against us… Really pulling for something there Joe.
Forte – 23 – 89 (3.9 avg) 2 TD
Morris – 20 – 96 (4.6 avg) 0 TD
Jackson – 16 – 81 (5.1 avg) 1 TD
Cleveland RB’s(West and Tate) – 15 – 48 (3.2 avg) 1 TD(receiving) and 10 -3 (0.3 avg) 0 TD
McKinnon- 16 – 83 (5.2 avg) 0 TD
Forsett – 14 – 111 (7.9 avg) 0 TD
Robinson – 21 – 89 (4.2 avg) 1 TD
Outside of the CLE game I don’t see any improvement..
December 6th, 2014 at 8:13 pm
and since that was before the Cincy game here is the totals from that game as well…
G. Bernard- 10 -49 (4.9 avg) 0 TD
J. Hill – 13 – 40 (3.1 avg) 0 TD
December 6th, 2014 at 8:16 pm
Yup
5 of the first 6 games we gave up 100+ on the ground total. 3 out of 5 games after the by we have up 100+ on the ground. So we improved slightly.
Stop looking for reasons why we’ve improved, Ja Smith and Lansanna came in and said “I wanna eat steak!” Simple as that.
December 6th, 2014 at 8:32 pm
Arrowho! Last stand really. This guy is toast and so is Lovie if they don’t get a QB in the draft and get a real OC on board. The fan base has had it with the on the job training program this ownership has been endorsing for the last 5 yrs. If good coaches don’t want any part of this organization that says something!
December 6th, 2014 at 8:51 pm
MTM, you are a fool if you think there is an Andrew Luck in the draft this year who is going to take the Bucs to the promised land,
Even his exaltedness Peyton Manning had a terrible rookie season .
The Bucs do need to replace Arroyo and probably McCown,too. Matt Moore is going to hit FA and he is the type of game manager Lovie likes. I kinda like him too.
December 6th, 2014 at 9:00 pm
I’ve piled on Arroyo as much as anyone else who posts here over so many of the apparent blunders we fans have seen from the Tampa players and Arroyo himself (eg the halftime adjustment in Cleveland basically giving the Browns the game along with a multitude of others) but it is also fair to point out that L&L assembled what is probably one of the bottom 3 or 4 OL’s in the league along with Oakland, Jets and Jacksonville who also suck very badly…. Given just an average OL and perhaps the stats would be better; I am pretty sure the Bucs would have at least 3 more wins with a mid range OL. Throw in a competent QB and perhaps the team even leads the division and is above 0.500 with 7 wins or so… Still would not be a good team just average but we fans would not all be calling for Arroyo’s head either… Given the oZL and QB situation perhaps an experienced OC might have pulled down a couple more wins (perhaps 2 or 3 Ws from the Ram, Vike, Bungle, Saints, Pnather losses but still not all as this team would still commit penalties and turnovers whoever the OC) but then you’s have a 4-8 club still bad but drafting about 10th instead of 2nd. But the damage is done, Tedford had to quit on the team and it was the death blow to the offense and unfortunately L&L are going to make an example of some of their coaches in an attempt to show all the bailing season ticket fans that they are really trying to improve the club and that the Tedford fiasco was an unfortunate stroke of luck that killed the season. Its easy to blame Arroyo for all the ****ing frustrating crap we fans have seen from the offense but the dude did not ask to be in his current seat and its likely he will be one of the fall guys in about 4 weeks after the lads and L&L review this 2-14/3-13 season (still see a potential win in Carolina simply via an improving D, a tanking Panther club and the fact it will probably cost the Bucs a few spots on the draft board)…. This weekend in Detroit? Well yeah, Tampa probably has more wins over Detroit than any other club in the NFL as the Lions were fellow doormats in the NFC Norris along with the Bucs for 20+ seasons but expecting a 2nd straight win in Detroit is a bit of reach…..
December 7th, 2014 at 1:28 pm
Bare minimum, pick up a early 1st round QB, this town deserves a first rate Quarterback for the first time since Doug Williams, whose tenure was cut short. Make this ridiculous season count for the next ten years