Licht Pressed On Doomsday Scenario
May 14th, 2015
A couple of years ago, Bucs general manager Jason Licht was the assistant GM in Arizona under the reigning NFL Executive of the Year, Steve Keim.
The Cardinals’ personnel machine is strong, so there are lots warm wishes there for Licht getting the top job in Tampa.
Licht hopped on 98.7 FM sports radio in Arizona this week for a chat, and he was pressed on what is a doomsday scenario, the Buccaneers losing on opening day to Tennessee and the No. 2 overall pick.
“Is Week 1 must-win? C’mon, it’s Marcus Mariota. It’s gotta be must win right there. Isn’t it?” Licht was asked. “You gotta prove yourself. If he lights you up for five touchdown passes, tell me what’s going to happen?
Of course, Licht had a few fun chuckles at the question and dodged a detailed answer, “I’ll just say this, we’re really looking forward to it,” he said.
Joe can offer a straight answer. It would be unthinkable for the Bucs to lose to Mariota and lowly Tennessee in the home opener. What a punch in the gut that would be for the Tampa Bay franchise.
Yeah, it’s one game, but fans are fans. The real world reaction to that loss, one that Mariota had a heavy hand in, would deliver a nightmare overreaction by a fan base that hasn’t celebrated a home win since 2013.
Yes, opening day is a must-win in many ways.
On the flip side, if the Bucs win that game, Joe believes the celebration and energy in the community will rival that of the glory years.
May 14th, 2015 at 9:30 am
If it is a close game and both QBs play well the overreaction will not be too bad. Remember the game is offense vs defense, not QB vs QB. These are 2 very bad and evenly matched teams with rookies at QB going 1 and 2 overall. If Mariota hangs 5 TDs on the Bucs it falls on the coaching and especially incompetent Lovie Smith with his great pass rush-less Tampa 2.
May 14th, 2015 at 9:31 am
if we lose at home on opening day – the Mariota trolls will be vindicated. My heart will break and I may jump off a bridge. I feel good about it though. I feel good about the season. I’m tired of the negativity and I’m ready to be fired up again!
May 14th, 2015 at 9:38 am
If Jameis plays well, but the Bucs lose the opener, fans shouldn’t overact. It’s a number of factors that are in play like how well our defense plays, O-line play, drops, etc.
May 14th, 2015 at 9:43 am
The BUCS always lose to a team with a Quarterback that has never played them.
So, Yeah, i’d be worried about Mariota SCRAMBLING for 5 TD’s and a Victory
May 14th, 2015 at 9:46 am
Mariotas scrambling gives him the edge….in the short term (rookie season 1st game)
May 14th, 2015 at 9:55 am
I agree Fungi…first few games are meaningless. I’m sure that game is circled for both teams for the same reason.
May 14th, 2015 at 9:57 am
I just don’t see it. For the same reason I liked Jameis much better than Mariota, MM’s learning curve will be steep and the Bucs D will shut him down. I do think Mariota is talented enough that he will show plenty of flash, as will Jameis of course, but the Bucs will come away with the W.
May 14th, 2015 at 10:03 am
Well the good news is even if Winston throws 1TD and 4INT’s and the Bucs lose to Mariota and the Titans at least it’s not in November when football actually starts (per Lovie)
May 14th, 2015 at 10:03 am
No matter what the Titans say, Mariota might not beat out Mettenberger to start week 1.
May 14th, 2015 at 10:03 am
Tampa still doesn’t have a good D Line. The O LINE is yet to be seen and the running game???? I’m just as big of a Bucs fan as the next guy but I’m done getting my hopes up in May-August. Come talk to me in september.
May 14th, 2015 at 10:06 am
That game would be very meaningful without the QB matchup……home opener against a weak team after going 2-14….0-8 last year…..a lot on the line…but, I think we’ll be ready…..The TBBF will be there….for one of his many visits to the Ray Jay from NC.
May 14th, 2015 at 10:11 am
I agree BucnEric. If it wasn’t for MM draft status I would give him only a small chance at beating out Mettenberger by week 1.
May 14th, 2015 at 10:14 am
No no no!!!! You STILL do not get it!!! The anti-Imfamous people mostly don’t give a SQUAT about who wins or loses that game….We’re just pissed because our team picked someone who we believe is a bad character, and we’d prefer he’d ply his wares elsewhere. And he is The Great Divider…..and now his resume’ has caused another divide…between Lovie and Bobby.
And on a side note….you can thank JBF for providing early bulletin board material to the Titans….”It would be unthinkable for the Bucs to lose to Mariota and lowly Tennessee in the home opener.”
May 14th, 2015 at 10:19 am
Lovie has yet to win a home game in Tampa so the pressure is on the incompetent dinosaur of a coach not America’s Quarterback.
May 14th, 2015 at 10:23 am
Mariota Joe once again thanks for the laughs and for proving you are the true bad character guy with your continued hope for a fine young man to fail. I know it is more important for all you holier than thou hypocrites to push the BS agenda versus sitting back and hoping the young man succeeds.
May 14th, 2015 at 10:27 am
You know, there are a couple of defenses licking their chops at playing QB’s going into their first game with live bullets. It isn’t going to be pretty on either side most likely.
Does it mean anything if either team wins? Yeah, it means a team beat another team. Last I checked, there were 52 other guys on each team who can have a say in the outcome.
May 14th, 2015 at 10:28 am
Losing to the Titans worries this Buc fan as it should all Buc fans. Can you imagine the over-reaction by everyone if Mariota or Mettenberger come into RJS as an underdog and pull off the upset??? It will make the reaction when Lovie and the special teams and Luke Stocker basically handed the Lambs a win early last season and gave us an early indication of how bad 2014 would be. Sure the Bucs could lose to the Titans and still have a decent season but I wouldn’t count on it. Looking at the 2015 schedule everyone sees winnable games vs the Titans, Jags, Bears, Giants, Rams and the home games in division but keep in mind that all those clubs and their fans have circled the Bucs game as a likely win as well….. .
May 14th, 2015 at 10:34 am
the bottom line to it and what he didn’t really wanna say is theres a problem if lovie’s defense gets lit up by a rookie who isn’t supposed to be used to running a pro style offense, he couldn’t say it because it would be admitting lovie’s job would instantly be in jeopardy
May 14th, 2015 at 10:40 am
Lovie is on record saying “football doesn’t start until November” so opening day is a loss.
May 14th, 2015 at 10:46 am
Barry its nap time. don’t forget your meds. oh and don’t forget to tuck in mariota joe
May 14th, 2015 at 10:51 am
@Barry
we all know you like mariota but your more than high.
#BrainDeadRetard…..yea you really are braindead
May 14th, 2015 at 10:54 am
I don’t give the Bucs definite wins over any on the schedule at this early date. Their overall record against the Titans is not good, not that it has any bearing on the future. I agree, it will be great to win the home opener.
May 14th, 2015 at 10:56 am
3 years from now, Bucs fans will be sad and depressed because they will know that the Bucs drafted the wrong QB. I can’t wait to hear all of the excuses from the enablers
May 14th, 2015 at 10:59 am
Mettenberger has a much better chance at starting than mariota does….unlike the bucs and Winston the titans have been running their system for a year and have a decent quarterback on their roster who knows how to run it….stop sipping the koolaid they have no reason to rush mariota in as a day one starter like the bucs do with Winston….lol he’ll have his rookie minicamp this weekend I cant wait to hear all the news about him
May 14th, 2015 at 11:01 am
@Barry @Mariota Joe
I would love to get in your minds. How is it like to hate someone some much from information you get hand feeded to you by the media and you never met before?
You guys just amaze me.
May 14th, 2015 at 11:04 am
The Bucs D should be able to handle a rookie QB, if they continue to improve as they did towards the end of last season. The pass rush is the big question, but even a mediocre pass rush should be good enough to beat Mariota in his first NFL game, assuming he’s even the starter for game 1.
May 14th, 2015 at 11:04 am
Both DC’s will be F’n with the opposing QB’s head…..it’ll be which one does the best job messing with the opposing QB’s head
May 14th, 2015 at 11:11 am
87-13 bucs. Jameis throws for 500 yards and ten TDs.
May 14th, 2015 at 11:13 am
WS99
i am see that someone is practicing the ancient art-form of waking and baking.
87 – 13
May 14th, 2015 at 11:14 am
titans have a pretty good defense run by dick lebeau so I doubt it’s gonna be a big scoring offense by either team but then again dick lebeau did let tim tebow destroy him in his only playoff victory
May 14th, 2015 at 11:41 am
Tmax
Lmao. True story. 😉
May 14th, 2015 at 11:44 am
JoeJoes Fungi Nails Says:
May 14th, 2015 at 9:46 am
Mariotas scrambling gives him the edge….in the short term (rookie season 1st game)
—————-
I agree with this statement. It’s hard to anticipate how Tennessee plans to use Mariota prior to week 1 so it’s tough to game plan for what you don’t know.
May 14th, 2015 at 11:47 am
Marcus Mariotta meets LaVonte David. #goodnight
May 14th, 2015 at 11:51 am
JoeJoes Fungi Nails Says:
May 14th, 2015 at 9:46 am
Mariotas scrambling gives him the edge….in the short term (rookie season 1st game)
————————————————————————-
nfl is all about pocket passers always has always will be….you probably believe Russell Wilson is the reason the seahawks go to the superbowl the last few years even though their offense sucks
May 14th, 2015 at 12:37 pm
I wanted Bridgewater last year and thought for sure we would trade up and get him as he fell in the draft. We then proceeded to lose to him in Tampa without hearing much about it so this may be the same way if Mariota beats Winston.
May 14th, 2015 at 12:39 pm
We shouldn’t make excuses for people to overreact 4+ months before the game, if ever. Doomsday overreaction seems to be what drives this website.
May 14th, 2015 at 12:42 pm
Barry could you figure out a way to post a picture of yourself. I’m picturing a 54 year old guy, bald on top guy with unkept gray hair on the sides. Every time I picture you I see you in a wife beeter and tight whities. I also picture with having a very large belly eating Cheetos in the basement of your mom’s house where you live. Am I close?
May 14th, 2015 at 12:52 pm
If the Bucs loose there will be noise in the short term, even if its not Winstons fault. How many times have we seen third string QBs kick our butts. Going by Bucs games you would swear N. Foles is right up there with Brady and Manning. Its a game we should win but nothing would surprise me.
May 14th, 2015 at 12:54 pm
I don’t know what’s funnier…watching you getting so worked up or the fact that you’re implying that the Titans are looking for blog writers for bulletin board material…
As much as I love JBF, he’s not on the national level of NFLN, ESPN, etc.
Plus, lets not forget that the Titans will be learning a whole new defensive scheme under Dick LeBeau.
Its ignorant to think that Mariota’s scrambling doesn’t give him an early advantage…especially in year 1. Look at all the different “running” QBs that have come in and excelled their first year. They get a chance to revert to what they know: The play breaks down, I think i’m fast enough to outrun the guys on the field. I did it in college; maybe i can do it in the NFL.
It’s once some DCs get a hold of some film of said QB that things start to get more difficult for them. Those comfortable running lanes are no longer there. The receiver that they’re usually locked on to is no longer available and have to go through reads.
So yes, i agree that Mariota has the advantage in year 1, but going forward, I believe Winston will be the better QB, because he isn’t pigeon-hold by having to learn to play from the pocket.
May 14th, 2015 at 1:12 pm
@celly – you forgot to mention to Mariota Joe that not only is JBF a local blog…..IT IS FREAKING MAY!!!! I can imagine it now. Whisenhunt calls them into the locker room at 3:45 that Sunday before the first game:
Listen up boys there is website in Tampa that thinks the Bucs will win!!! Here is a copy of the post from May 13th! Now let’s get there and show that blog who’s boss!!! HOORAH!!!
May 14th, 2015 at 1:13 pm
All I know is I’m pumped. To answer to some of the commentors:
1 – Titans said if they took Mariota they belive he can start day 1. Don’t know why they would say that but they did.
2 – Whoever said Seattles offense sucks is wrong. They have had a top 10 offense since drafting Wilson. He is not a pure running QB though and has a pro-style offense background in college.
3 – The mobility advantage / unkown of the TItans offense will be their biggest advantage.
May 14th, 2015 at 1:17 pm
Lord Cornelius …IMO Lynch is the Seahawks O.
May 14th, 2015 at 1:44 pm
“Mariota Joe Says:
May 14th, 2015 at 10:14 am
No no no!!!! You STILL do not get it!!! The anti-Imfamous people mostly don’t give a SQUAT about who wins or loses that game….We’re just pissed because our team picked someone who we believe is a bad character, and we’d prefer he’d ply his wares elsewhere. And he is The Great Divider…..and now his resume’ has caused another divide…between Lovie and Bobby.
And on a side note….you can thank JBF for providing early bulletin board material to the Titans….”It would be unthinkable for the Bucs to lose to Mariota and lowly Tennessee in the home opener.”’
So much dumb here. Like the Titans (no offense to Joe) are going to pay attention to what a blog writes about them. Give me a break.
As for bad character, you can believe that, but you have the right to be wrong.
May 14th, 2015 at 3:42 pm
I wish we had a 98.7 sports radio. It would be much better than that crap we get in the afternoons.
May 14th, 2015 at 4:03 pm
And NOW the Great Divider has struck again….with Bobby Bowden’s (correct) comments (listen to Ian Beckles people), Infamous can now make a claim that he’s dividing Noles vs. Noles. April 30th was a HUGE mistake.
And it’s interesting that little ol’ me….I’ve never once said that Infamous will fail in the NFL….nor have I ever once wished him to fail…..I just want him to GO AWAY (which ain’t happening soon). But I get a LOT of freakin attention from the Infamous jock sniffers. Why? ….because my insights sting with truth. Stay tuned….more to come. (Oh, by the way, attacking me is stupid, because I don’t care….AND….it gets my posts more attention).
May 14th, 2015 at 4:51 pm
I wanted the Bucs to draft Mariota but I’ll cheer for whoever starts as our qb. I’ll also pray the “infamous one” doesn’t continue to show his lack of maturity in off the field areas. I shouldn’t have to pray our qb is actually able to start each Sunday due to his propensity for foolish judgement. I wish him well selfishly as a Buc fan because I just want to win games. Huge gamble by Buc decision makers which will go down as the greatest pick in decades or get everyone fired. Can’t wait to see which! Go Bucs!
May 14th, 2015 at 4:58 pm
Wilson signed a four-year, $2.99 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks on May 7, 2012 and was named the team’s starting quarterback on August 26, 2012.[9][10] Wilson was named the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year in 2012,[11] and in 2013 led the Seahawks to its first ever Super Bowl victory. He led the Seahawks to their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance in 2014
Rusell Wilson is of course faster than Fameis but he’s not like Mariota. It’s not just a 40 time it’s the ability to be elusive.
I was a Mariota guy and yet I believe Fameis has gotten dissed when it comes to his running ability. He is elusive and does well enough to run effectively in SPOTS in the NFL. He’s not going to break contain and blaze it to the house like Mariota can do…but he is still quick enough and elusive enough to break a contain and take it to the first yard mark.
Perfect example…Blake Bortles! Last year, Blake Bortles ran a 4.93-second 40, but quickly developed into a threat running the zone-read and on scrambles when he started playing for the Jaguars. He was second on the team with 419 rushing yards. Bortles did that with a whopping .04 faster 40 time than Fameis combine disaster.
Two thoughts. Fameis is a far better runner than Bortles…and Fameis probably ran his worst 40 time in years at the Combine for whatever reason.
May 14th, 2015 at 5:00 pm
BTW I realize Koetter will not run Fameis like the Jags did Bortles and so I do not expect similar stats. Fameis is also a far better passer than Bortles and has better weapons around him.
Just sayin that it’s not like Mariota is an awesome athlete and the means Fameis sucks.
May 14th, 2015 at 5:16 pm
WS99, Holy $hit that’s a BOLD prediction! I’m a Winston guy but I actually laughed out loud at that one!! Your awesome dude!!! This is a game we could win. I won’t say should win cause we haven’t even seen our starters in preseason yet. I wish we were going up against Mariota later in the year just so Winston has some experience. But I guess that will hurt Mariota too. This might be the most exciting game of the year.
May 14th, 2015 at 5:20 pm
“Joe can offer a straight answer. It would be unthinkable for the Bucs to lose to Mariota and lowly Tennessee in the home opener.” – Joe
Oh please. “Lowly?”
Who was the worse team in the NFL last year?
Certainly not the Titans.
So, if anything, the Titans are thinking about the Lowly Bucs.
I totally disagree that it is a must win game.
May 14th, 2015 at 5:30 pm
https://www.joebucsfan.com/2015/05/be-afraid-jameis-be-very-afraid/comment-page-1/#comment-3561867
Week 1
Sep 13 4:25PMEDT * Titans
Odds of Tampa Win- 48 percent
Honest assessment, no hype, no fanboy outlook. Doesn’t mean we’ll lose. Just means we’re just short of being equal to them.
You may say “what about the moves we’ve made?” To that I say that they also made moves.
Week 2
Sep 20 1:00PMEDT ) AT Saints
Odds of Tampa Win- 24 percent
Week 3
Sep 27 1:00PMEDT ) AT Texans
Odds of Tampa Win- 27 percent
Week 4
Oct 4 1:00PMEDT ) Panthers
Odds of Tampa Win- 16 percent
Week 5
Oct 11 1:00PMEDT * Jaguars
Odds of Tampa Win- 63 percent
Week 6 BYE
Week 7
Oct 25 1:00PMEDT ) AT Redskins
Odds of Tampa Win- 78 percent
Week 8
Nov 1 1:00PMEST ) AT Falcons
Odds of Tampa Win- 86 percent
Week 9
Nov 8 4:05PMEST ) Giants
Odds of Tampa Win- 63 percent
Week 10
Nov 15 1:00PMEST ) Cowboys
Odds of Tampa Win- 27 percent
Week 11
Nov 22 1:00PMEST ) AT Eagles
Odds of Tampa Win- 41 percent
Week 12
Nov 29 1:00PMEST ) AT Colts
Odds of Tampa Win- 12 percent
Week 13
Dec 6 1:00PMEST ) Falcons
Odds of Tampa Win- 50 percent
Week 14
Dec 13 1:00PMEST ) Saints
Odds of Tampa Win- 39 percent
Week 15
Dec 17 8:25PMEST , AT Rams
Odds of Tampa Win- 47 percent
Week 16
Dec 27 1:00PMEST ) Bears
Odds of Tampa Win- 30 percent
Week 17 Injuries, injuries, injuries
Jan 3 1:00PMEST ) AT Panthers
Odds of Tampa Win- 14 percent
May 14th, 2015 at 5:31 pm
“It would be unthinkable for the Bucs to lose to Mariota and lowly Tennessee in the home opener. ”
You know, I always have a laugh whenever a Bucs fan likes to use a team like the Jags, Raiders, or Titans as an example of a garbage team, as if the Buccaneers are actually better than them. Historically all those teams put up better records and better attendance than the Bucs in the last 6 years. Sure, they do suck, but let’s not forget who held the No.1 overall pick this year.
May 14th, 2015 at 5:36 pm
I actually don’t expect us to win that game, but would love it if we did.
And if we lose, I don’t feel it is a condemnation of the Winston pick. Everyone seems to think getting winston should mean an instant turn around. I don’t.
I fully expect a period of 6-9 weeks in the season before things really start clicking on offense. It’s take time for QB and OL to gel.
Oh, I’m sure there will be spurts here and there. I think Kenny Bell will end up being a great slot WR, for example.
May 14th, 2015 at 5:47 pm
I think this is only a must-win if you are a hardcore Winstonite. Imagine how much shyt you people are going to get if Winston is bested by Mariota again, at the NFL-level (which Winston was praised to be more ready for). Sure, I really want them to win this game, just like every game, and I think they can do it, but a must-win? No, being 8-7 on the brink of a playoff berth or division title is a must-win, winning a playoff game is a must-win. If they win against the Titan, great. You start out on the right foot and move forward with momentum. If they lose, oh well. Learn from your mistakes, your rookie QB and others get experience, and you have 15 more games to make up for that loss.
May 14th, 2015 at 6:13 pm
Plank
Agree with your assessment with one small difference. There are plenty of former Mariota guys who have now jumped on the Fameis bandwagon since he’s a Buc and doing and saying all the right things for now.
The last thing I plan to do if Mariota plays great and Fameis doesn’t is say I told you so. I’ll be just as disappointed as the Winstonites even though I was originally for Mariota.
Again as one BSPN pundit said…and I agree…this could be like the draft that produced Matty Ice and Joe Flacco.
It’s very possible that Fameis and Marcus could both be great QB’s. Of course the fantasy is not to see what they do in the opening game of their freaking rookie seasons on rebuilding teams…the fantasy is that both they and their teams become great and we get to see Fameis face off against Marcus in the SB. At least that’s my fantasy…and yes I’d still be rooting for Fameis.
May 14th, 2015 at 6:35 pm
StPete
I agree with you, I am not a Winstonite, but I have already stated I hope Mariota has a horrible day and Winston lights it up, because Mariota will be playing against the Bucs and Winston will be playing for them. I hope Jameis does well, but I’m not going to ride his jock or put him on a pedistal like the Winstonites have.
If Winston is bested by Mariota, you will not just hear “I told you so’s” from the former Mariota guys, you will hear nonstop excuses from the Winstonites. Now I’m not all about the I told you so crap, because if Winston loses, that means the Bucs lose. But I will NOT make BS excuses for bad QB play if it comes to that. I won’t jump on Winston either, because he is a rookie and should not be expected to throw light out 24/7.
But I was one of those people that made excuses for Freeman, saying that 20-2710-year wasn’t a fluke and that he had just scratched the surface. Never again.
May 14th, 2015 at 6:36 pm
2010*
Stupid phone.
May 14th, 2015 at 7:37 pm
I just want to win period. I don’t care who’s on the other team or who the other team is. Just win…period.
May 14th, 2015 at 8:40 pm
I’m with Buc1987: I just hope the Bucs find a way to win, period. I would not care if they do it with smoke and mirrors ala Sam Wyche’s 5 DASH 2 ’95 squad or Rah’s 10 win crusade of 2010 whom all the “know it alls” called smoke and mirrors and blind luck as well. Point is I’d rather be on the winning end of these close games vs bottom feeders like Rah was in 2010 rather than losing them week after week like Lovie and the gang did last year in the race for Winston. I remember how good it felt leaving RJS after the 2010 season opener, a 21-17 win over a bad Cleveland team; did the Bucs play well? No but they won the ****ing game. Compare that to the way I felt as I left RJS in last season’s opener (the poorly coached game where Kevin Stocker handed the game to the Lambs via a whiffed block an FG attempt and Evans not getting up after getting mauled at the end of the game thus running out the clock) and it should be obvious to everyone: winning trumps losing even if your team is not so good and I really hope in 2015 that the Bucs are not racing the Raider, Jets, Skins, Titans and all the other bottom feeders in another race for -teen something losses….. To quote Al Davis: ‘Just Win Baby” and why not start with the Titans…..
May 14th, 2015 at 9:11 pm
Just beat Mettenburger!!!! Lol
May 14th, 2015 at 9:18 pm
WalkdaPlank, don’t you think the Mariota crowd will be making excuses too if he plays terrible and loses to Winston? And the Winstonites will be saying “I told you so’s”? It will work both ways.
May 14th, 2015 at 9:29 pm
Well of course they will. Both groups are childish.
May 14th, 2015 at 11:11 pm
Lol Bonzai! So the Bucs odds of winning on the road against ATL is 86% and when the play ATL here in Tampa their odds go down to 50%. Uh ok!
May 14th, 2015 at 11:57 pm
Not so fun fact……the Buccaneers have only won 20% of the games played against the Titans…..good time to reverse this trend!
May 15th, 2015 at 11:37 am
@Winston for the Win
There is reason for that. The first game they are coming off a probable victory after the bye. The second game, they will likely lose to the Colts the week before (badly).
Gotta look deeper, friend.
May 15th, 2015 at 5:22 pm
Lol you’re looking too deep Bonzai. Vegas has the Bucs less than 50% in all 16 games. They’re not biased and unfortunately it is shaping up to be another 4 to 5 win season. No need to look at byes and big losses to find additional losses.