Beware Of Patrick Omameh
July 30th, 2015
A noted NFL analyst has a dire warning if Patrick Omameh starts.
Yes, just about every Bucs fan knows this: The key to the season is the offensive line.
It must protect “America’s Quarterback,” Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston, for the future of the franchise, not to mention this season.
Last year, the offensive line was no less than a train wreck. How grotesque was it? Joe learned that Freddy Krueger forbade his children to watch the Bucs offense.
Gone is waste-of-a-roster-space Anthony Collins, replaced by rookie Donovan Smith. Gone is Oniel Cousins — still unemployed like Collins — hopefully replaced by rookie Division-III product Ali Marpet.
Will the front line be better? Andy Benoit, NFL analyst and film guru for theMMQB.com, believes Patrick Omameh is the key to the answer. Sort of.
#Bucs Notes: If Omameh finds his way into the starting lineup, that’s irrefutable evidence that OL woes will again ruin this team.
— Andy Benoit (@Andy_Benoit) July 29, 2015
So that is the doomsday point for the Bucs? If Omameh starts, then evil will befall the team and we can crank up talk of drafting Joey Bosa before Columbus Day? Fun!
Joe has to ask this before typing another word: If Omameh starts the season, then what of the Milk Cartons? Shouldn’t they be factored in, or are they such swings-and-misses that we need to forget about them (curious: how does one forget about players you can’t recall making one block?)?
Yes, yes, yes, there is Marpet. Joe thinks even the Bucs brass would be surprised if he is in the starting lineup against the Titans. The Bucs understand Marpet has a learning curve. They hope he can start at some point this season. September may be too early to ask.
Benoit seems to believe it may be better for Marpet to sink or swim on his own merit, rather than trotting out a known turnstile and watching Jameis get beaten like a rented mule.
July 30th, 2015 at 5:28 am
Thanks, Joe… Just got a second tasting of my Wheaties thinking about that.
July 30th, 2015 at 5:36 am
Why are we keeping Omameh on the roster if he’s as bad as Benoit indicates?
July 30th, 2015 at 8:09 am
Here’s a novel thougt…..how ’bout lets bring someone in off the waiver wire and cut Omameh….then he can’t start and there is no nightmare.
July 30th, 2015 at 8:18 am
Trading up to pick a project guard in the 2nd round doesn’t seem like a smart move to me. That seems more like a 5th or 6th round type of selection. Hope he turns into a pro bowler down the road. As of now it looks like they reached for Marpet.
July 30th, 2015 at 8:19 am
IMO, if Marpet isn’t the starter than that was another bone headed personnel move by L&L. 2nd round draft picks should be starters, especially on the Bucs Oline and at a position where there is no competition and even friggin Pablo could start. It’s not like there weren’t other players the Bucs could have drafted for that spot that were more ready to play.
July 30th, 2015 at 8:42 am
I love ‘if this, then that’ scenarios. Imaginations running wild to feed fans fears and fill down time. The O-line has done little but dance in the sun so far this off season. The pads are about to come on and the hitting will start. Then we’ll see who who’s ready to play football. There’s a lot of reasons the O-line was such a train wreck last year that has little to do with the skills of individual players. Okay, Cousins and Collins sucked, but they’re gone. The rest need some continuity, coaching and time working together. That’s happening. They will be better this year.
July 30th, 2015 at 8:46 am
I agree with all of the comments here by TBBF, touchdown and Harry.
I would like to add a couple of things that I need to see vastly improve for it not to spell doom this season.
1. Improvement on the OL as noted above and it would be prudent to snag a camp casualty on the waiver wire who may be an upgrade over what we currently have.
2. We must get an improved pass rush and not allow opponents backup QB’s to even look like future pro bowlers.
3. Must figure out how to cover a TE.
4. Must have more success running the ball to keep defenses honest. and to take a little pressure off of Winston.
5. Must be more disciplined and not have drive killing penalties and penalties that keep opponents drives alive.
I think with the additions of Koetter and Winston as well as personnel changes on the OL that the offense will look a lot less “offensive” this season. I am also hoping that in the 2nd year of this Lovie version of the Tampa 2 and with some players brought in who are more familiar playing within said system, that perhaps we will be able to cover a TE and get a little more pressure on opposing QB’s.
Finally, I am cautiously optimistic going into this season. I am tired of being so disgruntled by the end of the first half that I preferred to turn off the TV and go mow the lawn. Especially later in the season when the lawn didn’t even need a weekly mowing. I hope that this season the play on the field is more entertaining than the commercials while watching on TV and as for watching at the CITS, well lets just say hopefully this season the cheer squad is not the highlight of the experience. Maybe this season we can enjoy what is going on between the hash lines as well as on the sidelines.
July 30th, 2015 at 9:05 am
I agree with Harry
A 2nd round selection at the worst position on the roster on a 2-14 team should be a starter.
If he isn’t I’m not saying he wont be a good player, but I would agree he was drafted too high if that happens.
July 30th, 2015 at 9:26 am
Marpet, one of the big question marks. It seems doubt is being cast at his eventual potential and even the wisdom of picking him so high in the draft. To hear people go after the Bucs O line, images of Winston backpeddling and scrambling to evade the onrush seems like a last year do over. I don’t think it’s happening like that. Better blocking and better schemes are on the horizon. This O line will be gelling like a bowl of jello.
July 30th, 2015 at 10:14 am
Does anyone know what type of blocking scheme the Bucs are using this year? I think the transition to zone had a lot to do with why they seemed so confused last season. I hear that Mankins prefers ‘Man’ and I’m under the impression they are switching back to play it predominantly.
July 30th, 2015 at 10:42 am
Omameh’s play last year was really bad. “Turnstile” is definitely a good visual description of what we saw from him. Here’s hoping Marpet can get up to speed quickly.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:22 am
Hmmm…maybe Omahmeh would be a better option than a rookie from division three. After all, Omahmeh does have a whole NFL season under his belt. Thats pretty respecable even if he was “bad”.
Why the hell did we draft Ali Marpet when AJ Cann and those guys from FSU were there? Tre and Josue? But Ali Marpet in the second? Stupid move.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:44 am
Nobody has seen Marpet play yet so how does anyone know if it was a stupid move or a brilliant move? Speculation is such a waste of time. Wait till the man takes the field and then judge him.
July 30th, 2015 at 1:08 pm
Somebody has suggested ASJ and Wright lined up tight…VJAX and ME wide..and Sims in the backfield either stays…swings out…or lines up in the slot.
Who would the D cover. In order to get to Fameis quickly enough they’d have to GAMBLE and send somebody to blitz. If Koetter and the virtual trainer get Fameis coached up enough to quickly spot this gamble and hit the hot read how will defenses stop it…bad OL or not?
July 30th, 2015 at 3:17 pm
I’ve seen stories where the writer will say, “If so and so starts, he must have really turned it on in camp.”
I’ve NEVER seen a story that says, “If so-and-so starts, the line is in deep trouble because that means EVERYONE ELSE SUCKS.”
July 30th, 2015 at 8:06 pm
Patrick Omameh was moved to tackle and is now the back-up after Kevin Pamphile. This is the insanity of the OL. If Omameh could not handle guard last year with 5 sacks, 6 QB hits, 25 QB hurries, 5 penalties and a -3.3 run blocking score by Pro Football Focus, why would Warhop think he can handle playing tackle? IMO Omameh and Gilkey should be in the unemployment line with Collins and Cousins. Ali Marpet better start and they need to pick up a servicable back-up guard on the waiver wire.
July 31st, 2015 at 12:21 pm
I don’t understand the negativity about the Bucs this year. The Bucs could have won at least 4-5 more games last year if they had a OC like Koetter. With a new QB and improvement on the OL we are going to be a much improved and exciting team to watch. We may only win 6-7 games this year. but it’s going to be a lot of fun to see the improvments
August 1st, 2015 at 5:29 am
All I have to say is Kadeem Edwards. Kid is for real, mark my words.