Titans Watch: 13 More Days
August 31st, 2015
Joe’s already called opening day against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 13 in Tampa a “must-win.”
It’s not a must-win for the standings. Duh. But it is necessary for the psyche of a fanbase that hasn’t seen a home victory since 2013, and compares Jameis Winston to Marcus Mariota.
Stats can be misleading, and stats can be telling. Joe finds this one telling.
Marcus Mariota has four scoring drives in 10 preseason possessions.
Jameis Winston, America’s Quarterback, has four scoring drives in 21 preseason possessions.
Yes, Joe has watched all of those Mariota drives. He looks quite precise and relaxed but has had classic ugly rookie moments. His offensive line, however, is significantly better than the one in front of Jameis.
Freak out, scrutinize, whatever, preseason numbers are largely a meaningless time killer before opening day.
Mariota has looked efficient and comfortable. That’s all Joe is taking away.
August 31st, 2015 at 10:05 am
We simply must be able to run the ball and rush the passer effectively or we will likely lose. It’s as simple as that.
August 31st, 2015 at 10:07 am
If Mariota is more successful this year than Jameis
It WILL be because of the OLines that are in front of each of them.
The More I watch Jameis,
I have been converted to the notion that he will be a better PRO QB than the guy drafted in Tennessee.
I like Jameis’ grit and determination when he is behind in a game.
Very similar to Favre.
I’ll take a Top Ten Lovie Defense, a strong Running Game, and a QB (Jameis) that can bring you back from behind IF all else fails.
August 31st, 2015 at 10:10 am
All those years of neglecting offensive line in the draft with Dom is killing this team.
August 31st, 2015 at 10:14 am
I hope Dom gets the sh!ts today
August 31st, 2015 at 10:20 am
Well now, isn’t that refreshing, some real and rational talk regarding mariota rather than emotional hot takes.
Mariota might have a better oline but that doesn’t make them great or even good. I’d argue that his movement in the pocket has made their line look better than they are.
And isn’t it ironic that so far Mariota is the one who is keeping his eyes down field, much better than Jameis who, so far, will tuck it and run if he sees some empty space.
Mariota will have the much easier time come opening day because he doesn’t need to be any better than Josh McCown was last Saturday. He just needs to take what the defense will give him. Unless we play some press coverage and make mariota take shots down the field, its going to be a long afternoon.
August 31st, 2015 at 10:21 am
McCown was able to break containment and pick up needed yardage to keep drives alive. Mariota is much faster and if our containment breads down it’s going to be a long day.
August 31st, 2015 at 10:29 am
Tim Wright traded for a kicker today. I’m sure Joe will update soon.
August 31st, 2015 at 10:32 am
Mariota is a bum.
August 31st, 2015 at 10:33 am
Cleveland did a good job disguising their blitzes. Winston has to do a better job projecting his voice and drawing the defense out of their disguised position before the ball is snapped. When teams are loading the box with 6 or 7 guys on the line of scrimmage the o-line probably didn’t know which guy was coming and which ones were dropping back into coverage and by the time they figured it out the guy was already on the QB.
August 31st, 2015 at 10:42 am
So we acquired Kyle Brindza PK from the Lions. I never heard of him. I really thought between Barth and Murray, that one of those two could do a good job for us. It is ridiculous that we are needing to trade for a kicker when we have the worst OL in the league.
August 31st, 2015 at 10:51 am
I really hope this last game was just us struggling with our first matchup against a fairly stout 3-4 defense….
August 31st, 2015 at 10:53 am
Brindza can also punt…
He set a Michigan high school state final record with a 70-yard punt in 2010 and also punted at Notre Dame, averaging 41.3 yards per kick in his final two seasons.
What I don’t understand is why we simply didn’t wait for him to be cut and pick him up on waivers…..perhaps we want him to kick for us Thursday…..and Wright was likely to be cut anyway, thus the trade.
August 31st, 2015 at 11:10 am
Tim Wright traded for a kicker! Yeah the bucs are in panic mode already. Special teams awful oline awful dline at least played awful and is it jus me or is anybody else concerned about Winston’s ankle??
August 31st, 2015 at 11:22 am
If McClown linked Lovie Marcus is gonna have a field day
August 31st, 2015 at 11:34 am
Bucs are favored by 21. Winston has played more under center and can huddle. Marcus has never played under center and has never huddled or called plays. Winston has predicted a super bowl matchup against Brady. Bucs win in a blow out!
August 31st, 2015 at 11:45 am
If the Titans come in here and kick the Sucs’ ass week one, it’s going to be a disaster for this franchise. Tampa is clearly not a playoff team so this could be the most important game of the year.
Go Sucs!
August 31st, 2015 at 11:46 am
AGAIN…Mariota’s success has NOTHING to do with Fameis success or lack thereof.
They are LITERALLY not connected other than for posters who wish to debate who is better. The ONLY time Mariota’s success will have any bearing on us as Buc fans is when we play the Titans.
I still say think Favre versus Rodgers. Which Pack QB was better? Can you really say? Think Favre/Fameis versus Rodgers/Mariota. It’s a style thing!!!
I’ve said since the beginning of the draft debate that BOTH of these guys can be franchise QB’s. Hating on Mariota doesn’t make Fameis better. Loving Mariota doesn’t make Fameis worse.
I get that these two Heismans drafted 1 and 2 will forever be linked in sports bar debates and I’m cool with that.
But let’s focus guy. The only thing that really counts is if OUR QB can win?
I think Mariota is a class act. I hope he does great…except when he plays us.
But I’m now a Fameis supporter through and through. Honestly at this point I would have been happy with either selection.
August 31st, 2015 at 11:48 am
The Bucs will be favored by 3 against the Titans, the usual home field edge, indicating the game is looked at as even and nobody has a clue which team will show up to win it.
August 31st, 2015 at 11:51 am
Marcus looks alot more comfortable than Jameis so far. They are playing ball control offense, not forcing anything and taking shots when there. An efficient run game and solid defense has Mariota calm and cool.
We have to score. Jameis and Koetter have to make it work. They must keep the pressure on Mariota. Put the game on his shoulders and dont let him get comfortable.
August 31st, 2015 at 11:51 am
The Bucs offensive line is offensive. Easily the worst in the NFL.
August 31st, 2015 at 11:57 am
“Marcus looks alot more comfortable than Jameis so far” – DUMB.
August 31st, 2015 at 12:09 pm
Here’s to hoping Kwon can lay Mariota out for us.
August 31st, 2015 at 12:15 pm
For all of you thinking Mariota is throwing nothing but checkdowns, his yards per attempt is 9.3!
JW3 has a ypa of 6.6?
tickrdr
August 31st, 2015 at 12:21 pm
Blah, blah, blah….before you worry about the O line need to get Porky to be able to do a 5-7 step drop without tripping over his own big feet! Don’t put all this on Porky….remember who is the HC! Lovie (can’t we get a coach with a man’s name) threw the last game against the Saints…my last game at Ray Jay with my son until Lovie is fired.
Porky is not the problem or the solution….Do you really think Tom Brady or Bill Belichick would ever throw a game….even a scrimmage against a pee wee football team. It is about the MENtality of the coach….or should I say the Lovietality of the coach.
The hard part is the defense was not even dominant…..They know McCown and he still moved the ball against our D.
August 31st, 2015 at 12:27 pm
@Bucfan37
nobody has a clue which team will show up to win it.
Be careful BF37 or you’re going to lose your JBF privileges for making too much sense and getting too close to the truth!!!
August 31st, 2015 at 12:30 pm
Being as how Joe refused to use bad offensive line play as an excuse for Mike Glennon, are you now gonna use bad O-line play as an excuse for JW? I remember the Joe’s railing about how a good QB puts a bad team on his shoulders and wins, when we had the forth and sixth best QB in the division. So JW will get a pass, and it will solely be on the O-line? Just want to know what the company line will be. I don’t want to speak the wrong rhetoric.
August 31st, 2015 at 10:31 pm
Seems all the Mariota hate talk is coming back to bite you all. Injury prone? Jameis so far is. Having a hard time reading defense? Jameis so far. Wildly inaccurate? Jameis so far. Will be a toss up come week 1. Also, stop blaming oline. It wasn’t a good excuse for Glennon and it shouldn’t be for Jameis.