Big Highs, Big Lows For Austin Seferian-Jenkins
September 22nd, 2015
Young, talented players often are unpredictable, and second-year tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins has been consistently inconsistent since arriving in Tampa.
That was on display big time Sunday in New Orleans.
On the Bucs’ opening drive, it was 3rd-and-5 with the Bucs on their 9 yard line with the SuperDome crowd at maximum volume. Seferian-Jenkins ran a sharp route. Jameis Winston, America’s Quarterback, looked right at him and threw. Seferian-Jenkins used every inch of his massive frame to haul in the first-down catch over the middle in between two defenders — 21 yard gain.
But on the next drive, Seferian-Jenkins was called for a key hold on a third-down screen pass.
Two drives later, Seferian made a key block on a Charles Sims first-down run. And three plays later, on 1st-and-10 from the Saints 44 yard line, the Bucs went play-action, the Saints bit perfectly, and wide open Seferian-Jenkins dropped an easy pass from Jameis on the 12 yard line. No excuse whatsoever.
On the very next snap, Seferian-Jenkins got flagged for a silly holding call, one that appeared to be out of frustration more than anything else.
Later in the third quarter, Jameis threw a little high to Seferian-Jenkins open in the end zone. Joe watched the replay a bunch of times, and it appears the tight end might have jumped a little early. The touch pass hit his hands but he couldn’t squeeze it.
Seferian-Jenkins finished the day with two catches for 29 yards. Official records have him for three targets, but the stat geeks don’t count the dropped bomb because the Bucs accepted a holding penalty away from the ball on that play.
Last week, tight ends coach Jon Embree praised Seferian-Jenkins for playing a mental-error-free game against Tennessee. That love won’t come into play this week.
All part of the growing pains of a young player, Joe believes. If Seferian-Jenkins can stay healthy and confident, things he’s struggled with previously, he should be just fine.
September 22nd, 2015 at 1:45 pm
ASJ is fragile like a flower
……reminds me of our boy GMC…..who’s hurt every flippin year!
September 22nd, 2015 at 1:46 pm
…..pointless
September 22nd, 2015 at 1:52 pm
Realistically, this is ASJ’s second season, but it is more like his rookie season, since he was hampered by injury last year.
I’m sure he’ll get better as the year goes on…. that drop was inexcusable, though. Can’t put too much blame on him on that missed catch in the endzone, though.
September 22nd, 2015 at 1:53 pm
I think ASJ may be ASJ’s own worst enemy. Seems like he really gets down on himself after a mistake or bad play.
Is he the kinda guy whose gonna learn from it, and get better? Or will he self-implode? Injuries aside, I just really hope this kid can get a bit of Jameis’ attitude- recognize your mistake, learn from it and move on and get better!
September 22nd, 2015 at 2:05 pm
Yup, just too young to catch passes…
September 22nd, 2015 at 2:06 pm
By far, the best designed play we had on Sunday was the deep pass that ASJ dropped. Those are the type of plays I’m hoping Koetter continues to call (if Lovie will let him). It was beautifully executed, just a bad drop. Luckily we were able to win the game, but that will cost us games against better teams.
September 22nd, 2015 at 2:10 pm
Well that didn’t take long, out 4-6 weeks before you could finish the post. This guy is made of glass.
September 22nd, 2015 at 2:10 pm
and injured again?…
September 22nd, 2015 at 2:11 pm
ASJ out 4-6 weeks now with a strained shoulder. Ian Beckles is right, this guy is to soft! A strained shoulder WTH!?!
September 22nd, 2015 at 2:15 pm
ASJ injury prone, gonna miss him a little. Dunkaneers crippled.
September 22nd, 2015 at 2:16 pm
f*ck..
September 22nd, 2015 at 2:20 pm
Guys got a lot of talent, but he sure is banged up a bunch too. They say a young QB’s best friend is a good TE, guess we’ll have to wait a few more weeks to see if that holds true!
September 22nd, 2015 at 2:24 pm
Well, that sucks.
Guess i’ll need to find a replacement in Fantasy Football now. smh…
September 22nd, 2015 at 2:34 pm
Doesn’t everyone have injuries throughout the year? Sore shoulder? Brah.. Just play.
September 22nd, 2015 at 2:38 pm
Well that sucks! Def a blow to our offense. Not b/c of his production, but just for the fact that teams had to game plan against him. If Mike Evans is still limited, that’s really going to hurt our offense. Time for Humphries and/or Hall to step up!
Sure shoulder? C’mon brah. This is man’s sport, grow a pair.
September 22nd, 2015 at 2:39 pm
*sore
September 22nd, 2015 at 2:50 pm
At every turn….Joe seems to excuse Jameis….that “dropped bomb” was terribly underthrown…..ASJ had to come back and wait on the pass which was then contested as ASJ went to the ground…..he lost control then.
If the pass was decent, he would have never had to go to the ground and noone would have come near him.
Now….I’m not hating on Jameis…because I like him and think he’s doing fine…but even Jameis would have admitted it was a bad pass.
September 22nd, 2015 at 3:08 pm
Yup! Here we go again!
September 22nd, 2015 at 3:11 pm
Yeah guys, because everyone who gets injured is soft. You do realize this is a physical sport and guys do get hurt, right? I guess Troy Palamalu was soft too. T-Suggs is so soft! Of course, if he were to go out there and play hurt and play poorly, then you would complain he was hurting the team. People get hurt sometimes. It is what it is. Doesn’t mean they are soft.
September 22nd, 2015 at 4:09 pm
He’s too cocky. That’s why he’s being humbled.
September 22nd, 2015 at 5:28 pm
@TBBFan, you beat me to it… I agree with you 100℅ no way is that an easy catch… Much more of a bad pass than a bad attempt at the catch… The DB actually had a hand in preventing it… So credit should go to him as well as ASJ adjusting to the ball…
That said I love JW’s game… He will put that ball on the money more often than not…
@Hawiian, you nailed it!!!
Also for the record… ASJ hurt his shoulder on the high pass/TD drop… I said it at the time… I don’t care what you want say about him but that had nothing to do with being soft… He sold out to make the play and stuff happens!!!
Honestly though he was gonna be hut after the 21 yard snag when the guy clearly took a HARD SHOT AT HIS HEAD… if he was soft he would of not gotten up at that point…
THATS WHATS UP!!! He will be back but we are gonna miss him… Hope he finds a way back sooner!!!
September 22nd, 2015 at 6:50 pm
The GMC his first two years of the offense, hopefully he heals and shows us more, that he is worth that #2 pick
September 22nd, 2015 at 10:28 pm
my dad predicted him to be the ‘most penalized tight end in football’ this year. during the offseason.
September 23rd, 2015 at 1:00 am
This guy is the fragileer. His RC year we were excited to see what we got. Then it was just potential, then he stated he was healthy at 100%. Now possibly out for 4-6 weeks. We may never see his potential. The guy is young…he has that on his side, but so far..he can’t help from the sideline. 1 dunkaneer, one fragileer, and we should see more from Evans the next game. Trading places.