“We Love Him So Much”
September 18th, 2015
The Bucs spent a whole lot of energy trying to make sure Bobby Rainey wasn’t their kickoff and punt returner.
Lovie Smith gave Eric Page a sniff last preseason but wasn’t interested. Then undrafted Solomon Patton emerged as the opening-day returner, but he was on the street a month later. Then Tampa Bay signed Trindon Holliday for the job. Then Marcus Thigpen took over.
And all that time, Rainey was on the roster insisting to Lovie and whoever would listen that he could handle the job and perform well.
Rainey finished 2014 as the Bucs returner, but Tampa Bay promptly drafted Kaelin Clay in May to be their No. 1 returner. The sixth-rounder didn’t make the roster and was cut from the practice squad on Monday.
Also on Monday, Lovie praised Rainey for his work against the Titans. And Lovie proclaimed his love of all things Rainey on the Buccaneers Radio Network.
“Bobby Rainey did a good job with the returns. It’s a shame we had the one good punt return called back. But there’ll be another day,” Lovie said. “”We love him so much being on our football team. He’s a capable running back. If he had to be our primary running back, we feel comfortable in that role. As a returner, we looked at a lot of different guys to see if they could return punts for us and be our kick returner. But nobody can do it the way Bobby does. He can make you miss. He has excellent hands catching the football. So we’re expecting big things from him.
“And in time, he’s promised me he’ll break one.”
It remains to be seen whether Rainey will be a good returner. Obviously, Bucs officials didn’t think he was special, based on their behavior noted above.
For now, the Bucs have much more pressing concerns up and down the roster. Rainey should be solid.
September 18th, 2015 at 9:37 am
Yawn….Thanks for the insight, Lovie. Now please explain why your defense is so terrible.
September 18th, 2015 at 9:39 am
DEVIN HESTER SINGLE HANDEDLY WON A LOT OF GAMES FOR LOVIE, NO COACH EVER HAD THE BENEFIT OF A RETURNER LIKE THAT…”simple as that”…
September 18th, 2015 at 9:39 am
I really want Lovie to succeed, because he’s our coach, but I can really see a different coach getting so much more out of this roster, of course adding a defensive end and cutting Chris Conte
September 18th, 2015 at 9:46 am
……this is pointless
Two more days til BUCS anger returns
September 18th, 2015 at 9:50 am
Lovie seems like the kind of coach that if he loves you, you literally can’t lose your job. By the same token, if he doesn’t believe in you, he will make sure he replaces you – even if you are doing well. Aside from the Atlanta game last year, Rainey has been nothing but productive. He’s got good hands, excellent quickness, he’s tough, he’s durable, and he has good vision. Yet he can’t find his way on the field for a bad team. Meanwhile, Sims continues to eat up carries for 1 yard. I like Sims as a pass catcher, but I never want to see him run the ball. But barring injury, there is no way Lovie is going to give Rainey anywhere near the carries of Sims.
September 18th, 2015 at 9:53 am
Just wait on it☺.
September 18th, 2015 at 10:00 am
@Hawaiian Buc..
Mike James is the 2nd best back on this team..and would have converted that all important 4th down early in the game as the designated short yardage back. Sims is a dancing poodle. Rainey has fumbling history…
September 18th, 2015 at 10:08 am
He had Hester for years, a little spoiled. That does not mean he doesn’t like Raney. Just trying to make the team better. With someone more explosive. So annoying how everyone, including Joe, just reads into every little word coach or player says. It really is ridiculous
September 18th, 2015 at 10:19 am
It seem we’re getting it right now first personnel changes on defense and now realizing we have capable running backs to. Rainey can be made 3rd string while Mike James is second putting Sims as our exclusive 3rd down back and 2nd back in shotgun setting Martin up for all kinds of success if they provide him with a fullback on first and second downs or short yardage situations at the goal line or a routine third and short. Koetter has got to lean on this running game as much as they dont want to they have to. Winston needs to be groomed slowly on that field and I think they should consider may be letting him throw the ball like 16 times. Realistically I say 25 though. They shouldn’t pass unless its big play potential involved because all the offensive line can do is block the run so lovie, Koetter forget the ownership and lets start coming up with some creative ways to run the ball and protect the young qb.###play4WINStonfight4LOViE
September 18th, 2015 at 10:34 am
@Bucco Brice,
I like James, but he isn’t better than Rainey. He doesn’t have the explosiveness that Rainey does, nor the vision. Rainey fumbled twice in the Atlanta game, but other than that, he doesn’t have a fumbling problem. I’d definitely take James over Sims as a RB.
September 18th, 2015 at 10:36 am
@Dave,
I say he doesn’t like Rainey because he doesn’t give Rainey a chance to carry the ball. When he has, he’s been successful. He’s certainly had more success than Sims. Now I get the fact that Sims was a third round pick and should get the chance, but how much longer is he going to keep giving Sims carries? He averages like 2 yards per rush. If Lovie were smart, he would put the guys on the field that give him the best chance to win. Lovie is being way too stubborn. Until he changes that, I don’t know if he can turn this thing around.
September 18th, 2015 at 10:39 am
They should have given Kenny Bell more opportunities at it. That’s the reason I had him on my draft wishlist.
September 18th, 2015 at 10:42 am
@Bucco Brice
Hester did help win some games. Single handedly? Debatable.
Lovie is trying very hard to find the right returner. Sooner or later, he’ll find him. Provided he has enough time.
September 18th, 2015 at 11:23 am
Lovie is starting to disappoint me daily. We’ve all known since the day Rainey first touched the ball how good he was and he’s just been sh!t on the whole time by Lovie. And I have a feeling Lovie is telling him how much he loves him to his face while he has a knife at his back just waiting to stab him!!
September 18th, 2015 at 11:25 am
108 days until Lovie is fired.
September 18th, 2015 at 11:34 am
@Hawaiian
As always excellent points. Another guy who got lost in the shuffle is Mike James.
I think an injury perhaps had something to do with it..maybe bad practices?
When I went back to look at that Seattle game where MG8 played great, we had the Seahawks, eventual SB champs, whipped in their own house until defensive genius Schiano went all conservative…I was looking at the stats..primarily MG8’s but then this jumped out at me. Mike James had 158 yards rushing against the eventual SB champs.
I agree with your point completely. Sometimes it really does seem like Lovie has favorite and non favorites and his “love” is not necessarily based on talent or production.
September 18th, 2015 at 11:47 am
@Louis Friend…How about Monday or the bye week at the latest. The wait SHOULDN’T be that long…
September 18th, 2015 at 3:03 pm
Can we stop talking about how much we love our players. Until they stop playing like garbage, none of them deserve any praise. When the team’s play is totally unacceptable, its doesnt make a damn bit of difference if Rainey had some nice returns.