“I Thought He Played Harder”
September 21st, 2016
Bucs OC talks chemistry between WR and QB.
Joe was taken aback when Bucs offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Todd Monken stated in his weekly presser last week that veteran Pro Bowl wide receiver Vincent Jackson needed to play better.
It was a stunning public declaration for a Bucs coach, and Joe is convinced this was done purposely. Coaches rarely call out players, especially veteran good guys like Jackson, just to make it look like they are on a power trip.
Remember, even a control freak like former Bucs commander Greg Schiano wouldn’t throw Kellen Winslow or leaky, sleepy Josh Freeman under the bus publicly when he had ample opportunity to do so.
Today, during Monken’s presser, he was asked about the seemingly frayed chemistry between America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, and Jackson.
Monken said, yes, Jackson played better and he also played harder.
“I think with all of your players, you are constantly working to make sure you are on the same page with the quarterback and his anticipation of where you are going to be,” Monken said. “He is the guy that is under duress. … That’s the precision you are looking for isn’t’ there. And [Jameis and Jackson] would admit that. … Its repetitions. It’s the looks we get during practice. Obviously it is Jameis’ anticipation and Vincent’s ability to get to the spots we expect him to get to.
“He played better. Vincent played better. I think all of our players, we need to coach better, we need to play better. We are continuing to grow as a team. We have a lot of young offensive players; Vincent not being one of them. As far as his rapport with Jameis, it is still working. And you don’t get a lot of practice reps. So we have to put Vincent in the spots where he is going to get opportunities to catch it.
“The majority of the time I think they are on the same page.
“I thought [Jackson] played harder. I thought he played harder and more consistent. That’s the most important thing.
“He still has a lot left in the tank. We have to do a better job of being in the same page, it’s not the majority.”
Two things come to mind for Joe after hearing Monken. First, it sure appears Dirk Koetter’s offense has changed more than anticipated since he was promoted to head coach.
If the offense is the same, then Jackson, who shined with Jameis throwing him the ball last year, wouldn’t have to learn the spots to go to, he’d already know it.
Second, why did Monken invoked the phrase “played harder” when asked if Jackson played better this past Sunday? If Jackson is playing harder as Monken claims, then that surely means he wasn’t playing (or practicing?) that hard previously, no?
Something weird is going on with Jackson. Joe can’t quite put a finger on it, but between the wrong routes and dismissive actions away from the ball, and the public words from his own position coach, something is not smelling right here.
September 21st, 2016 at 3:03 pm
Let’s hope it starts to smell better – and soon.
September 21st, 2016 at 3:05 pm
I wonder if he asked to be traded to a contender during the offseason, one last chance with a real shot to win in the post season before his entire skill set declines. Maybe his agent even pumped him up and told him team X (read Patriots) wanted him. Doesn’t seem like the type of guy that would check out unless something was happening behind the scenes. But he definitely appears to have checked out, did anyone else notice the lack of urgency from VJax on that pick six.
September 21st, 2016 at 3:05 pm
I can’t single out Jackson as a primary reason for the loss. The entire team played lousy and the blame is shared widely. The Bucs looked to be just going through the motions against a fired up team that likely no other team would have beaten on that day.
September 21st, 2016 at 3:07 pm
You’ve got Joe’s mind whirling. No idea if this happened but sure is logical.
September 21st, 2016 at 3:16 pm
Would be tough to trade V-Jax at his current salary….
September 21st, 2016 at 3:20 pm
If you watch VJ87 his cuts are just slow long arcs!!! CB are just cruzing at 75% and it looks like blanket coverage!!! I still think his leg is not right from last year!!!!
September 21st, 2016 at 3:27 pm
Hey Joe,
Your 3:07pm comment is nothing more than stirring the waters up so you get all the ads on here. Whoo-wee. 🙂
September 21st, 2016 at 3:32 pm
Hey Joe, You see Mikos Tweet of our captain Vjax
http://thepewterplank.com/2016/09/21/missing-person-alert-vincent-jackson/
September 21st, 2016 at 3:57 pm
@Realist
Not to nitpick but it’s VJ83…..
I think Vjax will be fine…..every player goes through a period where they aren’t themselves…..not explainable and I’m sure VJax doesn’t even know….but he’ll come around.
September 21st, 2016 at 4:01 pm
@tampabaybucfan on work release
Thank you for the correction!! My bad for the typo!!!
And I do hope you are right, that it is just old legs taking awhile to warm up. But their are a lot of signs that point other wise, No effort other than a poorly run route seems to say that something is wrong!!! During a touchdown play he holds his head down and slowly walks to the sideline in week 1!!!
It does not add up to anything good!!!!
September 21st, 2016 at 4:23 pm
did anyone else notice the lack of urgency from VJax on that pick six
——————-
Yes he looked at the defender run by him and didn’t even try to give chase. Smh
September 21st, 2016 at 4:25 pm
Something not smelling right? VJax not trying hard enough? VJax asking to be traded to a contender? Hmmm, I wonder if there’s another possibility … that y’all are reading way too much into this.
VJax & Jameis not on the same page? Good possibility. Jameis wasn’t on the same page with himself last game. How about this: VJax had a bad first game. Jameis had a bad second game. It happens. It’s called football. Bring on the Rams.
September 21st, 2016 at 4:30 pm
With the attitude, I would just sit his ass and start someone, anyone. Send a message, this ehhh attitude seemed to effect a lot of the team Sunday.
September 21st, 2016 at 4:48 pm
LOL, which team wants him
He is probably pissed because dead money jason gump is not giving him a 3 year extention
3 years 8 mill each would stop the sulking
military brat is trying to sweezy more money from Forrest Gump
September 21st, 2016 at 5:05 pm
I like VJax but age just might be catching up with him. I rewatched the play where Jameis threw his 2nd INT last week and the CB didn’t seem afraid at all of VJax beating him deep. The guy just back peddled with his eyes in the backfield the whole time and never even turned his hips to be prepared for a deep route.
Another thing I noticed on that play was the CB #41 looked like he pushed VJax out of the way right when he looked back for the ball. I thought VJax stumbled on his break but in slow-motion you could clearly see him push VJax to the right so that he couldn’t go up and make a play on the ball.
September 21st, 2016 at 6:02 pm
What ur smelling is rotten QB play so far this season from your NFL leading INT thrower.
I said it the first game… VJax looks pissed he cant get a ball thrown to him on target.
I think he took the heat for the “wrong route” int too… Thay situation calls for an out route just as VJax ran 9 out of 10 times
September 21st, 2016 at 6:12 pm
When Cutting Crew-loving ex-GM Mark Dominik signed Vincent Jackson in 2012, he proclaimed that it was all about #5, hence the $55 mill/5 year deal. That seemed so long ago, and the purpose of the signing was for a different QB under a different GM with a different coaching staff. Can you believe that we have seen two coaching and several QB changes in just that brief time span?
September 21st, 2016 at 6:13 pm
Water boy
That’s a true story. He did get pushed.
September 21st, 2016 at 9:22 pm
I would bet he is not impressed with the college OC and rec coach , I think that’s a very good bet. Can’t coach VJ like he doesn’t know anything when he really knows more than both his coaches………. Although they are of higher quality, much higher quality , these are young coaches in the Koetter hand picked family ………..Koetter should have already stepped in and fixed this, he hasn’t and this is the result, this is on him , welcome back to being a head coach, it’s not all X’s and O’s. Now Fix It !!! I must admit I hold my breath when VJ grabs a ball as he can double clutch and drop em with the best of em !!!!
September 21st, 2016 at 11:21 pm
Maybe he has a personal problem and can’t focus on football