“Believe It Or Not, We Can Do Better”
October 25th, 2016
Some O-linemen are beasting. Some are not.
The Bucs pounded the rock more than 40 times for 249 yards against San Francisco.
Not good enough.
That was the sentiment from Dirk Koetter on the Buccaneers Radio Network last night.
Oh, Koetter liked what he saw and he loved the running plan from offensive line coach/run game coordinator George Warhop. But still, Koetter saw flaws up front.
“We blocked. We blocked up front. Believe it or not, we can do better,” Koetter said. “We had some issues at a couple of positions, but our O-line overall, you know, we said we had to be the most physical team. We had to move the line of scrimmage. We did that.”
If you listen to the latest Bucs Uncensored podcast on JoeBucsFan.com, host Justin Pawlowski dove into the struggles of Demar Dotson. Remember, Koetter called Dotson the best offensive lineman through the preseason, but you won’t hear that “best” label on Dotson again anytime soon..
Koetter went on to say about Jacquizz Rodgers, on some runs, “he’s making those plays look better than they are.” And Koetter added Rodgers has many of the playmaking traits of Doug Martin.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:38 am
Rodgers>Dougie
October 25th, 2016 at 10:41 am
How’s that Doug Martin looking now, 28 year old backs with a history of injuries isn’t a good bet, running backs shouldn’t get big 2nd contracts, especially contract years, unless you are a generational type with multiple years of production, too many RBs get hurt or later round picks are just as productive as early round picks
October 25th, 2016 at 10:45 am
Rodgers is not better than Martin. Get real. My they are similar but Martin is very elusive. Rodgers is as well, but ends up getting tackled hard and being real physical at the end. That is going to keep his career real short. He’s only 5’6″.
Regardless, he was a great pickup and it would be awesome if they could sign him for next year too but it doesn’t look like it.
Simms is a great complement to Martin because of his ability as a receiver, but not an exceptional runner. Doesn’t hit the hole quick enough.
Barber is showing some good things too.
Anyway you look at it, they are looking good every where on offense… they just need more WRs.
Go get Torrey from SF.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:48 am
Hard to argue with that Guzzie. I like Martin a great deal but the greatest sin in the game is not being able to stay on the field. This makes 3 out of 5 years he’s had a significant injury. I think he’ll be back, and I do think Rodgers will slow down the pace at some point. In spite of the last 2 weeks, the Bucs still need Martin on the field asap. Based on the news though I don’t think we’re going to see him much for the rest of the season.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:48 am
Fuzzies… it’s a hamstring. He’ll be back in the next two weeks. They didn’t break the bank for him so it was a great signing. Doug is awesome. Rodgers is a backup. He’s someone who is going to get injured because of the physical way he ends his runs and only at 5’6″.
Great pickup.
Not sure why everyone needs to trash one player just because another is diong well. Why can’t we look at the running backs and offense of line altogether in think, great they have excellent depth.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:50 am
Dave
Martin has ZERO durability. When he is on the field he is good. Look at his roller coaster stat lines over the years. He has 2 years of good productivity and three garbage years. sorry Martin is a good player but hardly great and hardly reliable.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:51 am
@Dave
As far as Sims goes, running him up the gut instead of trying to find ways to get him into open space is a case of gross stupidity by the coaching staff. Playing to strengths is something these guys need to dial in more with their running backs.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:52 am
2 games against terrible defenses and we literally have people claiming he’s better than Doug Martin? SMH
October 25th, 2016 at 10:53 am
You guys are crazy. When healthy Doug Martin is a beast. And I know it is hard to see past the injuries, they certainly are a big factor for his overall career success. But he is worth the money.
Having Quizz is an amazing development for the bucs back field. I think we have gotten stronger in the backfield with the departure of sims. Without Martin and sims getting hurt we would have never brought in quizz and Smith. So it is a blessing overall. When we have Doug, Rodgers, and Smith healthy and running at full throttle we will be a truly amazing running attack. I love the speed that Smith brings to the offense. Even at 30 years old he can still out run any defender. As he gets more comfortable, I think he can be a solid 5 touch guy who can go the distance at any moment.
Quizz is a poor mans Doug Martin they very similar runners, elusive at time Andy powerful at times. But there is no question that Doug is the better back. He is faster, more elusive, and has better vision. But Quizz is the perfect back up to Doug Martin. Better than sims ever was or will be.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:54 am
I love that we grabbed a guy who is so physical, makes me wish we had Blount still to go with Martin. Hopefully Martin will be back soon and we can have both alternating plays to keep them fresh.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:55 am
Trubucfan22
WHEN HEALTHY!!!!!! That is the motto for all the bucs star players…. You can not be a beast if you are unreliable and not on the field at least 90% of the time Doug is good not great and hardly reliable.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:56 am
What kind of running back can’t run up the gut? Sims sucks. If you have to go away from what you want to do as a football team just to highlight a slight strength of 1 player, then that player is useless. Our biggest offensive strength is our o line. Why would we not use our o line to block for our RB? Instead you want to run away from our greatest strength. That is stupid. Sims sucks. End discussion.
October 25th, 2016 at 10:57 am
So adrian Peterson is not great? He has had numerous injuries, yet I’m pretty sure he is still a HOF RB.
October 25th, 2016 at 11:03 am
Trubucfan22
No you are just being a complete and utter dumbass….. AP is a once in a generation back who has 7 1K plus seasons and a 2K yard season and you are going to use him has comparison to a guy almost 30 who has 2 1K seasons really…. Wow …. Never ever use AP and Martin in the same sentence that is just pure stupidity. We don’t even have to get to the 97 TD to 20 TDs… AP is a generational back and doug martin is a good football player not even in the same stratosphere…
October 25th, 2016 at 11:06 am
Look around the league! RBs get hurt, they get hurt, and they get hurt often. That is why every team is using multiple back offenses these days. For whatever reason injuries has increased over the past decade, and it isn’t just the bucs.
Doug Martin
Charles sims
Adrian Peterson
Jamal Charles
Thomas rawls
Arian foster
Lesean McCoy
Carlos Hyde
Jeremy Langford
Eddie lacy
James starks
Rashad Jennings
Theo riddick
Latavius murray
Half of the leagues starting RBs have missed at least some time this year due to injury.
I get it, it is hard to back a guy who is hurt. But injuries are part of the game and everyone gets injured. Stop acting like Doug Martin is the only RB that ever gets hurt.
October 25th, 2016 at 11:10 am
Doug Martin isn’t even almost 30. And guess what AP has been in the league for a decade. Martin, not even half of that time. You are the dumbass that said injured players can’t be great. Well Adrian and his years and years worth of injuries is still great. When Adrian is healthy he is great. And when Doug is healthy he is also a great RB.
October 25th, 2016 at 11:20 am
dude you are a clueless fanboy nothing more or nothing less. nothing wrong with it so embrace it, i guess.. the glaring point you are missing is
AP had 7 or 8 straight seasons over 1K Doug has never had a back to back season that were even good much less great… AP remained healthy for 8 straight seasons before he missed any significant time. Doug has never put back to back seasons together and he will not this year he has already missed to much time and will not be back productive. Reliability is equally as important as production. I like dough think he is a good back but he is far from great and really only has 1 truly dominant games in his career. AP has single handily beat teams multiple times.
October 25th, 2016 at 11:45 am
The reason we are having such success running the ball is the play of the guards. Marpet and Pamphile have been outstanding in the run game. In the 49ers game I noticed a much improved Donovan Smith as well. Smith was getting after it, pushing the pile forward and keeping on his blocks until the whistle.
October 25th, 2016 at 11:51 am
Adrian Peterson>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Doug Martin
Not even Doug Martin would compare himself to All Day, because that would be disrespectful.
October 25th, 2016 at 11:57 am
The entire team must play better this Sunday. The Raiders will be a tough test but if we can go 2-1 over the next 3 weeks, I would choose to defeat the Falcons and Bears since they are more critical in tie breaker scenarios than beating an AFC team. 3-0 would obviously be preferred though but our defense cant allow us to fall behind quickly like they did last week and the offense needs to have success running the ball again this Sunday. The Raiders have allowed teams to have some success rushing against them and some long, time consuming drives to start the game would be great, mixing in a two minute hurry up offense when appropriate. Keep the Oakland defense on the field so they get gassed and demoralized by not being able to get off the field. This team has all of the potential in the world but has to take care of the football, limit penalties and tell their KR to down the freaking ball instead of running out of the endzone and making us start at the 10 yard line!!! Oh and not missing XP ‘s and FG’s would be great too but that is about as likely as me riding to the game on a Unicorn. Go Bucs!!!
October 25th, 2016 at 12:19 pm
Funny cuz yesterday I read on this here corner of the interweb that the Oline was Excellent and that Rodger was running thru huge wholes and blah blah blah.
Believe it or not, we can do better,” Koetter said. “We had some issues at a couple of positions,
Joe Hawley bless his heart boy refuses to stay off the field. He got hurt like 3 times on Sunday or was it the week before? The dude always hurt but plays with mad passion, always looks out for his team and refuses to stay off the field. What are we paying that guy?
October 25th, 2016 at 12:59 pm
@Louis Friend
stop posting reality and football intell….
you will get a starker after you like I do now.
Ive got Don Cornelius and Lords after me
October 25th, 2016 at 1:01 pm
@DB
Agreed. Hawley is a beast. Each time I saw him get banged up, my eyes got real big and I found myself commending the heart that he displayed. Unbelievable the passion that he plays with. There’s no doubt in my opinion that he anchors that O Line. If, not for anything else, these guys see the determination that he plays with.
October 25th, 2016 at 1:44 pm
I still think we should draft a Center, an let Hawley start while teaching the Rook.
October 25th, 2016 at 3:13 pm
Cmurda
We need that type of commitment from all positions.
October 25th, 2016 at 3:20 pm
Tmaxcon doesn’t agree with players getting hurt. He believes all injuries are a result of a player’s lack of heart and toughness. He believes players that get hurt are the result of being soft.
In all seriousness, I’ve been on the sideline for a NFL game. I can’t describe to you how physical of a game it is. Every single tackle is a train wreck – even the routine ones. TV, and even being low in the stands, doesn’t do justice to how big, fast, and strong these guys are. It’s actually amazing to me that more guys don’t get hurt. Once I got to be on the field (about 4 years ago), my perspective totally changed. I truly believe that guys who don’t get hurt are obviously tough and in excellent condition, but also lucky. I don’t care how tough Ronde Barber is, if he gets a lineman rolling up on his knee, his ACL will tear just like everyone else’s. I believe the majority of injuries are a result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
October 25th, 2016 at 3:22 pm
Order me one Thomas, a Pryor and go snag that center who was ill last week off the Brownie menu. Much obliged.
October 25th, 2016 at 3:45 pm
Steve I mean Hawaii
you are wrong yet again. The point Tmax makes is that while Hawley gets back on the field, we don’t even know LVD was hurt although he too came out the game but returned, Mike Evans who got crushed has to be at least bruised ribs or Winston who has been limping since last year THEY all play through the pain.
Meanwhile mr icecreamman gets a knee to the calf and needs 3 weeks to recover. 2nd qrt 12:24. Dude is soft and the entire team knows it hencefourth why Winston had to have a “talk” with him over the offseason.
Super talented? ABSOLUTELY! Soft as wet tissue? Yup that too.
October 25th, 2016 at 3:49 pm
@DB55,
So you are questioning the toughness of a guy who played the entire season with a torn rotator, and most of it with a broken hand? Uh, sure thing.
Again, it is apparently very difficult for you to understand that it’s not always up to players as to whether or not they can play or not. It’s up to the team. If the team or team doctor says he can’t play, he can’t play. That goes for every single player on the team.
October 25th, 2016 at 4:01 pm
so how do you explain Winston playing with an obvious limp? Easy he said “I’m playing” now get outta here….Koetter even said in a PC that you couldn’t keep him off the field.
GMC said I got a boo boo he kicked me can I have some ice cream?
#PFUDR
October 25th, 2016 at 4:04 pm
@Hawaiian
I too have been on a sideline for NFL games and you are 100% correct.
I spent lots of time on the sidelines of SEC games…Tennessee..saw Bo Jackson in his prime get his clock cleaned…it was brutal and put him out of the game.
But nothing compared to the violence of an NFL game. And what surprised me is how often players seemed concerned about one thing…nothing to do with down and distance but could they put a hurt on the other player.
October 25th, 2016 at 4:04 pm
Yes Steve
I question his toughness and motivations. I thought that was obviously. I myself played 2 years with a torn rotator cuff, big whoop. Nothing a little shock therapy can’t cure.
October 25th, 2016 at 4:06 pm
He got kicked in the calf folks. It’s not like he bent his knee in the opposite direction. Gimme a break people.
October 25th, 2016 at 4:08 pm
” I myself played 2 years with a torn rotator cuff, big whoop. ”
———–
I’m done. Have fun guys!
October 25th, 2016 at 4:09 pm
Bye felicia
October 25th, 2016 at 4:36 pm
Hawley has the nastiness we have needed for a while E(D)S is pretty nasty too. Too bad he doesn’t play on the D-Line. I saw him hanging on to some d-linemen a few times on Sunday, once drawing a personal foul. Both Winston & the RBs have GREATLY benefited from our O-Line.
October 25th, 2016 at 5:11 pm
@Hawaiian Buc: I think you got it right!
October 25th, 2016 at 5:32 pm
Consider your source Steven
October 25th, 2016 at 6:13 pm
You guys are right about Hawely. Hes the heart of this team imo………. Reguarding Martin it was not a bad signing and all of you know you were scared to lose him and not have a RB. Kudos to Quiz filling in admirably. It should be a timeshare when Martin gets back…………….. But stop dissing Sims. Lets not forget how many bigtimes plays hes made. Weve won games because of him and have one less weapon for Winston without Charles…………..Losing Sims and having no TE or 2nd-3rd WR that can makes plays has really put the offense in struggles at times………Jamies has had some brutal moments but its been impressive to see him battle past it, hopefully he figures something out to defeat Oakland……..His fans are fittin to explode!!!!!!!!
October 25th, 2016 at 6:34 pm
Am I missing something? What does being short have to do with Rodgers being durable? Doesn’t that have more to do with weight/height ratio? At 210 lbs that’s fairly solid at 5’6″. If he were around 6′ I would assume he might be 240 lbs or more. I’d be more concerned of he were 6′ and still only 210 lbs
October 25th, 2016 at 11:40 pm
Winston has limped since FSU, not a good argument. Hawaiian is right, the team doc and trainers make those decisions now… thi is not 1978.
October 26th, 2016 at 9:04 am
What a bunch of dumbasses. There are some injuries you can hurt. Others you can not. You can play through some injuries depending on the position you play, while other positions you can not play through that same injury. You guys are idiots go back to your basements and eat some cheetos.