A Window Into The Offense?
May 3rd, 2017
Talks offense. A little.
Did America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, give fans a peek into the 2017 offense?
Interesting words from Jameis that Joe found on an NFL Films Instagram interview.
NFL Network launched its annual Top 100 Players series this week (no Bucs revealed yet) and Jameis was interviewed about Stinking Panthers linebacker Anthony Davis.
The clip, seen here, also deals with Carolina’s linebackers as a whole. Jameis adds, “With those three linebackers, man, you are just like, ‘We have to do good in the passing game because I know that box is going to be filled.'”
So what did the Bucs do in the offseason? They upgraded Jameis’ targets. Big time! Additionally, in a draft purported to be one of the deepest for running backs in years, the Bucs waited until the fifth round to grab one.
There was no question the Bucs needed wide receivers. Joe pounded keyboards to pieces about this for the better part of two years. And on paper, it seems like Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht may have given Jameis more weapons to play with than any team in the NFC. Maybe. Fine work!
Still, the running game was fourth-worst in the NFL for yards-per-carry. That’s just miserable.
Perhaps the Bucs believe scaring the hell out of defenses with a potential lineup of Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, O.J. Howard and Rudy Humphries staring down their grills will help the run game? Enough so that defenses, petrified of getting fried through the air, will loosen up inside the box enough so the running game can breathe?
May 3rd, 2017 at 1:06 pm
with brate and howard in that 2 TE set, linebackers won’t know whether to attack the LOS or drop into coverage until it’s too late. last year, defenses could leave lots of players close to the LOS as long as the safety was helping on Evans. Everybody else could be tackled before they put up any YAC. This year if they attack downhill they’ll get to chase Howard all the way to the end zone or watch DJax slip a tackler and go off to the races.
May 3rd, 2017 at 1:10 pm
@pick6 exactly what I was going to say. Koetter and Jameis should be hitting thier stride with their tendency to go play action and incorporation of TEs into all facets of the game. Who remembers a couple years ago when Pamphile would check in as an eligible receiver and Doug was running bonkers all over defenses? It’s like that all over again, except now we have Tony Gonzalez 2.0.
May 3rd, 2017 at 1:16 pm
Gee it’s what I’ve been saying.
Catch up everyone and you won’t be so worried about the running game as I was.
May 3rd, 2017 at 1:21 pm
A guy like Howard makes it almost like having six o linemen against the run! Whoever gets the nod will have a much easier time than last year.
Think about the passing game too. You could have Howard as an inline blocker, again essentially six o linemen against the pass rush, and still have a combination of Evans, DJax, Godwin, Hump and Brate as the other four out there. All solid and reliable. DJax with speed to burn the defense. Evans can do anything and everything. Brates hands are reliable as it gets. All while Jameis gets extra pass protection from Howard. Of course Howard can also catch, creating colossal mismatches up the middle. My point being that the possibilities with these pass catchers are endless. Dirk can do so many different things with this group. And that will open up the running game.
May 3rd, 2017 at 1:21 pm
Sims, oj, brate, evans, jackson. Could line up in an i form (sims and brate) or a 5 wide. Could be a scary option for the d to stop, dont get caught with the wrong guys on the field.
May 3rd, 2017 at 1:30 pm
I really don’t see the issue with us not drafting a RB until the 5th round. We drafted one of the best overall players in the draft in OJ Howard, but it also filled a major need. Brate is good, but what happens if he gets hurt? Don’t forget he had a back issue last year. Not to mention he’s not a good blocker. You can’t count on Stocker to stay healthy, and no one is scared of Brandon Myers.
We then drafted a safety, which was a huge need. Has everyone forgotten how much they dislike Conte? We lost McDougle, so safety was a HUGE need. In the third we got a much needed WR. We’ve been so deficient in WR talent and depth over the years, this was a pick that had to be made. Then we drafted Beckwith, who I’m pretty sure was drafted to be the SAM LB. Another huge need filled.
It has been proven that you don’t have to have a great RB to be a good offense. This isn’t 1985. It’s all about the QB, and we have a pretty good one. Give him the weapons he needs and let’s air it out. If we aren’t going to do that, why draft him #1? Why is he the face of our franchise? It’s his time to be the man. He doesn’t need AD back there to be great. He can and should be able to do it with who we have. We’re going to be just fine.
May 3rd, 2017 at 1:32 pm
Watch out for a lot of hurry up on Offense. We are going to have miss matches every play. if Jameis is on his game we might supplant Atlanta as the best Offense in the NFC South. Hope our Defense can rotate and keep our players fresh, if not there are going to be a ton of shootouts. Exciting Football is coming to Tampa.
May 3rd, 2017 at 1:33 pm
Its thomas davis and he is a friggin stud and NFL man of the year and drafted in same draft that the bucs took cadilac and not aaron rodgers…..but I digress the reason the run game sucked is the OL sucks, but I can see how putting a real passing game threat into the defense will impact in a positive way the run game or it should becasuse the other team should have to play with more DBs and possibly less run enforcers
May 3rd, 2017 at 1:35 pm
Who is going to cover OJ???
You never know when he is going to slip the seam.
Finally a team I am looking forward to watchng.
If we had a legit DE????
WE would be hard to handle.
May 3rd, 2017 at 1:43 pm
Joe said:
I’ve been saying that for months.
No team can be great on the ground when the passing game is not well-respected. Imagine how miserable it would have been if Evans had been injured.
Having weapons means fewer downs with a stacked box. That, by itself, regardless on the RB or OL personnel, will open the running game.
There is a reason Licht went two receivers well before a RB.
May 3rd, 2017 at 1:48 pm
Super Selmon Says:
Keep in mind the Falcons lost both the OC and DC. The OC was replaced with a college OC.
I’ll predict right now the Falcons will have a frustrating 2017 season. Between the massive changes on the coaching staff and psychological devastation of blowing a huge SB lead, it won’t be a banner year in their new digs.
May 3rd, 2017 at 1:48 pm
Evans, Jackson, Howard, Brate and McNichols is an absolutely unguardable “5” …. maybe the best in the NFL even!
May 3rd, 2017 at 1:49 pm
Last year teams stacked the box every play and double’d ME. Our best bet was seam throws to Brate in tight coverage or forcing it to ME and letting him ball but our run game was pretty f*cked and without Sims we had no screen game or underneath pass game as Hump was running in thick traffic usually. It’s amazing Jameis still put up the #s he did.
Djax = lol @ you if you wanna stack the box
Howard = lol @ you trying to guess if we’re running or passing
The impact of those 2 guys pre-snap should be huge. Opens up the box for run game and opens up the field for underneath YAC big time.
May 3rd, 2017 at 1:52 pm
Here’s another window into the offense: They have the ability to line up in any offensive formation with legitimate threats at all 5 eligible positions. They have 4 dangerous WR, 2 dynamic TE, and 2 running backs that are excellent receivers in Sims and McNichols. The NFL has clearly shifted to a pass-first league and the Bucs are going to be scary. Don’t be surprised if 70-75% of the plays are passing attempts, to include swing passes and screens to those RBs.
May 3rd, 2017 at 2:02 pm
we gonna rock the house
May 3rd, 2017 at 2:06 pm
I see a similar situation brewing in carolina with kelvin, funchess, olsen, mcaffrey and samuel…
May 3rd, 2017 at 2:07 pm
I look at the 2015 Atlanta Falcons, they averaged 3.8 Y/A in 2015 with a mediocre passing game. Then in 2016 they brought in Mohamed Sanu, Taylor Gabriel, Aldrick Robinson, Austin Hooper they open up the passing game. Then teams couldn’t stack the box against them, and that open up the running game. So their Y/A increased to 4.6 with the same Linemen and scheme We can do the same when we open up our passing game.
May 3rd, 2017 at 2:09 pm
Scares me that most Bucs fans now seem to be assuming that we’ll be a Top-10 offense or close to it. Any NFL offense is only as good as its’ weakest link IMO, whether that be the OLine, the QB, the weapons he has at his disposal or the play-calling. Hopefully this is the year that all of those come together, and we can in fact make a major leap into the Top-10. Bucs defense will also play a huge role in that, whether it be because of turnovers, holding other teams to 3-and-outs, or whatever. Still convinced that at the end of the season, the Bucs defense will rank higher than our offense.
May 3rd, 2017 at 2:12 pm
Defense Rules….yes it takes excellent play from the Offense, Defense and Special teams to make a complete team.A one dimensional team will never win in the NFL.
May 3rd, 2017 at 2:14 pm
I freaking love this corner of the web Joe’s!! Keep it coming baby. You guys bring it Every Fuking Day!!
May 3rd, 2017 at 2:17 pm
Thanks Marine and thank you for your service!
May 3rd, 2017 at 2:18 pm
Mojiska Says:
May 3rd, 2017 at 2:06 pm
I see a similar situation brewing in carolina with kelvin, funchess, olsen, mcaffrey and samuel…
Benjamin going to play TE? He just showed up to the team at 280lbs
May 3rd, 2017 at 2:22 pm
I personally would’ve wanted Cook. All offseason I openly hoped he would be there for us. But when we got to pick 19 and OJ was sitting right there, there was no way we could pass on a talent like that. It’s a good thing that so many teams reached for a qb. You would think teams would have been hesitant after Jared Goff but whatever. And the top three receivers getting picked in the first nine picks was something I don’t think anyone foresaw. I like John Ross but risking a top 10 pick on those knees and that slight frame? Thank you Cincy. I sure as hell didn’t think OJ would drop even close to us. I thought the Jags, who need help offensively, would be nuts to pass on the best offensive value in the draft. So needless to say I was beyond ecstatic when we drafted OJ. It still seems too good to be true.
May 3rd, 2017 at 2:26 pm
Joe is slowly turning the corner to “realize” what the true problem was!!!!!!!
The hard part of JBF is waiting for everyone else to catch up!!!!!!!!!!!
The Buc Realist Says:
January 25th, 2017 at 8:29 am
I don’t think the line is as bad as some think!!!!!! Could it use some parts, sure!!! But the offense needs balance!!! If the main way you move the ball is for ME13 with 4-6 seconds to do a double move, then the offense is pretty predictable. If we can find Receiving option 2-5 to get some yac and be threats for “explosive” plays you can wear out some defense, I actual run game will suck in the back 7 as well!!!! Bucs had almost no RB and TE this year that chip blocked and helped the Tackles!!!!!!
I expect the offense to look pretty different in 2017!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!
May 3rd, 2017 at 2:32 pm
Thanks Joe, I have 4 more years until I retire. Can’t wait to bring my BMFS to the Tampa Area. This one game a season sh*t not cutting it. Go Bucs!!
May 3rd, 2017 at 2:55 pm
I m as excited as the rest of the posters here!
Jameis, with his talents at hitting seam routes, and post routes, is going to terrify defenses with Howard and Brate.
Mike Evans and Desean Jackson already terrify defenses.
And Humphries will be open almost every play.
The offense will be the best Buccaneer offense in team history,
Because All those weapons in Jameis’ hands, are like knives to a butcher.
Jameis will become the most feared QB in the NFC.
I understand now, with the selection of Stevie Tiki, and keeping Sealver Silinga on the team(345#), that DE isnt a big priority.
Chris Baker will be your DE, as he was in Washington.
Gerald McCoy will be your other DE. Hes perfect for it.
Backed up be Will Gholsten, etc
If we play a 3-4
The addition of another big LB, plus Noah Spence being LBer sized( and Ayers),
Leads me to believe that we will be running a 3-4 defense on running downs.
Which will work out great with our personnel.
May 3rd, 2017 at 2:56 pm
We may not be able to agree on the draft picks or rb situation but I think everyone can agree that this could potentially be the best offense the Bucs have ever had. I’m just a little concerned and hope that we don’t run into the same issue philly had with the dream team. I think our locker room is better and our team will put in the hard work so that scenario should be avoided
May 3rd, 2017 at 2:56 pm
And Thank you , Marine, for your service.
God bless!
May 3rd, 2017 at 3:01 pm
@D.R.
I hear ya and largely agree….certainly that the OL is going to dictate just how terrific our running game is going to be. The threat of the passing offense will certainly help…and I think we have “flexible” RB’s that will be very efficient if not spectacular in Koetter’s offense. That was Doug Martin after all….efficient but no spectacular.
Sims actually has that spectacular play at Atlanta…Quizz had some exciting runs…and McNichols is fast and a converted WR so it’ll be fun to watch him out of the backfield.
Here is where I’m probably far more optmistic than most here about our OL.
You have to be able to at least imagine and believe before good stuff happens.
OK I realize there are a couple of wild cards here but I expect the Bucs OL to perform better than average…and statistically we’re going to look good.
The core 3 return…several others return to provide depth…IF Sweezy is healthy I think we’re golden! The middle of our OL will be mean and nasty. Donovan Smith is a competent LT going into his 3rd year…he’s going to be even better.
Now add one of the very best blocking TE’s to this line…and put a good blocking RB in the backfield…and the protection and run game could improve DRAMATICALLY this season. We simply have better players this year than last.
May 3rd, 2017 at 3:16 pm
Joe ur last paragraph is exactly why I want Martin this year
May 3rd, 2017 at 3:17 pm
It doesn’t take much of a genius to figure out they will be running 2 TE/ 2 WR sets a lot and running a lot against nickel packages and throwing a lot against normal packages. Which makes their lack of pursuing or drafting an above average RB a bit perpelxing. Yes, the guys they have are ok, but if they were baseball players, they would 0-1 WAR running backs. So, hopefully, the o-line and TE’s can block good enough against nickel packages to get their RBs space to run for pedestrian yardage.
May 3rd, 2017 at 3:17 pm
Like I preach..Hip Hip Hooray for the offense. You can score 51..But you’d better be able to stop your opponent from scoring 52. And the 1st half of last season..Our defense was..open freeway.
May 3rd, 2017 at 3:35 pm
@mike johnson
and that highway was the lovie expressway until Coach Smitty coached the lovie out of them!!!!!!
And from a defensive prospective, its a totally different game plan from a defense having to choke out a team while keeping a struggling offense in a game as opposed to being up 2 score and releasing the hounds!!!!!!
Having an offense that can score at anytime changes the defense and will be more aggressive this year and take some chances!!!!
Just wait till Coach Smitty reveals more of the defense this year!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!
May 3rd, 2017 at 3:44 pm
“I’m with you” “We rolling.” -Keyshawn Johnson
May 3rd, 2017 at 3:48 pm
Don’t jinx it, just let it happen, as if its not even happening…….
May 3rd, 2017 at 3:58 pm
@Defense Rules the Bucs finished the 2015 season ranked #5 in total offense… not a fairy tale to think they can return to that with the added weapons & winston having a couple of years under his belt
May 3rd, 2017 at 4:19 pm
Mojiska Says:
I see a similar situation brewing in carolina with kelvin, funchess, olsen, mcaffrey and samuel…
——————————
Please … Carolina’s weapons aren’t on our level at al:
280 lb. Benjamin v Evans = TAMPA
Old man Olsen v Howard = TAMPA
Funchess v D-Jax = TAMPA
Bersin v Godwin = TAMPA
???? v Brate = TAMPA
RB’s = CAROLINA
O-Line = TAMPA
Cam v Jameis = TAMPA
May 3rd, 2017 at 4:28 pm
Didn’t the rest of the NFC South draft Corners? The answer to the question is right there.
May 3rd, 2017 at 4:38 pm
^ I do think the weakest part of our team is pass defense … if Grimes or VHIII gets injured we are incredibly thin at CB, our safeties aren’t that great (though we are at least “deep”) and our pass rush isn’t that great either … but hopefully we’ll be able to pick up some quality DB cap cuts!
May 3rd, 2017 at 4:50 pm
NFLNut…we should sign Free Agent CB Jason McCourtey.
May 3rd, 2017 at 4:51 pm
*Jason McCourty*
May 3rd, 2017 at 4:57 pm
^ Good call, I like McCourty!
May 3rd, 2017 at 4:59 pm
Our TE combo reminds me of Gronk/Hernandez just without all the murdering.
May 3rd, 2017 at 5:14 pm
^ Agreed!
May 3rd, 2017 at 5:17 pm
Without all the murdering … as well as without all the partying, look-at-me antics, diva nonsense etc.,.
By all accounts Brate is a hard-working, high character pro … an OJ was the highest character and safest pick in the draft.
Hernandez was more talented than Brate but was a headcase with a short “prime” and even Gronk, for as great as he was, some feel his career may be close to the end as he has serious injury issues … I wouldn’t be surprised if the Pats trade him or if this is his last year in New England.
May 3rd, 2017 at 5:25 pm
grafikdetail … No question in my mind that we’ve got the capability to do even better than we did in 2015 (342 points scored & tad over 6,000 yds). That’s a little over 21 pts/game … this year’s offense has the weapons to probably be in the 28-30 pts/game range, potentially even better than that. Still, a lot of players have to perform at a very high level for the team to improve that much. Over the years I’ve seen Bucs fans develop sky-high expectations before the season started, then some turned like jackals on the team when it faltered for one reason or another (injuries, etc). Guess I’m one of those who’s a bit more reserved in terms of expectations, but I love being ‘pleasantly surprised’ when the Bucs kick butt.
And St Pete, our OLine certainly has talent, that’s not the concern. How quickly they develop ‘chemistry’ is a factor I think, plus a bigger consideration to me is leadership. Loved what Mankins, Cherilus & Hawley brought in terms of experience & leadership, and I’m really hoping that their replacements can fill those leadership voids. I’m looking forward to what Ali & JR bring to the table in those roles.
May 3rd, 2017 at 5:50 pm
I think 5-6 PPG improvement is a realistic expectation given Winston year 3 + all the weapons. Falcons improved by 12 PPG from 2015-2016 which is insane… seems they are due for a pretty big regression there; but I also think their defense was improving a lot and that will possibly offset the drop in offensive production.
We were the 15th ranked defense and like 21st ranked offense in PPG last year. Top 3 defense over last 8 games in PPG tho.
Should be realistic to expect a top 12-15 offense & top 12-15 defense this year imo. Upside for top 5 in each category; and I expect both to be top 10 barring major injuries everywhere
May 3rd, 2017 at 6:05 pm
@ Lord Cornelius:
The Falcons lost both of their coordinators. Those are hard to replace without skipping beats. And the psychological damage blowing a 25pt. lead in the last 23 minutes of the Super Bowl cannot be overestimated. Arthur Blank let his team know in no uncertain terms his displeasure. That is NOT a happy locker room right now.
On the other hand, the Bucs are very stable at the coaching level and stand a chance for a fast start on both sides of the ball.
The wildcard is kicker few are talking about. I suspect Folk will be a HUGE upgrade over the “A Guano” ( 😉 ) disaster of 2016. You might see 1.5-2ppg at that position alone just going from 71% to 90%, and turning some short punts into long FG’s.
May 3rd, 2017 at 6:35 pm
A lot of people think Doug has a good chance of being cut after camp. They’re crazy folk. Every time Licht is interviewed he tells people Doug looks very good physically and mentally and it doesn’t seem like smoke comin out of his arse. If these statements are true, he is gonna come through after three weeks and straight ball. When Doug gets through a decent hole and there’s no LBs around. I’m startin to sweat. Gonna be sweatin till opening day.
May 3rd, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Wow Joe….just about half of us on here have been pointing that out. Glad to.see you finally join the party
May 3rd, 2017 at 8:11 pm
Giving Jameis an extra second to scan his weapons is the key. And I believe he’ll have that. The “Family” deal is for real with these guys. If Sweezy is indeed healthy and Pamphile continues to grow, Jameis’ influence will reach deep into the O Line’s play. If this team plays to it’s potential on a weekly basis, we could go unbeaten. That’s the kind of talent and professionalism we march out there. I don’t expect it, but it wouldn’t surprise me. I expect the fawn who’s been stretching his legs while the bucks have watched him grow, is about to get his rack. And the bucks know it. It’s on. Giddy up.
And you guys seem to be sleeping on Godwin. I think I saw his name mentioned once or twice prior to me posting. He will get Plenty of time on the field. Plenty.
May 3rd, 2017 at 9:04 pm
We are going to run a bunch of single back 2 TE sets. Gives multiple looks for defenses to think about. We can pass on all three levels out of that set and run the ball effectively as well. Our offense is going to be scary!
Then on 3rd downs we can run single back or shotgun with Evans, DJax, Godwin, OJ and McNichols. Good luck dealing with that!
May 3rd, 2017 at 9:06 pm
McNichols is going to be good. Great runner with patience, can catch with the best of them, and is a superb blocker. So stoked about all of our picks. Could be Licht’s best yet…
May 3rd, 2017 at 9:35 pm
McNichols is weak and small. I wish we could of drafted a bruiser like Perine, he runs angry, that would definitely made us a badass team.
May 4th, 2017 at 12:42 am
Amen to both comments.
Joe Says:
May 3rd, 2017 at 2:17 pm
I freaking love this corner of the web Joe’s!! Keep it coming baby. You guys bring it Every Fuking Day!!
Thanks Marine and thank you for your service!
May 4th, 2017 at 1:30 am
Ha!
May 4th, 2017 at 2:13 pm
McNichols vs Perine..?
Only “IF” Perine is among the top blocking backs in the draft and could line-up as a Fullback.
So, until Koetter switches to a RUN Heavy offense, Perine is not an answer, only another “what-if” for Madden 18.
I’m curious to see if we actually keep a full-time FB on the roster.