“We Have To Do A Better Job”
September 25th, 2017
Talks offense.
One great success story courtesy of AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht is the development of tight end Cam Brate.
From an undrafted free agent out of Harvard, cut loose by the Bucs and Saints each, Licht brought Brate back after Sean Payton threw him on the sidewalk and Brate has blossomed as a favorite target of America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston.
Brate led tight ends in touchdowns last season and the fact neither he nor Brent Grimes made the Pro Bowl was almost as galling as the current state of the Bucs’ running attack.
Even winning Bucs coach Dirk Koetter has remarked how Jameis and Brate “clicked” from the first day they practiced together.
So yesterday it was interesting to Joe to hear the matter-of-fact words from Brate that the performance of the offense — himself included — was unacceptable overall. Yes, Brate said, the Bucs all but had their gameplan wrecked because they were down so quickly and part of that was due to the offense’s inefficiency.
“Yeah, any time you go down 10 points you kind of force the football a little bit more,” Brate said. “We weren’t efficient running the ball, though – even before we got down. So that’s something that we will need to get going.
“I thought we were pretty efficient throwing the ball but had a few unforced errors,” Brate added. He didn’t dismiss that a picked pass targeted to DeSean Jackson was partly because Jackson got bumped off his route.
Still, Brate said, a team must immediately move past a missed call.
“Offensively, as a whole, whether it is a route or a throw or blocking up front, we have to do a better job of protecting the ball.”
Easy to agree there. But how the Bucs can improve their running game is a mystery. Joe’s going to go all old school 20th century here but the story is a great analogy to the current state of running game.
Back in the Depression, Cardinals Hall of Fame third baseman Pepper Martin complained one spring training day about his team’s rigid workout routines. At some point, Martin got fed up and told the Cardinals manager, “I’ve got a mule back on my farm that I could train 365 days of the year and it ain’t ever going to win the Kentucky Derby.”
September 25th, 2017 at 2:28 pm
Brate made a great play early in the game to save Jameis from yet another pick on a ball he shouldn’t have thrown…..Brate’s a baller, for sure.
September 25th, 2017 at 2:32 pm
Ya’ll need to get some defense questions in there. Jameis and Matt Ryan had the same stats yesterday, but Matt won. The difference? DEFENSE.
September 25th, 2017 at 2:37 pm
Well and a running game, but I want to know how Mike plans to attack NY cause playing soft zone against Manning is going to be so so bad. So very very bad. Ask him if he plans to rotate Jaq and Russell. That duo could work. Russell should start.
September 25th, 2017 at 2:39 pm
LOOK….there’s weapons everywhere and Jameis has plenty of time to throw. That’s on him not finding the proper target. Stay tuned, cause I’m not liking the playcalls either. They better tighten up soon. You have the weapons.
FIND THEM!
September 25th, 2017 at 2:40 pm
it a shame the defense quit before they even hit the field yesterday… no kwon no defense
leader of the losing culture cancer93 strikes again. when the bucs need a star to step up 93 is the first to run and hide or milk yet another injury. but lord knows he will be 100% for the cameras at the meaningless pro bowl.
brate is a bright spot and the new bucs give me hope but the holdover choirboys are losers and quitters they prove it time and time again. results matter. it’s a shame a young kwon is the only one who can get these overpaid soft vets motivated to do their damn jobs and play with passion.
September 25th, 2017 at 2:43 pm
sorryitriggeredyou …correct sir The Rams Greatest Show on Turf could not keep up with teams with the defense the Bucs currently have.
September 25th, 2017 at 2:45 pm
Weapons for Jameis has been the slogan since the end of last season. I said the defense will stink the field this season. What good is offensive weapons, while the opposition is controlling the ball and clock? Just look forward to this 7-9 season.
September 25th, 2017 at 2:53 pm
Surprised Brate isn’t in concussion protocol this week after that hit he took on his TD catch. He was one of the very few bright spots in the game yesterday.
September 25th, 2017 at 3:08 pm
Should have drafted Dalvin Cook.
September 25th, 2017 at 3:14 pm
Winston played pretty solid outside of 1 terrible turnover and one forced throw that still hit ME in the hands. He wasn’t great but he wasn’t terrible at all.
First drive – marched down the field; but gets no blocking on 3rd and 3 and we have to settle for a FG after a throw a way that Brate caught lol.
2nd drive – pretty sure ME dropped a would be 1st down on this drive that hit him in the hands. We then had to punt.
3rd drive – we’re now already down 14-3 despite just 2 offensive possessions. Winston gets sacked on 3rd down with bad pass protection. Kills drive and we punt.
4th drive – move down the field and throws the terrible Djax interception. That was the game killer imo. That’s where he sh1t the bed. Could have been 14-10 with about 5 mins left and momentum on our side.
He played fine for the 2nd half being desperation mode. 70% completion, 8.2 YPA, 2 TDs for the day.
Yeah the ME throw was a forced one but he did give ME a solid chance at making a big play if he hangs on to it. I wouldn’t put the djax interception on him. If Djax makes his cut that ball hits him and we’re in that game still
September 25th, 2017 at 3:17 pm
2 weeks ago… here comes the 11-5/10-6 season.
Last week… we totally dominated that game. This Bucs team is a playoff caliber team.
Today… we suck and the season is over…
Good lord!!!
At least the maxipad stays consistent on his rants.
September 25th, 2017 at 3:24 pm
Buc1987 I don’t think we were watching the same game if you think he had all day to throw. The o line was pretty bad yesterday.
September 25th, 2017 at 3:34 pm
Hope Cam is OK. The refs did him no favors yesterday allowing the blatant headhunting that Brate was an unfortunate victim of. Way to hang on to that ball Cam. That was quite a shot on the TD catch and I hope you have no lingering effects from it.
September 25th, 2017 at 3:34 pm
Lord Corn.
D-Jax got knocked down by the safety on that play. I don’t think he had much of a chafe to get to the spot.
September 25th, 2017 at 3:35 pm
@Phil, One position is not the reason this team is having problems. Stop trolling your bromance.
September 25th, 2017 at 3:36 pm
This game falls on the coaching, for not having this team ready to play. When knuckle headed Bobo Wilson calls your practice not hard enough, that’s a problem. I think the games are won during the wk in game planning and practice. You play like you practice.
September 25th, 2017 at 3:41 pm
Losing that game isn’t nearly as scary to me as the injuries.
If our defense can get relatively healthy I still feel fine about this team competing for a playoff birth.
Atlanta should be 1-2 right now but has had 2 incredibly lucky finishes. Saints / Panthers don’t look that great. Go Bucs.
September 25th, 2017 at 3:42 pm
That is what the last offseason was for……the season has started
September 25th, 2017 at 3:53 pm
Lets talk offensive line
Who was the only person in the tampa bay bucs space
that changing the 2016 hawley(center) and marpet combo was a mistake?
there is always a leader among the offensive line. Hawley was that player
the archives is your friend
Kobe is hoping sweezys back goes out soon so the 2016 oline can give us a litte running game
There once was a 4int per game turnover machine…Jon Gruden and his schemes,play design made a journeyman into a profiencent consistent top 5 statistically competent nfl qb
“We need a OC/playcaller”
Kobe Faker
September 25th, 2017 at 4:13 pm
Can OJ Howard play #3, slot or even #2 sometimes? It seems a clone of Mike Evans with a big catch radius is what Winston needs. You might hit Djax once in a while but without a run game you cannot control the clock without consistent moving of the chains.
September 25th, 2017 at 4:14 pm
His comment proves one of our biggest issues. I think it gamelan needs to be, play to win shootouts. Or roster is designed to throw the ball, not run it. Start gameplay with the idea we need 30 to win every week. I don’t think our defense can be trusted. Let’s face it without the tunicates the bears would have scored 30 easy.
September 25th, 2017 at 4:22 pm
lol Hawley sucked 4ss last year Kobe.
September 25th, 2017 at 4:30 pm
LC our oline hasnt seen rock bottom yet. why change marpets position when he is learning his position as a pro. Marpet is not a confident person…just look at his face.
U know what sterling shepards route running going to do with ryan griffen smith?…curley shuffle in pewter
September 25th, 2017 at 4:45 pm
This O-Line is the WORST in the NFL, when it comes to the ground game. It’s Deja Vu all over again.
September 25th, 2017 at 5:15 pm
Winston has to get better with his decision making….his first INT was an accuracy issue…better to be long than wrong and he was extremely wrong…..the other 2 picks shouldn’t have been thrown….1 into double coverage and the other into triple coverage….yeah the ball hit mike in the hand but he had 6 hand trying to knock it out….Winston has to get better…GO BUCS!!!!
September 25th, 2017 at 5:31 pm
Those of you that think our O-line is playing terrible seriously do not watch other games around the league at all.
We’ve been average at worst
September 25th, 2017 at 5:35 pm
The running game gets a huge boost when Doug Martin gets back. Rodgers is nothing special and the coach seems to have completely forgotten how he used Sims in 2015 that made him such a dangerous weapon. The running game has to improve, but so does the play calling. Down 10 points in the first half isn’t a big deal and it doesn’t mean you abandon the run altogether, instead what you can do Dirk is not always run the ball the same way, that being 1st and 10 right up the gut… like here’s an example of what I mean, lets say it’s 2nd and 10… you don’t have to always throw the ball, you can in that case perhaps run the ball – the idea is to NOT be predictable.
Regardless the loss yesterday had 0% to do with the offense, it was 100% on the defense and mostly on the stack of Ryan Smith and Chris Conte, probably the worst duo in football. The Vikings could have put up 800 yards yesterday if the Bucs had kept it close on offense. But the Vikings have a very good defense, one of the best in the NFL, and when you go on the road, against a top defense, get down early and become one dimensional, this is the obvious outcome of that.
September 25th, 2017 at 9:03 pm
TE leads NFL in touchdowns.
Licht: “we need to draft a TE.”
September 25th, 2017 at 11:19 pm
You need to stop with this effing den of depression BS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 25th, 2017 at 11:59 pm
Why? Don’t blame Joe the Bucs have the worst home record in the NFL since 2009.
September 26th, 2017 at 7:13 am
Scott.. I’m with you on this one. Sorry Joe, we are trying to move on from 2009. Why don’t we just call them the Suckaneers until they make the playoffs. Pounding the negative is getting too popular around here.
Watched the game again. Reveals how razor edge the league is from being a winner to an absolute loser.
Defense was decimated by injury and they were outplayed. Baker was missed. This was a game we needed him in. McDonald, won’t or can’t do the dirty work that Baker can so GMC has to. When GMC has to do the dirty work he is really limited. That affects every level.
Now to offer something that will surely get me chastised but it is related to the title, Have to do a Better Job. This is all opinion but I have a broad base in sports psychology and applied mental training techniques.
Winston was and is my biggest worry. That pass to DJax was telling. He watched his film of the overthrows and made sure to give DJax a chance and shorted the throw. He was playing in the past, not the now. I am worried about that with Winston. All of the harping about “playing with less mistakes” or “playing mistake free football” or any of those things lead to the same thing. Slower reads, second guessing, poorer decision making and more mistakes. This is not theory, this is a fact about mental performance. The brain will go from buzzing along to fried with one additional input. Yeh he “likes to be coached hard” and that is the easy way to handle it, but it doesn’t work in today’s game. No-one is harder on himself than Winston, Koetter needs to stop adding on to this. I’m not saying give him a hug when he makes mistakes, ABSOLUTELY not, that doesn’t work either, but the first question is “what did you see?” not “What the F are you thinking?” or “you just can’t do that”. “What did you see?” makes Jameis own his decision and explain it. Especially, right there in that moment. Then he can compare his immediate response (Bajakian has to take note of it) with reality in the film room. This also allows an athlete to put the mistake away, right then, and get back into the present.
Yeh, getting chewed out makes Winston feel good, he feels like he’s learning, but this is not how the brain works. Getting chewed out actually distracts his mind from thinking about the mistake, right then and there. Koetter needs to look at how Jameis is processing his decisions. Not worry as much about the quality of his decisions during games. That is trained during the week. Then create situations that allow for Jameis to process the easiest. The first two years of his development, it was perfect, he had to have pressure. But at some point, and IMO, that time is now, you have to trust what you have in Jameis or move on from him.
Koetter needs to take a HARD look in the mirror and realise this method is not working with Winston’s development. In today’s NFL, the pace of the play combined with the required pace of decision making do not allow for any player especially a QB to make perfect decisions. The game is not slowing down for him. When he gets in trouble he locks onto Evans, trusts Evans will bail him out and the result is usually spectacular for the good or the bad. Winston is second guessing himself in the pocket and that is really, really troubling. Koetter needs to take away the hammer and start truly teaching or he needs to find someone who will do that.. This is the best opportunity the Bucs have ever had at a long-term franchise QB. Because he seems so confident, you forget he is still a 23 year old kid and he must be treated as such. Jameis needs to learn to trust his reads, trust his targets and then this offense will open up.
I think Koetter is up for it. I think he changed his approach to Winston last year after the Rams game.
A last thought for those who believe Jameis is too strong to crumble.
Look at Tiger Woods.. My favourite example. People love to look at the night his wife kicked him out as the moment things fell apart but this was just when people realized it. He was so afraid of missing the ball with a big hook that he fired his coach, Butch Harmon, to reinvent his swing to take the dreaded hook out (which is the miss in a Harmon type swing). This was after he set scoring records across the majors. HIs new swing took that miss away, but put more stress on his body. He couldn’t hit the ball as far so he altered his body (probably pharma but I only have circumstantial evidence to back that up) All of this in an effort to play mistake free. The mental stress and strain was just enormous. 18 holes to Tiger was like 36 to another player. Over a bit of time the “no-doubt” best player ever, as he was entering his golfing prime, turned into, just another golfer.
I tell the Tiger Woods story because as strong as we all believe Jameis is, he can be screwed up. Koetter needs to take a page from Mike Smith’s book and understand his relationship a bit better. Jameis is amazing but pound on any rock long enough it will crack.
September 26th, 2017 at 7:44 am
Thank good we drafted Justin Evans in the 2nd round not Kareem hunt
September 26th, 2017 at 11:23 am
In my opinion the Bucs are a great paper team. We have all kinds of great looking players on paper, but paper doesn’t play on the field. The offense in preseason didn’t look good. Even against the Bears did they really show much. No I’m beginning to believe that this offense is only good if their on paper.