Not A Shred Of Pressure
November 22nd, 2017
Former Bucs one-year wonder Michael Clayton weighs in.
Ex-Bucs receiver/blocking icon Michael Clayton is working in local media these days and is always eager to share stories of the Super Bowl ring he won with the Giants during his two-catch New York career.
One of Clayton’s duties is a pregame show on WDAE-AM 620.
Now before Sunday’s game against the Dolphins, Clayton was going on and on about how Bucs backup QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is in the ideal, no-pressure situation.
Why?
Fitzpatrick, per Clayton, has nothing left to accomplish in his 13-year career. He’s made a king’s ransom of money. He’s had one great year as a starter. He has a ton of weapons with the Bucs to enjoy, along with good pass blocking. And if Fitzpatrick screws up, well, Clayton says everybody just says, “It’s Fitzpatrick.” But if he wins, it’s pure gravy.
Clayton’s point was that Fitzpatrick is smart enough to appreciate all that and he can play totally relaxed football, which is rare in the NFL. He can be a cool, calm and comfortable leader, just what the Bucs need right now, and maybe even a better QB because of it.
It was a great point by Clayton. And Fitzpatrick went out and performed against Miami like that player Clayton described.
Yeah, he’s still 35-year-old Fitzpatrick, a career loser as a starter and an interception machine. But maybe, just maybe, he’s the right guy at the right time with the right mindset this Sunday in Atlanta.
Certainly, it wouldn’t surprise Joe if the passing offense got off early against a Falcons defense that has struggled much of the season on third down.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:32 am
OJ Howard, bringing dignity back to the number 80.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:38 am
That’s undefeated starter Fitz. Winning QB Fitz. America Relaxed QB Fitz. What goes good on a Ritz?
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:43 am
He has always been and will always be “The Beard” to me.
People questioned this signing from the start. I think he’s exactly what we need in a back-up.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:44 am
That uniform he’s wearing is so much better than the current ones.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:49 am
I see no difference between Fitz and McClown and the numbers prove it. Fitz is worse than Jameis win it comes to accuracy.
The biggest difference between fitz and jw imo is the kicking game as far as wins are concerned.
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:56 am
My concern is Fitz lack of arm strength vs the fastest defense in the league. Those “non-chalant” ints is coming and will come by the dozen
DB55 ur right. The only difference i see is defense is showing up and a kicking game.
Fitz is not calm he is running for his life half the time. Fear makes him run faster than any old 35 year lol not named Joey Galloway hahaa
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:59 am
Fitz is not calm he is running for his life half the time.
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Exactly!
Winston – shoulder injury
Griffin – shoulder injury
Fitz – tbd
November 22nd, 2017 at 12:17 pm
Isn’t that typical Michael Clayton? “Hey, you got paid. Who cares how you perform!”
Mark Dominik’s greatest poo stain on the franchise was re-signing this skid mark.
November 22nd, 2017 at 12:20 pm
The Bucs offense is almost always good for problems with opposing defenses.
November 22nd, 2017 at 12:29 pm
@Joe … “Yeah, he’s still 35-year-old Fitzpatrick, a career loser as a starter and an interception machine.” Oh Joe, you scared me for a second. The thought crossed my mind that this might actually be a positive piece on Fitz … until almost the very end. Then you nailed him. Whew, thought for a second that you were slipping.
November 22nd, 2017 at 12:33 pm
The very first time I heard him was about 4-5 weeks ago on the iHeartRadio app. He went on and on about Jameis needing to be put on IR. At that time Jameis had just hurt his shoulder. Then again a week later too!! I remember thinking how stupid he was and he was just mouthing off a senseless hot take. Now I look back and think hmm
November 22nd, 2017 at 12:41 pm
This is perhaps the ONLY thing to enjoy about the season. The Fitzpatrick story is actually heartwarming.
First off Fitz is a VERY smart guy…Harvard and all. He’s laid back and he gets it.
He knows exactly the position he’s in…what fans think of him..and what he has and hasn’t accomplished.
But like ALL really smart people Fitz knows the value of living in the moment. He’s loving this ride and the fact that his two sons now 10 and I think 8 are along for this ride just makes it that much sweeter.
He may have had a bad game against the Jets but the Bucs won and HE was the winning QB. Best part of the story. After the game…the stands empty…Fitz was still out on Ray Jay turf tossing passes…some of them bombs…all of them to his two sons. How freaking cool is that. Moments after you’ve stopped a five game losing streak…an NFL victory in front of the home crowd…you are able to not only have your boys there to enjoy it…after the contest you take them out on the field to enjoy a game of toss and catch. Just awesome!
November 22nd, 2017 at 12:52 pm
There is no doubt that JW is more talented than Fitz but Fitz is definitely more decisive and a better game manager at this point in his career. Hopefully JW can improve in that department.
November 22nd, 2017 at 12:59 pm
@ clod
After the arizona game, i thought the bucs should have rested jameis a few weeks after the cardinals game. At that point it was only a strain but it is my experience you do not mess around with shoulder injuries. A strain turns into a tear or worse. That leads to surgery. You never want to cut on a qb’s shoulder. Look no further than andrew luck. Cam is just now coming around. The bucs handle that situation all wrong.
November 22nd, 2017 at 1:01 pm
I like Fitz. He’s cool, calm and the pressures of the game kinda just..zip past him. He’s at the tail end of his career and you can tell, he’s fine with that. In a game, he makes a mistake and comes right back at you. He never gives up. Fitz is looking like one of Licht’s better accomplishments. I hope Jameis is learning about game Mngt from Fitz. Jameis day will come. But its gonna take a couple of yrs..at least. Fitz just might surprise us come Sunday. Ya never Know…..
November 22nd, 2017 at 1:10 pm
Love that mike “vaseline hands” clayton. He was taking a beating from some of the callers a few weeks ago during the pregame show for his catching ineptitude. I was laughing my azz off. Still love when joe brings up Dominick abd his justifying claytons salary because he was a good blocker. Clayton single handedly dropped the playoff game against the giants in 08.
November 22nd, 2017 at 1:15 pm
Hadn’t heard about Fitz’ game of catch w/ his sons on the field after the game. Very Cool!! What a treat for the kids and especially for Dad.
Thanks for sharing that tidbit SPBF.
Hopefully the Bucs are smart enough to wait until Winston is pain free before allowing him back on the field.
And I also hope Fitz concentrates really hard on the “game management” roll he needs to be playing. Fitz has a tendency to rack up the Ints when he’s not focusing on being careful with the ball and where he’s throwing it.
November 22nd, 2017 at 1:20 pm
It was nice to see Fitz throwing the ball to everyone. Give Godwin and Howard 5 passes each and all the other WRs will have great days as well. Seriously, spreading the ball keeps the defense honest. I am so tired of watching Winston force feed Evans and Djack.
November 22nd, 2017 at 1:42 pm
I’ve always liked Fitz…7th round pick by the Rams in the Mike Martz Era. He will never completely carry a team but he’s been decent everywhere he went. Two years ago he threw for 31 tds. That’s more than any Buc QB has in a single
season…ever. He laughs last in all of this…and should be brought back next year given the uncertainy of Infamous et. al….
November 22nd, 2017 at 1:45 pm
Joe
Why is all my comments in moderation?
November 22nd, 2017 at 1:53 pm
79Defense Says:
November 22nd, 2017 at 11:44 am
That uniform he’s wearing is so much better than the current ones.
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Amen x 1000! Go Bucs Sunday!!
November 22nd, 2017 at 1:55 pm
Glass half full, appreciate the positive words. Fitz is a good guy. I do wish we had more QBs of his character on the team today. Yeah, that is a swat from a season ticket holder and guy close to key folks, past and present. No, I don’t believe Jameis committed any crime. I don’t think he has that in him. I do just wish our team was never put in this position..first by drafting him (bad on the Bucs), and second, by his own actions and oddball behavior before AND since. Add to that his flatline in devleopment this year.
Moving off of that, this is a division game; the last two went badly for the Bucs. They are due for a division win. Second, the dirty birds are still high off their win in SEA, west coasts, and it’s a shorter week for them given MNF AND T-Day on top of that. Maybe they think this is an easy game. Will the Bucs win? Doubt it. Can they? Sure. And I think they have a better chance to win this game with Fitz than they would if Jameis was healthy because I don’t think Jameis has his head in the right spot the past week anyway, and the players don’t need him around to distract them Sunday. As ownership contemplates what to do IF Jamies withheld info from them AND if he hasn’t yet fessed up on the “third passenger.” For every day that goes by that he hasn’t told them everything (if he hasn’t), the more we don’t need him back the rest of this year.
A win on Sunday means keep playing Fitz. A loss now and/or next week at GB, put in Ryan Griffen next home game in 2.5 weeks and let’s evaluate him as #2 going forward rest of season. Sign Fitz for another year? Oh he11 yeah. Do it before the season ends. If for some odd reason the Bucs decide to keep Jameis (IF he lied/withheld info from his team), and if Jameis may be out six games…or gone altogether…worst case if Fitz is a mentor for the next guy (including Griffin), the backup, or starter if they keep Jameis and Griffen doesn’t get the work this year and can’t stand in.
What really stinks is quite possibly our “franchise QB” has put his team, and the fans, into a hole going into next year. That really sticks in my craw. I can only imagine how the owners feel about it all.
November 22nd, 2017 at 2:11 pm
Fitz has the additional benefit of Joe backing Koetter’s chicken offense scared that Fitz will throw a pick. So, Koetter can be relaxed….he can blame a loss on Fitz or the defense now.
I will say this….I do think Fitz’s lack of arm strength is giving defender’s the ability to break up some passes. I thought he was just throwing late….but, no they don’t have the Jameis zip.
November 22nd, 2017 at 2:12 pm
Clayborn vs Smith…..its like watching Fitz vs McCown
November 22nd, 2017 at 2:17 pm
StPete, great observation about Fitz & his sons after the game. Truly is heart-warming. At this point, Fitz is doing everything you’d want a backup QB to do … manage the game efficiently & effectively. I’d also personally like to see what Ryan Griffen has to offer before the end of the season. So many teams have had to dip into their backup QB pool this season (including us) & it’d be nice to see if Griff has the right stuff so to speak. Seriously doubt we’ll carry 3 QBs on the roster, so it’ll come down to Fitz or Griff I’d imagine this coming off-season.
November 22nd, 2017 at 2:30 pm
I think Ryan Griffen should start from here on we need to see what he’s got!
November 22nd, 2017 at 2:40 pm
Some of you guys must have gone to the Sean McDermott School of Qb evaluation.
November 22nd, 2017 at 3:03 pm
DB55 is the Nathan Peterman of posters… 🙂
November 22nd, 2017 at 3:08 pm
Agree with those who want to see Ryan Griffin get some starts to see what we have….but not until Fitz loses one and we are officially out of the playoff chase.
At this point like all I hope Jameis gets cleared for Arizona and that his arm comes back by next year.
I’m with you D.R. Fitz clearly does not have#3’s arm strength but #3 can really spin it when he’s healthy.
Here’s an interesting thought. What if #3’s arm comes back but not at the rocket strength he used to have. That could be either good or bad. If he accepts it perhaps he doesn’t force so many throws…if he fights and thinks he can still do what he did at FSU…yikes. Let’s just hope his arm comes back full strength.
November 22nd, 2017 at 3:38 pm
’79Defense Said:
“That uniform he’s wearing is so much better than the current ones.”
Agree! I always wondered what focus group screwed us up so badly. Those bigass patches on the shoulders, bigass 1982 digital alarm clock numbers (I keep expecting to see them flip every 60 seconds), and bigass gaudy helmet stickers make me SMH.
The only cool thing on the new unis is the chrome cage. They need to be the OLD unis next year.
November 22nd, 2017 at 3:41 pm
Oh, and the only people who like the stupid “color rush” unis are the greedy frks trying to sell our kids another damn overpriced jersey.
November 22nd, 2017 at 5:18 pm
One more loss and then the Bucs are totally out of the playoff picture.
THEN let’s see what Griffin has.
November 22nd, 2017 at 8:09 pm
Joe says:
“Yeah, he’s still 35-year-old Fitzpatrick, a career loser as a starter and an interception machine.”
If you change that to “he’s still a 22 year old”…
November 22nd, 2017 at 8:19 pm
Hoping for a glimmer of light……..failing to see any…..
Dumbest fans in the NFL