The Fitz Way
December 24th, 2017
Talks losing
You want to know about losing and its toll on a team and playing for a coach on the hot seat?
Talk to Bucs backup QB Ryan Fitzpatrick.
He hasn’t been to the playoffs in 13 seasons and he’s played for a lot of coaches on the proverbial “hot seat.”
Fitz knows losing (though he has as many wins this season as America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston).
After today’s painful loss to Carolina, Joe asked Fitzpatrick about what he sees from the Bucs and Coach Koetter as the losing takes its toll and the team marches on to a 4-12 record.
“It’s a tough situation to be in, losing the NFL and playing in these games that, you know, they don’t have any implications for the playoffs or anything. And unfortunately, it’s a scenario and a situation I’ve been in a lot,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think one thing it does is show you the character of the guys in the locker room. You see who are the professionals. It tests your professionalism. I’ve been really proud of our guys. I think everybody’s come to work and played hard. Some of these games have just been heartbreaking the way we’ve lost them at the end. The amount of heart and fight these guys have shown in this locker room, I’m really proud.”
“You are what your record is in this league. You always are, but you look deeper at this team and you see a lot of positive things you might not find on another team in our situation.”
Yes, the Bucs are fighting — and losing. Time to pass out the participation trophies.
Joe’s being harsh, but it just doesn’t mean much if you don’t win.
You could chose to say the Bucs’ loss today was all about mental errors, a complete breakdown on kickoff coverage, a mental lapse on coverage of a fake punt, bad ball security by the quarterback, senseless penalties and more.
Playing hard without playing smart will get you beat every time.
December 24th, 2017 at 9:18 pm
FitzGerald set the tone in his starts.. he deserves credit for that…. he was dealt a losing hand and rallied the troops… he deserves credit for that!
December 24th, 2017 at 9:35 pm
Constant loosing when you have talent is concerning. The key leaders on this team Winston McCoy and Koetter all have loosing records. We need someone in the mix who is a winner at tbe NFL level. How can any of these guys show teammates how to win?
December 24th, 2017 at 9:36 pm
add redzone play-calling to convert one of the 3 field goals into TDs
December 24th, 2017 at 9:42 pm
The last line of the article is the bottom line.
There is a reason Carolina is the playoff team in today’s game. The last few minutes of that game we committed many pentalties, missed a FG, gave up a sack and capped it all off with a fumble.
Closing out games is what playoff teams do. It is what bad teams can’t do. You guys can take your “we lost by a FG….or by the refs argument” and stuff it. We are not a few plays away from being a winning team……..We are an entire team attitude away from being a winning team…….Give me those FGs back in that NE game and it will prove it. They make them FGs they won’t make the plays that pan out in that altered scenario…..If you think they do your a moron. We are a loser team with a loser attitude with no confidence.
December 24th, 2017 at 10:47 pm
You forgot to list terrible coaching – playing to kick a 50+ yard field goal instead of actually trying to get a first down, at the end of the first half running the ball twice from the 5 AND not using timeouts and letting the clock run down. That’s what loser coaches do who are playing to not lose – which normally results in them losing.
December 24th, 2017 at 10:53 pm
Joe hasn’t been so harsh on Koetter. All that refreshment.
December 25th, 2017 at 5:51 am
@HowToSpellRhonde … “Joe hasn’t been so harsh on Koetter. All that refreshment.” Agreed. Now if he would be at least that hard on Jason Licht and the Glazer Boys we might have a chance to become a winning T-E-A-M. Or hopefully even harder. Until THEY feel the same heat that Koetter, Smitty & the Bucs’ players feel, nothing will change.
December 25th, 2017 at 7:31 am
Hey altered ego the only credit u can give fitz is causing us the 2nd pick in the draft. Cause his 2 meaningless wins cost us a chance at it.
December 25th, 2017 at 10:39 pm
It’s a credit to Koetter the man that these guys are still playing to the whistle, but ultimately the win/loss column reflects his ability as a coach. Scheme and game day management are clearly issues that haven’t been resolved. It’s time to move on.