Bucs Getting Their Return
December 20th, 2017
One minor head-scratcher of the Dirk Koetter regime lies at kick returner and in something head coach Dirk Koetter said about it earlier this season.
Last month, Tampa Bay cut returner/receiver Bernard Reedy, who is now with the Patriots. Koetter said afterwards that Jacquizz Rodgers would be the kick returner and Koetter was confident in him because he knew he could do it from their days together in Atlanta.
Rodgers ranked as one of the better kick returners in the NFL in 2012, 11th best in yards per return, and then 17th in 2013.
After the truly historic failure of the Bucs’ kick return game last season, Joe immediately thought, “Where was Rodgers last year?” He didn’t return one darn kick 2016, when the Bucs were contending for a playoff berth.
Odd.
This season, Rodgers ranks 13th in the NFL among kick returners with 10 or more opportunities. His 45-yard return to start the second half on Monday night was his best of the season.
Joe talked to Rodgers about the art of returning a few of weeks ago. He said coaches just weren’t interested in him doing it last year and they didn’t give him any kind of heads up to work on it during this past offseason. If they had, Rodgers said he would have done a little offseason and preseason training for kick returning but not much.
“There’s really not a lot to it in a lot of ways, learn the blocking scheme, catch and go,” Rodgers said. “It’s not everyone’s skill, but Coach knows I can do it and told me I was up. My job is to be ready. If they need me on defense, I’m in.”
Rodgers, with his official height of 5-6, might be the ultimate team guy. And with his size and pass-blocking prowess, he’s one of the great overlooked stories in the NFL. Joe hopes Rodgers returns next year.
December 20th, 2017 at 10:09 am
Poor Rodgers
Since this season is lost…..why don’t we see more of him running the rock?
December 20th, 2017 at 10:18 am
head scratcher!!!!
dirk has had a ton of “head scratchers”…..
from play calling to personnel…from offensive identity to defensive scheme….from poor coaching decision to lack of development…..
the list can go on and on….dirk is just one big head scratcher!!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
December 20th, 2017 at 10:31 am
With a 4-12 season ending record, Dirk’s gonna have more than head scratchers to worry about. He’s gotta come up with a quick 2 yr plan on how to stop somebody..anybody in this league. Because if he does not, Look for more beautiful stats from Jameis along with..more losses!
December 20th, 2017 at 11:22 am
TheBucsAnthem Says:
“Since this season is lost…..why don’t we see more of him running the rock?”
Barber.
December 20th, 2017 at 11:57 am
Dirks a very good offensive coordinator. …But that’s all he is !
December 20th, 2017 at 12:19 pm
813
Exactly. Basically theres too many to dirks shortcomings to list. Headscratcher sums it up.
December 20th, 2017 at 4:07 pm
I would sure like to see rodgers come back. He’s a versatile back with some upside. Good team player too. Rather him than Martin or Simms. I like Simms fine, he’s just a one dimensional back…3rd downs only.
December 20th, 2017 at 5:00 pm
Been saying it for weeks Why Not Rodgers? Peyton Barber ain’t all that. Plus he just barfed it the other night is scoring position. Peyton Barber runs hard but so did Michael Pittman. Sometimes when you run too hard you end up tripping over your own feet.
December 20th, 2017 at 11:12 pm
Barber’s pretty nifty on his feet. Pittmans feet were always tripping over himself falling down after the turf monster got him
December 20th, 2017 at 11:21 pm
You bank on Martin not coming back next year…
Would be nice to have Barber Sims Rodgers and a kickass full back. Run game needs a full back… I don’t care who says otherwise… seems like they always block better than backup tight ends on linebackers.
Coaching has been poor this year. Cant see Quizz wanting to come back here unless he gets more dough.
December 20th, 2017 at 11:27 pm
I’ve been puzzled as to why Rodgers hasn’t played more… he had a couple negative toss plays and haven’t seen him much since. Seems to always gets good yardage… bad coaching.
December 21st, 2017 at 2:50 am
He has put on too much weight/muscle the past 2 years.
He has lost some quickness because of muscle mass.
He needs to lose some weight and get quicker.
December 21st, 2017 at 11:15 am
I would take Helen Reddy returning kicks over Bernard Reedy
Jaquizz seems like he should have been doing it all along ..He is the ultimate utility guy ..ran the hell outta the ball when he started last season ..with Pass
The Doogie Martin history it will be interesting to see what RB they pull outta
The draft ..