A Month To Figure It Out
June 26th, 2018
Pressure.
It is now June 26. In a month, July 25 to be exact, the Bucs veterans report for training camp.
This will likely be the most important training camp of Dirk Koetter’s coaching career. Why? Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com writes that Koetter will have to find a way in training camp to steal at least one win while America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, serves his tentative three-game suspension.
Koetter will have to navigate a training camp that gets Fitzpatrick ready to start the opening of the season, while also preparing Winston to start the rest of the year. (The team also has 28-year-old quarterback Ryan Griffin, who they liked enough to sign to an extension last August.) The September games will have added pressure, with Koetter knowing that a slow start to the year could potentially get him fired during the season.
History suggests Team Glazer does not like losing. Only one coach they have ever hired survived back-to-back losing seasons. That would be Chucky, who won a Super Bowl for the franchise.
Koetter doesn’t have Chucky’s resume.
Now the reasonable question is, if the Bucs get off to an 0-3 start and the season nosedives, will Team Glazer give Koetter a mulligan because Jameis set the Bucs up to fail with this hassle of his involving an Arizona Uber driver?
June 26th, 2018 at 12:05 am
Too many retorts! Must refrain!
June 26th, 2018 at 12:07 am
Jameis Winston – NFL Head Coach Killer
June 26th, 2018 at 12:14 am
No he shouldn’t be giving no Mulligan. Damn there enough time to prepare. That defense better be ready. Last year debacle he himself is on a second chance.
Majority of the Bucs season win/loss prediction have us losing because they say coaching is poor. Koetter has a ceiling on the team with a unlimited floor.
June 26th, 2018 at 12:15 am
How can the current regime get a pass bc of Winston’s crap lifestyle? Winston is this regime’s former #1 OVERALL DRAFT PICK!!!!! CUT IT OUT WITH THE EXCUSES!!!!!
June 26th, 2018 at 12:24 am
Totally agree with Marc.
Koetter, Licht, Winston should be a package deal. Clean house with all of them if no winning season.
Aside from the record, I don’t know how ownership can extend Winston. He’s been given every chance to show that he’s not a bone head on and off the field and never fails to disappoint. Cut losses and move on.
June 26th, 2018 at 12:59 am
I’ve been saying I can’t wait to see how these coaches game plan and prepare these guys for the first three games. I will regain a lot of faith if they can pull out a few games. I don’t see why they shouldn’t be able to beat all of them so three losses to me is not acceptable.
Then America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston comes back for his redemption tour. Barring anything more damaging coming out I see him lighting it up like he did to end last season. Then he will be known as America’s Quarterback, Comeback Player of the Year, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston.
June 26th, 2018 at 1:34 am
Koetter was OC when Winston was picked. I doubt he had much sway in the choice.
That being said, he won’t be a given a mulligan, and everyone’s job is 100% on the line.
June 26th, 2018 at 2:16 am
Forget Jameis for now, it will be Fitz who can save Koetter
June 26th, 2018 at 2:37 am
Joe, I have never seen such idiot so called Tampa Bay Bucs fans, With so much hatred! Want to nail Jameis to the cross. Yes this young man has made some bad decisions. But these idiots want charge him with rape. Last time i checked this was an alleged incident. No police report flied. This site has the biggest hypocrites! What an joke of a fan base we have!
June 26th, 2018 at 3:23 am
Trench War, thanks for that. Too many seem to be taking the ‘Woe is us; Jameis is suspended; what if we go 0-3 to open the season’ route. How about instead asking ‘What if we go 2-1 or even 3-0; what happens then?’
Teams like the Patriots and the Steelers have won consistently because they’re a T-E-A-M, not just because they have Brady & Roethlisberger. Excellent management, excellent coaching, quality players in ALL position groups who find a way, week in & week out, to overcome adversity and WIN.
Bucs have had trouble overcoming adversity over the years, especially when it’s been from injuries. But this year’s team seems to have better depth, and that’ll help. Licht & Koetter (and yes, Smitty) aren’t newbies; they know what they’ve got & know what they’re facing. Jameis let his team down, but that doesn’t mean they can’t pull together and WIN. Because if they can’t win without Jameis to start this season, what would make anyone think they could’ve won with him? Folks need to stop with the ‘Jameis is our savior’ act. He hasn’t been to this point, and that’s undue pressure to put on any one player. T-E-A-M-S win, and this Bucs’ T-E-A-M is a LOT more than just one player. Fitz can get us where we need to go … IF everyone else does their jobs, including the GM & coaches. Still predicting 2-1 to start the season with Fitz as our QB.
June 26th, 2018 at 4:02 am
We very easily could have gone 0-3 with Jameis. Going 0-3 with Fitz is also possible. Unless Jameis suddenly stops being who he has been, an inaccurate turnover QB who sometimes flashes greatness, Fitz might actually do better. And Fitz sucks. And so far Koetter has not shown HC ability. Nor have the Glazier boys shown ownership ability. No mulligans.
June 26th, 2018 at 6:19 am
Totally confident, right guys?
There are no excuses for 2018 like there were around here for 2017.
June 26th, 2018 at 6:21 am
Lamarcus
Being honest here. Why do you keep giving Jameis a mulligan ?
June 26th, 2018 at 6:32 am
Its more than the 3 game suspension that will be tough to even still 1 game!!!!!! You have jw3 coming back for 1 game then a bye week!!!!! Then on Oct 14th jw3 will get to play his second game ( unless suspended again or injured) !!!!!!!
That is basically 1 game in a two month span!!!!!!!!!!!
June 26th, 2018 at 6:49 am
Can the league make it official already??? There’s going to be yet another firestorm of controversy and distraction when the official news comes down. Leaking it like this and then taking forever to make it official is just devastating to the team
June 26th, 2018 at 6:53 am
History suggests Team Glazer does not like losing
That’s very ironic because all we’ve done in the last 10 years is lose.
June 26th, 2018 at 7:19 am
Getting Teddy Bridgewater in now would do wwonders in saving the next two seasons.
June 26th, 2018 at 8:07 am
Jameis is not a leader. Fitzpatrick has maybe one season left, he is on the long slow paid road to retirement right now. Trade for Foles, use our first round pick for next year since will be doing that on a quarterback anyway, demote Jameis to third string, and then trade him when the right offer comes up. Remember, this WAS his last chance to prove himself. He didn’t. Rip the Band-Aid off. We are right now losing the rest of the team and fan base’s state of mind to turn this thing around, and unless the Glazers do what they said and hold people accountable, commit to the Current team and fix the one broken piece, they won’t commit to us. We are losing the team in the off-season. Are you kidding me? Management, roll up the sleeves and go out and get a starting caliber quarterback that will not disgrace the team. There is one available just won a Super Bowl with the Eagles! Who is a current back up! Go get him!
June 26th, 2018 at 8:41 am
Logic says the Bucs need to sign a veteran QB or trade a low round pick for one, Fitzpatrick from what I saw last season isn’t afraid to run, he doesn’t slide sometimes and is one hit away from being shelved so a reliable backup is needed
going into camp. If Licht doesn’t do it he’s signing his own death sentence by gambling that Fitz will stay healthy. Steelers and Eagles are very physical teams, you have to be prepared for them to knock around your QB.
June 26th, 2018 at 8:47 am
[No, it is not working. Give up.]
June 26th, 2018 at 8:59 am
Remember, this WAS his last chance to prove himself.
This would be news to the guys who sign his paychecks and to the general manager. Where did you invent this from?
June 26th, 2018 at 10:03 am
Defense
“Excellent management, excellent coaching, quality players in ALL position groups who find a way, week in & week out, to overcome adversity and WIN”
Obviuosly it’s not just a QB we are lacking, per your list (which I totally agree with)
Also agree with “Folks need to stop with the ‘Jameis is our savior’ act”
I said yesterday Jameis is less Messiah, and more Jerry Falwell
June 26th, 2018 at 11:18 am
Yes , coach gets a mulligan ! This whole episode means all bets are off ! Coach did not draft this head ache . I am not the biggest fan of Koetter but he is not getting a fair shake with this kind of nonsense to have to deal with . If the team improves in the ground game and the D picks it’s game up then coach gets another year .
June 26th, 2018 at 11:28 am
Wrong.
The clock is ticking to bring in real competition now to learn the playbook before training camp. That’s what a smart business would do. Let’s see what the Bucs do. The only wrong answer is doing nothing.
June 26th, 2018 at 11:39 am
Who was calling plays for Jameis to keep handing the ball to washed up Doug Martin for two straight years? Was it Todd Monken? Was it Jameis freelancing? Was it Jason Licht? Was it Bryan Glazer?
Constantly handing the ball off to Muscle Hamster hurt the Bucs a whole lot more than Jameis’ fumbles.
June 26th, 2018 at 11:54 am
Bird
NFL or no law has made JW guilty. And I’m no saint to criticize a another man’s transgressions cuz I’m no hypocrite and I ain’t perfect.
June 26th, 2018 at 12:20 pm
Good Grief!
Those calling for Bridgewater need to get a grip. Love him, but he’s one hit, or one non contact practice injury from being in a wheel chair.
June 26th, 2018 at 1:50 pm
Better figure out how to win Koetter. We don’t care even if you have to hire a Vodoo priest. WE WANT WINS. If not, Lovie and Schiano have you and Smitty a spot reserved complete with Fishing rods, bait, sardines, crackers and cheap beer..down at the Losers fishing hole. Get her done. NO EXCUSES Sir!
June 26th, 2018 at 8:02 pm
My question is what happens regarding Jameis Winston if the Bucs start the season 3-0 with Ryan Fitzpatrick at the helm? Do the Bucs stick with the hot hand or do they give the reins back to Winston?
June 26th, 2018 at 10:20 pm
It’s time for the Bucs to realize after 2 failed QB projects (Freeman & Winston) that 5 years hoping that a draft pick will pan out takes too damn long!!! Go after Foles now…..if that doesn’t work…….move on to Bridgewater……try and make something happen this Summer!!!