About That Offensive Line
August 25th, 2018
Solid job by OL coach George Warhop’s backups.
If this wasn’t a preseason game, Bucs fans would be more nervous than a priest in a cathouse.
The Bucs were without their starting left tackle (Donovan Smith), their starting left guard (Ali Marpet), a projected starting right guard (Caleb Benenoch) and two more tackles on the depth chart, Leonard Wester and Cole Gardner.
Joe feared for the safety of Ryan Fitzpatrick and America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, and running back Peyton Barber.
But you know what? Those future technical support reps, Walgreens assistant managers and math tutors did a pretty nice job replacing them.
Joe will even go on a limb and say those future AAF tryouts likely did just as good or better than the tripe the Bucs trotted out as a starting offensive line in 2014.
Camp meat? They played and blocked more like solid NFL backups.
Barber averaged 6.8 yards a carry and the Bucs only gave up two sacks in the first half against the likes of Ziggy Ansah and his friends.
“I feel like this year we definitely have depth everywhere,” Barber said of the offensive line. “There is a lot of talent throughout the whole team.”
Yes, left tackle Mike Liedtke, the pride of the football powerhouse of the Midwest, Illinois State, and his linemates did not embarrass themselves at all.
“We did a good job,” Bucs coach Dirk Koetter said of the makeshift offensive line. “Considering the injuries we’ve had, our guys went out there and fought hard. I’m proud of them.”
Joe is still of the mind Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht will go get a versatile offensive lineman in the next two weeks either by a signing or a trade.
But at least for a night, Joe is comfortable with the depth of the beat up offensive line.
August 25th, 2018 at 1:55 am
Sounds like we’re worried about the line on the wrong side of the ball. I still haven’t been that impressed with the d-line. I know there’s injuries there as well but seems like they haven’t meshed well yet.
August 25th, 2018 at 2:36 am
Better analogy would be priests in a room full of alter boys they’d have no clue how to act in a cathouse
August 25th, 2018 at 2:44 am
BuccLuck I do believe you make a fair point… the d line hasnt really impressed me too much… though I am giving that whole unit the benefit of the doubt, I think they’ll be a force by mid season. Main reason I fee this way is JPP. Not because of his individual skill but his drive and leadership, I think the whole team is holding itself to a much higher standard of work this year.
Our Bucs realize that it’s not just talent to win it all, it requires a hell of a lot of talent and a hell of a lot of hard work every day on and off the field…
All that said, I was at the game tonight and got to see that kick-six… MAN that was some energy!!! That one play completely torched my vocal chords (or what was left of them by then at least)
Go Bucs!!
August 25th, 2018 at 3:24 am
The DL may still have some, discipline issues, but they are generating some push I don’t remember seeing for a long time. The starting DBs played a lot more press, and had a lot of good tight coverage.
I’m stoked!
August 25th, 2018 at 5:49 am
@Joe … “But at least for a night, Joe is comfortable with the depth of the beat up offensive line.” Two things impressed me the most Joe. First, Michael Liedtke looked surprisingly good at LT. Second, Payton Barber’s 1st qtr running behind that line (OLine seemed to be creating some push on obvious running situations, and Barber was masterful at finding even a small hole & getting something positive).
Our 1st team DLine looked very stout at holding the line against a hefty Lions’ OLine, and they did a great job against the run I thought (stayed in their gaps better last night than against the Titans). I didn’t see that much real pressure on Stafford (to the point where it made him release early or throw the ball away), but it was enough pressure to keep Stafford focused on the short/intermediate passing game it looked like instead of the deep ball (in most situations).
Our pass defense was disappointing IMO, but without Grimes & Evans back there I figured they’d have problems. What I saw surprised me though. VHIII was very impressive at nickel. Conte was everywhere, but almost always making tackles in a cleanup mode. Ryan Smith (who I really thought improved last year & was ready to take a step forward this year) is still giving up way too much in front of him.
But I focused on our LB play much of the game and I must say … I thought they stunk as a position group. Could not figure out what they were trying to do on obvious passing downs … It kept looking like they’d drop back in space in some type of a man/zone mixture, but leave gaping holes and guys running free relatively short. Whatever it was they were doing, it made me start wondering how much our LBs are at fault for us giving up so much last year in the short/intermediate areas of the field. Not only was their pass coverage questionable, but so was their tackling on too many occasions. Oh well, maybe I was just tired from the late start & seeing things that weren’t really there.
August 25th, 2018 at 8:22 am
Remember the end of last year? Barber ran well behind the oline that was mostly backups at the time. Same last night.
August 25th, 2018 at 8:50 am
ISU Football powerhouse of the Midwest. Thanks joe. But there are so few.
August 25th, 2018 at 8:51 am
O-line looked good despite missing 3 starters.
As for the D-Line, I don’t think we have shown our blitz package. Gholston looked good as a rusing DT. Perhaps this should be his primary position rather than DE.
August 25th, 2018 at 9:05 am
I disagree with the analysis of Ryan Smith. The starting secondary as a whole looked good. Ryan Smith in particular was usually in great position and even when he gave up catches, they were contested and had good coverage. The two glaring mistakes I saw were from the safeties when Conte bit on a short route and had to make a TD saving tackle and then when Whitehead got beat and just barely interfered for a 53 yard penalty. VH3 was excellent in the slot. Carlton Davis gave up some catches but played well. That Harris kid looked good.
August 25th, 2018 at 9:25 am
Defense Rules… I find myself more than often in agreement with your responses on all Buc matters. Nice job consistently.
August 25th, 2018 at 9:38 am
@Lucious Selmon
Agree completely! Some gap discipline issues a few times but overall in the first half I felt our guys definitely got the push on the line.
I was viewing the overall line play…not any individuals…and we were more physical than the Lions line.
So like you I am stoked!
@D.R.
Agree as usual with your observations. I didn’t focus as well as you on the individual groupings.
What did bother me was the long drive the Lions had in the first half from deep inside their own territory. If I remember correctly they converted at least two 3rd and 9’s on that drive. I’m really over not being able to get off the field on 3rd and long….that drove me nuts all last year and so that drive did scare me a bit.
August 25th, 2018 at 11:01 am
The left side of the OL did really well in the first half. The fourth quarter was hard to watch. The Bucs really sucked. With a few exceptions cutting will be relatively easy.
August 25th, 2018 at 11:28 am
Kudos to our backup OL. Even Jones showed real progress catching the football and found some seams thanks to our backup OL when in earlier games our first string starters could not create a seam with the exception of his four yard run into the end zone. Gholston not only looked good at DT last night, he got a sack too. He is our best run stopper behind PFF. The only way Detroit won last night was using a page from some of our early creamsicle pirate teams who would leave their first string units to play the other teams’ second strings and then beat the other teams’ third string units with our second string, so they could win and then sell season tickets for the regular season in the old sombrero. Then we would lose almost all our games in the regular season. The Lions will lose more games this season than the Bucs do.
August 25th, 2018 at 11:47 am
Defense
You weren’t hallucinating, LB play is not good….maybe it’s a communication issue..major sarcasm.. LVD is a day late and a dollar short and Super Kwon? No idea, but he don’t act right.
All in all though, a better effort by the D. Imagine if the LB’s were fierce.
August 25th, 2018 at 3:04 pm
Joe, two sacks in a half is BAD.
That would be the equivalent of giving up 64 sacks in a season.
Which would likely be the worst in the league.
And pretty much guarantee an injured QB or two.
Jameis played well in spite of a sieve of an O-line. They looked horrible to anyone paying close attention.
August 25th, 2018 at 6:36 pm
I agree as well Defense.
I watched a lot of the Line Backer play mostly because they were getting beat by the TEs so often. LD looked slow in coverage and they missed PLENTY of tackles.
Kwon had a couple nice tackles for no gains or even a loss, but then seemed out of position on what looked like simple gap integrity. Runs up the middle just kept going. Really missing Beckwith.
@Alabama I don’t recall even seeing a blitz last night.
There were several 3rd and 9s on one drive and I was shouting at Mike Smith.
I’m still hoping for a method to the madness, like they are saving it from being on game film for the NO, Philly and Pitt. games.
God I hope Mike Smith is running these putrid off schemes to see what the backups can handle and that’s it. There is definitely a time and place for it, but for some reason, Smith always thinks that time and place is for 3rd and distance.
That’s when you bump and run and BLITZ. No way a WR gets to the marker before a blitzing LD gets home.
And lastly, even though the defense showed a true bend and don’t break on the 1st 2 drives, I’m still looking for that dominant 3 and out.
At least every once in a while.
August 25th, 2018 at 7:30 pm
Trade a receiver like …Watson