It’s Not The Playcalling
August 25th, 2018
Dishes out credit.
Last week when Bucs offensive coordinator and straight-shooter Todd Monken spoke with members of the Bucs’ pen and mic club, he tried to say in a roundabout way he wasn’t the reason the first and second team offense has been humming in the preseason.
Monken has been calling plays for the Bucs through the preseason. It’s the first time Koetter handed over the duties since he arrived in 2015.
Monken said consistently sharp training camp practices have carried over to the playing field and the gameplans developed each week have been crafted the same way as they have since he came on board two years ago. The only difference is he is the playcaller.
Yesterday, after the Bucs looked very strong in the first half but faltered to a 33-30 loss, Koetter said a combination of the Bucs quarterbacks knowing what they are doing plus the depth of talent at receiver have combined to get the Bucs scoring a lot of points.
“Our quarterbacks are doing a really good job of making signals or checks at the line of scrimmage to get us in the right play,” Koetter said. “On [a reception by running back] Ronald Jones, [Detroit had] a linebacker out there covering him. They signaled it. The guys are just doing a nice job.
“So, we’re able to package some things together based on the defense we are getting. It really starts with the quarterbacks getting us in the right thing. All three of those guys are really throwing the ball on the money, and then you’ve got guys that can make plays.”
Will Monken continue to call plays since he is on a hot streak? It’s unlikely but nothing is set in stone. Monken said this week that he is happy to do whatever Koetter asks him to do, noting this week his primary goal is for the Bucs to win games.
If the team can accomplish that by Koetter taking back playcalling duties, Monken is good with that.
August 25th, 2018 at 7:42 am
hey koetter, if you enjoy reading these articles, and like your job, i would suggest that you, as in the words of the great john lennon,” let it be” oh let it be, don’t rock the boat, if it aint broke don’t fix it, got it?
August 25th, 2018 at 7:42 am
“Sure it aint! Klueless better learn from Monk to continuously throw the short passing attack to Godwin and OJ
This is highly efficient and probable. This helps move the chains and loosens the run game and the deep vertical game and not the only way around.
Kobe has been saying for 2 years that we need a new playcaller. The offense will be indefensible if the offense went thru Godwin and Oj.
“The quick short passing attack cures Jameis fumbles and from his hero ballitis”
Kobe Faker
August 25th, 2018 at 7:57 am
i agree with Kobe 100
August 25th, 2018 at 8:08 am
Speaking of the offense. I haven’t heard anyone mention that the buc’s 3rd string offense scored a TD on the lions starting unit to begin the 3rd quarter. Our #5-6 reciever Watson had Slay beat before the PI. Martino scored the TD on Lawson I believe. Patricia’s D looked bad.
August 25th, 2018 at 8:16 am
Monken Wil call the plays. There is zero reason for Koetter to not call.them.for the entire preseason. He’s just trying to give new Orleans something to think about
August 25th, 2018 at 8:40 am
There still seems to be some dificulty with the opposing defense keyed on running plays…..It seemed that last night we called a couple of 2nd & 1 running plays….pitch outs to Rojo and there were 3 or 4 Dlinemen meeting him as he just received the handoff
There was absolutely no chance he could gain yards.
I like a short pass on 2nd and 1……
August 25th, 2018 at 8:44 am
Right on Kobe
August 25th, 2018 at 8:44 am
The first week that Koetter takes over the play calling should be the last week he coaches this team, IMO. It is the stubbornness that is so baffling. I wish Buckner would take over the Defensive calls and let Mike Smith be a supervisor from the press box. Off coverage on 3rd and long makes me want to punch someone.
August 25th, 2018 at 8:45 am
I’m not sure why everyone is concerned about who is calling the plays, It’s preseason and most things are pretty vanilla anyway. Now once the season starts and the games count I would imagine the will open up the playbook one reason being there opposition will insert a more formidable defensive scheme. Going from preseason scrimmages to regular season is huge transition.
August 25th, 2018 at 9:22 am
I simply do not get all this Koetter bashing when it comes to play calling.
In his first year in the NFL, he had immediate success setting franchise records for total points scored and yards gained while helping the Jaguars to an 11–5 record. In his five seasons with the Jaguars, the team cumulatively ranked third in the NFL in rushing yards over that time span. I think Barber gives him a chance to get his rushing game back in order.
He is well respected in the league for his offensive chops AND play calling. Yet we have armchair coaches here who are sure they can do better.
You can call all the plays you want but you need the horses to execute. We finally have all the horses harnessed and ready to go.
And let’s judge Koetter/Moncken/Bajakian on their REAL responsibility…developing Jameis.
Based on the preseason so far I give that trio an A plus! Of course I give Jameis credit as well. He’s obviously worked hard in the off season and has improved touch and accuracy. His decision making last night was also excellent.
Yeah Jameis throwing looks better but what has impressed me more than anything about Jameis this year is he has found a critical missing ingredient.
POISE!!!
You can say a lot about Jameis skill set…his flaws…but my biggest concern has always been his poise which dramatically effects his decision making which has been shaky at times in his first three years.
Jameis just looks really poised and focused this year and we already know he has the talent.
August 25th, 2018 at 9:43 am
So many dummies. Dirk is 100% correct. It’s not and has never been about the play calling.
August 25th, 2018 at 9:56 am
Say what you will but if this team goes to NO and puts up 10 points with Dirk calling the plays then you know what the first question is going to be in the after game press conference. And it should be this offensive has rythum right and it didn’t most of last year, Monk is doing a great job.
August 25th, 2018 at 11:07 am
Agree with Kobe
August 25th, 2018 at 11:40 am
TBBF- yes. Did you hear Arians comment on the toss pitch. Said something like Thst May work in college but not the NFL. Love Arians, if Koetter can’t get it done I hope he’d be our next coach. The Bucs left a good impression on him.
What the Buc- You should’ve been on JBF live thread last night during the game I pointed that out as it happened. Our 2s scored on them too.
August 25th, 2018 at 11:52 am
Stanglassman, you’re observant then because I don’t think a lot of people caught that. Slay is a top tier NFL cornerback too so its impressive. Also Patricia put in his starting RB in garbage time so he could go for 4th and 1. Pathetic
August 25th, 2018 at 11:53 am
Klueless back in charge calling the plays week 1?
Get used to OJStocker back to blocking and Little Hump taking special teams Godswins targets
“I just love the way OJ blocks…I accidentally called him OJ Stocker”
Klueless Koetter
August 25th, 2018 at 12:13 pm
St Pete
I’m really surprised at you…all those years you reference, what was DKs job?
August 25th, 2018 at 12:43 pm
He was the OC…I think he called plays in Atlanta as well.
Perhaps I misunderstand your concern. Seems to there are two camps of concerns. Those who feel DK simply doesn’t have the talent of experience to call plays. That’s who I am addressing.
There is another group who think he can call plays but not as the HC. They believe the HC has too many other duties and doesn’t have enough time to dedicate to play calling. I certainly understand that concern and have an open mind there although there are plenty of examples of HC’s like Payton who have done both successfully.
August 25th, 2018 at 12:50 pm
“Remember the greatest show on turf? What happened to the offensive mind? ”
Mike Martz is/will be the HC OF Alliance Sandiego football team..LOL
“What does EVERY TEAM in the NFL need?”
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN
August 25th, 2018 at 1:17 pm
I don’t know about the play calling but I remember in a game last year Bucs were 3rd and 1 around midfield and Sims yes that Charles Sims was in the backfield and they RAN the ball. lol. Really? You are running Sims on a 3rd and 1? Of course we all know the outcome. Sims got stuffed like a turkey dinner. So I would have to agree that Monkey should continue to call the plays. The team seems to be in a good rhythm why mess with it.
August 25th, 2018 at 1:18 pm
*Monken
Joe you need an edit button
August 25th, 2018 at 3:24 pm
I dont know much about playcalling but I do know if Koetter is calling plays and our offense is sitting on 6 points every halftime folks on this board are gonna start coming unglued.
August 25th, 2018 at 3:33 pm
Dapostman. Winning on 3rd and 1 is something that defines good teams in this league. This os not something we are able to do on either side of the ball.
A lot of things go out the window on 3rd and 1 including playcalling.
You could go back as far as Gruden Im sure but just speaking for Koetter we have not been able to win 3rd and 1s since he took over. We havent been able to convert them on offense since Dirk has been the OC(1 year longer).
We got all these fans on here saying hashtag fix the Bucs. The the first place they meed to start is winning 3rd and 1s. That is if they want to ever get close to championship material.
August 25th, 2018 at 4:03 pm
I just wonder if the success is due to coaches not being familiar with Monken’s playcalling style. Maybe once they learn his tendencies, it might not be as successful.
August 25th, 2018 at 4:13 pm
Gruden had 3’rd and Ike Hilliard who was always money. I miss him.
August 25th, 2018 at 4:15 pm
Why does a pass to OJ Howard work?
6 6″ 250lb muscle, 4.5 forty time, great route running, great run after catch, great separation…etc
why would it work?
This is putting Travis Kelce as an extra blocker and not using him in the passing game
“IT IS A ABSOLUTE TRAVESTY WHY WE ARE NOT FEATURING THIS WEAPON ON OFFENSE!!”
We have a undefendable player and the sheep is wondering why we cant score in the red zone??
“Where is poster Lakeland when you need him”
Kobe Faker
August 25th, 2018 at 4:23 pm
Agree w/ Stpete. Blind negativity cannot cloud the fact that our offense has been pretty legit and was probably top 5 in the last quarter of last year with DK calling the plays. Change is good and fine, but don’t let your pure negativity (I got it, you have a right…high ticket prices…you deserve more… yada yada) obscure the fact that our offense in total has not bern bad. Team sport with 5 games lost in the final 4 minutes with the lead. But that was last year and that year is over. Concur the test the coaches have NOT faced this year (not last year, again which is over) is true in game adjustments with your final 53 (most evaluation and install complete). No one can assess that yet, cause it hasn’t happened. You don’t know spit about DK’s playcalling this year with this team and anything you do know about previous seasons is either good or doesn’t matter since its a different team. Continue the process. Breath thru your nose. Go Bucs!