“You Do Start Getting A Little Bit Paranoid”
August 25th, 2018
Joe would be paranoid, too.
Bucs coach Dirk Koetter is almost equally worried about keeping players healthy for the long haul as he is about his team being crisp once the regular season kicks off. It’s a delicate balance to reach both goals.
So as Koetter has watched his offensive line get decimated by injuries, he admitted after last night’s game injuries were in the back of his head when he pulled Peyton Barber after one successful series.
“We had initially planned to play him a little bit longer [Friday], but he looked so good on that first drive,” Koetter said of his evaluation of his No. 1 running back. “You do start getting a little bit paranoid the closer that you get [to the beginning of the season], especially with our offensive line being a little banged up, we decided to pull him.
“I just told Peyton that I thought he did what we needed him to do tonight, and from now on, we’ll just be getting him ready to play against New Orleans.”
Translation: Barber won’t suit up in the sham of a game Thursday when the Bucs host the Jags.
Joe doesn’t blame Koetter one bit. The Bucs look like they finally have a running game for the first time since 2015. No need for Barber to get blown up next week when a future Jimmy John’s district manager screws up a line call.
Joe bets the Bucs will sit so many players next week, those who will suit up will basically be making up a giant job fair for the AAF.
August 25th, 2018 at 7:36 am
Honestly, imo Barber looked like our best RB last year; He always produced when given an opportunity…
He showed to camp in amazing shape; he definitely looks like a 1000 yard rusher…It took a little time, but hes developed into a really good looking running back…What I like about him is he’s smooth, decisive, runs downhill, and he always seems to fall forward…With Jameis and all of these great receivers around him, with his running style he shouldn’t have any issue finding running room…
August 25th, 2018 at 7:52 am
Thanks Coach K.
Only an idiot would keep him in any longer.
August 25th, 2018 at 8:56 am
Peyton has been the biggest surprise in preseason!
August 25th, 2018 at 9:03 am
Agree Doosh. Thursday should be interesting.
Usually we view a game and being benched is a bad thing…but obviously not in a game like this.
In fact being on the field means you are at the bottom of the pecking order and may not be a Buc for much longer.
These guys are humans and so while I’m not too uptight to have a little fun like Joe describing “future bouncers etc…might throw in a Stockbroker or Attorney…I actually feel for them.
Playing in the NFL has been an overriding obsessive dream for all of them…it’s been the center of their focus…their LIVES. To watch it come to an end…even if it was just a silly long shot dream is sad. That’s why it was good to see Joe Dirt back on the field and making some plays last night.
If you feel them it’s hard not to empathize. This is always my least favorite part of HK..when they follow the guys whose dreams have just been crushed. You know they literally want to cry but they have to hold it in…because they are MEN…and warriors and crying on camera would look really bad.
August 25th, 2018 at 9:14 am
I’m worried about ROJO now being a bust
He had another putrid game on the ground again………screw the long catch cause that’s not what the bucs drafted him for
ROJO is looking like Doug Martin now….just running into the backs of lineman and straight into defenders
ROJO looks lost out there and just trying to make things happen now physically instead of mentally.
August 25th, 2018 at 9:15 am
Ain’t going to happen but in my world ….The NFL would have 3 PS games and 2 weeks before the season opener the heal up and fine tune the roster and dial in the final 53 at practice…
August 25th, 2018 at 9:53 am
I haven’t seen any mention of Hargreaves. I was at the game, near the end of the 3rd quarter he came out of the locker room with his left shoulder wrapped in ice and was walking around on the sideline.
August 25th, 2018 at 10:10 am
Alabama….whats surprising about it? He showed this last year. The coaching staff just kept him.on the sidelines rather than letting him un
August 25th, 2018 at 10:17 am
TV coverage showed Justin Watson being escorted to the locker room in the 4th Quarter. Just a brief shot and no mention by anyone – but I saw it.
Evans took a big shot to the back (ouch) but seemed fine afterwards.
Is there any way to get a post game injury update Joe?
I think we came out of this game in pretty good shape. At least there were no starters laying on the field in pain that I saw other than Evans initially after the hit.
August 25th, 2018 at 10:43 am
That usually comes day after when Koetter speaks but since it is preseason, he doesn’t talk about injuries.
Saw Hargreaves as he was leaving. Seemed fine. Didn’t know about Watson.
August 25th, 2018 at 10:58 am
Pickgrin- I believe that was #19 Jake Lampman. I was watching with a # roster and checked. #17 Watson.
August 25th, 2018 at 11:01 am
Hargreaves was probably just icing down that shoulder from that nice tackle he made on Blount.
August 25th, 2018 at 12:02 pm
It was Lampman.
August 25th, 2018 at 12:04 pm
The OLine squad needs to push through these little nagging injuries. They are way to soft. Get in there and practice/play it’s the only way you will gel as a unit.
August 25th, 2018 at 12:05 pm
Thought for sure it was #17 I saw being walked into the tunnel after a special teams play. (punt?) It was a brief shot. Hope I saw the wrong # and Watson is A-OK or that it was no big deal if it was him.
August 25th, 2018 at 12:48 pm
ME is fine. Coming out of the locker room he said he just got the wind knocked out of him. And smiled 🙂
August 25th, 2018 at 2:17 pm
I think the NFL would really benefit from making the preseason games a Survivor/Amazing Race style of event where the ONLY players dressed in Week 3 and 4 haven’t made the team. Let a player be pulled at any time by the coaches if they have proven they are ready for the real squad. It would be cool to see a rookie WR come up with a big catch and get handed a job right there on the field. That would be good television. It would also give guys that need a job a full game to play on tape.
August 25th, 2018 at 2:59 pm
Yep, this 5-11 team that is starting Fitzpatrick is ALL set!!
Meanwhile, the Pats will play their starters for some of the game in the 4th preseason game like they do EVERY YEAR.
But let’s not try and replicate anything that they do – we wouldn’t want to deal with all that winning and success and our players arms might get strained from the weight of all those rings.
August 25th, 2018 at 3:46 pm
Can we expect Allen to play for 4 qtrs.?
August 25th, 2018 at 7:09 pm
I know it’s only preseason but last night was probably Koetter’s best game since he got here. He’s starting to think like a head coach and not an offensive coordinator. Great Job Coach K !