Costly Move?
November 29th, 2018
Could move backfire?
The way America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, played last week against an underrated 49ers defense, it gives Bucs fans hope.
No, hope for a playoff run is probably too far out there. The Bucs have to win out for a 9-7 record. That might save Bucs Bit-O-Honey-snacking, Ozark-watching, yams-eating coach Dirk Koetter.
Much easier said than done.
Had the Bucs pulled out another win or two earlier this month, maybe things would be different?
Well, Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report believes Koetter may have shot himself in the foot by benching Jameis earlier this season. It not only doomed the Bucs for the year but could cost Koetter dearly.
The decision to start a now 36-year-old backup who’s set to become a free agent in March doesn’t help provide answers at the most important position. To make matters worse, Tampa Bay lost all three games in Fitzpatrick’s second string of starts.
The Buccaneers (4-7) were better off sticking with Winston, who showed improvement at the end of 2017, in order to find out if he’s the franchise quarterback of the future.
Anything short of the Bucs winning out and Koetter’s return is on thin ice for 2019. There are just too many things stacked up against him (barring a finish for the ages) and Koetter is out of chess moves.
The defense, even with the injuries, is a bit better. Jameis, at least last week, is playing better. But is all of this too late to save Koetter?
Of course, Jameis playing well the rest of the way is a double-edged sword for Koetter. It’s helps the Bucs win and it also likely makes Team Glazer want to know why Koetter benched Jameis in the first place or didn’t bring Jameis back sooner?
November 29th, 2018 at 8:41 am
I understood benching him at halftime in the first game he was benched. Things were out of control in that game.
But Koetter should have went right back to him the following week.
That;s when I realized Koetter was desperate.
November 29th, 2018 at 8:49 am
The bottom line is Jameis probably wouldn’t have improved on 400 yards per game. We all know it was the rotton defense that lost tose games, not the QB.
November 29th, 2018 at 8:52 am
You’d be surprised. 🙁
November 29th, 2018 at 8:54 am
Easy to second guess…….and….if he stuck with Winston & he stunk it up again….then what?
I do agree that he should play the rest of the way…..
November 29th, 2018 at 8:57 am
Underrated 49ers defense? Lol,
Joe is drinking his adult beverages early today
November 29th, 2018 at 8:58 am
Winston was benched because he played badly pure and simple. If you turn the ball over so many times you will be benched in the BUCS or in any NFL team, unless you win, but is not the case…..You got repalced and the other QB performed exactly the same way your started did, so stop blaming the coach for things he is not guilty. Blame him for the defense, and some stupid calls, but dont blame him for everything, because he never coaches a talente team, you have talent in different positions but this is not a talented team, sooner or later we have to aknowledge it. I thing Jason Light is MUCH more responsable. TYou will be a bad team if your defense is bad you do not have a running game and your QB´s turn the ball over a lot…….simple….
November 29th, 2018 at 8:59 am
Underrated 49ers defense? Lol,
Joe is drinking his adult beverages early today
Go Joe!!!
November 29th, 2018 at 8:59 am
49ers had the 10th-ranked defense entering the game
November 29th, 2018 at 9:04 am
what will cost dirk his job is his inability to develop winston and other players on the team…….his inability to have an average defense…..those are the reasons why he’ll be fired…..
dirk is done…still a folk in him….glazers tipped their hand by sitting on their hand during the trade deadline…..if they believed in dirk, they wouldve gave him something before the deadline…..
we need to turn our attention the the draft and coaching search…..
Kris Richard 4 HC!!!!!!!
not only has Kris been apart of creating, establishing and maintaining a winning culture with pete carroll, he also developed the legion of boom…..he knows what a championship team looks like and knows what it takes to get there…..
he’s gone from DB coach developing the L.O.B. to calling the defensive plays in dallas while still coaching DB’s…..
look at mcvay, nagy, shannahan…..all young HC’s who started right where Kris is currently….assistant coach, play caller and now HC…..
Kris will turn this team around, develop winston, and create a nasty aggressive defense…..
KRIS RICHARD 4 HC!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
November 29th, 2018 at 9:06 am
Jameis has played full games against Atlanta, Cleveland and San Francisco; and one half vs. Chicago, with ~ 3 quarters VS. Cinn and ~ 1 quarter vs. NYG.
Chi. = 2nd in points allowed, 4th in yards allowed.
Atl. = 29th in points allowed, 28th in yards allowed.
Cle. = 23rd in points allowed, 31st in yards allowed.
Cinn. = 32nd in points allowed, 32nd in yards allowed.
NYG = 25th in points allowed, 23rd in yards allowed.
SF = 27th in points allowed, 11th in yards allowed.
So, maybe Jameis faced tougher competition than his opponents (playing against the Bucs defense), but not tougher than Fitzpatrick did.
tickrdr
BTW: Fitzpatrick has faced NO (15th), PHI 14th), Pitt (12th),Chi (2nd),
Car (21st), Wash (7th), NYG (25th), and Cinn (~ last quarter)(32nd) in points allowed.
Most of those seem to be top half defenses, whereas most of JW3’s opposing defenses were in the bottom quartile.
November 29th, 2018 at 9:07 am
Benching Winston might be the best wake up call for him as he needs to reflect on what he has done wrong.
November 29th, 2018 at 9:08 am
74 turnovers in 50 games. More to come. 4th year. Suspended.
Are you going to tell that Fitz’s first 3 games had zero affect on Dirk’s reasoning for benching a QB that threw 4 picks that could have been 7?
Joe, you are getting desperate. When they dump Winston we will put you on suicide watch.
November 29th, 2018 at 9:08 am
Joe cannot fully buy this (but very much believes Koetter’s hands-off, look-the-other-way approach to the defense has him in hot water).
Jameis — he made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, played well in his second year and played damn well down the stretch last year so this is a mixed bag. Koetter benching Jameis may have doomed his days in Tampa Bay.
Cam Brate — was a nothing tight end until Koetter got a hold of him.
Adam Humphries — an undrafted free agent who is going to bank nice coin this offseason.
Mike Evans — was “fixed” under Koetter (but was Todd Monken’s project).
Chris Godwin — has developed nicely.
Joe cannot finger Koetter for not developing players.
November 29th, 2018 at 9:12 am
tickdr — you just always seem to support and try and justify crappy arse qb’s… good for you for being consistent….
you need to get glennon doing some commercials for your practice he owes you….
November 29th, 2018 at 9:13 am
I don’t care what happens the rest of the year Koetter needs to go. This is about more than wins and losses. Dude can’t make smart personnel decisions and he’s got no clue how to be a head coach. He’s not a leader and this team should have never been this bad.
November 29th, 2018 at 9:16 am
Everything is clearer after the fact. Jameis was struggling and needed a wake up call. Plus fitz did have the hot hand then. I think the lack of confidence in monk calling plays, keeping his buddy at dc, and overall lack of qb development will lead to his firing.
November 29th, 2018 at 9:17 am
Benching Winston resulted in the much more careful controlled and consistent Winston we saw in the last game, a more effective Winston. This could be Koetter’s argument.
November 29th, 2018 at 9:22 am
Hindsight is pretty clear here as it usually is after the fact. Fitzy won NFC Offensive Player of the Week in BOTH of his early starts…and connected with D-Jax early and often including the first play of the Philly game catching them flat footed. I hope Winston plays well the rest of the season and gets to see his 5th year option through….
November 29th, 2018 at 9:25 am
Could it be that Jameis injured his shoulder in the Cleveland game and tried to play through it in Cincinatti? Kind of like like last in after the Vikings game. I remember he kind of leapt/fell awkwardly on his right side running for a first down in that game. Maybe he needed time to heel up and the team didn’t want to be completely honest about an injury, they have 20.9 million reasons to be coy about something like that.
Or maybe, the benching was Dirk’s last ditch effort to coach Winston up about his turnovers. It’s one thing to tell him they’re unacceptable, but apparently that wasn’t sinking in after three and half years. Nothing like telling the kid to ride the pine for a few weeks and let him sit there and think about those turnovers (hell he even had a great example of what his career will look like if he doesn’t playing right in front of him). I mean it is Dork’s job to develop Winston and those turnovers had to be corrected.
Or maybe Dirk honestly thought that Fitz gave them a better chance of winning.
I don’t know, I just want my team to not suck. I’m hoping the team plays competitive, respectable football down the stretch (but don’t get too carried away and blow our draft position).
November 29th, 2018 at 9:28 am
Joe cannot finger Koetter for not developing players.
cant buy that joe…..
cam and adam maybe…..but i really think their hard work and determination got them to where they’re at now…..
winston hasnt developed into what most expected him to be…..mike didnt need much developing but rather maturity…..
but dirk has failed to develop d.smith….he aint bad but he’s nowhere near scratching the surface…..
marpet has struggled with inconsistency…..but he was a D2 product…..
my point is, besides a few pass catcher’s dirk hasnt developed anyone…..and in regards to developing the pass catchers you have to give credit to skyler fulton(wr coach) and ben steele(te coach)…..
but i do agree with you regarding his inability to do anything with the defense…..i cant believe the glazers would hire someone who admits they only deal with 1 side of the ball……that was a sign of his incompetence right there!!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
November 29th, 2018 at 9:29 am
joe
name a player dirk has developed that aint a pass catcher…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
November 29th, 2018 at 9:37 am
813bucboi
i would not give dirk credit for pass catchers. Evans went to the next level when Moneken came in. Plus godwin has regressed a little lately it seems. hump is what he is a low ceiling number 4 that will tease you a bit but you can’t win with low ceiling talent consistently. I guess I am confused who he developed at wr…
Koetter’s indecisiveness was embarrassing with Mike Smith, Winston / Fitzpatrick and most embarrassing of all with the play calling waffling. just proves there is ZERO leadership in that building TOP to BOTTOM from owners to janitors no one is leading….
November 29th, 2018 at 9:37 am
Who is better in the red zone,Winston or Fitz??(exactly).. Winston will make a good back up for a team .
November 29th, 2018 at 9:41 am
ben Says:
November 29th, 2018 at 9:37 am
Who is better in the red zone,Winston or Fitz??(exactly).. Winston will make a good back up for a team .
winston will be winning titles elsewhere if he is lucky enough to escape tampa while you losers will be collecting choirboy scum and basement titles… reality is truly a beotch….
November 29th, 2018 at 9:46 am
I agree with playing Winston now but it is not hard to figure out why he was pulled. Take another look at the Bengal game where Winston threw 6 passes directly into the hands of Bengals defenders. They were shockingly bad throws. Fortunately they dropped 2 of them.
November 29th, 2018 at 9:49 am
I hope even if we win out they fire koetter.4 years and still no playoffs?it’s not the players,it’s the coaches and system. Bring in Bruce Arians,Jimmy Johnson,shoot I would even take Chuck pagano or better yet….FATHER DUNGY!
November 29th, 2018 at 9:51 am
Stick a fork in hin already. None of this if he wins out… should the guy really be brought acj if he somehow has a miracle fluke run right at the end of the season?
November 29th, 2018 at 9:56 am
Buccaneer Bonzai Says:
November 29th, 2018 at 8:41 am
I understood benching him at halftime in the first game he was benched. Things were out of control in that game.
But Koetter should have went right back to him the following week.
That;s when I realized Koetter was desperate.
_________________
I agree completely Bonzai.
This along with several other decisions Koetter has made feel like they were done by an irrational fan and not the head coach of an NFL team.
November 29th, 2018 at 10:01 am
“Klueless destroyed my career and i barely lived to tell about it”
Blaine Gabbert
November 29th, 2018 at 10:03 am
Did the rotten defense lose the Pittsburgh game or did a rotten QB lose it. Did a rotten defense lose the Chicago game. Every instinct, every move Koetter has made failed. The only good thing he did was taking back the play calling from Monken which finally used the running game.
November 29th, 2018 at 10:04 am
I don’t know that this is a double edge sword. Winston needed a wake-up call and it seems at first glance to have worked. He wasn’t playing where we needed him to be and just throwing him out there because he was the #1 pick isn’t a winning formula. Everything needs to be earned and I think he honestly earned his way back onto the field. Many are quoted saying how impressed they were with how he handled himself post-benching. Now obviously Winston needs to finish strong but sitting him and showing him you could lose everything seems to have paid off for right now.
November 29th, 2018 at 10:11 am
tmax
i agree…dirk doesnt deserve credit for developing pass catchers…..that goes to the position coach…..
dirk would get credit for having at worse an average team that competes but the team he’s in charge of isnt average and only competes when they’re down 21points and the game is over….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
November 29th, 2018 at 10:13 am
I said before the season started that Dirk would lose his job if he continued to start Fitz after Winstons suspension was over. And it looks like I was on point. Just another stupid decision and reason why Dirk is in over his head as HC. Amazing to me that the haters want to give Dirk a pass because of a 3 game suspension to a QB. LMAO. Any coach that cant survive 3 games without any player is ridiculous and not suited to be a HC. But unfortunately it was quite obvious that Dirk was not suited to be a HC far before the 3 game suspension.
November 29th, 2018 at 10:22 am
@ben, if you did a little research, you’d find fitz is the worst qb in the NFL in the redzone. Next time do your homework. Makes it easier to not look like a fool
November 29th, 2018 at 10:28 am
Jameis’ next td throw will be his 80th of his short career.
Touchdown machine.
November 29th, 2018 at 11:02 am
Excuse after bleeping excuse! There has been virtually ZERO difference in QB play sans ONE freakin’ game!
The only difference, and the only reason we keep talking about it, is one was a #1 overall pick who was expected to be the “franchise” and the other, who is a 36 year-old jouneyman.
If it were any other scenario we’d be talking about drafting a QB right now!
No matter who you throw out there the QB position has played poorly.
Please put Jameis out there so that we can determine if we’re going to keep him or not. We need to put an end to this conversation once and for all.
November 29th, 2018 at 11:23 am
No-one, even Joe didn’t pick the Bucs to go 9-7. Why is that the magic number now? At the beginning expectations were 5,6,7 wins where 8-8 would probably be his reprieve. It sure looks like this Joe has had enough of Koetter. 9-7 dayum
November 29th, 2018 at 11:31 am
…and let’s not lose sight of the fact that Jameis caused all of this. Had he not been suspended there is no telling how our season would have gone. One thing for sure is that we would have never witnessed the heroic Fitzmagic in games 1 and 2.
November 29th, 2018 at 11:51 am
Jean Lafitte Says:
November 29th, 2018 at 11:31 am
…and let’s not lose sight of the fact that Jameis caused all of this.
Jameis is a VICTIM sir…. He did not cause anything…. A pathetic attorney combined with a couple of gold digging skanks made jameis an easy target for a money grab. the soft PC nfl and spineless glazers caved instead of standing behind the most talented player in franchise history. I understand facts are irrelevant to the anti jameis crowd. not a single court of law has ever charged Jameis. not once… I hope your son or daughter gets falsely accused and completely railroaded and their lives ruined. it will be fun to watch, won’t it????. Innocent until proven guilty. the constitution used to matter.
November 29th, 2018 at 12:08 pm
Dirk’s offense is among the top rated in the league with a subpar OL and a starting QB that missed 3 games for stupidity and a lousy kicker. If this defense continues to improve and the offense can limit the TO’s and play winning football, then I think you give it one more year.
November 29th, 2018 at 12:08 pm
Has it ever occurred to you, Joe, that perhaps Jameis played better last week BECAUSE he was benched. He went from bottoming out against the Bengals to leading a 28 point comeback in a single half and then playing one of the best games of his career.
Why do you think he would have played exactly like that had Koetter gave him the start after the Bengals game?
The journalism this year across the board is shaky. Everyone is so quick to write knee-jerk reactions it s unreal. How many articles were spewed out that Jameis had played his last game as a Buc after he was benched after the Bengals?
I remember thinking… I’m not that old at all… but I’ve certainly been on planet earth long enough to know with 100% certainty that Jameis would play again this season.
I expect better from the people who follow the game.
November 29th, 2018 at 12:12 pm
Jameis should’ve been the starter after week3. All the FitzMagic fans screwed the team and Koetter and Licht are going to lose their jobs because of Fitz. FITZ AND DJAX had a cute connection. That also contributed to the demise of the team. Can Koetter and Fireeee Licht!
November 29th, 2018 at 12:17 pm
Joe,
Have you ever thought that benching Winston was koetter saving jameis career?
Remember , Jameis lied to the organization that drafted him under scrutiny and led to a suspension. Your leader should be trusted and that was a trust violation.
And dating back to the last 5 games plus the first 5 games, Winston was turning the ball over almost 3 times a game. That’s scary.
Maybe what was best for Winston was being benched to learn you won’t be long for this league if you turn it over. And the way Fitzpatrick played in the last qtr and a half, he dug them out of the hole jameis put them in. So I think benching Winston to get his head straight was justified.
November 29th, 2018 at 12:19 pm
Eric Says:
November 29th, 2018 at 10:28 am
Jameis’ next td throw will be his 80th of his short career.
Touchdown machine.
How many turnovers?
November 29th, 2018 at 12:58 pm
Kotter is gone pure and simple, no amount of wins in the final games can save him, even winning out. The development of Jameis I put on both Kotter AND Jameis, on Kotter faults he neglected to build a offensive game plan to help his young QB. I guess he thought since Jameis played the big gun slinger in college that he would transition to the pros and be able to do the same, the mistake in that is no offense in college plays to the speed of the NFL, second no defenses in college cover and are fast as in the NFL, so a college QB has time to allow long plays to develop and more time to read defenses to pick them apart. The blame I put on Jameis for his play is simple, previous of this year he has been trying to be the same style of QB he was in the collegiate systems instead of learning to play smarter and take what the defense gAve him. This year I believe his is issue is easier to fix if he hasn’t already figured it out. During preseason he came out lighting it up, then during the suspension he watched as Fitzpatrick blew up, seeing that and how the fans embraced Fitzpatrick wearing the beards, the media, the fans it got to his head(which by the way he has never had that kind of support, yes he caused his own issue there), so when he finally got a chance to lead and start he tried to imitate Fitzpatrick which is not his play style or skill set. Last game and it you go back to the end of last season you will notice his play style, reads and throws look a lot similar than any other game this season. He hopefully realized that he has to play his style his skill set. His inability to connect with DJ, I put on both DJ AND Jameis, most every other receiver we have has pretty much the same speed except DJ. I believe Jameis has a inability to translate the release/timing difference he needs to hit DJ as deep, IMO DJ stretches Jameis arm strength to where he has to put everything into his throws to hit him so he has a problem getting the timing perfect.
November 29th, 2018 at 1:02 pm
T Rex
Too many turnovers just like a lot of young QB’s have had.
But you cant dispute that he is a touchdown machine also.
November 29th, 2018 at 1:11 pm
The journalism on this site is magnificent. Give the Joes nothing but credit for sticking with Jameis amongst all the fan uproar that has quieted down. Joe is a Bucs fan and a dadgum good one at that! Joe for President 2020!
November 29th, 2018 at 1:18 pm
tmaxcon ,
You hope my child gets falsely accused? You sir are the epitome of the meaning of ignorant.
November 29th, 2018 at 1:20 pm
Was it Koetters fault Jameis got himself benched the first 3 games of the season for sexually assaulting a female cab driver? Was it Koetters fault that Jameis was rusty and played poorly in some of the games after he came back? Was it Koetters fault Fitz played lights out those first couple of games….and continued to outplay Jameis in spots after he did come back?
I’m not a Koetter homer, but I’m not a Jameis homer either. In my mind, Jameis is more to blame for his benching than the HC!
November 29th, 2018 at 1:25 pm
Since everyone is blaming Licht on all our problems, why don’t you do some research Joe and talk about who could be good new presidents (don’t need to here Arians again) and GM instead of HC.
Please people stop saying non of this is on Koetter. People were just as pissed and he was on the hot seat last year for keeping Doug Martin starting 3/4 of the year running Koetter’s classic up the middle into a brick wall. People (myself included) wanted to burn down Koetter’s house with him in it cus he didn’t fire his butt buddy Smitty earlier on. Starts players like Isaiah Johnson over Ryan Smith. Keeps Cappa inactive and starting revolving door, hydraulic bouncing Benenoch starting until we’re 3-7 and Cappa has a nice day. Even if he did have good players he wouldn’t know how to use them correctly.
November 29th, 2018 at 1:51 pm
Burn down the house with your torches and pitchforks. Why not? We do this every 2 years why stop now? So we all think Jameis will be better starting over with a new system? Next we will be saying that Jameis played badly because he’s having to learn a whole new system. It’s same excuses and talking points all the time. Have I ever said how hard it is to be a GD fan?
November 29th, 2018 at 2:04 pm
Good points Jean, but the problem I have is its not just JW, there are parts that don’t even play like a pro football team.
And he is the captain of the ship.
When ownership is giving tickets away that is a very bad sign. As Raheem said they are in the entertainment business.
Only winning out saves the man IMO.
November 29th, 2018 at 2:05 pm
And just to add and close “Jean Lafitte” the incident was in 2016 !! and came to roost in 2018!!
That’s a lot of time and games played before then deciding he needs to be punished the first 3 game of 2018; which in hind sight was a very critical year for QB & HC !!
November 29th, 2018 at 3:03 pm
All the “experts” said Fitzpatrick should start, Jameis played awful (with so much at stake.) He deserved to be benched, it’s accountability. I don’t have any reason to believe if nothing changes that he turns his game around and wins those games
November 29th, 2018 at 4:10 pm
Jameis is our QB .The suspension messed up the season.Fitz playing out of his mind the first 2 games fooled Koetter.He will be fired.Nick Foles won a super bowl and Wentz is struggling but you don’t see Philly benching Wentz
November 29th, 2018 at 4:34 pm
The only way Koetter saves his job is by winning 4 of last 5- only way that happens is if Bucs have no turnovers the rest of way – not likely.
Why would you want him back anyway? So Bucs can start another year 3-5?
1/2 this coaching staff needs to be replaced and Licht needs to draft more OL and DL
Jameis recognized he had a drinking problem and dealt with it… that’s the story. Koetter is not head coach material- how he handled Jameis is just one among many over his head decisions
November 29th, 2018 at 7:17 pm
Jean Lafitte
sucks when someone calls you out for your BS…. if the shoe was on the other foot you would handle yourself differnetly….