Revival Complete For Doug Martin
December 25th, 2018
Impressive season
The ol’ Muscle Hamster once had his image adorned on the Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway for all to see.
He also was suspended (coach’s decision) for the biggest game of 2016, and then suspended again for a game (coach’s decision in 2017), on top of a three-game league drug suspension that spanned both seasons.
And then there was the 2.9 yards-per-carry average toting the rock for the Bucs over those two years.
The Bucs did the right thing releasing Martin, and it seems his savior, Chucky, did the right thing making Martin a member of the Raiders.
Joe has watched Martin in three games this season including his 21-carry, 107-yard night against the Broncos last night. Martin has never looked like the guy who was a superstar for the Bucs in 2012 and 2015, but he sure has looked like a legitimate NFL running back again, even posting strong games against good teams like the Ravens, Chargers and Colts.
Joe hammered away at Martin’s game and the decision to keep him on the Bucs’ roster in 2017. It was flat out dumb. That led to legions of Bucs fans (and Martin fanboys) to assume Joe had something against Martin and wanted him to fail. There never was a shred of truth to that.
Congrats to the Muscle Hamster. With 151 carries this season for 623 yards and four touchdowns, he’ll certainly collect an NFL paycheck next year, when he turns 30. He beat the odds and has plenty to be proud of.
Joe can’t say the same for Ronald Jones, which is another sad footnote on this Bucs season.
December 25th, 2018 at 8:02 am
Told ya so.
December 25th, 2018 at 8:09 am
Ladanian Tomlinson in his prime would look below average with our o line under Dirks command. Time for a fresh start next year, hopefully ownership hires a great football mind to get a grip of football operations and start cleaning house.
December 25th, 2018 at 8:11 am
OL
December 25th, 2018 at 8:13 am
Looks the the purveyors of this blog are as good at evaluating talent as Jason Gump… I wouldn’t doubt it if he drafts a long snapper and holder in rounds 1-2 next year. GO GUMP!!!
December 25th, 2018 at 8:13 am
It’s almost like our O-line has sucked out loud at run-blocking for the past 3 seasons or something and that it wasn’t all Doug Martins fault…
That couldn’t be the case though… could it Joe? You’ve told us all so many times about the O-line not being that bad…
GENTLEMEN, you see anyone else on the Bucs with a 2.9 yards-per-carry average? No, you don’t. And you didn’t last year. Martin was awful here and needed to go. Joe is glad the Bucs moved on. The O-line has issues, many do. But again, it hasn’t kept the Bucs from moving the ball and scoring more points than half the league.–Joe
December 25th, 2018 at 8:19 am
And some want to get rid Of Dirk Koetter
December 25th, 2018 at 8:20 am
Amazing what a RB can do with an offensive line. Funny thing is Sweezy looks pretty good back in Seattle so is it scheme or just bad timing for the Bucs?
December 25th, 2018 at 8:22 am
4.13 yds per carry this season compared to 2.9 with the Bucs.
December 25th, 2018 at 8:23 am
It’s gonna be a while before this team turns it around, this is not good. We’re cursed I swear! CURSED I TELL YOU!!!!!!!!
December 25th, 2018 at 8:31 am
LAUGHING OUT LOUD. This website was thrashing Doug Martin last year and I repeatedly said this man didn’t have a hole at any point to make hay. I’ve been saying this for 10 years about the OL and nobody will listen. Now that “America’s QB” is under siege Joe and the Munchkins want an OL and running to save the new game manager. It’s just laughable.
December 25th, 2018 at 8:36 am
He just needed a kick in the pants and a fresh start.
Happens all the time in sports
Glad for Doug
December 25th, 2018 at 8:47 am
Again. This looks bad on George Warhop . Sweezy made pro bowl
The oline has done little for its running backs.
He must have naked pictures of the glazer family.
December 25th, 2018 at 8:48 am
Joe, damn dude give it up already. The same guy averaged 2.9 yards here and is averaging much more in Oakland. You know scientists would do an experiment like this and it would be quite clear that the variable is the offensive line that caused his lack of success in Tampa. I mean it’s the same damn dude doing much better with another team and line. Time to cut Smith or move him to guard or the right side and try to upgrade most of the o-line. Even though you won’t admit it, it is clear now that without upgrading the line the running game ain’t gonna be good in Tampa.
December 25th, 2018 at 8:50 am
Drug Martin joins a cast of what arguably could be an all time team of Tampa cast offs that have gone on to thrive elsewhere
SOHO superstars!!!!
December 25th, 2018 at 8:57 am
And guess what Jamies will do the same thing if he leaves Tampa. But yall just don’t understand that coaching is the problem. Every time a good player or a ok player leaves Tampa and play well some where else.
December 25th, 2018 at 9:02 am
Do you mean the propaganda campaign to run him out of town was unwarranted? You don’t say. Who saw that coming? Absolute yellow journalism. Who will be this years’ scapegoats?
Another fan forgetting Martin averaged a league-low and historic-low 2.9 yards per carry over 2 years. Peyton Barber is averaging 3.7 yards per carry this year and 3.8 over his career of nearly 400 carries. Jacquizz is at 4.0 yards per carry over the past three years, also a 220-carry sample size. Martin deserved to be run after the 2016 season — and again in 2017 — based on his performance, not anything else, not even factoring in his off-field nonsense. So many of you forget he was a healthy one-game suspension by Dirk Koetter last year after violating team rules.–Joe
December 25th, 2018 at 9:20 am
No our offensive line is BAD. They don’t keep their blocks and forget to go until the whistle blows.
December 25th, 2018 at 9:25 am
Martin in a contract year with Oakland?
December 25th, 2018 at 9:31 am
But Doug Martin is not good enough for this loser franchise. Makes sense. Martin was constantly a scapegoat on this website; we’re still bad even with him gone
December 25th, 2018 at 9:38 am
It’s simple-
Koetter is not good at scheming running game- he didn’t at Atlanta and he hasn’t here either.
And the OLine has needed and still needs serious upgrades in talent
December 25th, 2018 at 9:39 am
Oh please! He’s playing for a contract again. Just don’t sign him to more than one year at a time. Chucky will, though. GO BUCS and Merry Christmas!
December 25th, 2018 at 9:39 am
Way to man-up Joe.
Martin did suck though….
December 25th, 2018 at 9:41 am
Some want to get rid of Koetter? Most want to get rid of him. He’s an amateur and can’t do something as basic as run the football, somehow tried to use Martin as the scapegoat we’ll we have a better back starting. Dude sucks big time and we kill this team for not developing cornerbacks but I don’t see a developing o line, running backs or quarterback but yea he’s a great coach🤢
December 25th, 2018 at 9:42 am
Not so quick to call Rojo a bust……they put the guy in once or twice a game which signals……”they are running with Rojo”…….three defenders meeting Rojo when he receives the handoff….predictable…..and horrendous blocking.
December 25th, 2018 at 9:48 am
Yup Martin played big in Contract years
And partied every other year . Loves his molly
December 25th, 2018 at 9:53 am
@Patrick … “Martin was constantly a scapegoat on this website; we’re still bad even with him gone.” Scapegoats? We still have scapegoats Patrick? Gee, I thought we ran them all off already. Well, until the NEXT losing season of course. Then it’s time for a new “Scapegoat of the Week’ poll … and off they go into the wilderness.
December 25th, 2018 at 10:03 am
Doug Martin is as good or better than any back on our roster!
Releasing him is yet another example of the Bucs getting rid of good football players.
I swear you could make a pretty competitive (maybe even a winning) football team just full of guys we’ve released.
But hey good luck next year D Jax! Our 5-11 football team is to good for you!
December 25th, 2018 at 10:06 am
Just like people want to get rid Jameis maybe at some point we realize it is the coaches not the players.
December 25th, 2018 at 10:12 am
Good for Doug, I liked him. Sad he could never be the franchise back we wanted him to be when we drafted him round 1 in 2012 but I’m happy he’s becoming a solid contributor elsewhere.
December 25th, 2018 at 10:15 am
Joe, instead of being condescending to the fans calling them Martin fan boys, how about acklowedge a little more accurately the arguments you had with fans.. JBFs year long position: “Doug Martin completely sucks, the Oline is perfectly fine.” The fans argument the whole time: “our Oline is garbage in run blocking.” Here we are a year later with Peyton Barber struggling to crack 3 ypc with this Oline,
Why make things up? First, Barber is averaging 3.7 yards per carry this year and 3.8 over his career of nearly 400 carries. Martin was at a league and historic-low 2.9. You act like Joe was the guy running the ball. Additionally, Jacquizz Rodgers is at 4.0 yards per carry over the past three years, also a 220-carry sample size. Lastly, you didn’t hear Joe lobbying for any Bucs O-linemen to be named to the Pro Bowl last season, so let’s not pretend Joe said the line was perfectly fine. Joe simply maintained it wasn’t as bad as it was made out to be in 2017. –Joe
our second round RB with a confidence issue after repeatedly getting destroyed In the backfield, and Doug Martin looking like a legitimate RB behind a solid Oline. We were right, you were wrong and you were insulting about it the entire way.
December 25th, 2018 at 10:25 am
Martin had a decent year but lets not get carried away, the Raiders will finish 4-12 and draft ahead of the Bucs unless they go to KC and win with the Chiefs still fighting with the Chargers for their division. Martin put up numbers but that did not translate to wins for Chuckie and if you read the Denver press they are going off about how the Broncos basically handed the game away to Oakland with a lot of mistakes that seemed a lot like the same things that the Bucs do: delay of game penalties, one on a 4th and 1, the 99 yard punt return the Broncs allowed, crucial penalties, 2 first downs in a half, a basic total lack of discipline etc. It looks like Vance Joseph has a lot in common with Dirk Koetter with the Broncos simply playing bad football and props to Martin for taking advantage of a 10 loss team. NFL players of any caliber tend to take advantage of poorly coached teams like Denver and Tampa. The one difference is that John Elway is not going anywhere as GM but I am not so sure the same could be said for Licht if the Glazers actually look at the dude’s track record which is in Mark Dominick territory.
December 25th, 2018 at 10:36 am
It’d be nice if our stubborn HC actually dropped his love affair with Peyton Barber (tough but average) and gave Ronald Jones more than TWENTY THREE carries this year!!! Hard enough to run behind our OL without any freaking carries!!
December 25th, 2018 at 11:05 am
KAN SOMEONE SAY KLASSIC KOETTER KALLS?
Continuous stacking the box with $hitty o-line trying to run him up the gut. Every defense knows it’s the same play everytime Koetter stacks the box. Same thing happens every time. Stuffed at the line of scrimmage or LOY. Like Smitty, only took him 12 games of terrible Martin play to switch to Barber.
December 25th, 2018 at 11:06 am
Remember all these yards when people claim we have no run game. Remember all this when everyone claims the o-line is so bad yet they can move the ball between the 20’s. Hell even get to the 5 yard line but can’t score.
December 25th, 2018 at 11:21 am
Shaun Wilson 2019= what everyone thought RoJo would be after we drafted him. Fast as hell. Can hit the hole. Mad shakes. Hands and can make it work in space. Can get a good RG to open up the run, very excited.
December 25th, 2018 at 11:26 am
Barber is averaging .8 of a yd more thanl Martin did last season which is slightly better but the problem still exists the o-line is not very good in run blocking. Either that or the scheme is not very good.
December 25th, 2018 at 11:33 am
He was always good at putting up meaningless yards on a basement dwelling team. Guy is a loser whoes best highlights will be his drug relapses
December 25th, 2018 at 11:39 am
So barber succeeds with a good offensive line like many of us thought he could and now we just bash Ronald Jones for not getting out of the backfield with a line that has jameis running for his life. Why is barber averaging more? Because he’s a power back not small like Rojo and Martin. Jacquizz is averaging four because they run it out of shotgun on passing downs and on 3rd and 18. Not difficult. Maybe if they put him in on first down when the world knows we r r running he wouldn’t be at 4.0 a carry. Amazing how it’s clear why Martin was failing yet right away you move on to bashing Rojo. Unreal
December 25th, 2018 at 12:03 pm
You can’t be serious.
After everything the last 10 years you don’t know why Sweezy (and 100’s of other ex Bucs) suddenly blossom when they leave this Chinese shoe factory called 1 Buc place?
December 25th, 2018 at 12:07 pm
He really truly was “easy money Sweezey”. He came here where it’s warm to do a paid rehab for his job in the Seattle. He played Licht, Koetter and the Glazers like fiddles.
December 25th, 2018 at 12:19 pm
You got it joes, you never wrong even when you were wrong. At least you could be less condescending to fans. Sick of hearing lee mock fans constantly on iras podcast
December 25th, 2018 at 12:32 pm
Joes won’t give up on bashing Martin yet give Jameis a pass for throwing games away weekly
December 25th, 2018 at 12:43 pm
See what happens when first contact with the defense is behind the LoS?
Martin was never the problem, just like Barber is not the problem.
The O-Line was the problem then, and the problem now.
December 25th, 2018 at 12:56 pm
Fix the trenches on both sides an the defense needs some more help also let’s get some diff position coaches. Buckner should stay maybe even Duffner but idk if he’s the answer either an let’s teach our team to be more disciplined we can’t keep shooting oureselves in the foot an expect to win turnovers have gotten better from 3
December 25th, 2018 at 1:01 pm
Most any RB can be serviceable with a good O-line. The Bucs O-line is just pathetic and no RB can survive getting hit in the backfield. The Bucs need to keep Jensen and blow up every other position along that line.
December 25th, 2018 at 1:01 pm
If anyone had a brain including the “joes” they would understand that Doug Martin was not the problem. It’s the god awful O-LINE.
Spin it however you want joes but you all said Peyton Barber just needs a chance and Martin was done. Yea Barber is just “amazing” right?
YOURE WRONG ON BOTH ACCOUNTS. ADMIT IT. YOURE WRONG.
There wasnt anything wrong with Martin. It’s the O-LINE.
Barber is the proof of that. “All he needs is a chance” lmao yea right.
December 25th, 2018 at 1:05 pm
It’s a culture thing. Th o line is soft as hell
December 25th, 2018 at 1:07 pm
The 2.9 to 3.8 could be the improvement of the offensive line or running styles. It could be the play calls. Barber runs with his eyes closed so speculations useless.
December 25th, 2018 at 1:08 pm
Jones has not had a chance yet here I hope the new decision makers will see what he has in pre season and not bring him in one play at a time when they know he is getting the ball , worst coaching move I have ever seen
December 25th, 2018 at 1:11 pm
Buc4evr
I agree Jensen might be the only one with the right mentality.
December 25th, 2018 at 1:16 pm
The common thread is they all suck. Warhop sucks. The Bucs’ O line sucked then, sucks now, and will continue to suck. Quizz and Martin both sucked. Barber is inconsistent and sucks at times. All of this goes back to Jason Licht, the King of Suck. Ground Hog Day(movie) meets train wreck. Same story, different year, this team is cursed. Glazers should sell or hire someone to run the entire operation who knows football. They obviously have no clue on how to build a winning franchise.
December 25th, 2018 at 1:28 pm
Said it over and over and over again last year, just watch the tape of Martin running, that wasn’t a washed up RB – it was a RB that had terrible blocking and even worse playcalling. Go to YouTube and just watch the game against the Bills last year (its the only video I found that had Martin’s every carry from a game) and he’s quick, he’s making plays, and yet finishes the game with like a 2.4 ypc average, and there’s no one that isn’t an idiot that watches him run that thinks he’s the problem. That was the entire year last year and if the Raiders didn’t have Lynch roadblocking the depth chart there Martin would have easily been over 1000 yards this year in Oakland.
December 25th, 2018 at 1:36 pm
Exactly.
December 25th, 2018 at 1:36 pm
Keep spinning the spin. Everyone knows what was said about Martin by this yellow journalism blog. On another note, did Mr. Magoo bring that swag back? Or does that happen in year 5?
December 25th, 2018 at 1:41 pm
@seasonisover
Winston will bring the swag when we have a number one ranked elite all pro defense a hall of fame elite running back super bowl winning coaches elite receivers.
In other words he will succeed when everything around him is absolutely perfect.
December 25th, 2018 at 1:58 pm
I’m just here for the “Winston will save the running game and the OL by himself” crowd to explain the new game manager story to unfold….
December 25th, 2018 at 2:00 pm
I was told by more than a handful that drafting a QB #1 in the draft fixes the OL and running game by itself. So one must ask…. WTF is going on with Winston? Late bloomer? Not the gamer that was once sold? Better than Sanchez? I spoke to a Denver fan and a Giant fan at a Christmas party today and neither of them want Winston. What gives?
December 25th, 2018 at 2:10 pm
AHem* Correct me if I’m wrong, But Ronald Jones, after having a superstar career at USC, currently has a YPC average far worse than Martins 2.9 per.
Oh yeah, that’s right. It’s currently sitting at 1.9 per carry.
Tell me again how it was all Doug and how much he needed to go. And I’ll continue to tell you just how awful our O-line is at Run Blocking.
December 25th, 2018 at 2:12 pm
Barber could easily be averaging 4.5 ypc and have a handful more scores if our O-line was even half way decent at run blocking.
December 25th, 2018 at 2:50 pm
This is what Doug Martin does. He has a good year, and then two bad years.
December 25th, 2018 at 3:04 pm
MHBuc25 Says
I was told by more than a handful that drafting a QB #1 in the draft fixes the OL and running game by itself.
You were told wrong. Each year (outside of this year which has been sporadic) Winston has been in the league, the offensive line allowed a lot of sacks.
Winston:
2015 – 27 sacks
2016 – 35 sacks
2017 – 33 sacks
2018 – 26 sacks
In comparison, Drew Brees:
2015 – 31 sacks
2016 – 27 sacks
2017 – 20 sacks
2018 – 17 sacks
See the difference? And offensive line makes all the difference in the world.
December 25th, 2018 at 3:17 pm
Remember this moment, Joe.
Because you’ll be apologizing to many of us again soon when Winston is finally revealed to be the bum that he is and goes to another team and sucks it up there as well.
America’s Low Football IQ QB.
December 25th, 2018 at 3:39 pm
Yeah and most of us told you so. The problem was our o-line and still is, only now we don’t even have a running back.
December 25th, 2018 at 3:52 pm
All I want for Christmas is a adequate DT and LT. Don’t need a superstar (or someone who thinks he is…(93) just adequate. C’mon Santa…give up the goods.
December 25th, 2018 at 4:53 pm
I blame the media and the fans for not having a clue but wtfdik.
I mean there are people out there that actually think Barber is a starting RB in the nfl rather than the great 3rd string rb he really is. Barber is too slow to be a game changer and the way he seeks contact he’ll be admitted in St. Joes shortly.
December 25th, 2018 at 5:17 pm
“Lol the Buc sheep
The predictable run play in the middle is as much the blame than anything
Klueless long developing plays dont work in the new NFL
The defenses are playing against the run up the middle and blanketing the whole second level
Klueless has no short route plays from the los to the 10 yards
Barber takes 3 seconds to catch and look up
Monken and Klueless was so deparate for anything short because they were keying on hump they brought in quizz Rodgers to get some screens…of course its always on predictable 3rd down
December 25th, 2018 at 6:10 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai Says:
December 25th, 2018 at 3:04 pm
MHBuc25 Says
I was told by more than a handful that drafting a QB #1 in the draft fixes the OL and running game by itself.
You were told wrong. Each year (outside of this year which has been sporadic) Winston has been in the league, the offensive line allowed a lot of sacks.
Winston:
2015 – 27 sacks
2016 – 35 sacks
2017 – 33 sacks
2018 – 26 sacks
In comparison, Drew Brees:
2015 – 31 sacks
2016 – 27 sacks
2017 – 20 sacks
2018 – 17 sacks
See the difference? And offensive line makes all the difference in the world.
******
So what gives? I was told shipping off Glennon and installing Winston drastically improves OL and running game instantly by many on this forum and Twitter. Now I’m told they need a top 10 OL and a running game so JW can be a game manager instead. That’s what I was asking for in 2013 to win games.
December 25th, 2018 at 6:11 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai Says:
December 25th, 2018 at 3:04 pm
MHBuc25 Says
I was told by more than a handful that drafting a QB #1 in the draft fixes the OL and running game by itself.
You were told wrong. Each year (outside of this year which has been sporadic) Winston has been in the league, the offensive line allowed a lot of sacks.
Winston:
2015 – 27 sacks
2016 – 35 sacks
2017 – 33 sacks
2018 – 26 sacks
In comparison, Drew Brees:
2015 – 31 sacks
2016 – 27 sacks
2017 – 20 sacks
2018 – 17 sacks
See the difference? And offensive line makes all the difference in the world.
*******
Maybe a “franchise game manager” ??? lol
December 25th, 2018 at 6:59 pm
our o-line an issue,no question. In Oakland Martin was not used as a bellcow back.
he averaged about 10 carries a game. So my point is the 208 lb Martin could not take the pounding of being a bell cow back in back to back seasons. He took a pounding in his good seasons and and often played like he was beat up in subsequent seasons. Quite possible he played with the aid of painkillers and
other unnamed substances during his off years.
December 25th, 2018 at 7:44 pm
Kobe,
30 passes <10yds v Dallas.
Modern NFL….like the Rams and chiefs………or like the 49ers in 1980.
December 25th, 2018 at 8:31 pm
Hey The Norm
What the heck? Everything around Jameis needs to be perfect ? That is ridiculous! How about an average D and COACHES not calling 48 pass plays! Jameis throws 1 MEANINGLESS PICK in REG against BROWNS out of 62 dropbacks, Ran for a TD, drive the team to a PERFECT FG & kicker misses YET AFTER BUCS WON, Jameis was trashed! Jameis has 93 TDS( 9 running) 57 INTS YET all we read about is he is 2nd to Bortles in total TO’s! Total BS! So now we have to count BLIND SIDE STRIP SACK FUMBLES! U ALL EXPECT PERFECTION from JAMEIS! Sadly he has to be PERFECT for this poorly coached, poorly organized team to win
December 25th, 2018 at 9:40 pm
these are the ybor city buccaneers…done by guavaween
December 25th, 2018 at 11:46 pm
Jimmy T,
Over the last 4 yrs..Jameis is #1 in turnovers.
And yeah, the blind side strip sack…counts because JW displayed multiple fundamental errors which created that situation. Basically, it was a clinic on what not to do. So that one, is definitely on him.
Bonzai,
Your point is solid but comparing sack totals to support it, is not. I won’t say irrelevant but it’s not far off.
December 26th, 2018 at 3:49 am
D10b
Modern passing attack consists of slants and crossing patterns which Koetter never uses. You think 2 yard out patterns to a slow tight end brate going to hurt defenses?
You watched the game?
December 26th, 2018 at 7:55 am
I won’t beat you up over Martin Joe. It was clear his time was up in Tampa Bay. The common denominator is obvious though. Our o-line has struggled with opening up the run-game.
Good for Martin. Best wishes except when/if he plays against the Bucs!
December 26th, 2018 at 8:00 am
Figures.
We all knew he would bounce back eventually.
It’s just a shame that he raked us over the coals for his last 3 seasons as a Buc.
December 26th, 2018 at 8:13 am
MHBuc25 Says:
“LAUGHING OUT LOUD. This website was thrashing Doug Martin last year”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No offense man, but he was being trashed for DAMN good reason. There was no one that was a bigger fan of Doug than I was, but he sold us down the fricking river and QUIT on this team. I am glad he is gone.
December 26th, 2018 at 8:26 am
Loyaltotheend Says:
“Joes won’t give up on bashing Martin yet give Jameis a pass for throwing games away weekly”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Apples and Oranges, Loyal. — One gives us everything he has got on a weekly basis with heart & soul. The other was a lifeless loser who quit on his team & teammates multiple times.