Once Scared To Throw
December 9th, 2019
Bucco Bruce Arians explains.
Yesterday Joe heard a classic story from Mr. Entertainment, America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston. In part, Joe chuckled because Joe knew it would make many twist in their britches.
Jameis was asked what Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians says to him after he tosses picks. Jameis replied, among other things including Arians barking about his mental aptitude, Arians orders Jameis to “keep firing.”
To those who cannot stand the thought of Jameis quarterbacking their squad because he may have an errant throw two or three times a game, Joe knows Arians’ order is akin to telling a certified alcoholic to have two more shots, or telling a sportswriter to jam two more hot dogs down his gullet.
Arians basically confirmed Jameis’ tale when Arians had his day-after presser at One Buc Palace today. He hinted that so many folks were so freaked out by picks, it had gotten to Jameis’ head and he was getting gun-shy.
“You go with the highs and you go with the lows,” Arians said of navigating the thrills of the Jameis roller coaster. “There was a stretch when now he’s afraid to throw it now. Slap him in the face and [tell him to] throw the damn thing. Don’t hold it.”
Joe has no idea where this sudden hangup about picks suddenly sprouted. There are dudes in the Hall of Fame that make Jameis look downright conservative.
Hell, when Fran Tarkenton (who Joe loved to watch) recently popped off to internationally popular JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman about Jameis, what made his words hysterical was that Tarkenton once tossed 32 picks (!) in a season. LOL. And the Vikings won their division. Imagine that!
Joe is convinced some Bucs fans have a corn cob up their tailpipe so bad about picks, the Bucs could bring in some stiff like Sawyer Smith, hand the ball off 45 times a game, and the Bucs would lose 37-3 because the defense would be deep-fried by halftime due to the Bucs having have six three-and-outs to start the game.
Despite this, the anti-pick folks would be racing down the spiral ramps at the Den of Depression giddy with delight, beating their chests and hollering to no one in particular with arms raised in triumph, “He didn’t throw a pick!”
WOW
JAMEIS ’19* PEYTON ’01
25 AGE 25
26 PASS TD 26
4,115 PASS YDS 4,131
23 INT 23
5 PICK-6’s 6
6 WINS 6
84.9 RATING 84.1
61.3 COMP PCT 62.7*thru 13 games pic.twitter.com/PliPyftUpp
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) December 9, 2019
December 9th, 2019 at 3:43 pm
I want more than anything for the Bucs to be competitive, with or without Winston. I find myself flip flopping on whether to keep him or not but we can’t keep comparing him to QBs from 20, 30 years ago. The game has changed and passing the ball is easier than ever.
December 9th, 2019 at 3:43 pm
Mr. Entertainment knocked me out of the playoffs with his 5 TD performance! My buddy is ragging me that he beat me with MY QB. Oh well, I will take the Bucs win!!!
December 9th, 2019 at 3:46 pm
Lol at those stats. BucBandit, Anonymous, Jean and all the other haters probably just broke their computer/tablets when reading that comparison to Peyton.
December 9th, 2019 at 3:47 pm
strawman …turnovers are bad
December 9th, 2019 at 3:49 pm
Joe conveniently leaves out that the 2 years Peyton Manning’s interception % was over 4 (Jameis is at 4.5% this year), the Colts finished 3-13 and 6-10.
Now I’m all for keeping Jameis, but the interceptions have to come down if you want to win a Super Bowl.
December 9th, 2019 at 3:52 pm
Fran Tarkington lol joe working hard for AARP man of the year….. joe can you try and go a week without quoting a senile near dead human please…. next you going to tell us a senile gill Brandt story about how leather was made….
December 9th, 2019 at 3:56 pm
I dunno, I mean Bruce Arians did say earlier this year that he would only tolerate one per game. Perhaps you should ask him about that quote?
Again, the absurd Manning comparisons. Why stop there? Why not compare Jay-Miss to Johnny Unitas. His numbers would destroy Unitas. Let’s compare him to Terry Bradshaw! Heck, let’s compare him to quite literally anyone but those elite QBs playing in today’s game. Let’s compare his first five years to Russell Wilson. Let’s compare his first two years to Mahmoes and Lamar Jackson. How does his play stack up to Aaron Rodgers? Mahomes was MVP last year and Jackson is an MVP candidate this year.
Where is Jameis’ MVP?
December 9th, 2019 at 4:00 pm
“Now I’m all for keeping Jameis, but the interceptions have to come down if you want to win a Super Bowl.”
Kind of where I am at.
Instead of 5k yards leading the league in both yards/interceptions I’d prefer
4.5k yards of efficiency with a 3:1 TD:INT ratio
Even 2:1 helps a lot. This has been one of his most interception prone seasons of his career.
December 9th, 2019 at 4:08 pm
I told y’all I thought JW was thinking about those making mistakes when he holding the ball to long. That’s not his game. Jw needs to fire it away like it’s no tomorrow. Who cares about ints
December 9th, 2019 at 4:09 pm
Drome
BA was talking about jameis being gun shy prior to him taking over because media types like tkras, fans like many on this board ragged him for ints and even koetter threw him under the bus. BA tells him to keep firing….no risk it no biscuit
December 9th, 2019 at 4:17 pm
The Bucs are doomed if they keep Winston even for another year. Winston has been given 5 yrs and Winston cult members still think he’ll come around. If he manages to stick around for another. It will be rinse and repeat. After he goes 1-5 next year and fans start talking about the f*cking draft.🤦🏻♂️
December 9th, 2019 at 4:18 pm
There are so many things I like about JW, and so many things I hate. He drives me nuts with the way he plays and my thoughts on what the Bucs should do with him changes daily.
December 9th, 2019 at 4:18 pm
I LOVE how this ‘argument’ just HAS to be one way or the other!
How about we split the difference; throw less interceptions AND run the football.
Cant we all just get along?!
December 9th, 2019 at 4:18 pm
LOL. Joe, you gonna buy all those empty seats next year at RJS? You should for these propaganda pieces you put out about on e of the biggest loser QBs in Bucs history. How many games has Winston lost as a Buc? Where does that put him all-time? He’s gotta be coming up at NUMBER ONE in losses.
How about THAT for an article?
Come on you chicken?
December 9th, 2019 at 4:20 pm
“throw the damn thing. Don’t hold it”
some can deny all you want Winston will be under center next year he is the QB of the #4 SCORING offense.
December 9th, 2019 at 4:21 pm
Strange,but this may have been one of Jameis best games and worst games all rolled into one great extravaganza!!!As they in say in New England –He is a keepa.
December 9th, 2019 at 4:23 pm
Bucs bring back Winston, go for all time loss record as Buc Qb!
Do it!
December 9th, 2019 at 4:27 pm
T REX
That honor currently is held by Vinny Testeverde at 48 losses.
Top 5 Bucs career passers Winston is #1 and all others in the Top 5 also have higher INT% than Winston.
December 9th, 2019 at 4:30 pm
@ Tex…if the Bucs bring back JW he’ll become the biggest loser in franchise history. Book it.
December 9th, 2019 at 4:31 pm
In 2001 DBs were allowed to cover people.
December 9th, 2019 at 4:31 pm
T REX
statdium has been empty for the better part of 43 years pal…. bucs were the worst in tv ratings and attendance long before jameis pal…. outside of the 1 year wonder fluke championship this franchise is bottom of every nfl revenue generating category…. you can’t blame the small irrelevant market and lack of attendance on jameis that was in place well before he arrived.
December 9th, 2019 at 4:33 pm
And the Colts season record in 2001?
6-10.
December 9th, 2019 at 4:37 pm
View
Understand that but stats are stats I don’t see “*” by any stat in the NFL. WR’s and DB’s stats are by total number of yards, TD, or INTs. Today’s teams are not degrade when they win a SB by someone claiming the rules are easier. Get over it Winston is Number 1 in yards, TD, TD%, and has the best INT% in Bucs Top 5 passers.
December 9th, 2019 at 4:38 pm
I’d give Jameis a Franchise tag year so he can have more time with Arians-
The talent is undeniable, so for me, there’s too much potential upside.
It could go either way, but starting over with a new QB? Who?
December 9th, 2019 at 4:38 pm
Bucsfaninchina
Point is getting to draft number 1 overall means that team had the most losses the previous year.
December 9th, 2019 at 4:42 pm
Alanbucs
Using the Tag means after a QB gets paid the average of the top QB’s its hard to get them to accept a lower contract the next year. Better to try for a 3 yr contract for less with more guaranteed money and for the team to cut after 1st year.
Better we use the Tag on Barrett who only has 1 year history of being a stud pass rusher.
December 9th, 2019 at 4:44 pm
jameis is the only hope tampa bay has to be anything more than the strip capitol of the south….
December 9th, 2019 at 4:44 pm
“Joe has no idea where this sudden hangup about picks suddenly sprouted. There are dudes in the Hall of Fame that make Jameis look downright conservative.
Simple Joe… Koetter railed on this. His system required QB perfection to win. Like I said earlier. Arians walked in and said… Winston needs a hard reset. This season has been a huge work in progress. I think.. as weird as this sounds, the second Carolina game was a huge step for him. A horrific game, totally horrific and the coach didn’t come out as if the world was coming to an end. Koetter did this way too much. Arians… thats one game.. long season, don’t do it again. Move on, keep firing.
Koetter gave this team an excuse to quit and they did. Once an INT was thrown, that was it, game over. Team had their excuse to lose. No more, now everyone is expected to play hard the entire game no matter. This is how things change. Control your effort and your character and let the performance take care of itself. If you have poor effort or character, you’re gone.
December 9th, 2019 at 4:44 pm
Ok Joe, you just pinned JW to Manning. Now let’s see how the rest of his career plays out in comparison.
25 playoff games and 2 Superbowls here we come!!!
December 9th, 2019 at 4:44 pm
In BA I Trust!!!
December 9th, 2019 at 4:46 pm
Bucs fan in China
Colts record in 2002… 10-6
December 9th, 2019 at 4:46 pm
only way i’d keep jameis is if he took a short term non guaranteed contact that was not a huge cap hit
December 9th, 2019 at 4:46 pm
TexBuc-
Jameis and his agent are not going to accept a 2-3 year deal at modest salary- it’s not good business. Yeah, it’s great for Bucs, but it’s not happening.
Either you Franchise him or he’s getting $150 mil + over 5 years +
December 9th, 2019 at 4:48 pm
So basically reaffirming that JayMiss is a mental midget.
What doesn’t ruffle his feathers?
Compare him with Peyton if you wish but Manning had a few things the Soiled Messiah doesn’t……..
Intelligence
Presence
Accuracy
December 9th, 2019 at 4:53 pm
Alanbuc
Excellent point!! That is basically my position but I did not convey that correctly in my post. I will try again, give 150mil for 5 years but try to get only 2 yrs guaranteed so Bucs can walk away after two seasons. If we bomb next year means we will possibly draft in the top 5 in 2021 get new QB. Then we have new future QB and Winston for 2021 and we can walk away from contract after.
December 9th, 2019 at 4:58 pm
FAMOUS …enough said …get behind you QB OR MTFO …we doing it, and we might as well do it big!
December 9th, 2019 at 4:58 pm
Doosh
I guess you don’t remember all the QB’s that have played for the Bucs. Yes Vinny was famous for melting after turnovers, and if you where young enough to remember Steve Young (21 Int) in a Bucs uniform that is how you would have thought of him. I saw nothing during Young’s play as a Buc to suggest he would ever turn out the way he did.
My OPINION is there is too much upside to Winston to walk away from especially since he is only 25 now.
December 9th, 2019 at 5:04 pm
Interesting thing about this comparison is in 2001 Bruce was Peyton’s QB coach.
The following year the INTs went down, the team won more games and the Colts made a playoff birth.
Could see the same thing happen for Winston in his 2nd year with Arians
December 9th, 2019 at 5:05 pm
DooshLaRue what a stupid thing to say.
December 9th, 2019 at 5:06 pm
Jimmy
Good point and Carson Palmer had 26int 1st yr with BA and had a lot fewer the next yr also.
December 9th, 2019 at 5:10 pm
First the comparisons to Favre and now to Manning? I love this site and respect you guys, so I will keep it g rated, but that is beyond ludicrous. Manning also threw for over 4k and had a 33-15 td to int ratio the year before. When has captain buffoonery ever put up a statline like that? Look, I hope the second coming of Mosses comes down from the heavens and helps Jameis pull his head out of his a$$, but the chances of that happening are slim and none since there is 0 proof in 5 (!) years that Jameis is capable of being consistent.
Fran Tarkenton played during an era where wide receivers were mugged down the field and quarterbacks were curb stomped every other play. Not a fair comparison to today’s sissy a$$ rules.
December 9th, 2019 at 5:22 pm
Joe has gone full stupid on this piece. Speaking of tailpipes, Joe has something up his with Jameis that has clearly caused an infection and is affecting the way he thinks.
Joe writes “Joe has no idea where this sudden hangup about picks suddenly sprouted.” Say what? Exactly what universe does (this monronic Joe) live in where taking care of the football is not a fundamental key to having a winning solution at any level? Joe also continues to make up this lie about some fans somewhere that think not throwing a pick is some sort of triumph. Joe is either having an out of body fantasy or us just plaing making stuff up about Bucs fans that put no INTs in front of winning. So Joe needs to learn a thing or two here about football.
First, Winston is usually guilty of well over two or three errant throws a game. Yesterday there were at LEAST five, three of which were actually picked off, one for six points the other way–two more giving the Colts a short field, where they cashed in another TD. Second, Winston gives the ball to the other team, usually via inexplicably bad decision at five years in, three times a game an awful lot than than he matches a career high of five TDs a game. That is a certain formula for losing–which why the most common idiot knows you have to take care of the football to win consistently. This team would not have beaten the Panthers or the Saints with their defenses, and that is four division games alone each year. Third, “keep firing” from BA did not mean get out there and keep making mistakes. It means shrug it off and keep throwing the ball. It is amazing anyone who follows the Bucs, much less writes about them (I won’t call it reporting…that is for professinals, not this Joe), thinks this kind of formula from a QB is acceptable.
I leave Joe this last lesson. A true franchise QB who has already given up 14 points on mistakes goes down the field in the fourth quarter and scores and leads his team to victory. He doesn’t throw another bad INT on his own side of the field with 10 minutes left down by a score. But Winston did just that. Unusually, and improbably, the D came up with the football on the 21 before the Colts put it out of reach–again. And Winston had yet another chance…one LAST chance to get it done. This is not how teams win Championsship. Better said, Championship teams know you don’t always win in the last minutes…as a real QB, Tom Brady, found out last night. They don’t waste opportunities like Winston does. Winston loses much more than he wins. Had he thrown another pick, or fumbled, or had that effort fallen short as it usually does with Winston, no one would be beating their chest on Winston. People say this is who Winston is. Whatever he is, it is unacceptable unless you like never being more than 9-7 and being out of real contention by Halloween most of the time.
Has the fan base become so used to losing that guys like Joe don’t need to win and play smart….they just get themselves off by seeing passing yards at the end of another lost season?
smdh
December 9th, 2019 at 5:50 pm
Agrees Anonymous, I’d love to see Unreasonable Joe ask Arians or any other coach in the NFL about their hangups about turnovers and follow that with, “What’a the big deal?”
December 9th, 2019 at 5:52 pm
Licht knew he was getting a gunslinger when he drafted Jameis. Part of Jameis’ problem is he had no help. If we had won more games in the first four years, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. It is still a team game. He can get 300 yards in a game and three touchdowns, but when the other team gets 4, he still lost that game.
I hate interceptions as much as anyone, but if the defense can prevent touchdowns when they happen, we can still come back from them. The issue has been defense for the last few years. Shootouts have a good chance of including interceptions, and it felt like we were always in shootouts. This year, it is different. At least, it is starting to be different. Now if we could just run the ball effectively.
December 9th, 2019 at 6:07 pm
OMG Blogtalk…so full of it are you. And dumb. He can often (nine times this year I think) get 300 yards. That doesn’t always translate to points, especially when you drive down the field and give the freaking ball away, or your team is so bad giving up so many points you are getting garbage yards in a futile comeback. Worse…in a meaningless game at the END of the season because they are out of it. About HALF of Winston’s games have been meaningless due largely to him screwing up games in the first half of every single season. Here’s another one for bright bulb Blogtalk. How many times do you expect the D to prevent TDs when your QB gives it away on his own half of the field?
December 9th, 2019 at 6:30 pm
JW3 has earned a new 4-5yr deal from the Bucs…Deal with it people.
December 9th, 2019 at 6:33 pm
LaMarcus … “Jw needs to fire it away like it’s no tomorrow. Who cares about ints”.
Certainly not you apparently. But the Bucs’ defense probably does because they get to clean up the messes.
December 9th, 2019 at 6:42 pm
Defense Rules – LOL! Winston has literally had the worst defense in football since 2015, along with the worst kicking game, all while playing the hardest schedule since 2016.
But yeah, it’s Winston – who year in year out leads a top 10, if not a top 5 or top 3 offense, that is the issue. Not the year in, year out, #32 or #31 worst defense….
Anywho, how many W’s would Winston and the Bucs have if they didn’t lose so many late 4th quarter leads that Winston game them. How many more wins would the team have if the kickers make their kicks? Just this year alone if Gay makes his easy kick against the Giants, the Bucs have a winning record – and that’s with the 31st worst defense.
December 9th, 2019 at 6:55 pm
Blogtalkfootball.com … Of Jameis’ 23 INTs, 5 have been Pick-6’s. Hard for a defense to prevent TDs on those. Of the other 18 INTs, quite a few have been giveaways in Bucs’ territory (admittedly haven’t done a detailed analysis of the most recent games to know exactly how many though). On some the Bucs’ defense held the line & turned away the opponents without allowing them to score. On some others they held them to FGs. And yes, on some opponents scored TDs.
Jameis’ biggest problem with INTs is that they come in droves. He thrown 20 INTs in just 7 games … as in 3 per game average. In those 7 games Bucs have won3 lost 4. And I’d say in all 3 wins the Bucs’ defense acquitted itself quite well to keep us in the game. And of the 4 games that we lost in those 7 games (49ers, Panthers, Titans & Saints), Jameis’ INTs killed us in the 49ers & Panthers games, but we could’ve won the Titans game (the Saints had their way with us in our losses to them I’m afraid).
IF Jameis could just cut down on those multiple INT games Bucs could be a playoff team next year I’m convinced. In games where our turnover differential was MINUS 2 (or greater) during Jameis time here, the Bucs are 3-24. Sorry, can’t blame ALL that on the defense.
December 9th, 2019 at 7:02 pm
Rod Munch…..Don’t look now but the current Buc defense is starting to come on.
Forget about losing 4th quarter leads(unless you wanna live in past) cause we started this little winning steak with our defense sealing a game on defense against the Cardinals. Did the same yesterday & last week we stood up the Jags on 7 straight plays to end any chance for a comeback. Two weeks ago we made Atlanta look dowright bad.
Overall the numbers are bad but it’s pretty easy to see the defense has really started to gel and grow up over this last half.
It’s a big part of why we have won 4 of 5 and we should expect this team to keep getting better on defense.
December 9th, 2019 at 7:05 pm
We know that Joe will continue to say that JW is “A Great QB ❗️“ Joe will compare JW with Payton Manning, The Greatest QB Of All Time❗️Joe always uses stats from Payton Manning’s NFL carrier to tell the masses, “JW carrier stats are the same as Payton Manning❗️“ But here’s ONE FACT THAT JOE WILL NEVER USE ❓THE BOTTOM LINE FOR NFL QB’s ❗️THE WIN LOSS RECORD ❗️
In Payton Manning’s 1st 5 Years as an NFL Starting QB❓W/L Record Of 42 Wins and 36 Losses, 3 Trips to the NFL Playoffs ❗️JW ❓25 WINS and 45 LOSSES ❗️That’s 20 games under 500 In JW’s 70 CARRIER NFL STARTS ❗️NO PLAYOFF GAMES. Joe, Never compare JW to Payton Manning. Only a Deaf, Dumb And Blind Fool would accept this nonsense ❗️Even the great Ira Kaufman would agree with Little Bo Peep because LITTLE BO PEEP IS THE TRUTH 🤡❗️GO BUCS ❗️
December 9th, 2019 at 7:10 pm
Rod … So many Bucs’ fans still don’t get it. We’ve had bad defenses because the Bucs decided years ago to put the preponderance of their resources into OFFENSE. Our DLines until this year were circumspect (except for Swaggy Baker of course) and our Secondaries were abysmal. The TALENT simply wasn’t there.
This year started out very predictably because we essentially had a rookie Secondary. Personally I’ve been very impressed with how fast this defensive coaching staff has brought them along.
And you’re asking the wrong question when you ask how many late quarter leads did the defense blow when Winston gave them the lead. EVERY SINGLE POINT COUNTS IN A FOOTBALL GAME. It doesn’t matter when they were scored. If you lose by 2 because of a last minute FG but gave up a Pick-6 in the 1st quarter, then MAYBE you wouldn’t have lost if not for the Pick-6. Just MAYBE.
And in that same Giants game you mentioned, Bucs were ahead 28-10 at the half, but only scored THREE more points in the 2nd half. That MIGHT have had something to do with the loss. And I know it’s convenient to forget things, but that same Matt Gay who you mentioned as having missed the FG that would’ve won it also MADE 4 FGs that day. Not that shabby IMO. And just think Rod, IF Bucs had scored a TD on JUST ONE of those FGs we would’ve won the game hands down. But ya, blame Matt Gay & blame the defense for that loss instead of looking at it as a TEAM loss in all 3 aspects of the game.
December 9th, 2019 at 7:27 pm
Was 2001 Payton’s 5th year?
December 9th, 2019 at 7:31 pm
Winston losers cry but we spent a ron of resources for that offense. Guess what happens when we cut that off to improve other areas. That dimwit still throws a ton of picks. He’s stupid or something.
December 9th, 2019 at 7:47 pm
^^^So with that in mind, even when JW throws picks, it should be considered a team loss.
December 9th, 2019 at 7:48 pm
The game of NFL football has changed drastically during the last 15-20 years with all of the new rules that protect WR’ s and QB’s.
It is much easier to play QB now. That is why so many teams throw the ball so often, to take advantage of those rules. Our iconic former Buc John Lynch said that he would not have been able to play football today.
Comparing Winston to the greats that played back then under those old rules like Favre and Manning is absolutely ludicrous.
Just try to imagine if Favre and Manning were playing today under the present rules. The numbers and totals would be mind boggling. Much , much more impressive than Winston’s without the multitude of turnovers.
December 9th, 2019 at 7:55 pm
Only an arm-chair GM would call a professional athlete/starting QB in the NFL a “dimwit.” Dude, do you realize how idiotic you sound? JW has more football knowledge in his left nut than you have in your entire body. Your bias (along with so many others) is so easy to see when you immediately resort to name calling. If you were being objective, even in the slightest, there would be absolutely no need/reason to call him stupid, dimwit, etc.
December 9th, 2019 at 8:01 pm
CAPT Dan
2001 was Peyton’s 4th season
December 9th, 2019 at 8:09 pm
@BrianBucs. What empirical evidence do you have that supports your theory that Favre or Manning would be “much, much more impressive than Winston without the multitude of turnovers” if they played with today’s rules. You have no idea. There are so many variables. Does Manning also get to bring the rest of his team with him or is he playing with a completely different roster? Why would Favre suddenly stop being a gunslinger and throwing picks? Suggesting that players from another era would have the same or better results playing now is equally ludicrous.
December 9th, 2019 at 8:13 pm
There is no asterisk in the NFL records for passing and WR stats since the rules have been relaxed. Nor is there an asterisk by Super Bowl Champs saving currents rules make passing easier so Champs are not as good as past teams.
Some like to call Winston’s INT’s a stat, but any other stat that shows a positive for Winston is not a valid stat.
December 9th, 2019 at 8:24 pm
2001 Payton had 62.5% completion rate Jameis has 61.5 but Jameis yard per completion is further. As far as intelligence goes the professionals like BA who have worked with both of them say they are both highly intelligent. Did Payton get accepted from Stanford? Maybe he was too busy rubbing his balls on the female trainers faces to study.
December 9th, 2019 at 8:30 pm
Stanglassman
Many are not aware Peyton was accused by female trainer of tea bagging and she was fired shortly thereafter. She filed a lawsuit and Peyton and dad settled the case.
Thanks for reminding me of this incident……lol
December 9th, 2019 at 8:34 pm
“JimmyJack Says: Rod Munch…..Don’t look now but the current Buc defense is starting to come on.”
I said before the season that what I hope for is progress as we get to the end of the year, that they were still going to be one of the worst defenses in football, but hopefully they’re getting better late in the year. If you recall, the reason I said they’d be awful is because of the secondary, you can’t throw a bunch of kids back there and expect anything other than a disaster – at least for a while. In any case I think we’re seeing the progress I was expecting – if we can just get some corners that aren’t terrible – the rest of the defense is in place. I only hope we can keep Shaq around – and I do worry losing JPP, Suh and possibly Nassib doesn’t mean a big step backwards. But, I think we can legitimately have some hope for next year – and by hope I mean I think they could be a top 25 defense – anything more than that would be a bonus.
December 9th, 2019 at 8:39 pm
The 5 yard illegal contact rule happened in 1978. The refs just put a stricter emphasis on enforcement in the early 2000s.
December 9th, 2019 at 8:41 pm
Defense Rules – I don’t disagree on the secondary – I’ve literally been saying for years we can not win with Ryan Smith and Chris Conte, and replacing them with rookies going to be a disaster. However I also said this year needs to be a taking your lumps year – we should just hope they’re not completely awful by the end of the year. Sort of like last year when people here were saying Vita was a complete bust and calling him Velcro because he didn’t do much outside of one game in his rookie year. I’m always someone who says you need to give guys at least a year because you start to judge them – with the exception being MJ Stewart who is clearly too slow to play corner.
Anywho my point was people saying Winston is why the team is losing – which is stupid. Winston is the reason we’ve won anything. Outside of a 5-game strech in 2016 and a game here or there, the defense has been horrific, and that’s 100% on Licht for not getting legitimate NFL corners and thinking you can just throw rookies in there and play them from day 1. But, we might finally be seeing some sunshine at the end of the long dark tunnel. If Davis, Bunting and Dean can just graduate to being slightly below average, and we don’t lose the pass rush, the defense could be not that awful next year.
December 9th, 2019 at 8:46 pm
Rod- top 25? Can we raise the bar to at least top half or 16?
December 9th, 2019 at 8:59 pm
Stanglassman – I would love that, but just trying to be realistic. Also I think the offense is good enough for us to be a 9-7 or 10-6 team with a defense that was just a little higher in the rankings.
I mean this year alone, people think it’s been an awful year, yet the Bucs are one easy kick away from being 7-6. They’re one more blown ref call in Tennessee away from being 8-5. And they’re one defensive stand away in Seattle from being a 9-4 team. Coulda, woulda, shoulda – but it’s not completely unreasonable to think we’re really close to having a good team.
December 9th, 2019 at 9:03 pm
Rod- I agree completely.
December 9th, 2019 at 9:14 pm
tvik 18
It’s common knowledge for people that know football
December 9th, 2019 at 9:56 pm
BrianBuc
“common knowledge”
So you have data to support your OPINION?
December 9th, 2019 at 10:11 pm
Kinda funny none of the haters want to include JW’s stats in an argument/discussion. They mean nothing they say. And then in the same breath, bring up JW’s interceptions….which is a statistic. Look nobody likes his int’s. They will improve. Why can Manning improve and not Jameis? Why is it that Jameis’ career mirrors Peyton’s career up to this point, like almost identically, but you cannot compare the 2. That is only because of your bias as to what Manning became. After his 5th year, nobody dreamed he would become a top 5 QB of all time. Indy smartly stuck with him and improved the people around him. He may throw for 5000 yards and EVERY defense knows he is throwing. We have no running game!! Of course he is going to throw INTs. Hopefully, his defense can make a few stops and pick up the or teammate. We will be awesome next year if we get a few more pieces in FA and the draft. Only J Licht can undo our progress. I think he will nail it next year. JMO
December 9th, 2019 at 10:15 pm
*their teammate
December 9th, 2019 at 10:28 pm
Tkiv the biggest problem with these koneheads is that they always bring up intelligence talking about people like Winston. I’ve seen it so many times. They use certain words in order to denote these people lack intelligence. If one talks a certain way they attack their intelligence. They called Raheem Morris Radio after the Cuba Gooding Jr mentally challenged character because of the way he speaks. They assassinated Lovie Smiths character even though he was highly intelligent and if you didn’t see him talking you’d think he’s white. They did it to Derrick Brooks. I would live to see what they say about Lamar Jackson if he was our qb. They’d still find ways to make snide remarks about how he speaks.
December 9th, 2019 at 11:00 pm
Corn cob up their tailpipe, anus itch, what’s with the Bunghole theme today Joe?
December 10th, 2019 at 12:23 am
I can’t deny the facts(stats), bucs better than opponents
in every posted stat on buccaneers app as a average through all games played(save turnovers and passing touchdowns).
Record currently 6-7.
It was a impressive set of stats.
If Winston can cut his turnovers in half, than this is a playoff team.
December 10th, 2019 at 5:37 am
Rod … Actually we agree on just about everything it sounds like. There’s a lot to like about this team, but there’s still work to do. It’s now up to BA & JL to find ways this off-season to ‘git er done’.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:12 am
Scared To Throw??? We have something in common I get SCARED every time #3 throws the ball!!!