More Bucs Observations From Friday Night
August 13th, 2023
Bucs QB Kyle Trask.
Joe understands so many Bucs fans are stomping empty beer cans over the fact the offensive line struggled.
It was not good for the league’s worst running attack last year. The Bucs decided not to upgrade running backs with the exception of a guy who couldn’t reach 250 yards last year. Yet this same man had the most yards Friday night (Chase Edmonds, 18 yards).
Evan Closky of WTSP-TV Channel 10, your CBS home for select Bucs games this fall, offered observations about the Bucs from Friday night. Joe will offer his feedback from Closky’s takes.
Baker Mayfield is QB1. Not a demerit on Trask — but Trask lost ground after already working uphill
Yes, Joe is keenly aware of what JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman reported, but what Closky typed is fair. For Trask to get the QB1 gig, Joe believes, he had to out-practice/play Mayfield by a lot. He outplayed Mayfield a little in training camp. But Friday night Mayfield was clearly the best QB.
Yaya Diaby was explosive, Cam Gill intrigues me and is Mike Greene a thing?
For YaYa’s first at-bat in the big leagues, Joe liked what he saw. Specifically how YaYa was not the least bit intimidated by five-year Pittsburgh starting right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor.
Chase Edmonds, Trey Palmer & Deven Thompkins showed some juice.
Edmonds showed Joe more juice than Joe thought Edmonds had. Palmer proved the NFL lights were not too big for him. And Thompkins showed what he has shown throughout OTAs and training camp.
Zyon McCollum and Luke Goedeke need to be better
McCollum, a dynamite special teams player, hasn’t turned the corner from his rookie season to his second year as an NFL cornerback as much as Joe would have hoped. Joe is confident he will make the team because he is so good on special teams. Goedeke did not have a good game but the social media freakout seems worse than how he played. Joe fears Goedeke has already been branded by Bucs fans, much like Donovan Smith was labeled by fans before he even took a snap.
Secondary depth remains super concerning
Cornerback, yes. Joe cannot agree with the secondary as a whole. It seems the Bucs have solid depth at safety.
Young team = lots of penalties
Joe is not one who automatically dismisses penalties on a young team. For example, most NFL players have been playing football since they were kids. In what level of football, college and below, is illegal procedure allowed? Now if someone says young players are committing penalties because they are worried about their assignments? Well, OK. Still, many penalties are simply a byproduct of having one’s head up their tailpipe.
26 carries for 66 yards are some 2022 numbers. Woof
Will watch the game back at some point this weekend, but initial thoughts from the first Buccaneers preseason game:
– Baker Mayfield is QB1. Not a demerit on Trask — but Trask lost ground after already working uphill
– Yaya Diaby was explosive, Cam Gill intrigues me and is Mike… pic.twitter.com/TROn8GIc8z— Evan Closky (@ECloskyWTSP) August 12, 2023
August 13th, 2023 at 12:13 am
One of my takeaways was the play calling. I get not wanting to tip your hand before the season but calling 3 straight run plays to start the game was puzzling and ineffective. I know it’s pre-season and they’re “working out the kinks” but um….I dunno. This O-Line doesn’t look good. Can pass protect and can’t run. It’s gonna be a long season.
August 13th, 2023 at 12:23 am
It’s all a big conspiracy to screw Trask out of his rightful spot as QB1
August 13th, 2023 at 1:34 am
Agreed. Now we know why Trask did not start against Steelers due to weak OL.
So we need to dismiss all Baker’s interceptions leading the league in the past three years and his picks in training camp so far so quick due to his TD against Steeler 2ed string defenders.
Let’s analys this
1. Bucs win a super bowl with Tom B. and draft a qb round two name Trask to his possible future replacement with the same attributes and playing styles.
2. They keep him even off the sidelines on Sundays. Not even as a back up.
3. Brady retires.
4. Fire the OC.
5. Hire a new OC named Dave C. with completely different system basically disregarding their investment in their second round qb named Trask.
6. Desperately hire a failed qb out of the scrab bin name Baker to match their newly placed system due to their limited salary cap.
The last night loss was just a tip of the iceberg with dark days to come for the Bucs club who hasn’t have any interest in investing in his own young drafted qb’s.
Bucs wants us the fans celebrate a TD by the one of the most failed No.1 overall qb in the past few years in a pre-season against a team with their 2ed team defense.
Welcome to a 5-12 season with Baker and a dark future darker than the dark invaders.
2023 Day 11 Practice Notes
August 13th, 2023 at 1:43 am
Giedekw’s brand? Probably on his left butt cheek. It reads “turnstile.”
He’ll be lucky to achieve half of Kenyatta Walker. He is the worst to ever suit up in a Buc uniform. And that is a long, tall list of suck.
August 13th, 2023 at 3:13 am
I wanted the Bucs to draft a T in the 1st rd for just this reason. Goedonkey deserves what people are saying. The tape doesn’t lie.
August 13th, 2023 at 3:33 am
I will return tomorrow to read more comments about how it was unfair for Trask. Nothing will make these folks happy. If Baker makes QB1 the Baker haters will wish Bucs to lose. These people are not true fans
August 13th, 2023 at 5:21 am
I could buy into Closky’s analysis based solely on the results of Friday night’s game, although I don’t think that Trask really ‘lost ground’ (the OLine was spent by the time he came in & his WRs had the dropsies). I do wish however that Closky had unpacked the ‘Is Mike Greene a thing’ comment because I don’t get it (he did have half a sack & 1 assisted tackle though).
Secondary depth is a valid concern at this point IMO, because after the starters we’re just so inexperienced. Agree with you about our safeties looking ‘solid’ Joe (Merriweather had 4 solo tackles, Whitehead had 3 solos & Turner had 3 solos). But there-in lies a potential problem I think … our Safeties made 10 solo tackles (seems high on only 60 plays for the Steelers … 26 runs, 31 passes, 3 sacks).
And equating 12 penalties to being a ‘young team’ does make a bunch of sense to me either Joe. Nine penalties on our offense is not very impressive (5 on the OLine & 4 on our WRs). All of them ended up being drive-killers & cost us a ton of yards (no surprise there).
August 13th, 2023 at 5:42 am
Give Wolford a shot
August 13th, 2023 at 5:51 am
TB2023, I will stop complaining about Trask’s situation, if he performs as the starter against the Jets. Although the comments during the game by Ronde saying how Bowles wanted to draft Baker in ’18 pretty much summed it up for me that no matter what, Baker was going to be qb1.
August 13th, 2023 at 5:53 am
I think the formation penalties are the responsibility of the quarterback. This week of practice will probably be more of a factor than the game because the Jets starters will probably not play in the game
August 13th, 2023 at 5:54 am
These meaningless preseason games sure do mean a lot to you!
August 13th, 2023 at 7:21 am
Appers that our starting line is a dud for C, LG, LT. This is due to the decision to let Smith and Mason walk and move Wirfs. So who Made this decision? I think this is a first magnitude blunder. Whodunit?
August 13th, 2023 at 7:31 am
Agreed Joe totally.
Watched Godeke closely and some of his problems are being exagerated. Mauch looked good for his first ever action and will get better. Hell Otten even got a great block in the run game.
Edwards looked like he had the best wheels of all the RBs.
O-line needs to be better and by no means did Baker have an all world game dinking and dunking.
The whole offense needs to be better.
August 13th, 2023 at 7:37 am
I disagree that Baker out played Trask. Baker had 4 drives the 1st 3 were a bust thenTB got a turnover that gave them a short field the run game made a couple plays and Baker was able to take a lucky shot into the endzone where the guy got his toe inbounds. What if Baker didnt get that TD he’d be like 5 for 6 50yds on 4 drives.
How is that out playing Trask? No even close. Trask looked like the better QB byfar imo when you just look at the passes Kyle was throwing the ball downfield. Baker never did that.
Trask has been beating Baker and will keep beating Bakeras this goes on.
Baker got very lucky in that game and got a Td fluke.
August 13th, 2023 at 7:38 am
Defense Rules has it right. The offensive line was spent by the time Trask came in late in the first half, plus receivers dropped quality passes. Despite that, Trask still threw for more total yards and more yards-per-attempt than Mayield. In a town that celebrated interception machine Jamies Winston and now celebrates interception leader Baker Mayfield, since when does one interception define a quarterback?
August 13th, 2023 at 7:41 am
HC Grover Says:
August 13th, 2023 at 7:21 am
Appers that our starting line is a dud for C, LG, LT. This is due to the decision to let Smith and Mason walk and move Wirfs. So who Made this decision? I think this is a first magnitude blunder. Whodunit?
^^^^^^^^^
Habitual Complainer: Wirfs hasn’t played a game at LT and YOU’RE ALREADY COMPLAINING ABOUT IT! There was an old Steve Martin song with the line “Criticize things you don’t know about”, and that’s what you do.
August 13th, 2023 at 8:11 am
Every time there was a good run there was a hold, the numbers would have looked very different unless your argument is without the hold the runs would go nowhere anyway but some seemed so unnecessary. I like worries me more than the backs
August 13th, 2023 at 8:28 am
Bucs could have solved their RT problem by drafting OSU tackle Dawand Jones who went to the browns in 4th round. Jones has been very good thus far and has started in browns preseason games without giving up a sack and grading out well. Kid played great at OSU his final year and then nfl teams freaked out because kid didn’t workout during silly combine season. Browns stole one and bucs can kick themselves for drafting another small school OL who will take years to get up to speed.
August 13th, 2023 at 8:37 am
Relax gaytor bois trask will eventually get his chance this year unfortunately
August 13th, 2023 at 8:44 am
I’m pretty much 100$ in agreement with this analysis.
We need more creativity with our short yardage plays…..
RPO for Mayfield…etc.
August 13th, 2023 at 9:01 am
Hold on Joe X. You guys (Joe Z?) were the ones advertising (in 2 articles) that Geodeke IS TO BE ORDAINED “punching bag”.
I get that his Twitter account was under attack BUT it was you guys that pushed the narrative to ATTACK Geodeke… Right….
C’mon, you’re making things up. –Joe
BTW, Bowles WANTS Mayfield is the other narrative. Coming from JBF is also the report that there really never was an competition. (Of which I don’t find hard to believe) VIA the reports from JBF and the carried over sentiment “it seems” from everywhere…
Trask WILL have his shot BUT in reality the line failed Trask. A LOT WENT VERY WRONG and I believe he took the shot down field out of “hurried despracy”.
Hes running for his life and HE SCREWED UP! That’s when the monster gets you. Choices and consequences….. Let’s see, run down the ally or into the open field. Both have it risks and both have its rewards. Your life’s what’s at stake, Choose NOW! INTERCEPTION!!!
Turns out that he tried to lose them by going down the alley. It also turned out that the alley was a dead end. Monster gets you.
His pertection wall (the o line) was playing like the Keystone Cops. A CIRCUS on the right side that keep on giving laughs! Protection in name ONLY!
“Disjointed” is the word I’m thinking is the BEST description I got for that o line.
If it wasn’t for those guys, the night might have been a BIG success for us all…
Well, besides nobody seems to remember how to bring another down to the ground. I KINDA thought it was At Least 90% of their job. Guess not….
August 13th, 2023 at 9:20 am
The Bucs may want to consider moving Zyon McCollum to free safety.
He may not ever be a solid NFL corner…
August 13th, 2023 at 9:24 am
Trask was 6 for 10 – with 3 dropped passes…
Yes – the interception wasn’t great but other than that he looked ok.
August 13th, 2023 at 10:07 am
No doubt. You don’t want safeties making a bunch of tackles because that means backs are getting past the second level.
August 13th, 2023 at 10:12 am
I’d agree with that. At least ONE of the sacks couldn’t be avoided, even Brady woulda ate the turf there. That one pass tho, horrible decision, guy was hopelessly covered. Thankfully it was third down, save the only difference between the pick and a incomplete/punt was mebbe 10 yards
August 13th, 2023 at 11:09 am
Decent assessment! I sure hope the coaches use that game as a teaching tool and emphasize to the team the importance of football fundamentals!! Avoiding penalties! Tackling! This team has to stop “beating themselves”!!
August 13th, 2023 at 11:16 am
I hope the OL wasn’t “spent” by the end of the first half. That would be the worst news of all.
August 13th, 2023 at 1:31 pm
Wow don’t be surprised if Trask gets set back to number three with Wolford stepping up, I hope he does better and I have to eat my words but I don’t think after this being his 3rd year that he is going to get better after all this time, probably holding out hope for nothing, I know I am going to get beat up for saying it, just not impressive enough, his confidence level is just not their, sorry
August 13th, 2023 at 2:07 pm
I rewatched the whole game last night.
Unless the coaches are stupid, Trask didn’t lose ground. He had bad blocking, mixed with bad play calling, mixed with penalties. Mayfield was fine, if you’re into 3-yard passes on 3rd and 18 that is, but nothing I saw from Trask would change anything.
Yaya looked really good. Gill has always looked explosive, he just can’t stay healthy, but he should make the team.
You all are wrong on Zyon, outside of the run play where he should have stayed more outside, he mostly played pretty well and was MUCH better than last year when he looked completely lost. I don’t know if the Bucs want to bet on him as the 3rd corner quite yet, but he certainly showed a lot of progress from last year.
Luke needs to get better, but again, Cappa… his second preseason, he was beyond terrible. Everyone in the message boards said he was a bust, the Bucs had to trade for a guard, etc etc etc, once the regular season started, however, he was good. I don’t know if Luke ends up like that, but people need to have more than the memory of a goldfish when commenting on guys.
August 13th, 2023 at 2:56 pm
You can wax on wax off all day with your pen.
In the end we have the worst defensive and offensive lines in football
We have a slightly below average secondary with no depth
54 is getting older 45 is 45
Zero depth behind them
No tight ends
Backs?? I guess it doesn’t matter due to the line.
Mayfield is going to get crushed
Trask enters the season…..
Evans and Chris are a nice pair though, stoked to have them
August 13th, 2023 at 3:05 pm
Are you a Bucs fan or a Trask fan? If you want the Bucs to win, they obviously must start Mayfield. (The greatest college QB since 2000 according to SI. Trask wasn’t listed on the top 100.)
IF Mayfield has good protection, good play-calling, and doesn’t get injured, he could outperform Mahomes just like he did in college.
Wake up and do some research before you show your ignorance.
August 13th, 2023 at 4:08 pm
I saw nothing interesting on offensive play calling.
No one seems to notice that Wolford picked up more yards than we had penalties! He moved the chains over 100 yards–127?
BTW, Gabbert looked darn good playing for the Chiefs. 🙁
August 13th, 2023 at 4:43 pm
Well I guess somebody on the O line is gonna be the punching bag. Geodeke does seem to be giving PLENTY of ammo for that machine gun. Poor bas tard o. Sucks to be him right now. I’ll make it ALL THE SWEATER for him if he can shake it off.
August 13th, 2023 at 8:20 pm
People cutting Baker down for short passes…yall do know those are designed that way right and that he didn’t choose them? Baker was showing great deep balls in practice and training, not his fault the coaches didn’t let him show that.
August 13th, 2023 at 10:07 pm
Apparently 46 yd of rushing were called back by penalties. If you had that to the 60 some yards that the bucks got you get a respectable number of over 100 yards rushing.
It’s training camp, The team is young, the focus should be to cut down on penalties during the remaining training camp.
August 14th, 2023 at 1:05 am
@Joe,
Did you say we have depth at S? Depth maybe, but there is hardly a sure-fire Safety after Winfield and Neal that we know much about. We had depth the last couple of years. Not so sure, we have quality depth this year. The backups are unproven.
Cam Gill needs more playing time. The guy flashes when he gets his opportunity.