Panic!
August 13th, 2014
Bucs fans are “this close” to hitting the panic button over the state of the offensive (keyword) guards, and it is only Aug. 13. Man, Joe doesn’t know what Tampa Bay fans will do if the line collapses Saturday against Miami anything close to the way it impersonated turnstiles last week at Jacksonville.
The hyperventilating over the offensive line has even taken Joe aback. Wow. It is as if fans will storm the pirate ship Saturday in order to jump off it.
It seems ornery Alan Dell of the Bradenton Herald is about to join them. He, too, thinks the offensive line is a sieve. And if the Bucs are to win a handful of games this season, Dell believes drastic measures must be utilized. In a hurry.
NFL top cop Roger Goodell says Richie Incognito is doing his best to reform himself. The Bucs offensive line didn’t scare anyone except their own guy behind center against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Friday night’s preseason opener.
But Bucs head coach Lovie Smith, who shipped last year’s offensive line out of town, says not to worry.
We want to believe Lovie. We want to have hope, but Jiminy Josh Freeman it’s hard.
Here is the thing: The Bucs did not gameplan against Jacksonville; Lovie plans to use a little game planning against Miami. Against the Jags, Lovie wanted the offensive linemen to go one-on-one against the defensive linemen. Sort of a brutal test to see how each man fares.
The Bucs will not use strictly a man-on-man tactic for their offensive linemen during the regular season. Not even a two-bit high school coach would pull that kind of stunt.
Joe firmly believes the Bucs offensive line will improve. And it is very possible that the starting guards on the offensive line come Sept. 7, when the Bucs host the Stinking Panthers aren’t even on the current Bucs roster.
Relax Bucs fans and have a cold brew.
August 13th, 2014 at 3:16 pm
I’m a Bucs fan and I haven’t panicked. The offensive line will be a lot better than year. A new car engine takes a while to break in. The Jacksonville game means next to nothing. Surprised Joe is not printing daily articles about the fact that the Bucs’ defense had four out of five 3 and outs. How many times did that happen last year?
August 13th, 2014 at 3:18 pm
You keep saying that our Oline is complete or even on our roster, but thats one area that has to have time w/ each other as one unit to be sucessful! Cant wait till opening day to work together at game speed. Tic toc…..
August 13th, 2014 at 3:19 pm
*isnt complete
August 13th, 2014 at 3:21 pm
I tried to bring it up last night, I have talked to a lot of “fans” and they were thinking playoffs as soon as Lovie signed. and after last week’s game they want to rent parking spaces on the skyway to jump if this week’s game looks the same!
I will say it again, its the preseason, it does not count. But this is as close as a must win ( meaning that the bucs need to look good, not win, LOOK GOOD) or it will be a congo line jumping off the skyway.
That is all!
August 13th, 2014 at 3:21 pm
First of all get out off my head joe. I was just about to post something very similar on the last article. Second, weren’t we in a zone scheme? I thought that was the main reason we blocked so poorly, everyone was tripping over each other and didn’t know when to pass the def off to the next blocker. If we were blocking man to man then we’re in much worse trouble than I originally imagined. Either way it’s just the preseason. I’m sure that is exactly what we’ll hear Sunday. Hoping I’m wrong!!!
August 13th, 2014 at 3:24 pm
Realist
I’m with you. I don’t think the fan reaction is that we lost. It’s that our starting qb got sacked 4 times and had 2 turnovers. It’s the poor play from the starters not the win loss record. No one cares about wins in the preseason. I’d prefer to go 0-4. But I do care about not being embarrassed out there.
August 13th, 2014 at 3:27 pm
It was the Jags too, they are no powerhouse, they were 2 picks from the #1 draft pick overall, They were last in sacs and 27th overall for yards allowed. and as good as the Defense looked, it was still against the Jags.
August 13th, 2014 at 3:28 pm
” but Jiminy Josh Freeman ”
These are the little things that make me happy. Totally using this tonight.
August 13th, 2014 at 3:30 pm
I like the way Lovie did his guard test. Take your weakest guards and put them in the weakest meaningless game of the year and find out if they have anything. Now he knows they don’t. Find out some more Saturday and then he can make his trades/acquisitions/adjustments when there are more available which there will be soon. I like his patient systematic approach.
August 13th, 2014 at 3:34 pm
So billy you think his plan was to put his starting qb in a position to get hurt or lost for the season? The first hit he took was enough to injury himself not to mention the other 5. Come on man!
August 13th, 2014 at 3:35 pm
People are clamoring for a change that actually occurred. Meredith dropped from the 1st team to the 3rd. Cousins was never considered anything other than a backup to begin with. Both started. Lets see Omameh and Edwards run with the 1s before we start planning for the 2015 draft. Maybe the answer is already on the team.
August 13th, 2014 at 3:36 pm
If the an answer was on the roster now, someone would have separated himself.
August 13th, 2014 at 3:39 pm
I still probably would have pulled every available Guard except Richie and had a tryout and gave Cousins his walking papers because that dude just plain sucks… I have no clue how he has lasted in the NFL as long as he has.. He must have an AMAZING Agent because he has easily robbed the Bucs and Browns of whatever money he has made in NFL… He EASILY could make that top 20 worst Bucs list even WITHOUT playing in an actual NFL game for us if we cut him before the season starts lol
August 13th, 2014 at 3:53 pm
the only reasons we would see richie incognito in tampa bay are: a) he’s wearing an opposing jersey, or b) he is putting his fat sweaty hands over some poor dancer at a local adult establishment. he will not be a buc on lovie’s watch and we should refuse to take a chance on the reformation of a guy who has been a grade-A jerk since before he got kicked out of his first college program
August 13th, 2014 at 3:54 pm
Oh My Gosh, is preseason THIS slow they we have to keep REHASHING the freak’n O-line?!
People, it was 1 (and the first and only) preseason game. The “first” team O-line had 4 series.
It’s not like it was GAME 1 vs the Panthers and the 4th quater and done 40-0!
Jeesh, people need to calm down, relax, CELEBRATE FOOTBALL being back on the tube, and evaluate each player individually.
This is T-DUB’s last post about the freak’n O-line problem. I’m done with it!
P.S. i’d love to see #13 be more active on saturday
Go Bucs!
August 13th, 2014 at 4:04 pm
Joe and others who are in a state of ‘panic’ – get over yourselves. As someone mentioned above – Lovie took the WORST two guards (who happen to have the most experience) on the team and had them isolated their entire time to see what they were made of. He even said that! And they weren’t made of much.
Why in the hell would anyone panic over a test? They failed, so lets all move on, eh?
You Nancy Boys need to take off your panties, put on your big boy britches and let this play out for a few weeks. Geez, I’m as die-hard as the next guy, but some of our fan base make me think we’ve got a bunch of limp wrist sissies who can’t handle a little stress following this awesome team.
August 13th, 2014 at 4:05 pm
OK….here is the really good news……we know we have a problem. That is much better than thinking you are OK only to find out way too late that you’re not.
We have some time….some money….all of next year’s picks and it probably won’t take a lot to improve things…..so be patient…..and DONT PANIC!!!
August 13th, 2014 at 4:09 pm
Thank you TBBF – that’s damned right.
Don’t Panic – hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy has an answer for everything.
August 13th, 2014 at 4:20 pm
Louis is a tough guy, behind his keyboard. Lol smh
August 13th, 2014 at 4:23 pm
It’s a kinder, gentler Incognito.
SIGN HIM!
(After you work a deal for Alex Boone too).
And then give McCoy an extension.
The owners could easily do all three of the things
listed above, if they wanted to.
Quoting the article references in Morning Cup of Joe
a few days ago on “Why the Bucs suck”
Reason 3C: Your owners treat the team like a cash cow.
Yes. They do. Spot on. We pay an extra penny in sales
tax to finance Man U through a tax exempt NFL franchise.
Wow. That is some ****ed up ****.
August 13th, 2014 at 4:27 pm
I can see two logical arguments here. Yes it was the 1st preseason game of the year and maybe Lovie hasn’t found the right combination as of today, but at the same time this OL played in a very basic/vanilla offense. No team is gonna open there play book in the 1st preseason game. To me if these guys can’t handle the basics then it’s damn right scary.
You have to win the battle in the trenches to be a successful NFL team, if we can not do this it will be another long drunken year.
August 13th, 2014 at 4:43 pm
No panic hear… I’m just being realistic… unlike most of the average Buc fans on here that won’t ever take off the pewter colored glasses they wear….
I will be back after Saturdays game… I hope they shut me up…
August 13th, 2014 at 5:06 pm
Here not hear…lol
August 13th, 2014 at 5:07 pm
THE SKY IS FALLING!!
August 13th, 2014 at 5:15 pm
@ MP MALLOY
“It’s a kinder, gentler Incognito.
SIGN HIM!”
If we are going to take all the baggage that comes with Incognito (and I don’t think we should)…..I want the real deal……the real MEAN & NASTY MF!!!!
Bring him in to run off Meredith & Cousins….and toughen up Edwards…..
but….just not going to happen IMO….
August 13th, 2014 at 5:16 pm
I agree with BucfaninMO. while certainly not in ‘panic’ mode, I am concerned. Lovie, and staff, have had two weeks to appraise the talent they acquired/inherited. If they judged the starting O-line, against Jacksonville, to be the best, then their judgement is flawed. This is possible, since we already know that Lovie has had O-line issues in the past. Regardless of the plays called, a ‘starting’ lineman needs to be able to block the guy in front of him. Now, the indication is that this was a ‘test’. So, that might mean that they weren’t sure if these were the right five, but you can’t bench high profile free agents before the first game. Not wanting to look like a bad decision was made, the staff decided to put McCown at risk? *IF* the eventual starting guards “are on this team”, that means we just watched the ‘backups’. There are those who’ve said, “If McCown goes down, the season is lost.”. Maybe, but if the backup O-linemen have to play, McCown AND Glennon are lost.
August 13th, 2014 at 5:18 pm
Panic? You want to see panic? Remember last year after the Jets loss? This is a walk in the park on a lovely Saturday morning compared to that week.
August 13th, 2014 at 5:31 pm
@chef paul
was the panic at the lost, or josh freeman being lost when the headset went out???
August 13th, 2014 at 5:51 pm
Andrew 1 Says:
August 10th, 2014 at 3:44 pm
@ A-Train
Interesting article you posted. According to the article, our offensive lineman were intentionally left to fend for themselves in order to see how they would respond individually. Here’s the quote for Lovie
“You want to put guys on an island to see how we could perform one-on-one, and we got beat a few times, especially inside at the guard position,” Smith said. “But we got beat on the outside also, too, by some of our better players. That will just kind of get their attention a little more.”
So from Lovie, the offensive line struggles in that game was all according to plan. I dont know how much I believe that, but if it is true then our o line should greatly improve once they are allowed to play as a unit. There might be some hope after all.
August 13th, 2014 at 6:35 pm
We are Tired.
We are tired of being told that this offense doesn’t need a TE.
Or Slot Reciever isn’t important
Or that we don’t need our leader pass rusher, because our injured 2nd year rookie will do it.
We are tired of watching this team have glaring, obvious weaknesses- and being told we are wrong.
Then, once it’s obvious we were right- being told we are supposed to watch yet another crappy season- like good little idiots
To hell with that
Olive is a good coach
But the man is telling us to relax- everything is great.
And he has never built a decent O-line in his entire career- it’s his biggest weakness.
Anyone who watched how bad our line was Fridaty, knows that it was so far below Par- that it will prevent this team from being competitive
Quit blowing smoke up our kazoos- that’s happened too many times!!!
Fix that damn line. Sick of watching crappy teams.
The guys that post here talk football in their sleep!! We know when we see another (ANOTHER!!) season in jeopardy
August 13th, 2014 at 7:09 pm
Hmmm…I read eariler about our Bucs drafting sims when clearly we needed more oline help. Collins is going to be a bust, behind the two starting wideouts we have no one and we shipped a cheap mike Williams to buffalo for a cup of coffee. What are we doing? Licht the lapdog? I don’t know but not sure these two are making good decisions. Heck well over half the team is from the precious crew and we had tons of room to make it better???
August 13th, 2014 at 7:21 pm
@jon what the hell are you talk
August 13th, 2014 at 7:23 pm
ing about? No depth? Lapdog? One preseason game and you’re already to burn everything down? Ultimate fair weather fan.
August 13th, 2014 at 7:26 pm
Could have some fun with PhotoShop on that pic, Joe.
but no panic here. I think the young guys can grow. They’ve got good coaching and plenty of leaders on this team to keep them on the rise. Too much going good for this team to have another dismal season.
August 13th, 2014 at 7:27 pm
Jon forgot about the part that once someone is fired that everything is their fault, and how incompetent they were while they were with the Bucs.
August 13th, 2014 at 7:33 pm
I can’t relax Joe! Every time I close my eyes I see flash backs of our o-line during the first pre season game. It causes me to have the cold sweats and shakes. The Horror……The Horror.
August 13th, 2014 at 7:41 pm
Everyone knows that while in Chicago he had terrible O Lines. That is why there is panic, not 1 game in pre season. I personally think there will be a trade of FA pickup.
August 13th, 2014 at 8:02 pm
OL Coach George Warhop was in charge of Clevelands Oline last year and according to one stat site I visited, Clevelands oline was ranked #12 last year.
Interestingly enough there was a mention of Oniel Cousins. It said remember when they had to play Oniel Cousins and then mentioned how much better his replacement was. The fact that Lovie and George brought him hear seriously undermines their credibilty. WTF were they thinking? To his credit, Warhop knew enough last year to replace him.
August 13th, 2014 at 8:04 pm
Unless the rookies pan out, the talent pool is mighty thin
August 13th, 2014 at 8:04 pm
Capt.Tim, back from Davies Jones’s locker Says:
August 13th, 2014 at 6:35 pm
We are Tired.
We are tired of being told that this offense doesn’t need a TE.
Or Slot Reciever isn’t important
Or that we don’t need our leader pass rusher, because our injured 2nd year rookie will do it.
We are tired of watching this team have glaring, obvious weaknesses- and being told we are wrong.
Then, once it’s obvious we were right- being told we are supposed to watch yet another crappy season- like good little idiots
__________________________________
APPLAUD TO THIS MAN HERE, BEST POST SINCE LONG LONG TIME!
SUMS IT UP PERFECTLY
August 13th, 2014 at 8:09 pm
Why didn’t we get a mobile quarterback?
August 13th, 2014 at 8:09 pm
If the Oline sucks this weekend, I might want to borrow that lady’s paper bag. Naw … I’ll wait. Its preseason. Having said that I’ll be pretty pissed if this oline brings down the promissing careers of the solid core of running backs and recievers we have now. Plus it will end the career of McCown and possibly Glennon.
August 13th, 2014 at 8:40 pm
“Quit blowing smoke up our kazoos- that’s happened too many times!!!”
What else could you say, again:
APPLAUD TO THIS MAN
right here truth is spoken
i mean c´mon: what kind of plan is it, to let Cousins play in the first pre-season game (yet alone to sign him in the first place) WITH THE REASONING TO EXPLOIT HIS SHORTCOMINGS?
putting him on an island is no excuse for letting him play/signing him.
We should play guys that have a chance at excelling, not?
It was just a screen play to make fans “panic” and then relieved: yipie ey eh cousins wont start….
And the stupid ones forget that we could have had better players in the first place
RB instead of Guard.
No one can tell me, that L/L plan was to get a good RB first, then an good Guard later in midway through training camp.
Like said many times before:
Every average fan knows Lineman are harder to find than those RB´s……
Getting sick of Bucs organisation…
CAN JOE EXPLAIN TO THE FANS WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!
Could you ask Lovie at the next Press Conference whats the reasoning for passing on great talent that we could have needed (even if it had just enabled us to trade other guys >>> sustaining more future draft picks; giving us oppertunitys for later years for compensatory picks; etc)
examples (all instead of Sims): O-Lineman Brandon Thomas from Clemson (49ers); Lois Nix a monster DT from NotreDam now part of nasty Texans D line; Gabe Jackson (why not!!!) Guard; Deanthony Thomas = perfect slot and offensive weapon generall; Bruce Ellington = great WR
the list goes on and on and on
instead fraking BS RB who maybe isn´t bad; but he is not a Carlos Hyde type talent or AP all day; or … just nothing special!!!
But could be, that if Joe asks legit questions like that, he wont be allowed into One Buc Place much more… thats how the NFL rolls
August 13th, 2014 at 9:49 pm
Thank you, Louden
August 13th, 2014 at 10:11 pm
Alan Dell is a hack.
August 14th, 2014 at 2:53 am
The line talent sure doesn’t look to have been assembled with a single style in mind…looks to be a sum of parts,
I could be wrong, after some real game-planning – and the beginnings of discovering what they don’t know – maybe they’ve out the correct type of guard out there to free-up the anchors: Anthony Collins, and Evan Deitrich-Smith – to be able to focus on there jobs…
No panic, if we could get the defense to score some points until the offense cathes up/on we might just be ok!?
August 14th, 2014 at 5:58 am
@louden – I like your posts because they’re like a jigsaw puzzle that you have to sort out and piece together to see what the picture is supposed to be