Awaiting The Real Josh McCown
August 23rd, 2014
Leadership skills and experience are massive reasons Josh McCown was anointed Tampa Bay starting quarterback. It certainly wasn’t his 16 career victories since being drafted in 2002.
McCown is smart, wise and serene under pressure, Lovie Smith said in March, and McCown was going to surprise with his elite athleticism at 35 years old.
Joe wants to see some of that today in Buffalo.
The Bucs gameplanned for the Bills, which owned the NFL’s 10th-ranked defense last season. It’s the “dress rehearsal” for 2014. Surely, McCown will be free to audible and truly place his stamp on the offense for the first time, likely through three quarters.
Joe expects McCown will be the fourth best QB in the NFC South. (Sorry, reality is painful.) But that doesn’t mean McCown can’t be consistent, steady and look like a legitimate NFL veteran starter, one who is a force for smart play and flashes of greatness.
McCown has spoken — for months — about how he’s focused on having the Bucs hit the ground running. That’s why he gathered the entire offense at a local Tampa park for a series of extra spring practices — which drew 100 percent attendance.
Those sessions mirrored what McCown led with Jay Cutler in Chicago last season. The Bears, with a new head coach and a new offense, overcame the learning curve and finished as the NFL’s No. 2-ranked offense.
That desired fast start has been nearly an obsession for McCown. He knows it represents the Bucs’ greatest shot at a successful season, as well as his best chance at job security. Yes, Mike Glennon lurks. McCown is not untouchable with a season-long leash.
Joe wants to walk away from the Buffalo game confident in McCown. No matter what Lovie said about how a team can surely win 10 games with strong, turnover-happy defense, plus good special teams, there’s little hope for January victories without a very effective and talented QB.
August 23rd, 2014 at 2:51 pm
Career backup — in a league where film is broken down over and over again, that’s usually for a reason.
McCown needs to show and produce immediately, because his pedigree hasn’t earned him the benefits of any doubts. If he plays like he has for the majority of his career, I hope the hook is quick and immediate.
August 23rd, 2014 at 2:53 pm
Hmmmm
We will see. Nothing so far has shown reason for optimism at QB. Nice short field td drive last week but most QB’s could have hit jackson. How about a long td drive by the starting O?
August 23rd, 2014 at 2:53 pm
Awaiting on the o line
August 23rd, 2014 at 3:09 pm
Damn I’m ready for this game. Time too see what we got. Hope they let it out a little bit on offense and not make so vanilla. Understand keeping a secret but we need to see a glimpse. GO BUCS! !!!!!!!
BUC them up!!
August 23rd, 2014 at 3:10 pm
As long as Cousins starts, Josh will have pressure, but he is still able to deal with it as long as he isn’t swarmed from all directions. I look for Josh to have a good day, but with Albatross Glennon playing the last quarter he will likely choke and lose the game, unless we get lots of turnovers and run up the score!
August 23rd, 2014 at 3:11 pm
There is nothing I have seen in preseason that would convince me that Glennon could perform as well as McCown for this season. The O-line will determine how well McCown plays to a large degree and if it is miserable so too will be our QB play regardless of who is under center. If Glennon gets put in behind a bad O-line this season it will probably destroy any progress he may have made this year, not that I have seen a whole lot.
August 23rd, 2014 at 3:11 pm
Joe expects McCown will be the fourth best QB in the NFC South. (Sorry, reality is painful.) But that doesn’t mean McCown can’t be consistent, steady and look like a legitimate NFL veteran starter, one who is a force for smart play and flashes of greatness.
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Unless your last name is Glennon right? Lol. Seriously you’ve been harping on the fact you can’t win with the 4th best QB in the division but we sign a career back up and all the sudden there is hope? SMH… Consistency, get some.
August 23rd, 2014 at 3:36 pm
It won’t be difficult for McCown to be the 2nd best. Newton or Ryan don’t scare me and I don’t think are as good as everyone thinks they are. And unless McCown bombs or gets hurt don’t expect to see Glennon regardless of the record.
August 23rd, 2014 at 4:08 pm
Most of us are just waiting for the real TampaQB. Glennon will start this year!
August 23rd, 2014 at 4:20 pm
Glennon will start 2016. Glennon will hold clipboard this year.
I’m just being REAL…. :^)
August 23rd, 2014 at 4:22 pm
Surprise suprise surprise me!
August 23rd, 2014 at 4:22 pm
We will see Johnny Football start before “The Cannon.”
August 23rd, 2014 at 4:44 pm
Would like to see if the can get Rishaw Johnson some snaps at LG to potentially replace Cousins by week 1.
August 23rd, 2014 at 6:02 pm
@ Halftime: Bucs 24 Bills 0
HEEEERES JOSHY!
August 23rd, 2014 at 6:02 pm
Stiff…moves and sees like an old man….2015 NFL Draft….chicken or the egg….QB or OL…..