Right Guard Mystery Rolls On
September 1st, 2014
Is Oneil Cousins the winner?
If you came here to learn who will start at right guard for the Bucs on Sunday, you’re out of luck.
The actual starting right guard likely knows his status, but he will live incognito, if you will.
Lovie Smith made it clear today he has no intention of revealing the identity of the unkown starter. Patrick Omameh? Oneil Cousins? Rishaw Johnson?
Joe’s got no clue. During the practice time open to media today, the offensive line moved out of the line of sight behind a fence/wall.
Greg Schiano used to call this a “competitive advantage.” Lovie doesn’t have any term for it, only a sly grin.
Joe sincerely hopes it’s not Cousins someone who can block.
September 1st, 2014 at 8:17 pm
I think it’s Rishaw!
Here’s an article from a “KansasCity Leo Wannabe”; but if Rishaw plays to this standard, I good with it. Keep in mind that Johnson is young, and will continue to become more savvy, educated and in general, better!
http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2014/3/24/553816/chiefs-rishaw-johnson-snaps-chargers-week-17
September 1st, 2014 at 8:18 pm
Lovie afraid of the fan uproar if he announces Cousins the starter?
September 1st, 2014 at 8:26 pm
Rishaw Johnson showed more promise in 1 game than Ohmameh did in 2 at RG and more than Cousins did in 3….Hope He Starts.
September 1st, 2014 at 8:26 pm
I don’t understand why Lovie would be coy about this position. I seriously doubt if the Panthers will change their defensive plans largely based on who plays right guard for the Bucs.
September 1st, 2014 at 8:37 pm
Any possibility he wants to move Mankins to the right side? That would best the best reason behind the secrecy, other than that I just don’t see why.
September 1st, 2014 at 8:40 pm
So…what exactly IS the competitive advantage of not revealing our crappy RG? Ahh football coaches, the most paranoid people on the planet.
September 1st, 2014 at 8:45 pm
If it’s Cousins it would be the biggest waste of time ever. With Mankins on the left you go ahead and ride with a young guy on the right.
September 1st, 2014 at 8:47 pm
if you don’t know the scheme wouldn’t that mean a generic playbook for this week? Say it ain’t so, it’s going to be two ugly offenses and two stellar defenses on Sunday
September 1st, 2014 at 8:56 pm
Honestly, if Warhop is incappable of coaching up players that weren’t on one of his previous crappy offensive lines then he isnt worth a sh!t as a coach. I dont want to see another Browns castoff walk through the door.
Oneil Cousins is very easily one of the five worst interior offensive linemen in the league. To my recollection, I dont recall him playing any downs at right guard in the preseason???. Why then would there be a chance of him starting there openning day. For those that thing right and left guard are interchangeable, you’re wrong. Some guys have a much harder time from one side to the next.
September 1st, 2014 at 8:56 pm
I’m gonna say a rotation of omameh and Johnson till we see who fits better…
September 1st, 2014 at 8:58 pm
I think it is definitely an advantage to keep any information regarding your team a secret. This may not offer a huge advantage, but it is one nonetheless. The starting right guard will be a surprise so the opposing team will not have time to dissect strengths of weaknesses of, at least, this one guy.
September 1st, 2014 at 9:07 pm
@buc4lyfe
I really dont think putting a new offensive lineman in there will congest the playbook at all. There’s only so many protections offensive lineman have to worry about, its dictated by what the defense is showing you. The terminology will change but being that our issues are at guard and not tackle it wont be hard to communicate those things at the line of scrimmage.
September 1st, 2014 at 9:20 pm
It’s like waiting for the winning announcement of the saggiest boobs contest. We’re probably going to cringe at whoever gets first place.
Any of you guys ever go on a date with a chick you weren’t proud of being seen with? That’s what McCown is going to feel like when he’s standing next to his RG this year. All year long. I feel for the dude.
September 1st, 2014 at 9:23 pm
Possibly he has McCoy “final testing” each right guard today.
McCoy can tell him EXACTLY which one can hold his own the best and then he makes the final pecking order.
September 1st, 2014 at 9:28 pm
Now I’m thinking of the DI in Full Metal Jacket – Your RG blocking is so ugly it could be a modern art masterpiece.
September 1st, 2014 at 9:30 pm
@billy buckaroo – There isn’t a RG in the NFL who can block McCoy. Not even the pro bowlers – good luck with that.
September 1st, 2014 at 9:35 pm
Among the the who’s who of RG candidate that do-no-wrong Lovie and his lapdog GM have lined up I cannot imagine the game plan being contingent for Carolina. The only secrecy is their explicit guilt.
September 1st, 2014 at 9:38 pm
@louis
Good point and true.
McCoy can tell if they got anything or not much and relay that to Lovie tho
September 1st, 2014 at 9:47 pm
It could be more of a plan to not reveal the starting lineman so carolina cant watch tape and figure out how to exploit their obvious weaknesses. Im sure each of our right guards have one .. or a few
September 1st, 2014 at 9:56 pm
@scott – Yeah, I guess if I’m Carolina I just make sure to bring my blitzes through the A-Gap non-stop regardless of who’s there. Pretty sure blitz pick up is a weakness of whichever slab of meat they insert there. Looking forward to the 2015 draft to fix this.
September 1st, 2014 at 9:59 pm
Hiding the right guard is a smokescreen. There hiding the playbook.
September 1st, 2014 at 10:01 pm
I suspect Martin will be running mostly on the right side…..there is an outside chance that it could be Mankins….that would really be a surprise and could screw Carolina up somewhat…..
September 1st, 2014 at 10:07 pm
Cousins should be selling shoes or insurance somewhere.
September 1st, 2014 at 10:08 pm
My guess is Omameh.
September 1st, 2014 at 10:10 pm
I don’t care.
Just Win Baby!!!
September 1st, 2014 at 10:12 pm
By midseason, I expect they’ll be getting solid play at RG from either Johnson or Omameh. Barring injuries, I expect Cousins to be a backup player. Seems to be what the Bucs want, though there are plenty of complainers here who insist that they wanted Cousins as a starter all along and only brought in other players when it failed. Given that Licht was working with the Patriots to acquire OG help a month ago, I think it’s clear they have a good grasp of the fact that Cousins is not a starting quality player.
September 1st, 2014 at 11:10 pm
Wow!!! Too many here need to save $25 and go buy a life. This is hilarious …
September 1st, 2014 at 11:13 pm
Cousins is one of the worst Guards in the NFL. He needs to be cut. We could use that slot for rehiring Jace Daniels to be the backup Center/Guard!
September 1st, 2014 at 11:40 pm
Please not Cousins!!!
September 2nd, 2014 at 12:34 am
Cut Cousins — get Incognito! Lovey show you have a set of balls. Big people make big decisions. Don’t worry what some people will say, a few wins and everyone will think you are a genius.
September 2nd, 2014 at 6:25 am
Lovey just wants to spend a little quality time with his O line, without having to listen to all the media drival. Can you blame him?
September 2nd, 2014 at 8:02 am
I find it amazing that Ray Rice gets 2 games suspension for punching his wife, Vincent Jackson got 3 or 4 games for booming his car stereo with a bad tag, but Incognito gets a life time ban for being a a$$hole.
September 2nd, 2014 at 8:34 am
Gilkey
September 2nd, 2014 at 2:00 pm
My thought here is that whoever starts at right guard will be no more tested and exploited then the rest of the line. At this point I am not entirely sold on any of them and until they demonstrate as a single unit that they can open up holes for our backs and block well enough to allow the QB time to get the ball into the hands of some of our high priced ball hawks…the OL and our team have bigger clouds hanging over their heads than who starts at RG. Prediction for Sunday we win ugly 21-17