Positives About Offensive Line
September 8th, 2014
Anthony Collins and the Bucs offensive line wasn’t as horrible as many Bucs fans want to believe. Even former Bucs TE Anthony Becht agrees.
Joe took all sorts of heat from fans who trashed Joe for suggesting the offensive line didn’t play that bad — it didn’t play great, no doubt. It wasn’t like the offensive line was the reason the Bucs lost.
In fact, a guy who knows something about blocking, former Bucs tight end Anthony Becht, part of the Buccaneers Radio Network and a columnist for Buccaneers.com, saw positives as well. He didn’t think the offensive line was that horrible, but certainly needs work.
OFFENSIVE LINE: The biggest concern for our football team heading into the season was our offensive line. Initially their were a few minor miscommunications by the looks the Panthers had shown. When those looks came up again later in the game, the adjustments were made and they were picked up. Giving up three sacks on your quarterback is never good. The Panthers were able to squeeze the pocket on some early series in the first half that gave McCown an unsettling pocket to work from. The loss of Logan Mankins didn’t help either. As the game moved on, the line settled in and gave Josh the time he needed to have a strong second half. As far as the running game is concerned, we left some opportunities on the field. Jorvorskie Lane had a fantastic 54-yard scamper that was well blocked by the line. There were a few running plays in the game that were blocked perfectly by the line but we just needed to dig out the safeties and get a hat on them and we would have sprung a few big runs. In football it takes all eleven to make a play go. There is nothing that can’t be addressed or fixed in practice this week for them to get better. I fully expect that we will see that improvement.
Joe thinks that Becht hit on many good points. There is one element that no one has cited to Joe’s knowledge, where the offensive line did a damned good job. It happened early in the game.
On the Bucs’ first possesion, Tampa Bay had the ball at its own 31 and faced a 3rd-and9. Joe just happened to have his binoculars focused on the line when McCown went back to pass, took a step or two to the left. Waited. Waited. Then let loose a pass that hit tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins down the middle for a 26-yard catch-and-run.
That play was made possible for two reasons: 1. The line held for McCown to operate in the pocket and go through his progressions. 2. The line held long enough to allow ASJ to get open, and it paid off big time.
Was the offensive line play yesterday going to make people forget about the Hogs of the Redskins? Of course not. But Bucs fans were mad because Joe didn’t subscribe to their narrative of a rotten offensive line performance.
September 8th, 2014 at 3:01 pm
I stand firm when i say our o-line played like garbage. I watched every snap and there were maybe a handful of plays where McCown had adequate time to throw the ball. They had a few good pushes (Qb sneak, lane 54 yrd run) but was by far the weakest unit on the field yesterday, behind McCown’s decision making.
Our team is going to take some time to come together. Understood. I expect better next week.
#GOBUCS
September 8th, 2014 at 3:03 pm
I thought McCown was too afraid to pull the trigger yesterday. So many times it seemed like the guy he was staring at was open but he had to wait until he was being dragged down to throw the ball. Kept giving defenders time to key in on where the pass was going so they could start moving there before the ball was released.
I also did not think the offensive line was terrible. Definitely nothing special but not terrible.
It was a disappointing performance by the quarterback and defense if you ask me.
September 8th, 2014 at 3:05 pm
We had a very late start getting the OG’s in place but it was baptism by fire against the Panthers front 7.
Losing Mankins that early was no stroke of luck either.
September 8th, 2014 at 3:06 pm
LaMichael James being released. Speed in space?
September 8th, 2014 at 3:06 pm
The oline needs to have more than one good play. C’mon, really? The oline was seal-clubbed all day long. They shut down our run game which caused big problems for the pass game. It all starts up front. Thanks Lovie/Lapdog!
Pitiful.
September 8th, 2014 at 3:06 pm
Sign Richie
September 8th, 2014 at 3:07 pm
WCBF, McCown doesn’t exactly throw anyone open. That’s how career backups play.
September 8th, 2014 at 3:09 pm
Several other teams suffered injuries to their offensive lines on Sunday…I think I’d be giving Incognito’s agent a call today. The Bucs O-line is clearly a mediocre group at best, we will need all the help we can get at this point. incognito might not be the long term answer, but the guys we already have …especially at right Guard, are not the answer either. if he’s the best of what’s left out there, than get him on a plane to Tampa ASAP. We can’t turn this team around unless BOTH lines sort their sh*t out and our 35 year old career journeyman/backup and former High School coach QB quits making boneheaded rookie mistakes! I’m optimistic the defense will settle down and improve….I’m far from certain the o-line and QB play will.
September 8th, 2014 at 3:14 pm
You could probably give McCown 12 seconds in the pocket and he would still wait until he is being dragged down to throw the ball. I don’t think a better offensive line would fix or even mask his issues in that game. (Just so we are clear, I am not advocating for or against Glennon here.)
Some adjustments will have to be made to or this is going to run off the rails fairly quickly here.
September 8th, 2014 at 3:17 pm
No positives…zero run blocking…other than the beautiful blocking on the FB run..but the D wasn’t looking for that….all other running plays were STUFFED ! @ the LOS…the OL sucked…it pain me to watch any other pro or college game,channel surfing…and watch actual execution…why NEVER the Bucs ?
September 8th, 2014 at 3:28 pm
Our run blocking was decent if overrated dougillac Williams had some vision we would have got a couple of decent runs. I remember we had this guy named the muscle hampster now he’s just a gerbil.
September 8th, 2014 at 3:33 pm
McCown had “nervous” feet for some reason
People in his face will do that
September 8th, 2014 at 3:41 pm
What kind of idiotic statement is this? So, Mr Becht and Mr Collins, you think Martin and Rainey gaining 21 yards on 12 carries is a good accomplishment?
I am extremely disappointed that I have not seen any news of the Bucs signing Incognito.
September 8th, 2014 at 3:42 pm
Out of curiosity, on that pass to SJENKINS, how many lineman rushed? Bc if it’s 4-5, it was them doing what they’re supposed to do for the entire game for one play.
I see your Becht and will raise you a Beckles, who said the line couldn’t maintain and the Lane play was pure luck; pull up the audio around the beginning of their show.
September 8th, 2014 at 5:36 pm
Josh mccown is the problem! New rules no1 on this team team with the name .Josh!
September 8th, 2014 at 5:51 pm
So I guess the new standard for the Oline is “not to play horrible”. Wow! You don’t have to be a football expert to realize L&L really screwed up the entire offense by failing to properly address the Oline since they got here. We will see this same result every Sunday until we get talented and nasty on the Oline. Same can be said for the Dline. Sunday was a reality check for all Bucs fans. No reason for hope or that all of a sudden the switch will turn on. At least play with effort and heart. That was missing as well. Maybe Schiano was right, you have to treat them like college kids and instill discipline.
September 8th, 2014 at 6:20 pm
The big concern is run blocking. Outside of the one big run by lane our running game was non-existent. Need to see a big improvement there next game, if not it’s going to be a long year.
September 8th, 2014 at 6:39 pm
Week 1 overreaction all over the damn site!
Buying low on the Dougernaut in fantasy. The run game will be there. We will not see what this team is supposed to be until the second half of the season, can’t pull a rabbit out of your hat when teaching a new scheme to 5 individuals acting in unity.
September 8th, 2014 at 8:19 pm
I totally agree with one thing Joe said: Give McCown time and he is going to make plays. The two touchdown plays were passes to third or fourth receivers in the progression. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen that around here. I’m not saying that the two bone-headed decisions are excusable. I’m only saying that given some time, McCoown can be effective. Looking at the Chicago tape from last year, he had none of the kind of pressure up the middle that he’s been getting so far in Tampa.