“Ludicrous To Think” McCown Fear Drove Calls
September 15th, 2014
Joe disagrees with a former Buccaneer
Joe’s a big fan of former Bucs tight end Anthony Becht, who’s a busy man working for ESPN and the Buccaneers Radio Network, but Joe had to disagree with Becht this morning.
Speaking on WDAE-AM 620, Becht drew a line in the sand stating it’s outlandish to think Bucs coaches lost confidence Josh McCown yesterday.
“I think it’s ludicrous to think they were afraid to call a pass play because they weren’t confident in Josh [McCown],” Becht said. “I mean, C’mon guys, it’s Week 2. There’s no way at all that’s even being talked about.”
Joe thinks just the opposite. Joe thinks that was talked about a lot, if not a directive from Lovie Smith to interim playcaller Marcus Arroyo.
In fact, Joe thinks it’s ludicrous to think anything but a loss of confidence in Josh McCown was on display yesterday. Yes, Lovie Smith wants to pound the rock, as Becht pointed out, and Lovie wanted to run on third down after the running game was working against the Rams.
But the numbers don’t lie. The Bucs had eight red-zone, non-fourth-down plays after McCown’s brutal interception on 1st-and-goal. None were passes. McCown himself admitted the playcalling surprised him.
This is the same McCown who has known Lovie for years, played under him before, and was intimately involved in the crafting of the Bucs offense.
What Joe does find “ludicrous” is the Bucs’ 0-2 record against two backup quarterbacks — at home.
September 15th, 2014 at 11:49 am
If you don’t have faith in your QB then u need to replace him.
I don’t have faith in Lovie to do that though.
September 15th, 2014 at 11:52 am
Joe
I think that is how GMC broke his hand, pounding the rock in frustration.
Until someone that can tells Lovie that this defensive style of play is BS, that is what we are going to see, especially with McCown.
That same someone needs to unneuter the defense and get rid of the deadwood like Bowers.
Ask Brooks and/or Sapp what they think and see if they will give you a straight answer.
September 15th, 2014 at 11:53 am
I don’t want to listen to Becht this morning because if you can fix your mouth to defend this qb and his foolishness that mean you have a agenda or you’re simply blind!
September 15th, 2014 at 11:54 am
Becht is essentially an employee of the Bucs. Saying that Lovie has lost confidence in his hand-picked garbage QB would be career limiting.
September 15th, 2014 at 11:58 am
On your side on this one Joe. He did score on 2 runs, not sure if those were designed or pass plays. Either way were giving our playmakers a chance.
September 15th, 2014 at 11:59 am
Why does anyone even entertain Bechts comments anyway. He was a SCRUB when he was here too. So, he is definitely going to stick up for SCRUB Mccown. SCRUBS travel in packs and stick together. As you can see by the BUCS 53 man roster.
September 15th, 2014 at 12:00 pm
McCowan is a carreer back up. Thats what he needs to be now. Let the MGM unite! It’s time !
September 15th, 2014 at 12:01 pm
Are the bucs the only team in the NFL without a fade or 9 route to call, i thought we were the dunkaneers not the suckaneers…throw it up to vjax or evans or ASJ near the goaline or in the end zone
September 15th, 2014 at 12:01 pm
Backup QBs can easily become nightmares.
Ask the Chicago bears when they went into Seattle a couple years ago against a backup named Wilson and then to San Fran for a backup named Kaepernik.
The team had no film on this guy from the Rams at all yet he broke Brett Favre records in college so he wasnt exactly a newbie.
I rather play against someone they have an idea what to expect and can game plan for than the rooks.
This Atlanta game will be more of a true test.
September 15th, 2014 at 12:04 pm
This is about Smith not McCown.
September 15th, 2014 at 12:04 pm
A combination of lowest-level QB play, a well-known and EASILY game planned defense, injuries, and Dungy Like adherence to ancient football (pre-offense rules the day) has made this team so easy to beat.
It’s not a lack of leadership or game planning like the previous two regimes. This time, it’s just outdated football being played. The Tampa 2 is being easily beaten in high school these days. And running the ball when the officials are more than happy to help you air it out, is silly. It’s stupid silly. We need a real QB. A real one. Not some slob off the trash heap. An actual game winner. A guy who puts his crap D on his back and wins by scoring more than the other team. See Rodgers, Manning, Brees, Brady, Luck just to name a few.
This isn’t that hard. It’s just another example of coaches bein too stubborn to change their outlook on football. “Trust me, my way is best..and darn anyone who disagrees” only works when you’re scoring points.
September 15th, 2014 at 12:07 pm
Thank you…. Call it what it was, conservative weakness against a weak opponent. Atleast if you try and failed you tried so you had a chance. If you don’t trust your starter with the balk then he shouldn’t be you’re starter, mcclown brings a lot to the table you know like clipboard experience
September 15th, 2014 at 12:08 pm
I keep saying it, Welcome to NFL 1999
September 15th, 2014 at 12:09 pm
Same ole story, different chapter {season}….
Sorry things did not work out with you, Super Bowl Winning HC Jon Gruden…. This team as been atrocious ever since!
September 15th, 2014 at 12:09 pm
Given that our defense can’t stop ANYONE, our best chance to win is to open it up on offense and try to outscore the other team. We do have scary weapons on offense and using those receivers would open up even more running lanes.
Tony Dungy said his plan was to outscore the Vikings in our victory against them here when they had that unstoppable team. If Tony can think that way maybe Lovie can. If he doesn’t, we are done for this year.
Hopefully Tedford will be back and Lovie will let him do his job.
September 15th, 2014 at 12:11 pm
Even with a defense getting carved up by Derek Anderson and Austin Davis, Lovie still believes that he can simply hand over a lead to that defense and it’ll be a win. It’s a sickening, disgusting attitude in 2014 NFL. Playing not to lose is getting really annoying.
September 15th, 2014 at 12:12 pm
Kalind Says:
September 15th, 2014 at 12:04 pm “We need a real QB. A real one. Not some slob off the trash heap. An actual game winner”
I agree, who do we get?
September 15th, 2014 at 12:13 pm
I find it ludicrous to listen to anyone from the Bucs radio network. Does anyone think their going to hear anything objective other than towing the company line. Why is anyone expecting this team to be good as long as the Glazers own this team. Once again, they hire the wrong GM and coach who in turn bring in no talent free agents and don’t draft a QB when that had to be our number one priority. Not drafting a QB with our first pick was a huge red flag for me.
September 15th, 2014 at 12:18 pm
and if glennon is your qb of the future well the future is now…mclown is past his prime back when he was a junior at la tech, its time to go to glennon to see if he stinks the joint up and get ready to draft bryce petty
September 15th, 2014 at 12:20 pm
He didn’t trust him cause the last time he threw a pick. I wouldn’t trust him either since it wasn’t the first time he threw a pick like that
September 15th, 2014 at 12:20 pm
yes the fact of the matter is, after two weeks being in the comfort of their own house, playing not one but 2 back up QB’s actually this week’s back up to the back up, if that makes sense, and I would argue that after all the hype of this mysterious up tempo offense and to every fans and analysts claim of lovie’s famed defense first philosophy that these were two games we should have won. but let’s look at reality for a moment, yes I know defensively we have a lot of injury’s yada yada yada- but did not lovie spend the whole preseason, training camp, mini camp etc getting ready for Carolina, that’s all we heard, and then look what happened! the following week a backup to the backup, moves the ball efficiently and when it had to count made the plays he needed to make.did not lovie say a good defense special teams and field position and winning the turnover battle would win 8-10 games alone? in two weeks our QB has thrown 3 int’s at crucial points in the game, we have seen a blocked punt, blocked field goal yada yada yada. get ready for Thursday night. it’s going to be a dandy.
September 15th, 2014 at 12:22 pm
I’m afraid we have another coach with Schiano-like tendencies. Doesn’t want to deviate from what he “knows”. Won’t adapt to the modern game and how it’s played by winning franchises. Thinks his way or the highway are the only options. Goes ultra-conservative at the drop of a hat. Leaves yards and points on the field. Doesn’t trust his QB and won’t allow him to earn back that trust, even though every coach preaches “forget the play and move on”. I could go on and on.
September 15th, 2014 at 12:25 pm
Joe, I hope you get to ask Lovie some of these points or someone in the bucs media gets to ask him just wth is going on. I mean throw it up to vjax or evans, like cutler did with b marshall last nite and marshall was hurt. That catch by v jax where he jumped up to over 10 feet and made a great catch, cmon that cant be in the end zone, hell get a PI penalty at the worst, geez hope they unveil this great offense soon
September 15th, 2014 at 12:26 pm
Can we please get some “FIRE LOVIE” billboards going?
September 15th, 2014 at 12:31 pm
If Lovie were to get fired, the Glazers would have to pay him, Schiano and someone new. That’s why they stuck with Raheem until they finished paying off Gruden.
September 15th, 2014 at 12:31 pm
Can we please get some “Hire Greg Roman” billboards going?
September 15th, 2014 at 12:35 pm
I’d say, Jameis, Hundley, Mariotta, Petty, or if Joe is right, this Hackenberg guy no one cares about (what is a Penn State?)
September 15th, 2014 at 12:39 pm
Jameis Winston
September 15th, 2014 at 12:40 pm
And to think… the Texans got Mallett for a 6th…
September 15th, 2014 at 12:41 pm
@Kalind
I’ve seen Hackenberg play, dude is good but won’t be eligible for another year
September 15th, 2014 at 12:51 pm
Dude looks like a mule in that picture
September 15th, 2014 at 12:54 pm
Mcnown is playing exactly what he was supposed to be. An average qb playing behind a below average pass blocking o line = struggle. My problem so far this season is the supposedly “elite” defense. All I’ve seen is below average qbs carve up our confused defense. Nobody on d has been able to step up and make a play at a crucial time in either game. If they had wed be at least 1-1 maybe 2-0. say what you want about mcnown but d was supposed to be strength of team and so far they are embarrassing!!!
September 15th, 2014 at 12:55 pm
After 2 games…we’re already talking about the draft 6 or 7 months away. Meanwhile the Glazers are laughing their asses off all the way to the bank. How do these S.O.B.’s sleep at night?
September 15th, 2014 at 12:56 pm
And heres something to think about… JJ Watt has more TD’s than ASJ, Herron, VJax, and ASJ COMBINED
September 15th, 2014 at 12:57 pm
What happened to us being unstoppable in the redzone?
September 15th, 2014 at 12:59 pm
@ManzielMadness – Solid point. I saw the youtube video where he was doing the crazy vertical box jumps. He’s more of a dunkaneer than anyone on our team
September 15th, 2014 at 1:02 pm
The good news is that I won’t be depressed next Monday after a Bucs loss, because the game is Thursday, but Friday will suck.
September 15th, 2014 at 1:05 pm
@Patrick in Va
Yeah hes a freak athlete, lol we might as well ask Sapp to come back and catch a couple more TD’s for us
September 15th, 2014 at 1:07 pm
I’ve got work in the morning. No chance i’m staying up to watch them get curb stomped while they don’t put up a fight. So, my Friday will be in tact.
September 15th, 2014 at 1:08 pm
I agree with Becht … this conversation is premature 2 games in. Especially when you consider that we are using a backup play caller, the O Line is still coming together, ASJ and Martin are hurt and here is the biggest factor to consider with the Rams game ….. the Rams defensive strength is stopping the pass but they can’t stop the run. The Rams lost to the Vikings because the Vikings kept running the ball so of course the Bucs were going to do the same. Come on Joe; no mention of these factors?
September 15th, 2014 at 1:12 pm
Friday morning can’t get here fast enough! MGM get ready to dominate, if we lost Joe’s confidence in Josh, we have lost the season!
September 15th, 2014 at 1:16 pm
call it what you want, i am tired of watching the bucs get outcoached and out-executed every week. thought we were at an end to that, but we’ve thus far grossly overrated our coaching staff. brings to mind another painful dark lining of the dungy era: those stoic press conferences after infuriating losses where the team was just too inept in one or two phases of the game to finish off winnable games
September 15th, 2014 at 1:21 pm
I know everyone is already excited about the possibility of drafting a future franchise QB. Unfortunately, we have a million other issues with this team too. I guess we need to start somewhere. I do not think we need to fire Lovie. I’m sick of this team and it’s belief that massive turnover every season is the answer. Yes, Lovie is responsible for the loss yesterday…but even with his garbage coaching, we still could have pulled this game out if a few players did not make ridiculous mistakes. We need to give the coaching staff and players time to grow together and figure it out.
Game One vs Panthers: We were absolutely murdered by the Panthers. Yet, somehow we still had a chance to win that game. Our D got 0 takeaways, didn’t cover well, and our O was atrocious for 3 quarters. Not sure how Kivie kept us in that game until the end.
Game Two vs Rams: Overall, the team played better than week 1. Bobby Rainey and the Oline (yes the Oline) kept us in the game. Middle of the D continues to be exposed in zone. Even with all the injuries out D did well against the run. Dump play calling and a couple easily avoidable mistakes did not help us on ST and O.
September 15th, 2014 at 1:23 pm
Forgive me for spelling…dumb iPhone.
September 15th, 2014 at 1:24 pm
Draft Petty, get an innovative head coach from the chip kelly school and tell it like it is rebuild with good personnel decisions not the ones that have been going on since gruden got canned
September 15th, 2014 at 1:49 pm
Heck, it was obvious they were calling easier plays for him. And the ones that had big options, he seemed to take check-downs.
September 15th, 2014 at 1:56 pm
Lovie’s conservative fingerprints were all over yesterdays loss.
I once thought 8-8 was possible…. now it’s just laughable.
September 15th, 2014 at 1:58 pm
Pick6…. “call it what you want, i am tired of watching the bucs get outcoached and out-executed every week.”
It’s all this and more….
September 15th, 2014 at 2:14 pm
McClown has been to how many teams? How many quarterbacks did he beat out to win the starting position? None. He came to Tampa with a guarantee he would start but Lovie stresses competition at EVERY position. How is that competition, sounds like incompetence to me which Lovie cannot tell the difference!
We need a spark now. Sometimes our ignorance gets the best of us unfortunately, it does have consequences. Send McClown the message and let him ride the Pine!!
September 15th, 2014 at 4:01 pm
So wait a second… Your qb just threw 1 interception, while completing nearly 80% of his passes, and you guys think he is terrible? For 1 bad play? I get it, you all want glennon to have his chance. But let’s not be illogical. McCown performed well (besides that 1 play). No there weren’t any deep shots or wow plays, but he drove down field time and time again. Just to have the coaching staff sweep his legs out from under him.
I agree with he sentiment that, if you don’t trust your qb, then replace him. But I don’t see any reason not to trust McCown. If you really expect your qb to be perfect every play, then maybe it’s time to wake up. Brett favre, a hall of famer, has the career record for interceptions. Sure Peyton manning had 55. TDs last season but he also had 10 interceptions. You really can’t take 1 bad play and dwell on it. You have to move on. Every player makes bad plays McCown made 1 doesn’t mean he can’t be trusted, in fact you need to give it to him more to help him regain his confidence. If lovie truly can’t trust his qb then replace him. And when glennon throws an interception? What are you going to do then? Glennon might be everyone’s golden boy, but he’s still going to make mistakes, everyone does. Even the greatest qbs to have ever played have made mistakes, believe it or not.
September 15th, 2014 at 4:37 pm
All interceptions are NOT equal…its acceptable when going downfield trying to make a big throw, but ALL McCowns are BONEHEADED, panic-stricken, get-it-out of my hands, JV type INT’s. NONE have been deep passes where he’s trying to thread needle.
September 15th, 2014 at 5:24 pm
Do people still not get it as to why Glennon has to start?
McCown = Clearly, 100% defined: Backup QB, 35 years old not Rich Gannon 2. We know what he is, he’s playing his contract and will never be a Buc again. At 0-3 the season is gone (it’s already gone but 0-3 is official). So why play a guy who provides you with what you already know?
Glennon = Muddy, not defined at all: Good rookie season, areas to improve, 24 years old. No matter how much his haters don’t want to admit, he needs more reps to show more. But to them he’s the worst QB ever drafted in the NFL, CFL or XFL drafts, so let’s do nothing with him.
September 15th, 2014 at 7:03 pm
Ditto Kalind you hit it right on the head
September 15th, 2014 at 11:24 pm
All interceptions do the same thing. They turn the ball over to the other team. They are mostly qb mistakes, whether it be a long bomb poorly under thrown or a wobbly pass while getting hit. No interception is really “acceptable”. Thanks for trying though.