“That’s Hard To Do”
December 10th, 2014
A bright offseason move
“Stats are for losers,” said Raheem Morris, who won three games in his first year as Tampa Bay head coach.
Raheem had a point, but sometimes stats make a lot of sense.
Take kicking field goals, for example. The data tells a pretty clear story in that department. And Bucs rookie Patrick Murray is 5-for-6 on field goal attempts of 50+ yards.
That makes him one of the very best in the NFL. Not too shabby.
Lovie Smith was presented with that stat on the Buccaneers Radio Network on Monday, and Lovie was impressed. He wasn’t aware of the numbers.
“That’s hard to do,” Lovie said.
The head coach went on to praise Murray’s confidence and how effectively he communicates what he feels his field goal range is on game days, based on weather conditions and other factors.
Murray was an excellent offseason move, booting expensive Connor Barth for the inexpensive rookie on the street. That’s money that can help replace Michael Johnson next season.
December 10th, 2014 at 9:32 am
We should kick a FG the second we reach the 35. Maybe one shot to Evans in the end zone. That about sums up our trust in McCown.
December 10th, 2014 at 9:36 am
The sad news, and there’s plenty, is that the kid hasn’t had the opportunity to hit many game-winning kicks, has he?
December 10th, 2014 at 9:55 am
“Stats are for losers”
Something so many here quote, even though it was said by a coach who didn’t know his arse from a hole in the ground.
Meanwhile, Bryant is named MVP of November. Still going strong. But hey, Patrick Murray was cheaper and Lovie probably figured the field goals would not matter this year, so why not develop a kicker?
Connor Barth was good. Maybe they knew something we didn’t though.
December 10th, 2014 at 10:20 am
glad to see lovie and lict made one right call on who we should keep and who we can cut.
December 10th, 2014 at 10:28 am
He’s a cocky little guy too. Good attitude for a kicker.
December 10th, 2014 at 10:40 am
Too bad Murray hasn’t had a few more chances at a long FG; he probably could’ve won the Ram and Bengal games with a long kick if the penalty bug did not bugger any chance at a W up….. Murray actually has been one of the few decisions that L&L have made that has turned out decent….
December 10th, 2014 at 10:41 am
Raheem is doing a helluva job up there in D.C.
December 10th, 2014 at 10:53 am
well, that’s one at least. i have to admit i questioned the move for the same reason i questioned so many other moves this offseason – another instance of taking a proven player who is perhaps average or not too far from it and “overpaid”, cutting him, and replacing him with a largely unproven (and in cases other than this one, also overpaid) prayer. i hope one of lovie’s new year’s resolutions is to not cut production until there is proven production at least offsetting it. one patrick murray doesn’t offset 3 swings and misses on the OL or our talent downgrade at CB\pass defense after we CUT a fringe hall of famer in his prime to sign a handful of slugs
December 10th, 2014 at 11:04 am
WOW!
“He wasn’t aware of the numbers.”
How can a HC not know the performance stats of his kicker?
Bad management/non-management by Lovie.
December 10th, 2014 at 11:27 am
Patrick Murray, jac smith, Clinton Mcdonald, Lansannah, Lemon. Mcdougle and wright made Barron expendable you need consistent hard players from top to bottom and if you get mad because players don’t work out in the first season of a new coach then that implies it’s never happened before. CLEVELAND is playing with a new coach but everything he had coming into this year came from what the previous coaches before him provided so is he a better coach? he didn’t make moves like chucky did when dungy got fired. yes lovie sucked this year but if schiano can get 2 years so can a proven coach
December 10th, 2014 at 12:02 pm
^^^
What has Smith proven…he was good enough to get a team loaded with defense and special team talent he inherited up in Chicago to a SB ass kicking by the Colts, or that he was mediocre enough to miss the postseason once the NFC North improved? So far he’s proven he knows how to take a losing franchise and make it play even worse!
December 10th, 2014 at 12:19 pm
dude really? are you missing greg schiano huh a guy who lost 4 of his last 5 games in his first season INCLUDING 41-0 beating by the saints then lost the first 8 games of the next season and again got beat 42-17 in his last game as a bucs coach. this team was bad under raheem, it was bad under schiano a guy who couldn’t coach worth a damn and it’s bad this year.
the team sucks and it sucked long before lovie got here…losing games in the last second because of stupid players and yea not recognizing 12 men on the field but did schiano take the blame for offense no you thought it was freeman then glennon came in suddenly it was the line…..the team sucks dude and just because you think we had a better team than we really did, record doesn’t say they got worse, record says the team isn’t as good as everyone thought
December 10th, 2014 at 12:21 pm
The Bucs defense will be better next year. Maybe mid pack in the NFL.
The O will be starting from scratch again with a suspect OC. Who in their right mind would take a chance coming here working for Lovie knowing he is already on thin ice with the Glazers.
You can pretty much guarantee that next year’s offense will be in the bottom third of the NFL.
Teanslation? Another 6 win season in 2015
December 10th, 2014 at 12:29 pm
^^^^^^
theres some weak minded fans here in tampa….is that how you live your life? you really think a guy that has built up his kind of reputation has lost it all in one season with a new team? you really sound stupid and players aren’t the only alpha males in the nfl, you have to be one to coach one and anyone who wants a damn job and has confidence in his abilities would take a job and the credit for turning around any offense…..are you supposed to be in class? get off your phone kid
December 10th, 2014 at 1:09 pm
Sorry bucs4lyfe, but I’m sure I’m not the only fan out there who feels pretty confident in thinking the Bucs would be in the NFC South race this season had we kept Schiano and not hired Lovie. The Bucs may be able to sneak out a win this week with Newton out, but there’s almost zero chance of the beating the Packers and only a slim hope of beating the Saints. We are at best probably seeing a 4-12 team regress to a 3-13 one, and the kick in the nuts is much of the regression is from poor discipline (penalties and miscues) and the under-performing hand selected free agents brought in by Smith. That my fellow Bucs fan falls squarely on your beloved Lovie and to some extent Licht
December 10th, 2014 at 1:53 pm
Murray is a bright spot on the team going forward. Can’t fault the Bucs in that move.
December 10th, 2014 at 2:21 pm
Yes back on topic…Murray has been a pleasant surprise. I was very down on the team’s decision to let Barth go, especially since Murray had a bit of a rough off season (compared to Barth anyway), but I will give credit to Lovie and Licht on that one.
December 10th, 2014 at 4:18 pm
Murray has been solid. Can’t say quite as much for his blocking up front as 2 of his 4 misses were blocked because of poor line play.
Good call by Lovie on this player though. He identified a good young kicker that can be a steady Bucs kicker for many years to come – and the 1st 2-3 years will be inexpensive as well.
Glad to see that at least some of the anti-Lovie crowd is conceding the decision to keep Murray over Barth was a good one in the long run.
Where’s the rest of you. Robert? Dallas? DB55? cmon – no easy target on this article so most Lovie haters say nothing on this thread? Figures.
December 10th, 2014 at 11:18 pm
Joe Says: “That’s money that can help replace Michael Johnson next season.”
That should be the tag line for every money-related article here on JBF.
Even after he’s some other team’s problem, (hopefully very soon) I’m still going to be bitter. His effort is an absolute embarrassment; he’s stealing reps from some other player who DESERVES playing time, especially during this toilet-flush of a season. I don’t know anything about him as a person, (and I don’t want to know) but as a player on the roster of the team that I LOVE, I HATE him.