Brady Quinn Talks To Joe
December 11th, 2014
Former NFL quarterback Brady Quinn, now a FOX analyst, explains what ails the Bucs offense. The problems seem to start and stop at the same spot.
Many NFL analysts, often from ex-quarterbacks, have said that losing an offensive coordinator in preseason or early in a season is the equivalent of throwing a hand grenade in a china shop.
In the case of former offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford and the Bucs, everything he had worked on to fine tune and craft an offense, all the months of film study, the OTAs and minicamps, training camp and preseason games, learning all the traits and weaknesses of his players, was all thrown out the window.
As an NFL suit once told Joe, “You have no idea” how deep and how devastating it is to lose an offensive coordinator.
Fans like to point to things they can see and relate to when an offense struggles. The cries of “play-calling” are heard often. But it’s far more complex than that when someone takes over an offense unexpectedly, someone who has either scant experience or is in over his head.
This is where Marcus Arroyo enters the picture. The Bucs’ acting offensive coordinator, who, truth be told, may have been unqualified to be an NFL quarterback coach when he was hired for that position, has limited experience as an offensive coordinator, none at the NFL level.
So when former NFL quarterback Brady Quinn worked the Bucs-Lions game as a FOX analyst and referred once in the telecast to the Bucs offense as having its timing out of whack, it was a phrase Joe had heard before. Joe reached out to Quinn to flush out what Quinn meant by “timing,” and what he thought ailed the Tampa Bay offense.
Quinn made it perfectly clear he did not, nor did he ever intend, to hammer Arroyo, who has been forced into a no-win situation replacing Tedford. But facts are the facts; and given Arroyo’s thin resume, the job of NFL offensive coordinator at this point in his career, well, the job is too big for him. And the Bucs suffer greatly as a result.
Quinn genuinely sympathized with Arroyo’s plight.
“It is a really hard job for any play-caller at any level whether it is high school, college or the NFL,” Quinn said. This task is magnified for those who are first-year play-callers, in particular at the NFL level, Quinn added, and even Tedford, a seasoned and skillful offensive coordinator in college, would have had a learning curve.
Finding Rhythm
For first-year coordinators, Quinn said the two main goals are to get an offense into a rhythm, and get your starting quarterback into a rhythm. This, Quinn said, is what he and others refer to as “timing.” Everything must work like a choreographed dance and when one element is off, it throws the whole operation off.
“It’s not easy for any coordinator,” Quinn said. “Even Tedford, he has to feel out the rhythm of what quarterbacks can do. Even with experience, it takes time.
“Now for a guy in his first year, and no experience at the NFL level, and he has to do both of those things [develop both a rhythm for the quarterback and the offense]? That’s incredibly difficult.”
An offensive coordinator must discover the offense’s best asset(s), Quinn noted, and how to craft specific plays to take advantage of them against particular defenses, and in general.
“That is the scheme,” Quinn said. “And then it is how you call [plays] in a game. It is extremely difficult [to develop a scheme and/or gameplan] for someone who is not accustomed to seeing these defenses before. You have all of those things as factors.”
[An aside: On the January day Lovie Smith was introduced as head coach and announced Tedford would be his offensive coordinator, Joe asked Lovie directly if he was at all concerned that Tedford had never walked a sideline in the NFL or worked an NFL practice. Lovie flatly told Joe he was not concerned in any way.)
Bailing On The Run
One thing Quinn found disturbing about the Bucs offense is how quickly the team seems to give up on the running attack. When this happens, the Bucs turn into a one-dimensional offense, which often plays right into the hands of a defense.
”Doug Martin is a good running back,” Quinn said. “You can’t get away from running the football. The best teams can run the football. Detroit didn’t have much success running but they kept at it. [Rush attempts] opens up the pass game. Eventually, you will break off a run which Joique Bell did.
“Just because it is not working early, you don’t get away from it.”
Interestingly, a couple of times this season in his postgame press conferences, Lovie has suggested the Bucs needed to stick to the run more.
Quinn noted a pass rush will mess up the timing of pass plays. But by continuing to attempt to run the ball, when a running back does break off a nice run, the offensive line begins to build confidence and momentum and the offense then begins to click and snowball in a good way. By throwing in the towel on the run, a defense gets to pin its ears back, times of passes erodes, and then you have chaos.
No Artistry
Poor play design is another element of the Bucs offense Quinn directly tied to Arroyo’s inexperience.
“There was no flow, no run play that mimicked a play-action, nothing to set off one play on another,” Quinn said. In other words, little deception was used, which made plays all that much easier for the Lions defense to read.
If all of the above wasn’t difficult enough, Arroyo had to deal with two different starting quarterbacks with two different skill sets. That, in theory, requires two different schemes.
Quinn suggested it was potentially a bad combination to have Mike Glennon, who has minimal experience of his own in the NFL, being coached up and led by a guy who himself has less NFL experience, sort of a football version of the blind leading the blind. This may explain why Lovie, once Josh McCown got healthy, has been loathe to re-insert Glennon, despite the fact the playoffs are but a pipe dream, even in the awful NFC South.
Quinn and his father, Ty, a marine who served in Vietnam, have started 3rd&GoalFoundation.org, which builds and redesigns homes for disabled veterans injured while serving our country overseas. It’s a worthy and noble cause. Please visit the site and see if you can help.
December 11th, 2014 at 8:51 am
Brady knows bad quarterback play when he sees it…….from personal experience!
December 11th, 2014 at 9:04 am
He hit the nail on the head. Great charity as well.
December 11th, 2014 at 9:11 am
Knock his play if you want but his analysis seems accurate and more importantly, thorough. He is taking this job seriously and doing his homework. It seems like FOX has an asset.
December 11th, 2014 at 9:30 am
Quinn’s future is bright in the booth. You’re dang right Fox has an asset.
December 11th, 2014 at 9:40 am
great analysis.
but this late in the season and zero rythm. inexuseable.
lovie knew they were doomed long ago and let it unfold only to have a scapegoat and buy him more time.
his apathy is disgusting at best
December 11th, 2014 at 9:41 am
All of the micro-analysis comes back to one over-arching concept — the Bucs stink.
December 11th, 2014 at 9:51 am
rhythm? josh mccown was on his back/pushed to the ground after almost every throw. bailing on the run game? that was because the offensive line can’t create any holes. well wait a minute… they could create a hole for an ant to squeeze threw…well maybe not. LOL
December 11th, 2014 at 10:32 am
Quinn does a great job considering his broadcast career is in it’s infancy. Good analysis, not preachy, natural delivery.
December 11th, 2014 at 10:33 am
Brady Quinn would be an upgrade over Glennon or McCown and he is already out of the league. What’s that say!
December 11th, 2014 at 10:36 am
PR George, McCown isn’t using his feet to escape the pressure and extend plays. Ironic since that was the biggest rap on the Cannon.
Missing open routes is one thing, but forcing the ball into coverage is another.
This Josh is a pick machine, much like the last one.
December 11th, 2014 at 10:39 am
Got a chance to say hi to him the other day, he was up in our offices doing a web update for us…
December 11th, 2014 at 11:06 am
tedford seen the writing on the wall and bailed on this club, after all does not the NFL do their best to evaluate their perspective players health before signing them? you can not tell me that the buccaneers, their owners, lovie smith and everyone else at one buc place did not know about JT’S medical condition before his hiring. and were probably well aware if not assured by their team doctors that he could continue with his duties with such condition and if he needed a medical procedure such as stint implants he would be able to return in sufficient amount of time to perform his duties! look at former vice president D.CHENY that old crow had about every procedure known to man and continued as vice president, which I think carrys way more stressful situations than any NFL COACHING POSITION considering all the garbage he had to deal with. but I will say this about old JT, he was clever enough to string everyone in the org along and get his money, good job ahole. best case scenario or worst in some perspectives, we keep lovie(worst) the skins fire jay gruden we get him as offensive coordinator, get number one pick and tell lovie keep his stinking hands off the offense. (best) they fire lovie and we get a whole new coaching staff period.
December 11th, 2014 at 11:13 am
thanx JT for bailing on us, please feel free to carry on and find another NFL gig somewhere else where the grass is just a lil bit greener and you and lovie can swap spit when you see each other at Christmas dinner. please do not have a merry Christmas either one of you, good day
December 11th, 2014 at 11:36 am
the bucs offense has talent everywhere on the offense except quarterback and offensive line which are main positions you need talent, and the third and most important is offensive coordinator….coaches and booth guys are so careful with their words when it comes to coaches and assistants. just say the guy is in over his head
tampa is crazy and I think the bucs problems show up through fans and tampa media…..greg schiano was hated last year but who got the blame for the offense? it was josh freeman and sully, everyone gave schiano a pass because he was a defensive guy even though he picked sully
fast forward to this year and lovie a defensive guy is taking the blame because his choice had heart trouble then further taking blame because his offense sucks even though theres a quartersback coach running it. the fans are just as confused and lost as the glazers who are so bad at managing this franchise they couldn’t pick up and move to another city because the reason the team isn’t getting support is mainly because of the decisions being made at the top
December 11th, 2014 at 11:47 am
i look at it from a different angle. Lovie smith probably said everything Tedford wanted to hear when recruiting him. Then when preseason started and Tedford was handed NO QB’s, NO O-Line and a overrated stable of running backs not to mention having a delusional head coach stepping on his offense. Lovie’s stubborn ways and antiquated offensive mindset forced Tedford to bail so he would not hurt his long term earning potential. I don’t blame Tedford, I blame lovie. The bucs are joke and complete laughingstock of the league therefore Tedford will land on his feet. until lovie is gone this franchise will remain a joke.
December 11th, 2014 at 11:49 am
bucs4lyfe – whee is this talent you mention. The only talented players on bucs offense are VJAX and Evans. Doug Martin was a one year wonder and has been HORRID since. Bobby Rainey nice piece to the puzzle but not a talent you build around. ASJ has potential but has been hurt an awful lot. 2 talented players out of 11 starters. I fail to see how that equals a talented team.
December 11th, 2014 at 11:55 am
I was happy that Quinn made these comments throughout the game. Arroyo is out of his league, it’s not hours fault but it’s true. He has been given a free pass all year because of the Tedford thing, but I think it’s important to call it out before we consider keeping him as the OC. Thanks for the effort Arroyo, but you need to get your resume together.
December 11th, 2014 at 12:13 pm
@ tmaxcon
man ASJ is nothing but a new face and he’s hurt just as much as he helped and he seems selfish. dude Adrian Peterson couldn’t run behind this offensive line so I don’t know what your looking at. all running backs thrive when there is a whole, we don’t have any beast mode running backs who make holes but then again seattle’s line always creates holes for it’s runningbacks.
look at dallas run game, were they doing that a year ago or two years ago, yea they have a talented back but he’s had injuries and he’s had horrible games to, until they revamped the o line they couldn’t run the ball like they do now. you create opportunities WHEN you have daylight, these tiny runningbacks cant run over defensive lineman
December 11th, 2014 at 12:25 pm
Great read, Joe.
And even better to see people helping veterans here at home.
December 11th, 2014 at 12:53 pm
I’d take Quinn as an O/C over Arroyo at this point. Twice in the game he circled Detroit’s receiver that caught the TD before the ball was even snapped.
December 11th, 2014 at 1:04 pm
Quinn had a big media push coming to the pros, touted as a can’t miss QB prospect. That did’nt work out. I guess you no longer have to be a good player to become an analyst.
December 11th, 2014 at 1:19 pm
bucs4lyfe – I agree that the line is horrible that being said bobby rainey has done some thing but true to lovie’s philosophy of offense is evil as soon as Rainey got going they stopped using him. Same-thing for Martin last game. Martin looked good for the first time since his rookie year. People must realize that Martin was doing nothing before his injury last year either. Maybe martin snaps out of it but I am not sold on him. The entire offensive line needs to go bye bye starters, reserves and coaches the entire group… bye bye… Dotson has regressed this year as well.
December 11th, 2014 at 1:21 pm
Brady Quinn was awesome with his analysis, I really enjoyed him.
December 11th, 2014 at 1:36 pm
joe thanks for posting that link to quinn’s charity. just made a donation. looks like they are doing great things with more to come.
December 11th, 2014 at 2:58 pm
tmaxon:
Will pass word on to Brady of your kind donation. Joe is thinking of doing the same. How can it be a bad thing to help out disabled vets?
December 11th, 2014 at 3:02 pm
Fine with Joe. Most “good players” aren’t analysts because they are playing (hint, hint). And most good coaches either never played in the NFL, or had garbage careers (look up Sean Payton’s numbers with the Bears).
How did Bill Belicheat fare in the NFL as a player? Or Mike McCarthy? Or Chucky?
December 11th, 2014 at 3:07 pm
Tedford is a bum and a piece of crap. He bailed on this team and because of his absence this offense was a train wreck. He’s “healthy” now but still collecting a check from this team.
December 11th, 2014 at 4:37 pm
Gee whiz, I think I have been saying the same thing for the past 10 weeks. Glad to see Quinn agree with me.
A lot of the same old,delusional and irrational Lovie bashing going on. I wonder what could cause so much hate and loathing of a man.
December 11th, 2014 at 5:42 pm
Sorry, Maybe I should have said OK, hire Brady Quinn as the Bucs coach. He’d be great!
December 11th, 2014 at 6:12 pm
Quinn cant possibly be right. It’s all Lovie’s fault because Tedford had health problems right before the season started, too late to bring in another OC. No OC would take that job. Use someone else’s system with no time to learn it and be responsible when it falls apart. LOL. Sarcasm!
We will have a top 5 D next year, a new QB (most likely, if we don’t win this Sunday.) A REAL OC! A better Oline, (cant get much worse) We will be competitive next year Guaranteed. Yeah we missed on some FA but most of them were the top FA’s available that would have got the same contracts from other hungry teams. Mike Evans was a great pick but you cant say the rest are bust after one year, usually it takes 3 years to know if a player is good or a bust.Of course Lovie haters don’t want to hear that. Lovie has 10 years exp as a HC now. Been to a Superbowl and lost to Payton Manning. And had a 10-6 record the last year he coached. None of you want to hear it now, your too busy complaining but the Bucs will be back on schedule next year with Lovie after the Tedford debacle this year. Mark My Words! Of course the true haters will never stop complaining Haha! Go Lovie! Go Bucs!!!
December 11th, 2014 at 7:07 pm
Love your optimism Yeah It’s Me and it’s hard to dispute the plain facts that you stated. Most off the haters who post out her are little girls in real life who always say nasty catty remarks because, well, because they are little Girls and that’s what mean spoiled little girls. That’ve and most of the are transplanted fans from other cities who had to run away from their home towns because they were such abysmal failures there. The same is going on for them here, too, only in spades.
December 12th, 2014 at 1:08 am
I do not understand when people bash an analysts just because they weren’t the best player.
They still know the game.
The best coaches usually were not great players.
It’s like in politics when someone wants a candidate as Commander In Chief just because he was in the military… I was in the military and most of the people in there should NEVER get elevated to that position!
You do not have to be a great player to be a great coach or analyst. Prime example is Trent Dilfer, average QB, great analyst.
December 12th, 2014 at 1:42 am
I blame ownership from the day we got crappy uniforms it was like day sha voo all over again..
December 12th, 2014 at 4:01 am
Always so many positive comments and remarks on this site.
Quinn hit the nail on the head.
December 12th, 2014 at 12:17 pm
Quinn is absolutely right. And considering how many teams he was on, with the different coaches and schemes, he’s got a lot of experience in this specific area.
As others have said, no OC would have come in at the last minute, and even if they did the result wouldnt have been much different since there was no time to install an offense.
next year.