Charles Sims “Needs Major Work”
December 12th, 2014
Joe can think of two guys who have had bad seasons on the offensive side of the ball because of circumstances beyond their control. One is acting offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo. The man is simply over his head in a no-win situation.
The other is Charles Sims.
The rookie running back much heralded by Lovie Smith blew out his ankle in training camp and didn’t see his first snap of regular season football until he was activated against the Dixie Chicks in Week 10.
For reasons Joe isn’t quite sure of, Sims was thrown into the hot mess that is the Bucs offense, almost as if Lovie was trying to force-feed Sims into life as an NFL running back. It sure looks like he isn’t quite ready.
With the exception of one play, Sims sure looks all sorts of mediocre to Joe. It seems Andy Benoit isn’t that impressed, either. The football film guru for theMMQB.com broke down the tape of the Bucs-Lions game and was irked by Sims’ blocking.
#Bucs Film: RB Sims needs major work in pass pro. Number of snaps where he executed poorly.
— Andy Benoit (@Andy_Benoit) December 12, 2014
Again, Joe thinks Sims is swimming upstream. He lost so much time this year due to his ankle and, honestly, Sims is hardly the only guy struggling with the Jeff Tedford Arroyo offense.
If Sims can have a full, healthy offseason with a decent offensive coordinator in a decent offense, then with maybe just a wee bit of blocking, perhaps he can live up to the hype Lovie pumped up.
December 12th, 2014 at 6:03 pm
Seems like Lovie is forcing him the ball in an attempt to justify the pick. Sadly it looks like it was a wasted pick, a 3rd for a RB who will primarily be catching the ball. Convert him to a slot receiver and see if that works instead, but his poor blocking and poor running should keep him off the field for Martin, Rainey or even James.
December 12th, 2014 at 6:11 pm
Didn’t need a back there but if u have to……tre mason was the pick
December 12th, 2014 at 6:22 pm
The people running this team are just awful.
December 12th, 2014 at 6:36 pm
This is the pick I think Licht screwed up in last draft. We could have picked Tre Mason who’s killing it right now. ASJ needs to be more on the field but again, without an OC and with these bad QBs and OLs, there’s no chance he can prove himself.
Get an OC that will put pressure on Lovie to draft a 1st round QB!!
December 12th, 2014 at 6:41 pm
To soon to expect much out of Sims…..keep in mind we have an ex probowl back in Doug Martin and he looks like he has seriously regressed……a first round pick.
I think it is the Oline & OC along with missing most of the offseason & season that is hampering Sims. Most say that he was a good selection although not what we needed (Oline)….
Let’s see.
December 12th, 2014 at 6:49 pm
Why did Tedford not come back to the Bucs? Why would he choose to leave and coach elsewhere? I want serious answers!
December 12th, 2014 at 7:15 pm
He’s just a rookie, and he hasn’t played many games. His blocking looks awful. His running is mediocre. He looks ok in the passing game.
He could be a nice player sometime down the road, but he isn’t yet. I don’t understand why he’s getting so many snaps.
December 12th, 2014 at 7:16 pm
Martin’s actually started to get it going 2 weeks in a row only to be completely ignored by Arroyo.
December 12th, 2014 at 7:17 pm
Yo every rookie isn’t a star like Evans I believe with time he will get there. Shoot just look at Rainey he bounced around and finally he looks good.
December 12th, 2014 at 7:27 pm
Marshawn lynch couldn’t run behind our line. Nobody can. The line is the biggest problem on the team. I’d like to see Glennon behind a good line. That will never happen though. Hell McCown would be better behind a good line. Anyone would. I didn’t want to see it but it’s a fact our O-line is like a long piece of toilet paper strung across the line of scrimmage. Not hard to break through it. When that happens even Drew Brees looks like a backup with no protection…
December 12th, 2014 at 7:46 pm
In his defense he was only a 3rd round draft pick. It’s not like he was drafted with Trent Richardson type expectations. It was the media that hyped him up and crowned him as Doug Martin’s replacement.
December 12th, 2014 at 7:48 pm
He’s getting more snaps than Martin. He shouldn’t be.
December 12th, 2014 at 7:53 pm
”
Most rookie running backs typically struggle in pass pro. Even second and 3rd year pros do.
December 12th, 2014 at 7:55 pm
I thought he was drafted to be our “speed in space”. A player with his skill set is most dependent on his wheels and so a severe ankle injury is devastating.
We’ll see next year. But we’re really getting desperate for critiques if we give credence to some guy who views film and realizes a back drafted to be the speedy ingredient is not Javorskie Lane when it comes to blocking.
If we went into this season thinking Sims was going to be blocking stud it’s no wonder we can’t keep our Q.B.’s upright. I realize a quality back who expects to be in on third down has to be able to pick up blitzes and I’m sure Sims will get plenty of work on that skill in the offseason.
December 12th, 2014 at 8:11 pm
Leaving him on an island all game against Detroit’s experienced press rush was a mistake. No tight end chips and no help from the tackles. Just another poorly executed gameplan.
December 12th, 2014 at 8:15 pm
Is Sefarian-Jenkins even on the Bucs roster anymore? H
December 12th, 2014 at 8:43 pm
Agree with what BucsDan just posted.
And so the ultimate question. Is this years disaster more related to poor performance or lack of talent on the squad or bad coaching.
Sorry I gotta go with 80-20…80 on the coaching and 20 on the talent level.
We were in far too many games to simply blame it on the lack of talent.
Because of the OC heart condition I’ll give Lovie another season. But I would have given Schiano another season and a mulligan after the way the Bucs handled the MRSA and JFro situations.
December 12th, 2014 at 8:47 pm
The season has BEEN over for a few games now. Lovie knows it , we know it, why not let the rookie get some game time. Lovie (Arroyo) might be overdoing it a little, but just like a QB a Running back needs some game-time under his belt. Looks good under the circumstances if you ask me.
December 12th, 2014 at 9:00 pm
it would be great if joe or another member of the pen and mike club interviewed Marcus Arroyo. it would be fascinating to see what if anything is going on in that guys head. I think he might be bipolar…LOL
December 12th, 2014 at 9:19 pm
You could see in the preseason he was a big but slow footed back. Probably a better west coast fullback than pure tailback. Sad and wasted pick.
December 12th, 2014 at 9:26 pm
This was a HORRIBLE pick, and proves Lovie has NO CLUE what he’s doing, IMO, of course. RB was our ONLY position of depth with 3 RB’s having eclipsed the 100 yd mark in an NFL game. Our o-line was in shambles after releasing Penn, Joseph and Zuttah, and Lovie didnt even bother getting an oline together and playing with eachother till LATE in PS. Then he panics, gives away Tim Wright, who’s was MUCH more productive as a rookie, than ASJ, and signs another name he recognizes to “fix” the o-line. EDS, Collins, Omameh, Mankins, have all been HUGE disappointents.
Lovie Smith “hand picked” Jeff Tedford after having a full year to evaluate potential OC’s. Lovie Smith “hand picked” Josh McCown. He ‘hand picked”, and spent a fortune on Johnson, Collins, EDS.
How, and WHY does Lovie deserve a PASS for a miserable failure this year? I feel strongly, that Shiano would have this team in 1st place in NFC South this year.
Lovie Smith has been a one-man wrecking crew, and unfortunately, its our team he’s wrecking. What in hell makes you think he deserves a freakin PASS, for failing miserably at every move he made?
December 12th, 2014 at 10:30 pm
No asj was a horrible pick. Dude is slow fat and injured all the time.o and also his hand and blocking are suspect. Tim Wright is 2x the player asj is. Should have drafted a guard in his spot. We already had a young te on our roster there was no reason for slowfarian Jenkins.
Sims looks decent giving the circumstances. Hes thinking a lot when he’s out there u can tell hell be more aware and dangerous next year.
December 12th, 2014 at 11:34 pm
How can you even begin, to evaluate Charles Sims’ performance in this debacle, that we call an offense. It’s so bad that even the creator of it, wanted out.
December 12th, 2014 at 11:53 pm
That 3rd round pick should have been used on a G to bolster a bad OL. Wasted pick so far….. And how about Sefarian-Jenkins? Where has he been? Last time I seen hjim was when he got that idiotic penalty for do a Captain Morgan in the endzone and giving the ATL a short field that led to a score in that 27-17 loss. IMHO another wasted pick where there was so much talent still on the board in the early 2nd round. So far with the exception of Mike Evans and the place kicker; L&L have come up with a big bag of nothing concerning free agency and the draft…. Should the Glazers even let Licht get a chance to do the same thing in his second year????
December 13th, 2014 at 12:38 am
Simms is a rookie who is just getting his feet wet. missed most of pre-season and 2/3rds of regular season. And people want to know why he doesn’t look like an all pro and bitch about a wasted pick? SMH.
I’m sure Simms will be fine with some seasoning and become a valuable contributor.
This was Tedford’s pick I’m pretty sure BTW for all you L&L haters.
December 13th, 2014 at 1:00 am
I agree ASJ was a horrible pick. He’s been the biggest bust out of this year’s draft and a huge downgrade from Tim Wright.
December 13th, 2014 at 2:35 am
A running back usually doesn’t need time to progress at running in the nfl. Typically a good running back is good from day 1. Doug Martin for example. Exploded on to the scene. And I could many many rookie running backs who had great seasons. Running back don’t need time to get better they are either good or they aren’t. Sims isn’t special.
The only thing time will help is learning who and how to block. But if he can’t run then what’s the point of teaching him how to block?
December 13th, 2014 at 2:38 am
I’ll give ha that his ankle injury may have slowed him down a bit. I won’t give on him yet. But to say, “he’s only a rookie give him time”. Is a dumb statement for RBs. Historically all running backs are good their first year. I can’t think of a single RB who sucked his first few years and then broke out and was a stud.
Ok maybe mark Ingram kinda fits that description, but 1 out of a 1000 isn’t good odds.
December 13th, 2014 at 5:35 am
Auburn Alumni here.
Tre Mason is also an Auburn Tiger like me.
I watched his whole career.
He had first round talent.
The whole NFL whiffed on him.
Hes a stud.
December 13th, 2014 at 8:00 am
How about we see what he looks like when he doesn’t have everything possible going against him. You people are just piling on at this point. Most backs would struggle in their rookie year, coming off an injury, with a bad o line, an OC who doesn’t know what he’s doing anda QB who’s so bad that defenses take the run away and dare him to beat them with his arm. But you’re right, he was a bad pick. Bunch of clowns on here
December 13th, 2014 at 9:29 am
Three games played total and coming off an ankle injury?
Besides, with a finesse line and a franchise QB I’m sure he’d be do just fine. Somewhere like New England or Denver? Maybe In Philadelphia with Chip Kelly?
December 13th, 2014 at 10:25 am
It’s a wasted pick because running backs are plentiful and cheap. Several guys are in the top 10 rushing yards were on the street at some point. Running back wasn’t a need at all. Most people just thought “Oh, Tedford made the pick and his offense is going to be mega awesome and blah blah blah”. It was a bit delusional to think it was a good pick.
He basically needs to become an elite RB for it to not be a bad pick. We had 3 competent running backs at the time and….zero competent offensive lineman. It was a questionable pick then, and since Sims looks like at best he’ll be the same as Doug Martin, it’s a pretty bad pick in hindsight.
December 13th, 2014 at 10:41 am
EVERY THING ABOUT LOVIE IS WRONG ,,, FIRE ALL OF THEM OR THE SAME THING WILL HAPPEN ALL OVER NEXT YEAR…….
December 13th, 2014 at 1:09 pm
It’s too early to justify this is a horrible pick. Take any rb behind this stupid line and see what you get.
December 13th, 2014 at 1:14 pm
This guy is worse than schiano. Lovie just looks like a dead beat old stubborn head coach who refuses to admit to mistakes. He cut josh McCown a few years ago bc he couldn’t beat out Jason Campbell. Brings him in after 5 overhyped games after a career long back up. Just putrid.
I also dislikes lovie for how he treated Tim wright and that’s why he’s clueless in today’s league. He said wright struggled blocking but the league is full of atheltic receiving TEs who are threats and that’s what wright is who was a Udfa STEAL. We drafted an injury prone te in ASJ. Yes he’s talented but he’s going to have the injury bug. Happened in college and now he’s had back, knee hamstring and foot issues in his first year. Jimmy garoppolo or trading up for bridgewater would have been a better idea.
December 13th, 2014 at 1:16 pm
If I were to re do the draft I would have taken Evans traded up for Teddy and drafted Chris Borland in round 3.