Lovie Talks About The Screen-Pass Bucs
October 13th, 2015
Impressive end zone image
Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter has found a tonic for his offense, an old school play that the Bucs have made look easy.
Of course, it’s part of the offense’s new identity: screen passes, complemented by pounding the football.
Speaking on the Buccaneers Radio Network last night, Lovie Smith, without being asked, praised the growth of the screens and highlighted the blocking of receivers and tight ends in the second level to finish those plays.
After saying running the ball 40 times is what he wants, as the Bucs did against Jacksonville, Lovie called the screens “a combination of both” running and passing. He said the effort to get guys into the open field is working so well because of that downfield blocking.
Earlier in the show, Lovie talked about the great athleticism of starting guard/backup tackle/substitute tight end Kevin Pamphile giving the Bucs great depth.
You wanna see Pamphile’s athleticism on display?
Watch the 6-5, 310-pound Pamphile sprint, hit and then pancake a defensive back on Charles Sims’ critical 56-yard screen with the Bucs trailing 24-20 in the third quarter (Video here).
Beautiful stuff.
October 13th, 2015 at 10:30 am
Is that a versatile backup we can trust emerging from a milk carton? Why, I believe it is
October 13th, 2015 at 10:31 am
I have been waiting YEARS to see this team execute a SCREEN PASS with perfection! This team is evolving offensively and i’m excited to see where Lovie and Licht will be 3 years from now!(IN TAMPA!!!!)
“It’s as simple as that” – Lovie Smith aka “I’m going to coach longer for Tampa than Bill Cowher did for the Steelers!!!”
“Lovie is a GREAT coach!” – Kwon Alexander (The only opinions that count!)
October 13th, 2015 at 10:37 am
Yeah…. Wasn’t that why Lovie drafted Sims in the first place; to run screens like Forte did for his Bears????? Look anything that can help the Bucs maintain time of possession will help considering how pathetic that defense Lovie has crafted has been performing…. Turnovers could help turn that around though. Sacks only help when they are on 3rd down and force the team to punt (Lovie’s D is well below average on 3rd down conversions)…..
October 13th, 2015 at 10:52 am
To really get a feel for the beautiful screens yesterday, one should look no further than the screen that was called back before the half.
There was such a convoy of blockers in front of Sims that I was caught off guard (as were the Jags, two missed blocks kept the play from being big, IMO). Flag was called on Cherilus, but rewatching the game, it looked like Hawley.
Was truly a perfectly designed play that was just missing that LITTLE BIT of execution that is needed on every play for it to be successful.
October 13th, 2015 at 10:58 am
Pamphile…paving the whey!
October 13th, 2015 at 11:01 am
How good has rainey looked returning ,after all this time looking for a return guy not only can he take it to the house any return but he has consistently gotten huge chunks
October 13th, 2015 at 11:01 am
Reminds me of the Dunn/Alscott days. Those cats could run a screen. Word?
October 13th, 2015 at 11:05 am
It’s not the screen pass Bucs it’s the screen pass NFL.
Screens are the new running game.
If Gruden was here he would say something like “Jiminiy Christmas
this league is in a constant state of flux as far as how teams attack
the run. You gotta be constantly evolving , man. I’ll tell ya what: I LIKE
Dirk Koetter, man”
October 13th, 2015 at 11:16 am
Lovie learns very slowly, but at least he learns! Let’s hope he has seen the light on Jenkins and Jennings and knows to bench them as soon as possible. This team can win some games using Dungy’s formula of pounding the ball with the running game and neutering the Rookie QB to a game manager.
October 13th, 2015 at 11:54 am
Lovie just heard about a screen play this year! ” Dang, Dirk, these work pretty well.”
October 13th, 2015 at 12:58 pm
During the game on Sunday, Jameis had so much time to throw he could have ordered take out and still had a warm meal. The pass blocking by Smith, Pamphile, Hawley, Mongo and Cherilus was borderline spectacular. Other than the two sacks the group worked well together. Maybe move Mongo to center and Pamphile to RG in order to get him in the line-up?
October 13th, 2015 at 1:47 pm
Excellent game. Fans are finally getting to see the difference a REAL OC can make. So many fans were quick to blame Lovie last season when it’s nearly impossible to replace an OC after OTA’s and TC.
Moving right along: I’m looking forward to “What Else Ya Got?” on Offense.
The league will be studying the keys to our offense and I fully expect them to catch-up to our screen game and Jumbo formation, soon.
So, what else do we have will depend on getting ASJ back to terrorize the deep middle. A good blocking/catching TE also allows us to disguise our run/pass intentions on 1st and 2nd downs. Maybe We’ll even be able to take a few deep shots off of PA.
Blunt force only works for so long before the opposition regards the extra tackle as a key to “wilding” their LB’s against the run. Washington will certainly be ready for that formation. So, what else you got..?
One request: NO WILDCAT, please.
For all the talk about Koetter going 4-Vertical, that play has been MIA since …like…FOREVER.
Go Bucs…!!!
October 13th, 2015 at 1:59 pm
and, the screen / run game sets up the vertical passing game downfield ……nice
October 13th, 2015 at 3:42 pm
@ Mike Alscott….. I don’t remember “Mike Alscott” ever playing for the Bucs.
October 13th, 2015 at 5:50 pm
You know….I get ripping on the defense. Considering that we haven’t addressed it with draft in two years, I’m feeling okay. Maybe 2016 will be the year. Good DE and Cb. Heck, maybe even a safety.
October 17th, 2015 at 11:01 pm
Why can’t the Buccaneer coaching staff practice the opponents screens/slants and other plays the teams have tendencies to run? How many of you watched the “football life” of Bill Bilichick and how he runs the Patriots? They have a full time coach who does nothing but look at the plays the next weeks opponents run. Then they have there defense practice those plays over and over again until they get it right. It is obvious that the Bucs do very little of this type of preparation. You can see confusion among players especially when a WR is running a route and goes from one zone to another. It is the area of responsibility that this defense struggles with.