“I’m Trying To Put The Bucs In The Best Position To Win Games”
December 26th, 2016
Dirk Koetter talks Doug Martin benching
Yes, Dirk Koetter was peppered by media this afternoon on his decision to bench everyone’s favorite Muscle Hamster, Doug Martin.
Koetter was his usual candid and clear self when asked the same kind of question many different ways.
Simply put. Koetter stands by his straight-forward call.
“I made the decision that I felt Quizz would give us a better opportunity last week. And, you know, Quizz did a good job when he was in there,” Koetter said of Jacquizz Rodgers. “You know, people can say whatever they want about what Doug would have been. I mean we don’t know because he wasn’t in there. And so I’m not trying to confuse anybody. That’s not my intent. I’m trying to put the Bucs in the best position to win games.”
What’s next for Martin? Will he be active Sunday against Carolina?
Koetter said a decision will be made later this week.
In that quote is Koetter praising Rodgers. Therefore, it’s going to be awfully tough for Koetter to look Rodgers in the face and tell to hit the pine for the season finale. Joe doesn’t see that happening.
That doesn’t mean Martin and Rodgers can’t share carries, but Koetter was clear today that fans/observers/media should realize the special teams responsibilities of running backs Peyton Barber and Charles Sims are important, too.
Joe’s just glad the Bucs have a coach unafraid to watch film and play who he thinks is best, from keeping Noah Spence on the bench quite often Saturday, to burying Alterraun Verner in favor of undrafted free agent Javien Elliott, to sitting Martin for poor production.
It’s awfully refreshing to have a fearless head coach.
December 26th, 2016 at 4:42 pm
Here’s Dirk’s playcalling since Martin came back…
1st down, run up the middle.
2nd down, run a sweep to the left.
3rd down, hope Winston can chuck the ball up to Evans and he’ll come down with it.
4th down, punt.
Repeat.
There’s nothing wrong with Martin, he wasn’t missing holes, he wasn’t running without effort – he was hitting holes hard but when your coach seems to run the same exact plays in the same exact order, there’s a reason you get the same exact results. Dirk on offense just hasn’t been good this year calling games – nothing like last year where the team was dramatically less predictable. Dirk is overtaxed as HC and needs to hire a legitimate OC to run his offense and call plays.
With that said Rodgers has been very good – I can see wanting to play him and reward him for his playing well, but to do it by embarrassing Martin, who was a 1st team all-pro last year and who you have running up the middle into 8 guys on the defense on every 1st down then wondering why he’s not getting 5 yards a pop… come on Dirk. That’s one thing I really haven’t liked about him this year, he’s quick to throw his players under the bus and doesn’t seem to ever take blame for his own errors. Overall I think Dirk has had a successful year but he a ton to work on in the offseason.
December 26th, 2016 at 4:46 pm
Sounds like Martin and/or Rodgers will need to put in some ST teams duty next season so they both can be active. I’m assuming both will be back.
December 26th, 2016 at 4:54 pm
Yeah yeah yeah. Screw the whole situation, but Joe, your last paragraph is brilliant and catches what the “others” around here miss. They will ask all week, from 19 different angles, and print an article about benching Doug Martin. I said there would be four articles in big print, and so far, there are two. Two to come for sure. But you are right and doing analysis the others don’t do. That is, Koetter is making the call and he’s not afraid to tell you. That factors big. And the others still miss the fact that a couple plays early in the season brought us here tonight, and that next year winning those games means that tonight in 2017, we drink for happy reasons. Bank it. I just hope those all over Jameis and Koetter and the GM change their underpants before then.
December 26th, 2016 at 5:02 pm
Rod Munch
if doug martin is not the problem how do you explain and then justify the fact he has had 3 horrible years and 2 decent years. He is not consistent, he does not score reliably, he is not very good in short yardage. he is always hurt, he’s slow and most importantly YOU CAN NOT COUNT ON HIM WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT!
So please let the excuses go fan boy
December 26th, 2016 at 5:07 pm
I heard Martin was put on injured reserve after being run over by the bus Koetter threw him under.
December 26th, 2016 at 5:08 pm
Much agreed with Rod…It seems to me that the sputtering offense is a direct result of predictable play calling. You can argue all day about the Quizz / Martin thing but I have yet to see both of them deployed simultaneously in a two back set with Sims lined up in the slot as a receiver. Winston seems to excel when allowed to find a rhythm running the no huddle, perhaps we should go no huddle immediately to start the game. This team runs one or two bubble screens and quick slants a game, all intermediate routes. How about mixing it up coach. If the our line can’t produce ample room for our backs to run how about getting them the ball in space. I can’t remember the last time I saw us run the ball from a pass heavy formation…I may be rambling just a bit but sometimes you have got to think outside the box. Our final drive against the Aints would have been a perfect opportunity to call a trick play or two but instead we get:
1st down, run up the middle.
2nd down, run a sweep to the left.
3rd down, hope Winston can chuck the ball up to Evans and he’ll come down with it.
4th down, punt.
To quote Munch.
In the landscape of today’s NFL creativity is key, ALA Bill Belechick who finds away to confuse defenses on weekly basis, always striving to show his opponents something they have yet to see on tape.
December 26th, 2016 at 5:10 pm
Ypc Martin 2.9 Quizz 4.3
December 26th, 2016 at 5:20 pm
I watched some tape last night and I agree with Dirk’s decision. Rodgers’ vision appears to be a lot better than Martin’s. The offensive linemen, except for Ali Marphet, are playing lackadaisical. If the linemen open up a whole, Martin will turn it into a big play. If the whole is not there, Martin does not seem to have the vision to find another whole and make something out of the run. I do believe that Dirk needs to force Winston to make shorter passes consistently and accurately–something that Jimbo Fisher attempted to do with Winston. That would mean that short passes would have to be a part of Dirk’s offense and it is not.
December 26th, 2016 at 5:21 pm
From the outside looking in I’d say he should have benched Sims. When asked what ST Sims plays Koetter didn’t answer cuz he doesn’t play much on ST. If I were a betting man I’d say there more to the Martin benching than simply production. Maybe an attitude adjustment perhaps?
December 26th, 2016 at 5:27 pm
JAmeis is so inaccurate! I wish he, Brate and Evans would stop breaking all these “All-Time” Buc TD passing records. It’s just not a good look for him.
December 26th, 2016 at 6:12 pm
Its Koetter’s play calling and his great offensive line not opening holes for either Rodgers or Martin to run thru. Its is not hard to stop the run when the defense knows our predictable offense. Everytime it is third and short, here come 10 guys in the box and Jameious and Koetter never change the play. I haven’t seen a running back get more yards after he is hit than Martin/.
December 26th, 2016 at 6:13 pm
DB55
Speak the truth.
Merry Christmas man
Just say NO to ICE CREAM MAN
December 26th, 2016 at 6:40 pm
@ G720,
LOL, did you watch the Melvin Gordon run all over the Bucs in San Diego?
Personnel groupings, Martin not finding holes, and not checking out of run plays, are killing the run game. Brate can catch but he is not a run blocker. Stocker can block, but he’s not good at catching. Martin can run between the tackles can run sweeps, Simm can run is space, but can’t run between the tackles. In addition to upgrading the line, we need backs and TE’s that are versatile.
December 26th, 2016 at 6:53 pm
That was real STUPID of Koetter to deactivate Doug Martin. You didn’t have to play him, but at least have him on the bench available. That scene ( Doug sitting on the sidelines in a jogging suit) had to destroy the motivation of the players. The Bucs was 5-1 since Doug came back from his injury, his benching was not good for the morale of the team. And now people are saying that LVD was loafing on plays, what do you expect? You deactivated his draft mate, no one can tell me that the 46 players that dressed Saturday are better than Doug Martin. No playoffs for the Bucs, and I am HAPPY as hell that they lost the game. First it was Johnthan Banks getting deactivated, now it’s Doug. SUCK on YUCKS, you deserves to SUCK.
December 26th, 2016 at 6:55 pm
I believe Doug was bench for CALLING out Koetter and his DUMB playcalling.
December 26th, 2016 at 7:04 pm
Koetter’s play calling is suspect. We need more short throws, three step drops to get Jameis in a rhythm as well as open things up.
December 26th, 2016 at 9:10 pm
Rod Munch, your evaluation of the play calling is not entirely accurate. You can pick a few examples where it is true, but there is a lot more diversity than you noted.
And, even if it were true for the most part (it isn’t), could you blame him for running the ball so much? We have a QB who is an interception machine right now. That may change over time, but for now, he has to compensate and not risk turnovers.
December 26th, 2016 at 9:10 pm
Doug should’ve been on the bench long before Sunday, he’s not a power back and he doesn’t have the speed to be a game changer. Nice guy and good teammate but only a slightly better than average RB.
December 26th, 2016 at 9:17 pm
LakeLandBuc Says
“That was real STUPID of Koetter to deactivate Doug Martin.”
Was it? Was it really?
Doug Martin might have lingering effects from the injury that are hampering his productivity.
OR
Showing everyone that if you don’t play well, you can be benched is a great way to show your players that you demand they produce. How the heck else do you change a culture??????
No one is safe. Not even Winston. Don’t think for a moment that if Glennon were good enough, Koetter would not have started him by now. Don’t think for a second that if we had a top 2-3 pick it would not be on a QB if Koetter believed it would be the best move (he likely doesn’t).
Koetter is holding the team to a higher standard than it has been held to since Gruden’s first year. Martin is expendable if it means sending the right message. You may not understand it, but its true. RB is the one position this team has no problem finding depth on.
December 26th, 2016 at 10:08 pm
@Buccaneer Bonzai
Totally agree! We see the games through our amateur eyes and the coaching staff sees the practices and film… They know the scoop and props to the HC for having the pelotas to send a message!
December 26th, 2016 at 10:12 pm
To add whether it is due to lingering injury or attitude props to the HC for fielding what he felt as fielding the best team possible! Not giving up on DM at all! Just get it together!
December 26th, 2016 at 11:02 pm
believe we have won more games than before with so many injuries to
key players against better competition than we have faced in sometime. if we had only one key injury in previous years a loss was a given.Koetter and staff are responsible for this.
December 27th, 2016 at 1:37 am
“I’m Trying To Put The Bucs In The Best Position To Win Games”
December 26th, 2016
Yet we lost the game 😐
December 27th, 2016 at 2:28 am
koetter is a very smart man – covering his own ass by benching martin during the possibility of going 0-3 down the stretch…it deflects issues with losing slightly away from the coach, confuses the media and fans, and exasperates issues – thus slightly covering his ass as they tanked out of the playoff picture down the stretch…very smart maneuvers by koetter
December 27th, 2016 at 12:51 pm
idiot from ny