Fast Starts? Try No Starts
October 31st, 2017
Dreadful opening drives.
Since winning Bucs coach Dirk Koetter arrived in Tampa Bay, he has preached the Gospel of Fast Starts.
In reality, Koetter’s offenses are better known for no starts.
Joe gives credit to data-driven, limousine-ridin’, jet-flyin’, kiss-stealin’, data-analyzin’, Bucs-film-studyin’ Thomas Bassinger of the Tampa Bay Times for doing the homework on this.
Bassinger scoured the interwebs and found out that since 2015, when Koetter took over as offensive coordinator, the Bucs have scored touchdowns on their opening drives three times. Per Bassinger, that’s the worst in the NFL.
Since the start of the 2015 season, teams that have scored a touchdown on their first possession have won twice as often as they’ve lost. When they’ve kicked a field goal, the advantage hasn’t been as great, but it has still been an advantage. When they’ve punted, more often than not they’ve gone on to lose.
Worst in the NFL.
That’s worse than the Browns. Worse than the 49ers who previously were coached by a couple of nitwits. Worse than the Bears whose coach hates scoring almost as much as Lovie Smith. Worse than the previously sad sack Jags who had the worst NFL coach in winning percentage since Pearl Harbor.
To support Bassinger’s premise that punting on the opening drive is nearly akin to losing, here are the results of each Bucs opening drive this season: Chicago, field goal; Vikings, field goal; Giants, punt; Patriots, punt; Arizona punt; Buffalo field goal; Carolina, punt.
Joe has no words for why an offensive-minded coach can’t get his offense to average more than one touchdown per season on its opening drive.
October 31st, 2017 at 5:48 am
the Bucs are sad indeed
October 31st, 2017 at 5:49 am
Forget the first possession
TB in 2017 so far has only scored 5 TDs in the first half all season.
October 31st, 2017 at 6:03 am
Koetter deserves some of the ‘credit’ (OK, blame), but Jameis is the real problem here. Looked back at the 7 opening drives and 4 of them were manageable down/distance (3rd-and-3 average). Jameis threw incomplete short passes on 2 of them, threw a complete short pass for negative yardage on another, and Jacquizz ran for no gain on the other. On the 3rd-and-long situations (3 of them), Jameis threw 2 incomplete deep passes, plus a complete short pass that gained 11 yds (but it was 3rd-and-29).
Problem might have been the play-call/design, but more likely it’s that Jameis threw 2 incomplete short passes, 2 incomplete long passes, 2 complete short passes that didn’t get enough yardage, plus one run got stuffed. On the good news side, we did ‘salvage’ 2 FGs out of the 7 opening drives.
October 31st, 2017 at 6:29 am
Tack on slow starts to the season as well. WTF!
October 31st, 2017 at 6:49 am
I would focus on the offensive line: some or all if following:
1) coaching doesn’t emphasize or commit to successful running game but pass protection instead
2) offensive line lacks communication/chemistry to be effective
3) offensive line lacks talent
My hunch is it is lack of communication due to Marpet’s 1st season as center
Without effective running game, pressure on qb will be intensified
If you want to blame rb’s , I would ask – for the most part, which holes in the line are the rb’s missing?
October 31st, 2017 at 6:50 am
I think Koetter is gone at the end of the season. No playoffs = no job.
October 31st, 2017 at 6:55 am
To get a better picture, I’d like to know Koetter’s average before he was a Buc.
I feel like this is more of a Jameis stat than a Koetter stat
October 31st, 2017 at 7:35 am
Joe- why are you still referring to him as “winning”? Thank god those idiots Stick Carroers finally realize what a joke that was & have let that little nickname go. You need to do the same.
October 31st, 2017 at 7:38 am
All I am asking Buc fans and Joe is, what the hell is going on with the Bucs. We have a decent offense ..the players we have on defense are decent in all we have a lot of good players on this team but we keep losing. Is it coaching ..is it Jamis what is the Bucs freaking problem. Is the Bucs locker room becoming a issue. Me personally. I think something is going on to make this team regress like they have
October 31st, 2017 at 7:39 am
Those are some telling numbers. It’s definitely a combo of play-calling and execution.
If we KNOW the problem, freakin’ fix it!
October 31st, 2017 at 7:39 am
This is all on the playcaller & the QB…we aren’t going to change the QB but we should change the playcaller.
I have been calling for months for Koetter to give up playcalling….he needs to delegate this to Monken….it will save the Bucs and it will ultimately save his job.
Koetter needs focus on being a head coach….a “winning” head coach.
October 31st, 2017 at 7:42 am
Joe…how about a poll…..”Should Koetter give the playcalling to Monken?”
October 31st, 2017 at 7:54 am
At this point
it’s simply a broken record
October 31st, 2017 at 7:59 am
Better yet. Why don’t you look back at Jameis ‘s slow starts at fsu. Was forced to watch fsu games cause most of my friends are Noles. Any Noles fan will tell you he started the same way in college. But he would bring them back in second half. He was bad Jameis in first and good Jameis in second. But that was college where you could get away with that.
Joe-please throw jimbo under the bus too. Maybe check high school coach too.
Hey all – Joe’s calls it as he sees it . Is koetter part to blame. Sure. But #3 history is proof is in the pudding. Joe will do anything to protect his man crush. Jameis even admits he is too jacked up to start the game. Buts let’s put that on koetter for not being a better psychiatrist /coach
October 31st, 2017 at 7:59 am
Joejameisfan.com rules
October 31st, 2017 at 8:05 am
Clodhoppers.
Agree. Let’s show koetter s numbers before and after Jameis. Can you do that joe?
October 31st, 2017 at 8:11 am
If the O-line could protect like Joe does JW3 and the O-line, then I think the offense would be just fine!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!
October 31st, 2017 at 8:16 am
Bucs qb is also a big part of the problem and has not shown to be close to accurate with all the weapons the bucs have . It seems like bucs gm has picked a lot of the wrong players.
October 31st, 2017 at 8:25 am
*Jameis Winston Career Stats (By Quarters)
By Quarters (1st & 2nd)
1st Cmp:147 | Att:246 | Inc:99 | Cmp%:59.76 | Yds:1881 TD:8 |Int:9
2nd Cmp:233 | Att:388 | Inc:155 | Cmp%:60.05 | Yds:2637 TD:19| Int:11
By Quarters (3rd & 4th)
3rd Cmp:183 | Att:302 | Inc:119 | Cmp%:60.60 | Yds:2524 TD:15 | Int:5
4th Cmp:242 | Att:401 | Inc:159 | Cmp%:60.35 | Yds:2930 TD:18 | Int:14
Totals By Halfs (1st & 2nd)
1st Cmp:380 | Att:634 | Inc:254 | Cmp%:59.94 | Yds:4518 TD:27 | Int: 10
2nd Cmp:425 | Att:703 | Inc:278 | Cmp%:60.4 | Yds:5454 TD:33 | Int:19
October 31st, 2017 at 8:28 am
I thought Jason Licht hit a Grand Slam in the 2016 NFL Draft
1st Jameis Winston
2nd Donovan Smith
2nd Ali Marpet
4th Kwon Alexander
October 31st, 2017 at 8:43 am
*Jameis Winston Career Stats (By Quarter)
By Quarters (1st)
1st Cmp:147 | Att:246 | Inc: 99 | Cmp%: 59.76 | Yds:1881 TD:8 | Int:9 <-Yup
October 31st, 2017 at 8:44 am
Whats different from 2015 to now?
Then:
Two big receivers with big catch radiuses
in Evans in Vjax. These receivers often had to run routes where they squared
up and framed a big target for Jameis. Also Koetter slimmed down the offense
so that Jameis could focus on parts of the field.
Next a more effective running game. I think we also had the ability to run
outside, not just up the middle. I think the combination Luke
Stocker and Kevin
Pamphile at swing tackle made our running game more effective on the outside.
Now:
It seems as though Koetter has to run Martin up the middle because we
are not blocking as well outside. Our backs are getting gang tackled behind the line. I noticed Stocker”s number much more in the last game.
Despite flashes of brilliance, Jameis is struggling in the first half. Last year Jameis would overcome things like penalties that threatened to stall drives.
Most of Jameis’s worst games are against better defenses. He has more weapons,
But hasn’t been effective on the deep sideline passes. Koetter needs to limit the
deep plays to the areas of the field where Jameis has had success.
The only explanation that I can come up with on the slow starts is:
The better defenses are confusing Jameis in the first half leading to passes off their mark and turnovers. It seems like the game doesn’t slow down enough for Jameis to play confidently and effectively in the first half.
October 31st, 2017 at 8:45 am
Sounds like the Joes and many readers here were “sold the sizzle” on Dirk Koetter and were all in on that meal only to find out what was sizzling is dog meat.
October 31st, 2017 at 8:52 am
As Joe likes to point out we had a #1 passing attack going into this past week’s charade of a game. These graphics make it easy to see why. We’re playing from behind too much. Once we get behind, Koetter dumps the run game except for the 2 yard and a cloud of dust up the middle plays. If I’m D.J. I’m wondering why the heck I’m here, since he does one thing great, but the QB couldn’t hit him if he was the size of an elephant. The 3rd down inefficiency is mind boggling. That is what defines a “great” QB. Satring off in the hole is a recipe for disaster in every sport, not just football.
October 31st, 2017 at 9:25 am
@tampabay
With respect,
Can,t agree Focus has to be on Jameis. He needs to look in the Mirror and correct the things that are in his power and slow starts have been his achilles heel since college. He also needs to put that same focus on the first drive of the second half. When you get your turnovers it is on you to come out swinging.
October 31st, 2017 at 9:37 am
@Defense…..
you know what I see in those 7 drives?….TOO MUCH PASSING!!!!….
dirk doesn’t like to run the ball…simple as that!!!!….
on manageable down/distance (3rd-and-3 average) why are we throwing the ball….how about running the ball….and not a simple dive play….how bout a screen to djax instead on hump….how bout a reverse….how bout a boot leg(Winston can run)….something creative….
the problem aint Winston…its dirk….GO BUCS!!!
October 31st, 2017 at 9:54 am
iIf you really want to know why the team can’t score just go to the game and watch Winston or more specifically watch the receivers and you’ll see someone running wide open every single series especially Mike Evans. He does not go through his progressions he’s not injured he just hasn’t learned to read the field. Who do you think is more upset Jackson who’s getting overthrown or the guy in a contact year who’s consistently wide open but the quarterback doesn’t look his way. Lol last week was the Adam humphries show. The problem isn’t the weapons it’s the quarterback coach relationship. Winston has clearly regressed. The coach calls the plays and not his fault Winston can’t see the open receivers
October 31st, 2017 at 10:02 am
@realist….
you don’t you hold this staff accountable….you have every excuse under the sun….
-first you say they are still “coaching the lovie out of players”
-next you say its because of HK
-now your saying its the oline
how about dirk having a balanced offense?….CAR didn’t produce much on the ground but they never abandoned it….dirk abandons the run in the first quarter….smitty has been forcing the cbs to play a certain way that puts them in position to fail(except for grimes who’s a seasoned vet)….
these coaches are incompetent….simple as that!!!!….break out the pine sol and bleach…..its time to clean house!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
October 31st, 2017 at 10:11 am
The Buc Realist Says:
October 31st, 2017 at 8:11 am
If the O-line could protect like Joe does JW3 and the O-line, then I think the offense would be just fine!!!!!!!!!!!!
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA GOT DAYUM….
October 31st, 2017 at 10:42 am
Writer on bucsnation said it best.
Jameis is the player who touches the ball on every offensive snap so ultimately the production / success of the team is on him. Now if he doesn’t have weapons to throw too or hand ball off too or not enough time to throw the ball , then that is different
However, that is not the case here. Qb would dream to have half this talent. People can blame the coaches all the want Koetter has some blame for sure However. Players play the game. It’s on them for team to succeed
October 31st, 2017 at 12:12 pm
Right and the last game was were you could easily put the blame on Winston. However prior to that game the blame was squarely on the defense! They are the reason we are in this debacle. If we weren’t having to play from behind or play tit for tat then our record would be much different right now. No QB would look good with the way our defense is playing. The last game however was definitely just a bad game for Jameis. All that being said the fact that nobody is really playing up to their potential and some have regressed you can point the finger at one group and that’s the coaching staff! Figure it out coaches! I’m losing my mind as I write this…
October 31st, 2017 at 12:54 pm
Does everyone forget who hired DK?
Only reason he got the HC job was to aid JWs progress. Clearly it ain’t working out on both counts. You can’t teach accuracy, especially at this level. Trade JW to the browns for some of the boatload of draft picks they have.
And the uniforms are ugly
October 31st, 2017 at 1:05 pm
All that being said the fact that nobody is really playing up to their potential and some have regressed you can point the finger at one group and that’s the coaching staff!
^^BINGO^^…GO BUCS!!!
October 31st, 2017 at 1:32 pm
@813bucboi … “the problem aint Winston…its dirk….GO BUCS!!!” Hard to agree with that one BucBoi. It’s BOTH of them. Dirk is the one calling the plays, but he’s not the one throwing the passes. On the 4 manageable 3rd downs (3 yds or less), Jameis missed 2 throws, completed another but for negative yardage (the 4th was a run that didn’t work). Bucs’ drives stalled (0-for-7 on those opening drive’ situations) because of Koetter’s play-calling & Winston’s inaccurate passing in those situations.
October 31st, 2017 at 2:12 pm
forming winning head coach