Starting Doug Martin Was Senseless
December 10th, 2017
Shameful decision
Dirk Koetter is the same head coach who sat Doug Martin last year when he was healthy and ready to play with the season and playoffs on the line in New Orleans on Christmas Eve.
So Joe doesn’t want to hear anything about how Koetter didn’t think it was right for Martin to lose his starting job today — because he had a concussion two weeks ago and players shouldn’t lose their jobs because of injury.
Koetter is the same guy who stands at the One Buc Palace podium consistently and says he doesn’t know any coaches who don’t play their best players.
Well, everyone paying attention knew yesterday that Peyton Barber is Tampa Bay’s best running back. Those really paying attention knew that long, long ago.
Anyone listening to Ronde Barber on today’s broadcast heard a Bucs icon talk about how much more effective Peyton Barber is — and how adamant Koetter was to him during pregame-TV-production chatter that starters shouldn’t lose jobs due to injury.
First, that’s archaic thinking. Second, why is Koetter worried about Martin’s feelings?
Better yet, why isn’t Koetter worried about every Bucs fan who yearns for victory and knows how important a good running game is?
NFL players aren’t first-grade Girl Scouts. They’re mature enough to understand why Martin would hit the bench at the tail end of two consecutive bad seasons.
Buccaneers fans deserved better today. Peyton Barber deserved better.
Koetter accomplished nothing other than maybe appeasing fragile psyches in his locker room, and those guys shouldn’t be there to begin with.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:48 pm
doug martin on the roster for the last 2 years has been senseless. once again he has proven he is the unreliable gerbil with few good games years ago… nothing more. another wasted high round pick by a pathetic organization with NO hope.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:48 pm
No…it was not senseless…it was due diligence …he will not be here next year
December 10th, 2017 at 5:49 pm
Starting Martin was senseless, so were all the Buccaneer turnovers…..they had so many turnovers they could open their own pastry business….
December 10th, 2017 at 5:51 pm
I think the answer is simple. Dirk started MARtin because he truely believes he is better. No other answer is really acceptable.
Dirk has severely botched hi s time here with the team.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:53 pm
And you still have yet to actually write anything negative. What??? You must be confusing this with another website. –Joe Why was it so easy to call out Lovie Smith but this site acts scared of dirk. Whatever you can’t save his job but go ahead keep trying. No one is waiting for your blessing, if he gets another year it’ll be another year wasted. Can’t have the 4th best quarterback in the division and think you can win when you also have the worst coach in the division… They also need a coach that can compete with this division coaches
December 10th, 2017 at 5:53 pm
Senseless? Yet more excuses. It was not senseless to start Martin. Sure Martin had a bad game. But so did..COUNTLESS..other Bucs. Again we cannot stop a game ending drive. Just cannot..will not do it. And Don’t get me started on the turnovers. I’m not talking apple either!!!! When you are losers? You can find a..Plethera of..Senseless things!
December 10th, 2017 at 5:53 pm
Now thts a damn article Joe!! Well said. Keep their feet to the fire. Anything short of that is pandering. Loved the Gruden question in the PC to Koetter. Not sure who had the stones to bring that up but kudos. I can’t believe I’m about to type this but the media and the fans NEED to work together to send a very clear message to the Glazers we aren’t pissing around anymore. Fix it or stop ruining our Sundays by moving this franchise to Zimbabwe.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:54 pm
Joe isn’t always right, but when he talks about Doug Martin he’s REALLY right.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:56 pm
…assuming another country would take us at this point. I mean would they want to take a risk? This team could start a nationwide riot and have a military coup on their hands. LoL. Let’s figure it out Glazers.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:57 pm
Barber is not a feature back in the NFL. Period. Doug Martin WAS while you gotta be sure before you pull the plug. I saw exactly what was going on today, because Barber hasn’t good this year either, along with ALL RBs behind a cruddy run-blocking O line. It was good to have today with both healthy, both with the same O line, etc, and both getting plenty of touches to see how they are on an even playing field. Today, Barber earned the right to start for the rest of the year, and the Bucs save some change next year on Martin. But Barber lacks explosive and speed on the corners. He’s not a feature back but is a good solid backup/#2. Add RB to the pile of needs for draft and unfortunatly, free agency. But it’s looking more and more like we have to get a new GM and likely new coaching staff first. Jameis Winston: #2. He’s going to be his own drama all off season and I am sick of hearing about his sex crime allegations and it’s clear he is not progressing. Don’t cut him; not yet. But take his image off the side of our stadium and replace it with an empty cut-out and “coming soon.”
December 10th, 2017 at 5:57 pm
@succaneers what was the question and the response? I’d love to hear that lol. I was too busy to see the post game conference
December 10th, 2017 at 6:00 pm
This is the third straight loss of a winnable game in the 4th quarter. Period.
Those tight 4th quarter games are where coaching makes the biggest difference. The Bucs ALWAYS lose those games.
December 10th, 2017 at 6:00 pm
Roy T…I agree…Martin back next year…diminished roll and pay cut…with incentives…all that…Martin isn’t all that anymore
December 10th, 2017 at 6:01 pm
Someone asked DK how he felt about Gruden’s induction knowing there is a large contingent of the fan base calling for him to replace DK as HC. Not word for word as I too was busy washing the stench of this season off of my Winston jersey. p.s – The only jersey I’ll actually wear is my Lynch orange throwback. LOL
December 10th, 2017 at 6:02 pm
A lot of Jason Licht moves are senseless
Bringing Doug back for $6 million
Bringing VJAX back for $10 million
Those are a few
December 10th, 2017 at 6:02 pm
Not only that, but when Barber got some momentum going, they went away from him in the second quarter in favor of Martin, who then fumbled the ball. Doug is done in Tampa.
December 10th, 2017 at 6:06 pm
No matter what your opinion is about a player, on why he is not successful it doesn’t matter as soon as another player performs better under the same circumstances, you go with that player! Common sense! We are all tired of staring over every two years but Koetter and Licht just don’t give you much hope, going forward. What a Cluster Funk this team is.
December 10th, 2017 at 6:07 pm
martin was NEVER A FEATURE BACK… look at his numbers he had 2 good seasons in 6 years and never was a scorer… you people can’t rewrite history because you like underachieving bums.
December 10th, 2017 at 6:08 pm
Kudos to you ther Suck-a-neers!! I’m feelin your post brother. Its time for Buc fans to shout to the HIGH HEAVENS…Stop the nonsense Glazers..Set this team on the right course. !! And I like you still wear your Lynch Jersey. I still waer my Leroy Selmon and Warren Sapp Jerseys because they were..true BALLERS!!!!!!!!!! Wear your Lynch Jersey proudly. He was..the man!!
December 10th, 2017 at 6:08 pm
most of martin’s yardage is meaningless garbage on losing teams. martin was never a threat to score and never was a league leader in scoring. garbage running back period.
December 10th, 2017 at 6:10 pm
I dont know if the next GM and coach will have success but I sure as hell know the current GM and coaches have got to go! Starting Martin today all but sealed Koetter’s fate. Not being able to cover a RB coming out of the backfield on numerous plays today tell me DC Smith is just as cluless and stubborn. The rest of the dumpster fire was started by the idiot who got these players…the GM.
December 10th, 2017 at 6:15 pm
To be Kut Koetter must be covering for Licht’s Out on this one. The Bucs were fortuitously off the hook with Martin…a gift…and Licht’s Out paid Martin full sticker price to stay. Unbelievable. The Joes took a lot of heat for declaring Martin as done/washed up. They were right.
December 10th, 2017 at 6:16 pm
Doug Martin is gatrbage.
I hope they cut him tomorrow. WASTE of money.
Please get rid of dud martin.
December 10th, 2017 at 6:34 pm
Nobody says Barber has to be a feature back or a great back , it’s just he has been the best back on this team for a year and Licht and Koetter don’t know it And have not ,are changes do to it!!! That says allot about Licht and Koetter because last time I checked a running game is very very very important to a team and especially a young franchise QB
December 10th, 2017 at 6:44 pm
Completely agreed. Senseless and yet another bad decision by the coach. Keeping Brate on the sideline during key situations was silly as well.
December 10th, 2017 at 6:53 pm
Many of my friends think Koetter is adamant about starting and playing Doug Martin, in the hope he will flash, to get Licht off the hook for re signing him.
My friends think Koetter owes Licht, for starting the Coup that ran Lovie out of town.
They also point to the Boise State connection, shared by Doug Martin and Koetter.
I am not saying I agree with any of my friends, I just want us to win.
The Stadium today was FULL of Lion’s Fans, so full of Lion’s Fan’s, it was shameful. And, guess what ? Almost none of them flew down from Michigan either. I know because Detroit is my old hometown, and when I talked to the Lion’s Fans here at our stadium, almost all were from Florida.
I sensed many were actually Tampa Bay Bucs fans, who have gotten so frustrated, they put on the other teams jerseys.
It was shameful, downright shameful.
December 10th, 2017 at 7:17 pm
Yah. Koetter messed the bed on that. Martin probably better pick up on blitzes and they want James healthy.
However. Barber ran like a stud today. And last week. He deserved start. Doug martin is most likely history. Can’t see him on team next year
December 10th, 2017 at 7:55 pm
Martin is a better blocker on passing downs….Winston is inconsistent as it is, Hard to evaluate him if the RB is missing assignments as well. That’s all the Bucs care about at this point.
December 10th, 2017 at 8:08 pm
This move made no sense. A bunch of media outlets was praising Barber for his work in Green Bay last week. Even BR called him a gem and yet we started the incumbent Martin? Once Barber got the touches the offense came alive and everything was going in motion. This is why I do not trust Koetter.
December 10th, 2017 at 8:34 pm
Keeping Koetter, and Licht, that would really be senseless.
December 10th, 2017 at 8:58 pm
with that theory… tom brady wouldnt be the brady that we know today… due to his starting when bledsoe got hurt.
December 10th, 2017 at 8:59 pm
tmaxon…Tattoo says hello back to you, and he says looks like you know less about football than he does. Says a guy who says there is “no hope for the future” needs to get serious help…
You’re not just down on Martin, but you are down on everyone and everything.
I think Tattoo has you pegged.
December 10th, 2017 at 9:48 pm
Enough about Martin already! The Bucs didn’t lose because he started. His starting had absolutely no impact on the game. His fumble did, as did the other turnovers. Regardless, this loss is completely on the defense, they haven’t gotten a critical stop at a critical time all season.
December 10th, 2017 at 10:42 pm
It’s almost like Koetter has been purposely undermining the season. Something stinks.
December 11th, 2017 at 7:42 am
BigMacAttack: I agree, I just listened to Justin P’s podcast and he said the demeanor of Koetter has changed, most noticeably since week 4 or 5 of the season…. Now its almost as if he knows he is out of a job and just going through the motions, trying to get “his” players some exposure and film to show when they audition for a job somewhere else. The play calling and the things he said this week: mentioning Jameis being hurt, adamantly starting Martin; its almost as if he has someone betting in Vegas for the opponent. Is it time for a “Vegas” inquiry Joe??????