Fourth Quarter Magic
November 17th, 2009
If the spreadsheet warriors can be trusted, a dubious premise if there ever was one, than Bucs fans can take comfort that in the foreseeable future, there should be no reason to leave the CITS or the bar before the fourth quarter begins.
Tom Balog of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune has been crunching the numbers and he has discovered there are only two quarterbacks the past two weeks who were more dangerous in the fourth quarter than Bucs rookie quarterback Josh Freeman.
1) Drew Brees
2) Brett Farve.
After just two starts, Freeman has elevated his name among the company of the game’s best passers.
He is the third-rated quarterback among fourth-quarter passing leaders in the NFC, fourth in the NFL this week.
Freeman’s sterling 117.9 fourth-quarter rating ranks the Buccaneers’ first-round draft choice from Kansas State right behind only Drew Brees (124.2) of the New Orleans Saints and Brett Favre (119.3) of the Minnesota Vikings, according to the latest NFL statitics released Monday.
Joe isn’t big on quarterback ratings but if nothing else, this gives Joe hope that the Bucs stumbled upon a franchise quarterback.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:57 am
Stumble? No, Joe, freeman was groomed. And was doubted every step of the way. Maybe it’s time for Joe to eat crow.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:09 am
Yes Dee, agreed. Stumble? Joe, come on, hardly. At least you’re not saying BIW anymore. It’s only been 2 games, but give the kid and Bucs credit where it’s due.
November 17th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Dee and Jeff,
Eat crow after TWO games? Give me a break! You two do realize Gradkowski numbers are almost identical after thier 2 starts don’t you.
Lets take a look:
Freeman in first 2 games is 1-1, 4tds, 2ints, 401yds, 56yds rush(I won’t even mention his 6 fumbles in 2 games).
Gradkowski in first 2 games was 1-1, 4tds, 1int, 409yds, 38yds rush.(Grad fumbled 12 times in 17 games).
November 17th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Agree with Dee. Its time for Joe to lay off that negativity pill at least for a bit – clearly you are OD’ing on it with an agenda.
Freeman was hand-picked by Raheem. Thats the guy he wanted and fought to get. If Freeman impresses you now Joe, man up and give credit where it is due.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
BibFortuna:
How exactly is this post negative?
November 17th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
Joe: ok, I will qualify it. Slipping in a hint of negativity into a piece of positive Bucs news with ‘stumbled’, when they clearly did not.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Tom Balog has his numbers backwards if Peyton Manning isn’t on that list–what do you think Joe?
November 18th, 2009 at 10:33 am
@BibFortuna: I think Joe was referring to the fact that while they may have been grooming Freeman well, the Bucs’ staff sure seemed to be “stumbling” with the QB situation from the start of the off-season. We have Griese, we don’t have Griese, we might have Cutler, we don’t have Cutler, we get Leftwich, we still have McCown, we don’t have McCown, we start Leftwich, we look horrible and lose, we play Johnson, we look better and lose, it was a three-ring circus with a revolving door and no net.
Freeman was solid and developed nicely from day one. The Bucs’ staff seem to be the epitome of Chris Berman’s “Rumblin’, Stumblin’, Bumblin'” schtick. Except for that whole forward progress thing that usually goes with it when ‘Boomer’ says it.