O.J. Love/Hate And The PFF Tribe
July 14th, 2018
Spreadsheeters check in.
The PFF tribe really cracks Joe up sometimes.
Just after the season, the clowns that run that site tried to have you believe Bucs tight end O.J. Howard was the worst first round draft pick of the 2017 class.
And yes, that includes Bengals wide receiver John Ross, who had one more rushing attempt (one) than he had catches (zero). Ross was so awful, Bengals folks even seriously discussed switching him to cornerback. But yet in the PFF tribe’s eyes, Ross had a better rookie season than Howard, who had one of the better rookie seasons for a tight end in recent years.
High comedy these numberscrunchers. However, Joe learned suits at One Buc Palace were anything but laughing about how the PFF tribe slandered Howard. In fact, folks at One Buc Palace were downright irate.
It seems since, the PFF tribe has looked for ways to kiss and make up with Howard. Consider the latest.
OJ Howard hauled in 5 of 6 targets for 157 yards and 2 TDs on deep passes in 2017! His catch rate of 83.3 was the best in the NFL.
So Howard had the best catch rate in the NFL on what they call deep passes, yet he graded out worse than a guy who didn’t catch one freaking pass!
You see why Joe is skeptical of these well-trained orangutans?
July 14th, 2018 at 8:17 am
Howard is a stud at TE! I would say he makes the ProBowl this year, but our mess of a QB situation might be the only reason he doesn’t get there in 2018. Still, the folks at PFF are clearly either high or just downright stupid if they can’t/won’t realize that OJ actually had a very productive rookie year for a TE! He has Tony Gonzalez-like potential and upside…..if we can get our QB situation worked out.
July 14th, 2018 at 8:39 am
Think oj will be good still think it was wrong pick for bucs though last year
July 14th, 2018 at 8:55 am
Orangutans! Ouch! All my Irish relatives are going to be insulted.
July 14th, 2018 at 9:07 am
Gonna be a good year for OJ Howard!
July 14th, 2018 at 9:07 am
There are wrong picks and there are simple out and out mistakes. OJ is neither.
When the Falcons coughed up two first rounders and five total draft picks to the Browns for JJ folks thought Dimitroff was nuts. And indeed he messed up the Falcons for a couple years because of the lack of talent from no draft. Basically cost Smitty his job.
But does anybody question that decision now? No. It’ll be the same for OJ.
In a few years people will laugh at the suggestion that Licht messed up picking his first round pick last year.
July 14th, 2018 at 9:20 am
OJ was a gift at that spot. Joe may be cracked up by PFF but I wonder if the reverse is true? Or does PFF even know JBF exists? These are the true question.
Can America’s Choir Boy hit OJ Howard with the ball consitently?
July 14th, 2018 at 9:34 am
I wonder why some cannot see that why Demar Dotson was considered to have his best year last year!!!!! Because OJ was lined up over him!!!!!!!!
July 14th, 2018 at 10:03 am
“As the originator and only member of the #FREEOJSTOCKER movement, Kobe Faker is qualified to confidently state that Klueless Koetter is ruining OJ chances of a HOF career. OJ should be the focal point of the passing offense along with Godwin”
Kobe Faker
“I just love the way he blocks…I accidentally called him Luke”
Klueless Koetter
July 14th, 2018 at 10:41 am
Joe, you cherry pick from the metrics guys.
Those guys are write about Donovan Smith. He’s a liability and far more well respected experts and even old school NFL scout types have said the same thing. I agree that I was confused that they considered Howard the worst.
But the Bucs have stunk for a decade plus. The reason for that is having worse GMs, worse coaches, and worse PLAYERS than the other teams in the NFL. You can’t have the 20th or lower best guy at a position and expect to be a top 12 team. So when those guys are “bashing” guys like D. Smith they are right… they are worse than the average NFL starters and thus a liability.
Same with Howard. YES – he was great on those SIX plays. But was he great on the hundreds of others he played? Just because you can narrow the sample size down to such a small amount (six plays!!) to make a point doesn’t mean it’s telling the whole story and debunks the overall merit of his play.
All couples argue zero percent of the time while they are asleep. That doesn’t mean everyone has a happy marriage.
July 14th, 2018 at 11:11 am
First round pick and got passes to six times is the real issue!
July 14th, 2018 at 11:53 am
Zwak…….that is only deep balls.
July 14th, 2018 at 11:59 am
@Zwak, that statistic is only on “deep balls”
July 14th, 2018 at 12:04 pm
@Zwak
I’m uncertain about your post. I suspect you meant he only had six TD’s not six passes.
He had 26 receptions for 432 yards a 16.6 yard per catch average. Hardly shabby for a rookie TE.
Remember too OJ had to split targets with a really, really talented group of targets. ME..DJAX…Brate…Godwin…Hump…only ONE football to go around.
That btw will be another problem this year in terms of individual stats.
As Nick Saban pointed out and DK also figured out last year…when we talk about deep threats we obviously go to DJAX…but OJ has the ability to get behind the defense as well. His longest last year was 58 yards.
DJAX longest was 41 yards…ME13 45
July 14th, 2018 at 1:33 pm
People who write for these sites always have an “agenda” that they want to portray. For one extreme or another. Real football patrons KNOW the talent that we have.
Drink up fellas, the TE “Juice” will be flowing this season and many more to come.
I love my TEAM. Am not a blind follower. My TEAM WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. NO KOOL-AID. NO POLITICS. NO BULLSH**.
July 14th, 2018 at 2:01 pm
Well-played! 🙂
July 14th, 2018 at 2:08 pm
I remember when those grades came out. I lost what little possible respect i had left for them.
I still love the OJ pick, I thought he was a top 5 or top 10 pick guaranteed so you make that pick 10 times out of 10.
I think he still needs to develop but the raw ability is undeniable.
His athletic ability for his size alone has HOF potential but I think many said the same about Ebron and he has way underperformed. I don’t think Dirk is holding him back, not at all.
Look back at OJ’s deep catches, almost all of them are a result of excellently timed play calls.
I think as he develops his route running and catching skills we will see that deep seem threat develop, then watch out.
July 14th, 2018 at 4:00 pm
@pete can Jameis hit Oj consistently? Did you even read the article?
July 14th, 2018 at 4:46 pm
The only way OJH can be misconstrued as a bad acquisition is from the way he was utilized! That lies unequivocally in the “coaches lap” as he was used primarily as a O-line blocker (to help a unremarkable O-line). Had he been used more as a running/recieving TE he would undoubtably be in “best” status!!!
July 14th, 2018 at 4:46 pm
The only way OJH can be misconstrued as a bad acquisition is from the way he was utilized! That lies unequivocally in the “coaches lap” as he was used primarily as a O-line blocker (to help a unremarkable O-line). Had he been used more as a running/recieving TE he would undoubtedly be in “best” status!!!
July 14th, 2018 at 4:47 pm
The only way OJH can be misconstrued as a bad acquisition is from the way he was utilized! That lies unequivocally in the “coaches lap” as he was used primarily as a O-line blocker (to help a unremarkable O-line). Had he been used more as a running/receiving TE he would undoubtedly be in “best” status!!!
July 14th, 2018 at 5:21 pm
“Clowns” ok!!! “Orangutans” not!!! Thanks Joe!!!
July 14th, 2018 at 7:23 pm
No Respect
OJ is the man
Awesome in the field
Class Act off the field
This young man worked hard to get where he is
Had a chance to meet and have a conversation with him
Great Guy
July 15th, 2018 at 5:33 pm
Orangutans.. oh I thought you were talking about the president.