The Morning After
September 17th, 2018
(Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.)
Happy Victory Monday! Let’s quit wasting time. Coffee is getting cold.
So who saw this fall-from-the-sky start to the season? More importantly, who saw this magic carpet ride that Ryan Fitzpatrick is on? If you did, why didn’t you go to Vegas and drop (invest) some cash? Why didn’t you buy lottery tickets?
If you saw any of this coming you have the crystal ball of all crystal balls and should be doing something else for a living so you can rest on your private Bahamian island with native women massaging you and feeding you grapes while you down another glass of Hennessy 250th Anniversary Limited.
What Fitz has done the past two Sundays has set the NFL world on its ears. This is like Kevin Stocker batting .400 for the inaugural Rays and fielding like Ozzie Smith. Like John Grahame leading the Lightning to the Stanley Cup playing like Marty Brodeur.
Remember, the Bucs thought so much of Fitzpatrick, they tried to sign Nick Foles in the spring of 2017.
Shoot, the Bucs were sweating just thinking of the loss of America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, while he served his three-game sentence from NFL strongman Roger Goodell. Joe even learned this summer that inside the walls of One Buc Palace, suits were about to wet their pants because they thought for sure Jameis would be lost for four games.
Now, the Bucs types are wetting their pants for a whole different reason.
No sane, sober person expected this. Shoot, folks at One Buc Palace were hoping upon hope Fitz could steal a win. “A” win. One win.
Now, he’s not stealing anything unless you consider all of this to be wins at a discount.
And to further explain what a bizarro-world we live in, there is real talk that after two weeks (one-eighth of the season), Fitz is your NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Yes, really.
Joe mentioned this in a story last night and his good friend, Jason McIntyre, lord of TheBigLead.com, shot Joe a twitter saying Pat Mahomes is the current MVP.
Joe would have to disagree only slightly, politely. Mahomes was a first-round draft pick last year and sat while learning under Alex Smith. Additionally, Chiefs chieftain Andy Reid works magic with quarterbacks.
Fitzpatrick was on the trash heap of the NFL when Mahomes was drafted.
Mahomes took over a playoff team.
For the Bucs, it’s been so long since they played in the postseason, they have to look up the word “playoffs” in the dictionary.
Fitz has absolutely put the Bucs on his back. How and why Fitz has suddenly turned into Dan Marino is a Grand Canyon-like mystery of the ages. But Joe is pretty certain that neither the Bucs nor Bucs fans want this movie to end any time soon.
Locker Room Fun
Joe is sure just about every Bucs fan has seen photos of Fitz blinged out yesterday after the game. Those were DeSean Jackson’s threads and gold. It was Jackson who dressed Fitz. Put the jacket on him, took off the gold and wrapped it around Fitz’s neck. Gave him the shades.
And Jackson was struggling to suppress laughter as he did this.
For the first time since Jackson came to the Bucs, Joe has seen a happy man. Not saying Jackson was a jerk or malcontent or anything like that before, but Jackson has really warmed to this team — before the season started.
Jackson has sort of taken a leadership role. After safety Justin Evans took a nasty shot while breaking up a critical play late in the game (Joe will write about that later) and didn’t get up right away, Jackson came off the bench to check on his teammate.
Joe doesn’t think Jackson is enjoying himself because he’s been the biggest beneficiary of Fitz going Tom Brady. It sure doesn’t hurt. But as much as any player in that Bucs locker room, this is Jackson’s team now.
Who knows how many years Jackson, 31, has left in the NFL much less how many more seasons he may be with the Bucs? But for now, Jackson seems to be enjoying this season as much as a high school five-star stud would be pounding the rival team from across town.
Fear the Beard(s)
OK, Joe has to give Barstool Sports credit. They found the elixir that has become the Bucs of 2018. It’s the Beard Rub.
Apparently, Evan Smith and Fitz, beard-wearers both, have found a secret handshake (?) to give the Bucs good luck.
It’s called the “Bucs Beard Rub.” Enjoy/brace yourselves.
Eagles never stood a chance pic.twitter.com/7mlSK3E4SX
— Barstool Sports (@barstooltweetss) September 16, 2018
An NFL F’ You!
The first play from scrimmage for the Bucs: This was a boss move. The Super Bowl champs came into the Den of Depression with swag and bling (Lombardi Trophy). They left with bruises, tarnish and dents.
The key move to show the Eagles the Bucs aren’t effing around this year was the first play from scrimmage. Fitz noticed a corner blitz and called for a shot to DeSean Jackson who did the rest, 75-yard touchdown.
It’s why the Bucs signed Jackson in the first place.
And it was the football equivalent of the Bucs flipping the Eagles the bird.
Play That Summed Up The Game
The Bucs balled out yesterday. Every man. This was no more evident than when Justin Evans sold himself out on a key play and damned near put himself out of football for a period of time.
With 6:44 left and the Bucs clinging to a two-score lead and the Eagles driving, Philadelphia had a fourth-and-10 on the Bucs-35. Foles threw to the left sideline for running back Corey Clement and Evans came racing in to break up the pass. In doing so, there was a ferocious collision and Evans took the worst of it.
Evans was down on the ground for some time and it sure looked like a concussion the way he bounced off the impact and hit the ground. Joe spoke to Evans after the game (had it been a concussion, Evans would not have been available for interviews) and he seemed just fine. He said he was trying to make a play for his team. The Bucs needed it.
But how he sold out on the play, the rest of his teammates had mad respect for that. DeSean Jackson even came out on the field to check on his young teammate.
Joe will have more player reaction on this play later.
Defense Manned Up
Yeah, the Bucs gave up 400 yards in a game. Again. This, however, Joe found to be different than the embarrassment last week in New Orleans.
The Bucs defense is banged up. Ryan Smith, who had a tremendous game, was starting and this gave just about every Bucs fan indigestion at kickoff and it had nothing to do with the brats and beer they shoveled down their gullets before the game. At the other corner was rookie Carlton Davis, who Drew Brees abused the previous week.
Jason Pierre-Paul was playing on a gimpy knee and Noah Spence was inactive. And, oh yeah, the Bucs were playing the physical Super Bowl champs.
That Bucs defense took more than one punch from the Eagles. They returned the punches in kind.
Given how the defense was depleted yet played a physical game and gave the champs everything they could handle, that impressed Joe. No, the defense was not good. Numbers show that. But sometimes, you just have to be good enough, which the Bucs were.
Besides, it wasn’t like the Bucs were playing Buffalo yesterday.
Versatile
Joe was talking with famed JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman after the game and Ira brought up something that was interesting to Joe.
Ira was impressed with how the Bucs were winning. Sure, it’s only two games in and 14 more to play. Long, long season. But the Bucs have shown versatility.
Last week the Bucs won a USFL-style shootout against a surefire Hall of Fame quarterback in his climate-controlled crib. Yesterday, the Bucs had to win a physical, back-alley fistfight of a game under the brutal Florida summer sun. About as hot as it can get in Tampa. Bucs coach Dirk Koetter called the heat “gut check” for every player on both teams.
Two completely different styles of games and styles of opponents, both damn good teams (a division champ and a Super Bowl champ) and the Bucs got the best of both.
Yes, Ira is right. That’s impressive.
September 17th, 2018 at 9:35 am
#TheAmishRifleIsFree
Commented pre-Jameis suspension we have 3 HOF’ers – GMC, ME, and Fitzy. Unfortunately, not one to be the ponies. GO BUCS!!!
#FreeTheAmishRifle
September 17th, 2018 at 9:37 am
Fitz is showing what leadership by example looks like.
knew this team had the weapons, just needed someone with a brain to use them!
not say jdubya can’t be the guy, he just has to have his nuts kicked, get some humility, listen more, talk less and learn what morals and character mean.
There’s still time for hime, but for now FITZ MAGIC BABY!
September 17th, 2018 at 9:37 am
Two wins in the battle tested NCF as well. Well on the way to being in the playoff picture all year.
September 17th, 2018 at 9:38 am
Opening 2.5 dawgs on MNF. Hope the DB rooks got their blood flowing… Nicky Foles is no Big Ben. They hung in there though. Comes back to D-line’s ability to get to the passer. We may have a shootout on our hands!
September 17th, 2018 at 9:41 am
Yeah, where are these trade D-Jax posters at now, I have always said you don’t trade a weapon like that, what if anyone of our receivers goes down. These are probably the the same ones that are saying trade Jameis. You don’t trade weapons, you protect the weapons you have
September 17th, 2018 at 9:43 am
You know, even if it is for just a moment, it feels great to be a Buc fan. I was the only Buc fan in an Eagles bar yesterday and it felt great to watch those arrogant fans get shut up. God I’m hoarse today.
September 17th, 2018 at 9:44 am
Every time I hear you calling him Americas quarterback just makes me a route for Fitzpatrick even more. Fitzpatrick gets rid of the ball quicker, makes better decisions on and off the field, can actually hit a deep ball. Our receivers can’t be all they can be with Winston behind center being careless with the ball and leading the league every year in turnovers. I try to give Winston a chance but Joe makes it difficult with the suck up terms
September 17th, 2018 at 9:45 am
Fitz saw a corner blitz coming, and sent Jackson downfield to burn the Eagles.
Then, on another series of plays, called timeout because OJ Howard was being “ignored” by the Eagles.
Make no mistake, it is not just Fitz’s arm that is winning games for us, it is his mind and all that NFL experience.
Yes, Jameis is our QB, but it will not hurt him to sit and watch Fitz, and learn from him.
September 17th, 2018 at 9:46 am
“So who saw this fall-from-the-sky start to the season?”
Oooooh oooooh Mr Kotter I think I have 2 guesses at least.
Was it T-max or Lakeland?
Bwhahahahahahahha
September 17th, 2018 at 9:46 am
While no one saw this team playing at this level (except some at One Buc) the truth is that the Coaches, Players and whole regime was as bad as the Sheep and so-called fans said they were for over the past offseason!!!!! Time for some serious humble pie for some!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That was a huge win for the trenches yesterday!!!!! And the fans got to see very exciting football from the Head Coach Koetter regime once again!!!!!!! And don’t think for a second that the Fitz press conference was not an extension of what The Coaches have been preaching about distractions and pitfalls on over confidence and winning after the first game because they took the field!!!!!!!!!!
Another note is what if that shoe was on the other foot!!!!!! what would the sheep and so-called fans have said if like the Eagles coaches, who were out-coached!!!!!! ran so much off coverage, and had that terrible 3rd and 4th down conv. rating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hope that there will be a lesson learned to give some a chance to fall and get back up to grow!!!!!!! That any good sign was not a “fluke”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hold them accountable Indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#trust the coaches!!!!!!!! Fix the “real” problem!!!!!! the roster!!!!!!!!
Go BUCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 17th, 2018 at 9:47 am
Please add Godwin to the list. Again, we saw him make the catch, then drag four Eagles for five more yards…
September 17th, 2018 at 9:49 am
with all those offesnive weapons we just needed a vet like johnson, garcia, fitz…
it aint rocket science. they just needed a qb who had their back and came to play.
jdubya is all about j dubya, but i’m sure he is learning from this. If he is a grown man this is the best learning experience he will ever have.
September 17th, 2018 at 9:51 am
impressive indeed……
steelers wounded….bucs smell blood…..time to go hunting…..
#TUNNELVISION!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
September 17th, 2018 at 9:54 am
Poor TMax or Reoality of whatever he calls himself now… cowering under the bridge while his favorite team wins
September 17th, 2018 at 9:56 am
No one at One Buc saw, expected or forecast what Fitz is doing.
September 17th, 2018 at 9:56 am
Happy Victory Monday indeed Joe!
Funny how rooting for your team is so much more fun when the team is WINNING
A nice by-product is that the Trolls and Neggy Nellies largely disappear from jbf comments when the Bucs are playing well and winning games.
September 17th, 2018 at 9:59 am
Robert…it also helps when your QB’s not running for his life on nearly every down.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:01 am
87 a lot of that is because fitz reads the d better, takes advantage AND gets the ball out quicker.
to say this is all of a sudden a pro bowl laden OL is laughable.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:05 am
Good for Fitzpatrick, his play is inspiring the team. All he is doing is making the correct decision in a timely and accurate matter. Easier said than done, but Professor Beard is up the task at hand.
Good to see GMC, Kwon, and JPP get sacks yesterday. We need to keep jelling on defense and getting better.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:06 am
Could never understand with all these weapons why we were scoring 20 points a game. Always felt like it should be 35 point minimum. The big difference this year is the ball is put where the reciever can catch and run. How many times did the reciever have to stop or dive for a ball last yesr?
September 17th, 2018 at 10:06 am
So damn pumped to be 2-0. The whole team is playing their guts out. Our young secondary looks fearless and should only get better. Jordan Whitehead is a stud. O+line/D-line are looking good enough to keep winning. Just watch the Giants last night. They’ve got great weapons and a good vet QB but can’t protect. Peyton Barber has been asked to do a lot of blocking these two weeks and has absolutely delivered. So glad to see these guys put it all together and get a BIG win at the Den. GO BUCS!
September 17th, 2018 at 10:06 am
Sure Robert…you see what you want to see…..
All the while during the Saints game EVERYONE saw that Fitz had a month to throw the ball. I have not re-watched this one yet but I’m pretty sure they looked solid
“to say this is all of a sudden a pro bowl laden OL is laughable.”
Yes laughing AT you. As if Donovan Smith can’t come into his own after a few seasons or Marpet playing where he should be and the addition of Jensen doesn’t matter.
Put that controller down pumpkin…you always want instant success….as if it’s Madden…..
September 17th, 2018 at 10:06 am
We’re getting Pittsburgh at either the best of times of worst of times.
They have problems. Big Ben contemplated retirement this past off season. Doubt he’s having fun right now!!!
Leveon Bell is a holdout and in yesterday’s loss to the Chiefs Antonio Brown went off on the sidelines against a coach. He’s clearly unhappy with his lack of targets from Big Ben and he left the locker room without speaking to the media.
The two best players on Pitts offense are either out or incredibly unhappy. The QB is getting close to the end of his career.
Looks like just the right time to host the Steelers…then again they may pull it all together and come out with a real chip on their shoulders.
Should be a very interesting game.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:07 am
🙂
September 17th, 2018 at 10:08 am
BTW Read in piece in the WAPO this morning about the Redskins attendance woes. Supposedly less than 60,000 for their opening game yesterday.
I’m still in Northern Michigan can someone give me a report on OUR crowd.
How full was RayJay. How much green? What was the atmosphere like with all those Philly fans?
September 17th, 2018 at 10:08 am
Robert Jameis is all about Jameis? Yeah ok, youve clearly never watched him play. Ridiculously stupid comment.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:09 am
I very rarely post but i read this site EVERY day including the comments. There has been so much negativity about this team and now that we are 2-0 all the band wagon fans are here saying “we deserve this” lol you guys are hilarious….
September 17th, 2018 at 10:10 am
Bucs fans :Rojo’s a bust…..Vea’s a bust….
TWO games into their NFL careers….
September 17th, 2018 at 10:11 am
lol @ 87
WTF was I thinking when engaging you. you’re right even if you’re wrong.
carry on, and lick jdubya’s balls on the way out
September 17th, 2018 at 10:13 am
Robert…I engaged you redneck.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:15 am
Like what fitz has going and he is going to have to have another YUUUUGE game against the steelers because the defense is awful, BUT the silver lining are the bucs rookie DBs those guys can play
September 17th, 2018 at 10:15 am
Have the time?
Want to see how stupid some Bucs fans really are……like Sapp said?
Read Roberts posts….
September 17th, 2018 at 10:21 am
ROBERT6 Says:
February 18th, 2014 at 3:22 pm
“How long until some madden hero get’s a shot at calling plays.
seems crazy, but if I owned the team I would give it a shot.’
Robert in a nutshell. I rest my case.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:26 am
87, keep trying. you really are a weak lil granny pad
there are more than a few guys driving Tier 1/million dollar race cars who started in video games. if you think it won’t happen in football playcalling you’re…..
well you’re 87.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:26 am
Our team needs to keep riding the wave! This has been fantastic. We need to keep our foot on the gas and keep it going next week. Great opportunity on Monday night to show the world what we’ve been working at down in Tampa.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:28 am
The Bucs won and greedy Gruden is 0 for. I am so grateful the Glazers didn’t panic like some of us fans did after last season. I cannot wait for the Koetter confidence poll this week.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:29 am
Does anybody know the status of Vita Vae or whatever our whirpool 1st round pick is named? Would sure be nice to have space eater against a team like the Steelers.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:31 am
Some on here apparently have selected memory…a lot has changed and the team does not have a QB with a hurt shoulder since the 2nd game, a nasty Oline, a confident guy snapping the ball under center, an effective RB, an adequate kicker, a DIFFERENT PLAY CALLER, an improved defense, all of WINSTON’s weapons are vets and benefitting from a productive tc, pre-season, and after formal practice…they practice with JAMEIS…so it has been a TEAM accomplishment that ALL of the QB’s have benefitted from…
Before you get it twisted and throw away any talented players including JW, it is early yet and we have 16, 17 games to go and even more IF we make a playoff run.
Of course, the people in charge know this, it’s the FANS who lose site of the BIG PICTURE!!!
September 17th, 2018 at 10:31 am
Ronde mentioned on the television broadcast that Fitzpatrick continues to take what the defense gives him. He consistently made a good read and didn’t try to do to much.
Jameis has a tendency to try and fit balls into tight windows, or the nonsical play that usually results in a turnover.
With that said, no one saw Fitz coming on strong like this. Ride the wave! Go Bucs! Let’s get back to the playoffs!
September 17th, 2018 at 10:33 am
I’ll concede that Jameis was hurt last year and it effected the deep ball.
However, Fitz is on point. Only Pat Mahomes is out scoring him.
I hope Fitz keeps rolling. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy, and for a team more desperate of playoffs. Jameis can come back and sharpen his craft and wait for his number to be called upon, much like Fitzpatrick did.
This has been great, keep it up Bucs!
September 17th, 2018 at 10:34 am
Love the wins.
After 2 games I am definitely concerned about the run game.
Barber is 35 for 91 total yards. 2.6 YPC.
Quizz is 2.0 YPC.
We can’t run. Same issue as LY.
Not being a dark cloud, love the wins and the passing game, but I also know that we need to cement games in the 4th quarter and incomplete passes stop clocks and kill drives.
Pistol
September 17th, 2018 at 10:36 am
Enough with the RoJo and Vea are busts garbage. Maybe they aren’t playing because they are rookies behind better NFL talent at this point in their careers, let them get healthy, learn their roles and contribute when they are ready. Honestly, I’m not missing them at the moment because the guys on the active roster are getting the job done. I imagine you all would have called Pat Mahomes a busy lady year because he couldn’t beat out a playoff bound Alex Smith.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:36 am
Correction 13, 14 more games or more
September 17th, 2018 at 10:38 am
The bucs were always known for defense.
Not anymore. This offense is amazing. They have three# 1 receivers
And two top tightens on same field
Throw in humphries. Decent run effort and a new and improved nasty oline and look out.
Fitz is super stoked to have these weapons and knows how to use them
September 17th, 2018 at 10:38 am
Fitz has made a lot of turnovers also…however, the Bucs has practiced hard!
September 17th, 2018 at 10:42 am
^^^^*
Spoke like a true nole fan. You are probably hoping the Fitz fails so Jameis starts again. Joke. Go root for another team with Noles players
Offense hasn’t. Ever looked this good.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:44 am
I said this a very long time ago . Jameis sucks and will never be an NFL qb . He doesn’t have the brain to make the correct choices both on and off the field . Get a different young qb and let fitz play until he cant ….then he can teach .
September 17th, 2018 at 10:47 am
Well 1987 still thinks calling people a Red Neck is an insult. Do you even know what a Red Neck is? Guess you like this Hittler run site after all. Your good bye did not last long.
September 17th, 2018 at 10:58 am
Bucs fans (not to mention the Bucs themselves) have every right to be nervous over the No. 38 pick in the draft being inactive for his first two games despite being healthy. That’s a major red flag. So an undrafted free agent is able to toke the rock in a game but your second round pick isn’t even good enough to suit up? Big time warning.
Vea has been hurt and it is grossly irresponsible to label a hurt guy a bust before he has ever taken one snap. It’s not Vea’s fault the Bucs claim this is some trivial calf injury that has put him on the shelf for damn near two months.
September 17th, 2018 at 11:00 am
lol DBS
Redneck:
a working-class white person from a rural area
to some thats an insult, but not to me.
watch for his next trick when he calls me middle aged or racist
September 17th, 2018 at 11:03 am
This was a great TEAM victory! The TEAM has always been bigger than ONE guy.
It’s actually fun to watch the game!
September 17th, 2018 at 11:05 am
Great Job Joe!!!!!! Here is what the sheep need to know!!!!!!!! Instead of whining about draft picks not playing, Be thankful that the Bucs have a team that does not have to crow bar in draft picks immediately like they did in the Talk Show Dominik era!!!!!!! You so-called fans would say look at the GM with all his draft picks playing on opening day!!!!! That was because the roster was garbage!!!!!!
And there is about to be another milestone that the sheep will yell and scream , cry and whine about!!!! and that will be good players being traded away or teams over paying for the Bucs good players and the Bucs being awarded very high compensatory picks!!!!!!!!!!!! And those are all great signs of a very talented and great player development!!!!!!!!!!!
#Trust the coaches!!!!!!!!! Fix the “real” problem!!!! the roster!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 17th, 2018 at 11:08 am
Thank you Realist.
September 17th, 2018 at 11:14 am
It’ll be interesting to see how fitz performs in the bright lights of mnf. I read somewhere that he still gets a little nervous before every game. I believe the pressure is on him now. The starting qb spot, everyone waiting for the eventual crash back down to earth. I hope that he can avoid a mental breakdown with all the pressure put on him. With a win I think he locks the starter job, we become serious playoff contenders.
September 17th, 2018 at 11:18 am
Hats of to our defense. They were on the field the majority of the time yesterday. It was awesome to see Ryan performance.
@Chris@Apple
Well said!
September 17th, 2018 at 11:27 am
Im just happy man. Happy as f*ck.
I thought it was BS to write us off over the Winston suspension given the weapons on offense and the upgraded line and upgraded defense.
But I didn’t see this coming. I thought that the D would have stepped up a bit more and that our offense would still be strong; but not one of the best offenses in the NFL.
THe O-line is dominating in pass pro. OUr run game looks bad because we’ve run most those plays with a huge lead when the other team is selling out to stop it. I don’t think it’s on Barber or the backs really.
GO BUCS!
September 17th, 2018 at 11:42 am
Give credit where credit is due to Fitz… but we are forgetting some CRUCIAL elements.
The Buc receivers deserve just as much if not even more credit.
Look at DJAx’ first touchdown – that was all him the last 40 yards, juking two defenders with clear shots at him.
And OJ Howard’s touchdown was all Howard and Godwin – who blocked his guy for more than twenty yards and knew to let go just as his guy was turning around to avoid a penalty. In years past those would have been 30 yard completions and the drive would have fizzled or led to a missed FG. These guys are hunting for the end zone and getting there by any means necessary.
September 17th, 2018 at 11:53 am
I can’t say that I saw this coming, but I did bet the Bucs to win the Super Bowl @ 65-1 odds when I was in Las Vegas earlier this year.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:11 pm
@Robert
To suggest the o-line isn’t a primary reason for our offensive performance is even more laughable. None of our QBs had that kind of time last year, or the year before.
Now we just need their run blocking to improve during the 2nd half of games.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:12 pm
Fantastic win yesterday.
Imagine what it would’ve looked like if ME catches the wide open pass, OJ doesn’t fumble, same for ME…. This game would’ve been a rout.
Like Fitz said, “we didn’t do the defense any favors”.
On the Defense…
Was it perfect ..nope. For me , they played with such heart and guts, that you can overlook the things that weren’t perfect. They hung in and hung in, the secondary played their hearts out, The Dline played like a first string NFL Dline, and Kwon had himself a day. GMC had a sack for crying out loud!!!
They still need some coaching up.. the strip sack by Kwon was a little alarming..the ball was rolling all over the field before anybody thought to pick it up..Scary. Carlton Davis struggled some, but hey, trial by fire right? Ryan Smith was great.
So if we can get a little more run game (so we can run out the clock with a big lead), and keep on keepin on, on Defense..This team might be something special
Great game Bucs…see you live in person on Monday night……
September 17th, 2018 at 12:13 pm
And rojo not playing unlike 10 2nd year or rookie rbs that are starting or playing huge amounts of time, clement was gashing the bucs yesterday and then the 2 rookies in denver, dalvin cook, sony michel, kc rb, et and then there is the bucs with a 2nd round bust at rb, the bucs NEED a guy drafted in the 2nd round to contribute like he supposed to be…note to licht, either trade awy your 2nd round picks or stop drafting anyone from the LEFT coast
September 17th, 2018 at 12:18 pm
Convenient of you to try and lump everyone into the who knew this could happen crowd but sorry you were the first ones to panic when you saw the schedule along with the rest of the media because that’s how you make money you’ve been scared since day one of the schedule release. No one knew Fitz would okay this way but it was easy to see wins
September 17th, 2018 at 12:28 pm
Robert that’s funny remember that you said that when jw comes back fitz is doing great but that oline is protecting him amazingly that’s not out of no where that’s our new center jeeling with the oline we’ve pretty much had for 3 seasons
September 17th, 2018 at 12:31 pm
unbelievable Says:
September 17th, 2018 at 12:11 pm
@Robert
To suggest the o-line isn’t a primary reason for our offensive performance is even more laughable. None of our QBs had that kind of time last year, or the year before.
Now we just need their run blocking to improve during the 2nd half of games.
RFLMAO
fitz reads, adjusts and gets the ball out and makes the O line look good! he’s @ a minimum 50-75% responsible for them looking like they do!
and the run yards are low because their up by several scores! the run isn’t 1/2 bad overall, but late in the game their getting hit 3 yards in the backfield because everyone knows it’s a run. Barber looks pretty good early in the game. some on the oline, some on hime, and some because the d is watching for pass.
several things helping this d line, just like the weapons help fitz.
you jameis homers are dilusional. he’ll get his chance for now, man up and own up when you’re show to be a dumb a$$
September 17th, 2018 at 12:33 pm
Fitz has done a hell of a job thus far. His veteran pressence seems to have a calming affect on the entire offense. Everything is clicking on all cylinders. It’s impossible not be ecstatic with this start.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:42 pm
I am not that worried about ROJO, yet. Watched Sony Michael drop passes and run for a 3 yard avg. against the Jags. Nick Chubb has 5 touches on the year. Penny had 8 yards on 7 carries last week. Guice is on IR. Kerryon Johnson had 43 yards yesterday. Royce Freeman has done a bit better with nearly 100 yards in two games. My point is that not every guy who was drafted high comes in and has an impact immediately. I still think the main reason he is not in the games is because of his pass pro. It is clear that the Bucs have put a high value on that through the first two games.
September 17th, 2018 at 12:57 pm
Nole4Jaboo
This is Fitzmagic’s time. You seem worried. I’m sure Jaboo will be back at some point, but right now, nobody’s missing JW.
But I understand you being out of sorts, with FSU looking like a steaming pile….
FEAR THE BEARD.
September 17th, 2018 at 1:09 pm
@Robert,
sorry son, but you Jameis haters are much more delusional ( <— that's the correct spelling, btw).
Dirk Koetter mentioned in his press conference how much better the protection has been this year, and it being a primary reason for Fitz being able to hit our playmakers so effectively.
But I'm sure you know more than the coach.
September 17th, 2018 at 1:18 pm
unbelievable Says:
September 17th, 2018 at 1:09 pm
Dirk Koetter mentioned in his press conference how Fitz being able to hit our playmakers so effectively being a primary reason for much better protection has been this year.
now your gettin it bro.
September 17th, 2018 at 1:28 pm
A lot of pitfalls in the Bucs future. I wonder how the team, coach, and even JW feel about him coming back?
Interceptions
The interesting part of Fitz game that hasn’t been discussed is the lack of turnovers. He is 8:1 TD:INT (the one should have been a fumble on OJ) and 0 fumbles. JW throws pics and he fumbles. If you insert him into the lineup and he starts turning the ball over that will have a negative impact on the game and moral. It will also have a big impact on JWs future. JW doesn’t want to be the guy that caused the wheels to fall off.
Personality
Fitz is chill. JW is verbose. The team is having fun. I think the raw raw JW would get a lot of eye rolls from the vets if they are on a win streak. I don’t know if JW has the personality to relax.
Coach and GM
Everyone knows the coaching staff is on notice. Right now Koetter is probably the leading candidate for COTY. So do they put JW in or keep him out? A QB controversy could sabotage a team but a QB carousel would also sabotage the team.
Tough decisions ahead.
September 17th, 2018 at 1:37 pm
“And it was the football equivalent of the Bucs flipping the Eagles the bird.”
Lol. I stood up and said, “There it is! and F**K y0u Eagles” when Fitz hit Jackson on that 1st play. I only wish we would have scored over 40 and kept them off the board. Philly fans suck! Oh well, a win is a win
Go Bucs!
September 17th, 2018 at 1:48 pm
87,
I was reading that the Ravens are trying out more centers because we got their best one! They should never have let Jensen go, but I am glad the Bucs managed to get him! He is definitely a difference maker!
#KickA$$andTakeTrophies
September 17th, 2018 at 2:02 pm
Bucs541
All Salient points
‘ I think the raw raw JW would get a lot of eye rolls from the vets if they are on a win streak.”
I think things could be different in this locker room now. For the moment, JW being completely away from the team has been the best thing for it. Let that sink in. I think if JW comes in with rah rah craziness, these guys are gonna set him straight.
The team is maturing without JW, he’s the one that will have to catch up. Hopefully, Somewhere in Tampa, Jameis is finally realizing that it is not all about him. Maybe for the first time in his life.
September 17th, 2018 at 2:36 pm
Great job Joe! Didn’t know DJax dressed Fitz. He always seems so serious and intense, not in a bad way just his personality. Warms my heart to hear he was being a goofball in the locker room.
September 17th, 2018 at 4:56 pm
Offense played very well. I still think the defense was a little shaky, but considering our injuries on that side of the ball, they played well enough. We’re 2-0 against good teams, and that tastes so sweet right now.