Fitz Against The Blitz
September 18th, 2018
Blitz him, please.
The Fitz Blitz isn’t working.
Through two games, the Saints and the Eagles have tried to rattle Fitz with blitzes. We saw Sunday on the first play from scrimmage how that strategy worked out: a 75-yard touchdown bomb to DeSean Jackson.
Well, it seems teams may want to knock that off. Per the good people of BSPN’s NFL Matchup, no quarterback in the NFL is burning blitzing defenses more than Fitz.
Once upon a time, the Steelers used to be called “Blitzburg.” Joe hopes they live up to their former nickname next week when Pittsburgh comes to town to play the Bucs on Monday Night Football.
September 18th, 2018 at 10:05 am
Cool, calm, and collected. Fitzmagic!
September 18th, 2018 at 10:12 am
It takes a Harvard educated journeyman backup QB with an awesome beard to get the job done.
September 18th, 2018 at 10:13 am
Too many weapons for teams to blitz the Bucs and have consistent success and the Bucs running backs and OLine are doing a great job picking up the blitzes.
Philly tried it on the first play and it resulted in a 75 yard TD to DJax.
September 18th, 2018 at 10:17 am
Sorry the steel curtain is going to melt when it meets blitzmagic on Monday night
September 18th, 2018 at 10:25 am
The steelers defense is probably just as bad as the bucs is right now, however their offense is high flying and if fitz is still on fire it could be a wild shootout on Monday night
September 18th, 2018 at 10:27 am
After watching the Seattle vs Chicago game last night, I think I’m a little more concerned about Chicago’s defense than I am about Pittsburg. They looked pretty damn good. So, I think we’ve got two challenging games coming up before the bye. If we’re able to win at least one of those games, I’ll feel pretty confident about our chances to be a legit playoff team.
September 18th, 2018 at 10:31 am
JBoo who?????
September 18th, 2018 at 10:31 am
looks like rain is on tap for MNF…they gotta run barber thru the trenchesand activate ronald jones this week to possibly spark the running game
September 18th, 2018 at 10:32 am
gruden will be watching and making chucky faces while playing living room pocket pool
September 18th, 2018 at 10:34 am
I know I’m getting ahead but watching Mack for the Bears last night….I’m thinking Allan Cross will get some two-back action.
September 18th, 2018 at 10:35 am
Fitzpatrick is not just 2-0 For the Buccaneers. He’s actually 4-1. Which the national media forgets about as they try to project when he will fail. Fitzmagic baby!
September 18th, 2018 at 10:36 am
Winning is all that matters in this NFl. Nothing…else is important. Just keep finding ways to win Bucs. I don’t give a Deeyham if Micky Mouse is at Qb. JUST WIN BABY. And I am Happy.
September 18th, 2018 at 10:40 am
i would assume at this point he is also one of the best QB’s not against the blitz. he’s 151.5 overall so it’s not like dropping back and scanning coverage has been an issue. still, i expect teams to try to take away the deep ball and run some zone blitzes or fake blitzes to try to bait Fitzpatrick to do some of the things he’s been known to do in his career
September 18th, 2018 at 10:52 am
Fitz has done well so far. damn good. thats why I say jboo boo should sit, he would never have done as well in these last 2 games. but Fitz is 35, and they’ll be bringing mad heat soon. probably some exotic $hit so he doesn’t see it coming. The line will be tested, he’ll be tested and I hope all come out healthy 1st of all, but i hope they continu to burn the hell out of teams.
then they’ll have to play looser and the running game will open up and humphries and brate will tear it up. I saw a couple last week where the D was playing off and I was hoping for a slant that never came. but keep doing what yall doin!
September 18th, 2018 at 10:55 am
who jboo
as jim carey would say:
oh-jo-bo .. oh-jo-bo-bo-jo-jo… jo-be-be-be-be… oh-jo-bo…..
September 18th, 2018 at 11:00 am
if dungy wants to steal the show monday night, all he has to do is rock a halloween style fitzie beard during his halftime speech and he will break the internet…
September 18th, 2018 at 11:01 am
It’s funny because over his career he has been horrible under pressure.
Just another testament to how great our o-line is playing right now in pass protection!
September 18th, 2018 at 11:17 am
The blitz pickups from our RBs has been top notch. I don’t recall seeing them miss one block yet……there was just one play where the blitzing LB fought through a block and got a QB hit but the RB did his job and gave Fitz the time needed.
I see now why Dirk places such great importance on his RB being able to make those pickups. It wasn’t very noticeable last year when our offense was inconsistent but with Dirk’s vertical offense now firing on all cylinders you can see how much those pickups are needed. No way we win those games if our RBs aren’t doing that dirty work.
Just like Chris Godwin’s block the other day it won’t show up on a stat sheet but these are the things that win you football games!!!!
At the end of the day you can take your PFF and 1000 yard stats and stuff em. Football is and will always be about blocking and tackling.
Our tackling has been prestine too. I love watching good solid football like the Bucs are playing right now. Keep it up men!!
GOO BUCS!!!!!
September 18th, 2018 at 11:24 am
And you guys wanna cry cry cry about Smitty’s scheme.
But we are in the same scheme now and it’s working. We we’re in the same scheme when our defense went on a run in 2016 and it worked then.
This is the same scheme that didn’t work last year so why is it working better now? I think the broadcaster during the Eagles game told us why the scheme didn’t work last year when he brought up the fact that we missed more tackles then nearly everybody in the league last year. I don’t care what scheme your running if you suck at tackling.
September 18th, 2018 at 11:26 am
His stats vs the blitz speak equally to the o-line vs the blitz, as well as the blitz pickup by the RBs.
I said it after week one, this team’s o-line ahs taken a MAJOR step forward.
That, in combination with TEAM EXECUTION, has led to the last two victories.
September 18th, 2018 at 11:33 am
There are only three game day active spots and we’re not going to release second rounder RoJo. If you want to play running back on this team, you have to be good in passpro, period. And so far Barber and Quizz have been phenomenal.
September 18th, 2018 at 11:45 am
Newsworthy: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did pick up JW‘s 2019 option at $20.5 million. Although, it is only guaranteed if he is injured! Look for the Buccaneers to not have him play a game this year and then cut him at the end of the year and not have to pay him a dime!!!!! Now you may get a better understanding on why he got rid of his agent. I guess Jason Licht is not as dumb as we will thought he was.
September 18th, 2018 at 11:57 am
Godeep66: your insight and perspective is appreciated.
September 18th, 2018 at 12:28 pm
Exactly…you want to know the difference between Jameis ad Fitz? This is one of the biggest. Thanks for the research, Joe.
September 18th, 2018 at 12:37 pm
Ummm….to those spinning this into a “proof that fitz is better “ narrative, isn’t Jameis one of the better QBs vs the blitz himself?
September 18th, 2018 at 12:37 pm
Pittsburg will be making a huge mistake blitzing any of their DB’s. So far their secondary has been getting roasted and while using any of their back seven to blitz puts them man to man. Bring it on!
Also, after watching Chicago and that pass rush, I worry about whichever QB starts that game. They were brutal against Wilson, who has wheels like a RB. Just for that reason alone maybe they’ll insert Jameis. I think they could absolutely destroy Fitz where Jameis has the size to endure.
September 18th, 2018 at 1:19 pm
@Trench War … “I think they (Bears) could absolutely destroy Fitz where Jameis has the size to endure.” Au contraire … Fitz is 6’2″ & 223 lbs and Jameis is 6’4″ & 231 lbs according to the Bucs (not THAT much difference in size between the 2 of them; unlike Ryan Griffin who’s taller than both at 6’5″ but only weighs 210 lbs). Besides, looks like to be that Fitz has tremendous ‘awareness’ at this stage of his career, as well as being quicker & faster than Jameis. But reality is that if either gets smacked really hard, the risk of injury is ever-present.
September 18th, 2018 at 1:28 pm
Anonymous… ESPn didn’t show Jameis among the best or worst.
https://twitter.com/NFLMatchup/status/920017290925666304/photo/1
September 18th, 2018 at 1:30 pm
So me the stats, Anonymous.
I don’t find Jameis listed among the best or worst.
September 18th, 2018 at 1:30 pm
2017 stats of course.
September 18th, 2018 at 1:34 pm
D Rules…the key to the blitz is everyone doing their job, and when it happens, great QB awareness and understanding of where the open man will be.
September 18th, 2018 at 3:15 pm
“The true actual stats is Fitz under Koetter playcalling vs Monkens playcalling…and then you can see whats really happening these 2 games”
“All I want for Christmas is JW3 to QB under Monkens playcalling”
Kobe Faker
September 18th, 2018 at 5:00 pm
Jimmy , Good point about the running backs blocking. Also extends to the tightends. I remember when ASJ was in the doghouse and Koetter had him in
blocking most of one of the late preseason games. IMO its the reason we are seeing less of Brate and more Auclaire sightings.
September 18th, 2018 at 5:28 pm
Kobe ,
Montgen offense has been successful in part because Fitz has been playing near flawless football. Only fair to credit Jameis with a new wrinkle in the Koetter offense that kept giving Koetter a rash IMO .INT’s and fumbles.
September 18th, 2018 at 5:56 pm
@Bob
Like everyone, the way Fitz is playing, I believe he should start until he really starts playing bad. Fitz deserves it. If Fitz plays very well the wjole season( which he has as a Jet and at Buff) JW3 should sit the whole season
If Fitz falters, It JW3s turn to perform as our franchise hopeful QB. As a poster stated we clearly have the best 2 QBs on a team in the NFL.
Its a win win situation. If JW gets to start during the season, the FOb owner, and fanbase has a unique and beneficial circumstance to really evaluate JW to see if he truely is a franchise QB to take a team deep into the playoffs and win. If and when JW does start, this will be his second playcaller he will be under. With Fitz body of work so far, we have a amazingly opportunity to compare the 2 QBs.
We are blessed not only winning and hopefully playoff bound as a team this season but we also can witness in front of us a thorough evaluation of our franchise future pertaining to JW3
History repeats itself. There were a few superbowl chamionship that involved 2 QBs during the season….Hmmmm
September 18th, 2018 at 6:17 pm
Jameis is great against blitz…it doesn’t fit the current narrative though.
September 18th, 2018 at 6:28 pm
Kobe
Jameis can make a positive of this ,as he did after Fitz comeback last year.
But he should recognize ball placement is the key to the endzone. I agree that
an evaluation is coming. No sense rushing it though. As terry Bradshaw recently said : a big brain is better than a big arm. Sitting is giving Jameis a little extra time to use his. Wouldn’t it be great if Jameis had a seasoned QB or QB coach to watch these
games with and share ideas and observations?
September 18th, 2018 at 6:42 pm
@Bob
So very true. JW would have learned 10 fold more if he was observing with a Coach and truely grasping what Fitz is doing during his suspension without contact
The nice thing is JW will soon be part of the team and learning up front and close
IMO, I see JW only going in if Fitz gets injured or falters at the end of the season. Fitz deserves a few bad games and we all can see with his production on the field that we need a change
** It will be interesting to see that 10-15 years from now, JW would state that this season sitting and learning from Fitz from the sideline was the turning point and lightbulb moment of his career
September 18th, 2018 at 7:15 pm
Kobe ,
Very reasonable expectations and Bucs fans could only benefit if your wish comes true.
One thing J.P. Petersen brought up is that Fitz arm may grow weary towards
the end of the season. If this is year , I hope he gets to finish it.
That said, I believe Fitz doesn’t throw in the off season. I know Jameis wants to develope chemistry but I think he would do well to protect his arm more in the offseason. He has already stressed it IMO while pitching and quarterbacking at FSU.