Evans: Scrambling Is Good
April 2nd, 2019
Weighs in on scrambling QBs.
Quick, name the second-leading rusher on the Bucs last year.
No, it wasn’t Shaun Wilson or even Jacquizz Rodgers.
It was America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston. Now this may partially explain why the Bucs were horrible at running the ball last year. When a quarterback who only started nine games is a team’s second-leading rusher, that is bad.
Jameis did seem to turn into a running weapon, a skill he said he learned from journeyman backup Ryan Fitzpatrick. Now some coaches (even a former Bucs coach) do not like their quarterbacks running. But Bucs star receiver Mike Evans said yesterday it could be a good thing.
Evans, speaking on the first day of organized team conditioning drills, emphasized how Jameis scrambling could directly lead to explosive plays.
“I mean, it will help,” Evans said of Jameis’ mobility. “I have no fear, none of that. I love Jameis’ improv skills because you can’t defend that, really. I guess [defenders have] got to just run to the receivers when the quarterback’s out of the pocket but that’s hard to do when a guy can go any way when the quarterback’s running. It’s hard to guard a scramble drill so the more he does that, it’s harder to stop.”
Of course the unknown here is what does Bucco Bruce Arians think? Former Bucs coach Dirk Koetter had no issue with Jameis scrambling so long as it turned into positive production.
Is Arians a throwback to former Bucs commander Greg Schiano, who clipped the wings of leaky, sleepy Josh Freeman and all but forbade him to escape the pocket?
At this point in March, we can only guess.
April 2nd, 2019 at 4:42 pm
Great improv skills indeed. Magician-like. Once I even saw him throw a crazy pass to his receiver and…SHAZAM!…that receiver turned into the opponent and scored for the other team!
It was awesome!
Saw that magic trick about 100 times.
April 2nd, 2019 at 4:44 pm
^ A magic trick, Todd, would be you writing an interesting post.
April 2nd, 2019 at 4:46 pm
Jameis scrambles with his feet and scrambles with his head….
April 2nd, 2019 at 4:49 pm
be careful….too much of a good thing can be bad for you….lol…
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
April 2nd, 2019 at 4:49 pm
Z31- Nice, but I think that’s called a miracle not a magic trick.
April 2nd, 2019 at 4:53 pm
Jameis first every TD pass was for the Titans…
April 2nd, 2019 at 4:58 pm
i think accuracy is also good ,right?
April 2nd, 2019 at 5:11 pm
Anonymous Says:
April 2nd, 2019 at 4:53 pm
Jameis first every TD pass was for the Titans…
.
.
why are my post showing up as posted by Anonymous ?…2 on this thread
April 2nd, 2019 at 5:13 pm
Very good call, Snowman.
April 2nd, 2019 at 5:16 pm
Aaron Rodgers does it and lives to play another day. JW is not fast but he is agile and very clever. He can protect himself. As long as he gets down when he should I got no problem with him scrambling.
BTW I do not believe he’s bulking up to 250 so he can hand the ball off better or throw it better. His OL was 15th in pass blocking so contrary to the CW here he didn’t get beat up as much as other QB’s from sacks.
April 2nd, 2019 at 5:23 pm
#1 Jameis is a beast and smart on the run.
#2 We have no oline at the moment.
He started looking real good on the run towards the end of last year. He was either pulling secondary off receivers or getting 10 yards and sliding or getting out of bounds. Agree with one of the top WR in the league and Jameis’ main man.
April 2nd, 2019 at 5:44 pm
I remember, as per NFL stats; that Jameis was the best when scrambling and throwing out of the pocket. Soooo…
April 2nd, 2019 at 5:45 pm
I remember, as per NFL stats; that Jameis was the best when scrambling and throwing out of the pocket. Soooo…
April 2nd, 2019 at 5:46 pm
Anonymous EGO Says:
“Jameis first every TD pass was for the Titans…”
((((((((((
“every”?
Thank you Hump on that one.
April 2nd, 2019 at 6:34 pm
“Don’t tell me what a player can’t do, tell me what he can do”, Jameis will have plays designed to roll out. That’s why he is putting on that weight, when he rolls out, he will get hit
April 2nd, 2019 at 6:36 pm
Winston might scramble and run like a new born giraffe, but he is a matador and very elusive in the pocket. I don’t really understand moving up to 250 lbs. I think it might slow him down. he is used to a vertical offense and having to wait a millisec longer for routes to develop. Don’t care if Manning or Ben played at that weight.
April 2nd, 2019 at 6:38 pm
Yeah, I pointed out last year that Jameis was the second leader rusher on the team. That’s because, 1) Jameis moves really well and 2) the Bucs didn’t have a 2nd rusher after losing Sims in the preseason and finally 3) the Bucs run game was so incredibly predictable that teams just stacked the line in obvious run situations – and if Dirk didn’t want to run in obvious run situations he’d let the defenses know by going to shotgun.
April 2nd, 2019 at 7:12 pm
Jameis did not get his scrambling from Fitz. He was scrambling at FSU and as a Rookie was STOPPED by his Buc’s coach. It was not tell Fitz was allowed to scramble he was ALLOWED to start back…but being Jameis he needed to stroke Fitz so he gave him credit!
April 2nd, 2019 at 7:33 pm
Wow schiano and Freeman? Like psycho ex girlfriends that have moved on and made other people’s lives miserable! In a crazy kind of way they make us feel better about ourselves!
April 2nd, 2019 at 7:55 pm
AlteredEgo, I think because your name and mail are not filled in. Seen it happen to me a few posts back.
April 2nd, 2019 at 9:52 pm
Jameis should run, he’s a big guy and when teams are dropping back into zones and no one is open, its an easy 10 yards +. He’s a good slider too, doesn’t take that many hits when he runs.
April 2nd, 2019 at 11:29 pm
Nole,
You’re correct . The point Joe is making about the advice from Fitz was not in regard to scrambling. It was about running by design. More to the point, running as the first option based on a pre snap read. And No Jameis wasn’t doing that at FSU or year 1 with the Bucs.
April 2nd, 2019 at 11:31 pm
Nole,
^^However Joe is also correct.