Have the Bucs Hit A Wall?
December 7th, 2010
The Bucs are loaded with rookies. These same rookies are used to playing maybe a dozen games. Counting preseason, the Bucs have played 16.
This is a term heard often in the NFL and to some degree, in the NBA. So it’s a relevant question that Tampa Tribune columnist Martin Fennelly asks. Have the Bucs hit a wall?
We always knew the wall might be out there for Raheem Morris’ precocious club, and this feels like it.
For the first time this season, this team has lost twice in a row, and it’s the very worst time of the season to do that.
You look at the NFL’s youngest team and wonder, hey, isn’t 12 games about the length of your college football regular season?
While Fennelly’s question is valid, Joe doesn’t know if it’s accurate. Arrelious Benn, a rookie, continues to improve. Mike Williams doesn’t seem to have dropped off. Gerald McCoy, well, he was improving. Cody Grimm seemed to be on the upswing when he was hurt.
So Joe doesn’t think the wall is a factor… yet.
December 7th, 2010 at 9:09 am
I think the issue is injuries. They were already young and now they have lost two more starters, including Talib. You just can’t keep replacing people with practice squad players and not have game losing mistakes.
December 7th, 2010 at 9:26 am
That kind of totally ignores the fact we outplayed Atlanta all day long. The kick-off return is what killed us. It happens.
December 7th, 2010 at 9:57 am
These columnists kill me. Yeah, the team that was 3-13 last year and is now 7-5 “hit a wall”…that must be it….”hit a wall”. No, we played two teams that are better than we are.
December 7th, 2010 at 9:59 am
The WALL the Bucs hit was this:
THE ATLANTA FALCONS
Williams hasn’t dropped off too badly, Stroughter has stepped up his game. Benn…Benn….Benn…..Sorry boss but 1 play a game in the NFL isn’t CRAP – step it up or sit the pine for Spurlock
December 7th, 2010 at 10:21 am
McCoy improved last week, huh? Really? I couldnt believe how he was manhandled and totally absent from the biggest game of the year after a week of how he has arrived. Maybe Steve White thinks that Rah and the scheme is responsible and that is probably partly so but I focused on McCoy and he would have been as effective at home on his couch.
December 7th, 2010 at 10:33 am
Were the Bucs hitting the wall when they took a 24-14 lead on the Falcons?
December 7th, 2010 at 11:17 am
Well when your wall is buil on victories against the hapless Panhers and Bungals, Cards etc. it has a good chance of crumbling.
That is what we have witnessed he last two weeks.
AKA House of Cards. Or, said anoher way, we were never very good to begin with.
December 7th, 2010 at 11:26 am
Buc You…Steve actually thought McCoy played well. I will take his word over yours all day any day.
December 7th, 2010 at 11:39 am
Are we he best team in he NFC?
December 7th, 2010 at 12:45 pm
Why so upset Eric? The old wivey leave you for a young Buc? You know what they say…. “Carma’s a Bitich”
December 7th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Carma is a bitch, cause I used to date her!
Now Karma, is another story and spelling altogether! LOL!
December 7th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
What an idiot! We lost two close games against two of the top teams of the league! Just the fact that our boys are hanging with established playoff teams is truly amazing!
December 7th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
Lol. My head still hurts from yelling at those damn refs
December 7th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
We are a lot closer to the bottom than the top.
I didn’t know “hanging in there” was the goal.
A lot of very bad teams were “hanging in there” against us too.
I am not angry, you won’t see me hurling insults at anyone. Just stating my opinion like ohers do.
December 7th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
That’s a very accurate statement Eric, your opinion (singular). You only have one opinion, so you continually post, yet say the same thing every time. I bet you have brought up our schedule 10 times since Sunday. Is that your best argument, or your only one?
December 7th, 2010 at 3:13 pm
I simply do not buy into that the bucs are some greatly improved team, based upon how they have actually played and the quality of the teams they have beaten.
Wasting our time with Raheem IMO.
December 7th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
If we are not improved, answer these questions for me. Are we better (and more talented) at QB? WR? RB? DT? CB? Safety? We are better in every statistical category (except special teams). So yes, that would be improvement.
December 7th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
considering injuries, youth, and inexperience, were FAR from hitting a wall. We’ve lost our starting CB, S(twice), DE(for tha better), C, G, T(for tha better) to go with a assortment of injuries to others yet still competitive against 2 of tha best teams tha NFL can offer. Fennelly along with others are undercover Buc haters and or racist. Even when we get a victory there’s always some negativity 2 follow. Show me another team who has dealt with what we have had 2 deal with yet were 7-5. Bill Belichick is tha only other coach who IMHO could’ve managed tha mess we have that Raheem tries 2 fix.