Alstott, Raheem Talk Goal Line Agony
December 22nd, 2010
The Bucs have struggled mightily to punch the ball in on the goal line. The memories are fresh and painful.
Though admittedly not an excuse, Raheem Morris served up a bit of an explanation Monday on WDAE-AM 620. And he honed in on Earnest Graham losing a yard on 2nd-and-goal from the 1 yard line in the fourth quarter against Detroit.
“A lot of these [offensive linemen] don’t have live goal line reps under their belt. … We had a mistake from a younger player. We don’t make excuses. He didn’t fit it up right and we weren’t able to get that executed, and we actually lost a yard,” Morris said.
“The last time you really get a live goal line rep in practice is in training camp. And a lot of the guys we have playing for us weren’t even in training camp with us. So right there you’re behind the 8-ball when you’re talking about some of those things. The first time a young guard like [Derek] Hardman, a young guard like [Ted] Larsen has a chance to get a live goal line rep is either in a big game in Atlanta on a 4th-and-1, or is a big game against the Lions when you’re fighting for playoff position on a 2nd-and-1. To be put in those situations sometimes for young players is tough. That’s part of the situational ball that you want to simulate in practice that’s harder to do during the season without having full pads on without going to the ground in practice and doing some of those things. Again, no need for excuses. We didn’t execute it, and we should.”
Prior to Raheem’s comments, he was backed up by Mike Alstott during a Monday interview on 1040 AM. Alstott was asked specifically why the Bucs struggle to get those critical yards.
“It’s a learning curve on short yardage. It’s hard to play in this league with no injuries let alone what the Bucs are dealing with,” Alstott said. “There are rookies on the offensive line that weren’t in OTAs or camp. That’s tough. They’ll correct as time goes on.”
Hearing all this, Joe couldn’t help but wonder again why the Bucs had Hardman pulling on the goal line when he stripped Josh Freeman of the ball, which turned into a turnover against the Redskins that nearly cost the Bucs the game.
That aside, this is all just tough growing pains for the Bucs’ young roster.
Overall, clearly the Bucs have done a great job coaching around the inexperience.
December 22nd, 2010 at 10:41 am
It would help if Olsen would just keep it simple instead of trying to be cute on goaline. And of course, having a RB that can make his own holes when the line doesn’t.
I think Blount has learned his lesson, give him the ball!
December 22nd, 2010 at 10:56 am
Boy it would be nice to see Alstott run over a linebacker or two just one more time.
December 22nd, 2010 at 11:00 am
You can see Alstott run over as many LBs as you want on YouTube!
December 22nd, 2010 at 11:13 am
Also, after watching the replay of the game on the drive where the Bucs had to kick a field goal to tie instead of the touchdown that Winslow caught because of that stupid call, the first 2 plays we ran and Hardman got pushed down both times in less than a second, and ruined both plays. If he had more experience or Joseph wasn’t injured, there would have been no call because we would have got a touchdown.
December 22nd, 2010 at 11:33 am
You-tube ain’t the same as hearing/seeing Alstott crush and run over defensive players in person!
I sure miss the A-train, but atleast we have Peterbilt Blount!
December 22nd, 2010 at 11:36 am
Raheem is a fa66ot for not running Blount in short yardage situations. PERIOD.
December 22nd, 2010 at 11:47 am
Buc You,
I think that’s over the line dude.
December 22nd, 2010 at 12:04 pm
@Buc You
You just showed what a true tool you are! What a worthless pile of trash! Your entire world is centered around idiotic and senseless statements in the extreme hope that somebody will converse with you. I feel sorry for your pathetic existence and hope that one day you may find an actual friend.
December 22nd, 2010 at 12:07 pm
These guys are trying as hard as they can to do good. I doubt if some of them even know the others names yet let alone playing as a team. You can have all the talent in the world but if you don’t play together it doesn’t work. Also some of you sound like if we don’t score on every play, the entire “whatever” is bad and should be shot or worse. We still have a slim chance this year but watch out for next year, if there is a next year.
December 22nd, 2010 at 12:07 pm
Gruss222,
Don’t keep your fingers crossed, cause it’s highly doubtful he’ll even find a relative to claim him, let alone a friend!
December 22nd, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Great coaching, provided your playing the Panthers, Bengals, browns, Cards, Skins, etc. (and squeaking by)
Not so much vs. the good teams.
December 22nd, 2010 at 2:08 pm
All I said was that he is a fa (six six) ot for not running one of the best running backs in the league.
What is the big deal about being called a fa six six ot?
December 22nd, 2010 at 2:14 pm
Buc You: We all know you were calling someone out using hate speech.
Bad enough you are a homophobe…Got to ADD to it by being a coward?
Hate speech? REALLY? That is as good as your arguments get?
Douchebag.
December 22nd, 2010 at 2:48 pm
Buc U – I don’t get it?
What makes coach Morris a bundle of sticks for not calling Blount’s number?
Honestly folks….
December 22nd, 2010 at 2:51 pm
OK, how about Rah is too much of a pansy by not having the nuts to run a bruising HB which averages nearly five yards a carry when the game is on the line.
Look we realize that to him, his defense surrenders 5 ypc every given Sunday, every Sunday. But just because his defense gives up that much per hand off doesn’t mean it is normal. In fact its horrible. A running back who gains 5 ypc is considered one of the best in the league. Raheem doesn’t understand that. He doesn’t understand that he has a top flight back who BY THE FREAKIN WAY, took one to the house earlier in that same game. He took one to the house last week too.
What more does the beast in L Blount have to do to get more carries? Punch Raheem the Pansy in the jaw he jacks from all day?
I say yes, Blount needs to punch Raheem square in the jaw, and give him his off season vacation 2 weeks early for that nonsense of a game plan.
December 22nd, 2010 at 3:20 pm
What am I missing here? Morris said
“The last time you really get a live goal line rep in practice is in training camp. And a lot of the guys we have playing for us weren’t even in training camp with us. So right there you’re behind the 8-ball when you’re talking about some of those things. ”
What can you do in training camp that you can’t do in an in-season practice? It may not be common to run full-speed goal line reps in practice (kinda like kick returns? too much risk of injury or something?), but that doesn’t make it impossible. Extreme circumstances — such as a bunch of new guys on your o-line — call for extraordinary measures.
I love coach Morris, and I love this year’s Bucs. But that just doesn’t make sense to me.
December 22nd, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Look guys, it’s not like Peterbilt Blount has had much success in those short/goalline situations before!
December 22nd, 2010 at 4:30 pm
oar,
Two things.
1) I agree he probably wouldn’t have done much better on the goal line but when it was 1st and 10 from the 15 that was a situation that was taylormade for him.
and….
B) I appreciate your effort in trying to get the Peterbilt thing to catch on but I don’t think it’s gonna happen.
December 22nd, 2010 at 5:03 pm
d-money,
Dang it! Well, if it does, it does and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t! But, in my house, it’s Peterbilt Blount Baby! Or, atleast til I hear a better one?
December 22nd, 2010 at 5:45 pm
raheeeeeeem needs to ‘Roll the Blount’ on Sundays.
December 22nd, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Rahemm can’t ‘roll the Blount’ —- that’s what got Tanard Jackson suspended remember?
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:14 am
A lot of people have fallen at the end of a “Blount Instrument”! There OAR, get that one going!
December 23rd, 2010 at 10:15 am
The Bucs beat them down with a BLOUNT Instrument!!! LOL