Mason Foster Not Sure If Dolphins Targeted Him
August 28th, 2011
Even the most passionate of Bucs cheerleaders would admit that rookie middle linebacker Mason Foster still needs a little polishing on his pass defense.
Hey, it’s understandable. Foster has been an NFL linebacker for a grand total of a month. To expect Foster to have everything down after just four weeks on the job is horribly unreasonable.
Even Bucs head coach Raheem Morris, who moonlights as the Bucs defensive coordinator has Quincy Black at middle linebacker on obvious passing downs.
So early in the game when both teams’ first strings playing, when Foster was on the field, the Dolphins seems to try to expose him by throwing a lot of dump passes over the middle.
Foster wasn’t sure if the Dolphins were aiming for him if not.
“I don’t know,” Foster shrugged when asked if he was a target. “For the most part, they were not doing too much [offensively].
“I was just out there playing.”
And hurting opponents with bruising hits.
“Oh, yeah,” Foster said, acknowledging his physical style, a beaming smile spreading across his face.
August 28th, 2011 at 1:50 am
Foster is a thumper. We know he’s gonna miss coverages being a rookie, but that’s exactly why we didn’t sign Tatupu, Barnett, etc. Every snap given to some past-his-prime FA MLB, is a snap that Foster would’ve been missing out on.
In other news, Freeman looks to be pressing. Guy needs to settle down, step into his throws. He should know that ALL Bucs fans believe in him. Probably the only thing we can all agree on.
August 28th, 2011 at 1:59 am
when will dummy thomas check in with his rasist comments about our coach!!! sorry joe…. love all you do and say, but that dude SUCKS!
August 28th, 2011 at 3:05 am
You look stupid when you can’t correctly spell your insult about a man who hasn’t even commented on this thread.
I don’t think those passes were anything more than checkdowns. Its a vital part to every offense, no matter who is the opposing middle linebacker.
August 28th, 2011 at 5:47 am
Check downs? Are you kidding me man? The tight end was wide open whenever the Fins wanted to go to him. It was painfully obvious that all a team has to do is toss into the middle and Foster isn’t going to be there.
Thank goodness Grimm is good at making open field tackles!
The safties did well against the Dolphins, the CB’s, both Lewis and Biggers got burned in pass coverage. The LB’s for the Bucs looked lost in their pass coverage. The bright spot was the pressure that the Bucs placed on the Fins O-line was impressive. I’d have to say that the Bucs won the battle on the line of scrimmage.
Look with a rookie playing at that spot we fans need to learn that big plays are going to be a part of this defense – it will be shut down, shut down, shut down, 40 yard play, shut down, shut down, etc.,
Expect the first few games in 2011 to be a roller coaster ride indeed!
August 28th, 2011 at 7:56 am
Seems like the coaching staff took what little off season program they had and focused on all the things that were a weakness last year i.e. pass rush, run stop, DL play etc…. At the same time, it looks as our strengths have turned into weaknesses i.e. pass coverage, passing, running.
Our OL is clearly struggling with all the recent changes in coaching.
August 28th, 2011 at 10:29 am
I think they were clearly targeting Foster. But as he gets more experience, this will change.
August 28th, 2011 at 11:17 am
If they were targeting Foster then they were doing him and the Bucs a favor. Good to have those reps exposing your weaknesses. That’s the quality practice time that he needs to get better.
August 28th, 2011 at 11:44 am
Foster might have to sign another check after he hit a defenseless player… AGAIN this week… on a Special Teams play.
They called it on Hayward, but the Foster Child was the perp…
He needs to learn that he can’t hit someone in the head…
August 28th, 2011 at 11:47 am
Cant wait till the regular season.
August 28th, 2011 at 2:14 pm
@ HIRE GREG OLSON!
Agreed and agreed again
Freeman needs to use his peripherals a little more/better. But the guy is only in his 3rd year, he’s not going to be perfect.
BecklesHeartsRuud – you made a comment on the open game thread about JJ running every play. Dude, against the Patriots he had to run every play or he was going to get sacked every play. Against the Chiefs, he sat in the pocket well and went through his progressions nicely. When he had to run in that game because of pressure or nobody being open downfield, he did and made plays. He played very Vick-like in that chiefs game, albeit it was the 2nd teamers. But with the 2nd team O-line playing the way they had in the first two games, I think he’s done a great job and has done what he could with what he’s had. Now I haven’t watched the game against the Dolphins yet, but your assessment on the first two games is not accurate.
August 28th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
Looks like the coaching changes on the two lines have had opposite effects. Is it possible that while Millard/Stretz is an upgrade over Wash that maybe switching away from Mangurian was a downgrade? At least for the near term while they get used to the new coach’s style?
The o-line play is very fine-tuned and maybe they just haven’t clicked yet with the new coaching style. Under Mangurian they had a comfort level and played in synch. Just wondering how long it’s gonna take for them to reach the same comfort level with Pat Morris. Very few things on this team are more important to get right.
August 28th, 2011 at 7:10 pm
The O Line looks terrible, brilliant move firing Mangurian. Bennett, Okam, Grimm played very well. Biggers is grossly overmatched by a decent receiver and studs embarrass him.
Did GMC suit up? How about Clayborn? Foster looks like a lost puppy just running around clueless.
Blount and Graham were impressive. I am starting to think Rudy might be legit. JJ better lookout, he has great feet but still has accuracy issues.
Overall, the first half looked like 2 sub .500 teams in a boring slugfest. How many butts in the seat? 25,000?
Play of the day: rah challenging the automatically challenged play. I nearly doubled over laughing. I wonder if he didnt read the rules memo or just didnt comprehend it. Kind of important for the HC to know the rules.
August 28th, 2011 at 8:41 pm
@Four Fingered Fisherman I agree with you on JJ. I think he has a better pass potential than Vick.
August 29th, 2011 at 2:16 am
@Thomas, stud receivers embarrass a lot of corners, that’s why their studs, and that’s why you’re a clown. E.J. had good coverage on the touchdown from Marshall, but Marshall made a play and showed why he’s one of the best players in the league.
I really love how you pretend to analyze football games like you have some sort of clue about what’s going on. I really wish Joe would just do us all a favor and ban your ignorant ass from this site…
August 29th, 2011 at 5:12 am
Quite possibly the worst assessment of a football game by Thomas, but then again, I would expect nothing less. Remind me again, how many years of coaching and scouting experience do you possess? You are a joke, Thomas. I feel sorry for you, I really do.
August 29th, 2011 at 10:26 am
I love reading a Thomas break down, clearly he doesn’t like people/coaches so that is what captin negitivity targets, meanwhile he doesn’t understand what he is seeing short of big plays or touchdowns, notice the people he was positive about, big plays and touchdowns.
Notice he thought Clayborne had a bad game, when if you watched him he was consistantly pushing the line of scrimage, forced some early throws, and man is his hand usage great. The only issue I see is he isn’t using counter moves the way I would like to see, but I would guess that he kicks more of that in during the second half of games, setting up the tackle for the first half and to get him off balance later. If he can get those tackles to overcommit to that edge rush and counter inside he will be a force.
August 29th, 2011 at 11:28 am
Reply to THOMAS:
“The O Line looks terrible, brilliant move firing Mangurian.”
The O-Line looked good, not sure what game he watched, The O-Line in pass protection has looked very good in 2 out of 3 games. Run blocking has been lacking.
“Bennett, Okam, Grimm played very well. Biggers is grossly overmatched by a decent receiver and studs embarrass him.”
You obviously never played CB. I did, in college. Biggers had excellent coverage, he just failed to get his head around quick enough to allow himslef a good jump on the ball. What he did to make up for it was got his arm in there and ripped Marshall’s arm away. Sometimes a big time WR makes plays, that is what Marshall did on that one, he made a 1 handed grab while being pulled away by his other arm, give it up to him.
The only thing Biggers did wrong there was not make the tackle. I was more concerned with Black getting stiff armed to the ground around the 12 yard line.
“Did GMC suit up? How about Clayborn?”
Personally, I did not see anyone on the D-Line play poorly. GMC didn’t have the stats but he was very active and allowing Bennett to get his.
CLAYBORNE??? He was all over the QB… ALOT. He constantly had pressure and should have been given credit for 1/2 sack on the first one.
“Foster looks like a lost puppy just running around clueless.”
Maybe, I did not pay attention to the LBs. I was focussing on D-Line then DBs
“Blount and Graham were impressive. I am starting to think Rudy might be legit. JJ better lookout, he has great feet but still has accuracy issues.”
AGREE, with all of it. Would love to see strides from Rudy so they could trade JJ and get something for him before he bolts.
“Overall, the first half looked like 2 sub .500 teams in a boring slugfest. How many butts in the seat? 25,000?”
Yes, it was boring. Very sloppy and that needs to clean up fast. But one can not make an assumption that a team is “sub-.500” from preseason. By that rational the Patriots that blasted the Bucs just got destroyed by the Lions so they are about a .500 team as well? Means nothing, or at the very least, very little.
Attendance…. seriously? In a preseason game? Every game I watch is half full in preseason. All I know is the season ticket sales have surpassed 50k which is about 10k more than last year. It is improving which is all I can ask.
I do know this, not a chance I am going to sit there in 90+ degree heat with a chance of lightning to watcha a meaningless preseason game.