So Where’s That Third Down Back?
September 11th, 2011
Yeah, until late in the fourth quarter, the Bucs offense was pretty much dismal.
At one point in the second half, the Bucs had a second-and-one situation and after two runs, couldn’t get a first down.
Sure could have used a third down back.
In the offseason, Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik, when given a chance, hyped Kregg Lumpkin as the Bucs answer to the void left by Cadillac Williams leaving the Bucs for the Rams and tried to soothe frayed nerves that Lumpkin would get the job done.
This is the same Kregg Lumpkin that Packers general manager Ted Thompson, widely regarded as one of the best talent evaluators in the NFL, let walk despite having a shallow corps of running backs.
So let’s look at what happened today:
Lumpkin had one catch for nine yards — not bad — but zero carries.
Williams, in a 31-13 St. Louis loss to Philadelphia, had 19 carries for 91 yards and five catches for 41 yards.
Was letting Williams walk to St. Louis being penny-wise and pound foolish?
September 11th, 2011 at 5:34 pm
In a word, yes.
September 11th, 2011 at 5:35 pm
Horrid decision and we will pay for it all season. I was sick watching this slow dink and dunk offense.
September 11th, 2011 at 5:38 pm
bad decision Ive been saying this all summer. Caddy was huge for us to resign. The reason why graham isnt as good as caddy in the 3rd down role is because he’s a slower less shifty caddy.
September 11th, 2011 at 5:41 pm
Joe, to answer your question…yes, letting Caddy go was a bad decision. In fact, it borders on incompetence because they replaced him with a lesser, not a better, player. Makes no sense.
September 11th, 2011 at 5:42 pm
Absolutely
September 11th, 2011 at 5:42 pm
Dom is a victim of his own success. He will soon get the message. He ain’t THAT good.
September 11th, 2011 at 5:46 pm
Lumpkin is a nobody off the scrap heap that nobody expect us wanted! Most people like him are lucky to even make rosters!! And Lumpkin should not have made the final cut for this team.
September 11th, 2011 at 5:46 pm
You can see a pattern of errors here in letting players go that aren’t Mark & Raheem’s “guys”. Lumpkin is their guy, their pick up. Caddy wasn’t. Sometimes pride can cause a new regime to go too far in trying to have success with only their guys. It’s foolish. Letting McCown go instead of Leftwich was in the same vein of prideful decisions to keep their guy over the past regime’s guy. It’s worked well with most players so far, but there have been a few key mistakes in this regard that make no practical sense whatsoever.
September 11th, 2011 at 5:47 pm
Does anyone know how much Caddy signed for in St Louis? It was a onee year deal right?
September 11th, 2011 at 5:47 pm
I think it was for $600,000
September 11th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
it seems to be their blunder of the lockout.
September 11th, 2011 at 5:52 pm
Out Coached , Again !
September 11th, 2011 at 5:53 pm
So…when are we going to start calling the offense part of the “henious Greg Olsen experiment”?
September 11th, 2011 at 5:55 pm
Time for Olsen to update his resume. Offense was terrible and the play calling was worse… To use Blount for 5 carries is ridiculous. Dominic will come under fire all season with ignoring FA all together. He really painted himself in a corner. Looks like the starters should have played in that final preseason game. I really didn’t think how we looked in preseason would carry over. Freeman was wrong and so was I . Glad he doesn’t want to be compared to Stafford cause he doesn’t even look close right now. Before game I would have taken Freeman all day over Stafford. Olsen should really hang is freaking head cause he was out coached all day..
September 11th, 2011 at 6:10 pm
What success?
September 11th, 2011 at 6:10 pm
Look Olsons playcalling is weak , he needs to let free run free in a tempo that he can be successful in, will he?
September 11th, 2011 at 6:27 pm
Bucs were a joke. Offense had zero first downs when it counted. They were dominated in every aspect of the game. New punter looked good…only bring spot I saw. No dine pressure all day. Oline disgraceful.
September 11th, 2011 at 7:58 pm
This post would mean more if Lumplin was actually our 3rd down back…but he’s not…Earnest Graham is. Check the lineup. Lumpkin is nothing but a backup.
September 11th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
@detroitbuc
First game of the year. The Bucs ALWAYS play weak their first 2-3 games. The coaches addapt though, and so will the players.
September 11th, 2011 at 8:16 pm
Hell, where is the first down back?
September 11th, 2011 at 8:57 pm
CADDY today 19 carries ninety one yards 95 for you olsen you dope!!
September 11th, 2011 at 11:23 pm
Like I have said, Dominick drank too much of his own Koolaid and its come back to bite him in the arse. There was no reason not to sign Cadillac except for money. Its not like we went out and found someone like Reggie Bush.. No that would be the Dolphins who no matter how much they spend still suck. No we have to cheap our way to not sign ANY third down back and then have Dominick trying to convince us that Lumpkin is something he is not (a good running back.) Now as we know there will be no knee jerk reactions out of One Buc Place so its stay the course with 7th round draft pics while Caddy makes Dom look like an idiot. Thanks Mark just tell it like it is. The Glazers have your friggin hands tied behind your back. Its tooooooo much of a coincidence that all of Dom’s great moves cost ZERO dollars. I am sure the Glazers love all of those 7th rounders and Practice Squad rejects that cost them the minimum salary. Sell Manchester United and MAYBE one day the Bucs can be competitive again!!!!
September 12th, 2011 at 1:17 am
Dominic has been a roller coaster GM release Derrick Brooks like a third stringer FAIL. Resign Michael Clayton for big money FAIL. Draft Freeman WIN. Grab Blount off waivers WIN. Failure to work a trade to move up one spot and draft Sue from the perennial losers Lions franchise FAIL. Letting Caddy go for no reason at all as he was our home grown player and not too old or too expensive GIANT FAIL. Mike Williams in the 4th round WIN.
Letting Gilmore go was not too good as he was a solid blocking TE and now I dont know if any of our TE can block.
September 12th, 2011 at 1:22 am
Why and how can we still be cheap with our team salary?
Am I wrong or dont all NFL teams profit from the TV contracts so the salary cap is paid before ticket revenue, merchandising, advertising, parking, concessions and everything else?