“Playcalling Was Atrocious In The First Half”
September 14th, 2011
Joe’s really loving “Steve White Unplugged,” actually known as the Two-Hand Touch show with Derek “Old School” Fournier on WQYK-AM 1010.
White, the former Bucs defensive end, gets all the time he could want to break down all things Bucs on Tuesday nights. It’s sort of his famous, yet now defunct, Bull Rush column on the radio with passion and personality thrown in. You can listen to the show archive at WhatTheBuc.net.
Here’s what White thought of the sputtering, disjointed Bucs offense as the Lions dominated the opening 30 minutes Sunday.
“Our offensive playcalling was atrocious in the first half. “We don’t really have, or at least in the first half we definitely didn’t have, an offensive identity as far as running the ball. Our best running plays are counters and Power Os. We ran one the whole first half. Then, you know, we’re trying to trick them and influence them and this and that, and that’s really not our game,” White said.
“Unfortunately we don’t have some of the weapons they do have, like Calvin Johnson. We do have a very good tight end. I don’t think we featured him enough in the first half. We do have a great receiver in Mike Williams, but we tried to run him on fade routes every time … It was frustrating to watch, because, no, we don’t have the offensive firepower that the Lions do. But I thought our offensive line blocked well. I thought we had plenty of opportunities. But the playcalling was just atrocious in my opinion.
“There is no reason why you’re not running quick slants for Mike Williams all the time because he’s such a good run-after-the-catch guy. Even if he catches those fade routes, most of the time he’s going to get tackled right there or he’s going out of bounds.
“Give him those quick slants. Give him dig routes, some quick outs and let him run after the catch. … Last year, he had so much success with it, yet you didn’t really see it much at all [Sunday].”
White also went on to say he was disappointed to not see the Bucs work Kellen Winslow over the middle of the field.
Joe also would give the playcalling a failing grade. It would be hard not to, even over 60 minutes. Five touches for LeGarrette Blount won’t win the Bucs games anytime soon. Yet after all that, if Josh Freeman doesn’t throw a bad pick (not Greg Olson’s fault) and Luke Stocker doesn’t impersonate Michael Clayton, the Bucs probably send the game into overtime or win outright.
There was no quit in the Bucs.
Tomorrow, Joe will lay out White’s powerful Week 1 takes on Gerald McCoy and Quincy Black.
September 14th, 2011 at 10:05 am
They need to make sure LGB gets at least 10 touches in the first half against the Vikings regardless of the score.
Also, it seemed like the plays we called took too long to develop. Since our o-line can’t hold anyone for more than 2 seconds, we need to call more quick slants like White said or get Freeman rolling out of the pocket more.
September 14th, 2011 at 10:10 am
olsen has been using jon gruden playbook since he tookover that is wahy we only do 5 yard passes and run the ball right into the center on the d every play for 1 yard
September 14th, 2011 at 10:18 am
How come since 1976 we have never had a dynamic offense? Have we ever had a top five offense? I sure don’t remember it.
You would think we would luck into it someday.
I have a novel idea, get off to a hot start and play with the lead this Sunday. Vikes will crumble playing catch up.
September 14th, 2011 at 10:22 am
If the plays get executed better and work, then it was a great game plan. I fault them for not sticking with the run, but that is it.
Of course if there is absolutely no holes opened by the line….
September 14th, 2011 at 10:37 am
I don’t know whhy, but this post made me feel better about the loss.
Even with the horrible playcalling, we could still have pulled this out if Freeman hadn’t tossed a INT (I thought it was a free play, too), or Stocker catches the TD pass, or Quincy doesn’t give a fumble away.
It hurt when it was a fresh loss after several beers. But these last (sober) days have me feeling more level headed and optimistic.
September 14th, 2011 at 10:38 am
joe,
speaking of talk shows. steve had a few things to say about you and yours yesterday and i am curious about your lack of comments on the subject. i mean he is the highest rated sports show in the market ( something you make known frequently) and he basically was saying he would reduce you to rubble if you don’t watch out. maybe i am mistaken but it sure seemed like he was referring to ‘joe’. if he was it seems you would have something to say on the subject. you obviously have an opinion on anything bucs and since you are the #1 site for bucs info i can only assume you have a take on this as well.
September 14th, 2011 at 11:15 am
I like Steve Duemig about 90% of the time. He’s just a bag of wind. Joe did nothing but report exactly what Rah said. It was Rah’s F’up all around.
1st He called players from his cell phone he wasn’t aloud to talk to in the off season.
2nd He puts blame on JoeBucsFan for reporting it.
Rah, pay attention to coaching because that sorry excuse for a football game last Sunday should be an indicator that something isn’t right with your team. Maybe pick up the phone and start calling players again.
September 14th, 2011 at 11:16 am
or allowed
September 14th, 2011 at 11:56 am
I didn’t comment on the post Joe made in response to Raheems’s comments, but…
I read the news about Raheem being investigated by the league at least a week before Joe “broke” it over at PFT. Why not call out CBS?
September 14th, 2011 at 12:33 pm
This is what I’ve been waiting to hear. Because this was probably the worst called game that olson had since hes been a offensive coordinator. MIke Williams should go up to olson next time and say Why the hell are we not running more slants dumbass? Sending him out on fades and long throws all game. Our receivers are not built to beat ppl deep their not desean jackson and the eagles or the greastest show on turf. They have speed but most big yardage they get is breaking tackes and running after then. Benn is the sameway. Olson learn your personell some more dude.
September 14th, 2011 at 12:51 pm
This team nevers starts fast and never starts playing well until their behind when the offense finally is opened up. Olson is the only common thread. This dude sucks and has no creativity. There’s a reason why he wSnt initially hired as the O coordinator. He fell into the job and his playcalling looks like it. I keep hearing we aren’t a talented offense. What?!!!
We have Freeman, Blount, Winslow, and Williams. Show me a team that comes close in having that much talent collectively. Olson just doesn’t know how to harness it.
September 14th, 2011 at 1:03 pm
I saw exactly the same thing he’s talking about. The Bucs tried to get too tricky for their own good and ended up tricking themselves out of being competitive for three quarters as a result.
So what if opposing teams know certain players are coming (like Blount)? Do you see the Titans or Vikings getting tricky and not playing CJ and AP? No! How about the Pats with Brady? You know he’s coming and they don’t try to avoid playing him. Why? Because you play your best players and you run your best plays. That’s how you do it!
Whenever I see a team try to get too tricky in their game planning, it always tells me one thing: they don’t have confidence in themselves and they don’t have the courage to play their game. It’s cowardly.
September 14th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
Joe here,
@Alan Thomas — To answer your question, Joe has heard of Steve Duemig’s comments, but Joe did not hear them on the radio yesterday, only what he said on Monday. Regardless, Joe has nothing to say since Duemig didn’t mention JoeBucsFan.com. Joe doesn’t do rumors on this site unless it’s from a major credible source regarding the Buccaneers. Regardless, there’s nothing to say. Joe wouldn’t expect Duemig to like everything written on this site, and Duemig is passionate and principled just like Joe. It’s old news anyway. Any issue anyone might have with Joe goes back to early June when Joe reported Raeheem’s comments.
September 14th, 2011 at 1:52 pm
joe,
sammy davis jr. just gave you a standing ovation for that tap dancing.
September 14th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
How about we establish the run and make our lives easier? Look, and I don’t even have a talk show!
September 14th, 2011 at 1:57 pm
Simple truth is this:
With the way the schedule lines up, this team has next to no shot of making the playoffs if they start 0-2.
This week is must-win. Lose @ Minnesota, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the team spiral and end up 6-10, 5-11.
September 14th, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Disagree lions have better talent then us I would take blount bennie winslow briscoe straughter over the lions and mega from. The play calling was awful you would have thought Ernest grahm was are best playmaker
September 14th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
Still faulting Gruden? Wow, three years removed and still his fault! Please find some other excuses!
September 14th, 2011 at 3:31 pm
alan thomas, I heard that too……
It sounded like he thought that the person who said he was going to “declare war” on Duemig was actually Joe……
I like Duemig……one of the nicest guys in person (as hard as that may be to believe), but he was way off base on this one.
Keep doing what you’re doing Joe and don’t take the bait
September 14th, 2011 at 7:07 pm
To me, the way this team is built on offense. I would expect us to play more like GB, Saints, or Colts… Spread offense style.
And when Raheem was directly asked about why he’s not starting with a 2 minute style (pass first) offense. His response was “because that is not our style. We are a run first team. Does he really believes this team is built for Run first, Throw second? The NFL is not built that way anymore and this team is not really built for that style either. t
The he was asked why is LGB isn’t more apart of that hurry up offense. He responded that, ” That’s not his specialty. He is a down hill runner. Ernest Graham is pretty good at filling the “Cadillac Role” and It’s what Kregg Lumkin specializes in”.
This statement baffles me as to think. Ok Insurance Graham is a stud filling in anywhere they need him. He also did OK in the game. But you can see his age and ware ‘n’ tare are starting to take their tole. And i haven’t seen anything out of Lumkin that has made me believe he should be on the field.
All said and done. I’m still wondering, why in the world did we Let go of Cadillac, If he was EXACTLY what we needed there?
I think this team has the talent to play Pass first to open up the run. Plus this would solve the slow starts. With a bruising runner like Blount and a QB like Freeman. It’s a smarter choice too. Freeman is good at the hurry up offense style. We have 3-4 very solid receivers(Williams, Benn, Briscoe, Stroughter). Plus Blount isn’t at his best against the D-Lineman and stout LB’s. So come out Fast throwing the ball, putting points on the bored, and getting the Defensive lineman and DB’s a bit tired from playing catch up. Then Unleash Blount ( STILL FRESH) to pound the rock.
We are NOT at our best playing catch up, because it forces us to be one dimensional. Granted we are VERY GOOD in that mode. It would be best to come out fast and just pound the opponents will
need to just throw LGB into the fire as a 3rd down back. He will learn quickly. Especially with Freeman yelling at him if he misses a Block.
September 14th, 2011 at 7:08 pm
Wow… Sorry about that last post. I didn’t realize how long it was.
September 14th, 2011 at 7:12 pm
But Basically i am saying. I think the Coaching staff needs to switch up their game plan, due to the personnel we have been gifted with.
As an offense, with the tools we have. We can be DEADLY and DOMINATE. If we go to a spread, hurry up offense. It’s when everyone plays their best.
The one and only single reason we can’t do it just yet. Is because of Blount. He needs to get in on passing down and in a hurry.