Josh Freeman Confirms Rich Gannon’s Theory
November 16th, 2011
Earlier this week, former Super Bowl quarterback Rich Gannon, who co-hosts “The Blitz” with popular sports radio personality Adam Schein, heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, stated after watching the Bucs lose to Houston, “I’m convinced Josh Freeman is not 100 percent,” referring to Freeman’s sprained thumb.
Gannon was correct, so Freeman told Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times, though Freeman insists his thumb is improving.
Freeman was asked if the injury has had any effect on how he can throw or grip the football: “Maybe a little bit,” Freeman said. “But at the same time, being out there, you can’t really make excuses for anything. If you’re going to be out there playing, you’ve got to go out and prepare to play well.
“The Bears game, I kind of strained it. Then, right out of the gate in the Saints game, it gets hit again. Then it gets hit again and again. I’m feeling really good about it because this past week, Houston, I didn’t get it hit at all. I mean it feels good. Maybe the Saints were going for it, maybe not. I don’t know.”
Since injuring his thumb, Freeman has a unnerving Trent Dilfer-like touchdown-to-interception ratio of two touchdowns and seven interceptions.
It’s a good thing Freeman’s thumb is improving. If the Bucs have a prayer of beating the Packers in Green Bay Sunday, Freeman will have to play like the stud quarterback he showed last season, given the fact that the Bucs simply refuse to use LeGarrette Blount.
November 16th, 2011 at 2:40 pm
It is good that he doesn’t want to make excuses, but it is obvious there is a problem. There is no shame in being injured, and admitting it isn’t necessarily an excuse, although some players do use injuries as excuses.
November 16th, 2011 at 2:44 pm
Out of those 7 INTs he’s thrown, how many were dropped out of the hands of his butter fingered WRs and into the hands of a DB for an INT? I counted 2 last week alone. Does Freeman’s thumb injury somehow affect the ability of his stonehanded WRs to catch the ball?
That’s the thing about our WRs, they may not have very good hands, but they sure are slow!
November 16th, 2011 at 3:00 pm
@Brandon Right? There were six dropped passes last game. Six! Its ridiculous! Then I hear guys calling for Josh Johnson despite these facts. Unbelievable.
We should be running the ball more anyways. It was clear from the beginning that our team was getting bigger. We drafted solid blockers at all skill positions yet now we aren’t running. We drafted bigger on both sides of the ball. We look physically like a “run the ball/stop the run” team….. We play like the opposite.
November 16th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
You guys are absolutely right about the drops. Something is wrong with Freeman this year, whether it is his thumb, or his confidence, or the lockout, or whatever. However, what’s wrong with Freeman is nothing compared to the drops. The drops are absolutely killing us. The drops that turn into INTs even more so.
And Mauha you are damn right about running the ball. It baffles me that we give Blount 10 carries? TEN? Even worse, the week before he was averaging over 5.5 ypc and he got what, 13? And most of the time Olsen gives up on Blount before we’re even down big or short on time!
November 16th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
blah blah blah…none of this has ANYTHING to do with the fact that this QB should be rolling out and moving with the ball…a la Rothlesburger(sp?)….and if the thumb is the issue…why are you in there…i would rather watch a a gazzelle run for it’s life(JJ) than watch a fish flop around…just sayin
November 16th, 2011 at 3:57 pm
Here’s the winning scenario for the Bucs:
Despite the “weakness” of the Packers’ passing D, winning the T.O.P. is key. Keep Rodgers off the field and that happens if Blount is run with such commitment like Bambi would in a shooting range. Freeman doesn’t have to put up astronomical numbers, just be efficient and not letting the Packers have a short field.
If it’s a 1 possession game by the 4th, we got a shot. In this case, I don’t mind if it’s an ugly game, in fact, that might work in our favor.
GO BUCS!
November 16th, 2011 at 4:32 pm
Not really buying the injury excuse. The good ones fight right through that sort of thing.
On a positive note, forecast is for a high of 36 and partly cloudy for Sunday. So, no frozen tundra.
November 16th, 2011 at 4:52 pm
If only there was a way to move the ball downfield without passing it. I am sure Olson will find out one day how to do it. He is probably only on page 12,456 of Gruden’s playbook. About halfway.
November 16th, 2011 at 4:55 pm
Wow a few days ago Freeman said he was a better quarter back than last year now suddenly he’s injured, which is it?
November 16th, 2011 at 6:01 pm
@Bucbeliever
I enjoy good optimism. Sadly, this will end the way it did last Sunday.
signed;
frustrated
November 16th, 2011 at 6:22 pm
Sooooooo, tell coach you (Freeman) are not up to 100% and let Josh Johnson run the team…he couldn’t do any worse. Quit trying to be the hero…because your team is losing with you at the helm.
November 16th, 2011 at 7:26 pm
I’m curious Joe. The reference to Trent Dilfer. Did Trent leave the Bucs?If he left, did he accomplish anything football related?
November 16th, 2011 at 8:45 pm
Joe said: “If the Bucs have a prayer of beating the Packers in Green Bay Sunday, Freeman will have to play like the stud quarterback he showed last season, given the fact that the Bucs simply refuse to use LeGarrette Blount.”
I think getting rid of Greg Olsen after the season and getting a real offensive cordinator will do a lot of good for this team. Our offense is boring as hell to watch and just can’t put up the points.
Horrible playcaller. Horrible decision making by him all season long. I’m sick of seeing great runs by Blount, and then the drive is suddenly killed because Olsen suddenly decides to go with a pass on 3rd and short or whatever. And then it’s another two straight incompletions by Freeman, etc. I’ve seen too much of that kind of stuff all year.
Olsen’s the whole problem here, but he’s a huge part of it.
November 16th, 2011 at 9:54 pm
Josh Freeman could be 250%, and we still will get carved up by the Packers, especially in Green Bay.