MORE
Most Recent Entries
Monthly Archives
|
Vinny Testaverde almost certainly will talk this week about making the most of his opportunity.
The Bucs, hopefully, will talk about how they didn’t do the same.
The Jets, by any measure, are simply not very good. Five weeks into the season, no one really knows if the Bucs are or not. But if they turn out to be, and they’re preparing for an imposing postseason road trip (sound familiar?), they’ll look back at games like this one to understand why Raymond James is vacant in January.
Four trips close against the Jets; four field goals. That’s how this game was lost. It wasn’t the steadiness of the 42-year-old quarterback on the other side; it was the Bucs’ own 30-something quarterback making still more questionable decisions when he was his team’s only hope.
Even without the threat of Cadillac Williams, Tampa Bay handily outgained the Jets. Meanwhile, the Bucs defense was solid as ever and covered for the offense’s lack of finishing power for most of the game. New York had one impressive drive, starting the third quarter, but the defense did enough to punish Curtis Martin and the Jets’ other playmakers (few as they may be) and keep the game winnable.
Brian Griese will be criticized for the Bucs having to settle for the last field goal (that, and seeming confused which team Ty Law plays for now). What might go overlooked, except by Jon Gruden, is that for the offense it was simply a case of more of the same. Given the Jets’ severe limitations on offense, the Bucs could have had control of this game by halftime simply by crossing the goal line on any of their three field goal drives.
They didn’t do it, and New York had just enough reason to believe they could be the team to take that pretty zero off the end of the Bucs’ record.
It shouldn’t have happened. Even with Williams out of the game and Michael Clayton playing with more pain than he’ll admit, the Bucs had enough firepower to win against such a mediocre opponent. Whether Griese can command control of this team when the competition improves – and it certainly will – should tell the real story of 2005.
Posted by ray house, clearwater, FL. on 10/10 at 04:27 PM
Disappointing game; very winnable. Most of us know this isn’t a high-powered offense, and we were on the road, so I can understand a conservative offensive game plan.
But, Brooks hit the nail on the head; defense came out flat to start the 3rd quarter. At halftime, why didn’t they see the lack of pressure on Vinny and get after him in the 3rd quarter?
Then, trailing 14-9 with about 5 minutes left in the game, Gruden, putting his trust in his kicker and the defense to hold the Jets to 3-and-out and get the ball right back, opted to kick a field goal on 4th down rather than go for the 1st down. Normal-type decision in the NFL. Bryant came through to make the score 14-12. If we hold the Jets on 3rd down, we get the ball back with about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes left to get into field goal range to win the game. But the defense let us down; the Jets held the ball for 6 plays, leaving us with only about 1 minute, and no timeouts left. Game lost.
Posted by Emil, Tampa on 10/10 at 03:38 PM
Gruden just needs to go. He got lucky the first season, because he had what Dungy left. Gruden does not have enough to lead a team to victory. His teams are the most penalized in the NFL. His playbook stinks, and his time management is awful.
Plus, he keeps getting our players injured. He has made Clayton go out on the field injured, he will only get worse. He rode Cadillac into the ground. Previously he put Brian Kelly on the field injured and we lost him for the season. Same with Alstott.
Get rid of him. He’s had enough chances after the Super Bowl win. How long do we have to put up with losing? A Super Bowl team does not have to deal with nail-biters against Harrington and Testaverde!
Posted by tom, on 10/10 at 02:59 PM
...if i were the owners, there would have been a limo at the locker room and several “bouncer-type-guys” that would have escorted gruden and “his” quarterback out of the state-for good!!!
Posted by Debbie, Jacksonville, FL on 10/10 at 02:15 PM
Being a displaced and lifelong Bucs Fan, it was a sloppy game.
Penalties, will they ever end? Monte, it’s time to start pee wee football practice AGAIN!
Rhonde, what’s with that punch? I agree the Jets player I think you were trying ti hit had it coming to him, but to miss and hit the Ref? That guy will get it in the end, it’s called KARMA!!
Greise, don’t get too happy in Tampa honey. Even if you magically take the Bucs to another superbowl, the owners and the bunch in charge will trade you in the blink of an eye like they’ve done to other good Tampa Bay Buc players. You to will be cast off and treated like an ugly step child. There is no player loyalty in this organization!
Posted by JEN B, PINELLAS PARK on 10/10 at 02:00 PM
OFFENSE OFFENSE!!!! Poor Play calling!! If you need a touchdown to win you don’t settle for a stupid field goal. You play to WIN!! And very few games are won on field goals!! Griese, NOTHING!! I know Simeon was double covered but come on; he keeps promising to break records in sacks, not happening! If he can’t take down a guy they just pulled off the couch then I just don’t see it happening. Defense should have ruled this game. We HAD the #1 Defense. I blame the entire team, coaches and players equally. And frankly, I am tired of watching a game that makes me physically sick by the end. I know its only 1 loss but this is not the one we should of lost. Lets get it together and quick. We still have all of our division games; thank goodness they are after the bye. Maybe by then we can get it together! I sure hope so!! 
Posted by Tommy, Dade City on 10/10 at 01:50 PM
What happenning this year? It seem’s like we are heading in the wrong direction. Beat Minnesota pretty good, beat Buffalo nicely, beat Green Bay closely, beat Detroit by a knee, and now lost to the New York Jets. It seems like everything is heading into the wrong direction. Pittman needs to be more aggressive than he looked Sunday, going down on the first hit. Griese needs to do one of two things: One, throw the ball in the right place so your receiver can make a play or two: sit and let Simms lead the team. The offensive line is still the achilles heel of the team. Sometimes it has its moments, sometimes it doesn’t. I think the whole offense needs to be shaken up to get some flow into it. It looks so stagnent. They need to do something about it. The defense is doing the best they can to win games, but the offense needs to wake up and score or we might be looking at another long, losing season again.
Posted by ric sarkovitz, sierra vista, az. on 10/10 at 01:29 PM
since moving to arizona, the chances of catching a bucs game on tv or radio are about as good as the rays winning the world series. for beginners, shelve both simms and griese. at least brad johnson has a football mind, and knows when to throw, and when to take the sack. was watching espn, and was scratching my head after seeing how well just about all the ex-bucs traded (or given away) did on sunday. all you have to do is look at what an ex-buc in seattle did. look at denver, and watch lynch. ok, i agree with the sapp deal, because if you single him out durning any game oakland plays, he is not even doubled teamed this year, and is having trouble getting by just one blocker.
since the bucs 1st year in the nfl, 99% of the time the quarterbacks have had no time to throw, and most of that time the defense has kept them in any game.
Posted by CT, on 10/10 at 01:24 PM
4 Simple Rules to Winning Games:
1) Play aggressively to win games.
Don’t play a “not to lose” style.
2) Play smart. Example, don’t cause “personal foul” penalties to hurt your team.
3) Capitalize on the opposing team’s
weaknesses. Example, run on teams
with poor run defense, pass on teams with poor pass defense.
4) Learn from your own game failures,
and don’t repeat your mistakes.
Now, onto Miami....
Posted by Earl, Largo on 10/10 at 12:33 PM
If Griese continues to try to give each team we play a free touchdown with an interception, then we need to keep Kenyatta Walker on the offense line but add Booger McFarland to help him tackle the defensive backs that intercept our “very accurate and smart QB’’ that everyone says he is.
Posted by michael roberts, Bartow on 10/10 at 11:08 AM
I have to jump on the band wagon with everyone else. Just like last week, when are we going to get a QB that can make something happen. If ever there was a time to go to Simms now is that time. At least he has the threat of running the ball if he has to scramble. This guy is done I think the hit he took hurt more than he wants to let on. I would second guess myself on this but I don’t feel all of us can be that wrong
Posted by Ron Undieme, St Petersburg on 10/10 at 10:57 AM
It seems like I remember the Glazers firing Tony Dungy for not knowing anything about offense. Then they hired Gruden, who is supposed to be a genius with an offense. Ha....I would love to have Dungy back. At least he will not take a rookie running back with a sore foot and run him 37 times in one game. Thus ruining him for at least the next two games, if not the rest of the season. Where, oh where has the offense gone. And someone should tell Griese that Ty Law does not play for the Bucs. Or is it that he is color blind. Maybe green looks like a Buc color to him. At the beginning of the year, I figured the Bucs no better than 6 - 10. I have not changed my mind, I only hope they do that well.
Posted by Manuel, Orlando on 10/10 at 10:46 AM
Gruden says he wakes up at 3 a.m. You would think waking up that early he would have a plan for this offense. Are we gonna Run It, Pass It, he doesn’t even know.
Posted by Manuel, Orlando on 10/10 at 10:40 AM
DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!DUNGY!!!!!
Posted by Gene Morales, Wesley Chapel, Fl. on 10/10 at 10:13 AM
Pittman came out our 1st possession and got almost zero yards. our next possesion gruden shocked me and used alstott and graham rushing the ball and pitt out of the backfield and we moved the ball. that adjustment is what you expect from a so called offensive genius.
But then I guess his pride got in the way and we went back to unsuccesful pittman show!
And about Griese, other successful teams don’t use their backup QB’s just if their starter gets hurt. Any one can have a bad day. Why go down in flames give your backup a shot, it may have given us the spark we needed.
doesn’t competition push players to do their best!
Posted by Lenny E. Eckert, Masaryktown, Florida on 10/10 at 10:02 AM
Bucs fans, there is a reason that Griese is no longer in Denver. There is a reason that Griese is no longer in Miami. Have you figured it out yet? TURNOVERS and POOR DECISIONS. We have no timeouts and he is throwing down the middle of the field. he fumbles and throws interceptions on a regular basis. We will not go far with him at quarterback. What happened to Mike Alstott? He makes positive yardage and then he disappears. Gruden is not impressing me over the past three years. Cadillac sits and all of a sudden we have no running game. It’s easy, the runners have to get the ball before they can run with it. Lastly, penalties! For anyone that watched the game and the previous four games....Enough said.
Posted by Andrew Wills, hernando beach on 10/10 at 09:48 AM
I don’t think that Griese is making sound choices on picking out his receivers. On the last play of the game, Clayton was wide open on the sideline. Griese focuses in too quickly on his favorites. Also, Alstott was gaining yards but didn’t carry the rock enough! The coach needs to ride the A Train more.
Posted by twiesenfeld, st. pete on 10/10 at 09:45 AM
Get Griese rattled early and the offense is gone for most of the game.
Posted by Terry, Tampa on 10/10 at 09:42 AM
How about some confidence on the part of the coaching staff? How about going for it on 4th down with only 4:00 minutes left in the game? How about an occasional pass into the end zone when you are in the Red Zone? Mike Alstott got great positive yardage when his number was called. Then we quit calling his number before half time and never called it again, why?
Posted by Steve downing, Tampa on 10/10 at 09:28 AM
I am really sorry I wasted my afternoon watching the game, my time would have been better spent taking a nap… Anyway, couldn’t help but notice that Vinny was not touched by the defense until late in the 3rd quarter, where were the blitzes??? Also has Griese ever heard of throwing down and outs with less than 2 minutes and no time outs left. The last pass of the game was a nice completion but in the middle of the field, come-on, pretty stupid
Posted by J Dayan, Tampa on 10/10 at 09:17 AM
Bench Griese. Sit Clayton until he is healthy (no cathces?). Blitz more. Pray Cadillac is better next week.
Posted by PB, Tampa on 10/10 at 09:16 AM
Not a good game for the Bucs on either side of the ball. The D was not playing good enough to pass on the 4th down with 4 mins to go and settle for yet another field goal!!! This decision was the game loser!! No Doubt!! Greise has got to limit the mistakes!! But I am not sure he has this in him. Quit yelling for Simms, he is not the answer unless it is time to give up the season and evaluate him prior to next years contract talks. Gruden has seen a lot more of Simms than any of us, and it is clear that he would rather have a dizzy Griese than a PS2 playing Simms in the lineup.
Without the Cadi running we left with the same deflated tires we tried to run on the last two seasons!!!
Although I would have given Alstott a few more touches. He did a couple of good runs early and then nothing????
Posted by Paul Anderson, Denver, Colorado on 10/10 at 08:59 AM
Collectively, Brad Johnson and Chris Simms aren’t a hair on Brian Griese’s a$$. Brian Griese is a qb genius, but even HE needs a little time to throw. That being said, I say let Simms start the next game just so we can see how you really spell D-E-V-A-S-T-A-T-I-O-N.
6.4 million a year just isn’t enough when your assignment is to engineer winning drives with a bunch of ne’er-do-wells. Maybe that’s why Brian doesn’t change his mindset on how to throw a football. Let’s see 27/42 is 65%, oh yeah, that’s real baaaad.
My hope is that Griese winds up with a team that can give him more than .8 seconds to throw the ball. Give Manning or Brady the task of qb for the Bucs and you’d see two cry babies calling for their mommies while soiling their shorts.
Later on fools!
Posted by Robert Plumley, Tampa on 10/10 at 08:44 AM
I have thought all along that the Bucs were lucky to have won the first 4 games, really. Hate to say this, Coach, but I think it’s about time you turn over the offensive game to someone else. Even I could have called plays better than those short passes on 4th down. Wow! Also, does it take a congressional inquiry to get Griese out of there? Can’t you see the handwriting on the wall, Coach? What a “die hard” you turned out to be!
Posted by Mike B, Orlando, FL on 10/10 at 08:19 AM
Kudos to Vinny for stepping up and having a good game. Blame Monte all you want but Herm Edwards had a good game plan and the Jets executed it well.
Posted by Dr Greg Garcia, Biloxi MS on 10/10 at 04:33 PM
It’s time for an offensive coordinator! John, “The Offensive Boy Wonder” Gruden just can’t put together an offense worthy of competing in the NFL.