It's too early to quit on the season, because the only reason the Bucs are 0-2 are the slimmest of margin plays. Yet the theme for the Bucs so far this season is that they do not appear to be ready to play football.
The offense, behind the QB play of Josh Freeman, was terrible. The offense waited until the final drive of the game to look efficient. And even then, the Bucs could not finish out, and after a missed FG by Ryan Lindel, the Saints moved down into easy FG range with seconds left to win the game.
Freeman was a paltry 9 of 22 for 125 yards for the day, a 57 QB ranking. Are you telling me that Mike Glennon would do worse?
When asked, head coach Greg Sciano said Freeman should start vs Pats next week, but he has to look at film. Unless the film he looks at has CGI work done by PIXAR, Freeman should be on his last legs.
This is year 5, yet you would swear Raheem Morris was sitting on the sideline when Freeman threw the ball over the middle off his back foot, returned the other way. Or holding on to the ball so long until he is stripped.
Yet time and time again, the Bucs defense bailed the offense out. A dramatic goal line stand fired up the defense in the first hand, then Mason Foster returned an interception 85 yards for a TD to give the Bucs a lead.
The defense now has 9 sacks on the year, 4 today alone. That represents 1/3 of last years sack total. Yet it was wasted behind a horrific performance by the starting QB.
Trade rumours have circulated now too, so it will come to a point soon that Josh Freeman will have to answer for what is going on in his head. Throwing for 60% is unacceptable in todays NFL. Throwing below 50 will get you benched for a rookie, because you expect even a rookie from NC State to do better.
Regardless of how close these losses are, they are the result of the play DURING the game, not only the plays that preceeded the end of the game.
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