The QB was supposed to dominate by now, but he only went 11/22 for 125 yards, going a rotten 3 of 11 on 3rd downs. Not like he got a lot of run support, because the running game only contributed 81 yards on 21 carries, plus 51 yards the QB picked up. Thats no way to win games in the tough NFC South….except those are the PANTHERS Stat lines, and you can win that way when the Bucs turn the ball over 5 times and miss 7 more points in kicks.
I’ll get to Kyle Brinza AKA Warnke in a few minutes. If you dont know what a Warnke is, look up 1983 week 16 Bucs at Lions. More on that later tomorrow with Video. Hint: It was the 2nd or 3rd worse kicking situation the Bucs have ever been in. THIS IS THE WORST.
I dont want to hear from NEGATIVE NANCIES about Lovie Smith’s defense…it held Superman in check. Greg Olsen had 2 catches for 28 yards and no TDs. The Bucs defense held the Panthers to 16 first downs and 3 of 11 in 3rd down conversions and 244 total yards.
The Bucs on the other hand, are starting to develop an offense. Tampa Bay had 411 yards of offense and after only 1 3rd down conversion last week, The Bucs converted on 50% going 8 of 16 with 2 of 2 on 4th down. Charles Sims took a back seat again to Doug Martin who cracked the 100 yard barrier for 106 yards. All told the Bucs went 141 rushing yards, and Vincent Jackson had a big day going 147 yards and a TD and only allowed two sacks by the Panthers defense who really had no answer for the Bucs moving the ball, except when the Bucs shot themselves in the foot.
To open the game the Bucs fumbled the first possesion in a rainstorm but the Bucs D held Carolina to a FG. The Bucs will never become a winning team until they learn how not to turn the ball over. At the opening of the second half Carolina muffed the ball too, but the Bucs could not capitalize with their kicking game.
I do not fault Coach Lovie Smith for keeping Brindza the rookie after his performance last week like Tampa Bay Times Tom Jones does. But I will lose respect for him this week if he does not do something about it. Break his toe if you have to and put him on IR and see if hes better next year. He has a future in the NFL, he has an amazingly powerful leg. But he fell down on the last FG attempt for goodness sake..he fell down..go boom!! It was sad. The Bucs lost out on 6 points that pull them to within 1. Last week they lost out on taking the lead. Your 1-3 now with a date against the Jaguars who wont roll over for teams anymore.
This team has to show improvement by the midway point of the season, and look competative by midway through the season if the fans are going to buy the team is changing for the better for real. The Offense looks better every week, today was a far cry from the Tennessee game. The Bucs were out of that game before you knew it. TOday the Bucs kept fighting back and moving the ball and scoring the points needed, they just keep turning the ball over, which is NOT a surprise. If you look back at the great QBs, they turned the ball over too: The Mannings, Favres, you name it.
The defense is making strides too but they cant miss opportunities to intercept the ball like they did today, because Cam Newton capitalized on that.
You want to know when the Bucs will start winning? Mike Alstott was in the Stadium midde field accepting his place on the Ring of Honor: These Bucs have a while to go before they are at that level, but they are going to get there if we give them the time. The final score may not have showed it today, but the way the team played at times does.
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