Basically, every message board or internet site you go to from Tampa Bay and beyond, devoted to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was completely filled with anger and vile discontent for Bucs head Coach Raheem Morris. Perhaps second place goes to Offensive Coordinator Greg Olsen; maybe thats why Morris is in first place, he has two jobs- doubly hated!
Before we globally condemn Raheem Morris based on the performance of the Bucs grand total of 6 games, shouldn’t we let the season play out and grade him on the big overall picture? We’re not even talking about firing a coach for having a bad year, this is about firing a Head NFL Football coach on the merits of his last 6 games! Before that he is 16-9 in this last 25! But thats what happens when you let emotions play too big of a part of your evaluation process.
No one really talks about the real reason the Bucs are losing 6 games in a row- They are just not that good. Oh sure the Offense isnt too bad when Josh Freeman is playing, but he was out of the game. Yet people on the internet seem to think Freeman being out of the game had no effect on the outcome, because Josh Freeman doesnt play linebacker.
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No, Freeman doesnt play linebacker, but the Bucs have someone who does, and he may not have been on the field when Cam Newton embarrassed the Bucs defense because Josh Freeman may have converted some third downs into first downs that Josh Johnson could not, because Johnson is not the better Josh in the One Buc Family.
Seven times the Bucs had the ball in the Carolina 35 yard line, and only one touchdown to show for it, plus 4 FGs. Last time I checked, football is a team sport, and when your team is down its best player, its going to have an effect. Anyone who thinks the outcome of the game wouldnt have been any different should be forced to watch Joe Ferguson start for Vinny Testeverde. Or maybe Jeff Carlson. Then they may understand the difference your starting QB will make in a game.
These fans are correct in one aspect though, it does NOT excuse the Buccaneers poor play on defense, nothing does. Except going back to square one: The team just isnt that good. And that is a fault of the Glazers, who do not bring in Free Agents. In two years, they will have to. The same thing that had its part is resurecting the Bucs fortunes two decades ago is about to happen again, there is about to be a floor in the NFL Salary Cap, and the Bucs will be forced to spend. Not 2012, but 2013, but I cannot see any way the Bucs front management can go another season without bringing in some good quality veteran help for these kids who have so much potential.
Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds has said the Bucs communicated their intention to use free agency this offseason, I really hope so. But they are going to have to do a better job than they have been doing at evaluating talent in that medium, because while Mark Dominik can spot a player aged 21-24, the older ones seem to elude him. Perhaps it was his training, because under the Gruden era with Bruce Allen the Bucs started flopping on Free Agent pickups.
The SuperBowl Bucs were built by Free Agency, with Keyshawn Johnson, Keenan McCardell, Joe Jurivicius, Simeon Rice, etc, etc. But those guys were brought in under Rich McKay. Bruce Allen is more famous for Scott Stussie, Tim Brown, Charlie Gardner, Matt Stinchcomb, and a host of other flops. Even recently, Derrick Ward, Mike Nugent, and resigning our own players Mike Clayton and Quincy Black have proved fruitless.
Bottom line is it’s just silly to over-react to 6 games. Lets take a look at whole season, all 16 games, before we pronounce the Glazers intentions as if they are our own. From Tampa media all the way over to the other side of the pond, patience is a virtue in many languages.
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