There is a lot of concern over Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Josh Freeman, and his apparent regression as a starting QB, his thumb injury, and just overall “Freeman not being Freeman” stuff. Let me set the story straight on everything Josh Freeman;
There is nothing to worry about, Josh Freeman is, and will be, just fine. Before we get into all of that, check out Josh Freeman’s first start, vs Packers in 2009 throwback game, when he first showed us what he was capable of. NO Bucs QB has ever wowed us like Freeman did in that game, with his 3 Touchdown passes on the afternoon.
Check out the FULL 1080i Video in your browser here…(only way to see it 1080 HD)
Going into 2010, Josh Freeman was coming off his rookie year with several concerns, most of them fruitless. He had a lot of interceptions in 2009, 5 in one game at Carolina, and there was the concern that it would be a problem. Freeman vowed when he came into 2010 that he would not look like a 2nd year QB, that he would look like a 5th year vet; and that he did.
Josh Freeman made 2010 an amazing season with his 2009 to 2010 offseason preparation. He was always to be found in One Buc doing film study, working with QB Coach Olsen, and it worked.
Problem is, the formula Freeman used for his 2010 success was not available in 2011. The NFL Lockout axed the entire NFL OFFSEASON with the exception of the Bucs get together at the Football Academy, which was nothing more than a conditioning drill rather than ANYTHING to do with technique or study.
It is absolutely no wonder Josh Freeman is struggling to have a bottom-line more INT and less Touchdown year that he had last year. To be honest, it feels like Freeman is right about where he should be in a normal 3-year progression, where he is only now actually finishing his 2nd complete season of games played.
After 2009, I showed St. Pete Times writer Gary Shelton a video of all of Josh Freeman’s Interceptions, and he saw how many of them were preventable. This year is no different; last week alone two of the three picks were off the hands of Bucs wide receivers.
Several NFL analysts determined that the young teams with a lot of first and second year players would be the ones most affected by the lockout. I felt differently, assuming the Bucs would be returning their team almost completely intact from last year, and that would give them an advantage over other teams. The preseason opener against Kansas City I felt was a perfect example, as KC looked helpless and the Bucs looked like a veteran team. But the very next week New England embarrassed the Bucs and exposed them like a few other teams have so far this year.
I hate to admit it, but 2011 is pretty much a lost cause. Any thoughts of the Bucs competing for a playoff spot are fodder for blogs and networks who drum up “coulda’s and woulda’s” for ratings. The negative nancies were a little bit right this year, but only a little. It’s the Bucs depth that betrayed them, nothing more. Earnest Graham goes down, and the Bucs have no one to replace him with of comparable quality.
But the naysayers are wrong on a great many counts, and a simple rebuttle on each fixes anything they have to say on the subject;
- Raheem Morris’ job is safe: This is a long term project, not short. The Glazers love the work Morris is doing, I felt nothing but extreme love for the man from the Bucs UK visit to One Buc.
- Ditto with Mark Dominik: Picking up Albert Hanesworth and seeing how positive Hanesworth is in the locker room is proof he knows what he’s doing.
- Josh Freeman will be back to 2010 standards next year after a full offseason full of OTAs
- Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds reports the Bucs WILL be active in Free Agency next year. The idea was to get 3 full drafts under the Bucs belt to stock up on talent, well now thats done.
- Schedule will be a mixed blessing, as we play the weak AFC West, but NFC East which really is now the 3rd strongest division), plus one game against an NFC West team. (see article later today at 5pm)
JOSH FREEMAN WIRED—
Check out the NFL Films SOUND FX video here.
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