By MIKE HENRY
Anyone expecting a direct answer from Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris on the firing of offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski hasn't spent much time around the NFL.
Tampa Bay's passing offense has been next to abysmal during the preseason, with quarterbacks Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown performing their best Alphonse and Gaston act during the first three games wrestling for the starting job.
It's been bad enough to kindle memories of the Vinny Testaverde era. Entering Friday's game against Houston, the Bucs were averaging 154.7 passing yards a game, with a league-worst 4.7 per passing attempt.
Did that ineptitude lead to the dismissal of former Boston College coach Jagodzinski, who reportedly had moved into a new Tampa home with his wife and will be paid for the duration of his two-year contract? Or was the situation related more to a clash of personalities?
Morris, who collaborated with general manager Mark Dominik on the decision, did a lot of talking during an awkward press conference Thursday without revealing much of substance. Morris did let on the offense needs to be more "precised" and "detailed" and "have more direction" than it did under Jagodzinski's supervision.
Quarterbacks coach Greg Olson, who was hired last season by former Bucs coach Jon Gruden, was named to replace Jagodzinski. Olson, who tutored Drew Brees at Purdue, enjoyed success last season with current Oakland quarterback Jeff Garcia, who he'd coached in 2001 when Garcia threw 32 touchdown passes for San Francisco.
While reports have surfaced that Jagodzinski was slow communicating plays from the press box to the sidelines, it's noteworthy he turned down a chance to stay on as quarterbacks coach, according to a prepared statement from Jagodzinski released by the Bucs. In this economy, even pro sports franchises want contract holders to earn their pay.
Somehow, a failure to communicate keeps cropping up as the likely reason Jagodzinski was asked to give up the play-calling duties. He certainly appeared to have trouble getting along with his bosses at Boston College when he entered into negotations with the Jets for their head job without permission.
If you can't communicate with your players in the NFL, passion and commitment have a tough time winning out.
Regardless, 10 days from the opener against Dallas, the Bucs felt they had no choice but to relieve Jagodzinski of his responsibilities. Morris and Dominik did so knowing they would open themselves to second-guessing and ridicule, but grasping the need to keep the confidence of the guys in uniform.
In the close-knit universe that is an NFL team, Morris had no need to badmouth Jagodzinski beyond giving the local media enough pablum to send them back to their word processors, guessing what really happened.
The whole thing came across as sloppy, even amateurish, but the fact remains the Bucs' chances to approach a .500 record in 2009 still rest on a fast, swarming defense and the stifling heat and humidity that enhances their home-field advantage.
No matter how well Morris and Olson communicate within the locker room, they can't change the fact Gruden isn't around any more to spot mismatches quickly and keep the Bucs a step ahead of the competition. That comes from experience.
Showing posts with label tampa bay buccaneers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tampa bay buccaneers. Show all posts
Friday, September 4, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Those Old NFL Preseason Blues
By MIKE HENRY
Mother Nature played a sadistic trick on the 63,000-plus fans who attended Miami's 10-6 victory against Tampa Bay on Thursday at Raymond James Stadium.
A few minutes before 9 p.m., with the Buccaneers leading 6-0 in the second quarter, a lightning threat resulted in a 45-minute delay as officials pulled both teams off the field.
Anyone expecting offensive fireworks after play resumed was left wanting, although Miami quarterback Chad Pennington did manufacture a pair of scoring drives for the Dolphins' victory. The game ended about midnight, and a lot of folks who dragged themselves to work this morning must be wondering why they stayed.
For Bucs fans, the main subject around the water cooler is which quarterback will be under center for the opener against Dallas in two weeks.
After what he saw Thursday, first-year coach Raheem Morris is hoping Cadillac Williams can stay healthy. The one-time hope for a bright Bucs future, back from knee surgery, looked strong rushing for 54 yards on eight carries, including an explosive 19-yard run.
Combined with holdover Earnest Graham and former Giant Derrick Ward, the return of Williams gives the Bucs decent depth at the running back spot.
They're going to need it, judging from the uninspiring performances of quarterbacks Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown.
At least Tampa Bay's decision to draft Josh Freeman from Kansas State in the first round makes more sense. With Leftwich and McCown, it's safe to say the future is not now.
Leftwich (9-for-17, 100 yards) could overthrow Wilt Chamberlain, although he did have a few nice completions to the 6-foot-5 Maurice Stovall.
And those who remember the immobile Leftwich from his Jacksonville days are gritting their teeth at the thought of the Cowboys putting together a blitz package for the opener.
McCown, who played pretty well in a 24-23 victory against the Jaguars, reverted to form against the Dolphins, looking like a guy afraid to make a mistake. He got sacked three times and penalized for intentional grounding, and his cause wasn't helped by the absence of some key starters and a rainstorm during his service.
Rumors already are starting to swirl that McCown could be trade material. He might be a decent backup for a defense-oriented contender, but with the Bucs he could be a constant reminder that the alternative to No. 1 is just as lackluster.
Freeman, like any rookie quarterback not named Dan Marino or Matt Ryan, needs time. No sense throwing him to the wolves.
One bright spot for the Bucs was the defense, where coordinator Jim Bates is following in the footsteps of Tony Dungy and Monte Kiffin by assembling a fast, aggressive, gang-tacking unit. The Bucs held Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams to a combined 17 yards on six carries.
Thankfully, the preseason has only another week to run. If it hadn't been for all those sugary goodies in the press box, we doubt some reporters could have made it to the elevator Thursday night for their post-game interviews.
Mother Nature played a sadistic trick on the 63,000-plus fans who attended Miami's 10-6 victory against Tampa Bay on Thursday at Raymond James Stadium.
A few minutes before 9 p.m., with the Buccaneers leading 6-0 in the second quarter, a lightning threat resulted in a 45-minute delay as officials pulled both teams off the field.
Anyone expecting offensive fireworks after play resumed was left wanting, although Miami quarterback Chad Pennington did manufacture a pair of scoring drives for the Dolphins' victory. The game ended about midnight, and a lot of folks who dragged themselves to work this morning must be wondering why they stayed.
For Bucs fans, the main subject around the water cooler is which quarterback will be under center for the opener against Dallas in two weeks.
After what he saw Thursday, first-year coach Raheem Morris is hoping Cadillac Williams can stay healthy. The one-time hope for a bright Bucs future, back from knee surgery, looked strong rushing for 54 yards on eight carries, including an explosive 19-yard run.
Combined with holdover Earnest Graham and former Giant Derrick Ward, the return of Williams gives the Bucs decent depth at the running back spot.
They're going to need it, judging from the uninspiring performances of quarterbacks Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown.
At least Tampa Bay's decision to draft Josh Freeman from Kansas State in the first round makes more sense. With Leftwich and McCown, it's safe to say the future is not now.
Leftwich (9-for-17, 100 yards) could overthrow Wilt Chamberlain, although he did have a few nice completions to the 6-foot-5 Maurice Stovall.
And those who remember the immobile Leftwich from his Jacksonville days are gritting their teeth at the thought of the Cowboys putting together a blitz package for the opener.
McCown, who played pretty well in a 24-23 victory against the Jaguars, reverted to form against the Dolphins, looking like a guy afraid to make a mistake. He got sacked three times and penalized for intentional grounding, and his cause wasn't helped by the absence of some key starters and a rainstorm during his service.
Rumors already are starting to swirl that McCown could be trade material. He might be a decent backup for a defense-oriented contender, but with the Bucs he could be a constant reminder that the alternative to No. 1 is just as lackluster.
Freeman, like any rookie quarterback not named Dan Marino or Matt Ryan, needs time. No sense throwing him to the wolves.
One bright spot for the Bucs was the defense, where coordinator Jim Bates is following in the footsteps of Tony Dungy and Monte Kiffin by assembling a fast, aggressive, gang-tacking unit. The Bucs held Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams to a combined 17 yards on six carries.
Thankfully, the preseason has only another week to run. If it hadn't been for all those sugary goodies in the press box, we doubt some reporters could have made it to the elevator Thursday night for their post-game interviews.
Friday, August 21, 2009
What would Derrick Brooks say?
By MIKE HENRY
This week's arrest of Tampa Bay cornerback Aqib Talib may be the first of countless reminders how much the Buccaneers are going to miss perennial All-Pro linebacker Derrick Brooks.
Even if No. 55 had lost a half-step on the field, he would have been the first to pull Talib aside after he embarrassed the organization by being charged with battery on a cab driver. The alleged victim, identified as David Duggan, said "It was like someone hit me upside the head with a hammer."
The only time I thought about whacking a taxi driver was when one sped through every stop sign in a South Bend, Ind. neighborhood during a rainstorm, but I digress. The Talib incident happened as he and two other men were returning to Tampa from a St. Petersburg night spot.
First-year head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Mark Dominik have voiced their displeasure, privately and to the media. Maybe they'll suspend Talib for a game, if NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell doesn't beat them to it.
But being read the riot act by a pillar of the community such as Brooks, a sure-fire Hall of Famer, would have more impact. It might make Talib realize what he's throwing away.
Cleaning house is a regular occurrence in the NFL, but ditching Brooks in February was a callous move, even by the league's standards. He was beloved by fans, played hurt and knew how to get inside a young quarterback's head.
We remember seeing Brooks a few years back at a charity tennis event, where he signed autographs unfailingly until a young boy handed him a Steelers' jersey. Brooks laughed before handing it back. "I don't do that," he said, indicating he'd sign anything except rival gear.
That's loyalty. That's class. The Bucs need an infusion, quickly.
It's beginning to look as if Talib may have anger-management issues, which were obscured as a Kansas Jayhawk, where he turned in three positives for marijuana. His quick temper manifested itself again in May, when he swung his helmet at offensive lineman Donald Penn and hit teammate Torrie Cox in the face, necessitating stitches.
According to reports, Talib has been fined several times by the Bucs for rules violations. The old growth curve just ain't happenin.'
A few days before Talib's troubles, Bucs safety Tanard Jackson was suspended for the first four games of the season for a violation of the league's substance-abuse policy. These are problems Morris could do without, as he tries to rebuild the defense without coordinator extraordinaire Monte Kiffin and find a reliable quarterback.
Derrick Brooks could have helped. For starters, by telling Talib to stay out of cabs after 11 p.m. And it wouldn't be the last dose of assistance Morris is going to need.
This week's arrest of Tampa Bay cornerback Aqib Talib may be the first of countless reminders how much the Buccaneers are going to miss perennial All-Pro linebacker Derrick Brooks.
Even if No. 55 had lost a half-step on the field, he would have been the first to pull Talib aside after he embarrassed the organization by being charged with battery on a cab driver. The alleged victim, identified as David Duggan, said "It was like someone hit me upside the head with a hammer."
The only time I thought about whacking a taxi driver was when one sped through every stop sign in a South Bend, Ind. neighborhood during a rainstorm, but I digress. The Talib incident happened as he and two other men were returning to Tampa from a St. Petersburg night spot.
First-year head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Mark Dominik have voiced their displeasure, privately and to the media. Maybe they'll suspend Talib for a game, if NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell doesn't beat them to it.
But being read the riot act by a pillar of the community such as Brooks, a sure-fire Hall of Famer, would have more impact. It might make Talib realize what he's throwing away.
Cleaning house is a regular occurrence in the NFL, but ditching Brooks in February was a callous move, even by the league's standards. He was beloved by fans, played hurt and knew how to get inside a young quarterback's head.
We remember seeing Brooks a few years back at a charity tennis event, where he signed autographs unfailingly until a young boy handed him a Steelers' jersey. Brooks laughed before handing it back. "I don't do that," he said, indicating he'd sign anything except rival gear.
That's loyalty. That's class. The Bucs need an infusion, quickly.
It's beginning to look as if Talib may have anger-management issues, which were obscured as a Kansas Jayhawk, where he turned in three positives for marijuana. His quick temper manifested itself again in May, when he swung his helmet at offensive lineman Donald Penn and hit teammate Torrie Cox in the face, necessitating stitches.
According to reports, Talib has been fined several times by the Bucs for rules violations. The old growth curve just ain't happenin.'
A few days before Talib's troubles, Bucs safety Tanard Jackson was suspended for the first four games of the season for a violation of the league's substance-abuse policy. These are problems Morris could do without, as he tries to rebuild the defense without coordinator extraordinaire Monte Kiffin and find a reliable quarterback.
Derrick Brooks could have helped. For starters, by telling Talib to stay out of cabs after 11 p.m. And it wouldn't be the last dose of assistance Morris is going to need.
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