Bucs Gerald McCoy Pro Bowl selection draws some criticism

Gerald McCoy became the first Tampa Bay Bucs defensive lineman to make the Pro Bowl since 2003 when he was selected on Wednesday.

Gerald McCoy a Pro Bowler

This is the first season the defensive tackle has been healthy and will participate in all 16 games barring the unforeseen Sunday at Atlanta. The third year pro was selected third in the 2010 NFL draft, but his first two years were marred by injuries.

 This year McCoy has recorded career highs with five sacks and nine tackles for losses for the 6-9 Bucs, who are in the midst of a five game losing streak.

McCoy was the only Bucs to be named to the team. Safety Ronde Barber, receiver Vincent Jackson and rookie running back Doug Martin were named alternatives. Jackson not making the team was a bit surprising with his 19.3 yards per reception average.

McCoy’s selection did not go without criticism. Former Buc and current WDAE radio co-host Ian Beckles of the Ron and Ian Show took the defensive tackle to task on his show today and said he did not have a Pro Bowl season.

 Beckles cited the Bucs beleaguered pass defense, which ranks last in the league, noting it influences opponents to throw a lot which allows for a lot more opportunities to get sacks and tackles for losses. With that in mind, McCoy’s stats are not that impressive, he noted.

 

 

 

 

Bucs-Saints game will be televised locally; should we thank Brees

Did Drew Brees make it happen?

The Tampa Bay Bucs might get riveted Sunday when Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints come to town, but don’t blame local fans for breaking out the welcome mat for the man who recently broke John Unitas record for throwing a  touchdown  pass in 48 consecutive regular season games.

Brees (and it is him, let’s not tip-toe around that) creates so much excitement that enthusiasm to see him in person enabled the Bucs, more than anything else, to sell enough tickets that it won’t have to blackout the game.

This is the first time since last December 17 when they faced the Dallas Cowboys that the Bucs sold enough tickets to avoid a blackout. The only other home game televised last year was against the Indianapolis Colts.

 The Bucs sold the needed 85 percent of general admission tickets that allowed the NFL to lift its mandated blackout. The game will be televised on Fox TV at 1 p.m. Former Bucs great John Lynch and Dick Stockton will do the commentary.

 The Bucs have failed to sell enough tickets to avoid blackouts in 16 of their last 18 games. But fans in Bradenton and Sarasota who know where to go have been able to watch the games, which are televised in certain bars, taverns and eateries in Manatee and Sarasota County.

 

  

 

Parcells takes Schiano side on kneel-down hit

Former Giants coach take Schiano's side

Kneel-Gate, Schiano-Gate; whatever you want to call it seems to have eternal life and just won’t go away.

The decision by Tampa Bay Bucs coach Greg Schiano to go for the ball when Giants quarterback Eli Manning took a knee with his team leading 41-34 and five seconds left last Sunday has created a sea of controversy.

Schiano probably wants it to die, but then again he is picking up some nice support. 
The latest to take his side his legendary coach Bill Parcells, one of the most respected people in the business, who led the Giants to two Super Bowl titles.

Parcells took Schiano’s side on Sirius radios saying Giants head coach Tom Coughlin should’ve called the Bucs head coach during the week and talked about the play instead of berating him in front of a stadium full of fans and a large television audience.

Also giving the Bucs coach a boost is Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, who face the Bucs Sunday. The outspoken Jones says the kneel-down ought to be outlawed and a penalty thrown at the team that tries to do it.

“Lamar Hunt tried several times to introduce a rule to have it voted on that you couldn’t knee down, you had to run a play,” Jones told the Dallas Morning News. “Unless you were going to try to advance the ball, then you got a penalty and the time didn’t run off the clock. It’s not a good play.”

Schiano: Davin Joseph out for season

Tampa Bay Bucs head coach Greg Schiano has confirmed that guard Davin Joseph will have surgery for a torn patella tendon and miss the entire season.

Joseph was injured in the second quarter of the Bucs game against New England on a play when Donald Penn drove Patriots rookie defensive end Chandler Jones into the back of Joseph’s knee.

"It's [a] big [loss], but that's part of what we do, right?" said Schiano. "You mourn, and you move on. That’s what you do. That's what we have to do, and Davin wants us to do that. He's going to be in surgery and then on his road to recovery, and we've got to fix our sights on how we're going to move forward."

This is a tremondous blow to the Bucs, particularly their desire to establish a solid run game. They signed free agent Carl Nicks during the off season in the hopes he and Joseph would give them the best guard tandem in the league.

"We're going to try to work a couple things," said Schiano. "Obviously, Larsen has worked there, and we have other options that we can look at, which we will. We're trying to get the best five on the field. I think we have the answer internally, and that's why we've been trying to build depth at all positions. But we always look outside; that's a constant. If there's somebody we think fits our mold, then we'll try to do what we can to get him."

Blount shows he is not conceding anything in Bucs pre-season opener

Things to take from Tampa Bucs pre-season opener at Miami:

LeGarrette Blount is not conceding anything to rookie Doug Martin, who everyone is predicting to be the Bucs primary running back.

Their numbers were similar with Blount running for 30 yards on seven carries and Martin picking up 21 yards also on seven rushing attempts. They both scored short yardage touchdowns and had one reception each.

Tiquan Underwood, who has been a standout receiver during training camp, continues to make a case for himself and is starting to generate some conversation that he could be an extremely vital part of the offense.

The former wideout from Rutgers (where else?) led all receivers with three catches for 76 yards, including an impressive 44 yard reception that he gathered in with two defenders draped all over him.

Quarterback Josh Freeman was efficent and safety Cody Grimm looked bad on a missed tackle on the Dolphins first drive, which didn't help his chances of making the 53 man roster.

Interception by rookie linebacker Lavonte David had to make new head coach Greg Schiano happy for many reasons bolstering belief he is the perfect WLB for the Bucs new defense.

What does it all mean?

Not really much considering there a lot of teams that finished pre-season undefeated and failed miserably when the regular season started; remember Jimmy Johnson's 1-15 first year with Dallas
or John McKay's 2-14 team in 1983 that followed undefeated pre-seasons.

The Bucs were clearly in better condition than the Dolphins and that was a factor, which might not be an advantage when the regular season starts or heads into the stretch run.

The "worst performer" award has to go to fumble prone Preston Parker (8 last year), who fumbled a punt and was guilty of personal foul after a play was whistled dead.

With his 74 yard kickoff return rookie speedster Michael Smith brings a lot of hope and Luke Stocker had a nice third down catch in traffic. Two starters in the secondary, cornerback Aqib Talib and safety Mark Barron did not play because of injuries.

Could Tampa Bay Bucs select Palmetto's Mistral Raymond?

Palmetto High graduates Joe Hills and Mistral Raymond will be spending time back home this week hopefully waiting to hear their names called in the NFL draft.

The draft kicks off Thursday night with the first round. Rounds two and three will be held Friday and the final rounds (4-7) will take place Saturday beginning at Noon.

If drafted Hills and Raymond figure to be selected Saturday. A receiver, Hills has gotten his most serious look from Tennessee. Raymond, who can play cornerback or safety, has worked out for Chicago, Minnesota and Tampa Bay.

It has been reported that Chicago has the most interest in the former USF All Big East selection, but with the Tampa Bay Bucs playing a lot of nickel and dime packages and in need of defensive backs, Raymond could be an attractive choice for them.