Morris hopes starters can play one series vs. Miami

[michael89156]

Tampa Bay Bucs work toward preseason opener at Miami Dolphins


By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Tuesday, August 10, 2010

   

TAMPA — QB Josh Freeman loves the two-minute offense because it gives him a chance to get into a passing rhythm.

Three times in his first four starts as a pro last season, Freeman used a hurry-up offense to give the Bucs a lead in the fourth quarter, winning one of them.

Another element that helps Freeman in the hurry-up offense is that he used the shotgun formation at Kansas State.

On Monday, the Bucs began preparing for Saturday's preseason opener at Miami.

Coach Raheem Morris said he hopes the starters on offense and defense can each play one series.

The Bucs practiced situational periods, such as the two-minute offense and being backed up near the goal line trying to protect a lead.

"I feel great in the two-minute because you're just out there and you know what you're going to see defensively," Freeman said. "As an offense, you're just attacking and keeping the defense off-balance. So going into the two-minute, my mind-set is to keep rattling off plays and just keep hitting them. You know they're playing Cover 2 trying not to give up anything deep. So, all right, let's hit them underneath. Just keep hitting them quick, quick. …

"Then we get them out of the Cover 2, get them more into something where they're trying to blitz, slow us down a little bit, then we pop one up over their heads."

Why so Grimm?: It was a pretty good week for Cody Grimm.

The seventh-round pick from Virginia Tech moved up the depth chart to second-team defense after a week that culminated with his father, former Redskins OL Russ Grimm, being enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Grimm was excused from practice Saturday to attend the ceremony in Canton, Ohio.

"It was awesome," Grimm said. "You can't really get ready for an event like that. You think you understand what it's going to be like, but it was really incredible.

"He's gotten all sorts of accolades over the years, but this one was overwhelming for him all week. My dad has never been the type of guy to go out of his way to get publicity. But this weekend, anything they asked him to do, he was loving it. He was really trying to soak it all in."

Meanwhile, Grimm has been a standout on special teams and steadily improved on defense.

"He's really shown up a lot out here," GM Mark Dominik said.

Talib injured: CB Aqib Talib left Monday's morning practice with a slight groin strain, but Morris downplayed the injury's severity. Talib did not return.

"Nobody cares (about injuries)," Morris said. "Everybody's going to have tweaks right now. The whole NFL. Everybody going to have something hurting. … Nobody cares."

Officially, the team said Talib is day to day.

Elsewhere, DT Brian Price and CB Myron Lewis were out again with hamstring injuries. Dominik said Price is getting better and has a chance to play at Miami. Lewis will be worked in slowly in the coming days, Morris said. It's too early to project his chances of playing against the Dolphins.

Times staff writer Stephen F. Holder contributed to this report.


[Last modified: Aug 09, 2010 08:04 PM]

[Hate]

One series? And they make us pay full price for this crap?

[MBF]

One series? And they make us pay full price for this crap?

Dayum. Did FloridaNative hack into this account?

[NavyBuc19]

"Nobody cares (about injuries)," Morris said. "Everybody's going to have tweaks right now. The whole NFL. Everybody going to have something hurting. … Nobody cares."

Uhh the fans care Morris. This guy just seems so dumb whenever he opens his mouth.

[kevinmills]

"Nobody cares (about injuries)," Morris said. "Everybody's going to have tweaks right now. The whole NFL. Everybody going to have something hurting. � Nobody cares."

Uhh the fans care Morris. This guy just seems so dumb whenever he opens his mouth.

I think if most any other coach said this nobody would mention it.

[Hate]

One series? And they make us pay full price for this crap?

Dayum. Did FloridaNative hack into this account?

LOL... i thought about that after i posted but unlike Native, i think my gripe is legit. They force us to pay full price for part time football. Its like stealing.

[dalbuc]

One series? And they make us pay full price for this crap?

I'm not paying and this makes no sense. Really, we don't need more live fire work for Freeman and his cohorts than one flippin' series? C'mon man.

[tatmanfish]

One series? And they make us pay full price for this crap?

Dayum. Did FloridaNative hack into this account?

LOL... i thought about that after i posted but unlike Native, i think my gripe is legit. They force us to pay full price for part time football. Its like stealing.

they could lower preseason ticket and then just tack the difference onto the regular season games...theyd be cheaper right. lol

yeah, Im not sure why its the same price.

[dalbuc]

they could lower preseason ticket and then just tack the difference onto the regular season games...theyd be cheaper right. lol

yeah, Im not sure why its the same price.

The league is always touchy about anyone calling them "practice" or "exhibition" games because it implies they aren't real games - and since they charge real game prices they don't want to change that view.

[Tampa Bay Todd]

they could lower preseason ticket and then just tack the difference onto the regular season games...theyd be cheaper right. lol

yeah, Im not sure why its the same price.

Which is why Goodell and the owners want to go to an 18-game schedule.
Now for Morris. He "hopes" the starters can go one series? I sure as heck hope they can too -- AT LEAST one series. Because if these guys can't even play one series than they are even more sorry than we all thought! I really, really hope didn't understand what he was saying there. I have serious doubts about Morris competence level in everything outside of football. I think he's smart enough about the x's and o's and motivational techniques, but he's clueless as to all of the other parts of the job. Every time he gets interviewed I feel less and less confident in him.

The league is always touchy about anyone calling them "practice" or "exhibition" games because it implies they aren't real games - and since they charge real game prices they don't want to change that view.

[CyberDilemma]

One series? And they make us pay full price for this crap?

Well, under Olson's new dink and dunk offense, that might take up 30 plays and 2 quarters to move the ball all the way down the field.

[Boid Fink]

Olson has me more concerned than ANyone on the entire coaching staff...when he reverts to calling helter-skelter on 3, I will only be more frustrated by the teams inability to properly see him for who he is...which is a QB coach of some measure, and that is all.

1 hour till new Madden!

[NotDeadYet]

    Name me an NFL team that plays their starters more than a few snaps in pre-season game 1.... I didn't think so.... If it bothers you that much, just buy the individual game tickets you want.

[dalbuc]

    Name me an NFL team that plays their starters more than a few snaps in pre-season game 1.... I didn't think so.... If it bothers you that much, just buy the individual game tickets you want.

I suspect you'll see teams like the Rams and Lions rolling their starters out their longer, for the same reason we should. Young players who need reps. Manning and Brady are rumors in pre-season and when Freeman has proven he's that good I'll hope to not see him during these games either.

[ryan24]

Name me an NFL team that plays their starters more than a few snaps in pre-season game 1.... I didn't think so.... If it bothers you that much, just buy the individual game tickets you want.

I suspect you'll see teams like the Rams and Lions rolling their starters out their longer, for the same reason we should. Young players who need reps. Manning and Brady are rumors in pre-season and when Freeman has proven he's that good I'll hope to not see him during these games either.

Just for grins, I looked at the Jets and Lions from last year and neither Sanchez or Stafford started and both played a couple of series.