Freeman: 2013 Predictions

[lyronmewis]

4500 yards 40 TDs 15 INTs

[BucBalla85]

Half of his interceptions came in two consecutive games. That's not going to happen again. My guess would be ten or less for the whole season. He had over 4,000 yards passing in what some here consider to be a bad year. 4,500 yards is certainly a reasonable expectation since the pass protection will surely be better with Nicks and Joseph. A second year with VJax and MW should mean more than just 27 TDs. 35 sounds about right. Hopefully Schiano doesn't work Doug to death and finds someone he trusts to share the load and catch a few passes. I can only conclude that Blount had an attitude problem and will soon be history. I'm confident Freeman will be more consistent and lead the team to the playoffs. With a better pass defense they would have been in the playoffs this past season.

The foundation is here for the future. There is talent on this roster. There are still a few pieces missing, but QB is not one of them. This team is going to be competitive for a very long time, and Freeman is going to be the main reason why.

I think this is very possible. What you put here is why I think the guy can turn it around. Others may look at this as excuses but I see them as legit reasons for why he can turn his game around and at least be a better QB next season. So I guess this is what I think "should" happen and want to happen but not sure if it will. This whole thread may be a bit premature since we still have FA and draft to see but I just wanted to get some thoughts from the board right now before any of that happens. Thanks for the responses guys.

[jerseybucsfan]

The numbers are irrelevant. Does he win? You can't be an apologist on a hypothetical. At some point he had to lead us to victory.

[BucBalla85]

The numbers are irrelevant. Does he win? You can't be an apologist on a hypothetical. At some point he had to lead us to victory.

I dont disagree Im just pointing out what usually happens. Im also saying that I think your right that hes not exactly that guy whos gonna lead the team to victory by himself as weve seen that his whole career. Lets be honest, the teams around him have sucked. Hes had to pretty much do it by himself. Thankfully he had Martin and Vjack help him out this year. My point is that is he good enough with a solid team around him to do what we need of him. I agree he does need to pick up the slack sometimes when the team isnt very good. I just want to see him with a supporting cast on defense. I feel that has a lot to do with his success. Its not easy to have to comeback in games a lot. Sometimes is good but not all the time. That aint easy.

[youngone]

If he gets fat again he'll be awesome.

I was thinking the same thing.

Chubby Freeman had swag and was a baller.

[mrchillwill]

http://www.tampabay.com/multimedia/archive/00258/freeman_258548a.jpg

[BucBalla85]

If he gets fat again he'll be awesome.

I was thinking the same thing.

Chubby Freeman had swag and was a baller.

lol cant disagree with that.

Schiano: Your training will consist of lots of game tape and 4th meals from Taco Bell.

[chace1986]

If he gets fat again he'll be awesome.

I was thinking the same thing.

Chubby Freeman had swag and was a baller.

Maybe we can draft the "Muffintop" and he could rub off on Freeman.

#bringback4thmeal

[youngone]

If he gets fat again he'll be awesome.

I was thinking the same thing.

Chubby Freeman had swag and was a baller.

Maybe we can draft the "Muffintop" and he could rub off on Freeman.

#bringback4thmeal

Sounds like a plan to me.

Bring back Chubby Freeman!

[The Franchi5e]

The last two guys to win the Super Bowl (Eli and Flacco) are about as good a comparison as it gets to Freeman. In a contract year with everything on the line we'll see what Freeman is really made of. I have big expectations for him for this season, but I wanna see what we do in the draft and free agency first. If the defense isn't improved then we won't make the playoffs no matter who's quarterback. Regardless of all of that though, hopefully he starts playing loose again instead of the robot pocket passer he's tried to be the last year and a half.

[BucBalla85]

The last two guys to win the Super Bowl (Eli and Flacco) are about as good a comparison as it gets to Freeman. In a contract year with everything on the line we'll see what Freeman is really made of. I have big expectations for him for this season, but I wanna see what we do in the draft and free agency first. If the defense isn't improved then we won't make the playoffs no matter who's quarterback. Regardless of all of that though, hopefully he starts playing loose again instead of the robot pocket passer he's tried to be the last year and a half.

Id say that Eli and Flacco are about his ceiling and are about as good as he can be. The problem is we need to see it soon. Patience in him is wearing thin. Not just with fans but Im sure with Schiano as well. Huge year for 5. I hope he puts it together because if we move on we need to find somebody better. Its taken 30 plus years to get a guy to break the **CENSORED**ty franchise records. With this teams luck, how long would it take to find somebody better than that??

[Benchwarmer#1]

Freeman is a good QB.

And for me, it's not only the question "is he good enough," it's more about "can we truely replace him IF he's not good enough?"

Our team history is checkered with a bad QB past, do we really want to try and play that game again? As for me, I've seen the past, and it isn't pretty. I'm more than content just sitting with freeman for the time being at qb, and toughening up the defense so he doesn't have to play keep-up every game.

There isn't many, if any, qb's in the league who are going to be successful with the last ranked passing defense "helping" them. Same can be said about the buccaneers defense in it's hayday. It did not win Tampa a Superbowl with it's dominate defense for fifteen years, but finally, when the offense put up at least a slight amount of production, it was enough to put Tampa over the hump. Same situation here, but in reverse.

That defense has to at least become average before we can expect any legitimate turn around. Josh has been way too many people's scapegoat IMO.

[BucBalla85]

Freeman is a good QB.

And for me, it's not only the question "is he good enough," it's more about "can we truely replace him IF he's not good enough?"

Our team history is checkered with a bad QB past, do we really want to try and play that game again? As for me, I've seen the past, and it isn't pretty. I'm more than content just sitting with freeman for the time being at qb, and toughening up the defense so he doesn't have to play keep-up every game.

There isn't many, if any, qb's in the league who are going to be successful with the last ranked passing defense "helping" them. Same can be said about the buccaneers defense in it's hayday. It did not win Tampa a Superbowl with it's dominate defense for fifteen years, but finally, when the offense put up at least a slight amount of production, it was enough to put Tampa over the hump. Same situation here, but in reverse.

That defense has to at least become average before we can expect any legitimate turn around. Josh has been way too many people's scapegoat IMO.

Keep him until you find somebody better, but you better know hes better. If hes a top pick most likely hes better but getting a top pick requires a lot of losing. Im not sure that happens with Freeman at QB. I think hes good enough to win games vs average teams without the need to have his team to have a good overall game. I think with the teams help hes good enough to beat good teams. To me thats better than some unknown guy your not sure of. At least with Freeman you can build a good team around him and you know what you got with him. Thats not all that bad and could be a hell of a lot worse.

[The Franchi5e]

I think no matter what if he doesn't make the playoffs this year he'll be replaced next year. There's enough talent on offense as is and I'm pretty sure the defense will be heavily upgraded in the draft and free agency.

[BucBalla85]

I think no matter what if he doesn't make the playoffs this year he'll be replaced next year. There's enough talent on offense as is and I'm pretty sure the defense will be heavily upgraded in the draft and free agency.

If they do that I have no doubt the team is good enough to make playoffs. I think if they have a solid team like that, the pressure on Freeman rises to levels its never been. I dont think our teams have been very good at all around him, but a lot seem to put more on Freeman to overcome those things. Im not surprised that happens because in the NFL the QB gets all the credit/blame with fans. The back up is the most popular guy on the team sometimes. Dont get me wrong, Freeman has much to improve and if he cant improve this season and they miss playoffs because of that, he will have to go. No other way around it.