My theory on why the offense struggles

[BuccanAy]

It takes 2 passes in this offense to even gain a first down.  That's why these zero and 1 yd runs are killing us, when in a normal offense, it's just one down.  We cannot have ANY plays less than 3 yds or are offense, by it's nature, is in a long yardage situation.  2nd and 9 is a long distance down for this team, necitating a pass.  For any other team, a run is an option, and the likelyhood of breaking one increases substatially.  Out inablity to go downfield hurts this team in many, many ways.

[InlandTaipan]

who cares who's in charge of the offense, it's who's executing it that matters. Gruden's play calling v Dallas was perfect. i was at the game, and there are 6 or 7 sure TD passes that were never thrown. the right plays were called, the QB simply didn't/can't/won't execute at the level we need him to.

Clearly it was Grudens fault the passes fell short...Clearly Gruden demanded Garcia to run out of the pocket and miss open WR...didn't you see him screaming all of that on the sideline

[fishman]

It's possible that are offensive players just aren't that great, right? I mean look it over, break it down. If you are game planning against the Bucs what do you do? Who scares you? Garcia, Griese, McCown, Hilliard, Galloway, Clayton, Bryant, Dunn, Graham, Bennett, Stevens, Smith, Gilmore. That's it guys. That's what Gruden is working with. The team we played last week had Witten, Barber, Owens, Williams, Crayton and a guy named F. Jones who was out. Everyone of those guys are SUPERIOR to our players. Thankfully, their backup QB is past his prime. That's what made that game close.

Gruden is trying to make lemonade out of lemons. And I don't mean to say Gruden deserves a pass for the blame but fact is, our weapons just aren't that great.

[BuccanAy]

Very true Taipan, but it's Gruden who's hand picked our QB.  Garcia does not have the ability needed to run an offense on a consistant basis, regardless of the defense he's facing.   Gruden has put our team in this situation at QB.

[yuccaneers]

Was it not Michael Clayton after the Broncos game that stated they prepared for man coverage and got zone coverage and did nothing to change the routes they were running? If the quarterbacks wont throw to deep receivers when open who job is it to bench said player?

[simmstheanswer]

Very true Taipan, but it's Gruden who's hand picked our QB. �Garcia does not have the ability needed to run an offense on a consistant basis, regardless of the defense he's facing. � Gruden has put our team in this situation at QB.

hand picked our QB? who else do you think we should have "picked". over-paying for Favre? drafting a 1st rounder? there hasn't been a good QB switching teams since Brees went to the Saints...

[recover]

I always enjoy reading theories by experts who preach and claim to know more than those actually doing the job.  If the poster thinks he knows so damn much, why isn't he/she working in the NFL.  It's easy to sit back and point fingers and make claims like they should be running this team.  Gruden should be calling plays my way and they all should be fired because I know better.  Why is this stiff posting here rather than sitting in an office at Buccaneer Headquarters running the show.  Opinions are like you know whats and they all stink, including this one.

[yuccaneers]

How about developing a qb, Gruden has been here seven years and still no future qb just retreads.

[Feel Real Good]

It's possible that are offensive players just aren't that great, right? I mean look it over, break it down. If you are game planning against the Bucs what do you do? Who scares you? Garcia, Griese, McCown, Hilliard, Galloway, Clayton, Bryant, Dunn, Graham, Bennett, Stevens, Smith, Gilmore. That's it guys. That's what Gruden is working with. The team we played last week had Witten, Barber, Owens, Williams, Crayton and a guy named F. Jones who was out. Everyone of those guys are SUPERIOR to our players. Thankfully, their backup QB is past his prime. That's what made that game close.

Gruden is trying to make lemonade out of lemons. And I don't mean to say Gruden deserves a pass for the blame but fact is, our weapons just aren't that great.

Why can't the people picking the players get the kinds of players Gruden wants? Didn't we already get rid of McKay for not picking Gruden's kind of players?

[yuccaneers]

Maybe those people are picking the players Gruden wants, it is just that the players Gruden wants are not that good.

[simmstheanswer]

Was it not Michael Clayton after the Broncos game that stated they prepared for man coverage and got zone coverage and did nothing to change the routes they were running? If the quarterbacks wont throw to deep receivers when open who job is it to bench said player?

This doesn't sound like offensive genius type stuff, in fact, it sounds like someone lacking in ability to formulate a consistantly productive offense and gameplan, the biggest problem is there is absolutely no checks and balances, a pure dictatorship. �Either Gruden takes no input from his assistants or the assistants offer none. �Not a good situation, IMO.
 

you one of those assistants? no, you're not. so really you are just speculating, correct? try blaming the qb for not performing, the gm for not getting the right players, and the coach for not accepting his players short-comings; but leave the inane posturing and guess-work out of it, b/c you are just making baseless assumptions.

[BuccanAy]

Was it not Michael Clayton after the Broncos game that stated they prepared for man coverage and got zone coverage and did nothing to change the routes they were running? If the quarterbacks wont throw to deep receivers when open who job is it to bench said player?

This doesn't sound like offensive genius type stuff, in fact, it sounds like someone lacking in ability to formulate a consistantly productive offense and gameplan, the biggest problem is there is absolutely no checks and balances, a pure dictatorship.  Either Gruden takes no input from his assistants or the assistants offer none.  Not a good situation, IMO.
 

[sammy8887]

Was it not Michael Clayton after the Broncos game that stated they prepared for man coverage and got zone coverage and did nothing to change the routes they were running? If the quarterbacks wont throw to deep receivers when open who job is it to bench said player?

How about developing a qb, Gruden has been here seven years and still no future qb just retreads.

yuccs, you're jumping from point to point with one goal -- to criticize the coach...

One week it's playcalling, the next it's "philosophy," the next it's the depth chart...all you're doing is sounding like the successor to AbuccsFan...

There's mistakes, yes (as with all franchises)...but there's no reason not to be confident we're on an upward trajectory...did you really expect to win the Super Bowl this year?

[sammy8887]

Was it not Michael Clayton after the Broncos game that stated they prepared for man coverage and got zone coverage and did nothing to change the routes they were running? If the quarterbacks wont throw to deep receivers when open who job is it to bench said player?

This doesn't sound like offensive genius type stuff, in fact, it sounds like someone lacking in ability to formulate a consistantly productive offense and gameplan, the biggest problem is there is absolutely no checks and balances, a pure dictatorship.  Either Gruden takes no input from his assistants or the assistants offer none.  Not a good situation, IMO.
 

So you think we have an egotistical/maniacal HC that is blind to good game-planning, along with a backup QB lining up under center...

I'm taking it you think it's a miracle we're 5-3 at the halfway point...but what was with the Super Bowl talk last week?

[Feel Real Good]

did you really expect to win the Super Bowl this year?

I didn't, but when will it be time to think that?