Bennett is in the dog house big time

[Boid Fink]

Settle down now...a couple of compliments and suddenly his head can't fit through the door...

Boid helpful as always...

Maybe if the door was equipped to handle greatness, we wouldn't have this problem...

c'mon. this whole argument is dumb. bennett isnt losing carries due to talent, he just isnt getting carries. and the guy has a resume and produced in preseason so we know he can. the 7 carries he has this year, did he miss a hole, or did the OL not give him one? and how about smiths lack of ball security? he's leading our team in fumbles after 2 games.

what i would like to see is all our players given the opportunity to play.

His resume hasn't been updated since 02. And we know he can produce because of what he did in the pre-season?! Come on! You know who people were RAVING about here in the pre-season? Brian "Pick 6" Griese. He was the next Brad Johnson, remember? People thought he looked All-World picking apart defenses for 4 yards a pop with some ridiculous completion percentage. Then regular season and real defenses came and he folded like a cheap tent.

People need to start looking at this situation with some objectivity. What did ANYONE here think of Michael Bennett prior to the trade? Prior to the hype pieces in the off-season? Or even WHY did we acquire him in the first place? It's likely not because he was someone who the FO liked for a while, or who they felt fit the system great, or could do big things if given the opportunity. It was because he was a relatively cheap, experienced RB when we had Graham and KEN DARBY at the spot.

Griese did just fine against one of the better defenses in the NFL this year...

[dbtb135]

I don't know why I have to argue so much against Griese with Buc fans when his own play should do the talking. Aside from the comeback against Chicago (against the same soft, almost-prevent zone which WE employed that lost us many a lead in the 2000-2004 years), he was a well below-average QB this year and in 05. Even in the Chicago game, it was a lot of HIS mistakes that he "saved" us from. I don't see why he always get this revisionist history reprieve. Posters would gladly embrace his benching when it happened, then after a few weeks it's "Well, he didn't do THAT bad. Come to think of it, he was [insert undeserved record]." He had one solid game against Atlanta in which, just like in 2005, our running game and defense made sure that we were in complete control through the game, and he didn't have to make plays.

[alldaway]

Well, I didn't say "he has given ample opportunity to showcase himself," so there really isn't anything to disagree with.

Of course you didn't say it but it was implicitly implied on your part. Thanks for playing champ!

Even he has been active, he hasn't seen the field much, and when he has, he hasn't done anything with the opportunity.

Your argument is weak, especially when your stuck on "not returning kicks for a TD"...

Bennett has done nothing here in games that count, but those that point that out have a weak or poor argument...

Bennett's contribution in games that count can't be measured when hasn't been given ample oppurtunity. 

Now lets move on to an intellectually dishonest post.

IOW....wasn't good enough....what's changed.

Different team and different talent levels.  Can you keep up with this logic so far?

Bennett "produced" last season mostly in garbage time. Dunn/Graham have outproduced Graham and anyone else last season. So the coach point is pretty stupid.

What you consider "stupid" is a valid point.  You must be a young, man that doesn't understand that different viewpoints exist, and should be respected.  Valero was a big part in propelling Graham/Bennett to be ready last year when needed due to Carnel's injury.  As for production in garbage time is concerned it counts just like a win is a win.  No one said Duce Staley's big run against the Bucs in the playoffs didn't count because it was in "garbage" time but it was in a game that mattered no?  Bennett has shown far more at the NFL level and as a Buc in regular season play than Smith up to this point.

How long is the coaching staff supposed to wait to see if he'll produce? He's looked tentative in his limited carries. If he wants to play, that's not a real good way to get more opportunity.

You make it sound like he has been given ample oppurtunity when that is not the case.  Try again.

I have no idea of the intellect of Michael Bennett nor do I have an idea of how well he's picked up the playbook but Clifton Smith has looked much better in his limited opportunity than Michael Bennett has in his limited opportunity.

Well I do, and Bennett is one of the smartest players on offense.  Smith has not looked better in pass protection or ball security than Bennett.

Good to see you on here again ADW, but your definition of "a pro level" and "productive" differs greatly from mine. People can't paint whatever pretty, 6 year dated picture of Bennett they want to, but the fact is that he was a 3rd stringer from a terrible team when we picked him up, and there didn't seem to be much potential there for great improvements. THAT IS, until the off-season. Seems to be a hype-related letdown on our hands here....

No one is arguing he is a quality starter, nor is anyone arguing he is the best next thing since sliced bread.  But what I am arguing is that he is better than what is falsely portrayed by many.  Very similar to Buenning's situation where he was benched for no reason.  Many argued he wasn't "good" enough, wasn't "smart" enough, or wasn't "healthy".

Reality is Bennett hasn't done anything to indicate he is a poor practice player as well.

[alldaway]

c'mon.  this whole argument is dumb.  bennett isnt losing carries due to talent, he just isnt getting carries.  and the guy has a resume and produced in preseason so we know he can.   the 7 carries he has this year, did he miss a hole, or did the OL not give him one?  and how about smiths lack of ball security?  he's leading our team in fumbles after 2 games.

what i would like to see is all our players given the opportunity to play.

It is up to the coaches to make decisions given the limited roster space and who to have active on gamedays.  It is not easy, but when I see a lethargic offense and cries from the head coach about needing juice, but in turn they have a player like that inactive or not used much what more can you say about that?

Cry more coach Gruden?

[GameTime]

speaking of griese i think he is average.  a great backup though.  but on these boards he is known as Brian "all i do is win games" Griese.

as far as producing in practice, i find it hard to believe a PS player was getting more reps and producing better than bennett.  but it is possible.  i also find it odd that c-smith has had 2 fumbles in 2 games, but he is more trustworthy than bennett.  i find it hard to believe that a rookie that spent most of his career on the PS knows the offense better than a vet thats been in the system almost two years.  but of course all of that is possible.  i find it hard to believe in each of bennetts 7 carries this year there have been holes, yet he missed them.

but its also possible that there is some off-field issue that is keeping bennett from getting quality reps.  why i think bennett hasnt been able to produce in his 7 carries is the same reason that graham has been having trouble running the ball.  our team has not blocked well imo with a straight run game.  dunn has been more effective with more of a draw/delay run game.  i think bennett is more of a straight ahead runner than a shifty pick you spot runner. 

either way, i dont think anyone will ever know.

[GameTime]

I just find it odd that every week, a portion of this fanbase is unsatisfied with Michael Bennett's opportunities.

i think many would just like to see our OL open holes and watch his speed exploit them.  i believe our O has many, many weapons that we dont take advantage of.

[dbtb135]

Our OL opens holes, as evidenced by our top 10 running game with a coach who seemingly loves to revert back to the pass. But Bennett really hasn't done much to warrant significantly more carries. Should we hand them to him because he has good speed? I wouldn't have a problem with giving him a few more spot carries, but realistically, it's not going to make a ton of difference if those carries go to him or Smith or Dunn when he gets back. In fact, given how well the other two have played, who can really say Bennett is deserving of those opportunities?

[Boid Fink]

Our OL opens holes, as evidenced by our top 10 running game with a coach who seemingly loves to revert back to the pass. But Bennett really hasn't done much to warrant significantly more carries. Should we hand them to him because he has good speed? I wouldn't have a problem with giving him a few more spot carries, but realistically, it's not going to make a ton of difference if those carries go to him or Smith or Dunn when he gets back. In fact, given how well the other two have played, who can really say Bennett is deserving of those opportunities?

When the two were producing, it was not an issue.

But to take a guy like Bennett out over guys like Dexter, for example, is where the problem lies.

Bennett is not getting his shot because he does not play special teams.  I think he alluded to that in one of the videos posted.

[Boid Fink]

...and we all know that the #3 RB in the Tampa scheme as we know it, is a guy relegated to special teams duty. 

[dbtb135]

Thats the only real problem I have with it, is that Gruden hands PT to "his guys" and makes others work for it and fight to keep it. He claims to want competition at all positions, except if he took you in round 2 to return, in which case, you don't have to compete. Then he'll switch when he has no other choice because of a half season of complete ineptness and less than 5 yards a punt return. If THAT can get time on the field, Bennett should. Otherwise, he'd have to earn it by contributing positively whenever he has a chance.

But I agree with you on the ST point, Boid.

[sammy8887]

Thats the only real problem I have with it, is that Gruden hands PT to "his guys" and makes others work for it and fight to keep it. He claims to want competition at all positions, except if he took you in round 2 to return, in which case, you don't have to compete. Then he'll switch when he has no other choice because of a half season of complete ineptness and less than 5 yards a punt return. If THAT can get time on the field, Bennett should. Otherwise, he'd have to earn it by contributing positively whenever he has a chance.

But I agree with you on the ST point, Boid.

dbtb, that's the way the NFL works...you invest a 2nd round pick in somebody and you're going to give them more of a chance than somebody you got for a 6th/7th round pick...

Bennett was a first-round pick for Minnesota so that was his opportunity...once you get released, then traded to KC for a 4th-round pick, then traded to Tampa for a 6th/7th round pick...you MUST take advantage of your opportunity to see the field (see Clifton Smith)...

Now we're back to where we started...why all the hubbub?

[dbtb135]

dbtb, that's the way the NFL works...you invest a 2nd round pick in somebody and you're going to give them more of a chance than somebody you got for a 6th/7th round pick...

Obviously. But the problem from there lies in drafting someone who wasn't even average on a low level college and expecting them to be the spark in your return game.

[Warthog]

Well I do, and Bennett is one of the smartest players on offense.  Smith has not looked better in pass protection or ball security than Bennett.

I haven't really been around the board for that long, so apologies in advance if you are some kind of Bucs insider who has secret info on what's happening in One Buc Place.

But I'm going to assume you're like the rest of us average joes.

You say you know Bennett is one of the smartest players on offense. How do you know this?  Everything I've read about him claims the opposite, not that I trust most of what I read in the media.  If he's a super smart guy who knows the offense like the back of his hand, that's great! But what's your evidence?

For my part, I look at his stats and see a decent ypc and two TDs last year (1 rushing, 1 receiving) and that says to me that he's a good backup. But I look at Clifton Smith's two games and I have to agree it makes sense for the coaches to see what he's got, because if he can back-up at RB as well as return kicks, he's instantly a little more valuable than a back-up RB who doesn't play special teams, ie Bennett.  Roster slots are valuable, fellas, gotta get guys who can help out in more ways than one where possible.

And considering Caddy has a possibility of returning, we need to evaluate all our RBs because if they want to activate him, it'll mean a tough roster decision. The clock's ticking on that one too, and perhaps the coaching staff thinks it knows plenty about Bennett already, based on him taking quite a few snaps last year and in preseason?

[finnbluebucs]

The one Bennett play which everyone remembers from the game was the pitch on 3rd and 2 where he got nowhere. In fairness to him, it was a horrible play call and the Defense had it snuffed completely. There was nothing at all that Bennett could do there.

[watson]

The one Bennett play which everyone remembers from the game was the pitch on 3rd and 2 where he got nowhere. In fairness to him, it was a horrible play call and the Defense had it snuffed completely. There was nothing at all that Bennett could do there.

PL,
How many times have you seen EG just plow into the guys when he is in that situation?  And in many cases he gets a couple of yards.  Or other players use their speed to try to get to the outside and make the defender have to try to stop them.  In this case he did neither.  He just danced around a little and then stopped.  When you are a backup, you only get so many chances to make an impression during a game.  I had hoped this would be his time to shine, but it didn't happen.