The PR Bucs Monday Mailbag is where PewterReport.com’s Mark Cook answers your questions from our Twitter account. You can submit your question each week via Twitter using the hashtag #PRMailbag.
Below are the questions we chose for this week’s edition of the PR Bucs Monday Mailbag. Read them over and offer up your thoughts in the comment section.
Question:I thought it was brilliant move that we went no-huddle most of game. We have many weapons on offense and they each need and deserve touches. My question is, do you think Bucs will continue to go huddle most of time?
Answer: I also liked the uptempo offense and it worked well when the Bucs used it. I think it is more conducive to use it in a dome than say at Raymond James in a September 1 p.m. game. It is a double-edged sword, obviously. On one hand it doesn’t allow the defense to substitute and also keeps them on their heels. The problem is, if you aren’t moving the football, and you are going three-and-out, then you are putting your defense in a really bad position.
I like how Monken used it on Sunday. Not every series, but when he felt he had a matchup advantage on the field or saw the Saints were a little gassed, he pushed the gas pedal. I do expect to see Monken continue to use it from time to time, but in a smart way.
Question: Does Fitz have a legitimate opportunity to taking Winston’s job? And if he does do you think the Bucs will move on next year from Winston?
Answer: If you would have asked me this question prior to Sunday I would have said, most likely not. But after seeing the offense hum in a way I have rarely seen in my over 40 years of watching Bucs football, it completely changes my thoughts moving forward.
Can Fitzpatrick keep up this pace and account for five touchdowns nd throw for over 400 yards week in and week out? That is highly unlikely. But if this team is 3-0 when Winston’s suspension ends, and Fitzpatrick continues this pace, how can you make a change? I think you would see a revolt in the locker room. And this team loves Winston, but this team wants to win and reach the postseason. You would like to think Winston would have put up similar numbers had he played on Sunday, however it would just be speculation at this point that it would have happened, but we know it did occur with Fitzpatrick under center.
I am not trying to put a damper on things, but I would like to see it happen again before I go all crazy that Fitzpatrick is the second coming of Dan Marino.
Question:Whats the chance RoJo gets a chance to play next week?
Answer: Unless someone gets hurt in practice this week, I would say there is little chance he plays. He isn’t going to get better in just three days of on the field work between now and Sunday. Shaun Wilson plays special teams and that is a valuable part of his game and why he is on this football team. And also why he was dressed on Sunday and Jones wasn’t. Scott Reynolds wrote on Sunday that if Jones has been a lower round pick he most likely doesn’t even make the team based on his preseason, and I agree with him.
Hopefully Jones will figure it out, and at some point this season one of the backs will most likely get banged up, opening the door for Jones to dress and get some touches. I mean it isn’t liked the Bucs reached for Jones. Many teams had a second round grade on him, and he wouldn’t have lasted a lot longer. But for whatever reason his development is taking longer than expected or hoped.
Question: Do you guys think Mike Smith’s scheme will be a problem against an Eagles team that excels in short to intermediate play calls (at least without Wentz)? Our problems defensively with the Saints stemmed from allowing the easy catch and throws and then missing tackles.
Answer: I have no idea really what the issues were on Sunday, but there were free receivers running all over the field. Yes, I know Drew Brees is one of the best, but it wasn’t like he even had to make that many difficult of throws. Injuries in the secondary played a part in the confusion, I hope that was part of the reason, but Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara caught a number of balls without a Bucs defender in sight. And had the Bucs had to give the ball back to the Saints at the end, I am not very confident that the defense would have been able to come up with a stop.
But Sunday is over, and now it is time for Mike Smith and his coaches to get the issues fixed, and fixed quickly. For all the good the area is feeling on Monday after the big win, it probably will all disappear next Sunday at 4 p.m. when the final whistle sounds if the Bucs have given up another 500 yards off offense.