Fennelly: So much rides on Lovie’s QB decision 
“We’re just excited about putting it all together and competing, and having our offense merge with our defense,” said Bucs coach Lovie Smith. Published: January 12, 2014 at 09:26 AMTAMPA — It has been a Lovie Fest. The 10th head coach in Bucs history is ahead on all scorecards. Even if there were such a thing as East German judges anymore, they’d be for Lovie Smith.Now, about the offense and the quarterback …Legitimate questions, and not because Jeff Tedford has coordinated as many NFL offenses for as many NFL snaps as I have. It’s more a feel thing, and I’ve felt all along that Lovie’s second time around here will go only as well as his offense does — and his quarterback.We looked for encouraging road signs during and after Smith’s introductory news conference Monday.Instead, there were some blinking red lights.Like when Lovie said, “We’re just excited about putting it all together and competing, and having our offense merge with our defense.”Or when he said he didn’t think the NFL “has changed a lot.”Or, my least favorite: “To me, if you play great defense, you can win eight games,” Lovie said. “If you have special teams along with that, you can win 10. But you have to have great defense and takeaways, along with special teams, you can win about 10. From there, you need offense.”Offense merging with defense?From there you need offense?Worried yet?Weren’t defense and “running the ball” what Greg Schiano talked about the day he was hired? Isn’t the old From There You Need Offense mentality one reason Tony Dungy was fired from here? Or part of why Lovie was let go in Chicago?Then again, Lovie nearly did the same with Rex Grossman. And he brought then-cutting-edge offensive guy Mike Martz to Chicago. One season, the Bears had the second-ranked offense in football, way ahead of any of Dungy’s Bucs teams. And Jeff Tedford is a quarterbacks guy.But go back to something else Lovie said, right after “ … From there, you need offense.” He said:“Right now, in the playoffs, it’s a lot about the quarterback now — ‘We’re an evenly matched team, and we need that guy to do something there.’ ”Bingo.Check out the postseason matchups this weekend: Brees at Wilson, Luck at Brady, Kaepernick at Newton and Rivers at Manning.Then there are the Bucs.I’m not sure Mike Glennon is the answer.I’m not sure Lovie is convinced, either, though he has said some very nice things about Glennon. I want to think Lovie is open to any or all ideas at QB.So much rides on it.Lovie looks at the NFL today and sees nothing different. He says, “You look at the final four of the NFC, you have Carolina. How are they winning football games? Defense, running game, big-play ability in the passing game. Seattle. How is Seattle? Defense. Takeaways. Don’t belittle takeaways.”Yes, Seattle and San Francisco have ferocious defenses and running games. And Cam Newton is doing a heck of an impression of Bucs Ball quarterbacking.Still, where Lovie sees defense and special teams, some of us see offense, some of us see quarterbacks.You have one or you don’t.Look at the conference. Look at the division. Look at the playoffs.You have one or you don’t.OK, back to the Lovie Fest ...
Be average.. or be good to possibly great?Tough.
Be average.. or be good to possibly great?Tough.
Who is going to make us good to possibly great?
So much rides on Lovie’s QB decision
You can't get anything past this Fennelly fella.
Wait a minute...you mean to tell me we have a question mark at the QB position? By all means, tell me more.
"One season, the Bears had the second-ranked offense in football,"That's not true. What they had was the second ranked scoring offense, thanks to short fields from their defense and the addition of Devin Hester. But their offense was actually ranked 15th, right at average. It was by far the best offense Lovie would ever field. Only one other time during his nine years did the offense make it out of the bottom quarter, and even then just barely.
HE'S GOING TO BRING IN REX GROSSMAN!!!!!
"Lovie Smith’s offense was never ranked higher than 15th in Chicago, based on the traditional NFL rankings. Fennelly is referencing the Bears scoring the second-most points in the NFL in 2006, their Super Bowl season. However, that number includes a whopping eight touchdowns from the Bears defense and special teams" http://www.joebucsfan.com/?p=105437#more-105437
The Bucs won it all with Brad Johnson. They can do the same with Mike Glennon. All he has is upside and years of opportunity. BJ was one and done. Glennon gets 2014 to show what he can do with a healthy team, a better scheme, and decent coaching. There are a few pocket passers around that are considered elite. Maybe Glennon can improve under more favorable conditions. I don't see the advantage in starting over with another rookie.
Certainly going to be the main topic of this offseason, no doubt about it. Going to be tired of reading about it sooner rather than later.As Fennelly (capt obvious) has written, it does reek of alarm bells about the offense, but I would make the counterpoint say that Lovie isn't sharing the plan devised by him and Tedford this last year... Smith doesn't brag, strikes me as a guy that just proves it and plans extensively (just like Tedford.)I'd go so far as to say hazarding a guess they already know what QB they are going to go after... or at a minimum how this biggest hole in our team is going to be addressed.JMHO.
FWIW - Lovie ALSO said this..."...From there, you need offense.” He said: “Right now, in the playoffs, it’s a lot about the quarterback now — ‘We’re an evenly matched team, and we need that guy to do something there... ”
soon to be followed by... "I think Mike Glennon can be that guy for us."
So much rides on Lovie’s QB decision
You can't get anything past this Fennelly fella.
Probably one of Tampa Tribune's best columnists for the Bucs.
"East German judges" jeez, is Fennelly 60? x)
Be average.. or be good to possibly great?Tough.
Who is going to make us good to possibly great?
Manziel.Although, my original answer, your mom..would be pretty good too.Look, idk who would really. All I really know is that glennon, for whatever worth he has, cannot be allowed to be the only qb worth a damn on this roster.Imvho, we need to draft one, hope for better, but if the new guy sucks, we can always go back to average glennon. But to not try for a better qb is ..well, not trying.
