BUCS’ SEASON COMING APART AT THE SEAMS
Everything ’s falling apart for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Consider Monday’s developments:
The NFL suspended Bucs star
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receiver Mike Evans one game after he hit, from behind and at ramming speed, defenceless New Orleans cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who was engaged in a tete-a-tete with Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston following a play near the sideline.
That Evans wasn’t ejected for the horrific hit is hard to believe and rendered Saints head coach Sean Payton livid. Never mind the Evans hit was in retaliation for Lattimore swatting away Winston’s arm after Winston tapped Lattimore from behind along the sideline. Evans should feel lucky he’s gone for only one game without pay. That he was so frustrated as to do something so egregious speaks to the state of the team and its leadership.
Earlier in the game, Winston
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reinjured the sprained AC joint in his right throwing shoulder that has been bothering him for a month. On Monday, head coach Dirk Koetter announced Winston won’t play for “a couple weeks,” to rest the shoulder. Journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick will get the start Sunday against the New York Jets, one of seven teams that employed Fitzpatrick.
Koetter appears to be losing
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control of his team. And the side of the ball he’s in charge of has underachieved. That should concern him. Koetter hasn’t been getting anywhere close to the most out of his super-talented offensive playmakers. Sore shoulder or not, Winston has on too many occasions this season tried to force knucklehead throws.
Maybe worst of all, the Bucs’
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defence has been absolutely awful. Koetter’s friend, defensive co-ordinator Mike Smith, has a whole lot less to work with on his side of the ball, talent-wise, but no one thought the Bucs’ defence would be this porous.
So, what now? Seen before this season as one of the NFL’s upand-coming powers after coming off a promising 9-7 record in 2016, the Bucs instead have been a massive disappointment nearly every week. They’re 2-6 and alone in the NFC South cellar.
If Koetter isn’t on the hot seat, he ought to coach as though he is. His bosses, the Glazer brothers, aren’t exactly the most patient in the league. Since firing Jon Gruden after the 2008 season, ownership tends to fire head coaches every two or three years.
HERO: JARED GOFF, RAMS
He absolutely rocked it in New York, throwing for 311 yards and four TDs in just three quarters as the Los Angeles Rams pasted the hapless Giants 51-17. Even cynical doubters have to buy what Goff and the Rams are selling, an undeniably powerful offence that can contend into January.
STOCK UP: JACOBY BRISSETT, QB, COLTS
In the event Andrew Luck’s shoulder malady impacts Indy’s 2018 season, too, maybe the Colts have something here with Brissett, the second-year passer they acquired just before the regular season from New England. In the Colts’ 20-14 win at Houston, Brissett went 20-of-30 for 308 yards, two TDs and no picks and showed more comfort in the pocket and made big plays when needed.
STOCK DOWN: BLAIR WALSH, PK, SEAHAWKS
We figured Seattle’s off-season decision to dump Stephen Hauschka for yips-struck former Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh was gonna bite the Seahawks in the backside at some point, right? Said chomp occurred Sunday, when Walsh pulled wide left three makable first-half field-goal attempts, from 39, 44 and 49 yards out.