Three weeks ago, I wrote an article defending Raheem Morris and advocating that he was the right person to continue coaching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Ending the season on a 10 game losing streak, the Tampa Bay Bucs fired 35 year-old Coach Raheem Morris on January 2, 2012
Wikimedia Commons

In the interim, without public support of ownership or on-the-field backing of his players, my lone voice was certainly not enough to prop up the beleaguered third year coach.

With the season ending on a frightful 10 game losing streak, on Monday, January 2nd, General Manager Mark Dominik bitterly relieved Coach Morris of his duties.

Though blame for the team’s failures can hardly be cast upon the 35 year-old, given the way the disappointing year unfolded, the Glazer family likely executed the only decision possible in these dire circumstances.

This move can only be commended if soon accompanied by wholesale roster changes. When a club sits a full $50 million below the NFL’s salary cap, there is ample room for such turnover. Yet, ownership has yet to display a willingness to its fans that they will make such bold moves.

If those moves do not follow, firing Morris is mere window dressing and not the gateway to building a team properly, for which fans of the Pewter Pirates yearn.

The 2011 Bucs’ roster featured an eye-popping 20 first or second year players. It must be noted that Raheem Morris did not make such risky decision. Furthermore, these competitors, many of whom were lower-ranked draft picks, often were forced to assume significant responsibilities, where they quickly displayed an inability to meet such a challenge. With a harsh schedule from modest success in 2010, and only a sparse checkbook provided by ownership, there was simply not enough veteran leadership to right the ship.

Admittedly, as the squad was embarrassingly outscored 203-88 during its final 5 games, such direction also did not come from its head coach. Through a multitude of missed tackles, lagging efforts, and prolific turnovers, the players made it apparent that they quit on their leader.

In the team’s final game against the division rival Atlanta Falcons, the Buccaneers even managed to fall behind 42-0 mid-way through the 2nd quarter. Such a notorious feat is not easy to accomplish in the NFL, even for the worst of teams. But it is a testament to an utter breakdown in the assembly of the club’s roster.

The necessary talent is not present, nor is the heart to win.

Only after getting beyond those issues, do problems with the coaching staff truly come to mind.

With Raymond James Stadium rarely full and football fans alienated throughout Tampa Bay, signing a new coach can inject some hope into the franchise. From that standpoint, firing Morris was a move that ownership had to make. However, given their track-record, I would caution Buccaneers’ fans to keep tempered expectations.

Let’s hope that changing the coach does not prove to be the highlight of off-season makeovers of this franchise—for this cast of misfits does not need a new tailor, it cries out for a completely new wardrobe.

Source:

Yahoo! Sports

More by Jeff Briscoe from Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Do Embarrassing Efforts Mean End of Morris’ Era in Tampa Bay?

Jeff Briscoe is a writer from Florida who covers sports for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and the Fort Myers Examiner. A loyal Tampa Bay Bucs fan, his favorite sounds include the firing of the cannons at Raymond James Stadium.

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The streak continues. Despite a rare sell-out of Raymond James Stadium and an appearance on national television on Saturday night, December 17, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were not inspired to play for a greater cause.

Despite a packed house, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost their 8th consecutive game on December 17, 2011
Wikimedia Commons

In the humiliating 31-15 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys, the Bucs showed no desire to fight for the beleaguered future of their head coach or their own precarious jobs in 2012 and beyond.

Unlike several prior losses during the current 8 game losing streak, the team was not doomed by turnovers during this disappointing loss. With only a single fumble, it was not costly miscues that sabotaged a shot at victory.

Instead, the Bucs performed like an incapable squad, possessing little means to move the ball or stop its movement on defense.

And such inabilities were all exposed during a pathetic first 30 minutes of Saturday night’s football game. Disappointing in their last home contest of the season, the Pewter Pirates managed just one first down in the entire opening half—even that was dependent on a quarterback keeper by Josh Freeman.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys came out on fire and the Bucs’ defense could do little to stem the tide. Tony Romo dissected the porous secondary, spreading the ball evenly to his top weapons. At the same time, poor tackling again enabled a running back to accrue over 100 yards, as they yielded 108 to backup Felix Jones and 53 to third-string Sammy Morris.

Trailing 28-0 at the half, Tampa Bay did manage to score 15 points in the 3rd quarter, with one touchdown coming on defense through a short fumble recovery.

Most disheartening about the defeat is that it appears the Bucs have quit on Coach Raheem Morris.

Few expected this 4-10 team to upset a strong Cowboys club fighting for the playoffs. However, fans were hoping the team could play competitively and show appreciation for a packed house.

In fact, with reports swirling of Morris’ job in jeopardy, it should not have been unrealistic to expect these young players to stand up for the head coach that has consistently stood up for them.

But they did not. The team was yet again hamstrung by plays that reflect a lack of effort, including penalties, missed tackles, dropped passes, and more.

Nothing better indicated this tendency than a horrific example of the Tampa Bay’s woes mid-way through the 4th quarter. Down 31-15, the Bucs had the ball and were within a touchdown and an on-sides kick of possessing a prayer. With the drive stalling, the team’s hopes boiled down a 4th and 13 play.

With everyone aware that Freeman would look long, wide receiver Michael Spurlock ran a pattern down the right sideline. Seeing the ball coming, a Dallas safety approached and positioned himself for a hit on Spurlock to prevent the catch.

However, something funny happened on the way to the football. Spurlock too noticed the safety’s approach and, thinking only of avoiding the hit, the wideout embarrassingly stopped running the route.

The ball arrived and nobody was there to make a play.

That was just fine for the Cowboys. But it clearly reveals that parts of this team has already quit. They will not make the extra effort. They will not take the hits. Spurlock bailed on the route, much like this squad halted its own development mid-way through the 2011 season.

Coach Morris firing may indeed prove a self-fulfilling prophecy. Yet Bucs’ fans have little hope that a substantial improvement will be forthcoming.

This organization has major problems to tackle. Finding players that can tackle sadly included.

Source:

Yahoo! News

More by Jeff Briscoe from Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Firing Raheem Morris Not Answer for the Bucs

Jeff Briscoe is a writer from Florida who covers sports for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and the Fort Myers Examiner. A loyal Tampa Bay Bucs fan, his favorite sounds include the firing of the cannons at Raymond James Stadium.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

By the numbers

11 Interceptions the Bucs’ Josh Freeman has thrown on passes of 11 yards or more this season, according to ESPN.com.

3-11 Bucs’ regular-season record against the Cowboys.

147.2 Passer rating of the Cowboys’ Tony Romo in two games against the Bucs. He is 38-of-56 (67.9 percent) for 659 yards, eight touchdown and no interceptions.

61/2 Sacks for Bucs end Adrian Clayborn, tied for third with the Redskins’ Ryan Kerrigan among rookies and behind only the 49ers’ Aldon Smith (101/2) and the Broncos’ Von Miller (11½).

1987 The last time the Bucs, riding a seven-game losing streak, lost eight in a row during one season.

370 Points allowed by the Bucs, fewer only than the Colts (382).

What they’re saying

The Bucs were one of last year’s surprises with Raheem Morris a candidate for coach of the year. Now they’re a surprise again … a sad one … and Morris is a candidate to make it three straight for Florida NFL coaches in search of an off ramp. Based on what I saw (Sunday), he should be. Not only did the Bucs lose to a miserable Jacksonville team, they committed seven turnovers and allowed an opponent that hadn’t scored more than 21 points in any game to put up 41. The Bucs can’t put people in the seats, and now I understand why. They stink.

Clark Judge CBSSports.com

Simply put: The Bucs aren’t having a good season. But Cowboys fans shouldn’t mark this game with a big W just yet. Tampa is a scrappy bunch of players. And while the Bucs are in the midst of a seven-game losing streak, they have remained competitive in most games.

Jason Henry Fort Worth Star-Telegram

The picks

I’m guessing 40 to 50 percent of the fans at the Pirate Ship will be Cowboy fans, and that’s good for the Bucs. Maybe the Dallas cheering will drown out the calls for Raheem Morris’ job. Cowboys, 37-17.

Peter King Sports Illustrated

The Cowboys are in a spot where they can’t afford another loss. The Bucs are just hoping for a victory to snap their seven-game losing streak. Can’t see that happening. Dallas will put up some good offensive numbers against a Bucs defense that is struggling. DeMarcus Ware spends the night in the Tampa Bay backfield. Cowboys, 28-15.

Pete Prisco CBSSports.com

It’s that special time of year again, that period when the Cowboys start feeling charitable and begin giving away football games. Giving up two TDs in the final three minutes against the Giants will probably result in another giveaway — the division title. Cowboys, 20-13.

Gerry Dulac Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Bucs’ horrid run defense allows 6.1 yards per carry. Yet somehow, the Tee Bees will cover. Cowboys, 23-17.

Greg Cote Miami Herald

Tonight: Bucs vs. Cowboys

8:20, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa

TV/radio: Ch. 38, NFL Net.; 620-AM, 103.5-FM

Line/over-under: Cowboys by 7; 47

By Brendan Porath

– Newsdesk contributor

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Dec 14, 2011 – The Dallas Cowboys, coming off two straight last second missed field goal losses, come stumbling into Raymond James Stadium in Week 15 looking to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are beyond the stumbling stage, however, as their season continued to spiral last week in Jacksonville in a seven turnover 41-14 loss that extended their losing streak to seven games.

Fighting for their playoff lives, Dallas has lost two games in a row in the most excruciating fashion – losing to Arizona when their own coach iced their kicker, and losing to the Giants after a blown fourth quarter lead and last second missed field goal. The Buccaneers are simply playing for pride at this point. Last week, Josh Freeman returned from a shoulder injury and the Bucs jumped out to a 14-0 lead. But seven turnovers led to 41 unanswered Jacksonville points, highlighted by four Maurice Jones-Drew touchdowns.

The game is scheduled for a Saturday night primetime broadcast on NFL Network, as the college football season closes and cedes the Saturday stage to the NFL. The Saturday night game will be Tampa’s final home game of the 2011 season. Could it be the last time we see Raheem Morris pace the sidelines for the Bucs at Raymond James Stadium?

For more news, discussion, and analysis on the Buccaneers, visit SB Nation’s Buccaneers blog, Bucs Nation. For more on the Cowboys, please visit SB Nation Dallas and Blogging the Boys, SB Nation’s Cowboys blog. 

Read More: Josh Freeman (QB – TAM), Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Last week, this column described the then upcoming meeting with the Carolina Panthers as a litmus test for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Though both teams are far removed from playoff consideration, the game was significant for the Bucs because of the dire ramifications of home loss to a struggling 3-8 team.

Losers of 6 consecutive games, the wayward course of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers appears doomed like a sinking ship
Jeff Briscoe

Sadly, not only were the Buccaneers defeated, but the 38-18 drubbing on December 4, 2011 was a stinging low point of an already bitter 2011 season.

In the home team’s defense, they competed without top quarterback Josh Freeman(notes), who was held out due to shoulder and thumb injuries. However, Freeman’s forgettable stats through 11 games might have otherwise suggested this was an opportune time to see what Josh Johnson(notes) could do.

While the backup signal caller achieved only minimal success guiding the team’s offense, he was hardly responsible for yielding 38 points to the Panthers.

Instead, the Bucs performed miserably as a team and all aspects of the franchise—from coaching to leadership to talent—must be questioned.

In looking at their 2011 schedule, there is no question that Tampa Bay faced a daunting challenge to match its surprising 10-6 record from last year.

However, while losses to teams like the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints are certainly understandable, the lack of hustle, ill-conceived play calling, and general inability to execute against weaker teams at home is entirely unforgivable.

In a results-oriented NFL, the loss to the Panthers at Raymond James Stadium results in the harsh receipt of an “F” on Sunday’s litmus test.

Quite simply, it is no longer fair to contemplate difficult scheduling, unfortunate injuries, or bad breaks—and that is because the Buccaneers resemble a flat-out bad team.

As a sports fan, I rarely sugar-coat negatives for my favored teams and cannot do so here. The Bucs have chosen to rebuild through a youth movement that emphasizes potential over experience. The 2011 season suggests that this plan is not working.

In moving the ball, despite the benefit of a solid offensive line, the Bucs lack any cohesive identity. Offensive coordinator Greg Olson is a holdover from the prior coaching staff and his decisions certainly must be challenged. At times noncommittal to the run, at other times reluctant to pass vertically, Tampa Bay often seems dedicated solely to its kicking game.

On defense, much trust has been placed in largely unproven starters like Quincy Black(notes) and Aqib Talib(notes), players who appear to specialize only in missed tackles. Furthermore, as one of the league’s most penalized units, the Bucs racked up another 9 infractions for 73 yards on Sunday. Such mistakes invariably provide opponents too many chances for success.

While the building blocks may be in place at certain positions, the undisciplined squad has not responded well to the lack of on-field leadership or the presence of a players’ coach in the locker-room.

Nothing symbolized these woes better than Coach Raheem Morris’ decision to eject Brian Price(notes) from the field against Carolina following a bone-headed personal foul that erased a 3rd and long. As the hefty defensive tackle removed his helmet and headed for the showers, I wondered if another dozen or so could follow.

As the Bucs complete the last quarter of a disappointing 2011, huge questions loom for the coming off-season. They begin at head coach and conclude only when reaching the last man on the roster. Fans hope better answers await than the frustrating inactivity of the recent past.

Source:

Yahoo! Sports

More by Jeff Briscoe from Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Buccaneers Face Distressing Litmus Test

Tampa Bay Looks Young, Not Hungry

Jeff Briscoe is a writer from Florida who covers sports for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and the Fort Myers Examiner. A loyal Tampa Bay Bucs fan, his favorite sounds include the firing of the cannons at Raymond James Stadium.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.