bucs Report

Times staff

In Print: Sunday, October 16, 2011

---

Bucs vs. Saints

4:15 p.m., Raymond James Stadium, Tampa

Radio: 620-AM, 103.5 FM

Line/over-under: Saints by 5; 49½

By the numbers

0.5 Touchdown-to-interception ratio for the Bucs’ Josh Freeman, worst in the NFL

3 Consecutive games in which the Saints’ Drew Brees has thrown for at least 350 yards; no one in NFL history has had four consecutive

5 Consecutive games against the Bucs in which Brees has thrown for fewer than 300 yards (average of 240)

81 Consecutive games in which Bucs tight end Kellen Winslow has a reception

What they’re saying

Wow. Losing by 45 to a team that was averaging only 23 points over the first four weeks is a major concern, and it doesn’t get any easier with New Orleans on the docket two out of the next three games.

Brian Billick Fox Sports

If you’ve watched Josh Freeman and Mike Williams this season, you might be wondering if the key members of Tampa Bay’s passing game have lost their confidence. If you talk to the quarterback and wide receiver, you’ll quickly find out that’s not the case. In fact, the problem might be just the opposite. “This week, you’re going to see the old Mike Williams back,” Williams said. No one who talks in the third person can be accused of having a lack of confidence. Freeman’s not the type to go third person on you, but he’ll flat out tell you that having too much confidence has been part of the reason he’s already thrown as many interceptions (six) as he did all last season.

Pat Yasinskas ESPN.com

The picks

Weird stat of the weekend: While the Bucs have split their last four with the Saints, the oddity is that those two wins have come at the Superdome. Drew Brees must like the great outdoors. In Tampa, the Saints have won 38-7 and 31-6 in the last two years. Two reasons this one should be closer for the Bucs: embarrassment (after losing by 45 last week in San Francisco) and a better defensive line. It won’t be enough to hold down Brees. Saints, 30-23.

Peter King Sports Illustrated

This is a big early division game for both teams. The Bucs are coming off a horrible showing in San Francisco, but the Saints are playing consecutive road division games. That’s tough. The Bucs pushed the Saints around in a late-season victory in 2010, and I look for more of that here. The Bucs regroup for an upset victory as Josh Freeman gets it going after a bad game last week. Bucs, 24-23.

Pete Prisco CBS Sportsline

[Last modified: Oct 15, 2011 10:02 PM]

Click here for reuse options!

Copyright 2011 St. Petersburg Times

You must enable javascript to view and add comments.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Friday, September 23, 2011

---

Mike Williams

TAMPA — Mike Williams doesn’t need the praise of his opponents to confirm he has built a reputation among NFL defensive coordinators.

That fact is obvious each time the Bucs’ second-year receiver tries to escape the two defenders that often shadow him. In a weird way, that’s a compliment for a receiver.

After putting together a record-setting debut season in 2010, with a franchise rookie-record 11 touchdowns, stopping Williams is high on an opponent’s list of priorities. The result, on Sunday against the Vikings, was Williams finishing with one catch for minus-4 yards.

“When (defenses) go to Cover 2, the corner, instead of dropping down into his zone, he’s following me,” Williams said. “So, it’s like (there’s) a safety over the top and the corner’s coming, too. Even the ball that I did catch, I got hit by the safety, too. It’s always two defenders where I’m at. I just have to adjust to it. Hopefully we keep getting wins and whatever happens, happens.”

The Bucs did win Sunday in spite of their featured receiver’s lack of big numbers. That’s because, even without the ball in his hands, Williams is having an appreciable impact.

For instance, because Williams drew two defenders, other targets were available to quarterback Josh Freeman. Slot receiver Preston Parker had six catches for 98 yards. Tight end Kellen Winslow and flanker Arrelious Benn become threats in single coverage, too.

“I’ve been saying for two years that we have a good receiving corps,” said Williams, who had a 17-yard touchdown against the Vikings negated by a penalty. “If they double one guy, another guy is going to step up.”

That said, the Bucs aren’t the same team without Williams getting sufficient opportunities. He’s too big a part of their offense, catching 65 passes for 964 yards in 2010.

So, offensive coordinator Greg Olson is looking at a number of things to keep defenses guessing, because the Bucs expect other teams to follow the Vikings’ blueprint.

Among the options: putting Williams in presnap motion or lining him up in various spots at different times. Also, according to Olson, the plan is to keep Williams and Winslow on opposite sides of the field, thereby forcing the defense to make difficult choices. On Williams’ called-back touchdown, for example, the Vikings had opted to double cover Winslow, Olson said.

The coverages, and the Bucs’ approach, will vary from week to week.

“Some (teams) are going to challenge Mike (with single coverage), and it’s going to be up to him to win,” coach Raheem Morris said. “Some people are going to try to contain Mike, and then you have to try to move him around to different spots on the field. … It’s about getting him open, getting him more space and more opportunities.

“Then, at the same time, you might sometimes want to put him in one spot, let other guys do what they have to do and let the system work.”

Then there’s always going to be the occasional jump ball that Williams and Freeman combined on so often last season. Williams is adamant he can come down with a majority of them, even against two defenders.

“I feel like I’m going to be 90 percent on opportunity balls,” Williams said. “I tell Josh to go ahead and put it up. Throw right over his head, and I’ll go up and get it.”

And Williams is having an effect in the running game by throwing downfield blocks. One helped pave a path for LeGarrette Blount’s momentum-shifting, third-quarter touchdown against Minnesota.

Asked about it, Williams’ face lights up. The satisfaction almost makes up for the lack of catches … almost.

“It’s only frustrating when you lose,” he said. “When you get a win, it’s like, ‘Hey, whatever. I blocked great in the running game, so I’ll put that in my stats.’ That’s my personal high this week, getting those corners and safeties out of there.”

[Last modified: Sep 22, 2011 10:05 PM]

Click here for reuse options!

Copyright 2011 St. Petersburg Times

You must enable javascript to view and add comments.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Saturday, September 17, 2011

---

Bucs receiver Mike Williams catches a 47-yard touchdown from Josh Freeman off a play-action last season against the Cardinals.
	[DANIEL WALLACE | Times (2010)]

TAMPA — Bucs receiver Mike Williams made his share of big plays last season, but few were as effortless as his 47-yard touchdown catch against the Cardinals.

Williams streaked past single coverage and caught a tight spiral from quarterback Josh Freeman, crossing the goal line before he was touched.

It was the sort of play the Bucs have promised but didn’t deliver in Sunday’s season-opening loss to Detroit, when they had just one play longer than 20 yards.

But coaches and players insist big plays will come. And they’ll likely be a result of the very thing that let Williams score that easy touchdown in Arizona: play-action passes.

Every team uses it to varying degrees, but for Tampa Bay, the tactic is a basic tenet.

“That’s kind of our formula,” coach Raheem Morris said. “If you’re trying to get the formula for our offense, we want to run the football and be able to have some hard play action and throw the ball down the field and be able to get the ball in our playmakers’ hands.”

The Bucs have said all week they intend to get back to their offensive identity Sunday against the Vikings. For all the talent the Bucs have at receiver, they know those players can’t be as effective without consistent play action.

Play action, which involves a fake handoff to the running back and a “hard sell” by other players, can impact a defense in many negative ways.

“You see (defensive backs) jumping out of their coverage to go jump the run,” Williams said. “You end up, sometimes, with some wide-open routes. With play action, you have to have a good running game. You have to have (defenders) thinking, ‘I have to go down there and help.’ You see them jump and then you’re wide open. That’s what I love.”

But for play action to work, everything must come together. And there are many moving parts.

In a perfect world, here’s how it all works:

First, the running game has to be consistent and successful. Last season, LeGarrette Blount was the best thing to happen to the team’s play-action passing game. His battering-ram style required multiple defenders to make tackles, and often those extra defenders came from the secondary.

Once the running game is established, safeties begin to play closer to the line of scrimmage to support the front seven.

It’s pretty obvious when the running game is clicking, receiver Dez Briscoe said. “They start loading the box and you start to see the safety biting.”

When that happens, it falls on the receivers to take them out. Williams and Arrelious Benn are very skilled and willing blockers, a key element of the play action.

“When they’re out there taking out safeties, the safeties start looking at them because they don’t want to get hit,” receivers coach Eric Yarber said. “And they’re also looking for the run coming their way, too.

“Really, we’re setting them up.”

If the receivers prevent safeties from chipping in on run support, then it falls to the cornerbacks to help. All the while, coaches in the skybox watch the sequence and keep offensive coordinator Greg Olson abreast. When the time is right, he’ll dial up a play-action shot down the field.

“They’re watching, and they’re waiting (to use) that hard-sell play action,” Yarber said. “Once we go play action, Mike will come in and act like he’s going to hit the safety, but then he’ll go (run) a route. That’s why we call it hard-sell play action.”

If it all comes together, you get the result Williams got on that touchdown against Arizona: no safety and a cornerback trailing the play. All the ingredients were there that day. Blount ran for 120 yards, breaking numerous tackles. On Williams’ touchdown, Freeman used a fake handoff to Blount that, if only for a milli­second, froze the defense.

“When the quarterback sees dead feet, he’s going deep,” Briscoe said. “What I was always told is, when you’re even, you’re leaving.”

Without play action, however, the Bucs’ passing game won’t go anywhere.

Stephen F. Holder can be reached at sholder@sptimes.com.

[Last modified: Sep 16, 2011 10:24 PM]

Click here for reuse options!

Copyright 2011 St. Petersburg Times

You must enable javascript to view and add comments.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer

In Print: Saturday, September 17, 2011

---

Bucs receiver Mike Williams catches a 47-yard touchdown from Josh Freeman off a play-action last season against the Cardinals.
	[DANIEL WALLACE | Times (2010)]

TAMPA — Bucs receiver Mike Williams made his share of big plays last season, but few were as effortless as his 47-yard touchdown catch against the Cardinals.

Williams streaked past single coverage and caught a tight spiral from quarterback Josh Freeman, crossing the goal line before he was touched.

It was the sort of play the Bucs have promised but didn’t deliver in Sunday’s season-opening loss to Detroit, when they had just one play longer than 20 yards.

But coaches and players insist big plays will come. And they’ll likely be a result of the very thing that let Williams score that easy touchdown in Arizona: play-action passes.

Every team uses it to varying degrees, but for Tampa Bay, the tactic is a basic tenet.

“That’s kind of our formula,” coach Raheem Morris said. “If you’re trying to get the formula for our offense, we want to run the football and be able to have some hard play action and throw the ball down the field and be able to get the ball in our playmakers’ hands.”

The Bucs have said all week they intend to get back to their offensive identity Sunday against the Vikings. For all the talent the Bucs have at receiver, they know those players can’t be as effective without consistent play action.

Play action, which involves a fake handoff to the running back and a “hard sell” by other players, can impact a defense in many negative ways.

“You see (defensive backs) jumping out of their coverage to go jump the run,” Williams said. “You end up, sometimes, with some wide-open routes. With play action, you have to have a good running game. You have to have (defenders) thinking, ‘I have to go down there and help.’ You see them jump and then you’re wide open. That’s what I love.”

But for play action to work, everything must come together. And there are many moving parts.

In a perfect world, here’s how it all works:

First, the running game has to be consistent and successful. Last season, LeGarrette Blount was the best thing to happen to the team’s play-action passing game. His battering-ram style required multiple defenders to make tackles, and often those extra defenders came from the secondary.

Once the running game is established, safeties begin to play closer to the line of scrimmage to support the front seven.

It’s pretty obvious when the running game is clicking, receiver Dez Briscoe said. “They start loading the box and you start to see the safety biting.”

When that happens, it falls on the receivers to take them out. Williams and Arrelious Benn are very skilled and willing blockers, a key element of the play action.

“When they’re out there taking out safeties, the safeties start looking at them because they don’t want to get hit,” receivers coach Eric Yarber said. “And they’re also looking for the run coming their way, too.

“Really, we’re setting them up.”

If the receivers prevent safeties from chipping in on run support, then it falls to the cornerbacks to help. All the while, coaches in the skybox watch the sequence and keep offensive coordinator Greg Olson abreast. When the time is right, he’ll dial up a play-action shot down the field.

“They’re watching, and they’re waiting (to use) that hard-sell play action,” Yarber said. “Once we go play action, Mike will come in and act like he’s going to hit the safety, but then he’ll go (run) a route. That’s why we call it hard-sell play action.”

If it all comes together, you get the result Williams got on that touchdown against Arizona: no safety and a cornerback trailing the play. All the ingredients were there that day. Blount ran for 120 yards, breaking numerous tackles. On Williams’ touchdown, Freeman used a fake handoff to Blount that, if only for a milli­second, froze the defense.

“When the quarterback sees dead feet, he’s going deep,” Briscoe said. “What I was always told is, when you’re even, you’re leaving.”

Without play action, however, the Bucs’ passing game won’t go anywhere.

Stephen F. Holder can be reached at sholder@sptimes.com.

[Last modified: Sep 16, 2011 10:24 PM]

Click here for reuse options!

Copyright 2011 St. Petersburg Times

You must enable javascript to view and add comments.

It’s really hard to not like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2011.

For most of the franchise’s existence, they’ve existed only to lie down for the stronger, more accomplished teams in the league. But today, the Bucs are a young, talented, capable group that works hard for their charismatic coach, a bit of a young underdog himself.

It appears now that they’ve developing a little bit of swag, too. How else do you interpret second-year receiver Mike Williams saying, “We’re a young team, but we’re guaranteeing the playoffs”?

I love seeing that kind of statement. It wouldn’t be as endearing coming from an established veteran who’s been there before, but from Mike Williams of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Hell yes.

And I don’t love it because I think he’s right or he’s wrong, but because it’s a sign that the season’s about to start, and that start brings a wave of optimism for fans and players that’s only so commonly shared once a year. For the next six to nine days, everyone’s got a chance. Everyone believes.

As for this particular prediction, why shouldn’t Williams have that kind of confidence? The Bucs were 10-6 last year and just missed the holy land. Now they’re one year better. They’re one year more experienced. He absolutely should believe that the Bucs are playoff-bound.

Not that it’s relevant — I think the optimism is the thing to focus on here — but I disagree, and it has less to do with the Bucs than it does with their division. The Bucs are good, but the Saints and Falcons are among the elite. I can’t feel all that confident about a team’s playoff chances when they’re third best in their division.

But still, good for you, Mike Williams. Go make it happen, sir.

Related: , Tampa Bay Buccaneers