Freeman on starting

In his interview, rookie quarterback Josh Freeman appeared relaxed about his new job as starter. Whether promoting Freeman to start so soon was the right decision or not, time will undoubtedly tell. The Bucs are certainly a team that needs a spark. Freeman sees no reason why he can't be the catalyst to a new era for this young franchise.

"It was definitely one of those things where I don't feel comfortable sitting on the sideline," he said. "I'm in my element when I'm out on the field. But I also had to look at it like it's an opportunity to sit back and learn a lot of things. Working with [Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks] Coach [Greg] Olson, I definitely feel like I learned a lot and I feel a lot more comfortable in this offense.


"I've had the opportunity to watch it from a different point of view and see things unfold. I feel like I've really grown as a passer and also a leader on this team. [Now] it's a matter of settling down, letting the game come to me and making the throws I know I can make."

"My mindset right now is to prepare the best I can and go out and do what I do, which is play football and try to find a way to get a win," he said. "All that matters is the Green Bay Packers right now. We have a bye week and I have a little bit more opportunity to prepare for the Packers and what they're going to bring at us. It's one week at a time.

"This is definitely something I've been working towards and I finally get the opportunity to step out there and do something."

Freeman named starter

Buccaneers Head Coach Raheem Morris has officially announced that rookie quarterback and first round draft choice Josh Freeman will now start a week on Sunday against Green Bay. This will be Freeman's first start as quarterback, though his first NFL appearance was last Sunday in Wembley Stadium (which I saw).

Freeman was less than spectacular in his cameo appearance, being sacked twice and fumbling once. He completed two passes, one particularly showing a glimpse of his potential.

"He's going to go out there and it's going to help him," said Morris. "He'll get better. He has his center back in Jeff Faine. Some of these offensive linemen are healthy. Antonio Bryant's starting to get healthier and healthier. His running backs are coming along. You've got Derrick Ward, you've got Earnest at fullback, you've got Cadillac; it's time for those guys to step up.

"We went through the growing pains of the 0-7; now it's time for him to come in there and join his team and lead us."

"All the quarterbacks that have been in there have been subject to some other people not doing a great job for them as well," said Morris. "But now it's time to get Josh out there. You know you've got to run the right routes, be in the right spots. Everybody has to do the smart thing, you've got to block and protect the right way and you've got to get it all done together."

Morris continued, "It's up to the quarterback — he's the leader of the offense, he's got to get everybody going in the right direction and that's what he'll do. That's what he'll prepare to do, practice to do and play to do."

Time for Freeman?

Bucs QB Josh Johnson was benched in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 35-7 loss to New England, and Johnson was suprisingly candid about the fact that it might be a permanent move.

On the Wembley sideline, head coach Raheem Morris had some words of comfort for his young signal-caller. 

"I told him, 'You don't have to say anything. I understand,' " Johnson mused. "(It was) the same situation as Byron (Leftwich). If we don't win games, maybe Josh (Freeman) is going to play. I understood what was going on when I first was (named) the starting quarterback."

Morris has thus far been non-committal about which quarterback would play after next weekend's bye, when the Bucs continue the season at home against Green Bay.

"Josh is still our man, and I still support him," rookie Freeman said. 

Whether Morris does, however, is another matter.  

Fan Footage

Amateur Youtube video of the best moments of the day...

New England Patriots 35 - 7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs fall to 0-7 in London

Pics from Wembley Stadium

That pint cost £4, by the way. You can tell by my face I'm unimpressed.

London Calling

At 5pm, Sunday 25th October 2009, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take on the New England Patriots in the third installment of the NFL's "International Series".

I will be in the stand and will post a report following the contest. I use "contest" loosely, as the Bucs are 0-6 and facing a quarterback who threw six touchdowns in a 59-0 rout of Tennessee last week.

A victory here, on foreign shores, in a rather un-Florida like climate, does not bode too well for our Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

There's always upset potential, right?

Hello!

Hello there!

I'm a second-year sports journalism student at Staffordshire University, and this blog is part of my course.





I intend to keep the blog updated on all things Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League, United States. I have been following the Bucs for some years now and am attempting to apply some of my journalism skills (!) and provide a reliable, speedy source for news on the team.





Follow me @



Happy reading!