Has Lovie Smith Brought His O-Line Woes to Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
By Erik Lambert
Aug 8, 2014; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh McCown (12) is sacked by Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Chris Clemons (91) during the first half at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
Sometimes certain coaches have stigmas next to their names that are hard to shake. For Lovie Smith it seems he can’t buy a break on offensive lines.
Josh McCown gets taste of what Jay Cutler endured in Chicago
From the very beginning Smith tabbed veteran Josh McCown as his quarterback for at least 2014. That isn’t a surprise considering how well the 35-year old played last season for the Chicago Bears, Smith’s former team. What the veteran coach neglected to remember is McCown threw for 1,800 yards, 13 touchdowns and just on interception because he experienced solid pass protection all season.
That was not the case in the preseason opener as he was harassed from the very start by the Jacksonville Jaguars. All told their front collected three sacks on the evening and forced McCown to throw a pick-six touchdown that was ultimately the difference in the game. It had to given Smith flashbacks to his later years in Chicago, watching his former quarterback Jay Cutler take hit after hit behind porous offensive lines. In fact for the last three years he coached there, the Bears allowed no fewer than 44 sacks per season.
Alex Boone interest should not surprise Bucs fans
So it was no surprise Love Smith didn’t waste much time seeking answers to his problem. He benched starting guard Jamon Meredith and is sifting through his roster for other possibilities. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers front office is also trying to help. Word surfaced recently that the team is very interested in a possible trade for San Francisco 49ers guard Alex Boone. A massive 6’8″ and 300 lbs, the 27-year old Boone in the midst of a contract dispute that has seen little progress with his current team. If the 49ers can’t reach any sort of common ground, a trade is likely. Adding a veteran in his prime like Boone would be a huge boost for the Bucs and take heaps of pressure of Smith’s offense.
Lovie has shown throughout his career he can coach defense, but when it comes to the simple task of protecting his quarterbacks, the bad luck continues.