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Premium – You have to respect Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith a great deal for this approach and mindset regarding his quarterback situation.
His Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 2-11, and he will start veteran Josh McCown at quarterback this week against the Carolina Panthers.
“Josh is our quarterback. He gives us the best chance to win. We’re not looking at guys. It’s like every other week. The guys that start are the guys that I think give us the best chance to win. That’s not going to change. Week 16 it will be the same way.’’
“It would be pretty hard to tell the guys “Hey, we’re looking to the 2015 season’. What I’ve talked to the team about is you come to work, you try win every week. So how could you do it any other way besides that? The future is not here right now. It’s the 2014 season and we feel like we can get some things accomplished. Within the organization, we’re all on board with what we’re going to do in these last games. If we look at someone, we feel like that gives us the best chance to win.’’
If Lovie Smith was in my presence right now, I’d kiss his ring.
His words are music to my ears.
When Rex Ryan announced, a few days after the Jets-Bills game that he was going back to Geno Smith at quarterback, I lost a little respect for respect for some people over at One Jets Drive.
This isn’t NFL Europe.
You owe it the players, coaches and fans to go out and try to win every week, not use NFL games as a petri dish to develop young quarterbacks.
That is why I have so much respect for what Lovie said.
And who exactly are Rex and John developing Geno Smith for? They both might get fired.
Honestly, do any of you think Smtih is going to be the Jets starting quarterback next year?
I don’t think a lot of you raised your hands.
So when you consider that Rex, John or both could be gone after this year, why are they doing this?
And honestly, Smith has the earmarks of a #2 quarterback.
Why aren’t the Jets just starting Mike Vick and trying to win games?
He had one bad start against Buffalo with terrible protection.
But he clearly gives the Jets a better chance to win. There was a different feel to this team in the Kansas City and Pittsburgh games.
“Michael Vick has added stability to the entire team,” said Solomon Wilcots.
“It’s a much different tone around the team with Vick under center,” said Spero Dedes
Hey, I know that some fans want them to lose out to get a better draft pick. I get it.
But my philosophy has always been – you do everything in your being to win every game, regardless of your record.
It’s an integrity issue to me.
So I can’t tell you how much more respect I gained for Lovie Smith when I read his quote today.
I always respected him.
Now I respect him even more.
December 10, 2014
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