Bucs bench QB Leftwich, promote Josh Johnson

[Doomsday101]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers have benched starting quarterback Byron Leftwich and replaced him with second-year pro Josh Johnson.

Coach Raheem Morris announced the move Monday, a day after the Bucs fell to 0-3 while gaining just 86 yards total offense in a 24-0 loss to the New York Giants. Leftwich completed 7 of 16 passes for 22 yards and one interception.
Johnson played one fourth-quarter series, completing 4 of 10 passes for 36 yards and leading a drive that stalled on downs at New York's 5-yard line. He also finished as Tampa Bay's leading rusher, scrambling for a 15-yard gain on his only attempt.

Morris said he was not blaming the loss on Leftwich, but feels Johnson has earned a chance start Sunday at Washington.


Just in time for the Washington game. :laugh2:

 

[rexrobinson]

*smacks head*

Why did I pick Leftwich with my first pick in my FF league?

..........j/k

I don't think anyone is surprised by this. Might as well let the new kid get some experience.

 

[WarDaddy]

*smacks head*

Why did I pick Leftwich with my first pick in my FF league?

..........j/k

I don't think anyone is surprised by this. Might as well let the new kid get some experience.

Josh Freeman is the draftee. I don't know who Josh Johnson is. This sounds like a mistake honestly. If they are going to jump start the franchise then starting the guy (Freeman) who's going to start eventually makes more sense than starting the guy you hope will be a career backup (Johnson) for the guy you want to be the franchise guy.


How bad does Leftwich feel today? Man.

 

[Yeagermeister]

We will rue the day we didn't sign him as a backup.

 

[Doomsday101]

Josh Freeman is the draftee. I don't know who Josh Johnson is. This sounds like a mistake honestly. If they are going to jump start the franchise then starting the guy (Freeman) who's going to start eventually makes more sense than starting the guy you hope will be a career backup (Johnson) for the guy you want to be the franchise guy.


How bad does Leftwich feel today? Man.

Josh Johnson
Height: 6-3 Weight: 205 Age: 23
Born: 5/15/1986 Oakland , CA
College: San Diego
Experience: 2nd season

Josh Freeman
Height: 6-6 Weight: 248 Age: 21
Born: 1/13/1988
College: Kansas State
Experience: Rookie

 

[WarDaddy]

Josh Johnson
Height: 6-3 Weight: 205 Age: 23
Born: 5/15/1986 Oakland , CA
College: San Diego
Experience: 2nd season

Josh Freeman
Height: 6-6 Weight: 248 Age: 21
Born: 1/13/1988
College: Kansas State
Experience: Rookie

Saying I didn't know who he was (Johnson) was mean-spirited. I'd heard of him and saw a lil bit of him in preseason. The Tampa coach stated he viewed him as a career backup and he would be best suited embracing that role now. To promote him to starter two weeks later is short-sighted, to say the least. That is the mistake I was talking about. This may ruin his career altogether. If he doesnt pan out, you look like a fool going back to Leftwich and even worse putting in Freeman afterwards.

This move will be second-guessed unless Josh Johnson catching lightning in a bottle and if he really does, how would you justify benching him for Josh Freeman when you're not sure what you're going to get.

This might be the move that gets Morris canned prematurely. I would be surprised if he lasts beyond this season.

 

[joseephuss]

Saying I didn't know who he was (Johnson) was mean-spirited. I'd heard of him and saw a lil bit of him in preseason. The Tampa coach stated he viewed him as a career backup and he would be best suited embracing that role now. To promote him to starter two weeks later is short-sighted, to say the least. That is the mistake I was talking about. This may ruin his career altogether. If he doesnt pan out, you look like a fool going back to Leftwich and even worse putting in Freeman afterwards.

This move will be second-guessed unless Josh Johnson catching lightning in a bottle and if he really does, how would you justify benching him for Josh Freeman when you're not sure what you're going to get.

This might be the move that gets Morris canned prematurely. I would be surprised if he lasts beyond this season.

I think putting in Josh Freeman now would be a mistake. He isn't ready. He needs some more time to sit and learn from the sidelines. It doesn't matter if they leave in Leftwich or start Johnson. They could even sign someone else. It is better if Freeman just sat and observed for a while. Maybe at least half of the season.

 

[Doomsday101]

Saying I didn't know who he was (Johnson) was mean-spirited. I'd heard of him and saw a lil bit of him in preseason. The Tampa coach stated he viewed him as a career backup and he would be best suited embracing that role now. To promote him to starter two weeks later is short-sighted, to say the least. That is the mistake I was talking about. This may ruin his career altogether. If he doesnt pan out, you look like a fool going back to Leftwich and even worse putting in Freeman afterwards.

This move will be second-guessed unless Josh Johnson catching lightning in a bottle and if he really does, how would you justify benching him for Josh Freeman when you're not sure what you're going to get.

This might be the move that gets Morris canned prematurely. I would be surprised if he lasts beyond this season.

I did not take it that way. I thought it was a type o and they were referring to Josh Freeman. Do not know much about Josh Johnson.

 

[dbair1967]

And we made them look like a formidable NFL offense, they could have EASILY have had 500+ yards on us that day.

They had 4 offensive first downs yesterday. FOUR

 

[Benny Blue Boy]

Josh Johnson was a beast in college...maybe not so much in the NFL, we'll see...I am not a Josh Freeman fan at all, he's a real project and from what I heard didn't exactly blow them away in training camp. I thought Tampa would have been better suited upgrading that defense and waiting a year or two to nab a quarterback instead of IMO reaching for one...

 

[DIAF]

Leftwich wasn't even that bad overall. I mean, im sure this Josh Johnson kid is just as capable of sucking up the joint as Lefty did yesterday, but im also reasonably certain Josh Johnson won't get you 250+ yards and a couple of TDs like Leftwich can. I think Raheem Morris is an idiot, and he'll regret doing this.