packersfan
Footballguy
Mortensen had a column on his blog today where he talked to a number of NFL insiders to get their opinions on the Bucs' poor start. It's an Insider column so I can't link or reprint it here but many of the remarks placed the blame squarely on Gruden. Here are some excerpts:
On Simms having so many passes batted down: "The guy runs a lot of quick game, a lot of three-step and five-step stuff and everybody knows it," said one personnel man.
"Everybody talks about the clock in a quarterback's head, but defensive linemen have their own clock, too," said a defensive coordinator. "Especially with (the Bucs), you see three-step, you teach your guys to get their hands up. Even in the five-step, if you don't have the penetration, get your hands up."
Steve Young also said Simms wasn't helped by having a light workload in the pre-season.
No use of the shotgun: "Almost all of those West Coast (coaches) have been slow to adapt with the shotgun but most of them have adapted," a personnel man said. "Gruden is one of the few who won't. When you've got an offensive line that is shaky, you have to create some space occasionally for your quarterback with the shotgun. He doesn't believe in it."
On Gruden hurting Simms' confidence: "Gruden is brutal," said a GM. "His body language is the worst in the league. Everybody sees it. The way he treats that kid on the sidelines is a disgrace. Sure, he did it with (Rich) Gannon but Gannon was a veteran and he dished it back. I don't care how tough Simms is, what Gruden has done in two games is a clinic on how to break a quarterback's confidence."
Said another GM: "It's one thing to ride your QB in practice but how can a coach expect a guy to keep his composure in a game when the coach can't do it himself?"
On the lack of a running game: "Gruden abandons it way too quickly," said a personnel man. "Maybe he ought to see what Brad Childress is doing in Minnesota. That guy gets it."
On Simms having so many passes batted down: "The guy runs a lot of quick game, a lot of three-step and five-step stuff and everybody knows it," said one personnel man.
"Everybody talks about the clock in a quarterback's head, but defensive linemen have their own clock, too," said a defensive coordinator. "Especially with (the Bucs), you see three-step, you teach your guys to get their hands up. Even in the five-step, if you don't have the penetration, get your hands up."
Steve Young also said Simms wasn't helped by having a light workload in the pre-season.
No use of the shotgun: "Almost all of those West Coast (coaches) have been slow to adapt with the shotgun but most of them have adapted," a personnel man said. "Gruden is one of the few who won't. When you've got an offensive line that is shaky, you have to create some space occasionally for your quarterback with the shotgun. He doesn't believe in it."
On Gruden hurting Simms' confidence: "Gruden is brutal," said a GM. "His body language is the worst in the league. Everybody sees it. The way he treats that kid on the sidelines is a disgrace. Sure, he did it with (Rich) Gannon but Gannon was a veteran and he dished it back. I don't care how tough Simms is, what Gruden has done in two games is a clinic on how to break a quarterback's confidence."
Said another GM: "It's one thing to ride your QB in practice but how can a coach expect a guy to keep his composure in a game when the coach can't do it himself?"
On the lack of a running game: "Gruden abandons it way too quickly," said a personnel man. "Maybe he ought to see what Brad Childress is doing in Minnesota. That guy gets it."
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maybe chrissy should fake a hand injury when the going gets tough and he can't handle pressure... he has good practice at that. 
