Josh Johnson Named Starting QB

[Dubious1]

Good luck JJ, hope he does well!

 

[Blake]

Josh Johnson > Tim Tebow.

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

Josh Johnson > Tim Tebow.

Really? wow guess I'll get to know him soon enough..

 

[Blake]

Passing? God yes. Speed? God yes. Popularity? <Censored> no.

I love Tebow, don't get me wrong, but I know for a fact he will not be a NFL QB for more than a season.

 

[420]

Why not just start Freeman?

 

[Giantmetfan07]

From what I've heard, they don't feel that Freeman is ready. They wanna give him time to i guess learn or w/e.

The original plan was this:

If Leftwich was starting, Johnson was backup.
When they felt Freeman was ready, Johnson would back up and Leftwich would drop to #3 on depth chart.

 

[Blake]

LOL @ Freeman starting.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

Yeah. Freeman was a fifth round pick, kinda not exactly who you'd want to start if you got a guy in front of him.

 

[Blake]

/sarcasm?

 

[.loggie]

Freeman was a first round pick, it was JJ that was fifth round.

 

[Blake]

I wonder if he kno... *scracthes head*

 

[Blake]

WR ANTONIO BRYANT
(On what qualities Johnson brings to the job)
"The most dangerous thing about the young guys is just that, you don't know what they're capable of doing. But just surrounding him with all the positive things that we can bring as veterans – making the catches for him, making the tough catches for him, being in place, running the right routes – that will make this job a lot easier for him. You look at your guy in Atlanta [Matt Ryan]; those receivers made his job easier because those guys ran good routes and they made great catches. They made him more confident to throw those balls, or to feel like they could fit a tight ball in a little hole. It's just a matter of going out and playing with him."

QB JOSH FREEMAN
(On if he thought this might be his opportunity to start)
"I have no idea. That's management's call. All I can do is come to practice every day, give my best and prepare my best."

(On how much further along he is in being ready to lead the offense)
"I feel a lot better. There are a lot of calls that took some getting used to, but right now I definitely feel comfortable that if they need to throw me in I can go in and be successful."

(On what he's learned from Leftwich)
"Just how he prepares, the attitude he brings. Byron showed me a lot about being a quarterback in this league."

(On how confident he would be if he got the opportunity to start)
"I have a lot of confidence in my abilities. Week-in and week-out I feel myself growing as a quarterback in this offense. Definitely my confidence is growing and I feel comfortable going in and playing."

QB JOSH JOHNSON

(On how the starting quarterback assignment sunk in during the past couple of days)
“The first day it was more of excitement with the opportunity that I am receiving to play. For me, it’s been going on almost three years since I actually played a whole football game. I’m just excited to be out there with the guys, finally, in a real game for a whole game. That was for the first couple of days. Now, it’s back to normal, back to business, getting ready for the Redskins.”

(On the most important thing going into the game)
“I have to just not get too far ahead of myself. I have to just follow the game plan, trust our coaches, trust my teammates, which I do, and just get out, execute, move the chains and try to get us a win, help get us a win.”

(On how he prepares for his first full game in three years)
“That’s what the offseason is important for, the training, the preparation, because it carries over into the season. I worked really hard in the offseason, physically, so I can be really in shape. When you are in Florida in this heat, you really have no choice but to be in shape or you might pass out. I’m not really stressing over that too much. Conditioning wise, I think I’m pretty well conditioned. I remember everything I used to do. I kind of follow the same rituals anyway because you never know when you are going to be called upon. I just try to approach it the same way.”

(On how the offense expands with his skills)
“Obviously, I am a tad bit more mobile than Byron [Leftwich]. Byron stands in the pocket and he makes great throws down the field. He throws the long ball, probably the best I’ve ever seen. A lot of the stuff will be pretty much the same because I can make the throws that Byron made as well. We just kind of build upon what we kind of already established on offense, try to score more points and win the game.”

(On if he has been getting a lot of advice from different people)
“Outside, yes. The only advice that really matters is what I get in this building. Everybody is going to want to tell you something now but I’m going to trust the guys and the coaches that I’ve been trusting. They got me to this point right now. I’m going to trust my teammates. You take advice from the veterans who might have been in my shoes before and might have experienced what I’ve experienced. You kind of let that sink in. You are going to get advice from everywhere but it is kind of pick and choose of who you get it from.”

(On what Byron is telling him)
“He is just telling me to just go out and do what I do best. He has been around me for the past couple of months now so he knows how I play, how I prepare and how I go about playing the quarterback position. He was like, ‘You’ll be fine.’ If he sees something on film that happens today, he’ll give me a quick reminder. But that’s what he was doing even as a starter. That’s how he is. I just kind of get help from him and even Josh [Freeman]. He watches film just as much as us. I take all that in that matter.”

QB BYRON LEFTWICH

(On him still being there for Johnson even though he isn’t under center)
“Yes, that was part of my job. When I came here, I understood that. We have very young quarterbacks and guys who have things that I’ve seen that I can pass on to them because I’ve been in the situation that they’re going to be in. The only thing that has changed for me is not taking the snap. I’m not taking the snap and he’s taking the snap but I’m still going to be there to help the guys out.”

(On his biggest challenge)
“I don’t think it’s going to be a challenge besides getting that anxiety to want to play. Besides that, I don’t think it’s going to be too much of a challenge. It is difficult because you want to be the guy that they are playing. But at the same time you understand that the whole team, if you say that we are truly a team, it is our job to do what we can. I can’t control the decision they made.”

C/G SEAN MAHAN

(On how it changes to snap the ball to a new quarterback)
“It really doesn’t. He’s been in the system, he knows everything, it’s going to be the same calls. It doesn’t really change too much. Josh just gives us a different dynamic because he is a great athlete.”

(On Johnson not giving up on plays)
“Absolutely. At anytime, he can break a long run. He is a great athlete, he can get out of the pocket. He gives us a little different aspect to our passing game so we are definitely going to stay on our blocks because we know he can just take it up the middle, easily tear off a run for 20 yards or more.”


T JEREMY TRUEBLOOD

(On QB Josh Johnson)
“People gravitate towards him. People want to follow him, that’s what you want in a quarterback. Like I said, he is probably one of the smartest guys on the team especially when it comes to football. I feel more than confident in his abilities.”

(On throwing only one interception during a single season in college)
“I saw his college stats and they are ridiculous. That has to say something. I don’t care who you are playing against, that’s pretty impressive.”

(On how much Johnson has grown since his rookie year)
“He came in and you could see his skill set. I think just his overall demeanor, how he carries himself, how comfortable he feels. It’s night and day.”

RB CARNELL WILLIAMS

(On what stands out about Johnson)
“The guy is a confident guy. He definitely believes in his ability. He is great with his feet and legs. He can run the route and he has a great arm. What I was impressed by was how he approached the game. This whole season, this year, last year, he still came in and approached the game like he was going to play. Now it is his time and I think he will take full advantage of it.”

 

[Giantmetfan07]

Freeman was a first round pick, it was JJ that was fifth round.

right, got that mixed up. Two Joshes was screwin me up as I was writing the first post haha.

Thanks for the correction.

I still think they at least should give Johnson the chance. Freeman deserves it, but maybe Management has seen something in practices and training camp that we don't know. The media only has access to so much of what goes on during practices.

So it's hard to tell. We assume that Freeman is the first rd pick, hes the future, and that he should step in. But maybe the coaching staff doesn't like his adjustment to the game and doesn't want him to get rocked. Maybe he's got a confidence problem or something... idk.

 

[footballplaya52]

I've been riding his dick since day one.

me and my buddy are big Johnson fans.

he has the quickest god-damn release I've seen, and he's accurate as <Censored>.

gay!

lol

 

[Blake]

Sorry GMF, Freeman is not deserving of the position.

He was <Censored>ing awful in the pre-season, and hasn't been what we (tampa fans) think he should be.

 

[Whisper]

I'm glad JJ's getting the starting job. Only reason he's under the radar is because of where he came from, but the kid can play. He led TB to their best offensive drive last week as soon as he got on the field. When you're good, you're good. JJ's about to get his, might be a rough start, but he'll get his.

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

I hope he does become something because Tampa always has lacked a good QB it seems like. Brad Johnson took them to the Superbowl but I think the defense was the main contribution to that team.

Tampa has always been known for their defense, well, this year thus far they both suck, not good. They'll be back eventually I'm sure. Hopefully Sabby becomes a John Lynch.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

Sorry GMF, Freeman is not deserving of the position.

He was <Censored>ing awful in the pre-season, and hasn't been what we (tampa fans) think he should be.

Aaron Rodgers wasn't sacked once in the preseason... so to me that doesn't mean too much.

I mean, Leftwich had like 18 yards or sumtin last week, so exactly what warrants a "deserving" of the job. Doesn't take too much. He's your first rd pick, the future of that team -- hopefully -- so you'd like to see him get time in there, even if he gets rocked. I mean, so did Eli when he started out...

im not siding with Freeman, I'm on JJs side. I think it's his job to lose at this point, i just dont think he is "ready" in the eyes of the management. What I meant earlier was he deserves it as much as Leftwich or JJ does, but hasnt earned it because he hasnt proven he can take the job.

Worded very bad... yes I know. Been a long day with little coffee.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

I hope he does become something because Tampa always has lacked a good QB it seems like. Brad Johnson took them to the Superbowl but I think the defense was the main contribution to that team.

Tampa has always been known for their defense, well, this year thus far they both suck, not good. They'll be back eventually I'm sure. Hopefully Sabby becomes a John Lynch.

Ya i remember the first year they had Superstar mode in Madden NFL games. I think it was like 05 or 06. My brother was a WR for the Bucs. He quit because he never got the ball because Brian Griese was the QB.

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

That's the thing that gets me.... Tampa has a solid offensive line now with good WR's and RB's but yet don't have a QB to do anything.... Kills the entire offense....