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Don’t Sleep on Josh Freeman

September 25, 2010 by Palmer Sucks

Don�t Sleep on Josh Freeman

Don�t Sleep on Josh Freeman

Pre-Game Special

September 24, 2010

 

 

In my last commentary I suggested the Tampa Bay QB was so obscure, I didn�t even know his name. I was kidding, of course. No, Josh Freeman certainly is no household name, but he is someone the Stiller D would be wise not to underestimate this Sunday.

 

Not quite ready for prime time, Freeman is nevertheless one of the up-and-coming QBs in the league. At 6� 6� and 248 lbs., he�s a Big Ben clone -- to a point. Like Ben, Freeman�s size and strength make tackling him a tall order; likewise, he�s surprisingly agile for his body weight. Like Ben, he can buy time with his legs and extend plays. Already he�s shown the ability to give defenses fits.

 

But that isn�t all that�s impressed me with Freeman. Check out his numbers below:

 

 Career Stats

 

Passing

 

Rushing

 

Sacked

 

Fumbles

 Season

Team

G

 

QBRat

Comp

Att

Pct

Yds

Y/G

Y/A

TD

Int

 

Rush

Yds

Y/G

Avg

TD

 

Sack

YdsL

 

Fum

FumL

 

 2009-10

Tampa Bay

10

 

59.9

159

291

54.6

1857

185.7

6.4

10

18

 

30

161

16.1

5.4

0

 

20

102

 

9

2

 

 2010-11

Tampa Bay

2

 

95.0

29

52

55.8

360

180.0

6.9

4

1

 

6

77

38.5

12.8

0

 

3

13

 

0

0

 

 Career

12

 

65.2

188

343

54.8

2217

184.8

6.5

14

19

 

36

238

19.8

6.6

0

 

23

115

 

9

2

 

 

 

So far, Freeman�s raised his game in his second year, avoiding the sophomore slump experienced by such �greats� as Joe Flacco. His passer rating�s flown up a stunning 35 points, and he�s notched a superb 4-to-1 touchdown/interception ratio. He�s also compiled a more than respectable 6.9 YPA.

 

That�s the good news for the Buccaneers. The bad news is, he�s facing a defense that�s worlds apart from Cleveland�s and Carolina�s. That sets up the key to the game: the Stiller D�s ability to stop the run, then confuse Freeman with fronts and coverages he�s never before seen. Freeman may resemble Ben physically, but his lack of Roethlisberger�s big-game experience should bring him down � even when pass rushers fail to.

 

Yes, Freeman will be tough to tackle. But as the game wears on, the Stillers can do to him what they did to Chris Johnson: take the game out of him. The Stillers will have to be wary of Freeman, plus Tampa�s top-notch special teams. The Stiller D and kick-coverage units will be called on again to win the game, considering this is yet another week of Stiller offense not quarterbacked by anyone named Roethlisberger.

 

One other note: the Stiller O-line will enjoy a huge size advantage over the Bucs� front seven this week. This might be the game where the running backs really break out.

 

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