Homey the Coach accuses us of cheating

[Zodiac]

If you remember back during the Spygate allegations a few years ago, another claim that emerged was that the Patriots were sabotaging opponents’ headsets during key moments in games. Since the home team has control over stadium communications, such a move would not be a surprise. Guess what? It sounds like the Atlanta Falcons employed the same maneuver.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the Falcons 27-21 on Sunday coming back from down 27-14. Late in the 4th quarter the Bucs drove inside the 10 and had a 3rd and 3 at the four yard line. They handed to LeGarrette Blount who gained two yards, making it a 4th and 1 at the two. If you saw the action or the video replay, quarterback Josh Freeman didn’t receive the communication from the coaches and didn’t know what play to call for the critical moment. He wound up burning a timeout with a few seconds left on the playclock and the offense had to reset. They wound up handing off to Blount on 4th and 1 and got stopped, but what’s interesting is what Raheem Morris is saying a day later.

The Tampa Bay coach says there was some funny business going on at that time. Rick Stroud reported on twitter that “Bucs coach Raheem Morris says the coach to QB radio ‘mysteriously,’ went off in ATL after one play near the goal line, forcing a timeout.” I don’t doubt the truth of his allegation based on what we saw.

Is it a dirty practice? Yes. Do most teams do it? You bet. Does it make it right? No. But it sure as heck is part of the reason why homefield advantage is such a big deal in football. Oh yeah, it also must be pointed out that radio communications had nothing to do with the Bucs losing; they lined up against the Falcons and needed just one yard on a 4th and 1 and got stuffed. They didn’t deserve to win after that stop.

Homey the Coach.

[sdogg]

I hate that coach and TB even more. Hey Morris, dont write checks your boys cannot cash. Be a professional HC and keep the trash talking to a min.

[Skippymcgee666]

Embarrassing display by bucs coach and article writer.

There is not a single...A SINGLE piece of evidence to support that claim.

Quit whining no name bucs coach and move on

[Faithful Falcon]

[sdogg]

and he claims most teams do it...I wonder if TB is one of those teams that have done it? Hmmmmmm

Sounds to me like he knows from experience.

[dmite]

Maybe it had something to do with the crazy amount of noise coming from the stands.

[Falcon Freddie]

Now do you see why I'm delighted that Raheem Morris is the Bucs' head coach? The Bucs are not going to be champs with this clown at the helm.

[slamee101]

I'm gonna give him the benefit of the doubt and say he didn't really say that until I see it somewhere else. If so, I've actually lost respect for him. I didn't have a problem with him claiming they were the best...just trying to get his young team motivated. They played a good game on Sunday...but if he's crying foul after they lost on that BS...SMH.

[=abrahamburger=]

I don't get how this is compared to Spygate, even if it is true. They took a timeout, got their play together, and failed.

This is on Raheem and the OC. You have a sasquatch QB that is mobile and you don't run play action? I fully expected Freeman to go over the top... not Blount off tackle when we had two extra DT's on the line.

Sorry Raheem, this is RetardGate and it's all on you. What a crybaby.

[Ga_spider]

All I got to say is that a first down doesn't give you six points. Tick tock tick tock

Edited November 8, 2010 by Ga_spider

[Shiney_McShine]

Freeman had trouble all game getting the offense lined up before the play clock expired. Numerous times the ball was snapped with one second left....One or two times it was at zero. It was a problem all game for them, so to suggest it was an unsavory act by the Falcons is sour grapes.

[john_winger]

They are the best team in the NFC. I doubt anything like that could have affected them. LOL!

[sdogg]

I don't get how this is compared to Spygate, even if it is true. They took a timeout, got their play together, and failed.

This is on Raheem and the OC. You have a sasquatch QB that is mobile and you don't run play action? I fully expected Freeman to go over the top... not Blount off tackle when we had two extra DT's on the line.

Sorry Raheem, this is RetardGate and it's all on you. What a crybaby.

Exactly! They keep talking about how clutch Freeman is in the last minutes of the game and they take the ball out of his hands. Should have let Freeman have the option to run or pass.

As Im typing this, NFL lIve is showing the highlights of the game and its all TB highlights. The only plus they mentioned on the Falcons was the 4th down stop.

[phattywankenobi]

What a joke. Anyone who was there could have told you there was no way he could have heard anything inside of his helmet because of the crowd noise. It's happened to Ryan too be he and Smitty didn't go cry about it afterwards.

I guess when a coach realizes his team is only 8th best in the NFC he needs to blame someone else.

[fly_falcon_fly]

Wow ! I can't believe this ! Is that article real or some message board posters blog?

[sdogg]

Freeman had trouble all game getting the offense lined up before the play clock expired. Numerous times the ball was snapped with one second left....One or two times it was at zero. It was a problem all game for them, so to suggest it was an unsavory act by the Falcons is sour grapes.

Yep. There was at least 1 time when the clock ran down to zero and then the ball was snapped. But of course the refs didnt pay attention to it.

[fly_falcon_fly]

Wow, is this guy for real?

[HASHBROWN3]

Didn't Raheem embarrass himself w/ "the best team in the nfc" comment enough already? Now he's making claims his a$$ can't back up again. This is good for us. Soon, his team will be wondering when their coach will stfu. It might soon get the attention of the mgt and the owners as well. Just take ur medicine like a good boy and keep ur crying to yourself. Its not the man-up type thing to do rawham.

[aPureTerror]

Aww poor thing.

[BlacksburgHokie]

If the coaching staff has no hand signals to communicate that they want a dive play up the middle on 4th and short, that's bad planning on their part. Football is a game of adversity and if you can't handle something as small as a radio headset failing, then perhaps you don't deserve to win the game...

[=abrahamburger=]

Exactly! They keep talking about how clutch Freeman is in the last minutes of the game and they take the ball out of his hands. Should have let Freeman have the option to run or pass.

As Im typing this, NFL lIve is showing the highlights of the game and its all TB highlights. The only plus they mentioned on the Falcons was the 4th down stop.

Bingo. From what I've heard about the NFL Network (Deion, Dukes(?), and others) I'll opt to find streams online for free. They already get my money through tickets and merchandise. That's enough.

And NFL Live still lets Trent Dilfer talk... so much for them too.

[sdogg]

Didn't Raheem embarrass himself w/ "the best team in the nfc" comment enough already? Now he's making claims his a$$ can't back up again. This is good for us. Soon, his team will be wondering when their coach will stfu. It might soon get the attention of the mgt and the owners as well. Just take ur medicine like a good boy and keep ur crying to yourself. Its not the man-up type thing to do rawham.

Yeah, I feel we will be running on all cylinders by the time we meet them again. We need to destroy them in their home.

[slamee101]

Wow ! I can't believe this ! Is that article real or some message board posters blog?

That's what I'm saying...that's why I'm reserving judgment until this comes from some other source.

[HASHBROWN3]

Raheem is rubbing off on his QB too. Did anyone notice Josh whining after each event that didn't go his way?? Also, if Ryan's communication was cut off, everyone knows Ryan is the cerebral player that is perfectly capable of calling his own shot in that situation. Clearly Freeman is not...

[cyofish]

The Falcons got a first down with less than a minute left. We ran out the clock with one kneel down after we got the first down. Even if the Bucs had one timeout left and was able to stop the clock, the Falcons would have ran out the clock after the second kneel down (instead of the first).

Bottom line, Bucs would have gotten the ball back if they could have kept Turner from getting a 1st down, but they couldn't even knowing the ball was going to Turner on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Simply put, the Falcons was the better team.

That's the problem with a young HC. They don't have the maturity to handle a loss. He should just be happy that he only lost by 6 points because of our special teams breakdown. The game wasn't that close.