Published: Monday, December 21, 2009
Buccaneers’ Freeman bounces back
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Ted S. Warren / Associated Press
Buccaneers rookie quarterback Josh Freeman threw two touchdown passes in Sunday’s game.
SEATTLE — Two of Buccaneer quarterback Josh Freeman’s first three passes hit Seahawks safety Deon Grant in the hands.
It was the dream scenario for the Seattle defense. Bad team, struggling rookie quarterback, home crowd amped up.
Then, just as has happened so many times this season, everything fell apart. Playing against a Tampa Bay offense that hadn’t scored a touchdown in three weeks, the Seahawks managed to surrender touchdowns on consecutive drives in the third quarter as the Buccaneers scored 24 unanswered points in a 24-7 victory at Qwest Field.
The 21-year-old Freeman was making his seventh NFL start and had thrown eight interceptions and no touchdowns in his last two games while posting quarterback rankings of 36.5 and 12.1.
And on Sunday it looked like he was heading for another rough game after completing just 5-of-12 passes for 61 yards and an interception in the first half.
In the second half, however, Freeman outplayed Seahawks Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and led the Buccaneers to just their second win of the season.
“Josh came back today and bounced back,” Bucs coach Raheem Morris said. “He threw the pick early. He was able to calm himself down, which he wasn’t able to do last week.”
Freeman completed 11-of-14 second-half attempts for 144 yards and two touchdowns.
“Honestly I’m not exactly sure yet,” cornerback Kelly Jennings said when asked what changed in the second half. “We have to take a look at it. He was just able to make plays when they needed them in the second half.”
The Buccaneers were also helped by their run game, which accumulated 78 second-half yards.
“Whenever you can run the football you help a young quarterback,” Morris said.
The Seahawks defense wasn’t helped by the fact that Hasselbeck turned the ball over five times, but that’s something they should have been able to overcome according to their coach.
“That happens and you have to be able to respond,” Seahawks head coach Jim Mora said.
But instead, rather than see a veteran defense respond to adversity, those in attendance saw a rookie quarterback make adjustments and lead his team to victory.
“We have to do our part and we have to get off the field,” middle linebacker David Hawthorne said. “We had a bunch of opportunities to get off the field and we let some things get by us. We blew a couple of assignments and stuff like that, and that’s the result.”
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more Seahawks coverage, check out the Seahawks blog at heraldnet.com/seahawksblog
It was the dream scenario for the Seattle defense. Bad team, struggling rookie quarterback, home crowd amped up.
Then, just as has happened so many times this season, everything fell apart. Playing against a Tampa Bay offense that hadn’t scored a touchdown in three weeks, the Seahawks managed to surrender touchdowns on consecutive drives in the third quarter as the Buccaneers scored 24 unanswered points in a 24-7 victory at Qwest Field.
The 21-year-old Freeman was making his seventh NFL start and had thrown eight interceptions and no touchdowns in his last two games while posting quarterback rankings of 36.5 and 12.1.
And on Sunday it looked like he was heading for another rough game after completing just 5-of-12 passes for 61 yards and an interception in the first half.
In the second half, however, Freeman outplayed Seahawks Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and led the Buccaneers to just their second win of the season.
“Josh came back today and bounced back,” Bucs coach Raheem Morris said. “He threw the pick early. He was able to calm himself down, which he wasn’t able to do last week.”
Freeman completed 11-of-14 second-half attempts for 144 yards and two touchdowns.
“Honestly I’m not exactly sure yet,” cornerback Kelly Jennings said when asked what changed in the second half. “We have to take a look at it. He was just able to make plays when they needed them in the second half.”
The Buccaneers were also helped by their run game, which accumulated 78 second-half yards.
“Whenever you can run the football you help a young quarterback,” Morris said.
The Seahawks defense wasn’t helped by the fact that Hasselbeck turned the ball over five times, but that’s something they should have been able to overcome according to their coach.
“That happens and you have to be able to respond,” Seahawks head coach Jim Mora said.
But instead, rather than see a veteran defense respond to adversity, those in attendance saw a rookie quarterback make adjustments and lead his team to victory.
“We have to do our part and we have to get off the field,” middle linebacker David Hawthorne said. “We had a bunch of opportunities to get off the field and we let some things get by us. We blew a couple of assignments and stuff like that, and that’s the result.”
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more Seahawks coverage, check out the Seahawks blog at heraldnet.com/seahawksblog
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