Week 11 QB projections   •  TB Stats

QB Josh Johnson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

HT: 6-2, WT: 213, Born: 5-15-1986, College: San Diego, Drafted: Round 5

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Stats and Week 11 Projection

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Week 11 Matchup Info

Game Summaries

Week 3 vs NYG - Johnson finally got the call when Byron Leftwich took 40 minutes to convert one first down, and he looked ready for it. He was very dangerous the one time he broke the pocket, and Johnson put exactly the right arc on an intermediate and a long touch pass to the outside - the long pass drawing a pass interference call. Johnson displayed courage hanging in to take a hit to convert a fourth-down throw. He was comfortable running the offense until he got to first and goal, when he became a little anxious and seemed to throw with a little too much velocity.

Week 4 at WAS - Johnson looked every bit the part of a player making his first NFL start. He wasn't patient in the pocket (although the Redskins did get good pressure at times), he was too eager to pull down the ball and run, and he was executing a very low risk, limited game plan. On the plus side, he put the ball in the perfect spot on his first NFL TD pass to Antonio Bryant and set it up with a nice play action fake. Johnson displayed his ability to keep plays alive with his athleticism. He seemed comfortable running the no huddle at the end of the first half, and showed the ability to break tackles on the run. Johnson was intercepted when he didn't read DeAngelo Hall peeling off his shallow coverage to come underneath a deep route, and he should have been intercepted again on a miscommunication. His running ability still makes him an intriguing desperation flyer at QB, but it's clear that the offense will be very conservative with Johnson at the helm.

Week 5 at PHI - Johnson did very well in the face of a ton of blitzes from the Eagles in Week 5. Johnson was blitzed at least 20 times and possibly as much as 50% of his passing attempts (he threw 50 times) but used his agility, speed and quickness to elude the Eagles as much as possible to escape within and then quickly out of the pocket. Johnson did not do what most mobile young quarterbacks would do in those situations -- he chose to continue to look down field for possible receivers. He did run on occasion, tucking it under and rushing five times including a long 29 yard rush where he avoided several would-be tacklers. Johnson's numbers would have even been better if he had more reliable outlets as only TE Kellen Winslow Jr. did much with their chances. Drops continued to plague the Buccaneer receivers, costing Johnson a shot at a 300-yard performance. Look for Johnson to continue to make plays on offense next week against Carolina.

Week 6 vs CAR - Johnson looked comfortable leading this team. He was not afraid to throw deep, or into coverage. When he had time to make plays, he made them. Early in the game, his line gave him plenty of time, and he was almost always able to find an open receiver. On occasion, he reminded us that he was a rookie -- for example, when he overthrew a wide open Sammie Stroughter in the red zone. Johnson had great scrambling ability, and often fought for the extra yard to get the first down. He also played smart under pressure, showing veteran-like poise at times, which won't show up in the box score or his fantasy line, but bodes well for the future. For example, he got out of his own end zone to avoid giving up a safety as the pocket collapsed, instead of making a desperation throw that could have been intercepted. Ultimately, Johnson's inconsistency cost him: his fumble and interception were too much to overcome, and led to a narrow defeat.

Week 7 vs NE - Johnson was blitzed heavily all day. His first interception (which was returned for a touchdown) was a direct result of making a bad throw under pressure. His strength is in improvising, and he made a nice completion to Cadillac Williams while scrambling. For the most part, Johnson made good decisions under pressure, and doesn't get rattled after a turnover or a dropped pass. Despite these good qualities, the bottom line for Johnson is that he is inconsistent. He completed a perfect over-the-shoulder pass, deep to Antonio Bryant for a TD, for example. But for every play like that, there was an equally poor one that killed a drive. That, and his receivers are wildly inconsistent as well. Not the best combination. His third interception was the result of a Hail Mary pass to end the first half.