While Lovie Smith has yet to name Mike Glennon as Tampa's long-term starter under center, the Bucs coach sounds pleased with the progress of his young quarterback.
Smith on Monday specifically pointed to Glennon's fluid movement in the pocket and ability to throw on the run in Sunday's tight loss to the New Orleans Saints. We saw Glennon do exactly that on a pretty 34-yarder to Vincent Jackson.
In a collapsing pocket, Glennon escapes the fray and rolls to his left while keeping his eyes downfield. The throw he makes across his body -- leading Jackson perfectly for a big chunk of yardage -- should be recognized for what it is: a lob plenty of pro passers can't make on a regular basis.
"You have routes drawn up and they're supposed to go a certain way but, you know, you can get off the script fairly quick sometimes," Smith told WDAE-AM in Tampa on Monday, per JoeBucsFan.com. "And when a quarterback goes scrambling, you have to get open as much as anything. Of course, Mike scrambled around and threw a great play to Vincent Jackson, a great lob pass after he kind of broke off the route."
Glennon's footwork on the play compelled Lovie to compare the second-year arm to one of the era's defining playmakers on the ground.
"You know, you didn't think I would say that about Mike moving around and keeping a play going like that," Smith said. "He looked like Michael Vick running around on that play."
With Josh McCown still nursing a thumb injury, Smith acknowledged Monday that the "odds are" Glennon will make his third straight start Sunday against Baltimore. There's no reason to sit the hot hand.
While McCown's tape has been a disaster, Glennon moved the ball well in the second half of a stunning road win over the Steelers and did the same against New Orleans. It's time for Lovie to make a permanent switch to the quarterback who gives Tampa a better chance to stay afloat in the NFC South.
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