Quote:I'm not going to outright say that tanking is common but I will say the entire division had a chance to screw the Colts out of the #1 pick that year that Luck came out and the Jaguars came out firing on all cylinders.

 

The Colts had three straight divisional games at the end of that year and the Texans and Titans lost theirs and had the Jaguars lost theirs, the Rams would've had the #1 pick and we'd be talking about whether RG3 will ever play another down with the Indianapolis Colts again. It sort of bothers me thinking about it.

I'm not saying tanking is common in the NFL. Often the talent at the top of an upcoming draft class is not worth it. Most teams are not in a position to benefit much from tanking in any given year. But in a class where there is a guy considered to be a franchise QB at the top, I submit there is minimally a temptation to ensure your access to that guy.


This quote from Lovie Smith is extraordinary...



“The second half, we wanted to look at some more football players. I think that’s not out of the realm of possibilities, to look at some other guys. We’re not going to the playoffs and we have a comfortable lead and we’re going to run the football.

“One win wouldn’t have helped an awful lot. We’re going to feel better when we’re winning our division. Until then, we don’t feel good about a lot except for knowing our roster a lot better and knowing the direction we need to go. If we had won today, we would’ve felt better about this game, but the season as a whole, that’s not where we want to be.’’


This one from Demar Dotson...a Bucs player who played in that game...sheds more doubt on the inviolate nature on week 17 winning...


 "I don't think we were trying to hand the game away. I hope not. Whatever they call, that's what we try to go out and make the best out of it.’’

 

If the team was dead set against tanking, Dotson didn't seem convinced here.

 

"But it was just my imagination...runnin' away with me...."

---