“They Could Be Ahead In Some Areas”
April 10th, 2015
New Bucs might be ahead of returning Bucs
Perhaps nobody had a bigger learning curve in the Buccaneers defense last year than Alterraun Verner. Joe’s not going to use the term “lost,” but Verner struggled with the radical transition from his days in Tennessee.
So it’s no surprise that Verner is pumped up by Tampa Bay’s offseason moves in 2015.
The key additions, Bruce Carter, Henry Melton, Sterling Moore and Chris Conte, all have played in the old school Tampa-2 defense. They won’t have to go through what Verner did.
“The learning curve is not going to be too much for them. In fact, they could be ahead in some areas,” Verner said on WDAE-AM 620 this morning. “That’s going to be crucial so we don’t have to take a step back.”
Verner went on to say he grew up with Conte and believes the safety’s talent is underappreciated. He also called Carter a “game changer.”
Joe found it noteworthy when Verner said the newest Buccaneers could be ahead of returning Bucs in some areas. That telling take reveals just how challenging Lovie’s defense can be initially.
Although there’s always the flipside, like when frustrated Ronde Barber said the 2014 Bucs were playing the simplest defense possible and are just repeating their mistakes.
April 10th, 2015 at 3:17 pm
Please…after last year ..lets not sell any crap…keep your mouths shut and play winning football….
April 10th, 2015 at 3:29 pm
I’m optimistic that 2015 will be a better year than 2014, but … reluctant to get my hopes up too high again. Just breaking even with an 8-8 record would be a major step forward.
Far too many new faces (free agents and rookies?) at too many positions. History says that some will work out, some won’t.
Nevertheless, my guess is that Bucs fans will see a higher quality of football than we’ve seen for the past several years. Two or three very good drafts and we could be a contender again.
April 10th, 2015 at 3:32 pm
none of the new players are clear upgrades. every star has to align correctly for them to be improvements not to mention most need to overcome their prior injury histories. if carter was a game changer he would still be a cowboy. don’t tell me salary cap. dallas keeps the players they want all good teams do. he is changing positions. he has no consistent history at mlb so we are all hoping and praying he does well. again instead of paying for production they are praying for production and for injury prone players to stay healthy. sorry but i am done being fed bs from this organization. year in and year out we win the off season yet suck balls on the field each and every sunday. standards need to be raised and Lovie needs to shut up and coach or get out of the way.
April 10th, 2015 at 3:39 pm
Defense should look MUCH better out of the gate this year. Man the Bucs Defense was like a horror show the 1st few games last year. It improved immensely though and was playing pretty good ball the last half of the season.
Reasonably solid D and better play from the Offense should result in quite a few more victories this year. The addition of Koetter and Winston alone should constitute a major difference in this team’s abilities to compete and win games.
April 10th, 2015 at 3:43 pm
I remember having a discussion last season about players needing to completely learn Lovie’s system and the Tampa 2 before we starting seeing improvements on defense. Some people could understand that but wondered what would happen once we let go of some of our players who were already trying to learn the system and replace them with brand new players new to the system. We would have to spend another year trying to learn the system all over again right? So what was Lovie’s answer? Target guys who are familiar with his system and the Tampa 2. Never thought of doing that, but it is a good idea and hopefully it will pay off.
April 10th, 2015 at 3:46 pm
I love when fans tell the players to keep their mouths shut. You do realize that they have to do interviews right? Do you also realize that if they don’t do interviews, this here website wouldn’t have very much content? You sound like a cranky old man that just loves to complain.
April 10th, 2015 at 3:49 pm
The defense will be better, they won’t have a lot of stars, but will play much better as a team defense. A middle of the pack defense is much better than what we saw last year. I agree with the moves to pick up players with knowledge of the system, true they are not flashy ProBowlers but sensible choices.
April 10th, 2015 at 3:55 pm
Hawaiian
If the legendary Lovie Smith would do his job and win some games instead of setting false expectations and spewing laughable on the verge quotes I wouldn’t be such a grumpy old man. I admire your patience sir. I enjoy your posts us grumpy old guys just want wins and stop with excuses.
April 10th, 2015 at 3:58 pm
And grumpy is preferred over cranky. We wouldn’t want pc police to get offended. I guess the crackheads association were offended that cranky was to close to crank
April 10th, 2015 at 4:04 pm
Top 10 defense last 10 weeks of the season. Just keep doing that; draft Winston and O-line (sign a FA or 2 as well); and the product on the field should be dramatically different.
April 10th, 2015 at 4:06 pm
Tmax – we all hope to be less grumpy this year. That comes with seeing tangible progress and wins. Ya gotta admit though – Winston is a hell of a consolation prize for the suck of last year.
I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if Koetter and Winston help spark a real turn around in this team’s fortunes. Koetter was a good hire. Go ahead – you can admit Lovie made a good personel decision there.
April 10th, 2015 at 4:09 pm
HaoleBucFan….I love it when posters tell what other posters should say or think…smells of a liberal progressive to me…
April 10th, 2015 at 4:13 pm
Pickgrin
Hopefully you are correct. If Lovie does not interfere with Koetter I’ll will then give him credit for hire. Winston is a huge get. Needing 4 starters on oline is down right scary. I’m trying to buy in but history is not on lovies side.
April 10th, 2015 at 4:36 pm
Joe, what’s your opinion on Jameis Winston’s own attorney making the statement that Winston is not ready to be an NFL player off the field?
April 10th, 2015 at 4:42 pm
I dont buy any of this it takes years to learn Tampa2….sounds like a bunch of excuses for bad coaching and preparation.
Lovie needs 6+ wins this year to keep his job…I firmly believe he will be fired if he repeats last year….rookie QB or not.
April 10th, 2015 at 4:45 pm
Football is not computer engineering……its about spacing and knowing your assignment…..AV looked really lost at times.
Mitch- You should know by now that all negative JW topics are not covered here……they make excuses or passes…while they place their blindfold on.
April 10th, 2015 at 5:11 pm
I’m aware that Joe would be content with Tampa drafting Jameis Winston. I don’t know that facts of his off the field antics, but I know the media likes to exaggerate/spin in order to generate the most revenue- so the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. With that being said Joe here has been pretty fair when reporting on the kid. I’ll say that I believe the kid has the passion, talent, IQ, and.personality to lead a team… However, his quEstionsble off the field choices that put him in circumstances that allow him to be investigated/ridiculed is concerning. It will come down to a matter of if he’ll be able to truly discipline himself and eliminates all negative influence while he develops into a young man. My question to Joe really is about whether or not Joe is comfortable to take such a big risk? Choosig an immature boy & making him the face of a franchise & lead a team of men? … How many times in the last 15 years has that worked?
April 10th, 2015 at 5:19 pm
FFS can we keep the Winston crap out of the comment section when it has nothing to do with the article?
April 10th, 2015 at 5:26 pm
Jfat
Get used to it. All Winston all the time. He will be / is the most important buc in a decade. Finally the bucs will have a leader with charisma and the fire to win.
April 10th, 2015 at 5:28 pm
You would think people read the articles they reference. But maybe that’s too liberal progressive. BTW-The NFL business is pure socialism and all the ‘conservatives’ (too embarrassed to call themselves republicans anymore) lap it right up.
Jameis’s attorney went on to say most if not all rookies are ready to is ready to be a player off the field. That is why they set up the NFL rookie symposium and other outreach groups.
Please stop with the politics- I don’t come here to hear your views on it just like you don’t want to hear mine.
April 10th, 2015 at 6:04 pm
*Jameis’s attorney went on to say most if not all rookies are not ready to be a player off the field. That is why they set up the NFL rookie symposium and other outreach groups.
April 10th, 2015 at 7:32 pm
Verner wouldn’t have had that much trouble last year if he didn’t have two safeties that Tmaxcon was in love with hanging him out to dry on over the top coverage..
So you don’t think Dallas wanted to keep Demarco Murray. Tmax. LOL.
Then he restructured Romo contract to sign Hardy making him a liar to Murray.
You really are a Cowboys fan you stinking troll.
April 10th, 2015 at 7:53 pm
An after the fact Blanket statement does not interest me. JW’s attorney had great insight to the character of that young man & his opinion holds value. BTW- this is a comment section where everyone expresses their own views, on all buc football related topics, & ask questions (sometimes). Moreover, I have no problem stepping on the toes of the whiny/snarky PC crowd. You’re welcome.
April 10th, 2015 at 8:15 pm
drdneast
I find it very entertaining that I you get your skirt all in a ruffle by my posts. Face the facts your boy lovie is pathetic.
I will take being called a troll by someone so successful and of such high character as yourself a complement.
April 10th, 2015 at 8:19 pm
@tmaxcon,
My post wasn’t directed at you. As far as I read, you didn’t tell the fans to not do interviews as Fungus did.
April 10th, 2015 at 8:22 pm
@Fungus,
I didn’t tell you what to not say. Nice try though. Not sure how you came to that conclusion, especially when I said “I love it when fans…..”. I actually enjoy reading the stupid posts of people. It makes this website fun. You post whatever you want, and I’ll call you out on them. That’s how it works. Sorry if you can’t handle it.
April 10th, 2015 at 9:09 pm
Hawaiian
I must have felt guilty for venting. Plus, I was being grumpy.
April 10th, 2015 at 11:18 pm
Funny thing is Tmax, I have called you a fan of the Cowgirls and the Bears a number of times and you have never protested or denied it. I find that very interesting.
I am neither a fan or a hater of Love like you. I am just a rational person who pays good money to see the team play who is smart enough to realize our drafts have ducked for the past dozen years.
Because of that, I am willing to give the man the time needed to do a job.
Since you spend none of your own money to watch this team, your impatience and hatred of all things Lovie must be based on some other sort of irrational loathing.
I wonder what that is.
April 11th, 2015 at 1:52 am
Tmax
No, Bruce going from sam to mike isnt ideal, but who could we get that could come in and play mike right away in a Tampa two defense? What free agent would you rather the Bucs have signed to fill that position? Or would you rely on a rookie to run arguably the most vital position in Lovies defense?
April 11th, 2015 at 2:07 am
“Joe found it noteworthy when Verner said the newest Buccaneers could be ahead of returning Bucs in some areas. That telling take reveals just how challenging Lovie’s defense can be initially.”
I’ve read and listened to a number of quotes from former Bucs defensive players which stated that for the back-7, the Tampa 2 is somewhat counterintuitive because it requires that the player NOT “try to make a play”, but rather, to be disciplined and stay in their area of responsibility, and (here’s the really hard part) to trust that their teammates are also being disciplined, and are staying in THEIR area of responsibility, so that no one is out of position when one of the five eligible offensive players (not counting the QB) gets the ball. After that, of course, it’s a swarming jailbreak to the ballcarrier.
—-Thanks Joe! Putting that paragraph together brought back a TON of great memories! Cheers!!!
April 11th, 2015 at 12:53 pm
Lord Cornelius-
Looks as if one person on here actually watched the team this year. Our defense, the last half of the season was really good. Unfortunately when your offense is so bad and go 3 an out every time because the o-line can barely block one person, it makes the defense look bad because they’re on the field 80% of the game.
Winston will suck just like the rest if the o-line is not improved in two key spots on the right side. That’s if Dotson stays on the left.
For those of you that think these additions won’t improve the defense, I’d say your all very wrong. Lovie knows his defense and what he needs for it to be successful.
With the FA added the offseason I’ll say we’re an easy top 10 defense. O-line needs help, but if we get that we’re a playoff team no doubt