A Brutal Loss
September 27th, 2010
There was little for Joe to be happy about with yesterday’s loss. He stretched yesterday to find some positives.
Veteran St. Petersburg Times columnist Gary Shelton could find none. He believed the Steelers exposed the Bucs in every imaginable way Sunday.
For most of Sunday afternoon, the Steelers pushed the Bucs backwards across the field at Raymond James Stadium. Think of it as a favor. Play after play, the Steelers helped point out all the things the Bucs are not. Bruising, for one. Powerful, for another. Relentless, for a third.
For the Bucs, it was as if the Steelers turned on a light to show the Bucs what a real 2-0 team looks like. You know, one that runs the ball, and one that rushes the passer, and one that wins the big plays at the line of scrimmage. Also, one that wins 38-13 despite backing off the throttle in the second half.
This was brutal. This was punishing. This was Ohio State playing Bowling Green or, perhaps, the Bowling of a Lesser Color.
Simply put, it’s time to rally the troops. The Bengals are a paper champion. They barely beat Carolina with a rookie quarterback making his first start. With a week off, the Bucs can beat Cincinnati.
September 27th, 2010 at 9:13 am
I disagree with Gary on this:
“Play after play, the Steelers helped point out all the things the Bucs are not. Bruising, for one. Powerful, for another. Relentless, for a third.”
I saw a Bucs wide receiver blocking for another. He knocked a defensive player on his butt. Now that has happened before, no big deal, right? But our WR did not stop there. He blocked so hard he knocked the guy down two more times on the same play, eventually sending him rolling off the field of play.
I would call that Bruising and Powerful.
September 27th, 2010 at 9:13 am
There is no doubt that this was a bad game…but one rookie mistake by Grimm and a dropped INT by Talib turned the score into a blowout. I think fans and the media are blowing this out of proportion.
September 27th, 2010 at 9:32 am
The 1st quarter went fairly well. Grimm got beat on the long TD pass and owned up to it. We drove the field but couldn’t punch it in. Score 7-6 for the bad guys. Offensive line penalties (Trueblood – Illegal Pro and Joseph – Holding) negated good runs by Caddy. Bad punt (lots of those yesterday) and the bad guys punch in for another TD. We are down 14-6. No sweat, in comes Blount. We are punching them in the mouth…..
Why we didn’t go to hurry-up on that series is when I feel the tide turned. They stopped our progress. Another bad punt and then the fluke almost interception turned TD for the bad guys and game over.
In the second half I didn’t see any adjustments to stopping Mendenhall from gaining 6-8 yards everytime he ran right. That was disheartening.
It was a TEAM loss inclusive of coaching. Pittsburgh just showed the Bucs what a good team is and how much further it has to go to reach that level.
I’m not bashing here, I love my Bucs. And who knows, if a couple of those fluke plays go our way early, we win. But my eyes tell me we’ve still got some work to do.
September 27th, 2010 at 9:36 am
Very well said, Spirit of ’76.
September 27th, 2010 at 9:45 am
Yes that was well stated! The Bucs have had a history of doing poorly against large physical teams like the Ravens, Steelers & Jets. It was a few years ago, but the Ravens came in on opening day; black uniforms and all and beat us like a red headed step child. We just don’t match up well when you talk about speed Vs. size and agressiveness. Unless the Bucs replace Ruud and at least one of our safties with a steam roller; then we’ll continue to struggles with these kinds of teams.
September 27th, 2010 at 9:53 am
Anybody notice no one trying to tackle the Steeler D-Lineman running for a TD (besides Josh).
It’s called quiting.
I agree Cinci is beatable. But they will have to play wayyyyyyyyyy better.
September 27th, 2010 at 10:02 am
Eric? Is that you?
September 27th, 2010 at 10:08 am
The Bucs are not as bad as they looked yesterday. The Steelers offense got quite a bit of luck. The tipped Talib pass in the end zone. That dropped softly into the Steeler recievers hands. It was a hail mary pass.
If the Bucs would have punched in the 2 drives. That they to settled for field goals. The game would have been more competitive. Why Blount was not used inside the red zone puzzles me. The Steelers blitz all the time. There should have been some wide open Bucs receivers. Freeman came back down to earth yesterday. I am sure the offense will play better next week.
September 27th, 2010 at 10:09 am
Spirit: you need your eyes checked! “A couple of plays go their way and we win.” What? The Steelers stopped playing in the 4th quarter. The TV announcers were commenting about how Polamalu was on the sidelines with a hat on like a QB in a blowout, there were ogther starters taken out to. That was one of the most lopsided defeats in a long time in the NFL.
The last meaningless TD, and the Steelers apathy in the second half, allowed the game to stay within 25.
You cant blame anything on Grimm, the D-line was absent, nobody sticks to Mike Wallace for 5-6 seconds. The bucs are a 4-12 team playing a 12-4 team, recognize.
September 27th, 2010 at 10:11 am
I agree with Spirit of ’76 also. Hey, before the season started if someone would have asked you if you would take a record of 2 & 1 with a 1 & 0 division record and a 3 way tie for 1st in the NFC South by the bye week everyone would have jumped at it. With 2 weeks to prepare and 2 weeks for Freeman to rest his thumb, I like our chances in Cinci. GO BUCS!!!
September 27th, 2010 at 10:18 am
Yes; especially since Thomas (I don’t want to quote you since I’m not positive) had the Bucs starting off 0-5. I know for a fact that Javier and Tampa 2 had us going 2-14 so I’ll take the 2-1 start.
September 27th, 2010 at 10:22 am
For the record: I did not have them starting off 0-5; I have repeatedly said they will beat Cleve, probably beat Carolina – getblasted by the Steelers and then we will see whether this team is better or not.
I didnt think they would lose to Pittsburgh the way they did however. I predict a loss to Cincy, but if they play them close, then they might still be headed in the right direction – if they get drilled again – Hello 4-12!
September 27th, 2010 at 10:22 am
No one said we were going undefeated. Turnovers killed us, so didi rookie play. Liked what I saw in Blount. He and Pressley just pounded the line and barreled through. I think Cadillac’s days are numbered. Arrelious Benn also showed he has the skills to learn and play with this team. Mad we lost, some we have things to build on.
Anyone notice that Saints lost to Atlanta like they lost to us last year? Missed field goal in overtime?
September 27th, 2010 at 10:40 am
The Bucs were clearly out matched, and I agree with MTM that the Steelers got some lucky bounces/breaks for turnovers. One thing that was clear to me was the Refs called a one sided game. They called the Bucs for holding several times and the Steelers NONE. They were holding every bit as much, but not called. They called holding on Penn one time when Harrison clearly dove to the knees of Freeman, which disrupted his pass. It was not holding and I thought you were no longer allowed to dive at a QB’s legs. Oh, only Tom Brady, my mistake. Blount was the best thing to come out this game, and he is just what the doctor ordered. I think Cadi may be phased out a bit, especially if Huggy returns. They should definitely take a look at Ronde for Safety as Steve White said. Grimm could have picked that TD pass had he turned around. Cinci and Palmer will exploit Grimm, not his fault, just young and inexperienced. I agree with Freeman that they left a lot of plays on the field, but Pittsburgh was a better team, and Tomlin/Lebeau out coached Morris/Olson as well. The Bucs looked a little scared yesterday, including Raheem, and I think that stemmed from Tomlin being his mentor and all. It was a very good lesson for a young team and they got tons of film to learn from yesterday. The best film was of the Steeler defense and Polamalu running it. The Bucs made some nice plays though and are better than the score showed.
September 27th, 2010 at 11:20 am
@ Thomas
Thanks for suggesting I see the eye doc. I am due.
Now to defend my statement of “A couple of plays go their way and we win.”.
The quick start was our foundation for winning this game. Here is a list of my “if’s”;
1) We start out with a hurry up offense to put the Steelers on their heals and tire them out from the first snap.
2) Grimm gets his head around to at least knock the ball down if not intercept it.
3) Talib knocks down the ball if not intercepts it.
4) Somebody anybody covers Hines Ward at the end of the half.
Some game mismanagement form the coaches and three bad plays and we are down by four scores at half. It should have been a field goal contest but instead we end up down by 22. The Steelers were on the sidelines in the fourth quarter for several reason, they were up five scores, it was hot, and you never want to embarrass an opponent. Payback is a bitch.
September 27th, 2010 at 11:37 am
Is it just me or does anyone else find it interesting that Thomas reappears after a loss? True fan . . . .
September 27th, 2010 at 11:54 am
Raheem give the ball to Blount at the beginning of the next game. Puff, puff give it to Blount.
September 27th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
My two cents… The Steelers were better, but not as much as by what the score indicated.
Two touchdowns in the endzone should have easily been interceptions. On another day, they would have been.
The interception return for a touch down by Freeman was also flukey… if you can’t catch a pass out in the flat, then please, oh please, do not bounce it up in the air like a volley ball so the other team can take it.
Take away those three flukes, and the score is dramatically different.
However, that’s football, and the Buc’s get dealt a valuable lesson.
Go Bucs.
September 27th, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Cannon, I agree. Our young Bucs need to learn to be the team that takes advantage of those flukes, that is what makes teams great. I believe they will get there, but it will take some time.