Gerald McCoy’s Injuries Have Hurt The Bucs
February 16th, 2012
Last year when Gerald McCoy started for the Bucs, the team was 4-2 with wins over division rivals and eventual playoff teams Atlanta and New Orleans.
GMC was far different than his rookie year. No, his critics are quick to point out, he didn’t have many sacks. But he was damned disruptive. Talk to any defensive coordinator and you will learn that being disruptive and blowing up plays in the backfield are as important if not more so than a sack.
When GMC went down with another arm injury, lost for the season, the team began its grotesque 10-game free fall which resulted in Raheem Morris being jettisoned.
Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not. But the numbers geeks at ProFootballFocus.com believe GMC’s loss may have been a domino effect. so they explained while breaking down the pros and cons for each NFC South squad.
More snaps needed
Gerald McCoyHow different could the Bucs year have been if McCoy hadn’t been lost for the year? The talented DT looks the kind of every-down player who can make plays regardless of what the offense is doing. One of the biggest things the new coaching staff can do is ensure McCoy is healthy, because if Tampa Bay is to challenge the powerhouses of the NFC South, they need players like him.
With GMC healthy, combined with the studly play of Adrian Clayborn and the emergence of Da’Quan Bowers, the Bucs had a formidable front four. With GMC out and Brian Price hobbled, the Bucs were nothing less than a sieve, especially with zero help from the linebackers.
For the Bucs to bounce back next season, it is imperative that GMC be healthy.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:13 pm
Why did we let Albert Haynesworth walk, especially since we are so thin, and injury prone at Defensive tackle ?
February 16th, 2012 at 12:18 pm
Queue the message board GMs
“McCoy is terrible ”
“McCoy is a wasted pick”
“Dominik Sucks”
“I am the smartest message boarder ever, I know my sh*t”
February 16th, 2012 at 12:18 pm
We had 7.25 million reasons to let Haynesworth walk. He wasn’t any better than Roy Millerand Miller is already on our roster. Plus we can get a better FA for less or a drafted rookie for a lot less that could produce as well or better than Haynesworth.
If I see someone else bash the Bucs for releasing Haynesworth I’m going to have to start giving creedence to New York/ Northeast sports fans that think we are all a bunch of idiots and terrible fans.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:18 pm
Apple, because he free lances every play, never gets in his gap, wasn’t very effective, and we would have had to pay him $7 mil when we can get a similar reserve tackle in free agency or a late pick for a fraction of that cost.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:20 pm
@jvato, unfortunately you are correct. Message boards are making me lose faith in Bucs/Rays fans. That’s why I never listened to talk radio. I might as well start now.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:20 pm
As for McCoy, he needs to stay healthy this year. There was a huge difference in the defense when he went out. Huge. I can’t believe anyone thinks he’s a bust for any reason other than injury. Overpaid? Yep, that’s why there’s a new CBA with a rookie wage scale. Frequently injured? Yep. But a bad player? Hell no.
We desperately need McCoy to be healthy this year.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:26 pm
We were having the same exact conversation last offseason. “McCoy needs to stay healthy”, “once he comes back we’ll be so dominant”……never happened last year. It’s a huge IF for him to stay healthy. Not getting my hopes up. Same goes for Price.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:29 pm
We sure were Patrick, and if he can’t stay healthy he’s useless to us, but it is still way too early to give up on him.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:33 pm
McCoy was dominant until he got hurt. He played well at times in his rookie year too but if the guy can’t stay healthy I don’t see the point in relying solely on him. We need someone solid at that spot as a guarantee against what seems to be a frequently injured interior.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:34 pm
In defense to Price, he’s only been out once really. The limited playing time he had last year was coming back and as his injury allowed him to return slowly. This will be Price’s first full year at 100%(hopefully).
In Haynesworth’s defense, he came aboard at the end of the year and was quite productive if you look at his disruption. It’s funny we can talk about GMC’s disruption and no sacks but can’t say the same for Haynesworth. He didn’t play like we’d want a fulltime UT to play, however, the guy did what we paid him for with limited time to learn anything were were doing at the time. Then add in that he was being coached by our DC that was also our HC who was run out of town b/c he wasn’t a good coach. I wouldn’t mind reworking AH’s contract and having some veteran depth.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:44 pm
That’s what I was talking about, possibly reworking Haynesworth’s Contract vs just letting him walk.
I would think a line with Haynesworth and McCoy at the same time might wreak havoc, and make both players better.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:48 pm
McCoy played far better than Haynesworth but I had no problem keeping him as we had the money to burn.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:49 pm
Jared, ask me if I give a hoot what New York Or especially New England fans think of Tampa Sports fans.
New England Fans were all over Tom Brady for losing their Super Bowl, seriously.
February 16th, 2012 at 12:59 pm
Apple Roof, if he didn’t want to practice, try hard, and follow direction for a $100 million dollar contract what makes you think that he will for the veteran minimum, and that’s really all he’s worth at this point.
If he refuses to play within a system then he is not worth having around. I know he said all the right things in the short time that he was here, but that dog will bite you right on the a$$ as soon as you turn your back on it.
Do we need depth at DT? Of course. Haynesworth is not depth though, as soon as he got knocked back down the depth chart in favor of players that will actually do what they are asked his true colors would have shown through.
As for McCoy, obviously the health problems have been a big hinderance his first two years. There’s no doubting that when he is in there he’s a major factor in the game. It is what it is, if he can’t stay healthy this year then I guess it’ll be time to look into moving on. Price is the real wild card here. If we can ever get those two healthy at the same time it will be something incredible to see.
February 16th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
“McCoy played far better than Haynesworth but I had no problem keeping him as we had the money to burn.”
Might as well just start feeding crack to crack addicts. You are officially banned from ever bitching about big undeserved contracts like Quincy Black’s.
February 16th, 2012 at 1:14 pm
Its an extremely deep year at DT in FA and the Draft,
Could probably get a good Veteran at a Fair price, Every unit on Defense needs a veteran upgrade.
February 16th, 2012 at 1:14 pm
It’s been a shame that he has had injury troubles because he has special abilities on the field. His quickness off the snap is tremendous. Ignorance and lack of football knowledge are the reasons some have given up on GMC. I wonder if those same folks feel like Suh was a flash in the pan because of his mediocre 2011 season.
February 16th, 2012 at 1:16 pm
The only time I’m aware that Haynesworth was an issue was in Washington b/c he didn’t want to play the nose in a 3-4(I’d complain as well). He was just fine in NE(attitude wise) and several articles, some right here on JBF.com said he was a leader in OUR lockeroom. It’s not his fault that the Skins paid him all that money and there’s still some of that money left on the original contract. Two teams later and he’s still got a bad attitude? I’m not debating whether he deserved the initial contract or whether he had a bad attitude in WAS but to say he didn’t do his job here when he was thrown into a new defense with “bad coaching” is ridiculous to say the least.
In addition, the guy’s not dumb. He knows he burned the WAS bridge, wasn’t what NE wanted/needed, and he’s on the last leg of his career. A fresh start with a better coach(hopefully) and some added FA moves might be just what the guy needs to become dominant again…
February 16th, 2012 at 1:18 pm
ppl are gunna call GMC a bust but he just hasnt bn healthy i watched the gms he played and he showed promise just gotta keep him on the field
February 16th, 2012 at 1:35 pm
Gerald McCoy ” The could of been”…….stays injured way to much.
February 16th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
What, did Thomas’ head explode? No comments on this one?
February 16th, 2012 at 1:48 pm
I think he got banned?
February 16th, 2012 at 1:55 pm
@gotbbucs I don’t complain about contracts. I don’t care. I care about the product on the field. If we have the money, why complain?
February 16th, 2012 at 1:55 pm
I’ll bitch about Blacks performance, not his paycheck.
February 16th, 2012 at 1:59 pm
93 can play for sure. both injuries happened when he was reaching for the ballcarrier.I wonder if some fundamental tackling drills will help 93…
February 16th, 2012 at 2:07 pm
McCoy was dominant last year. Offensive lines all schemed to slow him down. As anyone but a homer like Thomas could see, our defense went from decent to crap without him. If he can stay healthy, he is a surefire allpro. By the way, very few DTs play all 16 games. It is an area of big hurts.
Big Al had not played in a defense like ours. He also had no training camp to learn the techniques. Despite that, he played hard, and had more impact than all of our scrub DTs put together. If McCoy or Price are hurt, Albert was the only DT that showed any skills. Some of you will disagree. But that’s because you are either totally clueless, or homers like Thomas
Dim and the Slumlords cut Albert to save money. We are already the lowest payroll and cheapest coaching staff on the league! Unless we waste one of our top 3 picks, we won’t draft a DT as good as Al. If there is even a half assed DT in FA- he will demand( and get) a huge salary.
Another cheap ass move by the cheapest owners in the league
The D-Line was the only area on our crap defense that was talented and had depth. Now, we have nothing at backup DT again, and have yet a new hole to fill.
Just stupid
February 16th, 2012 at 2:12 pm
@raphael Question: If a player was locked up with a guard and allowed the rb to go right past him without reaching to make the tackle, would you say he needs to do “some fundamental tackling drills” or would you be pissed off that he didn’t even try?
February 16th, 2012 at 2:12 pm
“I’ll bitch about Blacks performance, not his paycheck.”
At least The Riddler used a mask to rob people! Quincy Black steals money in broad daylight without the aid of a weapon of any sort.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:47 pm
@pros
Performance and contracts go hand in hand. You can’t just look at one and ignore the other.
Haynesworth was not the worst DT on our team, Roy Miller has that honor all locked up. If he actually wants to try hard, like he did in his two contract years at Tenn, he is unstoppable. The money obviously changed him. He is not good enough for me to ignore the perception that he single handedly made for himself.
They never ever intended to keep him, they picked him up in the middle of the year because he was the best thing available at that moment and it was going to cost absolutely nothing more than a new jersey with his name on it to get him, and that’s the bottom line.
February 16th, 2012 at 2:56 pm
I’d rather “burn” that 7 million towards the contact of Mario Williams. Resign Fat Albert for a 1 year league minimum. The most important coach that the Bucs got rid of and hired new was the strength and conditioning coach. The d-line could be great if they actually get stronger in that state of the art gym they now have at OBP. Glazers aren’t stupid. They know how to make money. The goodwill from the 2002 superbowl is long over. Time to spend some money. I think we will see a further pairing down of salaries in next few weeks. Dominik knows this is his last year unless the Bucs make the playoffs. I predict 11-5 record next year and 5 starter in FA this offseason! Go Bucs!
February 16th, 2012 at 4:07 pm
I have a hard time saying that the Glazers aren’t cheap. The numbers don’t lie. However, that doesn’t mean we should just throw away money on Haynesworthless. From what I read on PR, the Bucs were not at all happy with his work ethic. Why would you want to overpay someone who not only doesn’t produce, but doesn’t work hard. Not to mention the fact that he has a history of being a cancer in the locker room. Just because he was okay for half a season doesn’t mean he will be fine forever. Its only a matter of time. You can very easily go out and get more depth at DT without flushing money down the toilet on Albert.
February 16th, 2012 at 4:12 pm
By the way Captain, I really wish you would stop saying people who disagree with you are clueless. It sounds very arrogant. I didn’t feel Albert was very productive at all, but I don’t think that’s the issue here. If he doesn’t work hard, he doesn’t deserve to be here, period. But I guess I’m just a clueless homer sheep, so what do I know?
February 16th, 2012 at 6:37 pm
Hawaiian- the problem is just that. People base opinions on what they read. Half the idiots who write articles on this team don’t even watch the games. Sports Journalism is to often a more masculine version Of “Entertainment Tonight”. Watching BSPN gush and Swoon over Brady, Farve, Sanchez, etc. Is as revolting as watching some idiots fawn over George Clooney’s self indulgent ass.
I watch the games. I rewind and dissect plays. It all gets pretty clear if you watch. Big Al had no Clue about Gap responsibility- that was obvious.
But he did something that no other Backup DT on this team did- he forced teams to double team him. By his third game here, teams would roll the off guard over to help keep Big Al out of their backfield. They could do this, because our other backup DTs couldn’t generate pressure when unguarded. They might hold their ground( and that is important!), but they couldn’t generate pressure! That makes Al a Rare commodity
I don’t base things on other people’s opinions. You heard he had a bad work ethic? Was that after they cut him. During last season, I kept reading that he was putting in time, helping the younger guys, and actually being a leader.
Who knows?
But I know – with my own eyes- that the guy was playing hard, and causing offenses to account for him. And that’s pretty good for a backup.
February 16th, 2012 at 6:51 pm
@gotbbucs I absolutely can look at one and ignore the other. If we paid him only $5 I don’t care. I never wanted him to get any contract but the amount is nothing because we don’t know any specifics. Arguing over the product on the field is reasonable. Arguing over a contract in which none of us have read is fruitless and I won’t waste my time with it. I care that he is on the field not how much they are paying him to be there.
February 16th, 2012 at 7:08 pm
@Capt.
No, I read that months ago, while the season was still going on. I can’t remember exactly what they said, but they said something to the effect that the Bucs were very unhappy with his work ethic and (I believe) attitude. Say what you want about PR (I’m not really a huge fan of the site), but they usually have a pretty good feel of what’s going on inside OBP.
I noticed he quit on a lot of plays. Not every play, but there were a huge number of plays where he stopped running. Was he double teamed, yes. However, every DT is double teamed at times. Hell, GMC was double teamed on his first preseason game! It’s part of the position. You really need to take a look in the mirror and see how arrogant you have become, and how disrespectful you are to anyone who disagrees with you. Your opinion is not law.
Look, I’m glad we picked him up. We were desperate, and he was the best available talent. I was very excited, and applauded Dominik for taking a chance. It just didn’t work out. I don’t hate the guy at all. However, it is obvious to me the risk involved with him is not worth the reward. His best days are FAR behind him. His attitude is highly questionable. Do you really want to argue that? He is not going to get younger or better. Just because we are way under the cap doesn’t mean we should just throw away money. There is not one team in the NFL that would pay him that. Not one. Are they all cheap? He’s just not worth it, period. Call the Glazers cheap on other situations and I will probably agree with you. Not on this one. They did the right thing.
February 16th, 2012 at 7:39 pm
Joe,
The Bucs were not 4-2 when McCoy played. He did not dress for the home win against the Saints. Their best defensive performance and biggest win of the season.
How does that fact fit your narrative?
February 16th, 2012 at 7:42 pm
My goodness Joe, how could you not know that. I mean, Thomas has said it on at least 20 different occasions.
February 16th, 2012 at 7:56 pm
The we went 3-2 with him so he is great argument is dumb.
We went 2-1 with Grimm and 2-11 without him, is he all pro?
We went 1-10 with TJax, does that mean he sucks?
The defense gave up 23 points and 350 yards to the Titans, was the loss the defenses fault?
The offense had only 280 total yards against the Bears, was that due to the loss of Games Missed Constantly? Of course not.
This disruptive argument is purely the fantasy of the fanatical, the lack of productivity is obvious.
Is he talented? Sure. Has he been worth the investment? Hell no.
February 16th, 2012 at 8:01 pm
Obviously, we disagree on Big Al. No problem
But I think you are mistaking frustration for Arrogance.
We all knew, last spring, that our secondary and LBers sucked. Every magazine, every anaylist, every expert knew it. Yet all we did was make it worse, by cutting Ruud. Biggest free agent class, tons of money
Nothing
And some posters still keep making excuses.
We’ll wait and see. It’s obvious that cheap has been the key word so far. We’ll see if it changes. But enough is enough. It’s time for a lil accountability. If they continue to keep short changing this team, then my 30 years of support and loyalty are done. I’ve watched this team since I was a kid, and think I have at least earned the right to voice my displeasure.
I’ll stop acting like a know it all, when they finally prove I’m wrong! And I badly want them to! I own too much Buc paraphernalia to give up without at least yelling about it!
February 16th, 2012 at 8:02 pm
Bucs were 3-1 with McCoy on the field, not that it makes any difference as one player does not make or break a team.
February 16th, 2012 at 8:18 pm
Hey- Homer2.2 . They were 0-10 without him! That says it all
With him- Winner!
Without him- total losers
Quit slurping the Koolaide, and go learn something about football, would ya?
Your McCoy crusade just makes ya look stoopid! Pick on something where the facts don’t make ya look ridiculous!
February 16th, 2012 at 9:12 pm
We are all frustrated Capt. I spent 12 Sundays this fall pissed off and mad at the world. There’s a million things I can think of that I wish we would do, but we don’t. Some of those ideas would have probably worked out great (drafting AP, signing Sproles,etc.). A lot more of my ideas would have probably worked out very bad (signing Brett Favre and Fat Albert-the first time). It’s easy to play arm chair GM when we don’t really know the situation. There’s so much more that goes on than we will ever know. So while I totally get your frustration (and I share a good bit of it), we really don’t know what’s really going on. Not to mention there’s not a damn thing we can do to change it. Maybe I am just a homer, but I really believe we are headed in the right direction. Yes I said that last year too and was miserably wrong, but maybe I’ll be right this year.
February 16th, 2012 at 11:53 pm
Hawaiian- but I’m not playing Armchair QB- any nimrod can do that, just read Thomas’s post( just messing with ya Thomas, you know I love ya, and campaigned ta get ya back!)
I said two years ago we were on that track! And we were!
Then last spring- all in the name of cheapness, we cut to vet Captains who we desperately needed. I bitched all spring that we would get our Butts soundly kicked if we didn’t fortify our LBers( who suck horribly!!) and our secondary( which sucks terribly!)
Yet again, management did nothing but cut the leagues lowest payroll even lower. We wasted a year of Freeman’s career, blew the confidenceof a young team, and left them with a back 7 ( other than The Great Ronde Barber) that wouldn’t be competitive in division 2a ball. This wasn’t hind sight- it was foresite! And believe me, I wasnt some psychic! Every informed NFL person KNEW this!
And they did nothing
Now, they’ve gone even cheaper with the coaching staff
I want to believe that they are trying to build a winner.
But my eyes tell me they are trying to make max dollar for bare minimum investment
Good business- terrible if you want community( and Capt Tim) support
They gotta give to get! I hope it changes! I personally don’t think it will!
February 17th, 2012 at 1:54 am
I don’t think they cut Ruud as a matter of saving money. He wasn’t commanding big money. I think they did it more as a result of them just not liking his play. Plus, I think he really wanted to leave as a result of him not getting a long term contract the year prior (the year Penn got his). Was it a bad decision, most likely. Our record and terrible defense last year certainly suggests that it was. I personally don’t think he was that much of a playmaker that it really mattered that much. He’s a good player, not a great player. Good players need great players around them to shine, and he would have no great players around him last year. As for Hayes, I think everyone expected more from him in a contract year. He showed flashes of being a good player in years prior, but showed virtually nothing last year. He won’t be back. Black, not even going to try to defend that one – at least he has big arms! I think our secondary was bad, but they went to horrible as a result of poor LB play and subpar D-line play. It’s hard to cover anyone in the NFL if the QB is texting his girlfriend while in the pocket. Finally, I think it’s safe to say Morris did a poor job of coaching last year. No way around that, even from someone like me who thought he did a fantastic job in 2010.
I really believe we are going to do a lot to improve on both sides of the ball. Whether that be through the draft, free agency, trades, or just better coaching, I see it happening. I may be totally wrong, but it just feels like they are trying to right the ship. I’m sure we both hope I’m right. I think we will have a much better idea when free agency starts as to how serious we really are about winning. As for the coaching, there’s really no way to tell until the season starts. I’m going to remain positive, because that’s just the way I believe in doing things. Makes me a lot less miserable. Besides, if we are as bad as last year and I have to spend 12 weeks being miserable, I am going to have 40 weeks being not so miserable. This is the season for being hopeful.
February 17th, 2012 at 1:55 am
And yes, I know we didn’t cut Ruud.
February 17th, 2012 at 10:42 am
Lol, we’re closer to the same page than you think!
It’s just that I do all my bitching in the spring. Once the season starts, Im a Bucs fan. Teams are made in the spring
But if I don’t see some damn effort from ownership to build a winner- not just a money winner!, then that support will stop
They have been pig greedy long enough!