Vanishing Act
November 26th, 2012
There were times yesterday Matty Ice could have finished a crossword puzzle before a Bucs defensive lineman laid a finger on him.
There were a lot of things to point to for the Bucs dropping a completely winnable game against the Dixie Chicks yesterday. Leaving points on the field, missing receivers who stood alone in their own zip codes, missed field goals… Joe could go on.
But what is developing on this sad Monday is the narrative that the Bucs’ defensive line hung the Bucs’ subpar corners out to dry.
We’ve heard this from two prominent sports voices in the area and now columnists are picking up the mantle such as Alan Dell.
The Bradenton Herald scribe takes the defensive line out for a verbal lashing of sorts, claiming when the Bucs needed the defensive front perhaps more than in any other game this season, they were ghosts.
The Bucs can talk all day about how they are the better team and the Falcons made one or two plays more, but that was not the case. When three of your four leading tacklers are defensive backs — as it was for Tampa Bay on this day — that’s a problem.
The Bucs front four did a disappearing act. Gerald McCoy didn’t have a tackle, and Michael Bennett, who has been their best in the trenches this year, had one.
Dell has a point. A team can get away with having undrafted free agents and guys off the street (Danny Gorrer?) guarding the likes of Julio Jones and Roddy White so long as your defensive front is bruising Matty Ice regularly.
If your defensive line is playing patty-cake with the Dixie Chicks offensive line, and you are scraping the NFL barrel for warm bodies to play corner, then you are basically turning the game into a glorified, high-paid seven-on-seven flag football track meet that rarely ends in your favor.
November 26th, 2012 at 4:14 pm
We will have to figure out a way to fix this and get pressure next week or Peyton Manning will break all time records. It’s not a matter of “trying”. We have to get pressure this Sunday. Period.
November 26th, 2012 at 4:21 pm
Off topic but related to pic:
Does Ryan always wear a glove? He sure looks like a douche wearing that.
November 26th, 2012 at 4:22 pm
And why can’t anyone figure out that Ryan ALWAYS throws to Gonzalez on 3rd down? That’s one of the most predictable plays in the NFL.
November 26th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
@ Snook
Freeman was wearing a glove on his left hand too.
November 26th, 2012 at 4:53 pm
Eric Wright officially suspended for the next four games.
November 26th, 2012 at 4:55 pm
As we have seen the DL dominate at times this year, I’m going to place yesterdays gaff on the DC. The DL has been talking all year about how they stunt too much. Clearly it isn’t going to get the job done in the passing game.
But Schiano wants to stop the run, and it does that well.
November 26th, 2012 at 4:57 pm
Eric Wright gone for four games – next man up. Are there any more team’s practice squads we can raid to replace him?
November 26th, 2012 at 5:12 pm
Look, I consider myself a diehard Buccaner fan. I was born and raised in Buffalo, NY and began liking the Bucs in 1993, when I was 11 years old. Reggie Cobb was my favorite player growing up, then Errict Rhett and after him, Warrick Dunn. I was pumped when the Bucs traded for Keyshawn Johnson and as I matured, I really began to appreciate the Tampa defensive unit for what it was; something special.
So here I am sitting on my couch a little under the weather (just got over a fever), the wife on her way home from work, sipping on some hot tea and pulling for a Bucs win. Atlanta has the ball and time is starting to run low. I notice the Fox cameras pan over to a Bucs defensive player waving his hands in the air to pump up the crowd as he settles into his spot on defense, preparing to provide coverage to stud Falcons wideout Julio Jones.
The name of this Tampa Bay Buccaneer: Danny Gorrer.
While I appreciate the effort the mismatched Gorrer gave in defending Julio Jones, only one thought entered my mind as I watched third down after third down convert until a final Buc stop led to Atlanta missing the field goal, and well, you all know the rest. The thought?
Who the hell is Danny Gorrer?
I’m bummed that the Bucs let a winnable game slip away. I love the direction of the team, the youth, the draft class and the free agents we brought in. I’m still confident in looking at the schedule for the rest of the league that the Bucs can make it in as the final seed. But when this team has to depend on EJ Biggers, Leonard Johnson and Danny Gorrer (and yet, I don’t recall seeing much of Myron Lewis) as the top CB’s and the defensive line can’t generate pressure…well, it’s almost a miracle that the Bucs ended up giving the game away.
I think the team will either go in pumped up and will shock the critics by upsetting Denver, while losing to New Orleans in the rematch and winning the rest of the games to go 10-6…or the Bucs will drop two in a row by losing the Denver game and then win the rest of the way. I still think 10-6 and a playoff spot is possible. I believe in this team, I do, but regardless of what happens, a CB and possibly another pass rusher is required going into the offseason. With those spots reloaded, this team will be a contender, I can feel it.
November 26th, 2012 at 9:41 pm
@thegregwitul…that is the absolutely the most funny thing I have read in a long time. “The name of this Tampa Bay Buccaneer: Danny Gorrer.” I still cant read this without laughing. The rest of your comment is well written. Thanks for posting!
November 26th, 2012 at 10:05 pm
I also am a lifelong Bucs fans and I had no idea who number 36 was. As a realist, I don’t see us making the playoffs for 2 reasons, the Dline and the secondary. The only way Bucs stay in the Denver game is if they keep the ball away from Manning by long drives. Also we need a complimentary RB to Martin. The only thing McCoy has done impressive this year is not land on IR yet. All in all, Schiano has done a very good job despite the lack of talent on defense. But if the Bucs are going to vie for the playoffs, they win need to beat good teams.
November 26th, 2012 at 10:39 pm
The lack of depth is showing on the D-line. These guys have fought hard all season long and without much quality rotation. Guys like McCoy, Miller and Bennett have to be wearing down and the back-ups are not able to help.
We need more depth!
November 27th, 2012 at 1:10 am
Yes the defensive line is playing subpar but I expect that to change next year when Clayborn and Bowers both comeback at full strength. If we can resign Bennett that would five us a nice rotation at defensive end, and on passing downs that might allow us to put Bennett at tackle and let him rush from the inside like the Giants use Tuck and Pierre Paul. What we really need is another tackle other than McCoy who can push the pocket, that way if McCoy gets hurt or needs a blow, we can still generate a pass rush down the middle. I like Roy Miller as a run defender but not a pass rusher, and every other d tackle on the roster is almost worthless.