Lifeless Defensive Opening
August 24th, 2013Fresh as a daisy, the Bucs’ first-team defense was gutted and gashed to open tonight’s game against the Dolphins in Miami.
It was ugly. It was Raheem Morris, every-game’s-a-slow-start ugly.
It was so damn ugly that Bucs icon Ronde Barber said on the game broadcast during that drive, “This defense needs to find some energy.”
The Dolphins, or any team, ripping off a 17-play opening drive on the Bucs is a recipe for wearing down the Bucs defense in the Florida heat.
There is no excuse for that. The Bucs’ first team defense should have been chomping at the bit to “swarm,” as Greg Schiano calls it, and fire off the ball and be full of life. They weren’t.
August 24th, 2013 at 11:28 pm
The bright spot was holding them to just a field goal. Still pretty bad. I think there was a penalty on third down which helped to continue the Dolphins drive. To your point Joe, there seemed to be no real fire from the team.
August 24th, 2013 at 11:34 pm
I think the Dolphins had three opportunities inside the fifteen yard line and only came away with three points. If you ask me, that is what matters. Points. I thought the first string defense did well in keeping them out of the endzone.
Agreed that there seemed to be no fire out there though. Mason Foster was the only one that seemed to be getting pumped out there. Watched Spence make a few nice plays and then just kind of walk back to the huddle.
August 24th, 2013 at 11:35 pm
^^^three opportunities *on the same drive*
August 24th, 2013 at 11:54 pm
personally i think if a guy can come off the street and get a sack in his first game then did they really work on technique at all, too much rehabbing going on this offseason. No one is blaming the defensive coordinator, who has no history of success at the position. i’ve never seen such sloppy line play, mccoy and clayborn tripping over each other, why not put them on opposite sides instead of moving them both from left to right, wheres the vision and creativity in the play calling and scheme? we have our best pash rushers running stunts with each other as if it ever worked or would work when the qb is throwing quick passes
One more point people didnt schiano take over the play calling in the atlanta game, did anyone see the improvement with the same players? how can you push aside your dc then let him come back for another year? raheem morris sucked as a first time coach but atleast he had the sense to fire jim bates and take over the defensive calls even though he wasnt any better
August 25th, 2013 at 12:15 am
^^^AGREED^^^
I have some serious doubts with Sheridan. His blitzes just don’t hit home. And the stunts. Damn those stunts. I really hope the stunts are on Sheridan and not Schiano because they have been almost exclusively terrible. I really wanted Sheridan replaced after the 2012 season. He constantly left, what had to be, the worst set of CBs in the league in one-on-ones all game.
I really hope Revis is the cure. . .
August 25th, 2013 at 2:35 am
5 Degrees of Disappointments
1. #5
2. 5 years of deadweight at QB
3. Red zone 3rd and ten usually result to a pass for no more than 5 yards
4. In 5 games proved he can get the team at least 3 field goals in each
game while opponents prove they can get touchdowns.
5. 5 Pro Bowlers on offense + timid Deer in the Headlight QB = 5 Degrees of
Disappointment.
August 25th, 2013 at 8:55 am
@buc4lyfe While I do agree with you on the fact that our defense coordniator could be the what causes us to lose some games this year, I don’t think we can judge his playcalling from this preseason game. We have to factor in that this team probably has some plays and schemes worked on with REVIS in the lineup. he will change a lot of things that we do. We will be able to blitz more and create pressure in different ways.