Brian Urlacher Still Bullish On Bucs
September 25th, 2014
Former Lovie Smith linebacker Brian Urlacher still believes in the Bucs.
Brian Urlacher, the man who personified Bears defense for 13 seasons, including all the years current Bucs coach led the Bears, is about as tight with his former head coach as a player and head coach can be.
In fact, Lovie invited Urlacher to spend time with the Bucs in training camp to help out the Bucs in learning Lovie’s defense.
Urlacher didn’t take up Lovie on his offer, in part, because of his then duties with Fox Sports, which he has since quit.
In a podcast with Joe’s good friend Peter Schrager, also of Fox Sports, Urlacher spoke about all things football and believes, despite the horrific 0-3 start of the Lovie Smith era in Tampa Bay, despite what history suggests, the Bucs can still make the playoffs.
Peter Schrager: I want to shift quickly to Tampa Bay where Lovie Smith…
Brian Urlacher: Ooohhh, mmmaaannn…
Schrager: Dude, what is happening?
Urlacher: Oh, bro, I don’t know (loud sighs). I feel bad for Coach Smith. I watched that [Dixie Chicks] game. I don’t know. It snowballed early. Matt Ryan played great. It was just tough to watch. Lovie pacing on the sidelines. As a friend of mine and a man I look up to, it was hard seeing that.
Schrager: You know, it is funny. In the offseason they get Lovie Smith, they sign Michael Johnson [Editor’s note: Who?]. They sign Anthony Collins, Alterraun Verner. You were not alone. You thought they would challenges for the NFC South…
Urlacher: Sure!
Schrager: I said the same thing. They lost two home games to Derek Anderson and Austin Davis. And that to me was a giant, “WHOA!” Then they go to on the road to play Matt Ryan. I wrote at the time they could lose by 40, not knowing I under-estimated that.
Urlacher: It was bad — hold on — that kid in St. Louis was throwing the ball pretty good.
Schrager: I am going to ask you two questions. One, do you think it is still a salvageable season with the Buccaneers? Do you still think they can get out of the hole or is 0-3 just too big?
Urlacher: In their division, 2-1 is leading. I am just going by what is in their division. They are not completely out of it. They are two games back. I am going to be an optimist and say, “No, they are not out of it, yet.” If they can get it fixed. I am an optimist. I believe in Lovie. I believe in Josh [McCown]. They have such good players there.
There is more Bucs chatter there. Urlacher discusses more about McCown, Doug Martin, Bucs ball security and his chances of coming out of retirement and playing for the Bucs. (Hint: He didn’t say yes but he didn’t say no either.)
To hear the interview, click on the orange button below. Bucs talk begins at the 19:25 mark.
September 25th, 2014 at 1:30 pm
Urlacher was a great LB, but he’s being a homer on his buddy Smith. Not many people who aren’t under a doctor’s care and heavily medicated share his optimism.
September 25th, 2014 at 1:31 pm
Hate to say it, but Urlacher might be a better LB coach for this team than Nickerson. I realize to many stalwart Bucs faithful this is blasphemy, but based on Lavonte David and the entire LB corp looking worse than last year as well as Urlacher’s familiarity with the system Lovie and Frazier are going for it might just be a case of him being a better fit than neccessarily a better coach?
September 25th, 2014 at 1:37 pm
A team whose playoff chances are on life support led by Lovie Smith sure isn’t 1 to put your money on!
September 25th, 2014 at 1:39 pm
We had very good LB coach last year Bryan Cox….
September 25th, 2014 at 1:40 pm
I will take Urlacher at 50% over Casillas at 100%. Urlacher can play MLB and move Foster over to Strong Side.
September 25th, 2014 at 1:42 pm
Ugh, Casillas. Why is he starting? Was he truly the BEST we could come up with?
September 25th, 2014 at 1:52 pm
Bashing a team because you don’t like to coach is like bashing America because you don’t like the president.
September 25th, 2014 at 1:55 pm
Lovie was 12-21 at Chicago w/o Urlacher, whom he inherited. That equates to about two 6-10 seasons.
Who cares, but it means Lovie has no eye for talent. Painfully clear now. Michael Johnson (who?), rookie Josh McCown, Mike Jenkins, etc. O-line probably worse at this point than last year. No Revis. No Connor Barth. No QB drafted (unlike 14 other teams).
May have to hope he can ride G-Mac and Lavonte, cause I just don’t see a whole lot of stars coming. At least from free agency ever.
Many of us felt Lovie was making wrong moves, but believed anyway. If he was 100% 14-2 season, if 100% wrong 4-12. Now I’m wondering where those 4 wins can even come from.
September 25th, 2014 at 2:03 pm
Zam…..kill shot !
September 25th, 2014 at 2:05 pm
I think Urlacher has been concussed one too many times.
September 25th, 2014 at 2:40 pm
RastaMon Says:
September 25th, 2014 at 1:39 pm
Cox was the passrush coach. The LB coach last year was Robb Smith (one of Schiano’s Rutgers guys).
September 25th, 2014 at 2:40 pm
As soon as Urlacher said he believes in Josh i stopped caring about what he says
September 25th, 2014 at 2:50 pm
Who the hell cares?
September 25th, 2014 at 2:53 pm
I believe in Josh also. I believe in him holding a clipboard.
September 25th, 2014 at 2:57 pm
Team
Needs 3 strong drafts people
September 25th, 2014 at 2:59 pm
I’ll believe in Lovie when his team looks better than Satan Schiano’s 4-12 team. Currently they a long long ways to go.
September 25th, 2014 at 3:09 pm
We were 4-12 last year so Lovie gets rid of 1/2 the team. A team that MANY of you thought prior to the season had lots of talent on it. Many of you bitched that there was no excuse for Schiano’s losses with all the talent on the team during the season week after week. Then Lovie comes in and gets rid of 1/2 the team that many of us thought was talented.
Connor Barth, Mike Mattress Williams, etc etc….
You people that talked up Schiano’s talented team know who you are. Are you satisfied so far with what Lovie has done with their replacements?
September 25th, 2014 at 4:19 pm
Patience people patience. Year one with new scheme. QB coach calling the offense. According to Brooks the defense will take some time. McCown crumbled. Lets see how “the Cannon” performs. Not in the MOB myself. I’m hoping to see some progress out of him although is a new scheme with your QB coach calling the plays.
I’m not happy with our 0-3 start but I’m keeping it REAL!
September 25th, 2014 at 4:57 pm
we’ve played two pretty good defenses, with men down (11 starters have gone down, plus Sims who was supposed to be key). Have not lost faith in McCown (though I am not a fan of either, I’d rather have Josh Freeman….who isn’t elite either by an means, but good enough to take us win us game and lead us from behind when the defense failed us, but was ruined by Schiano). Can’t believe Joe has jumped ship to Glennon. Look, I hope Glennon does well, but with all the injuries, new system in place, how can we totally fault McCown?? McCown made some bad int’s sure, but every QB will or has, and he’s been under a ton of pressure the last three games with an offensive line everyone was worried about in the preseason! McCown should get the job back when he heals, unless Glennon absolutely plays lights out…possible, but not very likely.