“But We Have To Win”
September 13th, 2014
Wacky as it might be, many Bucs fans and observers believe a loss at home to the bruised, bungling Rams tomorrow would be an apocalypse to the Lovie Smith regime.
One longtime local analyst says failure “would almost erase all the goodwill established by Lovie.”
Man, that seems harsh. What next? “Fire Lovie” billboards across the Tampa Bay area if the Bucs start the season 2-4? You never know these days.
WTSP-TV, Ch. 10 sports anchor Dave Wirth dives into the Bucs game in the video below, where he talks about the Rams-Bucs matchup and delivers his must-win address.
September 13th, 2014 at 11:04 am
Bucs fans have put up with enough crap these past 5 years (since the Gruden firing) so to lose to the Rams would just be too much, heck I wouldn’t be surprised to see people torch Raymond James with a Bucs loss –
Oops sorry this isn’t Ferguson
September 13th, 2014 at 11:08 am
Start the season 2-4? Which games are the 2 wins? If they lose this one, my months long prediction of beating the Steelers is in jeopardy.
September 13th, 2014 at 11:15 am
Give the man a chance. Sheesh.
September 13th, 2014 at 11:20 am
We ARE playing their 3rd string QB, they lost one of the better DEs in the NFL for our game. If we can’t beat a team like this after spending 150million, made trades, draft picks and hand picked a QB, well…there should be anger.
September 13th, 2014 at 11:30 am
MJ being a bust has hurt this team. DE was the #1 priority. More should have been done. I thought Lovie and Licht would know that. Can’t believe they brought clayborn and bowers back to this team.
September 13th, 2014 at 11:31 am
Personally the key reason I want to win the next game is to get the nightmarish 0-8 start last year out of my head. I’m realistic, I don’t see this team making the playoffs…but if we lose this game I don’t see too many games on our schedule where we will probably be favored.
September 13th, 2014 at 11:35 am
I think lovie got it right when he said “As long as we see improvement”. Again I think the anger is based more so on mccowns poor play than anything else. A loss would be acceptable if and only if we look like an actual nfl team rather than the bad news bucs.
September 13th, 2014 at 11:42 am
Lovie Smith mentioned that this was not a building team.
He said they were out to win this year. He better win this game
Or things will get ugly.
September 13th, 2014 at 12:04 pm
Just because you want to “win now” doesn’t mean you’re capable of winning now. It’s just rhetoric to keep the fan base calm while they do the “r” word. And yes, Bucs fans, we are smack dab in the middle of the dirty “r” word. A complete overhaul in fact. Get used to it. Get over it. Keep calm and carry on.
September 13th, 2014 at 12:23 pm
a win will definitely ease the nerves, and a convincing win would settle everyone down. But it’s a shame. I guarentee people would be talking “superbowl” if we won last Sunday.
Instead, this sunday everyone is asking for a “miracle” to save the Bucs season.
Wow, the “fan” base we have.
And people say that im TOO optimistic… no, i’m a BUC FAN!
Go Bucs!
September 13th, 2014 at 12:36 pm
Part of the reason the Bucs have been so awful is that they have made bad hires then shaken up entire rosters and coaching staffs every 2 to 3 years. Since 2008 the Bucs have had FOUR head coaches. It’s time to give Lovie Smith 3 solid years before we start talking about firing him. The best teams around the league are the ones where teams and coaching staffs have been together long enough to actually become a team.
September 13th, 2014 at 12:38 pm
Cool Hand Luke says What we have here is a failure to play decent ball
September 13th, 2014 at 12:40 pm
Loser fan base quitting after week one. Shameful. Worst fan base in the nfl. feel bad for these buc players that put in the hard work to try and get better for these fans that can’t even fill a stadium on the eve of the best player in franchise history induction.
September 13th, 2014 at 12:46 pm
One thing FOR CERTAIN
Going to be some interesting posts on JBF tomorrow
September 13th, 2014 at 12:50 pm
Wow these people are crazy. 80% of you were talking playoffs a week ago which I thought was crazy. This is a must win? Now Mj is a bust after 1 game. He may end up being a bust but you can tell after 1 game? Your either psychic or psycho. I said I’d be very happy with 8-8 and then hopefully have a killer draft and then were decent.
September 13th, 2014 at 1:44 pm
My frustration is in knowing that we breaks going our way and unable to capitalize on them. For example – We played a patchwork O-line and a back up QB in week one. Week two we face another back up and a team minus their best defensive player. We face an Atlanta team Thursday night that is sure to be softened up a little after a trip to Cincy. Then we go on the road to Pittsburgh who is without their starting running back. We could / should be 4-0 going into New Orleans. All of that optimism was sucked out after watching the game last Sunday. We could be 1-3 heading into New Orleans. I would be thankful to be 2-2 by then. From what i saw Sunday this team did not wake up and play until the fourth quarter. Or did the Panthers let off the gas pedal? We will find out Sunday. GO BUCS!
September 13th, 2014 at 1:46 pm
That was Breaks going our way for once instead of us on the receiving end of injuries etc.
September 13th, 2014 at 1:47 pm
I have been a tried and tested fan since their inception to the NFL, and I think after 35+ years I have a right, to be pissed off!! I am so sick of this year in and year out B.S. the idiotic coaching hires – the even more idiotic drafts – this years and past FA failures, these players usually aren’t good enough for their teams but come to tampa and get huge payday’s for nothing a la carl gone fishing nix! Haynesworh and others including you doesn’t have to call me Johnson-Johnson. I will continue to pull for my team, but with the adult understanding that they are a complete joke of an organization! if you don’t believe me just look at cam newton and his boys laughing and joking and yucking it up on the sidelines as I suspect will happen for 7 more home games while stone face lovie will be keeping the upper chin with his tightlipped stare of disbelief. get ready fans it is going to be a long long year!!!!!!
September 13th, 2014 at 2:16 pm
Yes, everyone has a right to be pissed off. But it just shows your ignorance. Lovie Smith is a damn good football coach. He’s won everywhere he’s gone in the NFL. He didn’t create the mess that he found when he got here. He’s in the process of fixing it, but it won’t be done overnight. For all those who say, he should have drafted a quarterback, I ask, what about those quarterbacks he should have drafted? Only Carr is starting and he looked lost and dreadful in his first game. Just which one would have won Game 1 for us? The Buccaneers will improve over the course of the year. I don’t know how many wins they will get, but by the end of the year I don’t think any team is going to be anxious to play us. Relax, enjoy the game, and try to keep your blood pressure down. It’s only a game. It isn’t the purpose of life.
September 13th, 2014 at 2:17 pm
All things on both teams being equally bad….then
Jiff Fisher > Lovie Smith
September 13th, 2014 at 2:24 pm
@buddha. Fixing a mess? What exactly has he improved? I think he’s a fine coach, that’s seperate. Offensive line a mess, wait he traded for two, singed 4-5, drafted 2 and all the guys that left start for other teams? QB is a mess, brought in by him. To me he isn’t fixing a mess, it’s just getting messier. They rebuilt the offense, QB, drafted WR, TE, RB, OLinemen, then in free agency and trades added more to offense. This has L&L stamp all over it and it stunk. Fact.
September 13th, 2014 at 2:47 pm
Brent says :”Wow these people are crazy.” ” I’d be very happy with 8-8″.
Brent be prepared to be unhappy.
September 13th, 2014 at 2:51 pm
This game is about a win yes but it’s also about the ring of Honor, not a good day to boo you’re team, I want a win but how much confidence will we have if bucs squeak out a win and still look like their in preseason form. New offense and defense is no excuse because plenty of teams with new coaches put up points but lost.
Vikings head coach of last year is our d coordinator, they have a whole new staff also but won 34-6 so yes if we barely won or lose to another backup yes it’s panic time the entire team looked bad as a unit. You can overcome mistakes it’s fine every week, it’s not just on mccown, because Martin had zero running lanes because of bad blocking all of a sudden he has no vision. The line is garbage but I can’t wait to see mike James step up this week
September 13th, 2014 at 3:06 pm
@ James West – I know all to well where you are coming from and I feel the same as you…. All these seasons come and go we’ve seen horrible teams (Saints, Falcons, Dolphins, Lions etc.) grow and become decent teams and the Bucs continue bumbling HC hires, FA signs, draft picks…
Hopefully we won’t have to watch the Raiders, Jaguars and Browns improve before us{UGH!}
September 13th, 2014 at 3:06 pm
I learned a long time ago a win is a win, is a win. We could squeak by every game from here on out and go 15-1, nullifying the fact that we “squeaked by”. Just get the win.
And the only way we are going to win imo is to get pressure. I dont know how we’re going to do that, but somehow someway we have to.
September 13th, 2014 at 3:12 pm
Larry English looked somewhat impressive in the pre-season, we cut him and have brought him back. I wonder if he will step up or will it be Gholston-Bowers or someone else? Akeem Spence? Steven Means?
September 13th, 2014 at 3:45 pm
I’m just so tired of leaving RJ after a loss that just one win now would be such an improvement
September 13th, 2014 at 3:48 pm
Around and round we go, where it stops nobody knows..
http://www.imagesup.net/?di=1114104661511
September 13th, 2014 at 4:12 pm
The Dolphins? They made it to the playoffs one time in the last 13 years and got beat in the wildcard game. The saints, lions and falcons sucked terribly until recently. The Bucs are finally on the right track give them a little time to get it going. If you all have been fans for so long why not give the coach with historic ties to this team a chance.
September 13th, 2014 at 5:17 pm
I don’t see this as a must win. Since the Superbowl it seems to me the Bucs lose the games they should and win the games they shouldn’t. I expect them to win at least 2 of the 3 road games.
September 13th, 2014 at 5:34 pm
Buddha, I agree with you 100% my Bucs brother !!!!!!! As Rob pointed out we’ve had 4 coaches since 2008. A Head coach needs time to get the pieces to build a consistent, winning football team. I do think it was a mistake to tell the fan base that we shouldn’t have to wait for a winner. That’s what we ALL wanted to hear, but it raised our hopes too high. Realistically we should have known better (some of us did). Lets give the new staff time to build our team. In the mean time lets watch our team grow and get better this season. GO BUCS !!!!!!!
September 13th, 2014 at 5:50 pm
this is a win for the Bucs: winston/mariota in first, RG/DE in second, RG/Corner/Safety in the third. Bucs are good at left corner (still unsure about right), ROLB, LOLB (Lansanah), McCoy and Mcdonald, and safety at reduced price. Offense needs young QB, RG and a Tackle. This season is to see who can play and who will be here for depth next year. Best thing for the Tampa Bay Bucs!
September 13th, 2014 at 6:57 pm
hey Buddha yes I realize it’s only football. and there is a hell of a lot more pressing things on the horizon, and I appreciate your concern for other bloggers health and welfare , thank you – buuuuuuuut the facts are old stoneface lovie never built an o-line in chitown-and as good as his defenses were he never got the job done because of his absolute disregard that in todays league you have to have a playmaker at QB and not a at best, average to weak play at the position, there was a reason the bears got rid of him and he spent a year in his basement. when tampa hired him we gave a parade and so did Chicago that got rid of him.
September 13th, 2014 at 7:36 pm
“This season is to see who can play and who will be here for depth next year.”
Newbucsfan!!…not according to Lovie Smith. He pretty much thinks were built to win now. Or have you not been listening to him?
September 13th, 2014 at 8:13 pm
Time….
September 13th, 2014 at 8:40 pm
@knuckbuck or knuckle berry or whatever u call yourself.
Worst fan base in nfl?
Well that goes along with one of the worst franchises then right?
Maybe you haven’t seen the last 6-7 years? Worst fans cause we want a winner and not just talk!!!
Paaaaleaaassseeee we have been preached to about patience and needing time and any other word you can think of for years and years.
Were all angry cause we do care and are all slap tired of rooting for a losing team year in and year out you idiot.
They told us not to be patient so I’m not anymore. How much more patience?
Another 5 years or 3? I mean really.
It’s not about one game this year.
It’s about the habitual losing every year with pillow talk to keep us hanging around and defending the crap they’ve rolled out there the last few years.
Anyone who isn’t up in arms over this display of junk for 10 years isn’t a true fan. Patient. Lmao whatever.
And yes after one game……..season over.
Anyone with eyes can see the writing in the wall and those who don’t are viewing things with rose colored glasses.
So all you optimist out there go ahead and live in a fantasy world with all your hope and patience.
I choose to live in reality and if you do too then it’s pretty obvious this team is sniffing last place again.
September 13th, 2014 at 8:44 pm
@strangeglassman
You make our point without us having to say a word.
Yes saints lions and falcons all sucked until recently.
But what’s the one thing that turned those losing franchises around?
Hmmm……….
Maybe a quarterback?
Duh! My god you people are so not smart it’s funny.
September 13th, 2014 at 8:46 pm
Lovie = Fail
September 13th, 2014 at 8:52 pm
And somewhere Greg Schiano and Mark Dominik are raising their glasses to a toast.
September 13th, 2014 at 8:55 pm
Kevin1…yikes have another shot and calm down. Or perhaps a valium or 2. lol
September 13th, 2014 at 8:55 pm
Yes it has only been ONE GAME. (After FOUR pre-season games) and they played like crap for three and a half quarters. That was a game they should have won. Tomorrow is a game they should win, but if they play like they did last Sunday it is going to be a long, long season. All of this talent on both sides of the ball and so far the only team we have dominated in the slightest has been Buffalo in the pre-season. There is no excuse to have as much talent as we have, a top notch coach like Smith and look as bad as we did.
September 13th, 2014 at 9:02 pm
Every year I drive from Deland to Tampa for a game or two. Last year it was the Arizona game. Which we should have won, I did enjoy yelling at Sullivan and Schiano, saying things I cannot repeat here. But again, we have a lot of talented players, high draft picks, coveted free agents etc. and why we came out and looked like crap against a back up QB with a patchwork offensive line is beyond me. I agree with Kevin1, until we have a QB the caliber of Brees – Ryan we will never get out of fourth place in the NFC south. The last time we had such a QB…Brad johnson, amazing completion rate and a true game manager. Since Brad we have had nothing. Chris Simms, Josh Freeman, MClown. History makes my point.
September 13th, 2014 at 9:07 pm
@buc1987
Lol call ur guy lol.
I’m calm just tired of the played out “have patience stuff”
September 13th, 2014 at 9:12 pm
@john sapp
Exactly.
Most all (don’t lay out your exceptions) of the time it comes down to the qb play.
Get a true franchise qb and all of a sudden you have a competitive team.
All the years of high draft picks and we still don’t have a qb.
It’s actually inexcusable. The most important position on the field and this franchise has always pretended it’s second fiddle to something else. Unreal we still don’t have a qb.
And no Mcown or glennon is going to get this team to where it needs to be.
September 14th, 2014 at 3:52 am
Budda; better stick to sitting on your ass with your legs crossed and picking your navel. This team under Lovey sucks and will be good to win 3 this year. Wish it wasnt so but thats what its looking like to me.
September 14th, 2014 at 8:01 am
To all of you who keep saying we need a franchise QB, I’ve got two things to say to you. First, you are right. Second, please tell me what draft pick or free agent was available to us this year that you think is a franchise QB? Lovie signed a band aid because that was his only and best option he had.
September 14th, 2014 at 8:09 am
@boomer
Your right there wasn’t and isn’t a franchise qb available.
My point was with all the years of horrible play and high draft picks to not have a franchise qb at this point is ridiculous.
September 14th, 2014 at 8:10 am
I say tank it and for Pete’s sakes get a gosh danged franchise qb for once.