“Energized” By 0-3 Start
September 24th, 2014
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin believes Lovie Smith is “energized” by the 0-3 start from the Bucs
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin may not have coached with Lovie Smith, but if anyone knows Lovie who hasn’t coached him, it would be Tomlin.
After all, Lovie and Tomlin come from the same branch of the Father Dungy tree. Both were college coaches when Father Dungy plucked them to work as his defensive assistants; Lovie a linebackers coach, Tomlin a secondary coach.
Tomlin is very much like Lovie in that he loves smashmouth football and bone-crunching defense. The difference between the two is it seems Tomlin embraces versatility. Reared in a 43 defense, Tomlin lets Dick LeBeau run his famed zone-blitz 34 defense, and allows his offensive coaches to air out the ball with Ben Roethlisberger. Make no mistake, Tomlin’s football DNA is just like Lovie’s: Running the ball and bruising defense is the foundation.
So because Tomlin knows Lovie so well, it was interesting to listen to Tomlin’s recent press conference, where he spent a good chunk of time discussing the Bucs in detail.
Tomlin seems to think that Lovie is that bulldog you never want to corner, who has now been cornered after the seal-clubbing last week in Atlanta. In fact, Tomlin believes Lovie likely has been working non-stop since getting back from Atlanta gameplanning for the Steelers.
The Bucs are “thirsty for a victory,” Tomlin said. “When I look at the tape I see a team that is building. Knowing Lovie Smith, I know he will be undeterred by the start. As a matter of fact, he is going to be energized by it. He is going to relay that to his guys and I am sure they are going to follow and I am sure they will have one of the better weeks of preparation that they have had.
“I know they will be prepared to bounce back.”
Tomlin expects several injured Buccaneers to return to the starting lineup Sunday, including Doug Martin. Tomlin said of Martin, “I think they call him a Muscle Hamster. I don’t know what that is but it sounds appropriate.”
Joe hates to say it, but unless the Bucs defense takes a significant step forward, this game is setting up to be like last week’s. Roethlisberger is every bit as good as Matty Ice, and since the Bucs defense seems allergic to tight ends, arguably Roethlisberger’s favorite target, underrated Heath Miller, could very well slice and dice the secondary as bad as Greg Olson did to open the season.
Like the Bucs, the Steelers have injuries piling up on defense. As a result, none other than the offensive savant that is Mike Shula recognized this Sunday night and attacked the Steelers secondary with big-bodied Kelvin Benjamin.
Hopefully, the Bucs see this and break out the Dunkaneers. Joe isn’t confident that will happen.
September 24th, 2014 at 6:15 am
Lol we wont have another game like Thursday’s game. Count on it.
September 24th, 2014 at 6:20 am
@ PRBucfan
I hope your right. I’m hoping to actually see the bucs air it out a bit
September 24th, 2014 at 6:28 am
i think the Thursday game turnaround had a bit to do with it so i don’t think it’ll be that bad again but there’s no chance that it’s a win. Roethlisberger is a legitimate starter so it’s a lock that we’re cooked.
September 24th, 2014 at 6:34 am
I see more blowouts in the future, but at least the cannon will give us some time on offense
September 24th, 2014 at 7:24 am
So Lovie is like Raheem’s grandma is what your saying?
September 24th, 2014 at 7:27 am
And Tomlin spent one year with Dungy, I would say he came from the Monte Kiffin coaching tree myself.
September 24th, 2014 at 7:31 am
How about just having some encouraging news this week on something.
Enthusiasm is getting stale.
September 24th, 2014 at 7:38 am
Lovie like Raheems grandma….LOL. I want to know how he shows no expression when we look like $hit on most plays.
September 24th, 2014 at 7:56 am
Tomlin is probably thinking about sitting his starters this game.
September 24th, 2014 at 8:25 am
Tomlin fingers are crossed behind his back the whole time –
Tomlin thinking to himself “this will be like a pre-season game and we will take a look at our depth or bubble players….hmm I wonder what’s the Yoing and the Restless about today.”
LOL he’s not even planning this week
September 24th, 2014 at 8:35 am
For whatever reason the Steelers always crush us. Haven’t checked but I can’t even remember us ever beating the Steelers. Probably been since the 80s!
We have as good a chance of beating the Steelers as we have making the playoffs. I am preparing for an old fashioned ass whippin!
September 24th, 2014 at 8:38 am
@ 0-4 Lovie will be a “Human Dynamo”
September 24th, 2014 at 9:04 am
@ Dallas
They always seem to even when the Bucs were good. They did beat them pretty badly like 17-3 at home late 90’s. My buddy was down for game and is a huge fan so it was nice to have one win.
My big fantasy guy Andre Brown will tear up that cover 2 just like he did on MNF. They have to be much more aggressive on each side of the ball to at least make it competitive.
September 24th, 2014 at 9:16 am
Heath Miller has lost about 12 steps since he was Ben’s favorite target. He’s about as quick and agile as Dallas Clark at this point. It’s Brown and Wheaton we better be worried about…and Bell and Blount if we decide we don’t want to tackle again this week.
September 24th, 2014 at 9:30 am
Need to have a QB accurate enough to throw it the Dunkaneers catchable area. We have none.
September 24th, 2014 at 9:33 am
A whole lot of Steeler fans are fed up with Tomlin, they will be lucky to finish .500 this year.
September 24th, 2014 at 9:53 am
The only time in my life I can remember the Bucs beating the Steelers was the game where we made Kordell Stewart cry on the sidelines. I don’t remember when that was but it’s got to be at least 10 years.
We’re going to get beaten again this week. And I don’t think children or people like Jeff Tedford should be allowed to watch the game. It won’t be like last week, but I’m guessing 38-7 or something like that.
September 24th, 2014 at 10:09 am
Okay, so knowing this is a likely loss (according to all of you), why hate on Lovie afterward? After all, you expect a loss, don’t you? Even if you are not saying so?
The way I look at this game is simple. We lose? Not unexpected. We win? It’s a huge victory…but I know fans will say “Oh, the steelers are not a good team” without even acknowledging the history.
What matters more to me in this game is performance and heart. If fans want to feel good again about the team, that’s what we should be watching for. If we see lack of effort, its the worse thing.
I get the sense that Lovie is staying calm, but remaining persistent as he seeks ways to improve the team.
Can’t fix 6+ years of crap without a lot of bumps.
September 24th, 2014 at 10:38 am
PRBucFan Says:
September 24th, 2014 at 6:15 am
Lol we wont have another game like Thursday’s game. Count on it.
Your right because nfl won’t bother putting us on Thursday nights for awhile any time soon
September 24th, 2014 at 10:42 am
If Lovie calls MG the QB of the future, whose future? Everybody said in preseason that McCown was clearly better than MG. How they came to that conclusion is fuzzy, seeing as how MG only teamed with backups. I know this is repetitive, but if MG fell flat on his face as a starter at least we could move on and let the anti MGM have their laughs. Then we go back to McCown and he wins Bucs MVP in a remarkable turn around. Lovie will be all smiles.
September 24th, 2014 at 11:56 am
energized ? lovie will be bouncing off the walls after he goes 0-4 , thirsty? lovie will be thirsting like a 12 stepper at beef o brady’s during a Monday night game, prepared? lovie will be as prepared as jfro during a Monday night gig in minnasota!!!!! hate to tell you folks but I predict are you ready- PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN this team is beat there is no rally point and LSD sucks ( lovie smith debacle )
September 24th, 2014 at 12:44 pm
Bucs are like 1-8 against these guys, they even got creamed by the Steelers at Ray Jay 17-7 on Monday Night Football in 2002 during their 12-4 season. Doubtful the Bucs double their win total vs the Steelers though they could keep it a bit closer then most think and give Lovie some ammo for a “moral victory/improvement over last week” speech to spin next week…. Myself, if I were a betting man: it would be hard to lay off of the Steelers as a 7.5 point favorite, still curious why the line is so low with Tedford out and all the disarray…