Does Lovie Like Safeties?
October 29th, 2014
A former Bears personnel man suggests Lovie Smith has issues coaching safeties
Joe still is of the mind that the Bucs defense played well Sunday. No, that game-tying, Vikings drive ending the fourth quarter stunk, but when you hold a team to 13 points in regulation, you should win.
The defense was solid despite the terrible play of former safety Mark Barron, who played so badly Bucs coach and overlord of football operations Lovie Smith gave general manager Jason Licht the green light to shop him.
And Licht found a sucker suitor.
Could it be, however, that Barron, who regressed terribly this year, is yet another victim of Lovie’s revolving door of safeties as a head coach?
Cranky Gabe Gabriel, the former Bears director of scouting, believes Lovie can’t coach up safeties. That’s what he inferred on Twitter.
In 9 years in Chicago, we could never get Lovie the right safeties. With TB trading Barron, it looks as they have the same problem there
— Greg Gabriel (@greggabe) October 29, 2014
Well, that is an interesting element. Time will tell if Lovie solves the safety issue. There is no question that this year, under Lovie, Barron had clearly his worst NFL season.
If Jeff Fisher with the Lambs turns Barron around, then Joe believes Gabriel may be on to something.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:21 am
Reading between the lines, he’s saying Lovie sucks as a coach!
October 29th, 2014 at 10:31 am
If Barron looks good in St. Louis, shouldn’t that be the end for Lovie and Licht? Just shows that either Licht is a terrible talent evaluator (and since he’s a puppet, it’s Lovie who’s the terrible talent evaluator), or the coaching is very poor. Either one of those should be enough for change. We shouldn’t be afraid to fire them because the alternative, letting them build a terrible roster, is much worse.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:32 am
Joe, what are you talking about. The defense played well??? other than the bucs, the vikings currently have the worst offense in the NFL!!! When real Nfl offenses light up the Bucs defense are you going to say that they regressed? because that is what is about to happen!
write it down Joe!
October 29th, 2014 at 10:36 am
Hire Raheem as secondary coach! The man knows what he’s doing.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:39 am
Wasn’t Mike Brown a Pro Bowler almost every year Lovie was there?
GET OUT OF TOWN!!!
Now with Goldson at SS and Keith Tandy at FS, we have some guys that can run and cover.
Question now is, can they tackle? …
October 29th, 2014 at 10:50 am
Is there any doubt left that Lovie Simth is the worst coach in the NFL
Is there any doubt that Lovie Smith Assembled the worst coaching staff in the NFL.
Is there any doubt that Lovie Smith can’t evaluate talent.
Is there any doubt that Lovie Smith is going to say his lack of success was due to personnel during his first year.
Is there any doubht that Lovie Smith is going to Draft a QB in this draft and blame Glennon for all his issues.
(Just look to Cleveland as to what a great coach is, they drafted Johnny Football and Hoyer had some bad games and they still stuck with Hoyer and should be in first place).
Is there any doubt that after the Bucs suck next season, Lovie Smith blames his coaching staff and starts replacing them.
Is there any doubt we will have blacked out games next year.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:53 am
What other teams in the league stink up the place this bad year after year? The Raiders and Jags are all that come to mind. Somehow the Bucs seem even worse than those hapless losers. What the hell is wrong with this team that their level of suckage exceeds all others? It just does’nt seem possible with even a speck of intellect calling the shots.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:54 am
The Bucs were desperate to get more draft picks because they have many holes to fill. Barron was the only player worth anything. No teams wanted V Jackson, D Martin or D Goldson.
Barron is a solid safety that simply needed more time to grasp the tampa 2. This trade made the Bucs even worse today, but they had to do something to get more picks.
To act like Barron was the main problem with the defense is ridiculous. I could name about 8 other players on this defense that are much worse. The Rams got tremendous value by making a trade with a desperate team that doesn’t know what they’re doing.
October 29th, 2014 at 11:00 am
Major Wright 4 years with Chicago and 3 of those with Lovie. I guess he was a major problem.
#Greggabriel #drunkasaskunk
October 29th, 2014 at 11:03 am
isn’t like lovies son or something the safeties coach.
i’m sure the players have a huge amount a respect for momma/daddies boy. lol
his whole damn coaching staff is a joke.
damn you joe!!!!! you had me excited this year!!!
lol, not blaming you, but just damn man. raheeem, schiano and now this. it is continually getting worse.
I hate lovie, but almost think simple continuity is needed and stabilization at the coach level. even if he is a moron.
we have proof it can always get worse.
October 29th, 2014 at 11:03 am
We need to get intelligent players to master this scheme. The problem is between the players ears…
October 29th, 2014 at 11:05 am
The problem is the scheme sucks and is outdated and Lovie refuses to adapt to the talent he has. He’s Mr. Square Peg Into The Round Hole. Which is really gonna suck when he gets fired because this roster will be built to win in 2005 when it’s 2015.
October 29th, 2014 at 11:14 am
In the memorable words of Dennis Green ( who would have been a better choice than Lovie…along with many,many others)..
“He (Lovie) is who we thought he was….and we hired him anyways!”
October 29th, 2014 at 11:42 am
Lovie Drafted
Adam Archuleta (One of the Most Overrated Safety Prospect Ever!!!)
Could have made a decent (Will) Backer though.
…….As for as (S) Mike Brown-Aka Mighty Might
Mike Brown (Safety) Chicago Bears
• NFL Draft: 2000 / Round: 2 / Pick: 39
• Debuted in 2000 for the Chicago Bears
Mike Brown (4 year Combined Stats 2000-2004)
• 330 Tackles
• 3 Sacks
• 6 Forced Fumbles
• 11 Interception (3 Returned for TD’s)
Mike Brown was an established player well before Lovie arrived.
The Great Mike Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZakAZ5Cbn9A
October 29th, 2014 at 11:47 am
Heart and Soul The Mike Brown Story (Must See)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pj_e8blG0
October 29th, 2014 at 11:55 am
Touch Down Tampa Bay……….need intelligent players for this scheme???? wth is that….the 3-4 scheme that is bringing the heat with 100s of exotic blitzes you need intelligence, to know where to be and not give up your gap, while others are blitzing but this under defense is the every play, id like to see some more corner blitzes like ronde did in the dungy era…….this team sucks the coaches are TURRIBLE and Barron will become an all-pro under fischer and become another Talib after tampa……lovie licht have ruined this team for 4 years
October 29th, 2014 at 1:12 pm
Dusthty Rhothdes Says:
October 29th, 2014 at 11:55 am
“Barron will become an all-pro under fischer and become another Talib after tampa”
Very doubtful Barron will become a pro bowler but time will tell I guess. Talib was a solid corner for the Bucs when he was here but his off field behavior was a huge problem for the team. New England dumped him after 1 year as well. Talib’s on field performance has never been a problem – it’s his behavior. Stop trying to re-write history to prove a (incorrect) point.
October 29th, 2014 at 1:36 pm
It was a revolving door of offensive coordinators and safeties while Lovie was coaching the Bears. Also some of the worst offensive line play in the league, with Cutler being one of the most sacked QB’s. Lovie had like nine different safety combinations in the last three years he was there. But he had very talented corners who got a lot of takeaways.
October 29th, 2014 at 2:03 pm
I think the problem with Safeties is r that the game has progress beyond the skills that Safeties have. Draft Corners to play Safety. Yes you need to make sure they can tackle and you may want to pick the bigger players, but they need to be ball hawks, if not, we got no use for them.
October 29th, 2014 at 3:18 pm
Barron just being a bad safety has NOTHING to do with Lovie Smith. After seeing his trainwreck of an NFL career I am definitely not putting Barrons poor play on Lovie and if Gabe Gabriel knew what he was talking about and had actually seen the terrible play of Barron he would keep his mouth shut.
October 29th, 2014 at 4:31 pm
So Lovie’s defensive scheme is a Safety’s worst nightmare.
No safety will want to play in Lovie’s scheme. Lovie will have no choice but to draft safeties now.
October 29th, 2014 at 7:40 pm
How different would this Defense would look if we had gotten Rod Marinelli instead of Frazier for defensive coordinator? Dallas’ Defense is not great, but it’s far better and they have more injuries than us.
October 29th, 2014 at 7:42 pm
I’d put a week ‘s pay on the fact that if we played more press man coverage,jammed the receivers at the line to throw them off of they’re routes and timing, and disguised some blitzes at the line this defense would be just fine. But we don’t. By we I mean the bucs because they’ve always been my team. I haven’t seen our corners lay a finger on these guys. It’s a joke.
And the OFFENSE!!!!!! Holy crap nothing is right on this offense. But the play calling is horrible. The whole offense sucks! No way this is what Tedford had in mind. I realize he may not be back at all, and if that is so then we need someone with an offensive mind. Someone that get’s it! Special teams suck too!
The whole team sucks…the bucs suck….it all just sucks. Not even angering or disappointing anymore because my expectations for this team have turned into a melted out puddle of what used to be hope.
Go draft Winston, I don’t care how he is off the field. Half these players in the NFL are scum-bags. What’s adding one more that can win games going to hurt. Do somethings Bucs…SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!