Jacquies Smith Soars, Michael Johnson Vanishes
November 24th, 2014
The Find and The Flop.
The Animal and The Apparition.
The Beast and The Bust.
The Bucs have a couple of stunning stories starting for them at defensive end.
Of course, the villain here is big-money right defensive end Michael Johnson, who had another ghostly day against the Bears. Johnson was hard to find on the field — and on the stat sheet.
The hero is left defensive end Jacquies Smith, who made his first start of the season yesterday, a reward for his standout play.
Smith delivered with a sack, a couple of tackles, and some great activity, including a tipped pass that fell right into the hands of Mason Foster at midfield with the Bucs leading 7-0. But Foster could not squeeze it.
Smith was snagged immediately off the street in September after getting cut by Buffalo in Week 2. The guy has come on slowly, steadily and now furiously. He’s got four sacks in limited action. Johnson has three.
Choosing to be happy on this sour Monday, Joe is really pumped up about 24-year-old Smith. It’s these kinds of finds, like the way former Bucs rockstar general manager Mark Dominik plucked Michael Bennett in October 2009, that lead to a great team.
Hopefully, the current regime won’t let Smith walk away for no good reason.
November 24th, 2014 at 9:46 am
Joe: Would love to see the salary cap implications on the overpaid-underperforming free agents…..people say “just cut them” but there are consequences…….aren’t there?
November 24th, 2014 at 9:52 am
Dashon Goldson thanks you Michael Johnson (and Anthony Collins), he’s no longer the highest priced bust on the team. No free agency this offseason please, cheap depth signings and that is no. No more getting torched.
November 24th, 2014 at 9:54 am
I hate this team so much – I have vested so much time and earned income into this team that not supporting makes it a waste.
I don’t see the coaching, in-game adjustments, personnel decisions, or decision making to make me confident Lovie can dispel his reputation and build a complete team.
Yesterday is just a microcosm.
November 24th, 2014 at 9:56 am
Koenen’s mono came back again yesterday. LOL. Maybe Johnson caught it too. And Collins.
November 24th, 2014 at 10:19 am
During free agency the football world touted the Bucs as winners because of the great free agents they signed. They were praised as a fine and aggressive organization wanting to win now! The new KC Chiefs. Ten weeks into the season, every free agent has been a bust, I mean, not one single free agent has been worth anything. Everyone agreed we signed the best available. If so then let me ask … Are you finally believing this team is still cursed by Hugh Culverhouse? The world agreed we signed the best and everyone turned to a bust? C’mon man
November 24th, 2014 at 10:23 am
yay, this is what we have to get excited about these days. whooo hooo
November 24th, 2014 at 10:37 am
no reason why tebow wouldnt bring the same will to win that j.m. and m.g. dont have.
bobby hoying is the same type of player….but all these decided schematic advantage guys or religous discriminators just wont do what they should
November 24th, 2014 at 10:50 am
Only the Bucs can make the lousy Bears look good.
November 24th, 2014 at 11:02 am
If I were Lovie I would have them switch jerseys so I did not look like such a terrible evaluator of FA talent. It doesn’t bode well for our future, and isn’t that all we have?
November 24th, 2014 at 11:10 am
I’m glad Smith is having a good year, maybe one less spot to fill next year!
November 24th, 2014 at 11:20 am
Michael Johnson just does not even look like a professional football player at all. He gets pushed around and fooled on every play. SMDH.
November 24th, 2014 at 11:32 am
I think Major Wright was a good free agent signing. I’m grasping for straws here.
November 24th, 2014 at 11:35 am
It’sad to see how far my current home team (the Bucs) and my former home team (da Bears with no “C” on their helmet) have fallen. Common denominator = Lovie.
November 24th, 2014 at 11:51 am
Smith and Evans are the two feel-good stories of this season for Bucs fans.
November 24th, 2014 at 11:59 am
McDonald is our best FA signing by far. McDonald = 36tackles 4 sacks vs mccoy 30 tackles 7.5 sacks.
Joe is it true that the bear’s guard who gave up the sack to mccoy is a second string guy who took over for an injured starter?
Seems like mccoy is only getting sacks against second string guys. In one play I saw Chris Long(?) chuck mccoy to the ground and I laughed and thought “ooo u got owned”. Aaron Donald rookie 3tech that we should have drafted made a big play with less than 2 mins in the 4th, a sack that gave them a chance to win the game. I wish mccoy could make just one play in the 4th vs a legitimate starter.
Bring on the hate.
November 24th, 2014 at 12:07 pm
DB55 Says:
November 24th, 2014 at 11:59 am
McDonald is our best FA signing by far. McDonald = 36tackles 4 sacks vs mccoy 30 tackles 7.5 sacks.
Joe is it true that the bear’s guard who gave up the sack to mccoy is a second string guy who took over for an injured starter?
Seems like mccoy is only getting sacks against second string guys. In one play I saw Chris Long(?) chuck mccoy to the ground and I laughed and thought “ooo u got owned”. Aaron Donald rookie 3tech that we should have drafted made a big play with less than 2 mins in the 4th, a sack that gave them a chance to win the game. I wish mccoy could make just one play in the 4th vs a legitimate starter.
Bring on the hate.
———-
Good players pad their stats against backups all the time, it’s what they do. Was he supposed to take a knee every play when the backup came in? He’s doing his job. It doesn’t matter who it came against, they’re in the NFL, they all have a job to do and that job is to keep McCoy from making plays.
November 24th, 2014 at 12:18 pm
@DB55
How about the sack/FF yesterday you retard
November 24th, 2014 at 12:46 pm
I am pretty sure with Smith’s sack yesterday he has now surpassed Bowers career stats in all categories.
November 24th, 2014 at 1:10 pm
You know what? You are right. Mccoy is the bees knees. We’re lucky to have him. He’ll have a HOF career and ultimately end up on the ring. No chit I believe that to be sure. Sapp 2.0
I guess I expect more than I should – full-retard. #nevergofull
November 24th, 2014 at 3:05 pm
Seems like Michael Johnson, when he has played, has been inhibited by at least one injury. But some of you great analytical thinkers believe he should still be Superman and have tons of sacks by now. Tremendous logic!
November 25th, 2014 at 11:36 am
Is this what it looks like when people get paid?