Will Lovie Open Floodgates?
December 18th, 2014
Do signs point to the Bucs trying to win a shootout with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers?
Joe has already brought word how in games after Aaron Rodgers and the Packers lose, Rodgers plays simply lights out football.
What did the Packers do last week? They lost at Buffalo. Gulp.
Few coaches know Rodgers and the Packers as well as Bucs coach Lovie Smith from his days in Chicago. Listening to Lovie’s words, you wonder if he is going to order acting offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo to not just open up the offense, but throw caution to the wind and completely fire the booster rockers.
“Well you have to assume the odds are that you’re not going to shut them down always,” Lovie said. “So it’s assumed that they’re going to put some points on the board. So on the other side, yes; you need to match those points. Or you can take the approach that when they’re out there, they pass the ball an awful lot and [so] you can take the ball away.
“That’s normally what it’s about. When you play a team like that, you need to get your possessions that way. Probably makes more sense to lean towards that way. Times when we have had success, of course – which is very seldom I should say – will be based on takeaways more than anything.”
Again, this is the trap in relying on takeaways. They are a step above chance and closely tied to luck. If the takeaways aren’t happening, then what?
So Joe wouldn’t be surprised if every exotic play known to Arroyo is planned if not used. Why not? Why wouldn’t they?
December 18th, 2014 at 12:55 pm
we could always try the Bennd around
December 18th, 2014 at 12:59 pm
I’ll be interested to see what Dotson looks like this week. If he’s playing better then that should reflect itself all the way down the line. He did pretty well in his first start at that position over midway through the season. Hopefully another week of practice has made him a little more comfortable. If we have that stabilized the maybe our run game opens up and if that’s the case then we could actually be decent. Not expecting McCown to go head to head with Rodgers but I’d be happy to see the line showing real improvement and possibly solving the issue of who’s going to be our LT. Having that taken care of heading in to the off season will definitely effect the dynamics of the draft/FA conversation
December 18th, 2014 at 1:02 pm
Again, this is the trap in relying on takeaways. They are a step above chance and closely tied to luck. If the takeaways aren’t happening, then what?
Amen Joe. I love that “a step above chance”. Yes! Yes! Yes! It requires not just good play from your defense but bad play from the opponent’s offense.
But most of all it’s boring!!! That’s a large reason why Father Dungy got run out of town. He was personally boring! His teams were boring! The ONLY thing he had going for him was winning! There it is Lovie. If you’re going to be boring you better be able to deliver another SB. It’s the only thing that will cover the boredom factor.
December 18th, 2014 at 1:02 pm
Opening the flood gates for Lovie is starting Michael Johnson, Anthony Collins and Josh McCown. Unstoppable forces. GB can only hope for containment.
December 18th, 2014 at 1:04 pm
Put an eyepatch over one of Rodgers eyes, he will still pick the Bucs apart. I don’t believe the Bucs will ever win this game. No chance, no way, no how.
December 18th, 2014 at 1:11 pm
I don’t know what all the concern is about. I mean, we are 2-12 and obviously on the verge.
December 18th, 2014 at 1:15 pm
I’m hoping for a blowout. the 50+ nothing type of blowout where the stands are filled with rampant packer fans and the bucs are booed mercilessly by the few bucs fans in attendance. the type of blowout where mcclown throws 3 picks trying to hang with rodgers while he totally dismantles our so called improving defense.
the kind of blowout that makes fans not want to come back, the kind that makes the glazers pissed off at the joke of a team they have and the money they are losing every minute the pray for hope and change,
the kind of blowout that gets lovie his walking papers on a phone call. thats what I’m taling about.
December 18th, 2014 at 1:21 pm
Lets have Mccown throw it about 67 times, he’ll get picked off about 5 times but he’ll throw for 400 yards by default and Lovie will give him a 5 year contract extension.
December 18th, 2014 at 1:41 pm
Eddie Lacy is going to have a field day. If our def didn’t want to hit Joique Bell in Detroit what makes you think we’ll want to tackle Lacy? Rodgers may not throw the ball at all. GB may take a page from the Jets and run the ball 70x.
That’s how they’ll castrate Lovies def, oh wait too late. My bad.
December 18th, 2014 at 1:42 pm
That quote by lovie made me think I was listening to John Madden.
December 18th, 2014 at 1:47 pm
I think the most interesting item in this game is what McCown will do that hasn’t been done before to give the ball up. He is so creative this way. In addition the Packers will be playing in warm weather before their home team away from home crowd.
Since we are on the verge of going 2-13 this week, what more could we want, Lovie gone for Christmas.
December 18th, 2014 at 1:49 pm
My hand picked franchise QB Mike Cannon Glennon makes Aaron Rodgers look like a pathetic midget. Heck I’ll trade our first round pick and select Gurley off of a torn ACL before I ever consider some system QB from Oregon or another #5.
Glennon’s career mirrors Rodgers, its time to release the cannon!
December 18th, 2014 at 1:51 pm
LMFFAO! We have already used the Bennd around this year with not alot of success. But against us, it has been used quite well. Go figure.
December 18th, 2014 at 1:53 pm
steve rosenbloom–
–The firing of the old coach and the hiring of the “quarterback whisperer’’ who just whispered that he’s benched.
Oops, babe. Oops all around. Dismissals all around. Amens all around. (Chicago Tribune)
December 18th, 2014 at 1:56 pm
Asinine to call takeaways a step above luck. In Lovie’s 13 seasons as a DC or HC, his team has finished in the top 10 in takeaways 9 times. Pretty lucky. Drafting a good QB in the first round, now that’s luck.
December 18th, 2014 at 1:59 pm
@ Robert 9, Don’t sugarcoat it..lol..
December 18th, 2014 at 2:07 pm
the performance of the bucs defense is not even close to the bills defense. aaron Rodgers will slice and dice the bucs defense. packers playing to get in playoffs. 40000 + cheeseheads in the stands at this weeks game.the bucs players are already planning their tropical vacations for early January. no motivation for TB. big motivation for GB.
December 18th, 2014 at 2:19 pm
@Robert
“the kind of blowout that gets lovie his walking papers on a phone call”
I understand your sentiments but that’s just not going to happen.
Now if you want to get really depressed realize this. If Lovie does take one of the Heismans with the #1 pick you can count on at least two more years of Lovie.
Next year all the focus goes to the Heisman and if we lose, or should I say when we lose, Lovie will not only have deflected attention he’ll be able to say he was grooming the savior and needs another year and he’ll probably get it.
December 18th, 2014 at 2:24 pm
Probably going to see a lot of Packers leaping into the stands as their fans will make this a vacation home game. At least the local economy will benefit.
December 18th, 2014 at 3:30 pm
I guess they may not for the same reason they don’t throw jump balls to VJac and Evans when they are covered by 5’10” corners.
December 18th, 2014 at 4:54 pm
Will lovie go after cutler?
December 18th, 2014 at 5:17 pm
I just hope the scoreboard operator is smart enough not to use the
T A M P A >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
B A Y <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
cheer, since we all know there will be way more GREENs than TAMPAs.
I'm thinking of wearing a non-descript blue, so I won't get abused by the "home" fans, all wearing green. These Bucs are even worse than when I gave Josh Freeman and the Bucs a one-man standing ovation for getting their first 1st down late in the 3rd quarter of a game. (Even then it came on a late hit of Freeman going out of bounds, and not an offensive first down) What an embarrassment.
tickrdr
December 18th, 2014 at 5:40 pm
Time to unleash the Tedford super secret offense
December 19th, 2014 at 10:18 am
Bucs play the Pack well at home; Bucs actually got Rah his first win in 2009 vs those guys; the same day they inducted Lee Roy Selmon to the Ring of Honor. Do I expect the Bucs to win? Of course not, but they could make a game of it if the Pack comes out flat in the first half and struggle to cover the 11 point spread. I say Pack 27 Bucs 17 with the Bucs leading 14-10 at halftime where Arroyo makes bad adjustments and McNown either fumbles or throws a pick 6 in his first 2nd half possession.. Rodgers has a below average day but Lacy runs for 150+ yards and the Pack keep the ball for 20+ minutes in the 2nd half….
December 19th, 2014 at 11:08 am
Hey I’d at least see a glimmer of hope if the Bucs can hang with the Packers this week and open a can of whoop ass on the Saints next week. Jesus Lovie at least win a single home game this year and show fans that this team has some signs of being a professional football team heading into next year. That is unless the Glazers have already lined up a new HC for black Monday…then by all means feel free to lose out on your way out.