No Identity
February 18th, 2015
Lovie Smith speaks today
It is early and you likely have not had your morning dose of caffeine, so Joe understands nerves are already on edge without this supplement.
Therefore, Joe won’t recount all the ways the Bucs were miserable last year, just sum it up with the infamous Bill Parcells quote, “You are what your record says you are.”
A website by the suspicious moniker “NumberFire.com” pecked away at what went wrong for the Bucs. As one might imagine, the website by that name traffics in statistical gibberish. Joe will spare you.
However, author Aaron Watson has a nice summary.
The Future: All About the Quarterback
Media reports indicate the Buccaneers have zeroed in on quarterbacks Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota as their top pick, which provides both hope and uncertainty to a team desperate for a franchise quarterback. While rookie quarterbacks can infuse both hope and explosiveness to an anemic offense (see Luck, Andrew and Griffin III, Robert), more often than not, teams struggle to score with a rookie under center (see almost everyone else).
The Buccaneers are a team with an identity crisis on offense and defense, but the cupboard isn’t bare. With franchise cornerstones in Evans and Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David on defense, this is a team that could be two years away from competing if they can snag a true franchise quarterback with the first pick in the 2015 draft.
New offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, who spent the past three seasons with the Falcons, has a proven track record at the helm of a top NFL offense and did a masterful job with Matt Ryan and the injury-prone players around him. The Buccaneers head into this offseason looking to once again rebuild their offensive line as they prepare to develop their version of Matt Ryan, with Evans in the Julio Jones role and Jackson serving as a more physical Roddy White.
Maybe this is what Lovie referred to when he dropped the phrase, “on the verge,” in mid-December. No, the cupboard isn’t bare, there is a foundation, but little after that.
Hopefully, today begins the process of stocking the shelves, as the NFL Scouting Combine begins in frozen Indianapolis. This morning at 10:15 a.m., Lovie is scheduled to hold his press conference, and general manager Jason Licht will take the podium about 11:15 a.m. So stick with Joe for content from Bucs’ heavy hitters today.
February 18th, 2015 at 6:29 am
Joe,
Can you please confirm the following information is correct or incorrect?
*Tampa Bay Buccaneers/ 2015 Projected Draft Pool Cap
NFL Draft: 2015 Draft Selections
• Round: 1 / Pick: 3 – $4,064,636
• Round: 2 / Pick: 34 – $1,016,209
• Round: 3 / Pick: 65 – $610,826
• Round: 4 / Pick: 106 – $551,065
• Round: 5 / Pick: 154 – $479,527
• Round: 5 / Pick: 160 – $475,075
• Round: 6 / Pick: 168 – $463,363
• Round: 7 / Pick: 193 – $452,281
Two 5th round picks?
February 18th, 2015 at 6:50 am
Shouldn’t it be round 1 pick 1?
February 18th, 2015 at 7:02 am
thank you 87′
*correction Round: 1 / Pick: 1
February 18th, 2015 at 7:07 am
and you will get to see them both throw saturday.
via the washington post:
On Tuesday, NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport tweeted that Winston intended to throw while at the league’s annual player-evaluation extravaganza. Mariota said on Monday, “I’m looking forward to throwing if I’m able to do that,” and it is expected that he will.
February 18th, 2015 at 7:38 am
So both QBs are throwing at the combine. Mariota said he was then Winston said he was. Seems Winston is nervous if Mariota throws and he doesn’t he will look bad. I think it’s stupid they throw anyways
doesn’t answer any questions and doesn’t show anything. Will wait for their pro days.
February 18th, 2015 at 7:59 am
I think it’s cool both guys are throwing. Tells me they’re both competitors and want to take every opportunity they can to show what they can do, confidence. Makes me like both guys even more.
It probably won’t change anyone’s mind that matters, although I have to think Bridgewater’s pro-day throws hurt him a bit in the draft. But, you know damn well, the media and our resident comment section scouts will jump all over either guy if they have a bad day…Should be interesting.
February 18th, 2015 at 8:04 am
Lovie is what his history says he is…
This was always the major issue in Chicago with him, his teams had no offensive identity, because the man simply refuses to believe that you need an actual offense to win in the NFL. If you believe suddenly overnight he has changed his philosophy, I think you’re going to be sadly mistaken. Which ever QB he is forced at gunpoint to choose will turn into Rex Grossman under Lovie, I don’t care who the OC is, the offense is going to be run, run, screen, punt…this is the Lovie Smith way, you score 10 on offense and get another 7 from ST or your D, then you hope your defense can hold the other the to 10-14 points, this is his philosophy, he stated as much in his very first press conference with the Bucs. This team will not evolve and advance in the Post-2010 NFL with Lovie Smith running the show. Whoever inherits this team when Lovie is axed on Jan 4, 2016 will have lots of talent that was rudderless, lets hope the Boys don’t screw it up again, nd at least it’s only one more horribly atrocious season I have to live through.
February 18th, 2015 at 8:08 am
Both Winston and Mariota undoubtedly recognize very well what’s at stake in these showcase opportunities before the draft, and that’s why both will end up throwing at the Combine. I fully expect both will do very well, and so will a number of other QBs the pundits haven’t paid a bit of attention to … yet.
The Bucs may be ‘leaning’ one way or another, but I have serious doubts that anyone can tell me with 100% certainty who they’ll draft with their #1 pick. Not even the Bucs.
Still a couple months to go,
February 18th, 2015 at 8:11 am
I don’t understand why the Bucs haven’t signed Jameis Winston to a contract yet? When he comes in to sign his contract Dirk Koetter could give him a playbook to study so he could be a couple of months ahead of all the other rookies who haven’t sign yet. Jameis could call Evans & Jackson and they could be working together before OTAs start. There really is no other choice the Bucs can make. I know it’s a gamble but it’s one the Bucs MUST make. Bucs fans have suffered for so many years by terrible quarterback play. It’s time we have a quarterback that can make us believe every week we have a chance to win.
February 18th, 2015 at 8:34 am
2 years ago no one was talking about mariotta because they were all talking about Winston as the run away Heisman, he has a bad season in which he threw a lot of interceptions and still only lost one game now people are saying he’s jamarcus Russell or Ryan leaf…..whats the comparison again? freeman had a better career than glennon and he was already known to have accuracy issues coming out of college, no such things are said about Winston’s accuracy just his mechanics. who’s mechanics will need more refining someone who played in a pro style offense or someone who played a gimmick offense? Mariotta has to throw at the combine Winston doesn’t because questions about his craft have already been answered only the interview process is important for him
February 18th, 2015 at 8:52 am
Jeez the cupboard wasn’t bare when Lovie got here and he managed to half the win total of his predecessor’s worst season! Glazer’s saw fit to give Lovie another year, so I’ve come to grips with their decision(their team and money), but I still think this team had more fire in its belly under Schiano than it showed last year under Lovie. Hopefully this season proves me wrong on that.
February 18th, 2015 at 9:05 am
@flmike
Why draft all offense last year if he didn’t care about offense? Why go after Cutler and Marshall if he didn’t care about offense? Lovie has had pretty bad luck with offensive coordinators and there’s nothing spectacular about his offensive history, especially on the o-line, but it’s asinine to think he doesn’t care about the offense at all. He’s a defense minded coach, he believes his defense can win the game for them if the offense can keep it close and not put the team in bad situations. But, I seriously doubt he would be opposed to his offense scoring 25+ a game and Koetter wouldn’t have taken the job if he wasn’t going to be calling the plays.
February 18th, 2015 at 9:18 am
@Phil – It’s called due diligence. If the Bucs signed either QB before their pro-day it’d be pretty concerning. They should take all the time they need to evaluate both guys and make sure they’re 100% sold on the pick. I know I’d definitely at least want to interview a guy in person before I signed him to a multi-million dollar contract. Especially when both QB’s have some questions that need answers.
February 18th, 2015 at 9:23 am
JOE you have some of the most idiotic buc fans I’ve ever read about in my life.
do you know how much of the glazers money greg schiano wasted and everyone is complaining about lovie, schiano wasted double that amount. 16 million on one player
ToesOnTheLine! Says:
February 18th, 2015 at 8:52 am
Jeez the cupboard wasn’t bare when Lovie got here and he managed to half the win total of his predecessor’s worst season! Glazer’s saw fit to give Lovie another year, so I’ve come to grips with their decision(their team and money), but I still think this team had more fire in its belly under Schiano than it showed last year under Lovie. Hopefully this season proves me wrong on that.
how does a team with fire in the belly win 4 games, how does a team that spent that much money in free agency under schiano, the biggest coaching staff in football get you 4 wins? because you follow the coaches and players more closely than any other team does it mean the team should be better? they suck bottom line. when you put the responsibility of getting a pass rush in the hands of daquan bowers you should get fired. all this damn crying over what happened in the first year of lovie being here has to stop. pissy whining fans that think this team should go to the playoffs simply means you know what caliber coach he is. i’d rather the first year be bad then take a step forward than to be under schiano and have playoff hopes the first year with the worst pass defense in the nfl and then go to 4-12 and get fired the second year…pissy little pathetic fans make sure to make yourselves known who we all know who to call a bandwagon fan because if you hitch your wagon to the bucs it means you hitch it to everyone on the team including the coach. bunch of fags come here to complain everyday do you want some cheese with that whine? I AM HAPPY WE HAVE THE FIRST PICK OVERALL. last season is over and there is hope and optimism which is why so many people are here debating what quarterback we will draft….glennon and mccown are afterthoughts meaning the evolution of the team has already started taking place. addition by subtraction we are already 3 games better than our 2-14 record by releasing josh mccown
February 18th, 2015 at 9:35 am
How can you say we have no identity? We have the identity of a shtty Lovie Smith team that can’t score and scares no one. I’d say we have a strong identity.
February 18th, 2015 at 10:04 am
Your team takes on the identity and personality of it’s head coach…the man’s belief that the offense is there to just keep it close (literally to not screw it up for the defense) is why his history with OCs and offensive identity has been what it is. If he fully believed that the offense was there to carry the team and to win games it might be different, but that’s not Lovie and if you think back it wasn’t Dungy either.
February 18th, 2015 at 10:07 am
Like we had this fabulous identity before Lovie arrived…………….
Give him a little time, he will build a winner.
February 18th, 2015 at 10:25 am
the bucs will continue to be a joke until the Glazers sell and Lovie is back in the basement. It starts at the top and the only orgainzation in business more dysfunctional than the bucs ownership might be the Browns but it’s close.
February 18th, 2015 at 10:28 am
@ bucs4lyfe
Nice book long tirade, I’ll keep it short…Schiano in two years = 11 wins = fired; Lovie in one year = 2 wins. Pretty obvious what kind of a season Lovie needs to have to see year 3. Please stop with the Lovie gets more time based on what he did in Chicago…it’s a results now driven league and most fans don’t care about what someone did almost a decade ago (see Mike Shanahan)
February 18th, 2015 at 11:37 am
gets more time based on what he did in Chicago? lol meaning he has a history in the league, schiano cant even get a position coach job and your still giving him credit for what? like we weren’t a joke when schiano was here, the difference between schiano and lovie is with lovie we’re STILL a joke around the league but with schiano the team was a joke around the league and to his own players. Lovie is the new man to hate but sorry toes on the line all schiano ever accomplished was that line,
YOU SOUND STUPID GIVING CREDIT TO A GUY THAT VISIBLY GOT OUT COACHED IN EVERY GAME OF HIS CAREER EVEN THE WINS
February 18th, 2015 at 1:34 pm
Sounds to me like both QBs actually are both fighting to go to the Bucs. Hmm… I likey
February 18th, 2015 at 1:36 pm
Face it Bucs by far have the best receiving core of any of the teams capable of drafting Winston or Mariota. Winston and Mariota are drooling at the possibility of throwing to Mike Evans for the next decade plus.