“If Lovie’s Not Concerned, Why Should I Be?”
July 30th, 2015
Lovie gets a powerful vote of support for his O-line
If you have extreme confidence in Lovie Smith, like Bucs’ Super Bowl defensive tackle Booger McFarland does, then of course you sleep without the aid of narcotics.
Asked yesterday whether he is concerned about the Buccaneers’ offensive line, McFarland, now a popular co-host on SiriusXM NFL Radio and an SEC Network talent, said Lovie is a wise head coach so there’s no need for unrest.
“The offensive line is a concern. But I mean, hell, if Lovie’s not concerned, why should I be? He sees them every day,” McFarland told Tom Krasniqi of WDAE-AM 620. “And the fact that he sees them every day, and he’s a part of a coaching staff that coaches them every day.
“I mean, it’s one thing for me to be concerned when I don’t see them every day, but if you’re Lovie Smith and you’re George Warhop and you see this group every day, and you’re willing to put a group in front of your franchise quarterback that’s less than capable of protecting him, then that’s Lovie’s fault.
“I don’t think Lovie’s a dumb coach by any stretch of the imagination. So if Lovie is comfortable, if he’s confident and comfortable with the offensive line, then you know what, let’s give him the benefit of the doubt and see where it goes.
“Just because a guy doesn’t have a name or a Pro Bowl doesn’t mean he’s not a good player. So let’s see what these rookies can do. Let’s see what Logan Mankins can do coming off a year where he’s been in this system for a year, he’s lived in Tampa, all these different things. Let’s see what they do.
“Because if you’re Lovie Smith coming into Year 2, if you put an offensive line on the field on Day 1 that’s substandard, that’s his own fault. I just fail to believe that he’s going to do that. So let’s give the guy the benefit of the doubt and see where they go from Day 1.”
Joe wishes he could be a jolly fellow about the Bucs’ O-line, but what stands in the way is Lovie’s track record of building offensive lines and evaluating offensive line talent. He never got that done in Chicago. His Bears never even had an offense ranked in the top-15.
There is legitimate reason for worry when it comes to that O-line, which is a major key to the Bucs’ season.
July 30th, 2015 at 1:37 pm
Poor Jameis.
July 30th, 2015 at 1:41 pm
EDS, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but the O-Line last year had the structural integrity of a Kardashian hymen
If you’re not concerned, don’t have a sense of urgency, haven’t been embarrassed enough to work your tail off this offseason, then…..well I’m concerned
July 30th, 2015 at 1:45 pm
Creamsicle….EDS didnt make the statement….Booger did…
July 30th, 2015 at 1:47 pm
Ugh, yea I have been corrected
July 30th, 2015 at 1:54 pm
Lovie wasn’t concerned last year, either. I am guessing that as long as the offense doesn’t rank last in EVERY category, Lovie calls it a ‘positive’.
July 30th, 2015 at 2:02 pm
Talking about confidence in Lovie…..Time for another Lovie Confidence Poll….please!!
July 30th, 2015 at 2:03 pm
I predict a lot of stuffed runs and holding penalties. Other than that “America’s QB” will have a clean uniform at the end of the season and plenty of passing yards and TD’s.
It’s better to get a holding penalty than to let JW get T-boned. I’m not angry about it either. Hold, but don’t let JW get killed. The refs can’t call every holding penalty. And, they’ll have to stop calling them sometime during the game or call more on the opposition.
Win-Win..!!
July 30th, 2015 at 2:10 pm
L&L did what they could for the OLine. They used two 2nd round picks to get the linemen they felt were best for the glaring holes up front – and still have expectation that either Pamphile or Edwards or both will turn into decent to good linemen as well.
That’s 4 draft picks for OLine in the last 2 years which is 4 more than Dom EVER chose in 5 years.
Overpaying for Free agent linemen is a bad idea as we witnessed last year. So unless you as a GM would have been willing to commit $40M for Mike Iupati who has questionable pass protection abilities – or are willing to pay 34 y.o.Evan Mathis $7M to play 9 games like he did last year – then there aren’t any good options other than to build through the draft that which Dom so badly neglected for 5 years.
It’s not like L&L are saying “we’re good up front – don’t worry…” It’s more like – “we are building this OLineup as best we can with limited options available to do so.”
July 30th, 2015 at 2:17 pm
I don’t get it. I just don’t it. Where’s the sense of urgency from this entire team.
I turn on NFLN and there’s like what 5 teams already in TC? We don’t start until Saturday?
What gives? Is there some kind of rule or something that I missed?
Help me, help me…help me understand!
July 30th, 2015 at 2:20 pm
Booger can feel however he wants to feel, but trusting Lovie to know what a good offensive line looks like? That’s just plain stupid.
July 30th, 2015 at 2:20 pm
“Overpaying for Free agent linemen is a bad idea as we witnessed last year.”
Pickgrin….Surely you meant over-paying for lineman that weren’t starting material to begin with…right?
July 30th, 2015 at 2:23 pm
Booger- mankins hasn’t been in the system for 2 years now. The Lovie sheep are gonna be out of excuses for their guy soon. Unless Koetter bails him out like Rivera and Marinelli did in Chicago
July 30th, 2015 at 2:28 pm
lovie was comfortable letting good guys walk and playing bums last though.
July 30th, 2015 at 2:28 pm
This O-Line will be a lot better than last year line, this year they have a full offseason together. Last season most of them were brought in during camp or later.
July 30th, 2015 at 2:34 pm
87, I think training camp is the same amount of days for each team. The teams that start earlier will finish earlier. I could be wrong, just a guess.
July 30th, 2015 at 2:36 pm
I’m not concerned either.
Lovie’s not concerned because he still has five years on a contract that is fully guaranteed.
July 30th, 2015 at 2:45 pm
“the O-Line last year had the structural integrity of a Kardashian hymen”
I literally laughed out loud for a few minutes at that one!!
The one big thing we have we these four new bodies for the o-line is hope… We’ll see how it plays out soon enough
The
July 30th, 2015 at 2:58 pm
Pickgrin you hit the nail right on the head. Teams like Seattle and New England are consistently good because they build through the draft, coach up their draftees very well, and augment as necessary with quality FAs. The Bucs have done the opposite. For a number of years the Bucs drafted worse than just about anyone in the league, but brought in quite a few middle-of-the-pack FAs trying to compensate. Our coaching staffs have resembled turnstiles more than anything else. Doesn’t work as we’ve seen.
Hopefully these last 2 draft classes will pan out and give us a solid base from which to build in the future. And yes, I have a lot of confidence in Lovie and his assistant coaches to do a good job of training up our newest draftees. Looking forward to a much better season this year in terms of the Bucs playing some quality football.
July 30th, 2015 at 3:05 pm
87, I think those teams play a wk earlier than everyone else. Pick grin I with you 100.
July 30th, 2015 at 3:10 pm
Wouldn’t giving Lovie the benefit of the doubt be doubting him?
July 30th, 2015 at 3:31 pm
If Lovie’s not concerned, why should we be? Because we’re the fans, so naturally we pause when on paper we don’t believe things are what they should be. Smith & Marpet could become studs immediately with Mankins & his example leading the way.
You guys talk about how inept Lovie is, or has been, when it comes to the offensive side of the ball. Dirk has that now, and let’s not forget Jason Licht’s history in the trenches. He’s got some experience evaluating that line talent too people, & you better believe Coach Smith trusts his eye for talent. He was the biggest advocate for Marpet, Lovie agreed.
July 30th, 2015 at 3:34 pm
Last year was all about Jameis, “America’s Quarterback”.
Mission accomplished. Simple as that.
July 30th, 2015 at 4:29 pm
Who else thinks that maybe the still remaining 4 years worth of guranteed pay regardless of whether he’s still coaching here or not is the REAL reason why Lovie’s not worried??
July 30th, 2015 at 5:35 pm
BuccaneEric75..if that’s the case I think I would rather start earlier and give my team an extra weeks rest before the season starts. Instead of playing the last pre-season game right before the regular one.
July 30th, 2015 at 5:40 pm
buc4life1979 …lol that’s funny you mention that because my wife told me last night that Lovie better start improving this team or he’s going to be unemployed soon.
My reply : it doesn’t matter to him, he gets paid either way.
July 30th, 2015 at 5:53 pm
I am less concerned about the OL rookies than I am about EDS, who showed up looking like the Pillsbury Dough boy. EDS is supposed to be the leader of the OL? Leaders take the off season seriously>>> see GMC and Mankins who both look like they hit the gym 6 days a week.
July 30th, 2015 at 5:55 pm
Pick grin-
You are absolutely right
Finally, someone is trying to build the team the right way. Even if it doesnt seem fast enough from the fan point of View
July 30th, 2015 at 6:01 pm
Yes, the offensive line was bad last year. The reason it was so bad was like a perfect storm. Anthony Collins literally played like he was in over his head. Not only his play was horrendous but he was a problem in the locker room. How much of that effected the rest of the OL? Then to fix the problem they throw the worst back-up tackle in the league (Oniel Cousins) and a 5th round draft pick who was not ready. You know Logan Mankins just was not himself the whole season. You could tell by reviewing game tape and by the number of penalties that there was confusion with play calling and blocking assignments. Patrick Omemah should not have been a starter and Garrett Gilkey should not have been a back-up. Demar Dotson is a top 5 right tackle and an excellent pass blocker. He just needs to get the penalties under control. Logan Mankins is a 6 time All Pro who is going to his 7th this year. All the crap I hear about Evan Smith is sheep manure. Watch game tape. Who is the guy who stays with his blocks and only gave up 2 sacks last year? You take these three OL and plug in the mountain called Donovan Smith who BTW dominated Gregory and Bosa in college along with a gutsy Division 3 linemen who will give his all every down and you have a line I have complete confidence in. The new OC and Jameis Winston throwing release time compared to McClown will have a positive impact as well
July 30th, 2015 at 6:10 pm
Seems like the O line he put together in Chicago did an okay job the last year he was there.
The Bears problem is an erratio QB.
For the hundredth time Joe, why don’t you recognize the subpar play of the entire offense was the result of an incompetent unprepared OC who should have never been in that position.
Do you think the Browns may have seen the same thing and that is the reason they signed McClown.
of course banging on players who are still here keeps the site ticker going, especially when they spew all their ignorant hate.
July 30th, 2015 at 6:47 pm
First stats dont always tell the whole story…much like your version with limited scope….bucsdabest.
EDS>> two sacks, four QB hits, and 14 QB hurries <<<aweful. He has been decent in run blocking but his pass protection was putrid.
I am hearing Marpet and EDS will battle for C duty and loser get RG spot. I think this has more to do with the negative EDS attitude towards rookies (Winston) because he has basically been told prove it or lose your C (high $$) spot to a rookie. He looks like he ate gummy bears and fast food all off season at the moment so does that scream motivated? Not to me.
July 30th, 2015 at 7:18 pm
CreamsicleBananaHammock Says:
July 30th, 2015 at 1:41 pm
EDS, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but the O-Line last year had the structural integrity of a Kardashian hymen
——————————————————————–
That might be the funniest thing I have ever read on this site!
July 30th, 2015 at 7:19 pm
Structural integrity of a Kardashian hymen ….. still laughing
July 30th, 2015 at 7:26 pm
Sorry but Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning and Tom Brady would not be household names today without stellar Oline play. OK, Rodgers maybe but you should get the drift.
July 30th, 2015 at 7:29 pm
Real football fans don’t worry about the Oline blocking until November anyway. Isn’t that when the Bucs brain trust finally noticed Collins was MIA?!
July 30th, 2015 at 7:32 pm
Harry, as you well know due to your sarcasm, there is a reason QBs buy their OL elaborate gifts and pay for so many dinners. They know that without them they are out of a job.
July 30th, 2015 at 7:38 pm
Buc1987 Says:
July 30th, 2015 at 12:38 pm
“I had Kelvin Benjamin at Florida State, but now I have two of them.” Jameis Winston
……………………
Dude how dare you insult ME13 like that. KB was second in the league in Drops and had the great Cam Newton, (hard for me to say without laughing but he’s better than Glennon or McCown) throwing to him and was the No. 1 WR.
July 30th, 2015 at 7:41 pm
@ Harry
They didn’t notice Collins poor play till November because if you remember, according to Lovie, football doesn’t start till November. 😀
July 30th, 2015 at 7:47 pm
Buc…that would be fine, but I didn’t say it. Jameis did.
July 30th, 2015 at 8:24 pm
Cool bro. I am just a bit sensitive about ME not winning ROY just because of that one sick catch by OBJ. Yes OBJ played 2 less games but he had 30 more targets and had a Much better QB throwing to him. ME was the man with what he had to work with.
July 30th, 2015 at 9:01 pm
Sound’s like we are in trouble.
Lovie = fail
July 30th, 2015 at 9:52 pm
Buc ME’s accolades are coming.
July 30th, 2015 at 9:54 pm
And I’m wit ya,and KB is a Seminole but he not in the same class as ME. Jamies will soon see first hand.
July 30th, 2015 at 10:03 pm
One of the reasons I respect you so much Nos. You don’t let your collegiate affiliations affect your NFL beliefs. Once they graduate they are No Longer a Gator as far as I am concerned. Then I can start looking at them without my homer goggles on. Same way in Reverse. I didn’t like JW until he declared for the draft. At that point he was no longer a Nole and a prospect for My team. Now he is MY QB and I am riding or dying with him.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:22 pm
Tried not watching espn so sick of the brady crap……..and caught up on true detective…whoever stated it would be cool to have other discussion areas on this site might be on to something……..and why is it as asked above do the bucs not have full training camp already started?
July 30th, 2015 at 11:22 pm
Yeah thats a big change Buc.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:27 pm
Yeah 85 it is. But I live at the West entrance to Yellowstone Nat Park. I live in a town where only 1,000 people live here yr round because of the harsh winters but we receive 3 million visitors a yr between the summer tourists and winter snowmobile and skiers crowd. This place is breathtaking
July 30th, 2015 at 11:28 pm
Yellowstone is nice from what i’ve seen bet the weathers better than here now.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:34 pm
Dusthty …I’m the one that asked that question about TC and I still have no idea. Joe must be too busy, seeing how HE would be the only one on this iste with true knowledge about it.
Buc I’ve been to the mountains of Mass, Vermont, and Maine. Would never want to live there though. lol
I think San Diego was the nicest place I’ve ever lived though. Everything was so bright, green and sunny. Every girl was a blonde and they roller skate in bikini’s by the beach.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:35 pm
It was a Toasty 78 today with no clouds and no wind.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:38 pm
Even the homeless people were cool in San Diego, always getting drunk and taking showers at the beach. Then at night they crawl back into their cardboard boxes and go to sleep. Next day they are back out at the beach drinking and partying just like everyone else.
Gooood times!
July 30th, 2015 at 11:39 pm
87, I have skied most of those mountains in my college yrs.
None of em compare to the Rockies. I can drive less than 10 miles to a waterfall. 23 miles to caverns. 30 miles to Geysers. I have Dirtbikes and snowmobiles that will take me to a mountain called Sawtell which is 12,500 feet in less than two hours on the trails.
I have lived all around the world. This place will be my home till I die.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:39 pm
Nice you know how it is here. 90’s, hot, humid, 70% rain, storms. You are from Satellite Beach? I used to live not too far North of there in Port St. John (Cocoa)
July 30th, 2015 at 11:41 pm
Yes 85, I lived behind “Peglegs restaurant from 84 to 86. I surfed Second light mostly in those days. Or I would venture up to Playalinda
July 30th, 2015 at 11:42 pm
Man I wished I lived on the east coast of Florida. The only drawback would be not wanting to drive that far to Ray Jay. My dad lives in Jensen Beach just south of Fort Pierce and those beaches are just awesome over there.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:43 pm
No bro, I grew up in Madeira Bch and St. Pete Bch. But I lived up there in my HS yrs.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:44 pm
Lol Playalinda, the part where clothing’s optional? J/K, I’ve fished there before.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:47 pm
LOL 87. I did it for Years!!!!
Back in about 83 when I was a Jr in HS. He started giving me all four tickets to every game because he was tired of going to losing games but didnt want to sell the tix as they were 2nd row 40 yrd line behind the Bucs bench.
I would drive back to Tampa Every weekend there was a game regardless of being sick or what. I didn’t miss a home game from 76 to 96.
Damn Im Old!
July 30th, 2015 at 11:47 pm
Yeah, I grew up in Volusia County, used to go to Daytona Beach, New Smyrna, Canaveral Natn’l Seashore. Now We take our kids there. Love the Gulf Beaches though. Caladesi Island and Treasure Island to name a few.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:47 pm
More freaking rain!
Damn it this has got to be the most rain I’ve ever seen in the month of July for Pasco County.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:50 pm
Yes it’s nice to get all this rain, but sucks when you need to get things done outside.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:50 pm
Yeah I might take my kids to Daytona next summer. I had to forgo a summer vacation this year, so I could buy some Bucs tickets. Priorities ya know.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:50 pm
LOL 85,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I literally laughed out loud!!!
That was funny ish.
Playalinda is the beach that belongs to Titusville but also to NASA
July 30th, 2015 at 11:51 pm
Are either of you guys Snook fishermen?
July 30th, 2015 at 11:53 pm
85…yes but it’s usually all the counties surrounding Pasco that get hit the most. Some days it’s never ending. I don’t mind it, but my kids are constantly stuck in the house…with me. As I work from home. 2 more weeks til school.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:54 pm
87, you should go to Ormond Beach, or New Smyrna. Daytona is kinda trashy these days. And Buc, glad you got a laugh out of that one. Hate to say it, but gotta get some zzzz’s It’s been real fellas.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:54 pm
I had to put symbols in between the letters or await moderation.
I am not sure what Sn’ook did but…………… They are such good eating fish and So hard to catch
July 30th, 2015 at 11:56 pm
Yeah 87 i’ve seen some wicked storms and rain down there. Buc, love fishing. it’s my second passion.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:58 pm
My dad fishes a lot. I did as a kid up north, freshwater fishing though. Ice fishing as well. I don;t have the patience for it. If I don’t catch a fish within the first 20 minutes, I’m bored and just pack up my gear and leave. Dad used to enter in tourney’s back in the 70’s and 80’s I used to go with him on his boat. One tournament my brother, dad and me caught I believe 76 spanish mackeral. We strung them all together and got a picture of us holding up the line. He’s entered in shark tourney’s too. Only caught a hammerhead once.
July 30th, 2015 at 11:59 pm
Ok gdnight Buc & 87 gotta pull another 12 hr. shift tomorrow unfortunately. We will be 1 day closer to action tomorrow!
July 31st, 2015 at 12:16 am
We must free Lovie from the court of Buc fan public opinion. On the whole, Bucs fans are like a group of misogynistic conservatives talking about Hillary as president. It’s unbelievable to me how nobody can be excited about all the great players we have and the potentially great players we are rolling out. Lovie is a great defensive coach and we have a great offensive coach. Potentially legend.ary QB and WR, plus the best DT and LB you could ask for.. Now that we are getting close to camp, I say shut up and watch… Or you could listen to the media’s projections based solely on our record like most Bucs fans.
July 31st, 2015 at 12:17 am
Must have been a different fish. This just happened 2 days ago.
July 31st, 2015 at 12:19 am
Fsuking…from 2-14 to what?
July 31st, 2015 at 12:23 am
Fsuking…the media more often than not get it right versus us homers.
July 31st, 2015 at 12:26 am
FSUking. Did you really believe the drivel that came from his mouth when he said that the fans didn’t deserve to ‘wait’. They deserved a winning team now and that we were on the verge.
I am not in ANY way trying to chase Lovie out of town because i have noticed that he has only drafted, hmmm, how many Defensive players out of the last two yrs?
People want to be fast to castrate Lovie for one yr of bad mistakes and I admit a bunch of them were bad. However, if Tedford hadn’t gone down we might have been more explosive and then we would have been picking around 7th rather than 1st.
July 31st, 2015 at 12:45 am
Peace man.
July 31st, 2015 at 12:49 am
LOLOLLOLLLOLLOLL
Cheering For Jameis Jersey Sales – JoeBucsFan.com
https://www.joebucsfan.com/2015/06/jameis-winston-jersey-sales/
Jun 19, 2015 – Joe doubts it, considering Jameis is a villain outside of Florida. … include a jersey for you from Erik with Clean Athletics But Dirty Promises?
………………………
This popped up when I googled Erik
July 31st, 2015 at 1:50 am
Did the media get it right last year when we had a team of all-star free agents that was destined to lead us to the playoffs? Did the media get it right around week 4 when they were calling the Patriots an awful team and saying Tom Brady would have the worst season of his career. Alot of these guys are ex-atheletes or great writers, not NFL scout’s or fortune tellers. The latter would be great to have but most of the former are less qualified than I am to talk about a team I have followed so closely. ( no offense to Joe )
July 31st, 2015 at 1:53 am
And from 2-14 to an absolute minimum of 6 wins. I know you can’t look at a good roster and say they
July 31st, 2015 at 2:05 am
… Will be a good team. But it is foolish to say we have a bad team with bad coaching. I say 6 to 9 wins with a much higher probability to go over 9 than under 6. U have to consider the way Jameis plays football. I laid out in an earlier post how he limits his mistakes to 1st downs and third and long situations almost exclusively.( 1 pick in the 4th quarter last year). If he wants to take those chances as the best player on the field in college, let him. It obviously didn’t hurt FSU in the slightest. I know the NFL is different but so does Jameis and he doesn’t care. He knows when to let it rip and when to back off. Not saying he is perfect, but he just might be in time. U will come back to this post and and wonder how it all made so much sense… In time, just give it time.
July 31st, 2015 at 2:18 am
Final thought/ question. What would the Patriots, Broncos, Colts or Seahawks have gone with a child named Marcus Arroyo calling the shots and Journeyman Josh taking the snaps?