Judging Rough Without Finishing
August 8th, 2015
Lovie is missing an ingredient
Good pass rushers have that sixth sense, an ability to sniff out a quarterback and put him to the ground.
It’s not just about dominating an offensive lineman, like Bucs defensive end like Larry English did yesterday (scroll down for video) to Donovan Smith and Demar Dotson.
Joe asked Lovie Smith for feedback yesterday on what’s been a strong edge pass rush through four training camp practices in pads.
Lovie said he just can’t go there because there’s a missing ingredient.
“We like what we’ve seen and of course in the offseason there is no contact [with quarterbacks.] What you never get a chance to see, and you definitely won’t see it out here, is a defensive end finishing a play,” Lovie said. “I’m seeing them beat linemen from time to time, but it’s about, a lot of times, even though you could beat them, how do you get that quarterback down. Quarterbacks are getting bigger and bigger. To answer your question, we like where we are. You can never have too many good pass rushers.”
It’s a fair point from Lovie, especially in a division with escape artists like Cam Newton and Drew Brees, and Marcus Mariota facing the Bucs on opening day. How many times do you see defensive linemen on NFL Sunday’s “just miss” a QB? It happens a lot, but not too often for the Bucs. They’ve made QBs awfully comfortable in recent years.
So far, though, it looks like the Bucs will be at least breathing and affecting quarterbacks significantly more this season.
August 8th, 2015 at 12:26 pm
Yes Qbs keep getting bigger and faster, so what does Lovie do, finds smaller and smaller DE’s!! Lovie Logic 101!!!!
August 8th, 2015 at 12:33 pm
Smaller = faster. You have to have someone else to focus your hate on.now that Clayborn is gone. Give it up and become a Titans fan.
August 8th, 2015 at 12:38 pm
@cometowin2
I am so glad that you brought up Adrian Slowborn ( its like the guy did not even exist from other around here). But great example!!!
Adrian Slowborn was even slower after injuries, So what does Lovie do?? he makes him lose a ton of weight so he is Slow and Weak!!!! Lovie Logic 101!!!!
August 8th, 2015 at 12:52 pm
What took you so long Animosity Amigos realist!! I was starting to think you didn’t like me any more.
August 8th, 2015 at 1:07 pm
GMC is faster this year! Now if he can just wait until the ball is snapped.
August 8th, 2015 at 1:10 pm
Oku and Jack Smith are not that small. But they have speed, too.Going through some of the videos we took from camp to find some examples.
August 8th, 2015 at 1:45 pm
QB’s are getting bigger AND faster? Will you quit spreading your butt cheeks and talking out your arse?
Because Big Ben is so fast, and Wilson and Mariota should moonlight as body builders?
The more you talk the more we all smell the flatulence that is your words.
This defense requires speed all around especially off the edge. Man am I glad you have nothing to do with football decisions. You probably couldn’t even run a Madden team.
August 8th, 2015 at 1:54 pm
Might as well be upbeat, we get what we got and I’m happy for that. I refuse to go into another Buc season on sour notes. Look at the positive side, football is upon the fans and dang that’s fantastic!
August 8th, 2015 at 2:15 pm
I have been saying this for years, small, quick undersized Defensive Linemen gives these big Tackles the most problems. It’s hard for a 6’6 Tackle to get low enough to the ground to contain a small DE. Elvis Dumervil gives these Tackles fits, at 5’11 he’s almost impossible to block. But you have to have the knowledge also, and know how to make the height difference work to your advantage. And Dumervil is a master of that,Jack Smith is learning how to make it work for him also. When you are going up against these big athletic tackles, you’re not going to overpowered them. What you have to do is, get low enough to make it difficult for them to get their hands on you. I like Jack Smith, TJ Fatinikun, Larry English, Jamal Young. I think we have a good group this season, they are hungry and ready to get after it.
August 8th, 2015 at 2:42 pm
Very interesting article Joe. Got me thinking about Top DEs on other teams in 2014.
Looks like Robert Quinn (Rams) ranked at the top, followed by JJ Watt (Texans) and Mario Williams (Bills). Quinn’s not gigantic (6-4/264) but Watt and Williams sure are (6-5/289 and 6-6/292). The Top 10 DEs averaged 6-5 and 278 … big guys.
Only Buc DE close to that ‘average’ size is Gholston (6-6/281). Bowers would be there (6-4/288) but it now sounds like he’ll be a DT. Given his size and performance in college, still can’t figure out why he didn’t do better than he did in those years at DE.
August 8th, 2015 at 3:12 pm
I used to really enjoy posts from Realist, honestly.
But man, you just repeat the same whiney complaints day after day, it’s gotten really old. And really unoriginal. Come up with something new man.
August 8th, 2015 at 3:49 pm
So that’s who that really is,I get it now. Man I take my apology back.
August 8th, 2015 at 3:51 pm
@unbelievable
As soon as I see some Bucs playing football, I always (try) to hit the reset button and got into evaluation of the team, I know that all the predictions and homerism and pessimism has grinded on everyone after the 2-14 year. We all hope for better times and if not we will all have new reason to talk about the Bucs performances in 7 days!!!!
August 8th, 2015 at 4:01 pm
D@$! Unbelievable that was unbelievable you stimulated Realist!! enough for him to say something other than the usual Lovie garbage stuff. Wow 😮.