“A Lot Of Holes”
September 15th, 2015
Titans WR Kendall Wright doesn’t think much of Lovie Smith’s defense.
Very damning words from Titans wide receiver Kendall Wright about Bucs coach Lovie Smith’s defense, or Lovie’s gameplan against the Titans, whichever you prefer.
In a story typed by Jenny Vrentas of theMMQB.com, she spoke with Wright after the game about how the Titans chain-whipped the Bucs so badly at the Den of Depression, as if the Bucs defense was too busy gawking at cheerleaders.
In so many words, Wright scoffed at the Bucs’ defense, which he claimed was a slice of Swiss cheese.
“I don’t think the guys that were guarding me could guard me on that play,” Wright said of his touchdown. “Really, not being arrogant or anything, but I really wouldn’t even say ‘guard me’ … there were a lot of holes in the defense … all I had to do was just get in the right spot.”
Mind you, Wright believes the Bucs couldn’t guard him. At all. Watching the game Sunday, you cannot disagree.
Now Wright isn’t exactly Jerry Rice or Calvin Johnson. He’s never caught more than six touchdowns in a season and once (barely) cracked 1,000 yards receiving.
So this means one of four things: Either Lovie’s gameplan was total crap (hard to dismiss) or Lovie did a miserable job preparing his defense (this gets Joe’s vote), or the players Lovie hand-picked to run his defense are subpar (doubtful), or Lovie must seriously consider adjusting whatever he is doing (don’t bank on it).
The Bucs have two of the best defensive players in the NFL on the roster. It’s up to the coaches, including the guy fully responsible for the defense, to put those two in position to make an impact.
September 15th, 2015 at 2:06 pm
Coffin meet nail….
September 15th, 2015 at 2:08 pm
Consider the 5th possibility Joe. Lovie’s prehistoric defense which worked great 13 years ago is no longer a functional defense in Today’s NFL. Look, the tone in the game was set on Tennesee’s first play of the game as we get flagged for a personal foul on a perfectly clean hit. The NFL simply does not allow hitting anymore. If the hit looks bad even if it is perfectly within the rules out comes the yellow hanky. This contradicts the concept of a Cover 2 defense particularly a Tampa 2 defense. Keeping everything in front, hitting hard, and pressure on the QB were staples of this defense. You can’t hit hard anymore, we can’t seem to even keep the play in front of us, and we have absolutely no pass rush. Tell me again how a defense which relies on Linebackers to get mismatched while covering could ever work. It wasn’t hard to find open guys against our defense when Mariota had all day and we sit in soft zones. It will never work with this team unless JJ Watt mysteriously gets traded to the Bucs.
September 15th, 2015 at 2:10 pm
Relinquished Frazier from the responsibility of making game time D calls. This is all on Lovie and the only goat is Lovie.
September 15th, 2015 at 2:10 pm
The obvious nickname for Lovie’s defense since arriving has been Swiss Cheese. Holes all throughout
September 15th, 2015 at 2:11 pm
The best coaches adjust so their best players can make plays. The Bucs have been busy giving away a lot of players who can play for scheme specific guys (small and fast) that Lovie has to teach to be in his system. It’s looking ridiculous. Regis is the best example, but Mason Foster was solid in most any other system, and the list goes on. Even Adrian Claiborne looked pretty good for Atlanta Monday night. He’s yet another 1st round pick not on our roster.
If the Bucs have to can Lovie, they are going to be in trouble again when the next coach has to get rid of all the small players for real NFL guys.
September 15th, 2015 at 2:13 pm
@cmurda… maybe they should change the game to touch pansy football.
September 15th, 2015 at 2:21 pm
All day Verner was in man coverage, his supposed strength, against Wright. And he got torn up. The linebacker literally froze at the read option pass to Wright that made it 7-0. THEY FROZE! When Mariota kept killing us with those thee second slants, you would think the defender would jam to mess up the timing and sit on the route. But they kept playing off coverage as if expecting a deep pass. The blitz couldnt get there fast enough and Delanie Walker was uncovered in the shallow middle. I have to say Lovies game plan sucked. But so did the players. No player or coach is free of guilt.
September 15th, 2015 at 2:24 pm
I bet Lovie doesn’t say the Bucs are New Orleans ready. Even his jargon is mindless.
September 15th, 2015 at 2:25 pm
It took me a long time to give up on Lovie… Well the day has come! If we start 0-3 he needs to be fired immediately and the team should be handed to Leslie or Dirk. We have good players and after that game, it is clear that we have a terrible head coach. I mean come on!
September 15th, 2015 at 2:25 pm
how about it is all of the above!!!
September 15th, 2015 at 2:28 pm
the thing about the titans game is Tennesee has about the worst roster we will see all year, especially on offense. One reason I thought MM would struggle is because of his weak cast around him. We are a complete joke.
September 15th, 2015 at 2:28 pm
Quick who picked Kendall Wright on your fantasy team? NO one because he is friggin terrible, and when you have this guy saying the bucs d is no good that is a glaring GLARING INDICTMENT of just how poor what lovie is doing….this is the NFL all the players are about the same, the main difference is the crappy coaches and we have some crappy coaches….tennessee coaches did a great job of making mariotta have easy open throws based on the Tampa 2…THE MIDDLE IS ALWAYS OPEN IN COVER 2 unless the MLB gets depth or maybe a nickel….play man blitz mariotta all day and let a rookie beat you….or sit back and play the same zone you have been doing for plus 10 years and dont adjust and BLAMO its 42 points…..DISGUSTING…Lovie isnt even qualified to be a high school DC let alone the NFL with that crap out there last week
September 15th, 2015 at 2:29 pm
I wonder if Gruden would accept our apologies and come back?
September 15th, 2015 at 2:29 pm
Bucs had 3 times the number of rookie starters over the Titans.
’nuff said.
September 15th, 2015 at 2:36 pm
Not a fan of Lovie and the third rate players he brings into the starting position, but I also dont think the Glazers really give two sh!ts about this football team. They got a soccer team worth many many billions of dollars. Thats why we continuously end up with these staffs headed by guys like raheem, schiano, and lovie and have a record of 30-71. But I aint no bandwagon fan and ima keep on watching and cheering for my team. GO BUCS!!!
September 15th, 2015 at 2:40 pm
Fsuking
I was praying for the same thing. JON WE ARE SOOOOO FREAKING SORRY!!!!!!!!!! If he wants to come stand at the top of RJS all the people of the Tampa Bay area will come stand below him and bow to his feet
September 15th, 2015 at 2:41 pm
@SOEbuc
Last I heard MU was only worth $2 Billion. Not many, many.
btw, what does SOE stand for?
September 15th, 2015 at 2:43 pm
Tired of hearing we have two of the best defenders in the NFL in David, and the not so real McCoy. Both these so called leaders, and stars are working on getting their second coach fired in the last four years. One makes a lot of tackles, whoopie, with no splash plays, and McCoy is the smiley stay puff marshmellow man! If they were any good, we’d have more then zero wins at home.
September 15th, 2015 at 2:54 pm
Good to know Kendall and I both agree!
September 15th, 2015 at 2:58 pm
A lot of holes IN the defense and a lot of a-holes playing FOR the defense.
Ha ha ha ha I just made a funny.
September 15th, 2015 at 3:00 pm
Bonzai
well thats much much more than I got. SOG=South of Gandy so i represent SOE=South of Euclid
September 15th, 2015 at 3:02 pm
Joe, I agree with your 4 possibilities, but it’s ALL 4 not just 1 that’s the problem.
Lovie’s gameplan was a piece of crap. He did a miserable job preparing his defense. Several key players Lovie brought in are sub-par. Lovie’s adjustments didn’t exist, but should have.
If it was just one, might be able to fix it. But all four? Long season ahead. Even if we did manage to get 5-6 wins, this defense doesn’t set the tone for the future.
September 15th, 2015 at 3:05 pm
The Bucs are to losing what the Patriots are to cheating…Consistent and not going to change with the current leadership.
September 15th, 2015 at 3:11 pm
This is on smith. These players are not buying into this defense. Its getting ripped apart in every coverage. Ive seen enough. This guy has to be fired. Its blatantly obvious something is not right. Again. Ive never seen such a quitter mentality. One fking penalty and you gave up? You lost the momentum on the second play of the game. I got ripped for calling david out but ill say it again. The so called leaders here a fking weak minded as fack. And quit and throw tantrums all game while they torched and embarrassed. Get lovie out . This week. While the season is not over. Promote frazier or koetter. Idgaf. Just get this guy away before he sets us back 5 more yrs
September 15th, 2015 at 3:32 pm
@Dusthty Rhothdes – I had a hunch that we were gonna lay and egg, so I picked up Kendall Wright and put him on my Fantasy team for week 1.
He ended up being my highest scorer… more than Ben Roethlisberger or Marshawn Lynch.
SMH
September 15th, 2015 at 4:06 pm
I’ll say it again….Lovie should have never been hired in the first place!
My goodness, Glazers, wake up!
September 15th, 2015 at 4:13 pm
Hipefully Lovie is seeing that he needs to adjust
September 15th, 2015 at 4:17 pm
@FSUking
It took me a long time to give up on Lovie… Well the day has come! If we start 0-3 he needs to be fired immediately
I agree totally with your sentiment. But that’s not going to happen. However if we hit the bye 0-5 the pressure from the fans may force the Glazers hand.
@Realist, Tmax and Dallas. I’m man enough to say you guys were right and I was wrong! Lovie is apparently over the hill. There is simply NO excuse for Sunday and nothing even an optimist like me can pin his hopes on. I did see a spark of a good running game. But even if we got Fameis to learn how to “manage” an NFL game and stop with his fumbles and ints we have no way to win with this defensive effort. And yes you guys were correct. This rotten egg is Lovie’s fault.
September 15th, 2015 at 4:36 pm
@Cannon that is awesome….im taking browns defense to light up mariotta this week
September 15th, 2015 at 9:09 pm
I’m piling on. My buddies from Chicago warned me when the Glazers hired Lovie. Poor game management. That far away look in his eyes when his team is behind with no Plan B….. and yes, I know, he took the Bears to the Super Bowl and he’s been living off of that ever since..
September 15th, 2015 at 9:09 pm
#fireLovie keep the trend going, hope the Glazers here our voice! I prey they do 🙏🏿!
September 15th, 2015 at 9:33 pm
For some reason I keep picturing lovie standing on our sideline with a packers cheeze hat on..
September 16th, 2015 at 2:01 pm
I’m not so sure David and MCCoy are two of the best defensive players in the NFL. I think their two of the most over hyped. This is not because of the game on Sunday. Looking back on last season to this one I really don’t see the leadership or supposed talent for either one. I have never seen a team cry out more for a leader than this team, and yet no one seems to be standing up for the job. All anyone hears is MCCoy running his mouth about this and that, gut never really saying anything that matters. All you ever hear out of the Bucs after one of their many, many, many, many bad games are excuses, and they are getting old.