“Alarming” Secondary
October 14th, 2015
Former Bucs QB Shaun King dishes on the Bucs secondary.
A guy walking around with a white cane can see the Bucs have issues at cornerback, especially after Johnthan Banks went down with a knee injury.
Loaf Jennings and Mike Jenkins simply are not getting the job done. And don’t expect changes. Lovie’s bromance is so strong with Jenkins that Lovie has tried to find a way to bench Banks since Lovie arrived. Now that Banks is hurt, Joe doesn’t think Lovie will pull Jenkins. Joe warned you about this last year with this Jenkins.
And given Jennings played for Lovie in Chicago, well, you know.
One person who believes Lovie must end personal fondness for players is former Bucs quarterback Shaun King. Appearing with Tom Krasniqi and Ronnie Lane this week on WDAE-AM 620, King, one of three quarterbacks to lead the Bucs to an NFC Championship game, said Alterraun Verner needs to be reinserted into the starting lineup.
“Even in victory, there are some alarming things going on in the secondary,” King said. “Not to be Negative Nancy but if there is one aspect of [the Bucs] that did not play well and has not played well this year is the secondary.
“I mean, Blake Bortles threw four touchdowns and probably had another three. Just missed guys running wide open. That is something that has to get fixed.
“I think it might be time to move Alterraun [Verner] back outside in a starting role and give him a chance to play better than Lovie thought he played earlier.
It is hard to disagree with King. Was the Bucs secondary this rancid before Banks was injured and Verner was benched? Joe guesses that is open to debate. But if one-armed Blake Bortles is able to light up the Bucs’ secondary, even under heavy pressure, imagine what a decent quarterback will or can do with some protection?
King also went on to say he is not really annoyed with the safety play of the Bucs.
To hear all of King’s spot, click on the arrow below. Audio courtesy of Joe’s friends at WDAE-AM 620.
October 14th, 2015 at 5:22 am
What I don’t get is that the secondary is Lovie’s area of expertise. What is he seeing in Jenkins and Jennings that literally everyone else seems to be missing?
Safety play hasn’t been sterling, but it’s not nearly as concerning as the play of our CBs. Verner and Banks play is far better than what I’m seeing from Jenkins and Jennings. Both of them get scorched constantly.
Most concerning to me is that certain plays are successful over and over and over, especially comebacks and slants. It’s like we’re not making any adjustments, ever. Our opponents don’t need to look far to find the weak link.
October 14th, 2015 at 6:37 am
Let’s hope the media continues to ask Lovie why he continues to play these less than capable guys (Jennings Jenkins) that clearly does not give our team the best chance to win. Banks has been solid and too me continues to grow. Lovie needs to be asked why he does not like Banks as well. Pretty stupid when your job is hanging by a thread.
October 14th, 2015 at 6:58 am
I can’t believe anyone listens to 620. Just terrible radio. The first show features one guy that can’t complete a sentence without stuttering his words and another that does terrible gruden and Berman impression. The secon show features a show with very little substance and a guy that does nothing except stupid terrible impressions as well. And the 3rd show talks more about chicks and food than sports. T-crap is the worst of the bunch. Every sentence is an impersonation of someone. Just absolute terrible radio with very little substance. Turn over to 580 and you’ll actually get real sports talk.
October 14th, 2015 at 7:20 am
That hat he’s wearing is almost as embarrassing as the Bucs secondary.
October 14th, 2015 at 7:25 am
While I agree the corners are the absolute weakest link, I think our safeties are struggling because of this ridiculous rotation we do. Every other play is a different safety combination. Seems hard to get comfortable with who needs to be where with a different guy every other play. How about a little continuity.
October 14th, 2015 at 7:29 am
Shaun would naturally show concern for the Bucs defense since he needed them to nearly pitch a shutout in order for him to win his NFC Championship game….
“Shaun King, one of two Buc Quarterbacks that lost a NFC Championship Game when his defense gave up 9 points.”
October 14th, 2015 at 7:37 am
Imagine if Incompetent Lovie Smith inherited the best CB in the league when he took over we surely wouldn’t be in this situation!
Just imagine if we had a HC that was widely considered a “defense guy” by most media types and fans we surely wouldn’t be in this situation!
Incompetent. Lovie. Smith.
October 14th, 2015 at 7:50 am
Who told you the secondary was lovies expertise? He was a linebacker coach
October 14th, 2015 at 8:14 am
@Getaclue … Granted, Lovie was a linebackers coach with the Bucs for 5 years. But he did spend several years prior to that with Tennessee and Ohio State as a defensive backs coach. And in the Tampa 2, especially back in the days of Monte, the LBs, CBs and Safeties pretty much have to work together seamlessly for it to be successful. And yes, I can see what’s coming … today’s version ain’t working, is it.
October 14th, 2015 at 8:32 am
Tim Jennings makes me long for the days of Leonard Johnson.
October 14th, 2015 at 8:54 am
Shaun roping steers now?
October 14th, 2015 at 9:03 am
Lost me at “Former Bucs QB Shaun King”
October 14th, 2015 at 9:22 am
@ kevin
if you think 620 is bad you should listen to sports radio in Miami.
October 14th, 2015 at 9:53 am
Remember when the Bucs had all-world CB Darelle Revis on the roster when Lovie and Licht arrived? That was cool.
The Bucs were able to draft Charles Sims with the upgraded 4th to 3rd round pick, and he looks promising; however, the RB position was already loaded with Martin, Rainey, and James in the backfield.
Cutting Revis was one of the worst decisions this regime has made so far.
October 14th, 2015 at 10:08 am
I don’t know why we’re wasting our time with proven NFL coaches. Obviously Joe and Shawn King know all the Bucs problems and should be hired by the Glazers before it’s to late in the season. I mean seriously someone should hire these two clowns before Belicheat does first!
October 14th, 2015 at 10:36 am
Statistically speaking Mike Jenkins (43.8%) and Alterraun Verner (56.3%) are the best CB in coverage. Alterraun Verner is our best CB at stopping the run. All the fans want to see Johnthan Banks (75%) and Alterraun Verner as the starters. I am sure Johnthan Banks will be starting against the Redskins with Tim Jennings (62.5%) on the other side and Mike Jenkins in the slot. When you take a look at the Bucs coverage as a whole the LB (75.7%) have been thrown at 46 times and the CB (64.1%) 78 times and 18 for the Safeties (61.1%). IMO the LB are as much liabilities in coverage as the CB.
October 14th, 2015 at 10:44 am
I think these two guys should be moved to safety. They are playing solid football and are trying to make plays they just no longer have the skills to do it pressing receivers any more and I think this may become Lovie Smiths thinking very soon as he continues to see them struggle. After preseason they definitely should not go with Sterling Moore as an outside corner but instead put Verner and banks back where they belong and create somewhere else like at safety and become innovative like that. A lot of veteran corners have made this move and it saved their careers no reason lovie can’t do the same thing with Jennings and Jenkins. Jennings still has the knack of getting to the ball in him and Jenkins can be an excellent Blitzer from strong safety at times and it also creates a dime like package with four corners or three corners and 1 strong on base formations such as our 4-3 base insteadof giving in to the nickel. This is another way we can max our personnel on defense as well.###play4WINStonfight4LOViE
October 14th, 2015 at 11:46 am
Verner was pretty bad but holy spit are the Jens terribble! Please Lovie bench these guys! Banks, Verner and Moore should be our guys @Washington. And where has Moore been? I was looking forward to him as an upgrade at nickel over Leonard. Keep Jennings and Jenkins for depth but my goodness, no more. We got pressure on Bortles and are tied for fourth in sacks at 15 but they still got torched. Imagine if Javille had an oline!
October 14th, 2015 at 12:55 pm
Thanks tampabaybucfan. . . that NEVER gets old…or less true.
October 14th, 2015 at 4:56 pm
Suck for Hargreaves