Offense Is Not A Problem
October 27th, 2015
America’s Quarterback has the offense clicking.
No, Lovie Smith has not done a good job with the Bucs.
There is no positive way to spin 4-18 through 22 games with several blowouts and embarrassing collapses.
Throw in the fact Lovie is reputed to be a defensive specialist, yet his defense has been beyond miserable with no improvement in sight, there are helluva lot of reasons why Lovie may not see a third season as leader of the Bucs.
But one area working is an area often rumored to bore Lovie and barely hold his interest. That’s the offense.
In a video for theMMQB.com, X’s and O’s guy Andy Benoit details why the Bucs are a trainwreck in so many areas, but not offensively.
Joe is beginning to wonder if America’s Quarterback, Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston, will, in the end, save Lovie’s bacon with the Bucs?
October 27th, 2015 at 11:52 am
luckily Lovie came to a Bucs team with vincent jackson and doug martin already on the roster. imagine if we would have kept penn and zuttah as well…
October 27th, 2015 at 11:52 am
If the Bucs don’t go 2-14 last year we don’t get Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota. So, why are you going to hold 4-18 over his head especially when they didn’t have an offensive coordinator? If the Bucs don’t go 2-14 Mike Glennon would be starting, the Bucs would still have a losing record, and then the narrative would be “Lovie should have tanked a game or two to ensure a #1 overall pick because Winston in a Bucs uniform would look great right about now.”
October 27th, 2015 at 11:54 am
D-Rome who are they tanking for this year?
October 27th, 2015 at 12:03 pm
Its Hard being a real BUCS fan ain’t it?
October 27th, 2015 at 12:08 pm
The ‘narrative’ should be about winning, nothing more. We knew this team had problems from the jump and everyone’s got their head in the sand like it’s new to them. One player does not change the fortunes of a franchise. Folks, we are not even close yet. Sure the offense is improved but we look like little-league-ers on D! And what was the narrative this off-season? O-line and D-line. No pressure equals putting your DBs on an island. Since we no longer have anyone named Revis, this is a problem.
Even still, how are the Bucs going to win games when they’re committing 16 penalties? To me, this is Lovie’s biggest failure. You don’t win too many game being the league leader in penalties!
October 27th, 2015 at 12:08 pm
Fear not, remember Lovie Smith was the man who traded Greg Olsen, “pfft, who needs a TE?”
October 27th, 2015 at 12:10 pm
So the one successful unit is the one that Lovie has nothing to do with?
Honestly some of these comments today are hard to read. For 2 years the ‘Anomisty Amigos’ have been saying loud and clear what Lovie would accomplish and some of you people still can’t see it. It’s amazing just how gullible people can be, lol smh.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:12 pm
D-Rome I forgave Lovie for last season all day. I was glad we ended up tanking out the year because I knew Winston was probably the best QB in the last few years to come out and there was no point in trying to win 5-6 games in a lost season of rebuilding.
What I can’t forgive is 30+ points given up to teams like the Titans & Redskins. I can’t forgive having the WORST scoring defense in the entire league through almost 1/2 the season.
I can’t forgive a defensive coach who can’t get stops whatsoever when teams are behind and forced to pass. That should be your dream scenario – sacks / interceptions / etc – yet I get completely scared when I know the other team is just going to pass.
I never see us press WRs. I see the same cushions given on the same types of routes each week with no adjustment. It’s just painful to watch.
I pray he can turn things around. Please LEARN LESSONS AND CHANGE. But that’s the only hope I have for him as a HC – he has to change whatever the f*ck approach he has been using – at least for pass defense.
I’d love for him to change & for us to see improvement. For me to want Lovie to stay basically I need:
1. To see visible improvement in pass defense. Especially in pass-only situations (i.e. us with lead or 3rd and long). This is pretty much#1
2. To win games over some winning teams. If we can beat a playoff bound team I will respect him more.
3. To go for points if you have time before the half. Stop being a p*ssy basically and playing scared.
To me it’s not even about Ws and Ls as much as displaying a product we can believe in – on defense.. because .. uh.. that’s what his entire primary f*cking value is supposed to be to a team.
If Lovie needs all elite pro bowlers on his defense to be good then wtf does that say about him as a coach? ANY Coach will have a good defense in that situation… I want to see him figure it out with the cards he was dealt because that’s what good coaches do
October 27th, 2015 at 12:14 pm
The offense at times was a thing of beauty! To fing bad about the defense. We could be lighting up this division. Maybe next year. Jamieis and company were putting on a show…man that part (first half) was fun to watch. What a shame it had to end that way. Still stunned.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:16 pm
Agreed, Lord Cornelius.
Excellent post.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:19 pm
“Honestly some of these comments today are hard to read. For 2 years the ‘Anomisty Amigos’ have been saying loud and clear what Lovie would accomplish and some of you people still can’t see it. It’s amazing just how gullible people can be, lol smh.”
I said this earlier but congrats man. Congrats on predicting such an awful failure of a HC this year. Congrats on knowing that the D would REGRESS this year; from allowing ~20 pts per game over the final 2/3 of the season to allowing closer to 30 pts per game. Such a genius to predict that given there was no evidence to assume a regression considering all the same players returned and we added more bodies. You should put some $$ on the super bowl honestly lol.
There is no statistical reason to have known this would go down like this and be THIS bad; outside of being pessimistic. Simple as that. The team was not getting shredded to THIS level at all the last 10 games last year and we were playing better QBs a lot of those weeks. Our offense improved this year dramatically but somehow the defense has gotten worse. None of it really makes much sense or follows any sort of real logic whatsoever.
Also – animosity amigos also refered to a lot of Jameis Haters / sh1t talkers of all things Bucs and not just Lovie. I think that name is obviously still appropriate for some people.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:37 pm
If Brees and Yeldon were heathy, the Bucs would be 0-6. They have a much easier schedule than last year also. How is 6 points in the second half impressive for an NFL offense?
Winston may look good against some cupcakes, but he is still the worst in the division! Evans first TD came in week 6, because the Skins were stupid enough to single cover the only guy Winston looks at. He had a bigger game last year against the Skins catching bombs from McCown.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:41 pm
Good post by Lord C.
I am not trying to pile on Lovie. But, I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. I don’t see the lessons he claimed to have learned actually being put in place.
You have to be able to win football games where you aren’t getting to the QB. Minnesota has allowed 77 less points with exactly one more sack than TB.
I see a guy sticking with players who are clearly not able to make plays (Jenkins). I see playing not to lose.
I see a Schiano level of stubbornness, without the AC and pasta control.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:48 pm
“Ernest T Bass Says:
October 27th, 2015 at 12:37 pm
Winston may look good against some cupcakes, but he is still the worst in the division!”
You expected a rookie to look better than a Hall of Famer, a 5th year #1 overall pick, and an 8th year #3 overall…….after 6 total games while installing a brand new offense, and 2 rookies on the line?
Sounds completely unbiased and totally realistic.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:59 pm
Lord C
I watch tape, I listen to pressers, I read and I watch other teams play football. It was pretty obvious from the start.
Other than the fact that 10 years ago Ron Rivera took Lovie’s Bears to the SB what exactly has Lovie accomplished? Jack squat!
October 27th, 2015 at 1:02 pm
I don’t think the Bucs have much of an easy schedule at all. Only maybe 2-3 games worth.
I do think the offense did have some problems, even if it was the defense overall that lost the game.
The play calling at the end (Koetter) and the decision to run Sims instead of Martin (Koetter) were mistakes. Injuries have hurt bad this game, especially if you consider that Mike Evans only just came back from injury and could be injured again just as easily.
That would set the offensive development back badly.
October 27th, 2015 at 1:05 pm
Have they signed (or promoted from practice squad) any WR’s?
October 27th, 2015 at 1:06 pm
This offense has now put up over 400 yards of total offense in three straight games. One of those games was against the Carolina defense which is not a cupcake defense. They scored twenty three points in that game (could have been 30 pts if we had a kicker at the time). That is impressive considering the bucs also had 5 turnovers in that game. No offense is not the problem and Jameis is a big part of that. Its funny, the offense is developing a swag that was never there. I believe they are ranked 13 in total offense. Coincidence? I think not. It is obvious they are taking on Winston’s mentality. Now if we had a player that could affect the defense in the same manner and it is not McCoy because he has been here 6 years and its the same old sorry defense.
BTW this is the real Tiny Tim
October 27th, 2015 at 1:08 pm
“Ernest T Bass Says:
October 27th, 2015 at 12:37 pm
Winston may look good against some cupcakes, but he is still the worst in the division!”
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Perfect example! Some people just don’t have a clue. JW has the highest QBR in the division. JW, Cam, Ryan then Brees.
This is what I’m talking about Lord C. Yesterday somebody posted something about how clueless the fans are and that GMC still led all DTs in sacks, WRONG!!!
October 27th, 2015 at 1:11 pm
I don’t really care what Lovie did or didn’t accomplish in the past. He could have won 2 superbowls with the Bears and you people would still want him gone, so it doesn’t matter.
He’s actually developing a good team here. Aside from injuries, the offense just needs the time to develop. The defense needs a good draft dedicated to it (and a little development time).
After that, this team will be competitive for years. That’s what I care about. I could care less if we win 8-9 games this year and make the playoffs. The team would be one and done anyway and we’d have as much to show for it as going 2-14 (less actually).
Build a lasting contender. We’re almost there.
And, under the umbrella of “be careful what you ask for”, if we get a new coach, what if he fires Koetter and wants a different QB? Don’t expect Koetter to become HC…he doesn’t want it…not to mention he could get offers from a lot of teams next year.
Good luck with getting a good coach in here if you fire Lovie so soon. No coach worth having will take a job knowing ownership won’t give them amply time to fix things their way.
So, by asking to fire Lovie, you are asking to set the team back another 2-3 years or worse.
KEEP LOVIE.
It’s the smart thing. Give him another year…to have a defensive draft.
October 27th, 2015 at 1:13 pm
The only reason a head coach should have less than 3 years is if he completely loses the locker room. Otherwise, he doesn’t have time to put his plan in motion.
October 27th, 2015 at 1:14 pm
GMC will finish the season with 10+ sacks.
October 27th, 2015 at 1:31 pm
Bonzai
He’s actually developing a good team here.
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Can you find me just one person outside of TB that believes this crap?
What are you talking about? What team has he built? Every single FA he’s brought in from “his” system is either riding the bench or getting embarrassed on the field. Come on man let’s deal with reality and facts.
October 27th, 2015 at 1:41 pm
BuccaneerBonzai Says:
October 27th, 2015 at 1:11 pm
And, under the umbrella of “be careful what you ask for”, if we get a new coach, what if he fires Koetter and wants a different QB?
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This just shows how low your football IQ is. Just stunning.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:02 pm
Before we start saying that the offense has arrived! lets remember that the 2 good games, are the same last 2 games which they played the Jags and Washington ( the dredges of the NFK). Lets see the Offense in the next couple of games to take an honest measure of them.
October 27th, 2015 at 5:34 pm
Jameis needs a 300+ yard 3 TD no turnover day for me to say he has turned the corner. He is getting close real close