Lovie Defends Not Using Martin
December 1st, 2015
Air Lovie?
Though last night on his weekly radio show, Lovie Smith offered that the Bucs should have given Doug Martin the ball more than three times in the second half of Sunday’s loss to the Colts, earlier in the day at his weekly day-after presser, Lovie defended putting the ball in the air so much.
The Bucs held a 12-6 lead at halftime, a big reason was because of Martin. But Tampa Bay went away from Martin totally in the second half. Why? Lovie said the matchups through the air were there to exploit.
“When you’re not running the ball, you’re not running because you like something in the passing game – a matchup that you have that we think we can get a big play on,” Lovie said. “Even though we’ve been running the ball well we’ve been throwing the ball well, too, and we like some of the matchups we had yesterday we just didn’t execute the way we normally do. I’m not going to stand here and say, ‘Hey, if we just had run the ball more everything would have been fine.’ That’s not the case. It just didn’t all come together there. Sometimes things just don’t come together when you think they’ll come together from then on.”
On the surface, Joe wants to nitpick, but let’s remember who is running the show here: ground-and-pound Lovie. The fact he wanted to be agressive should be applauded and Joe is wondering if Lovie is becoming more open-minded as a coach?
Yes, the easy if not correct thing to do would be to blast Smith and/or offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter for ignoring their most reliable weapon in the second half of an important winnable game. But peel the onion skin and notice a conservative coach gave the green light or encouraged Koetter to burn the Colts through the air.
Is this the new Lovie?
December 1st, 2015 at 7:40 am
This was the downfall for the Falcons offense under Koetter. They got away from running the ball and the losses started to pile up for them. The Bucs need to stay balanced on offense to win.
December 1st, 2015 at 7:49 am
I think we simply didn’t execute well….it wasn’t so much the plan….either the pass was off….a drop, a penalty….the line didn’t protect…..receivers covered…..and some pretty nit picky calls from the refs.
This is the second week in a row that the replay booth screwed us.
December 1st, 2015 at 7:56 am
It shows a change in his personality as a coach, and I like it.
The loss sucks, but his willingness to be more aggressive will serve him well in the future
December 1st, 2015 at 8:11 am
Sunday’s game showed one team made really good adjustments at halftime, and one didn’t….
Will let everyone here fill in the identities of the above-mentioned….
December 1st, 2015 at 8:12 am
Air lovie was really last year with hand picked guy Josh McCown!!! I think that Koetter just called the plays that opportunity afforded with the highest reward. It also gave JW#3 more of the burden of offense which could be a good thing in the long run.
But with Lovie being a reactionary coach, I foresee a heavily run offense against Atlanta. Look for about 60% run to pass!!!
December 1st, 2015 at 8:45 am
When you are not successful in the passing game you are stopping the clock more frequently and giving possession back to your opponent with MORE time on the clock. I prefer a more balanced approach. I think coaches are sometimes wrapped up in trying to outsmart the opponent when just running them over would work. All that being said, there were several passes, falling incomplete, that if on target and caught would have been big gains or TD’s. Still, a balanced approach would be my preference.
December 1st, 2015 at 9:01 am
The way they were completing passes on us we had to pass! only way to stay in the game at that point
December 1st, 2015 at 9:08 am
He shouldn’t be applauded from going away from what works, even if it is from the run to the pass. Martin had 90 yards in the first half, there was no reason not to feature him heavily in the second half. Lovie’s downfalls in the past were that he sticks with something even if it isn’t working because he is stubborn and wants to run the ball. In this case, they went away from what worked and it was a bad decision. We are still in this thing, though I doubt we make the playoffs (Vikings/Packers have 1 spot and I don’t see Seattle losing more than 1 game), we need to win out to have a shot. Does anyone have the stats on deep passes, it seems to me that we miss way more than we hit, so why keep doing it unless someone is wide open?
December 1st, 2015 at 9:12 am
We were only down by one score until 6:30 left in the game.
December 1st, 2015 at 9:52 am
Lovie is the one thing holding this great team back! I can’t believe anyone still supports his awful coaching style
December 1st, 2015 at 10:36 am
Funny thing you Buc fans are. If he had simply ran Dougie into the ground without throwing much you all would be crying another river. I do have a problem that they totally forgot him. They could have thrown some well timed screen plays since the Colts were so aggressive in their pass rush and stacking the box. Dougie feasts on screen passes don’t know why they don’t see that.
Realist that was the least downcast post I have ever seen from you without beating down Lovie even though that little hand picked dig was. Did you see McClown play last night? From what I saw he played pretty well and even had some other good games this year. I guarantee that’s what Lovie expected to see when he ‘ hand picked’ him that you are so fond of saying.
December 1st, 2015 at 11:19 am
@davidbigbucsfan..I agree..some fans will never be satisfied…not running doug was the least of our problems…drop passes, penalties, and playing against the refs were the problem…I hope in the owners meeting tomorrow they go over the horrible officiating that has been going on all year…GO BUCS!!!
December 1st, 2015 at 11:27 am
More ways to get the ball in Martins hands, screen pass, wheel routes, shovel pass, he needed to touch the ball more, he puts this team in position to score.
December 1st, 2015 at 11:38 am
I do not get this did not make adjustment’s at halftime. It simply does not make sense. Yes only ONE team made adjustments because only ONE team was getting it run down their throats. The Colts were FORCED to make adjustments by the Bucs…that’s a GOOD THING!!!
What were the Bucs supposed to adjust? They had just held a red hot QB on a winning streak to just six points!!! Two freaking FG’s. The Colts got the ball first in the half as well.
I think Lovie is defending Koetter who saw the adjustments and ATTEMPTED to take what the defense was offering. As TBBF and 813Bucboi pointed out we simply fell to a tsunami of bad officiating, dropped balls and poor execution.
The offense lost this game in the 2nd half not the defense.
In the future #3 will win these games. We trailed by only six on the road against a hot team with a QB on a win streak.
Many of you need to change your names to Chicken Little. The Sky is not falling. After that opener against the Titans I was beginning to wonder but I believe we are now changing the culture and turning the corner. Another draft next year like this year’s and we’re playoff bound. Just be thankful #3 is the real deal!!! He just needs a little more time but he’s getting there way faster than I expected from a rookie.
December 1st, 2015 at 11:43 am
The game has become over officiated with power trip hungry old men.
December 1st, 2015 at 12:02 pm
You got that part right.
December 1st, 2015 at 1:15 pm
I would like to remind the kind folks of this fine establishment….
LOVIE DEFENDED KYLE BRINDZA EARLIER THIS SEASON!!!!!!!!!!!
December 1st, 2015 at 5:38 pm
Rrsrq- martin is good on short passes over the middle,but the running back with the receiving skills to run wheel routes is clearly Charles sims.They have been trying to throw wheel routes to martin and rainey for two years without success. Sims was also not utilized to his strength He has made big gains out of backfield on passing plays this year but forgotten in this game.
December 2nd, 2015 at 5:05 pm
All of this stuff about Tampa Bay going away from Martin in the second half is being overstated. All you have to do is look at each offensive drive of the second half and why Martin only had three carries is self–explanatory.
1st drive – Ran Martin on first down. Vincent Jackson holding penalty leaves the offense with a 1st 20. Three consecutive pass plays, fourth down. Punt.
2nd drive – Ran Martin on 2nd down. Second down Winston sacked bringing up 3-18. Pass incomplete short screen left intended for Doug Martin.Punt.
3rd drive – Sims replaces Martin, two running plays, 5 pass pays (Evans drop) missed 54 FG.
4th drive – Martin returns, one running play, Winston passes once and is sacked twice. Punt.
5th drive – 05:53 left in game, Sims returns. 7 pass plays and a sack. Incomplete on 4th and 1.
6th drive – Three pass plays, INT.
7th drive – 2 passes, game over.
Doug Martin was not even taken out of the game until the offensive series at 05:53 in the 4th?