Lovie Surprised By Bears?
December 27th, 2015
Lovie was surprised.
Nope, nope, nope. The Bucs were not surprised by anything the Bears did, offense or on defense. That’s what the Bucs told Joe repeatedly in the locker room.
But the players are not Bucs coach Lovie Smith. And Lovie claims he was surprised by the Bears, specifically the way the Bears ran the ball against the Bucs. That’s what Lovie told the Tampa Bay pen and mic club after the game.
“Yes I am,” Lovie said about his surprised with the effective Bears rushing attack. “They shouldn’t be able to. We weren’t set up in a lot of situations where we couldn’t stop the run. We should play the run a lot better than that, yes.”
Joe isn’t sure why this would surprise Lovie, or any modest follower of the NFL. Matt Forte is a helluva running back. And since Kwon Alexander has been suspended, the Bucs have been suspect against the run (did Lovie not see what Todd Gurley did some 10 days ago?).
Opponents shouldn’t be doing a lot of things to the Bucs defense — Lovie’s defense — but they have been all friggin’ year long.
December 27th, 2015 at 6:28 pm
Lovie is surprised that any team still plays football in December
December 27th, 2015 at 6:33 pm
Another sign that he doesnt have a clue…
December 27th, 2015 at 6:35 pm
I hope the media finally has the balls to roast him this week. Three very easy games in a row, three games they had little chance to win for most of the 4th quarter. Pathetic 3 game stretch.
December 27th, 2015 at 6:36 pm
I think Lovie’s future is teetering on the edge because he seems absolutely clueless at times. Everyone else in the stadium knew the Bears were going to run the ball today, so saying otherwise makes him look like a fool. When Lovie makes statements like this, he gives the Glazers the ammunition they need to make a change. He’d be better off just reiterating coaching cliches for another week and hunkering down until the stench of the spoiled season blows away.
December 27th, 2015 at 6:44 pm
The thing that Lovie is most surprised about is how his former team plays better now that he’s gone
December 27th, 2015 at 6:47 pm
I think Lovie was more so surprised that they were able to run the ball on the bucs. I also think he believes if the stats say the team is good against the run, then it should just happen.
Probably explains the late season collapses when you think about it… Hey we are a 6-6 football team playing teams with losing records. Gosh we are just so surprised they didn’t just lay down and let the superior bucs roll through!!!
December 27th, 2015 at 6:51 pm
I said it on twitter to Joe. Lovie was surprised at Tennesse and the read option, Lovie was surprised at the adjustments in the 2nd half at Washington, and Lovie was surprised at the future hall of fame QB Case Keenum. With ALL the rookies on the offense, including the QB, you would think the O would be holding the team back, NOPE. Yes, Kwon is a big time player( thank you again Jason Licht), but damn Lovie, why are you so unprepared, and why the hell can’t you adjust? Being out-coached is an outrage..simple as that…
December 27th, 2015 at 7:04 pm
Wait, Lovie didnt see that coming??? The same way he didnt see Derek Anderson, Austin Davis, Marcus Mariota, Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallet, Kirk Cousins, Matt Hasselbeck, and Case Keenum coming?
..Thinking that this team had a chance of going 3-1, 4-0, to finish out the season and make the playoffs…
…damn. Now Bucs fans have to go through another offseason. Add Lovie to that equation, thats the equivalent of 32 months…
Does God Hate Bucs Fans??? Youre Daaaamn Right He Does!
Lovie in ’16!!! Whoopdie Fcukin Doo…
December 27th, 2015 at 7:09 pm
Lovie might be surprised when he comes into his office after the Panthers clobber us next week and his stuff is packed for him and there’s a plane ticket back to Chicago.
December 27th, 2015 at 7:14 pm
This Guy Right Here says:
“Does God Hate Bucs Fans??? Youre Daaaamn Right He Does!”
_____________________
I think these two sentences sum up the last 12 years.
Thanks Glazers!
December 27th, 2015 at 7:16 pm
I’m really tired of spending my Sunday nights in a pissed-off mood.
Probably won’t even watch the game next week.
Hooray f**kin draft, yay!
December 27th, 2015 at 7:40 pm
Lovie is surprised that other coaches make adjustments and try something different
December 27th, 2015 at 7:52 pm
???? Gurley did nothing special against the bucs. A 2 yard td run and a 15 yard run. He got stuffed 3 times at the 2 yard line. Please tell me what gurley did against the bucs. Without looking, i remember him only having like 60 yards and a TD.
No team has run effectively against the Bucs before today. Today was the first time. Hat tip to the bears.
December 27th, 2015 at 7:57 pm
PS the Case Kennam led Rams just beat the seahawks. Britt torched Sherman for a big TD. But the rams are a roll over team, right guys.
December 27th, 2015 at 8:28 pm
Case threw for a whopping 106 yards…dfense won the Seahawk game.
December 27th, 2015 at 8:45 pm
Trubuc get off lovie nutz. It’s time to wake up and realize that lovie is a garbage coach. We are far and above more talented than da bears. But they have a coach. And we have a Lovie. End of story
December 27th, 2015 at 9:18 pm
Fox is a better coach
December 28th, 2015 at 12:31 am
The Bears were who we thought they were. And we let ’em off the hook!
December 28th, 2015 at 1:09 am
why does everyone read so much into what Smith says? It was pretty cut and dry. He was surprised they had so much success running. So was I. He basically called out the defense for not executing. What is wrong with that? Every time something bad happens, half you people want to blame the HC when it is the players who don’t execute.
The DBs can’t cover.
The DEs can’t get pressure.
The WRs can’t catch the ball.
That is execution, not the coaches fault
December 28th, 2015 at 1:20 am
Dave…he hand picked the groceries, it’s on him.
December 28th, 2015 at 2:33 am
1. Gurley ran for 50 yards 2. the Bears had a bottom of the league run game & the Bucs have been at the top of the league in stopping the run, that’s why lovie was surprised…
in all the losses the last few weeks, the other team just wanted it more… get some talent on defense and get rid of the losers in the locker room not buying in
December 28th, 2015 at 8:30 am
The bucs run defense was never good as they were never really tested. Why would they be tested when other teams are able to complete 70% of their passes against them. Enter the bears with nobody to pass to yesterday so of course they are going to run the ball.
While we are at it let’s talk about our improved (sic) offense – NOT. The first half offensive statistics for the entire year are very telling. Yesterday was no different. Cut out the 4th quarter bucs yards against prevent defenses and you have something nobody should be proud of. Just saying………
December 28th, 2015 at 1:02 pm
Joe, I know you defend Lovie because of the good things he has brought to this franchise. mainly Jameis Winston (although I’m not sure that was all Lovie’s doing).
However, I have reviewed all of the comments from the last few weeks (including before this latest loss) and have noticed that Lovie Smith is mentioned (usually, unfavorably) in the majority of them.
This seems to indicate that a good number of Bucs fans think that Lovie is the problem and not the players, GM, owners, or something else. We fans may not be as football knowledgeable as the “professionals” who do their thing for a living, but I seriously doubt that we are that far off, either.
Going by the “big picture,” we have improved from two wins to at least six this year, but we also continue to play poorly at the end of the year (regression?) and seem to forget those things that helped us get those six wins as demonstrated by losing to teams we should have beaten.
I am scared by the losing trend that a previous writer posted about Lovie and the past history this team had with Dungy being unable to get the team past a certain level. I am also worried about depending on a defensive scheme that has had known weaknesses easily exposed by current offenses.
The question I have for you, Joe, is: if Lovie is not replaced, how is this team going to be able to progress and become a constant winner instead of a constant loser? How are the Bucs going to be able to become truly relevant from year to year? Personally, I don’t see it happening under the current coaching setup.