Lovie Will Enter His Gus Bradley Year
December 27th, 2015
Over in Jacksonville, Jaguars fans screamed for head coach Gus Bradley’s head after last year’s 3-13 finish with a rookie quarterback in 2014.
They bellyached that Bradley should be fired for two consecutive ugly seasons.
But ownership stood behind Bradley and let him hire former Bucs offensive coordinator Greg Olsen to develop Blake Bortles and restructure the offense. Ownership also believed Bradley, the former Bucs linebackers coach and Seahawks defensive coordinator, was the right guy to fix their defense.
Well, Bradley and the Jags got smoked by the Saints today, and the Jags have a 5-10 record in the worst division in football.
Joe brings this up because the NFL is a copycat kind of league. Owners and general managers love trends. They love to study what works and what doesn’t.
In Jacksonville, a third year for their defensive head coach and emerging second-year quarterback didn’t work. And Jags fans are screaming again for a new head coach. Joe is very curious to see what happens in Jacksonville — in eight days and during next season.
Joe believes Lovie Smith is about to enter his Gus Bradley year. There are distinct parallels.
December 27th, 2015 at 6:57 pm
Final two seasons as Bucs coach
Dungy: 19-13
Gruden: 18-14
Raheem: 14-18
Schiano: 11-22
Lovie first two years: 8-24
I think it’s clear we simply have very low expectations now that Lovie coming back is a foregone conclusion. We just don’t expect more than to not be the worst team in the league. That is success to the Lovie Loser Crew.
December 27th, 2015 at 7:06 pm
Not saying Lovie is the answer but the team he took over had very little talent. Dominick did not draft well. We need at least one more year and one more draft.
December 27th, 2015 at 7:07 pm
So the bucs should follow the terrible franchise that is Jacksonville??? Are you alright Joe??? You have said some of the craziest things today!!!!!
December 27th, 2015 at 7:08 pm
And Blake Bortles developed with the stability of year two. Keeping the regime in tact makes sense. But I agree with the Jax fans, next year 8-8 isn’t enough. 10-6 is the basement.
December 27th, 2015 at 7:09 pm
Joe’s trying to convince himself Jameis won’t go ruined by having Loser Lovie around him. Sorry Joe, Jameis will be a failure if he’s around Lovie long enough. No doubt Jameis has never been around a bigger loser than Lovie. We need to make sure he doesn’t get infected with being a loser too.
December 27th, 2015 at 7:13 pm
The game has passed Lovie by, the Glazers would be smart to cut there losses once again, bring in someone with some fire and vision! Then start by having a open quarterback battle in the offseason, may the best man win! No more favoritism, just cuz you drafted WinnyPooPoo don’t mean he’s better than Glennon.
December 27th, 2015 at 7:17 pm
So in other words, Bucs fans will have to suffer through another painful year of horrible, sloppy, undiciplined, losing football while the Glazers finally come to the realization that they made another huge head coaching mistake. I bet the ticket sales for home games will be amazing
December 27th, 2015 at 7:19 pm
We need to do the total opposite of whatever Jax does…
Jacksonville = George Costanza
Tampa Bay = Opposite George
If keeping a loser HC for a 3rd year, with a promising 2nd year QB is wrong, then the opposite must be right.
Keep Koetter. Keep Licht.
Fcuk Off Lovie.
December 27th, 2015 at 7:26 pm
“Not saying Lovie is the answer but the team he took over had very little talent.”
Are you still telling yourself this?? Lovie took over this gig as the “Head of Personell”.. He blew up this squad, and then hand picked the likes of Jennings, Jenkins, Hey Jude, Sterling Moore, who played like feces today… Benched our 2 best CBs in Banks and Verner… Its like he’s begging us to hate him.
Lovie had 2 drafts, and 2 Free Agencies to address our talent…
So after 2 seasons…… How has he done???
December 27th, 2015 at 7:33 pm
Both former LB coaches…in way over their heads….both done after 3 seasons. It’s just a pisser that 2016 will most likely be yet another throw away due to Low-T Smith.
December 27th, 2015 at 7:38 pm
Buclife,
You make a point that has been brought up time and time again, Lovie took over a team with little to no talent.
If we assume that to be true, isn’t that a huge indictment against Lovie? Greg Schiano won more games than Lovie Smith at this point.
I mean how can a lessor coach with agreed upon less talent rack up more wins vs tougher opponents than the more qualified and experienced Lovie Smith?
December 27th, 2015 at 7:41 pm
It seems like the bucs have hit a wall lately. We saw a lot of progress (winning) in the middle of the season that gave us hope. But the truth is the team has been underperforming for more than a few weeks now. The progress we had midseason is back to a regression of late. We havent lost “bad” or anything but they havent made the next step. Losing close is still losing. Im not advocating one way or the other on Lovie, I won’t be sad to see him go, and won’t be mad if he stays. We can win games under Lovie, but the question is, could we win more game with a different coach. Im not convinced there is any better coaches available. Unless Bruce Arians gets fired, im not excited for any head coach candidate.
December 27th, 2015 at 7:45 pm
Lmk when Lovie is gone and I’ll get excited about this team again
December 27th, 2015 at 7:46 pm
You idiots keep comparing the last 2 seasons. Why not compare the LAST seasons. Schiano was a mess in his last season. And had less wins than Lovie had in his second season. You can spin stats to say whatever you want. The fact of the matter is schiano had less wins in his second seasons than his first. That is a damning statement. You might hate Lovie with a passion, but you can’t deny he has gotten us more wins this year than he had last year. That is the difference and that will never change. I dont care how much schiano juice you have been drinking, that guy was terrible for the bucs.
December 27th, 2015 at 7:46 pm
@Lovie Is Dog Poo If all those coaches had the exact same players playing the exact same teams than your numbers would mean something, but they don’t so those numbers mean nothing.
December 27th, 2015 at 7:47 pm
The Bucs offense effectively put up 14 pts today, plus a 4-yd gimme from the special teams’ blocked punt. Bears pretty much shut down the Bucs run game and made the Bucs one-dimensional. Add in the Bucs’ 3 turnovers to 0 for the Bears, and oh ya, another 23 mins time-of-possession game for the Bucs to 37 mins for the Bears and it isn’t hard to see why the Bears won.
For its’ part, the Bucs defense was exposed yet again. Bears run game pounded them into the ground so successfully that Cutler only had to dink and dunk his way down the field just for a periodic change of pace.
All of us Bucs’ fans need to face facts: Bucs need a serious upgrade in a lot of positions if they’re going to be competitive in the NFC. Lovie will get one more year no doubt, but if it’s another year like this one it’ll be back to the basement.
December 27th, 2015 at 7:51 pm
(Current)
*8 Coaches with the longest tenure in the league
(1st-3 years) with their current teams
Bill Belichick
• 2000 Patriots 5-11 0 .313
• 2001 Patriots 11-5 0 .688
• 2002 Patriots 9-7 0 .563
Tom Coughlin
• 2004 Giants 6-10 0 .375
• 2005 Giants 11-5 0 .688
• 2006 Giants 8-8 0 .500
Pete Carroll
• 2010 Seahawks 7-9 0 .438
• 2011 Seahawks 7-9 0 .438
• 2012 Seahawks 11-5 0 .688
Mike McCarthy
• 2006 Packers 8-8 0 .500
• 2007 Packers 13-3 0 .813
• 2008 Packers 6-10 0 .375
Sean Payton
• 2006 Saints 10-6 0 .625
• 2007 Saints 7-9 0 .438
• 2008 Saints 8-8 0 .500
John Harbaugh
• 2008 Ravens 11-5 0 .688
• 2009 Ravens 9-7 0 .563
• 2010 Ravens 12-4 0 .750
Marvin Lewis
• 2003 Bengals 8-8 0 .500
• 2004 Bengals 8-8 0 .500
• 2005 Bengals 11-5 0 .688
Jason Garrett
• 2010 Cowboys 5-3 0 .625
• 2011 Cowboys 8-8 0 .500
• 2012 Cowboys 8-8 0 .500
December 27th, 2015 at 7:59 pm
Just watched lovies presser.He said he didn’t know why the bears could run the ball.So after all the short comings of lovie why keep him?
December 27th, 2015 at 8:09 pm
FORGET GIS YEAR, let’s go gout and get Adam Gase
December 27th, 2015 at 8:22 pm
As you can see of the current coaches ( *6 out 8 have won Super Bowls)
Only Pete Carroll had a consecutive losing seasons.
But -In his 2010 inaugural season with Seattle, Carroll almost completely overturned the Seahawks roster, totaling over 200 transactions in the course of only one season.
An even though Seattle faltered through the latter half of the season, the team beat the division rival Rams in the final week of the regular season for the NFC West championship, becoming the first 7–9 team in NFL history to win a division title.
Carroll made even more history as the Seahawks later upset the then-Super Bowl Champions New Orleans Saints during the wild card round of the playoffs
December 27th, 2015 at 8:30 pm
“Just watched lovies presser”
Damn dude, dont torture yourself like that… All those Lovie pressers do is make you sleepy, angry, and confused all at the same time…
December 27th, 2015 at 8:34 pm
Who are these “Jaguar fans” you speak of?
December 27th, 2015 at 8:47 pm
Gutless,, shamefull,I’ll prepared, losers.
December 27th, 2015 at 8:49 pm
Luvmybucs- so you are trying to say none of those coaches ever went 2-14 and were the worst team in football or finished last back to back years…
Loser Lovie is awful, admit the mistake and move on
December 27th, 2015 at 8:58 pm
8-23 Impressive
December 27th, 2015 at 9:06 pm
I think that Lovie does need to go, but the questions is, Who are you going to get to replace hiim?…
December 27th, 2015 at 9:53 pm
Jameis unfortunately as of now is a LOSER! And he has no chance of being a winner this season. So welcome the the Buccaneer QB Loser Club Jameis.
December 27th, 2015 at 10:37 pm
You people are all insane. Don’t you just realize that if our kicker made kicks, if our #1 receiver could catch the passes thrown his way, if our “pro bowl” running back doesn’t put the ball on the ground twice in a game, and if our “best defensive player” could actually stay healthy and do something then this team would have 4 more wins and 90% of you people on here would be saying Lovie is a great coach. A new coach is not going to make Evans a better receiver, or Barth a better kicker or help Martin hold onto the ball or make McCoy less injury prone. When are you people going to realize that it is on the players not the coaches when it is this clearly their mistakes that are costing us games. If we did not have players making these errors (that are out of the coaches control) then blame the coach but as long as the players are doing the items listed above then you cannot blame any coach as you cannot win with players doing things like that (or in McCoy’s case not doing). Is Lovie doing a perfect job, NO it is not even close but if the players would just do their jobs correctly then we could properly judge but as of now they cannot happen and a new coach will not help.
December 27th, 2015 at 10:43 pm
Also the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, and Oakland Raiders all change coaches every two to three years. All of those teams are horrible because they do not allow a coach to build. Our last two coaches have gotten two years and what has that gotten us? So yeah lets just keep doing what all the crappy teams do and what we have seen first hand doesn’t work. You people are crazy, don’t get sucked into the Realist crap as he is going to say fire Lovie no matter what cause he barley knows what a football is.
December 27th, 2015 at 10:55 pm
ndog…good points but……..this IS Lovie’s team. Those players that are effing up, many of them ARE Lovie Smith’s players handpicked.
December 27th, 2015 at 11:00 pm
ndog…and ya know what. I want Lovie GONE, not because of his HORRIBLE personnel moves, but for his in game management.
I’m not even going to go there with certain players screwing up.
I want Lovie Smith gone, because I saw waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many bad decisions during games this season.
So put that in your pipe and smoke it, but good points though.
December 27th, 2015 at 11:48 pm
“Is Lovie doing a perfect job, NO it is not even close but if the players would just do their jobs correctly then we could properly judge but as of now they cannot happen and a new coach will not help.”
When players, TALENTED PLAYERS, ACROSS THE BOARD, are finding different ways to screw up, well then, its something BIGGER than just PLAYERS FCUKING UP…
When its widespread, mistakes on both sides of the ball, WEEK IN & WEEK OUT, then it COMES DOWN TO WHO’S RUNNING THIS FCUKED UP PROGRAM????? Who has their FCUKIN NAME ON THIS TEAM????
Most penalized team in the league! Mistakes that go uncorrected after 2 seasons, 32 games. Undisciplined, Without Direction, More of The Same…
It’s LOVIEBALL ladies and gentlemen! We all know what it is! Half of you cowards are afraid to say it outright, but WE HAVE A REALLY SHTTY HEAD COACH! Dont believe me???? Then ask all those Bears Fans at RAY JAY how easy it was to buy tickets! CAUSE DEEP DOWN WE ALL KNOW, THIS IS A SHT TEAM WITH LOVIE RUNNING THINGS, and Id rather spend my money on a SURE THING. WHICH IS A BUCS LOSS ON A SUNDAY BY 4PM, $45 DOLLARS ON STEAKS TO THROW ON THE GRILL, $50 ON WHISKEY AND ICE, WHICH I’LL NEED TO NUMB THE PAIN THAT IS KNOWN AS MR. LOVIE SMITH…
December 28th, 2015 at 6:05 am
When players, TALENTED PLAYERS, ACROSS THE BOARD, are finding different ways to screw up, well then, its something BIGGER than just PLAYERS FCUKING UP
the bucs are starting guys who are backups on most teams on defense, you have a weak receiving corps and no pass rush
December 28th, 2015 at 6:07 am
name one team who changes coaches every two years than wins at least 8 games on a regular basis? there are none
December 28th, 2015 at 6:45 am
Successful teams do not fire the head coach. Especially when he is competent and showing positive results.
@LuvMyBucs pretty much proved that with his data – the Pittsburgh Steelers prove it every season, and after what he did in Cleveland, no one wanted Bill Billicheat until New England proved it by turning their franchise over to him.
You trolls need to lighten up – you still haven’t learned what Hugh Culverhouse taught us: it’s not really your team…
December 28th, 2015 at 10:14 am
I think the Carolina Panthers resurgence is a great comparison to the Bucs rebuilding effort. Both teams have defensive head coaches, #1 overall pick QBs, and outstanding rookie MLBs.
(Yes, I realize that Rivera took over after the Panthers 2010 2-14 season and Lovie captained the Bucs 2014 2-14 season, so it’s not a perfect comparison, but it’s as close as we’re going to get.)
2010 Season, 2-14 under John Fox, a disaster of a season.
2011 Season, 6-10 under Ron Rivera with Cam Newton as a Rookie (of the year) at QB.
2012 Season, 7-9 under Ron Rivera with Luke Kuechly as a Rookie (of the year) at MLB.
2013 Season, 12-4 under Ron Rivera after a 1-3 start where the fans wanted Rivera fired on the spot.
If you match up the 2014 Bucs with the 2010 Panthers, the Bucs rebuilding effort is on pace with the Panthers, but it could take another full season of rebuilding before the Bucs are playoff contenders.
As much as the December collapse has been demoralizing, Lovie probably does deserve a third season to prove he has the goods. The Glazers probably aren’t keen on eating his $5M salaries for 2017 and 2018 (the 2019 season is a team option at $5M), so that’s an economic factor. Let’s not forget that Freeman lost his mojo after a coaching change, so Winston’s continued development is also a factor.
December 28th, 2015 at 12:05 pm
Freeman lost his mojo after a coaching change? Are we seriously now lying to make Lovie look better? Freeman only broke basically every franchise passing record in Schiano’s first year. LOL!!!!!!
Goddamn it, it is getting really pathetic the level of defending Lovie is getting. If he were a giant A-Hole like Schiano, the same people defending Lovie right now would want the A-Hole coach fired. Ridiculous, sad, and a testament to why this the the worst franchise in NFL history.
December 28th, 2015 at 2:50 pm
if lovie does some self scouting and wants to keep his job, he will fire Lovie Smith the personnel chief and lovie smith the defensive playcaller, as well as leslie frazier. find a dynamic defensive mind and ride his coattails. focus on getting big calls and important game situations right
December 28th, 2015 at 8:33 pm
@DefenseRules
Bucs need a serious upgrade in a lot of positions if they’re going to be competitive in the NFC.
I agree but I think many of the players are already on the roster. Obviously Kwon is going to be a major upgrade at MLB compared to our final four games..hopefully GMC regains his health and we get to start the other three DLinemen we planned on playing.
I don’t think all of our players need career years for us to be pretty good next year. If we can just stay healthy and players have decent years and stop with the finding ways to lose games…we’re not that far away talent wise.