Players Tuning Out Lovie Continues
December 18th, 2015
More evidence
A chunk of Bucs fans erupted with anger at Joe, when Joe detailed on Wednesday that players are tuning out Lovie Smith.
And look what happened in St. Louis last night.
Remember, Joe was merely quoting Lovie, who said his defense wasn’t getting the message to play with an emphasis on forcing takeaways, and Lovie said his team inexplicably hadn’t learn lessons about penalties that should have been grasped many weeks ago.
Keep in mind Lovie takes great pride in saying his staff is made up of “stern teachers.”
Last night, the stupid penalties continued. With two games to play, the Bucs are 24 penalties shy of the NFL record for a season. Also last night, the Bucs failed to force a turnover for the third time in four games. You think that’s a coincidence?
Throw in the team coming out flat for the second consecutive game, despite Lovie constantly preaching fast starts, and it’s easy to see there’s a disconnection brewing between the head coach and some players.
Lovie is coming back next season. There’s no doubt. But Joe’s growing convinced that sweeping roster changes could be looming. There are just too many players not listening.
December 18th, 2015 at 1:52 am
agree! get rid of the players that won’t buy in…especially on defense… my nephew & quite a few other players on his college team didn’t get their scholarships renewed at the end of last season because they weren’t buying in & being cancers to the team…the defense still sucked this season but played a lot better as a team & gave up less points.
December 18th, 2015 at 2:15 am
Gholston said that the Rams did nothing unexpected on offense and that they had practiced for everything the Rams threw at them. So you are left with 2 potential problems. Either you have a coaching problem in creating defensive strategies for your defense to cope with the opposition or an inability by your defense to understand and implement those strategies. Either way you have a fundamental disconnect between coaches and players.
Coaches must always play and design plays to match their players strengths. But often more importantly they have to design strategies to compensate for their players weakness whether in ability or intelligence. I did not see either happening last night.
Good coaching makes mediocre players good and good players great. That is not happening. A great (potentially) QB can carry a team so far and make a good team great. But he can’t make a bad team/bad coaching great – he is too busy picking himself up off the ground and massaging his bruises both physical and mental.
The Rams offense and QB were made to look good by poor defense and poor defensive coaching.
December 18th, 2015 at 4:32 am
It’s time to face facts. The Buc’s SUCK. The defense sucks, the offensive line sucks, the head coach sucks and Jameis has sucked with high, inaccurate passes the past 2 games. Oh? Our receiving corps sucks too.
Want to feel good about this team? Forget it. They suck and the future looks even worse. They’ve already proven they are a disaster with picking up free agents. I don’t give a s##t if they have 50 million projected. They can’t get anyone worth a crap that will make a difference.
Want to look at the draft? Those 6 or 7 wins this year, are just enough to place us about 20th or so in the draft order. Well, there goes our chances of drafting any impactful players.
Get rid of this head coach or we’re going to keep having the biggest sieve of a defense in the whole NFL. How bad is it? Think about this guys. Just about every QB we have faced has set personal bests against the Suckateers. Case looked like Drew Brees last night and every other offense eats the Buc’s sorry defense for lunch. And Lovie doesn’t know how to fix it.
December 18th, 2015 at 5:12 am
@Heilan Laddie … “Coaches must always play and design plays to match their players strengths.”
Face facts. Players’ strengths don’t exist in Bucs secondary. They were bad last year; they’re even worse this year. It’s not about the system and it’s not about coaches teaching better and it’s not about players tuning out Lovie or whoever. It’s about manning a secondary with guys who shouldn’t be playing professional football. For anyone. Ever.
Hey Jude … undrafted rookie (for a reason). McDougald … undrafted rookie (for a reason). Major Wright … who? Tandy … good special teams player, but that’s about it. The list goes on.
This secondary sadly lacks talent. Problem is that it won’t be fixed next year, or maybe even the year after that. We need at least 3 new CBs and 3 new safeties. Moore is about the only one I’d keep long term at this point, although Verner’s a possibility.
Oh, and we also need new secondary coaches. Our present coaches aren’t getting the job done, even given mediocre talent.
December 18th, 2015 at 6:34 am
Schianos defense > Lovies defense
December 18th, 2015 at 6:58 am
“Also last night, the Bucs failed to force a turnover for the fourth consecutive game. You think that’s a coincidence?” said Joe
2 consecutive games. 4th quarter LVD int against Atl. to seal the game….
December 18th, 2015 at 7:00 am
I liked that Lovie is doing different things with the defense but, that back 4 they throw out there shouldn’t be allowed in the CFL and that is another personnel blunder on Lovie who has a sanat claus size list of players who should get coal for their time on the bucs and Lovie as well, the worst personnel decisions in the history of pro football have happened the past 2 years in Tampa and because he needed lovie guys he got crappy results…..how many 3rd string QBs have lit the bucs up teh past 2 years? That shouldnt happen and yet everyone who is bucs fan knew it was coming…case keenum = case closed for lovie
December 18th, 2015 at 7:11 am
Schiano brings in “his guys” – he’s a jerk, a meanie, doesn’t know anything about football
Lovie brings in “his guys” – not his fault the roster is so poor, give him 4 drafts before judging
I got that about right Lovie defenders?
December 18th, 2015 at 7:36 am
I guess the Glazers will figure with all the suffering Bucs fans have done what’s one more year and not fire Lovie. Then next year we will all be excited for the start of a new football only to fall victim again to poor coaching and stupid mistakes.
December 18th, 2015 at 7:38 am
I disagree that the players are tuning Lovie out. I saw countless plays, on both offense and defense, where players were in the correct position to make a play but didn’t have the skill to finish successfully.
How many balls were overthrown by the Messiah? How many good passes were dropped by receivers? How many missed tackles were there on defense? How many dropped interceptions? How many blown coverages? This team just doesn’t have the skill to be competitive on a weekly basis.
The penalties seemed to be mostly situations where a low skilled player was cutting corners trying to make a play. Ali Marpet had no chance against Aaron Donald. Jude has lost his mojo and was biting on every double move. All the safeties are just terribly overmatched.
The bottom line is the plays are there, the Bucs just don’t have the talent to execute them. Changing coaches after the corner has been turned in the right direction would be a disaster. Do any of you really have the patience to go back to square one with a new coach that will want to bring in another new slate of mediocre players?
December 18th, 2015 at 7:58 am
I tried to tell the “Sheep” (lovie loyalist) this many weeks ago!!! Lovie had even changed some of his scheme a little to try to calm the chatter a bit!!!! Thank you Joe for verifying my “source” who was right again!!!!
Jameis says:” Buc Realist, why do the sheep act that way???”
The Buc Realist says:” Because they have been “TOLD” too!!!!”
Where is StPeteBucsFan who said I was just “making stuff up” maybe he just does not want to Mpologize ( said in Robert Kraft’s drunk voice ) I just hope he does not change his screen name like so many have done around here!!!!!!
December 18th, 2015 at 8:04 am
Johnny “America’s Commenter” Dejay Says:
December 18th, 2015 at 7:38 am
The bottom line is the plays are there, the Bucs just don’t have the talent to execute them. Changing coaches after the corner has been turned in the right direction would be a disaster. Do any of you really have the patience to go back to square one with a new coach that will want to bring in another new slate of mediocre players?
Lovie is guaranteed to have fewer wins than Schiano after 2 years (NFL games coached before they were hired as Bucs coach: Lovie 144, Schiano 0). And you just said it: mediocre players. Firing Lovie literally cannot hurt this team in any way. It can only help to rid themselves of this loser though. He quit last night before half even with his soft, scared, loser tactics
I get that some people think firing Lovie is the apocalypse for this team, but that’s paranoid delusions. Lovie is not a good head coach, his ceiling is where Jeff Fisher is right now…4 straight losing seasons lol. But keep defending Loser Lovie.
December 18th, 2015 at 8:30 am
@joe… lovie is coming back and there will be sweeping roster changes.
Didn’t lovie already turn over the roster? He did and he brought in the likes of mccown, collins, verner, eds, carter, jenkins, the ghost, ect ect. Keep lict and fire lovie! I don’t trust him to another roster overhaul. The only thing he has done is lose enough to get Jameis. We have played no one w a winning record and have looked pathetic at times. We are the only team that get lit up by bad qb’s. Some of the ugliest losses in franchise history have been on lovie’s watch.
December 18th, 2015 at 8:38 am
Last night it was obvious that the Indians are in charge of the Chiefs. I don’t know if I have ever seen such an undisciplined team? From Winston’s tissy fit to Seferian-Jenkins temper tantrum, to the nine penalties. How can there not be disconnect between the head coach and some players with all the bad decisions made with starters alone. The bottom line is Lovie and the Tampa2 need to go. Outdated and overrated. Because Lovie won’t change or adapt. I like Adam Gase, Bears offensive coordinator. He would be a perfect fit with his work with quarterbacks. The Bucs will lose there last four, as I have been saying all along. Man, how things have changed around here since the victory over the Dixie Chicks.
December 18th, 2015 at 8:41 am
The Glaziers were given the taxpayer subsidizing that they wanted for the “upgrades,” that’s all that matters in their eyes. If you think the bottom line revolves around the actual game itself anymore, you suckers need to wake up. It’s all about scamming tax dollars from the public.
December 18th, 2015 at 8:56 am
Lovie is Dog Poo
Exactly the point I keep making. These are all his hand picked guys. The blunders he has made in putting this defense together are enough to fire him on. He cooked the soup, but now he’s sayin’ it tastes like schit.
Lovie is definitely a man of conviction, he will stay the course even if the ship is headed for the rocks. I really hope he figures it out. I hope he proves us all wrong and has a successful defense, I just want him to do it on another team. He needs to go. Cut the losses before we waste another 3 or 4 years and have to start rebuilding later. Tgis defense is young and could easily make the adjustments, Jameis is young and will rebound quickly with another head coach.
Oh, and I used to say promote Koetter but after the last few games, never mind on that. He hasn’t done much to protect Winston or make his job easier. How about a screen pass instead of 7 step drop backs that end up with Winston on his ass and a 300 dloneman in his grill?
December 18th, 2015 at 9:26 am
Lovie sucks, Lovie needs to go. How many seasons are we going to watch this? How many national games (not many) are we going to be embarrassed?
There is a culture issue here, and that starts w the head coach. LOVIE IS GARBAGE, stop defending him.
December 18th, 2015 at 10:25 am
@Dean
You forgot the biggest suck of all…the fans.
December 18th, 2015 at 10:26 am
Frankly, if you don’t like the product…STOP WATCHING!
And stop subjecting real fans to the whining.
December 18th, 2015 at 10:33 am
Bonzai is actually the worst kind of fan, the kind of fan who believes if you aren’t on your knees 24/7 defending the team, you aren’t a fan. Basically be a good little cult member/sycophant and enjoy the punch (even if it’s laced with poison).
December 18th, 2015 at 10:51 am
You’re still making stuff up Realist. You post nothing based in FACT only your innuendo and rumor. You have no credibility here. Deal with it. Take a poll if you don’t believe me.
Either you have a coaching problem in creating defensive strategies for your defense to cope with the opposition or an inability by your defense to understand and implement those strategies. Either way you have a fundamental disconnect between coaches and players.
GMC was the only original starter on the DL and he is clearly banged up. Clinton McDonalds’ loss was huge because in addition to his talent we miss his heart…Jack Smith was one of the leading sackers in the league early until injuries took him out.
This team is not that good to be that freaking deep. We are now playing athletes who are not only starting NFL players they’re not even NFL players. Many will be out of the league this time next year.
December 18th, 2015 at 11:55 am
@stpetebucsfan
You claim to know the business, Do you think that Joe wrote this story twice on what Lovie said at a press confernece?? do you not think that the Joe’s are talking to players and personal staff on and off the record??? If you think that then you are doing Joe a disservice!!!!
December 18th, 2015 at 12:06 pm
the players aren’t tuning him out…they just don’t understand…they don’t know how to execute the coaches plan…they just aren’t talented enough…all we have to do is go get talented players in the draft and FA and we will be set…GO BUCS!!!
December 18th, 2015 at 12:09 pm
We as the “real” Buc fans need to start to ask, Is this a well coached ball club??? take the wins and losses out of it. You can have 4 wins and still look like its well coached!!!
Second question we all need to ask, If Lovie is here next year, How many Hall of Famer players and pro-bowlers does he need to run his defense???
December 18th, 2015 at 12:48 pm
Bonzai
I’ve noticed you keep with the same rhetoric, you’re an awesome fan because you never complain. And if someone does get pissed because the team they love is getting ripped in two on national television, then they aren’t REAL fans.
Give me a break bro. You may be content with the Bucs and Lovie Smith bending you over a barrel, over and over again, but a lot of us aren’t. Its old, its tired, and its embarrassing.
If you don’t like the fact that most fans are fed up with this coach or this team, or a certain player, then argue why we are wrong, but don’t try calling us out for being poor fans.
December 18th, 2015 at 2:37 pm
Okay this article proves it, Lovie Smith has lost the locker room, time to fire this clown and bring in a REAL head coach
December 18th, 2015 at 4:23 pm
Joe..I love you man. But you are spouting a croc of horse manure. The players are not.have not tuned Lovie out. They have already won 4 more games than they did last year. Lovie is doing good with..what he has. Our defense is not there yet. And we need to attack free agency and the draft next year on defense. Might I remind all of you..DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!! We simply do not have the horses. Maybe it was my eyes..But did we have any rushes on their 3rd string QB? Meanwhile Jameis took a Shallacking. Wish we had Donald. The guy was unstoppable. Give credit to their Defense. And a lacking and glaring deficiency in ours.
December 18th, 2015 at 4:25 pm
Good Job Joe. Continue to..Feed the Lovie Haters. Lovie haters? UNITE!!
December 18th, 2015 at 5:38 pm
Always such positive comments on this site.
Unbelievable.
December 18th, 2015 at 6:01 pm
I like how playing your two worst games of the season at the most important time of year against two horrible teams should somehow have people jumping for joy. You guys are right, we’re 2 or 3 players away from greatness. One more draft with Lovie and I can just see the 9 straight playoff berths coming. And the complete lack of talent and cutting one of the best corners ever? Pft, Schiano’s fault! Apparently thinking anything less than that, and you’re a bad fan.
Funny, I just trashed Lovie again on PFT and the response is overwhelming positive to my comment. Lovie defenders are the minority of Buc fans, don’t kid yourselves.