Glimmer Of Hope
February 10th, 2016
Denver proved talent can overcome a rash of penalties.
The way Joe hears it, untold numbers of beer bottles were smashed in disgust over all the stupid penalties Tampa Bay committed last year.
Fans were so outraged, shards of brown glass flew through the air of various watering holes throughout the region.
But numberscruncher Tom Bassinger of the Tampa Bay Times has soothing words for Bucs fans that just may make their day.
#Bucs fans: #Broncos, #SB50 champions, had most penalized defense in NFL. https://t.co/OusYi3ovon
— Thomas Bassinger (@tometrics) February 9, 2016
Yes, the Broncos led the NFL in defensive penalties by a wide margin, besting flag-ridden New Orleans by 10 defensive penalties. But here is the trick: The Broncos’ defense was good enough to overcome those penalties.
The Bucs had the fifth-most defensive penalties in the NFL (52) and 20 fewer than Denver. But they didn’t have the pass rush or the secondary capable of over overcoming dumb penalties.
Of course, if a team has enough talent, it has a margin for error. The Bucs did not have such a luxury in 2015.
February 10th, 2016 at 5:53 am
“The Bucs did not have such a luxury in 2015.”
Correct they had Jenkins and Jennings. smh
February 10th, 2016 at 6:27 am
2014 it acquire us Winston.
2015 it acquire us Koetter and Smith. Problem should be solved. Mike Smith holds the NFL record on the fewest penalties by a team in a season(2010 & 2012).
We should be getting plenty of new defensive players in the off-season too.
History should not be repeated with so many factors changing. Remember how the Bucs couldn’t win on cold weather. In 2002 we got a new coach and plenty of new players. The cold weather funk for the Bucs ended with Barber taking it to the HOUSE in frigid Philly, Baby!!
Maybe history has a new destiny for us in 2016.
February 10th, 2016 at 6:30 am
Most of those penalties went to aqib talib
February 10th, 2016 at 6:33 am
Dangit Kevin!
February 10th, 2016 at 6:39 am
“Pro Bowl My A$$!! I’m going to the Super Bowl!!!,” said Barber.
For those of you that were playing video games back then the Bucs won the Super Bowl in 2002.
Things might be different next year…
February 10th, 2016 at 7:51 am
There are vicious, imposing your will penalties, and then there is lovie with 12 men on the field penalties, and when that did not happened he burned thru the timeouts because he did not know how to get only 11 on the field!!!
February 10th, 2016 at 8:35 am
@Kevin – You called it. Aqib Talib was the most the most penalized Bronco with 12 penalties for 101 yards. I still thank god everytime I see him that he is not on our team.
February 10th, 2016 at 8:58 am
I disagree Realist, penalties are penalties and they hurt your team. I hardly think that Aqib Talib’s penalties are more about “imposing will” than an undisciplined player, as he has proven again and again.
It just looks better or more “vicious” because there’s so much more talent around on that D and Denver has an attacking defense (it doesn’t hurt that they won the SB either!).
I expect our D to be improved. And, with less penalties we won’t have to make up for it with better talent.
February 10th, 2016 at 9:48 am
@Realist
Hey once again we are in agreement. There are penalties and there are penalities.
I would like to see the breakdown of each team’s penalties. There is simply no excuse for dead ball fouls other than poor coaching and undisciplined players.
And i absolutely take your point…jumping offsides is a boneheaded move…roughing the QB is trying to send a message or perhaps a bad judgement made at 25MPH! Same for unnecessary roughness penalities unless they are obviously stupid.
Jumping offsides…12 men on the field or just moronic.
Another issue of penalties is when they happen. The Bucs “seemed” ( I admit I have not looked at research to back this up) to get penalties at the worst possible time!
And so on defense they would turn a 3rd and long into a first down with a penalty and not get off the field.
It was just as bad on offense! How many times did #3 complete a long 3rd down pass or in one case even a touchdown only to have it negated by a penalty.
Special teams penalties are killers as well. They may say ten yards but frequently they burn a long return and it’s actually 30-40-50 yards of field position that has been wasted!
February 10th, 2016 at 10:39 am
wow..joe finally admits it…the talent level on the defense is what doomed the bucs defense…not lovie..not the scheme…the talent level…we had 7 players starting for us on defense that were undrafted…I bet IQ and talent were just a couple reasons why they didn’t get drafted…the pressures on dirky…GO BUCS!!!
February 10th, 2016 at 10:43 am
@realist…a penalty is a penalty just like a loss is a loss…there are no good penalties just like there are no good losses…penalties either hurt your team or help the opposing team…GO BUCS!!!
February 10th, 2016 at 12:22 pm
@813bucboi
No, you are wrong, there are losses and then there are “lovie blowouts”!!! there is a huge difference!!!!
February 10th, 2016 at 1:48 pm
@The Buc Realist
No. You are wrong. I won’t say why. You figure it out. Will be a good mind bender for you. 😉
February 10th, 2016 at 5:32 pm
Who cares? No excuses. New Regimes come in and say they will do this..do that. How bout…JUST DOING IT!! We will see what kind of magic these new..spinmasters can or cannot work. Koetter had better perform. There is a special bait & tackle box waiting for him and DC Smith down on the Tampa Bay bridge if they don’t.