Good Isn’t Good Enough
April 12th, 2016
Dirk Koetter raises the bar for his offense.
A lot of Bucs fans, Joe included, came away satisfied with the Bucs’ offense last year, especially with a rookie quarterback and a top rusher.
Problem is, locals are so conditioned to garbage offenses, what looked to be good wasn’t and isn’t good enough.
That’s what Joe read between the lines of Dirk Koetter’s chat with the Tampa Bay pen and mic club yesterday.
Sure, there were things to like about the offense under Koetter as coordinator. But to win games, the offense must improve, Koetter said.
“We’re by no means where we need to be on offense,” Koetter said. “When you win six football games, you’ve got a lot of stuff [to work on]. We’ve got to score more points, number one.
“Any time you come in and you change a lot of stuff in a system, whether it be offense, defense or special teams, and then you don’t have any, or very few, coaching changes in that area, especially with the play caller and the philosophy behind both the run game, the pass game, the protections, you should expect better execution in year two. Honestly, the numbers are really not as important as how that affects our team in a better chance to win games.”
Consider the Bucs were No. 5 in yards per game last year but only No. 20 in points scored.
So what does Joe get out of all of this? If you think the offense was at times fun to watch last year, buckle up. It was low-rung by Koetter’s standards, if the Bucs expect to make a playoff run.
Interesting to Joe is Koetter is confident defensive coordinator Mike Smith will improve the defense — how could it get much worse? — but Koetter is not going to rely on the defense to win games.
What a refreshing concept. Joe’s willing to lay cash you won’t hear Koetter in any postgame comments confess he didn’t want to put points on the scoreboard in the waning moments of a first half.
April 12th, 2016 at 11:24 am
The best way to defend your lead is to increase your lead.
April 12th, 2016 at 11:32 am
Scoring points! What a novel concept! Why didn’t Love Master think of that?
April 12th, 2016 at 11:38 am
Hoiw refreshing a coach who is honest and is not scared to death of scoring. It’s a great time to be a bucs fan. The future is bright!
April 12th, 2016 at 11:52 am
Joe
did you get the sense that the prevent defense with a 3 point lead in the first quarter will be a thing of the past as well.
April 12th, 2016 at 12:00 pm
@tmax- Despite what you think, I too am refreshed and excited about the upcoming season.
The difference between you and I, I guess, is that I’ve moved on from last year. That’s why I find the rhetoric with Lovie to be annoying.
I don’t find Lovie to be without blame. It’s his fault that he was fired. That being said, he’s not the only one that deserves some blame and I won’t go into that right now.
So, take your shots if you want to. I just hope this new regime brings us some wins and moreover something to be excited about for a change. The losing and resulting negativity over the last decade is wearing on me.
Go Bucs!
April 12th, 2016 at 12:06 pm
Pretty sure Lovie played prevent defense most of the time. As in preventing the Bucs to win.
April 12th, 2016 at 12:17 pm
bucs had their moments, but left alot of TDs and their fair share of first downs out there on the field due to less-than-ideal execution. despite the (on paper) tougher schedule, i think the bucs will extend drives they couldn’t last year and will turn some of last years field goals into next years touchdowns
April 12th, 2016 at 12:33 pm
“Pretty sure Lovie played prevent defense most of the time. As in preventing the Bucs to win.”
ZING!
April 12th, 2016 at 12:35 pm
It won’t improve with the personnel we have right now, and they know that. V. Jackson is nearing the end, probably two years left, tops, and they will be declining years. ASJ is trending down, Brate is still pretty much a toss up, and Mike Evans will continue to see bracket coverage without more help. The rest of the receiving core are final cut type guys. They need to add juice to the passing game.
A receiver or two needs to come out of the first three or four rounds of this draft.
April 12th, 2016 at 1:13 pm
^^^I agree, need some more play-makers!
April 12th, 2016 at 1:15 pm
gotbuc I totally disagree in my opinion VJax presence on the field alone prevents ME from being braketed. ASJ in my mind is trending upward, the talent is undeniable all the kid has to do is stay healthy my money says its bound to happen sooner or later. As for Brate was the most pleasant surprise last season. I don’t know its funny how strikingly differently people see differences in the same object.
April 12th, 2016 at 2:27 pm
Bucsfamman..I totally agree with your post one..thousand percent. Old Joe here set the pins up and the regulars continually knock down the lovie Pins. Its not doing any good. Lovie already has another job. And he still collects a salary from the Bucs! I’ve been a Bucs fan forever. In my 50’s now and I’ve seen Buc coaches come and go. Probably more than any other franchise. Bashing Lovie brings us no wins. NONE. I’ve not seen a coach bashed as much since Leman Bennet was here. The Psych therapy is over. OK so you’ve blamed Lovie..fine. WHO..will you blame come September? As Bob Seager says, Lets turn the page Lets win some games ammit..Lets get to the playoffs.
April 12th, 2016 at 2:59 pm
The offensive production last year was impressive. But the lack of TDs hurt this team quite a bit when it came to winning games. Winston should have had closer to 30 passing TDs than the 22 he wound up with last year. Penalties and dropped passed left quite a few points off the board in 2015.
Bucs need to maximize their scoring opportunities and stop having to settle for field goals. I’m willing to bet Koetter will be more aggressive with his game management than Lovie was – particularly when it comes to going for it on 4th and 2 in the red zone in order to make TDs happen – instead of settling for field goals.
April 12th, 2016 at 3:28 pm
That Pickgrin my friend I am in agreement with.
April 12th, 2016 at 3:46 pm
Play makers will be drafted and developed as it should be.
We had sufficient offensive talent last year with both rookies and new starters plugged in and the second year of experience in the second year of the system should bring marked improvements this season.
I’m all for getting better in any way possible i.e. BPA, but a damn creative OC can keep a defense off balance and make the entire O better.
The sky is not falling.
April 12th, 2016 at 3:49 pm
2 words:
RED ZONE !
We straight up stunk in the red zone last year. Really it was anytime we got inside the 30. That’s why there is that huge ranking disparity between yards and points scored.
We need to drastically improve from inside the red zone. Then, every week will be like that Philly game!
April 12th, 2016 at 5:16 pm
Okay we got v-jacks and Evans are going to give headaches I believe ASJ is going to have a break out year brate is going to be a terror but you guys ur forgot one buc that we got that changes the game for us and that’s Charles sim when he’s A big weapon that I think will have a thousand yard all purpose yard season he was close this season with a total of 6 TDs or more total u may think I’m crazy but it u look at his stats last season it’s close
April 12th, 2016 at 6:08 pm
88 you’re correct that’s why it puzzles me to read some post suggesting offensive players with these early picks. Our offensive cupboard is not bare and these young thunder cats will only get better. I want two D linemen back2back just like last years draft yielded two O linemen back2back. Anything else would be uncivilized.
April 12th, 2016 at 7:16 pm
Nole on Sat.-Bucc on Sun. Says:
April 12th, 2016 at 7:18 pm
Grrr…can’t edit a bad blockquote. Joe, a 10 minute edit time would be nice.