“It Was Like Watching A 7-on-7”
August 4th, 2016
Indirectly calls out Lovie Smith.
Yesterday was a treat watching NFL Network as the outfit broadcast live from Bucs training camp.
For fans unable to get to One Buc Palace, it gave followers a taste of what training camp is like. Really cool stuff. And in a discussion of the Bucs, former NFL general manager Charlie Casserly, without naming names, had harsh words for the guru of the Bucs defense last year, Lovie Smith.
NFL Network co-host Rhett Lewis stated for a team ranked in the top-10 in yards for both offense and defense last year, it should have been a playoff team. Casserly set him straight.
“That’s where stats are deceiving,” Casserly said. “Those are yards.”
Casserly then broke down what the Bucs need to transform into a playoff team. The first was simple: Score points. Too often the Bucs moved the ball but either came up empty, or had to settle for a field goal. Casserly put that on the decision-making of America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, in the red zone. Casserly also stated this is why Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht drafted Roberto Aguayo.
Then Casserly turned his sights on the defense.
“On third down it was like watching a 7-on-7,” Casserly said. “Anybody could complete a pass against them!”
Casserly then lauded the Bucs for changing defensive schemes.
Casserly is 100 percent correct. Just look at all the quarterback dregs who lit up Lovie’s Bucs. Derek freaking Anderson (twice!) in 2014, Matt Hasselbeck (who is now out of football), Case Keenum, Austin Davis… Joe could go on. Kirk Cousins became filthy rich thanks to Lovie’s defense. You like that?
Just having a defense that can get off the field on third downs should be worth two wins right there. Keyword: should.
Yes, punts are takeaways, too.
August 4th, 2016 at 1:07 pm
That last part is the mystifying part Joe. Yes punts are takeaways…other than a last minute situation where the clock is a consideration…what’s the difference if you get the ball after 1 or 2 plays or 3? Field position varies on turnovers just as it does on returned punts.
I honestly do not understand this. And I have two frustrations stuck in my crawl.
The inability to get off the field even on third and LONG…and simply letting WR and especially TE’s run wild down the middle of the defense.
August 4th, 2016 at 1:10 pm
I told all the sheep. “wait for training camp, that is when the incompetent one will be exposed”!!!!!!!!
It was pretty easy for other teams when they knew exactly how our defense would line up and how they would react!!!! The “game plan” was more vanilla than a 1st preseason game!!!! The fact that coach my scheme won any game makes those team’s question their 3rd string QB’s!!!!!!
The Truth is now Buc Fans!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 4th, 2016 at 1:14 pm
There is no doubt that Lovie fielded some of the most embarrassing defenses the league has ever witnessed. I don’t think the league has witnessed such horrendous one side of the ball with lovies defenses since the bay area was subject to the equally painful and inept Dungy offensive units.
August 4th, 2016 at 1:16 pm
Sid Luckman was rolling in his grave.
Two touchdowns in his last 20 quarters (five games) as a Bucs playoff coach. Two!
What next, Jerry Glanville in the Hall of Fame? Sam Wyche?
August 4th, 2016 at 1:22 pm
Amen t max
August 4th, 2016 at 1:28 pm
@Joe
Should Payton Manning drag dungy up to the podium since he dragged dungy to the playoffs every year?????
Or do you think a Hall-of-Fame coach gets out ranked by a QB when calling for a punt on 4th and short and the QB overrides so called Hall-of_Fame coach???
They should just be handing out gold t-shirts instead of gold jackets anymore!!!
August 4th, 2016 at 1:33 pm
it’s wrong that dungy is getting in the hall of fame because he is a media favorite. no one can justify his stats. Ira, who I respect, kept pointing out his regular season winning percentage well that’s all great but it still does not make up for the fact he was a 1 dimensional coach with a career losing record in the playoffs. The hall is for the best of the best not mediocre coaches that are media darlings. Between the bucs defense and the triplets in Indy Dungy left 2 super bowls on the table. Which a more well rounded coach would have achieved no doubt. hall is for the best of the best and that is tarnished now. it really burns my but and i will be complaining all week. It’s not a race thing it’s what did he accomplish compared to his peers. before bighog and the rest of the baiters get their panties in a wad it’s simply he DOES NOT belong based on popularity, skin color or media bias. It’s for what he accomplished. Anyone with half a brain can look at his actual accomplishments and compare them to Tom Flores accomplished and see the difference. you wanna talk winning percentage check out Flores playoff winning percentage.
August 4th, 2016 at 1:34 pm
Realist:
Joe actually sees a groundswell of support for putting in Don Coryell. Good grief! Those that claim that never watched the guy coach.
Damned straight he was a genius at the passing game but he was the offensive version of Dungy. HORRIBLE playoff record and he totally ignored the defense.
Dude got coached rings around by George Allen (who is a disputable Hall of Famer) and a guy who should be in the Hall of Fame, Tom Flores. Coryell would have a fullback breaking off four and five yards a carry but he would abandon the run so he could throw the ball (which Allen sniffed out and stopped).
August 4th, 2016 at 1:36 pm
tmax:
In a future podcast to be posted sometime this week, Joe and ira go toe-to-toe about Dungy.
August 4th, 2016 at 1:43 pm
Having a FG kicker that can make field goals, a wide receiver that doesn’t lead the league in drops, and a middle line backer that doesn’t get suspended four games should also be worth two wins as well.
Here’s to hoping:
1. Aguayo makes his field goals
2. Mike Evans stops leading the league in dropped passes
3. Kwon Alexander plays 16 games
August 4th, 2016 at 1:43 pm
Joe
thanks. I look forward to that. ira and I went back and forth on a couple tweets a couple of weeks ago. he kept pulling the regular season winning percentage and that does not offset the horrendous offenses and piss poor playoff record in my opinion. I look forward to the podcast. This really has my feathers ruffled. I don’t know why I care about a has been coach that could not get the job done in tampa but it really irritates me he is getting enshrined. best of the best no longer the case for the hall of fame.
August 4th, 2016 at 1:49 pm
@Joe
Now that you work closely with eye-Rah Kaufman, do you now get advanced information on the Tampa2-mafia, or do you have to wait like the rest of us to hear their spin on things when they are released??????
August 4th, 2016 at 1:55 pm
Realist:
Ira has a better handle on that. Joe tries to keep an open mind. Joe doesn’t ignore Sapp or Brooks or Lynch or Ronde. What was relevant in 2002 isn’t always relevant in 2016.
August 4th, 2016 at 1:59 pm
tmax:
Dungy was a good coach. Let’s not forget that. But elite? Hardly. To Joe, a Hall of Fame coach should be elite. Dungy’s dismissal of offense cost the Bucs at least one Super Bowl. Who knows, maybe two?
To Joe it was damning when on America’s Game, both Sapp and Lynch said the team needed a change. That, to Joe, is not a Hall of Fame coach.
August 4th, 2016 at 2:10 pm
Ten, Jax, Cle, Pha, NYG, and NO all gave up even more points than the Bucs’ D @ 417 points. Ind was close @ 408 for the year. Seven games against defenses as bad as the Bucs last year. By my count , we went 3-4 against those teams!
tickrdr
August 4th, 2016 at 2:23 pm
Yeah our defense sucked. It was easy to see lovie coverage schemes were killing us.
August 4th, 2016 at 2:50 pm
He got in people, wether you yahoos like it or not, have the mind of a great corner back, I just got burnt for a touchdown, on to the next play!! Turn the page because the words damn sure ain’t gonna change!
August 4th, 2016 at 3:06 pm
Not a Dungy fan either. Again, I thought he was already in the Hall of Fame last year. He must have been nominated last year. To me the Hall of Fame should weigh most the actual play of the inductees. Not so big on coaches getting in unless they were special over a longer period. I don’t even get Dungy’s appeal as a TV analyst.
August 4th, 2016 at 3:38 pm
@Buccfan37
For some reason, he gets Huge approval ratings from the Latin community!!!
August 4th, 2016 at 3:52 pm
“Kirk Cousins became filthy rich thanks to Lovie’s defense. You like that?”
LOL
*All these different looks(blitz packages) that Mike Smith is throwing at Jameis in practice will help him in the regular season
August 4th, 2016 at 3:55 pm
When people “in the know” make comments it’s time to listen. ESPN just wanted to talk about Lovie’s raw deal but real football insiders know Lovie was the problem. Casserrly didnt call out Lovie specifically, but he didn’t have to. Basically said Lovie’s scheme was a piece of sh*t. It was and still is and always will be. Glazers wanted that Tony Dungy feel but picked the wrong coach to get them there. I honesely would have taken Schiano over Lovie any day of the week.
August 4th, 2016 at 4:16 pm
If team didn’t take their foot of the gas in the second half our D would have given up a lot more points. The Titans could have scored 60 if they kept going.
August 4th, 2016 at 4:37 pm
With all due respect those who are judging Dungy by his stats versus other coaches with better stats…you are missing the point.
In addition to pretty good stats he was a pioneer for AA coaches. He was a first.
Now some, perhaps many of you may wish to dismiss that and I say OK…but then you shouldn’t have anybody in the HOF who isn’t a player or coach or perhaps GM…somebody who can provide stats.
And so no broadcasting legends, no sportwriters, nobody like Ed Sabol for founding NFL films and creating all contributions he made to football coverage.
I’m OK with either as long as we are consistent.
August 4th, 2016 at 4:50 pm
Stpetebucsfan
The hall of fame is for the best of the best. It has nothing to do with race, religion, nice guy, role model, or whatever else the PC police want to add in. It is for the best of the best. Dungy is not even close to the top AA coach. Art Shell first and foremost comes to mind and he did it with much more adverse conditions than Dungy had in Tampa. Denis Green is another that was a better coach and innovator than dungy. The simple issue is the hall of fame should be reserved for the best of the best and there is no doubt there are plenty of more deserving coaches than Dungy. Flores is the biggest snub in my opinion and Flores. He does not get nearly the credit he should for being a minority winning Superbowl coach. I agree with you the hall should be limited to players and coaches only. The owners, broadcasters and contributors are very important and should be showcased and not forgotten but maybe not enshrinement. There is no doubt dungy is getting in for reasons other than his actual accomplishments. whether that is race, media bias or other BS considerations it’s wrong.
Let’s put it in perspective too… Dungy coached the bucs for 6 years out of 40 and only 4 of those years were good. He was 1 dimensional and could not field an offense if his life and job depended on it. He was not very good on game days and his play not to lose philosophy bit him on the ass more than once. Malcom Glazer turned the franchise around when he bought it and set high standards which dungy could not achieve. So many Tampa fans remember the good and ignore the bad. You don’t get a lifetime free pass for 4 good years out of 6 coached and 40 of the franchise. he is the third best coach and a nice guy nothing more or nothing less.
August 4th, 2016 at 5:33 pm
Is it possible that the fix was in (not doing their job to protect things) because they new the NFL Network was there?
August 4th, 2016 at 7:23 pm
Actually tmax all the Glazers did was see an investment opportunity and spent their money. They chose Dungy as their head coach. You talk about short memories but yours is kind of bad because you seemingly forget how the Bucs were the NFL laughing stock after Doug Williams left and until Dungy came here. He’s the one who changed the culture of losing that had become the Tampa way. It was his selection of his coaching staff not the Glazers that changed that team. Monte Kiffin, Rod Marinelli, Herm Edwards, Mike Tomlin and yes you lot of hating losers Lovie Smith. Ronde Barber, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch, and Warren Sapp will all tell you it was Dungy who turned this franchise around. You refusal to give him any credit is laughable. If Dungy hadn’t built that team the way he did Gruden would have never won the Superbowl with his offense he put together. Funny thing about Gruden is guys like you nevers say jack about his incredible inability to draft and nurture rookie talent into true playersand you revere him as some great coach but yet your kind cry about Dungys lack of offense ability. Truly hypocritical to say the least. Dungys Hall of fame induction is about more than just wins and losses and playoff record stats that people like you use as some kind of torch to parade around with. It’s also about his merit as a man and human and the influence he had on this team area.
What really boggles my mind is why it bothers you so incredibly much that it almost seems like it keeps you awake at night, destroys your marriage just tears at your soul that you’re up here whining and crying about it. Like Dungy did something so wrong to you personally. In the grand scheme of things does his induction influence your life in any way???? It must since you hate it so much.
You say his race has nothing to do with your moral outrage? Please it’s at the core of it!
August 4th, 2016 at 7:32 pm
I didn’t realize there is such hatred for Dungy by a few self proclaimed experts.
I think what he accomplished here in Tampa alone should qualify him for the Hall.
I hope a few of you get your arms fixed ok.
August 4th, 2016 at 9:24 pm
Wasn’t really a fan of Gruden either, so racist thinking is pure baloney. Does he get in too?
August 4th, 2016 at 9:47 pm
I always liked Dungy… solid person, did a great job with our defense and franchise. I’m not sure he Mr longs in the HOF. If you are using the first black head coach criteria, why isn’t Tom Flores in the HOF? First Latino qb, first Latino asst coach to win SB, first Latino head coach to win a SB…
August 4th, 2016 at 10:29 pm
I saw that Joe,
Your assessment is a joke. Why did you block loggedontosay?
August 5th, 2016 at 7:36 am
Alot of ppl fail to mention how he took over the worst team in the league and over a couple of seasons had them in the playoffs and had drafted 4 future HOF (yes I’m counting lynch so F U.) And not to mention the other pro bowl caliber guys he brought in. Just because he couldnt get them Over that last hump (into the SB) shouldn’t mean he isn’t a HOF. And his coaching tree has produced prob the most coaches out of any staff if I’m correct. The list goes on n on. I don’t get all the hate about the guy who made the Bucs rellevant again. I swear some of u deserve to have your bucs card pulled. I question your loyalty to your so called “fav” team when I hear crap like this. Was Dungy the greatest coach ever? No, but he dserves credit for resurecting this franchise and forming one of the greatest defenses of sll time.
T max, I like some of your comments but your always on the other side of the argument and seem like your always against the bucs. In my book a true fan stands by their team no matter what. That doesn’t mean u have to like everything they do but u shouldn’t criticize evrything they do as well. No offense but your a very negative person. U should lighten up a little bit. It might help.
August 5th, 2016 at 8:26 am
Hey DemBoyz,
I’m just curious. Who were the 4 future HOF players that Dungy drafted when he was with the Bucs?