Smith: Noah Spence Is Fine
September 30th, 2016
Bucs DC talks rookie DE.
Of all the unnerving things about the loss to the Rams was defensive end Noah Spence only logging 12 snaps all game.
With all the injuries to the defensive ends, Joe thought Spence might start and certainly would get a lot of playing time. The opposite happened.
On Wednesday, Joe asked Dirk Koetter about this and the head coach said only specific plays ensure Spence gets on the field: 3rd-and-six (or longer) passing situations.
Yesterday, when Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith had his weekly presser, Joe asked him for an assessment of Spence’s development.
“I think he’s coming along very well,” Smith said. “I think he understands how to rush the passer. We’ve got to get him opportunities to rush the passer, and last week we didn’t get it and his play count was down. I think we’ll have a conversation next week, if [the Broncos] stay to what they’ve done in the first three games, that Noah Spence is going to have a bigger impact on the football game, simply because of what they do.
“[Denver is] still going to run the football, but they’re doing it from a spread out formation. They’re not going to have two tight ends or three tight ends in the ball game.”
The implication here is if Denver has a spread out offense, then that opens up more space and lanes for a speedster like Spence to fire in at the quarterback.
No, Joe isn’t trying to put undo pressure on a rookie defensive end. Rarely do rookie DE’s have standout seasons. But to Joe, the best way to learn is to play and that didn’t happen last week. Bucs coaches seem reluctant to put Spence in a situation where he may fail, as Spence is still learning to play the run. His forte is rushing the passer.
The fact Sunday’s game was so close likely was another reason Spence logged minimal snaps.
September 30th, 2016 at 4:17 am
Spread offenses may “open up more space and lanes for a speedster like Spence to fire in at the quarterback” but if he can’t seal off his end, Noah will risk getting burned by sweeps and screens and short dump passes. Mike Smith doesn’t seem to be hesitant to play rookies (Hargreaves and Lambert got lots of playing time) if they show they’re ready. Maybe Noah Spence just isn’t quite ready for certain game situations and a lot more snaps.
September 30th, 2016 at 4:51 am
Nice to see a fan speak the truth. Mike smith trying to save jason gumps screwup.
Remember the 3rd and 17 drawplay vs the rams. Guess who was on the field? The 39th draft pick No-where spence is a liability vs the run.
“I was the 40th draft pick and wanted to play for the tampa bay bucs and in front of poster Kobe Faker” sterling shepard
September 30th, 2016 at 6:47 am
I hope that the Bucs didn’t use a high round draft pick on someone who is only going to play on third and long situations. It would be helpful to know what the long term plans are for Spence. What does he have to do to become an every down player? Will he need to gain weight? At this point, to get to the third and long plays for Spence to play, someone (anyone, please) will have to step up in rushing the passer. I might be sued for malpractice for saying this, but my diagnosis is that offenses are scheming against GMC. He has a great quick first step, and offensive coordinators are neutralizing him by running plays that either shift the line or let him blow by the linemen out of a play. Sometimes, GMC wants to do too much and ends up out of position. I hope that Mike Smith can adjust to this.
September 30th, 2016 at 6:55 am
I’m not very concerned about Spence. Joe has said a number of times and it’s fairly well known that defensive linemen, like a lot of positions, take some time to grow and mature. Spence is not the reason why this team is not performing well. We shouldn’t have to rely on our rookie second round lineman to come in and save the defense.
We’ve got two games where we can throw things against the wall and see what works. These may as well be preseason games. Nobody is expecting a win, so let’s stick the kid in and let him put some stuff on tape and get some teachable situations for him so he can grow. Same with the other players on the field. Let’s try some things out. If they don’t work then they don’t work, but at least we’ll have a better understanding of our players and we’ll be better versed in the tenets of the scheme before starting the post bye week period of the season.
September 30th, 2016 at 7:00 am
But the hype coming out of camp. There was no, we’ll bring him along slowly while we give free agent never will be’s significant playing time. I’m with Joe, he won’t learn the run sitting on the bench. Besides, couldn’t he be effective in the so- called 3-4 fronts we were promised but haven’t seen? Looks like all they’re playing is crappy cover two, and not very well at that as the safeties are constantly out of position
September 30th, 2016 at 7:04 am
Although McCoy out in coverage, that was a genius move. It’s plays drawn up like that , that makes me think it’s a loooong year.
September 30th, 2016 at 7:05 am
@Chris – I’m not an X’s and O’s guy by any means, but isn’t one of the critical parts of a 3-4 that you have the legitimate LB horses to execute properly? Outside of LVD and Kwon, do we have that kind of LB talent? Maybe that’s where we’d like to get to but without the requisite talent on the team then it doesn’t make sense to trot those players out there.
September 30th, 2016 at 7:06 am
I’m not sure why people aren’t finding the fact that the bucs spent a second round pick on a “situational pass rusher.” For some perspective: Devonte Lambert (an undrafted free agent) started over spence and played about 78% of the snaps…that says Lambert is a better all around player than the guy we spent a second round pick on. 12 plays….
September 30th, 2016 at 7:15 am
But than again, this is Mike Smith. Who’s recent Falcons teams couldn’t rush the passer and allowed a lot of points as well. So we were spun by the Mike Smith of the Jaguars, which was what, ten years ago , maybe more? Seems like he hasn’t learned anything from his basement either
September 30th, 2016 at 7:18 am
@Warren – I’m not sure that I agree with your premise. There’s a premium placed on getting to the quarterback. He’s showed the skill set to do that in a way that few others coming out of college are able to do. That’s a raw set of skills that can be built around. Lambert may have skills that apply to a down in and down out flow of the game, but he doesn’t have the skills that would change the complexion of the game like Spence does. If he gets to the QB and forces a hurried pass or gets a sack or forces a fumble then the game is headed in a different direction. Lambert can be relied upon not to allow the other team to gash us for huge rushing yards. There’s a difference.
September 30th, 2016 at 8:02 am
I agree with Warren. Amazing that the team/coaching staff that drafted Noah Spence has said he’s doing just fine…what would be sad is if they came out and said well…Noah is not tough enough and may be a bust already. I can remember a certain Gruden/Allen pick in WR Dexter Jackson and the talk the first year was he is getting better and better…a long way to go but Spence can only get better if he is on the field.
September 30th, 2016 at 8:03 am
Von Miller= 6’3 250, Noah Spence= 6’2 250. What would Denver, Wade Phillips do with a Noah Spense, what would Tampa do with a Von Miller? I think Spense could be an impact player, we need at least something from the second round of last years draft, this defense is crap and you’re keeping obvious talent on the bench?
September 30th, 2016 at 8:30 am
We need to stop hiring our buddies to coach defense that were successful over a decade ago, this will be week 4 mr smith, give up another 30 points and we are going to have a long season
September 30th, 2016 at 9:15 am
You guys blameing the wrong guy and the problem
Jason licht drafted and gave the coahes
Pass rusher noah spence
Safety ankle biter 180lber ryan smith
Both are not good enough to be on the field
How can you blame the coaches if these 2 are worse players than the slop we already have?
I keep telling you guys. Only 2 people at 1 buc place decides if we have a championship in tampa bay
Only 2
Franchise qb jameis winstom whom we have and
A GM who build players around him to win the superbowl
Thats it. Hell you can fire a HOF coach and win the superbowl
Only 2 people decides
September 30th, 2016 at 11:51 am
I don’t think there’s anything to worry about here. The Rams one and only weapon is their RB which Spence isn’t very good at defending yet. Hence why he wasn’t in much. The Broncos are a different beast and I’m sure we will see more of Spence. Of course though, I am nervous about this game regardless.
September 30th, 2016 at 1:33 pm
Lets pump the brakes a little here guys. We all expected Jaq Smith and Ayers to be in the lineup every Sunday. The fact they’re gone puts the spotlight on a guy who was never really expected to get much playing time to begin with this year, at least not starter time anyway. I’d like to see him in there as well but it’s too early to be lamenting a guy not expected to start in year #1.
Blame the franchise for not building a better team and defensive line around GMC.
September 30th, 2016 at 3:19 pm
The Rams had more weapons then that. 2 of there bombs were on the 1st 2 downs.
September 30th, 2016 at 10:50 pm
Same ole Bucs fans – win now at any cost and the hell with the future.
Doesn’t anyone see what’s going on. Jason Licht is in the process of creating Patriots south, without Bill Belichick, or Green Bay east.
Both those teams draft guys, sometimes spending a first or second round pick, who then disappear into the team’s depth chart for two, three or four years. Then this player who disappeared suddenly emerges as a Pro Bowl whatever, after spending a few years being “coached up” and developed.
My thinking is we’re seeing the first stages of that with Noah Spence, Ryan Smith and perhaps even Danny Vitale.