Mike Smith’s Tenure Likely Increased
October 31st, 2016
Staying odds increased.
Joe’s biggest fear when Dirk Koetter hired Mike Smith was that Smith would be a one-and-done defensive coordinator.
Smith, a 2016 finalist for the Giants head coaching gig, clearly wants to get another top job in the NFL. Joe thought Smith would use the Bucs as a quick stepping stone: Improve the defense and hop to Jacksonville, where there is almost a 100 percent chance Gus Bradley will be fired in the coming months.
The Jags are loaded with talent, especially on defense, and what better gig than landing with the Jags?
But for Smith to acquire that coveted gig, he had to show the world he could turn around the Bucs defense. There have been mixed results this season, but in three straight games (Denver, Carolina and San Francisco), Smith’s squad showed steady improvement.
Uh, oh. Here we go. Bye-bye Smith, and the Bucs will have to learn another new defense all over again, stunting its growth. Well, it’s fair to suggest Smith’s aspirations of a head coaching gig next year have tapped the breaks.
Owners aren’t looking for a head coach who just saw his defense give up a 65-year old NFL record for most passing yards allowed in a game.
Joe hopes yesterday was just a massive hiccup for the Bucs. If there is a bright spot to such an ugly loss, the odds of Smith bolting in January took a hit. At least for the time being.
October 31st, 2016 at 10:06 am
Funny that there is no general consensus over what the worst aspect of the Bucs performance was yesterday! So much bad.
Whatever you do Bucs fans, don’t blame the guy in charge. He may only be accountable for the very few decisions that appear to have not been a failure thus far.
October 31st, 2016 at 10:13 am
At some point you must look at the lousy PLAYERS! Coaches don’t play the game and miss tackles .
October 31st, 2016 at 10:14 am
Dam!!!!
October 31st, 2016 at 10:18 am
BucFan20- it is the GM that hires the talent or lack there of. But wait!…do not hold him accountable. That isn’t allowed.
October 31st, 2016 at 10:21 am
Other teams will still want Smith because they all know the problem here .
October 31st, 2016 at 10:26 am
Using the 2nd round pick on a every down player and picking up a veteran kicker looks like a no brainer at this point in time.
October 31st, 2016 at 10:29 am
Mike Smith couldn’t get a Head Coach job with the Plant City Raiders.
October 31st, 2016 at 10:34 am
Mike Smith cant get his full defensive scheme that he wants due to jason licht giving him slugs out there on defense including #1 draft pick VH3, smitty tries to blitz and not one DB can cover….but what is up with Banks and Verner? Schiano is the best DC the bucs have had in past 10 years and the players including mccoy played hard….smitty and koetter have maybe 2 NFL Lbs and then after that, not sure
October 31st, 2016 at 10:40 am
the defense looked decent against teams that had zero to little offense….how does a team that commits over 20 penalties still put up 30 points and win the game….poor coaching on both sides of the ball….GO BUCS!!!
October 31st, 2016 at 10:41 am
Here is a snapshot of numbers through Week 8 for last season and this season.
Defense – Total Yards 2015: 2465
Defense – Total Yards 2016: 2730
Defense – Turnovers Gained 2015: 14
Defense – Turnovers Gained 2016: 10
Defense – Points Allowed 2015: 199
Defense – Points Allowed 2016: 189
Defense – Sacks 2015: 17
Defense – Sacks 2016: 15
I don’t need to keep going. The Bucs were marginally better on defense last year. The coaching staff has changed but the results are still the same. So many people here thought that the only thing holding this team back was coaching. Well, turns out that isn’t true at all.
I’m going to repeat The Commish here: Jason Licht overestimated the talent on this roster. Through eight weeks the Bucs are not better at all compared to last year.
October 31st, 2016 at 10:54 am
Go back and look at the drafting the Bucs did between 2003-2013. You can’t make up for drafting that badly in only 3 drafts. Next to the Browns, this roster was the most talent poor in the league, and the FA signings did almost nothing to help that.
Lovie had a lot of say over FA signings during his 2 years, but I figure Licht made the call on most of the draft picks himself. Figure many draft picks will need 1 to 2 years to develop (if they’re coached well!). Any talent the Bucs do have is due to Licht, not Lovie, not Dominik, not Schiano.
Bucs ownership should give up on Koetter, Mike Smith, or even Winston before giving up on Licht. The man is still the best talent drafting GM in club history.
October 31st, 2016 at 11:05 am
With those types of numbers, it’s seems that Smith not leaving is more of a curse as opposed to a blessing. Never thought it could get worse than Lovie Smiith. I guess I agree with D-Rome. Maybe its not the coahing but their decision on the roster are atrocious. Or maybe both. Which ever, this $#!t needs fixing fast.
October 31st, 2016 at 11:47 am
D-Rome, before this season everyone said we had a toughter schedule this year, especially to start the season. I wonder how strength of opponent meshes with your stats. Secondly, when was our bye week last year? You say the stats are through week 8. Is that 8 games for each year?
Even if you are 100% correct, I’m not sick every week watching no name backup QBs march down the field with 70% completion rates and completing 3rd and very long over and over again. This year is more exciting. I get a surprise every possession of the opponent.
October 31st, 2016 at 11:47 am
Yeah let’s change the GM again and fire the head coach because dallasbuc thinks that’s the right way.
Good or bad we have to stick with them. Our recent history shows us that changing things often does not help.
October 31st, 2016 at 12:07 pm
The Bucs lost to a 6-2 squad that had better talent at at least 2/3 of the positions. Period. When you are down to Antone Smith at RB and Shephard as your #2 receiver… there is a true issue. It’s true, with the myriad of penalties and missed field goals, there is zero reason the Bucs should have lost the game yesterday… but based on the level of talent I witnessed between the two teams… there was zero reason the Bucs should have been in that game were it not for the penalties.
Jameis has been caged. He’s lost his confidence and his moxie. He looks like he’s trying to not throw interceptions out there. But let me remind you… Carr had far worse things said about him through his first two years and developed nicely. Jameis has the talent to do the same. Unfortunately the Bucs need added first round talent at WR / Offensive line / and defensive end to have a true shot at being really good.
Don’t balk at my offensive line suggestion. Watch the Cowboys. Prescott looks so good because he has cleaner pockets and more time to make decisions that most any other QB in the league.
Stay the course with this team though, fans. Thursday night will say everything. If the Bucs can muster a good win against the Falcons and get to 4-4, the back half of the schedule promises a very good opportunity to go 5-3 the rest of the way. I still see 8-8 and 9-7 fot this team pending the result of Thursday night. That’s a great step in the right direction.
October 31st, 2016 at 12:10 pm
How strong are the Rams this year? The Cardinals just lost to the Panthers. My point is that strength of schedule is not a relevant argument. This isn’t college football.
The bye week last year was, coincidentally, week 6.
You mean no name QBs like Case Keenum, Trevor Siemian, and Paxton Lynch? Also, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but Carson Palmer is not having a very good year. That being said his highest rated game came against the Bucs.
October 31st, 2016 at 12:13 pm
I second that ^^^^^^^
October 31st, 2016 at 12:27 pm
I hope Mike Smith and Chris Conte don’t have the same agent…because demand will be sky high for their services next season.
October 31st, 2016 at 12:43 pm
Given the Bucs’ owners penchant for recycling Jaguars coaches, I expect to see Gus Bradley and Greg Olson (back) on the staff very soon. Ugh!
October 31st, 2016 at 12:57 pm
@D-ROME….YOU NAILED IT……at this time last year we had the same record and as you pointed out playing slightly better on defense…..
as it turns out losing kwon those last 4games had a bigger impact on the end of the season than people realize….im convinced if kwon plays those last 4 games we finish the season at the very least 8-8….GO BUCS!!!!
October 31st, 2016 at 1:41 pm
If the forward pass were suddenly outlawed, our defense would be fine.
October 31st, 2016 at 2:23 pm
Owners and Gm’s see the game differently than fans and media after all these years of losing, fired coaches and gm’s there’s been one theme. Bucs need better players or play from its players. Only delusional people would keep blaming this many different coaches for not being to get production out of the same core of players. All you need to get to the NFL is talent but how many players are on this roster that no one else in the NFL want. Too many and they are playing key roles, we’re just not talented enough so it doesn’t matter who calls the game there is not enough talent to win if there was we would. The reason different coaches are having the same result is they are using the same core of players.
October 31st, 2016 at 3:27 pm
Let’s be real Mike Smith was fired in Atlanta bc he couldn’t fix there defense now all of sudden he’s going to fix ours ..The Glazers are idiots…just like smith…can somebody please explain why we have our corners 10 yards off every reciever on every single play even on a 4th and 4 with the game on the line.ridiculous
October 31st, 2016 at 3:39 pm
Anybody heard from Realist?
October 31st, 2016 at 3:45 pm
@PTWALK….NOPE….haven’t heard from @realist…@1987…or @stpete….their too busy trying to find a reason to blame lovie….GO BUCS!!!