“Those Dudes Were Ballin'”
October 7th, 2016
Reviews come in for Bucs defensive linemen
Smile.
There is encouraging news at One Buc Palace.
Lots of praise this week for the work against Denver of Will Gholston and Clinton McDonald.
Dirk Koetter was adamant that McDonald played his best game of the year by far (six tackles, two assists, 1.5 sacks). Gholston got love from the head coach, too. And both drew praise from the wounded soul of the defensive line, newcomer Robert Ayers.
We’ve been able to get some pressure. You look at what William did and what big Clinton did, those dudes were ballin’,” Ayers said on the Buccaneers Radio Network last night.
So did McDonald turn a corner? He did miss most of last season with a pectoral injury. Gholston is always a beast against the run, but he flashed a little life versus the pass. Akeem Spence got much more action with Gerald McCoy going down against Denver, and he was pretty sharp.
Maybe, just maybe, the Bucs’ defensive line is ready to turn a corner.
Based on Ayers’ chatter last night, and him now being upgraded to “limited” in practice with his ankle injury, it seems like he will return sooner rather than later.
Now Bucs fans just need good medical news on Gerald McCoy’s calf tear, and there will be real optimism flowing for the defense.
October 7th, 2016 at 10:08 am
Smile? This team sucks… We have a defense that can’t stop anyone led by “China Doll” McCoy… Our offense has a QB who is playing worse than his rookie season, zero running backs, zero tight ends and one reciever…
But at least we have a kicker that sucks…
Fire Jason Licht then fire the cannons to celebrate…
October 7th, 2016 at 10:11 am
I honestly didn’t have much of a problem with what the defense was doing last week. The secondary looked shaky, but we know that’s just the state we’re in. No use banging our heads against the wall about that. I felt like the pressure was pretty reasonable. Not great, but it was there. Moreso than it has been in other games. I was encouraged to see Noah Spence perform well in the situations where he was put in. The 3rd and longs, where coach said we’d be using him, Spence came in and got good pressure. It’ll be great to see him develop further as the year goes on. I think the biggest disappointment I have about the defense this year is the LB play. Outside of a standout game from Kwon the first game, they’ve been pretty quiet.
October 7th, 2016 at 10:13 am
@mac – that was pretty funny. I don’t agree with your take, but your delivery was solid.
October 7th, 2016 at 10:24 am
The game last week was lost by Winston in the 1st half. To many turnovers leading to short field TD’s. I’ll refer you al to last nights Arizona game. @nd string QB for AZ. He did not play great. But he did not turn it over a lot either. HE gave his team a chance to win in the 2nd half. Playing from behind is hard. Especially for a mediocre team like us. Our defense seems to start the games well. To many gimme’s by Jameis though. Carolina’s got quite a few injuries to their starters. Could be an opportunity IF..we can contain Derek Anderson. Hey wait a minute, Isn’t he the guy who consistently tourches us?
October 7th, 2016 at 10:27 am
Sorry I forgot… We have no safties either… Lets draft a punter with next years secong round pick… Sounds like a plan…
October 7th, 2016 at 10:30 am
I also forgot our starting weighs 250 pounds and gets tossed regularly like a little bitch boy…
October 7th, 2016 at 10:32 am
EDIT: “Our starting Center”…
Sorry….
October 7th, 2016 at 10:39 am
Despite some significant injuries, Bucs defense improved in the first quarter of this season I think. Tells me that Mike Smith’s system is starting to take hold. LBs have been fairly solid, but our CBs & Safeties have been sporadic at best. Seems like they lack the speed as a secondary to stick with the better receivers. Licht has to add at least 1 CB & 1 Safety through the draft, and probably one more of each through FA. Same though can be said of our DLine: we need at least 1 more DT and 1 more DE (maybe 2) to improve QB pressures.
October 7th, 2016 at 10:40 am
Hate to break it to you brother, but the Buccaneers are not a mediocre team right now.
October 7th, 2016 at 10:46 am
Love the optimism mac! We have such a supporting fan base!
October 7th, 2016 at 10:49 am
How bout Joe bans Mac? Let’s vote…..
October 7th, 2016 at 10:49 am
We are still 2 good defensive heavy drafts away from being where we need to be talent wise on defense.
October 7th, 2016 at 10:52 am
Sad part is Mac is the most accurate poster on this thread…. Bucs will never win with a fragile soft arse like mccoy in a leadership role. McCoy is the most overrated buc in franchise history… Locker room cancer with a smile. bucs will never win consistently until bums like him are gone. hopefully it’s not too late to save LVD from the mccoy infection
October 7th, 2016 at 10:53 am
Defense Rules
there are not considered significant injuries when the player hurt is ALWAYS hurt
October 7th, 2016 at 10:54 am
I’m not sure why everyone is acting like this is a tragedy and we’re in a tailspin. When we got the schedule, everyone looked it and said we’d probably be 2-3 coming in to the bye. Assuming we lose on Monday, we’re one win away from that. How is this a tragedy? We knew the first part of the season was going to be hard. This shouldn’t be a shocker to everyone just because we’re actually seeing it happen the way that we predicted.
October 7th, 2016 at 10:57 am
@ Rum
This team has sucked for well over a decade… At what point do we begin to show some frustration? After we go 1-15?
What a joke…
October 7th, 2016 at 10:58 am
I think their defination of “Ballin” and my defination are completly different. Denver’s D-line owned the Bucs. Our D-Line finally got a sack on a third string QB. The talent is not there. Zero Depth. And McDonald might be better than McCoy. Blashphemy, I know.
October 7th, 2016 at 10:59 am
I’m frustrated too but ripping apart something we all like is getting just as old as the Bucs losing. There’s nothing you can do. Remain positive and good things will come.
October 7th, 2016 at 11:04 am
@ Rum
High expectations will only lead to more frustration… This team sucks and that will not change as they play Carolina or the Cowboys…
So… 1-5? Now what?
October 7th, 2016 at 11:04 am
we should have gotten Yannick Ngakoue instead of Aguayo 🙁
October 7th, 2016 at 11:11 am
Beat the tail spinning Panthers and the optimism will quickly return. Go Beatup Bucs!
October 7th, 2016 at 11:12 am
mac We have two good receivers. Hump is great and I dont think he gets his do credit from a lot of people
October 7th, 2016 at 11:16 am
Great? When he can get open? Which is rare…
Sorry… I reserve the word “great” for players that ARE great… Not average…
October 7th, 2016 at 11:57 am
We are the WORST team in the NFL, accept it and move forward. It’s time to rebuild this CRAPPY franchise, with a roster overhaul. If the GM and the coaches are not getting the job done, get rid of them. The GLAZERS are the dumbest owners in the NFL, they are CLUELESS. They hire the WORST GM’s and coaches in the NFL. The word “BALLIN ” shouldn’t be mention with the Bucs in a sentence. The only time they are BALLIN is at the team dinner, then they go out and CRAP the field.
October 7th, 2016 at 12:04 pm
@ Lakeland
I agree 100%… The Glazers are clueless owners… The leadership of this franchise has been WEAK (to be kind) since our beloved Malcolm passed… Shame…
October 7th, 2016 at 12:07 pm
Betting line is carolina -4.5
We need to go no huddle a
Uptemp and confuse their secondary
We need jameis to air it out. Attack the the weakness koetter the clown. No run run pass
Its evans13 time. Their secondary sucks
Please please dont attack luke and the front 7…why do i keep on thinking he is going to run it with jacquizz and dink and dunk and save the carolina secondary…its a bucslife
October 7th, 2016 at 12:09 pm
Some crappy fans in this thread. Worst in the NFL really? Please don’t crowd my seats when we start winning. I get bring critical, but I see our problems as correctable. Especially if and when McCoy, Ayers, Spence, and Martin get healthy.
October 7th, 2016 at 12:12 pm
Let the guys keep playing even when GMC is almost ready. Something could be brewing there, a great chemistry and if they’re doing better than our other group, then give them their playing time! I say once again, we better resign Gholston. Another mistake if we let him go.
October 7th, 2016 at 12:14 pm
@Espo – You won’t see them. These are the folks that just come out of their holes when the team is bad to kick them while they’re down. I’m sure that when we get good again they’ll find another team that’s down and out to beat up in an effort to fill that hole they have in their soul. It’ll never be enough for them. Even if we make it to the NFC Championship, that wouldn’t be enough for them. If we won the Super Bowl, they’d complain because the game was too close and we almost lost or that the other team had injuries to key players so it doesn’t count. Just be glad that you don’t have to have those people in your real day to day life.
October 7th, 2016 at 12:22 pm
Consider this. Both Panthers and Bucs lost to SB Champ Broncos. The Panthers got blasted by the Falcons and the Bucs beat them soundly, though it seems like long ago. The Bucs D did pretty well last week without McCoy and Ayers and lost almost totally because of Jameis INTs. If Ayers is back and Jameis watches the picks, this is quite winnable against a Panthers team without their QB and top rusher and O line beaten up. While Jameis needs to be more careful, any team will stuggle against the Denver D and Rams D. Just ask Carolina, Cincinnati, Seattle, Arizona. The guys so down on this game are the ones who don’t ever support the Bucs, and have never liked McCoy anyway. I say, play the game. And oh, let’s see how Mattie Ice does Sunday in Denver.
October 7th, 2016 at 12:25 pm
Let’s get to 2-3 Monday night by fewer picks and putting pressure on Anderson, take the bye, and get Martin and McCoy back with Ayers and Stocker, and we’re going to be okay.
October 7th, 2016 at 12:53 pm
Patrick in VA Says:
“Just be glad that you don’t have to have those people in your real day to day life.”
and the bonus – knowing that their miserable outlook does not just involve the Bucs but permeates every waking moment of their existence.
October 7th, 2016 at 1:17 pm
Joe im tired of you hyping this team up… Were just not that good and id like to seem some honest reporting until this team starts winning!
October 7th, 2016 at 1:33 pm
Boo woo, don’t be too critical now! WAKE THE HELL UP……the narrative that THE BUC REALIST speaks is pure unadulterated garbage! THE BACK/STABBER CONSPIRACY WILL CONTINUE TO RUN DEEPER! Coach the LOVIE out of them! 12 games to play with 8 games to win to show improvement over the last REGIME!
October 7th, 2016 at 1:52 pm
The funny thing about this site is, the fact that most of us are negative towards the Bucs. But the problem is, what is positive about the Bucs? When the Bucs win, us negative posters will disappear. The million dollar question is.. when will they win? I have been waiting for 6 years, and until they win, I will remain negative towards them.
October 7th, 2016 at 2:05 pm
LakelandBuc Says:
October 7th, 2016 at 1:52 pm
When the Bucs win, us negative posters will disappear.
Is that a Promise?
October 7th, 2016 at 3:21 pm
@ picker
YES!!! Stop sucking balls for just one year and I will go away…
October 8th, 2016 at 1:13 am
@mac you must be a millennial…no patience, need instant gratification.
October 8th, 2016 at 11:19 am
@ John
Been a Buc fan since 1981… I wish I was a Millennial… Unfortunately I’m a pissed off old Buc fan…