Thank You, Chargers
January 13th, 2017
Chaos likely helped Mike Smith stay.
Joe wanted to let things simmer a bit last night after the thrilling news (selfishly) that Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith is staying in Tampa Bay.
The offseason is barely two weeks old and already Joe feels Team Glazer and Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht persuading Smith to stay may be the biggest offseason move the Bucs will make, no matter who they sign in free agency or draft.
Yes, Smith did that good of a job.
There are a couple of reasons this came about, Joe believes. Clearly, Smith was not in Tom Coughlin’s inner circle. Coughlin was hired by the Jags to run football operations and what seemed like a slam dunk hire of Smith by the Jags, well, Jags general manager Dave Caldwell clearly was pushed aside by Coughlin.
Remember, Caldwell worked with Smith in Atlanta.
(Already, Joe has heard Coughlin is blocking Jags coach Doug Marrone from hiring certain assistants Marrone planned to bring aboard because Coughlin crossed swords with these candidates in the past. Joe is pretty sure Smith wanted no part of someone telling him who to hire, and not to hire, for his staff.)
Joe must give major props to the clusterflock that is the San Diego Los Angeles Chargers. That outfit is a trainwreck. First, they can’t even get a logo right. Joe is sure the Spanos clan spent six (seven?) figures on research and development on a new logo that a five-year-old wouldn’t even draw.
Aside from working for the dysfunctional Spanos clan, Smith would have had the headache of trying to run a club that is moving and playing in a temporary stadium (a soccer stadium no less!). Additionally, Spanos seemed to be dictating who should be running the offense, and on top of that, Philip Rivers is in the sunset of his career.
In other words, Smith would have been doomed to fail in Los Angeles.
Joe is just connecting the dots here. Smith saw that staying on as a defensive coordinator working for his friend winning Bucs coach Dirk Koetter and coaching a team on the rise might be better off short-term than taking over the west coast NFL version of the Titanic — and being thrown into the chilly Pacific waters off Seal Beach in three years.
One must assume there will be better coaching opportunities for Smith in the future than the crash-and-burn Chargers.
Anyway, thank you Dean Spanos.
January 13th, 2017 at 5:24 am
WOW!!!!!
I’M STILL AMAZED!!!!
I simply cannot believe he stayed here…….
Maybe he’s falling in love with this area like all the other coaches that come here……
I think coach smith staying here is best move the bucs have made as an organization again in another off season.
I’ve always liked coach smith and his coaching style. I truly do not think the majority of bucs fans realize how good coach smith is and how lucky we are to have him
………atleast until he leaves for another HC job 😉
January 13th, 2017 at 5:36 am
TheBucsAnthem, you might be on to something: maybe Smitty is really falling in love with this area. Bucs certainly appear to be a team on the rise, and maybe he likes it so much he’s decided this is now home, for good. OR … presuming that our defense continues to improve even more, Smitty might be looking for a better HC gig than Jags or Chargers. Bucs win either way, at least for 2017. Hopefully beyond that. Now it’s up to Jason Licht to fill some of our ‘holes’ on defense so we can make that leap to the top of the pack.
January 13th, 2017 at 5:58 am
How do we even know th Chargers offered Smith the job? I haven’t seen that anywhere.
January 13th, 2017 at 6:35 am
Yup. Here comes a big 325 lb DT in draft or free agency which is what they need (rewatch cowboys game) and another DB and /or safety. He will get more guys that fit the system and defense in year 2 will be that much nastier
January 13th, 2017 at 6:51 am
2017 we own the NFC South!
Watch out NFL!
JOE the Den of Depression does not fit anymore!!!!! Now is THE HOUSE OF PAIN!!!!
January 13th, 2017 at 6:52 am
I want to be positive, but im also trying to be realistic. This is my take on the season.
Our defense started as the worst in the league just getting torched.
Then we suddenly came alive for five weeks against chicago, kansas city, seattle, san diego and N.O. I REALLY feel like those 4 teams other than chicago were sleeping On us making our D appear to be that good. Not counting chicago cuz they suck. And which is why N.O torched us the second time we played them, and dallas I believe had a record nfl completion percentage against us. Then we finished the season agaonst a really bad Carolina team.
They obvIously improved from Lovie, but Im not expecting another stretch of dominance from this defense like last season. I really hope Im wrong. I have always been skeptical of Smith as a DC and Im still not convinced. Do it again then I will be sold….but everyone celebrating his re hire like we are superbowl bound now should pump the brakes a bit
January 13th, 2017 at 6:52 am
Joe when Smith does decide to leave for a head coaching gig thankfully not next season. How concerned are you that he will take other coaches from the bucs staff?
January 13th, 2017 at 6:54 am
Lets sign Gholston, get Eric Berry and a nasty DT like Ayers.
#weaponsforwinston
Go Bucs!!!
January 13th, 2017 at 7:00 am
Wonderful. Leaving Tampa hanging is not part of the core values Smith expressed in his book. Which is a great read BTW.
January 13th, 2017 at 7:26 am
Kevin sleeping on us? Really? So a team in NO that was playing for the playoffs at the time was sleeping on us? Or a team in KC that would much rather be the one seed than go to NE was sleeping on us or anybody? Dude get a clue this is just you trying to make your negative take when he was hired a reality. Bad news no one is buying the crap your selling.
January 13th, 2017 at 7:27 am
This article is spot on! Excellent work!
January 13th, 2017 at 7:27 am
Wasn’t a surprise..
January 13th, 2017 at 7:39 am
Yeah right Joe. Now it was a failure to go there 3 days ago he was gone. Come on Joe grow a pair and stand for one. Don’t be like a lil b***h and change your position accordingly.
January 13th, 2017 at 7:42 am
I disagree that the Chargers are in as bad a shape as people are making out.
Their offense hasn’t been all that bad, and yes, Philip Rivers is up there in years, but anything wrong with the offense can be fixed with a new (good) QB and a few signings/picks.
Ownership is whole other thing…but they might surprise people once things stabilize. I do agree that then new coach will be a lame duck coach though.
January 13th, 2017 at 7:48 am
Ok Mr. 1.5 tackles per game and .40 that’s right .40 sacks per game average highly overrated and highly over paid I have everyone fooled GMC now what will be your excuse next year? You have your man. Live up to your hype and make me believe in you. I doubt it though.
January 13th, 2017 at 8:02 am
Does anyone else think it is strange that basically all of the coaching vacancies have been filled, and the playoffs are still going on? No assistant coaches in the playoffs will get a head coaching job next year.
January 13th, 2017 at 8:03 am
^ Head Coaching
January 13th, 2017 at 9:05 am
@Kevin
Ummm no dude. The reason we got beat by the Saints and Drew wrecked our defense the second time is because it is DREW BREES. We played them twice in 2 weeks. It’s common knowledge those type of rematches are more likely to split then sweep. Drew is one of the best all time and he had a full game’s tape to prepare for the same team 2 weeks later.
As far as Dallas, we simply couldn’t stop the run. That was a common theme all season long and when you’re going up against the best o line in football with arguably the best rb in football, then the d is going to struggle. Crowd the box and they pick apart the secondary. Period. We were outmatched and unprepared.
You simply don’t overlook a team that was on a streak who made Russell Wilson look like a toddler. Lol you really believe that?
January 13th, 2017 at 9:12 am
lol is Kevin 813?
Wtf is wrong with ppl?
Chargers were at their most desperate and need to win mode of the year when we played them at their house.
Same with NO – both those games might have well been playoffs for our opponents
Chiefs didn’t lose at home period till we whoop’d their a4s
Seahawks needed a win bad too when we destroyed them
January 13th, 2017 at 9:13 am
I like Mike Smith and i am glad he is back. But i don’t think what he brings to the table as a DC is a bigger addition than say a true #2 WR. If we had a true #2 wr this season there is no doubt we could have 1 more game and made the playoffs this year.
The counter to this claim is that Mike Smith’s defense won maybe 4 or 5 games this year. But im banking on the defense’s development continuing with whoever they promote. I think the entire coaching staff on defense is making a huge difference. Not just Mike Smith. We have some top tier assistants, and im sure most of them would become great DCs some day.
Dont get me wrong, im very happy mike smith is here. But i do not think he is the biggest addition to this ball club for next year. If the bucs do get these explosive playnakers we keep hearing about from dirk. Then im thinking. That fixing our anemic offense will be the biggest addition.
January 13th, 2017 at 9:49 am
I’m not sure why everybody is gripping about the Dallas game. I thought that proved we were for real. We played arguably the hottest team in the league at the time (except NE and GB) and led them in their own house by 3 going into the 4th Q.
I think we surprised some people with that performance. No I’m not claiming a moral victory…we freaking lost…I get that. We did not make the playoffs I get that. But that was LAST YEAR. Focus on now. We can’t do squat about 9-7.
It was an improvement…we celebrate..but we are far from satisfied and expect more this coming year. The bottom line for me is I see PLENTY OF POSITIVES on which to build for this year and some of them occurred in that Dallas game.
January 13th, 2017 at 11:43 am
Always a concern, but that is life in the NFL. Generally means the Bucs will be playing well.
January 13th, 2017 at 11:45 am
Job interviews are fluid in every walk of life as you probably know. Joe can tell you that even the Bucs were scared as hell Smith was gone.
January 13th, 2017 at 11:45 am
JMN:
Thank you!
January 13th, 2017 at 11:47 am
Nailed it that Coach Smith was not going anywhere. Why walk away from a real good situation.
January 13th, 2017 at 12:02 pm
@Lordc….no…he’s a fan calling it like it is….see, im not the only one….smith did a decent job….we improved slightly…but I agree with @kevin….the chargers suck….we lost the second n.o. game when dirk decided to kick an onside kick with 3 timeouts and 2minutes left(a game we needed for the playoffs)….chiefs didn’t care about losing to the bucs because a.) we in a different conference and b.) 4 of their last 6 games were division opponents….they knew all they had to do is win those division games and they would be in….seattle played in a sorry division this year…they had no real threat in their division….
with that said, im glad he’s back….keeps everything the same….GO BUCS!!!!
January 13th, 2017 at 1:46 pm
Wow – that was quick work Glazers – you read my recommendation and within an hour had a nice raise on the table enticing Smitty to stay at least another year. LOL
And it looks like Joe used my comment yesterday as his cliff notes outline for this article as well…..
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Pickgrin Says:
January 12th, 2017 at 5:40 pm
Glazers should step up now and offer Mike Smith a big raise if he stays with the Bucs. If the dollars are not that different – then it would be foolish of coach Smith to walk into that LA Chargers mess IMO. They are going to be playing in a soccer stadium that seats 35k for the next 2 years. Phillip Rivers turns 36 this year. Their defense is not very talented…
Smith will have much better HC opportunities in a year or two once the Bucs become legit Super Bowl contenders.
January 13th, 2017 at 4:45 pm
Oh baby!
Now we’re talkin’!!
Maybe time to move down into the bowl!!!