Culture Shocked
October 22nd, 2017
Mental regression scary
Joe could write all day about all the ups and down of today’s game and the train wreck Bucs defense, but what’s really important is how and why Tampa Bay went from a team on a roll to a team with a losing culture.
That’s really what’s driving Joe batty in the agony of this Bills aftermath.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. The Bucs went 6-2 to close last season on the back of their defense, which is now dreadful, in addition to being old along its defensive line and in the secondary.
The defense was supposed to be better. Team Glazer believed — as did Derrick Brooks and many others — that a key to this season was locking in Mike Smith as defensive coordinator. What the hell happened? The defensive personnel is arguably better, at least just as good.
Everything on defense seems off the mark. It’s not just one or two things. But plenty of teams win games with second rate but opportunistic defenses. They really do, but not this year’s Bucs.
Last year about this time formerly winning head coach Dirk Koetter publicly talked about how his Bucs were missing that “it” factor good teams have, the teams that know how to win games. The Bucs didn’t know how to win, Koetter said, and he openly was talking about the underlying culture.
The Bucs, however, awakened to win five in a row. And now they’ve lost six out of nine since that streak. It’s as if so many cultural strides have been totally reversed.
That’s the real issue with the Bucs right now. Good teams don’t produce what the Bucs have on the road in three games this season, and they couldn’t put much together on the road in two key games to close last season. Dallas was unstoppable and a below average Saints team steamrolled the Bucs with their 2016 season on the line.
The Bucs have issues, like many teams do, but too many of their issues are mental, and those are the toughest to fix. And frankly, they should have been corrected already.
Next Sunday against Carolina is a pure must-win game. No question about it. It’s more than just one game, given where this team — and fan base — is mentally.
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:45 pm
How many yards did Adrian Peterson have today?
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:46 pm
The season is over for me. Let’s start talking draft and new coaching staff.
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:47 pm
So who is still saying that Mike Smith was the biggest acquisition?
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:47 pm
Jameis virtually crying in the pc. Gmc will be all smiles.
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:48 pm
Here’s the story line for next week. The Panthers got creamed today. They will be in a bad mood. Sound familiar (MIN, NE, ARI). Now CAR. There won’t even be discussion this week about the Bucs. It will be about Panthers getting things right to climb back into the race.
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:48 pm
It won’t matter Jameis can get this team to run the table! Defense will get fixed but I believe Jameis is gonna have to play even better if they can’t
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:48 pm
Tmaxcon…… get em
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:48 pm
why win next week? we might as well throw the towel in and look forwards to draft. 2-5 has a good ring to it
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:49 pm
I am done with this crap. Barnum and Bailey is shut down because circuses are not so popular now days. The clowns in Bucs uniforms are going to have few fans left in the stands. Basically just those who enjoy a circus.
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:49 pm
This is the NFL. Usually comes down to one or two plays. Today’s play was the Humphries fumble. Game was tied. Didn’t matter what happened before that. And 2-4 doesn’t matter. We are two games out of first place and we play every team ahead of us twice.
We went on a run last year. We can do it again this year.
Please don’t act like this season is over until the fat lady sings. Bunch of quitter fans here. Dang!!
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:49 pm
Db55. Tell em like it is. Gmc is the heart and soul of losing. Lvd looks to snap out of it.
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:50 pm
Top 5 pick? New DC at least. Don’t care if they get rid of Dirk either.
Get rid if the fookin ping pong table now!!!
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:50 pm
A MUST WIN? For What? 3rd place in the NFCSOUTH? This team decided they weren’t interested in much other than collecting fat paychecks last week. What has changed? Not a Mother%$#*&!# THING!
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:50 pm
Los Angeles Rams 34.. Arizona Cardinals 0. Carson Palmer 10/18 122 YDS,INT, 53.5 RTG. Adrian Peterson 11 carries, 21 YDS. Well you can’t play the Bucs every week
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:51 pm
Winston was not the problem today. Rewatch the circus if you think it was on Winston.
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:51 pm
Seasons ticket holder since 2013 and I drive from one coast to the other to see these guys and for the first time as a fan since I was in middle school I would have to say I’m about done with the Bucs. They just don’t have the passion or heart that I grew up with. Makes me sick. I just don’t understand how this defense can be as bad as they have been. Fire coach Smith today! He held back Atlanta for so many years and now he’s doing it to us. I’m just tired of losing culture. It’s just not fun anymore.
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:51 pm
Gmc thinks that C on means coward or complacent or ……
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:51 pm
Can someone start a GO FUND ME page for a fire Mike Smith billboard?
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:52 pm
Starting to wish that Mike Smith had been hired away.
Welp. Time to start looking at 2018 free agents and draft prospects.
Namely, every position on the Dline, Corners, Running backs, and Right Tackles.
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:53 pm
We lost all momentum when McClain gave up that bomb. Why was nobody covering the sideline on that play? They lined up 3 wide on the same side. How do you just not have anybody covering that sideline on that play? This team is an abomination………And the offense with their 6 point 1st half performance is just as disgraceful.
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:54 pm
Joe
You know what’s constant amongst all these coaches? They all had ice cream anchoring their dlines. That’s how you give up a score in 3 plays and 35 seconds. That’s how you give up 31 points in 35 mins against senior citizens.
You got a defensive captain that only shows up in the 1st qrt of games. 13 mil per year can’t buy heart or balls but it can buy a rolls Royce ghost.
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:54 pm
Sorry, Rams 33…Cardinals 0
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:54 pm
The issue is ZERO depth and dumpster diving in free agency and thinking that is going to produce good results. The Bucs go out and get aging or lazy defensive linemen on “cheap” contracts then we’re shocked when those players play exactly like they’re getting paid. Instead of ponying up for a big money DE, they nickel and dime it and then they’re shocked when it doesn’t work out. Lets say instead of being trying to get a “bargain” they took the $6-mil that Ayers is getting and they took the insane $7-mil they’re paying Gholston, that would give them $13-million to pay one good player.
But hey, at least the Bucs have plenty of cap room for next year…
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:55 pm
Wasn’t Arizona the must-win game? Then this game? Look, this off season was entirely about “weapons4winston”, not about defense and not about running backs. Remember? So today we saw a capable offense with more receivers than the Bills could cover and that was the plan all along: An offense so strong that defense won’t matter. Well, today we see the result, a maybe win/maybe lose Bucs team…
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:56 pm
I’m here for the paycheck. When’s payday, coach?
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:57 pm
Not signing Calais Campbell and AJ Bouye has proven to be catastrophic.
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:57 pm
One thing I can say about the Bucs, they are the Best Dress team in the NFL. Boy do they look sharp, getting on the plan. Italian suits, Gucci suits, those some sharp dressed guys.
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:58 pm
Heart and Soul of Losing…
I really like that one… Most accurate description of the smiling career losing ice cream man
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:58 pm
*plane*
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:58 pm
lamarcus is killing it!
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:00 pm
We have to get back to the basics and yes this team should never lose focus on the defense. Probably why an article I read earlier your more successful teams are ones with defensive head coaches. We have to draft defense, and go grab defense and find guys that are just mean. No softies on the line.
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:03 pm
Hopefully they don’t resign Licht!
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:06 pm
Crackin me up here Joe. Next week is a must win? That was the battle cry against Buffalo wasn’t it? The Life of a Bucs fan…Full of Pepto Bismol and rejection. Somewheres there’s an owner of the ATl club, Arthur Blanks..smilin and sayin..Now you Bucs are experiencing what I went thru with koetter and Smith for yrs… told y’all so.
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:09 pm
Ayers, Gholston and Baker = $18-million/year
Calais Campbell got $15-mil/year
Which would you rather have?
Also, just as a side note, the Bucs actually could have all of these players if they really wanted them since they’re sitting on $18-mil in cap room, and they got another $53-mil next year -and that’s with paying Martin $7-mil and Evans getting his $13-mil, and Ayers getting $7-mil and Baker getting $5-mil and Gholston getting $7-mil – in other words they could have easily have afford Campbell if they wanted to pay him – and since they can cut Ayers, Gholston and Baker with no cap hit, the future cap number wouldn’t have been an issue either.
Fact is again they went with a bunch of plan-B FA’s and we’re shocked when they play like 2nd tier players.
Oh wait, no, we’re not shocked at all.
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:13 pm
Too late rob much
No fault on anyone that didn’t want play next to gmc. There is nothing to smile about when u get your ass hand it to u constantly
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:15 pm
That is why they call the NFL the No Logic League.
I maintain the season is not over. Jameis is heating up. Howard looks like all pro material.
Just need to go with the outscore mentality like the Saints. Forget about the balanced attack and playing conservative. Jameis isn’t throwing many picks anymore.
Open it up. Down the freaking field.
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:16 pm
Looking ahead at the schedule and going off of how this team has played recently, Im honestly setting my expectations to 5-11 maybe 6-10
At least we get to fantasize on what we should do with another Top 10 pick lmao
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:28 pm
Eric – I agree on the offense, but not on the fix. Actually keeping it more balanced helps everyone – but Dirk has to be more aggressive when it makes sense. For example your defense is doing nothing, it’s not stopping anyone, don’t punt from the other team’s 40 yard line on 4th and 3 – that’s just dumb. Your offense is moving the ball and your defense isn’t going to stop them anyways – go for it. The Bucs today did this yet again today (they literally do it every week) and once again the Bills get the ball and then drive and score a FG. They did this against the Pats and they scored a TD, they did it against the Cardinals last week and they got a TD. Just go for it – your defense is terrible, take chances when it makes sense and anything that is 4th and short from the other side of the field, go for it.
As for balance you need to keep that or other teams just pin their ears back and come after Jameis on everyplay. Running the ball doesn’t make you conservative since you can use that to set up the pass, something Dirk FINALLY was doing in the second half today with the play action passes.
The offense is fine if Dirk can just get out of his own way and would stop calling the same plays over and over – but he doesn’t do that until the team is already down by 2-3 scores.
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:28 pm
As much as I’m hard on Dirk he called a decent game today…team never gave up…. that fumble killed us…. Smitty has to be held accountable!!!… where’s the 34 look?… where’s the blitz’s?….GO BUCS!!!
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:32 pm
Don’t Hide!!!!
@realist!!!!
@LC
You know they never post after a lost!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:33 pm
I respect you @ Eric I wish all the fans had your optimism and faith I gurantee you this team this city would be alot more competitive! I s cond everything you said! Our offense had 400 yards again that 5 games in a row. Jameis Winston 4 str8 300 yard games we got this car lost to the bears we beat them playoffs still in reach hell we can still get the division we need suppoet
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:38 pm
813bucboi – Dirk gets better with play calling, but generally only after the offense is down 2-3 scores, but then he gets unbalanced. Today he did a great job in finally remembering what a playaction pass was! It was exciting. If that midget doesn’t fumble the ball the Bucs move down, get the FG and win the game and all is right in the world.
Cut Humphries, he doesn’t have NFL talent, he’s not going to be here long term and very well could have just cost the Bucs their season. Put it all on Godwin, call up Bobo and let’s see what they can do on the backend of the WR depth chart.
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:46 pm
@rob so Adam been playing lights out this whole season but once he makes one mistake we gotta cut him? smh no wonder we can’t keep players or when we let him go he goes to another team and start balling! Plz keep Adam he’s one of our sure handed receivers. Tre white just made a hell of play and we had a chance to draft him
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:49 pm
I’ve witnessed the play of our beloved Buccaneers for the better part of 30 years. Teams are known for their style of play, and the Bucs have been known for great defense in the years they’ve been competitive. Fielding possibly one of the two best defenses ever with the 2002 squad. Since the Jerry Angelo/Rich McKay era this team has become the Bermuda triangle of the NFL. Free agents come here, then don’t play well. Kickers come here, then don’t kick well. Coaches come here, then don’t coach well.
The parade of clowns masquerading as GM’s include Bruce Allen, Mark Dominik and now Jason Licht…Mr. “Screw the pass rush, we’re trading up to get a kicker in round 2”, himself. Throughout the dozen or so years, we fans have yelled at the team, each other, our loved ones and anyone else associated with Bucs football. The Glazers have tried every way possible to build a competitive team. Some years they opened up the wallet, some years they tightened the budget in order to force their GM’s to draft with some common sense.
We’ve called for the return of John Gruden. Yet, the truth of the matter is that the Bucs lone championship was won by a defense that took it personally, when Dungy was fired. Not by Gruden’s 3 WR stacked formations designed to gain 3 yards per play…And everyone knows it. The pretense of the clowns I mentioned (Allen, Dominik and Licht) that they know anything about football, has bewitched us…a fan base that’s as hungry for a winner, as any.
The Allen era called for the release of John Lynch and Warren Sapp, with no desire to replace either (Hello Cadillac Williams and Michael Clayton). The dawn of the Dominik era brought on the release of Derrick Brooks and Michael Bennett. Again, neither one replaced with a quality player. And for the last time, Licht will never live down trading up in the 2nd round for kicker…ever. How two teams with a combined 0-12 record coming into today (49ers and Browns) have as many as four up and coming pass rushers, while the Bucs have no one, is mind boggling. And for the wise asses out there, the 49ers and Browns are 0-12 because of high school quality offenses…not because of the four studs they have at DE.
Just for kicks, Noah Spence on one play, was actually thrown to the ground with one hand by the Bills left tackle today 🙂
The problem with the Bucs is that they don’t have a front office. They have owners with money, a team of 53 bodies…but no one in the middle to make it work. Dirk Koetter is in over his head and he will not give up play calling. Mike Smith doesn’t have Marcus Stroud and John Henderson at DT, Donovan Darius at SS or Tony Brackens at DE, like he did at Jacksonville, to make up for his hideous play calling. His defenses were bad in Atlanta, they’re bad in Tampa Bay. Jay Hayes supposedly coached up Geno Atkins, Carlos Dunlap and the Bengals front four while in Cincinnati. Maybe he thought he could bring those guys with him, when he got the Bucs job. Cincinnati is still running games and stunts with their front four, while Tampa continues to have their DE’s beaten like they stole something then get pushed past the QB…while McCoy and whoever his DT partner is, get manhandled up the middle.
And for those who say the Bucs would be in real trouble if McCoy would go down for the season, they just gave up over 430 yards of offense and 30 points to a one dimensional team (a running team, at that). We should be glad he’s on our side or the Bills would’ve had over 500 yards and 40 points.
All to say this, the Bucs will never win championships, field a top ten defense or make us look forward to watching them again…unless they find a competent GM/Head coach tandem. Teams win in the front office, always have…always will.
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:51 pm
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MY TAKE-A-WAYS:
1. Jameis is a future first ballot HOF’er, period. The guy is now on pace for 4,807 yards passing, 30 TD’s and 12 picks … and the kid played an amazing game today with a shoulder injury …
2. The defense, the entire defense, SUCKS
3. We need to switch to a 3-4 next year … Gholston/GMC/Baker – David/Kwon/Beckwith/Spence – that should give us much more team speed and a much better ability to get to the QB
4. VH had a nice bounce back game and played pretty well but we need to draft and/or sign at least TWO new CBs as Grimes is old & Hargreaves is still unproven and there is no real depth behind them
5. OJ Howard is a legit WEAPON … I hope Koetter keeps using him!
6. If we lose at home to Carolina next week, we will not make the playoffs, period.
7. Take the long-term view on this team for as long as JW/Mike/Brate/OJ stay together this team will have a chance to win rings *IF* Tampa can field even an “average” defense!
********************
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:54 pm
Even the Bucs’ app stop sending notices of the press conferences. Smart move by them.
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:56 pm
If the Bucs do fire Koetter whenever, his replacement is in the building. Jay Hayes, ijs
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:57 pm
@ Jersey so I just wasted 5 mins of life reading that. Are u bux fan or a buc reporter as a fan it seems your faith has left and you resorting to misleading to keep you going. Quick question if we would have won today would you still feel this way? As if 3_3 is totally different from 2-4 wake up bucs fans
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:57 pm
what Dis said
October 22nd, 2017 at 6:04 pm
Need to get a big time CB in FA/trade and draft nothing but defense.
October 22nd, 2017 at 6:11 pm
Herbiebuc, what we choose to do with our five minutes is our fault or choice. All depends on your mood. What I wrote has been written over and again, the past several years. Only a fan would sit and endure three hours of this garbage. Misleading? Pick out one thing I said that isn’t true…I’m waiting.
October 22nd, 2017 at 6:13 pm
Anyone else think,tmax and larmacus are the same loser constantly trying to jerk himself off. Gtfo.
October 22nd, 2017 at 6:16 pm
Kicker played great!!!!..GO BUCS!!!
October 22nd, 2017 at 6:26 pm
I have watched the Bucs play football ( or pretend to play football) for 41+ years. And I honesty have to say that they suck like a QT coffee cup. 41 years of torture, pure hell, being a Buc fan. I wonder how many fans have lost their sanity over the years, because of this pathetic franchise.
October 22nd, 2017 at 6:41 pm
So much inaccuracy here there is too much to work with.
October 22nd, 2017 at 7:29 pm
You panty waste Buccaneers fans never seem to amaze me! I mean yes we lost again, BUT have yet to play a single division game. Offense looked better and if Hump didn’t cough it up we are .500. This team is young and continuing to grow every week. So please get your crying over with tonight because the Panthers are coming to your house on Sunday!!
October 22nd, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Bucs are an enigma to me, it always goes south somehow I just hope we can see better play from the D am I asking too much?!
October 22nd, 2017 at 8:24 pm
LAKELAND,
For some perspective … talk to Lions and Browns fans …
October 22nd, 2017 at 9:15 pm
Fire the GM and head coach now. I just took a look at the 2016 draft when we took a kicker in the second round. Take a look at all the stud defensive players that the Bucs could of had and most certainly need. Then the previous year taking preacher boy as the first overall pick. JW’s post game pressers sound like a broken record…..we “gotta” get better. Well, I know enough dumb rednecks to know that when they use “gotta” it means they have already internally accepted that they cannot get any better.
October 22nd, 2017 at 10:50 pm
I am with Dis here. Season ain’t over yet. The D has been absolute garbage and I can’t see it magically turning around with no rush and soft coverage but it could still get better. The offense inspired hope today. I have been hard on Koetter the last month but I thought the playcalling was much better today. All division games ahead …. who knows what could happen. Go Bucs
October 23rd, 2017 at 8:54 pm
Come up with your own screen name Jersey SPACE Buc!
And try to get your point across in less than 4,000 words. Otherwise, you make a few good points in your manifesto. It is JON though, not John, but you know that I bet…