“I Cannot Allow Him To Kick”
October 7th, 2017
Has words for Dirk Koetter.
You know your kicker has become a choke artist if he is the talk of national sports radio.
Bucs fans are still downing shots of tequila in an effort to try to forget the painful display of kicking Thursday night by futile Nick Folk, which cost the Bucs a win over the Super Bowl champions.
Taking to his SiriusXM Radio audience Friday afternoon, the one and only Chris “Mad Dog” Russo overall did not have a problem with how winning Bucs coach handled the game — with the exception of one decision: calling on Folk to attempt a 49-yard field goal on fourth-and-two.
“I did have a problem with it,” Russo said of trusting Folk in that situation. It is “16-7, early fourth quarter. [Koetter] has a field goal kicker who is a mess right at this moment. Fourth-and-a-yard-and-a-half from the 32-yard line of New England. You do need two scores. You are going to need a touchdown eventually. You have a field goal kicker who, again, last week killed you. Missed an earlier field goal. I cannot allow him to kick there. I can’t put the pressure on him. I have to go for it in that situation.”
And that was Joe’s argument all night, though it was an unpopular opinion in the Den of Depression’s press box. All the weapons Jameis has and the Bucs only needed two yards and instead you rely on a choke artist?
As Russo himself might say, that’s poorly produced.
October 7th, 2017 at 4:25 pm
He’s absolutely right…..
October 7th, 2017 at 4:33 pm
100% right. no way folk should have been on the field for that play.
October 7th, 2017 at 4:37 pm
Can we stop the Den of Depression crap?
October 7th, 2017 at 4:38 pm
Ask the Bucs. Only need to win five home games in the same season.
October 7th, 2017 at 4:39 pm
Have I missed something? Why have we not had an article about Folk getting released?
October 7th, 2017 at 4:40 pm
Hard to write that article if he’s still on the roster. For now.
October 7th, 2017 at 4:41 pm
Hmmm, so Mad Dog “overall did not have a problem with how winning Bucs coach handled the game Thursday” with the exception of that 1 FG attempt? Well Joe, with “All the weapons Jameis has” at his disposal as you say, why were we in that position in the first place? Bucs had numerous opportunities to light up the scoreboard well before that. Mad Dog’s wrong … the problem WAS the game-plan and play-calling.
October 7th, 2017 at 4:43 pm
Why has Folk not been fired yet, there has to be someone better out there.
October 7th, 2017 at 4:44 pm
Koetter gets out coached or shoots himself in the foot more often than not. Most games I feel we win in inspite of, rather than because of him. I was very optimistic when he was promoted but that seems like forever ago. He can get plenty of yardage through the air but almost always stalls in the redzone. There is way to much talent on the offense for them to be underachieving like this, especially with how well the O line is playing. Al of these young QBs are flourishing because their OC/HC is putting them into positions to win. Koetter play-calling has become an actual liability. His stubbornness to barely make adjustments is baffling and his plays lack creativity. Prime example is the slant that desean ran for like a 40 yard gain. Why not incorporate those types of routes more until jameis sorts out his deepball issues? Good coaches try to hide their qbs weaknesses not continuously highlight for them. For someone so candid and practical, Im just suprised how little adjustments are made on a weekly basis.
October 7th, 2017 at 4:45 pm
Yeah joe enough with all the damn monikers. The den of depression give it a rest. You want culture change but call the stadium a den of depression. They almost won 7 straight with the 7th being the pats. Enough. It’s not funny. Some of the crap you guys are posting is awful. Then we gotta hear it again on the podcast. Btw waiting for any word on Doug Martin. Just sitting there silent as Ira talksdoug. Dude was the best player on offense all night. If he’s getting the ball on a couple drives which he didn’t we would’ve won. Lose all the monikers other than the jameis ones which are also starting to get old.
October 7th, 2017 at 4:46 pm
though it was an unpopular opinion in the Den of Depression’s press box.”…I didn’t think the “press in the press box were allowed to express a bias
October 7th, 2017 at 4:46 pm
Ndog…Its not depression..Its..Truth!! And we gotta correct our kicking game or we’ll lose a lot of close games this season. And Joe, Speakin of Tequila, I had a few shots of Fortaleza last night..THE absolute best. Puts Patron and Avion..to shame!!
October 7th, 2017 at 4:48 pm
No it is not funny which is why until the Bucs have a winning record at home in a season, this moniker will stick. Why be mad at Joe? That’s like being mad at Joe for Joe pointing out Nick Folk sucks? Instead, you should turn your rage at the Bucs.
Why should Joe play ostrich with a team having the worst home record since 2009?
October 7th, 2017 at 4:50 pm
Can anger kick-off? I would like the Bucs to not even roster a kicker if there is no one available better than folk. I would assume we will start going-for-it on 4th and short on anything between the 25-35 yard line.
October 7th, 2017 at 4:53 pm
And if Koetter had gone for it and failed, people would have said he should have trusted his kicker.
The man played the odds, whether people realize it or not. I didn’t agree with the choice, but he had to give Folk an opportunity to bury himself.
Who knows? It is entirely possible that Licht finds a kicker off the street who could be our kicker for the next 14 years! All because of the last two games.
Keep in mind also, that the rest of the team admired Koetter for trusting Folk at the end of the game before this one. It showed he trusts his players, and that maintains a strong locker room. This week, they’ll understand why 4-5 kickers are being brought in on Monday (as announced) on their day off.
October 7th, 2017 at 4:55 pm
Fine alright I will leave my cushy Polaris Sales Position here in Montana and be the kicker. Can’t do any worse!
October 7th, 2017 at 4:55 pm
Philip..Not to worry…There are a couple better than Folk out there. As you shall see next week after tryouts. Also Don’t be surprised to see the Bucs Swope up a real good Kicker KC let go. He;s injured now but will come back.
October 7th, 2017 at 4:56 pm
“Why be mad at Joe?”
Because there in power in words. For example, every time we read those particular words, they don’t build us up as fans, they tear us down, even if it is just a little.
We’re trying to believe things have changed for the better, and your moniker keeps telling us things have not changed. THAT’s why it bugs us.
October 7th, 2017 at 4:57 pm
Wow the bucs been under some investigation from some criminal of losing to multiple sb champions. I get the standards are as high as I ever but come on did we really expect to win? I didn’t.
October 7th, 2017 at 5:01 pm
Josh lambo will be our next kicker. For a year anyway.
Have bucs draft Eddie pinedo from Florida in 6 or 7 round
October 7th, 2017 at 5:01 pm
Lamarcus..Hell Yes!! I expected us to win. Especailly the way the Pats were..giving us the game. And our D played and hustled well enough for us to win despite all of our injuries. You cannot have low expectations and become a champion. You gotta slay the Giant to be the Giant. What better time than now? And OJ..I got the Juice… I l ike your thinking man!
October 7th, 2017 at 5:19 pm
Mike Johnson Says
“Hell Yes!! I expected us to win. Especailly the way the Pats were..giving us the game. And our D played and hustled well enough for us to win despite all of our injuries. You cannot have low expectations and become a champion. You gotta slay the Giant to be the Giant.”
And we would have won…if our highly paid kicker had made just one of his field goals. Just. One.
And we would have finally beaten the Patriots.
October 7th, 2017 at 5:27 pm
Josh Lambo would have to do, I suppose.
But the Bears are after him too. IF they get him, Connor Barth will hit the street. He’s 2-2 on field goals this year, making him at 50%…but that’s a stat that is misleading. He’s only had 4 attempts. He only missed 5 attempts all year last year.
And this year he has made all his extra points.
So if the bears get Lambo, its worth considering Connor for this year. If he were willing.
October 7th, 2017 at 5:33 pm
Maybe next year Licht can trade up into the 1st round and grab us a kicker…
October 7th, 2017 at 5:43 pm
Did everyone assume the Patriots defense would be as bad early on all year
With largely the same roster from their last Super Bowl run? If I remember
Correctly NFL games last four 15 minute quarters. With a little over 3 of
Those quarters the Bucs defense had largely shutdown and abused Brady’s
Bunch & found themselves in prime position to win. Yea, another game
Leaving significant points on the field and still right there at the end. From
What I saw from Jameis there were NO garbage time stats in this game. Every
Second counted and counted big. Without that 10 second runoff, were at the
14 yard line with about 20 seconds. Damn guys, I mean yeah winning is
Always sweeter and I know we’re all tires of silver linings but this game
Overall was a 60 minute gut check that I thought our boys (with the exception
Of a washed up kicker) proved their worth, even being undermanned. We’ve had one less week to figure it out. I feel totally comfortable with the effort. Optimistic as ever even. When Jameis needed to be clutch, he was clutch. Dirks figuring out what he has and we will see more of the DJax quick slants and
Martin pounding it. We will get healthier, we got a few more statement games ahead of us this year. I’ll take an early loss to the SB champs.
October 7th, 2017 at 5:46 pm
Why did the Bucs cut me in 2009?
NFL All-Pro PK, Matt Bryant
Atlanta Falcons
October 7th, 2017 at 5:54 pm
Sorry to disagree guys…..but the only thing as bad as our kicking game is our 3rd/4th down & short…..we have proven impotent many times.
Besides….with 4th and two, I suspect we would have tried to throw a 15 yard pass into tight coverage….
Constantly miss on third down conversions with low percentage passes.
Right Call….wrong result…..now we fire him for it….that’s the way it goes.
By the way….he makes that kick and we probably win.
October 7th, 2017 at 6:06 pm
Speaking of Kickers, we can always sign that YoungHoe guy, and if he gets cut, there is always room for one more YoungHoe in Tampa, on Nebraska.
October 7th, 2017 at 6:10 pm
But they called lovie “the incompetent one”. Psss.
October 7th, 2017 at 6:21 pm
We’re on to Arizona
October 7th, 2017 at 6:35 pm
Oh come on Lakeland, you know the answer to that question. As memory serves, some guy named Mark Dominick was hired that very year to be the new Bucs’ GM. Matt Bryant was let go and signed with Atlanta (first of many magnificent moves on Dom’s part?). In the intervening 9 years Matt’s hit on 205 of 231 FGs (89%) and oh ya, 315 of 316 Extra Point Attempts (fairly close to 100%).
But hey, Dom signed Mike Nugent to compensate, who made 2 of 6 FG attempts, but on the good news side he didn’t miss the only XP that he attempted. Connor Barth followed that same year (he hit on 74% of his FGs attempted). Oh for the good old days of Mark Dominick and company. Wasn’t the first time our Bucs shot themselves in the foot however.
October 7th, 2017 at 8:04 pm
Yeah why did we keep cutting good kickers?
October 7th, 2017 at 8:10 pm
Nice spin TBBF.
October 7th, 2017 at 8:18 pm
The 56 yarder end of half is the one that was a huge mistake. Cmon dirk. They give u 30 yds for a short hail mary n you give it back. Folk missed almost all his kicks in warmuos going that way. A 56 yarder with that wind by someone with no confidence. I like my chances in the fantasy 5 better. Should have gone for 6. Cant call it 7 anymore. Go Bucs
October 7th, 2017 at 8:25 pm
Russo and Joe are right. Don’t put it in the hands of a soccer player.
October 7th, 2017 at 8:38 pm
Hhhmm? #TapsFingersOnBar
October 7th, 2017 at 9:03 pm
“All the weapons Jameis has”?? sh!!!!!t, he can’t even get the ball to those weapons he has. we keep talking about a kicker that is shook, what about our QB? he should be able to make all the throws at this point in his career and appears to have regressed. now, that Canes QB today was looking pretty sweet huh? back shoulder fade, over the shoulder with a beautiful touch. haven’t seen Jameis do that yet. But I guess you can only get so much out of a Nole QB huh?
October 7th, 2017 at 9:25 pm
Thats right Joe..The Best..bar none!!
October 7th, 2017 at 9:44 pm
So, I guess Koetter was an imbecile against the giants when he ran the clock down and trotted Folk out there for a game winner.
NFL head coaches should be able to rely more on a professional kicker. Koetter stuck to his guns, and what got him praised last week got him burned this week.
How does a FG kicker with 82%+ accuracy over each of the last four years suddenly just fall of and forget how to kick? That’s the real question?
October 7th, 2017 at 9:44 pm
Completely off topic, this year has absolutely sucked for sports here. Rays sucked, Seminoles suck, Bucs suck most of the time, Lightning already appear to suck (50 plus shots allowed to 20 really), USF is winning games but playing no one, Gators (even though this makes me happy) suck. What happened to our great state in sports?
October 7th, 2017 at 10:15 pm
@Nos
I really wish you would drop this nonsense of trying to compare Koetter to Lovie.
Even on Koetter’s worst day possible, he’s still 150,000% better than Lovie.
Can’t blame Koetter for Jameis Overthrowing a Wide-open Djack for what woulda been a 70 yard TD, Can’t blame Koetter for Cam dropping numerous first downs and TD catch. Can’t blame Koetter for expecting a kicker to make a 31 yarder.
Big difference between losing a close game where your team didn’t execute, and being down 56-0 in front of a national audience.
October 7th, 2017 at 10:21 pm
What Defense Rules and TampaBaybucs fan said….. I didn’t trust Folk to hit that kick and anyone watching the Bucs lately would have forgiven Dirk for not trotting Folk out there for a 50 yard FG. Unfortunately I had just as little faith in a good play call to pick up the 2 yards. Atrocious play calling.
Yes execution wasn’t there on some plays, Jameis missed a couple throws but it is the coaches job to put his players in a position to succeed and overall I felt like Dirk failed miserably at that with the game plan and his calling.
October 7th, 2017 at 10:21 pm
Showed me that Koetter doesn’t trust in Jameis yet! Sorry but true.
October 7th, 2017 at 10:22 pm
Once I see the “Den of Depression” nonsense I immediately dismiss anything else in the article. It’s just pandering to the negative crowd.
October 7th, 2017 at 11:22 pm
SB, I disagree. That 3rd and 1 throw to DJax shows that Dirk trusts Winston. He shouldn’t have. The smart play was to run for the 1st. Get a long drive going, give the offense some rythym, and keep Brady off the field. Koetter got GREEDY after scolding Winston for the same thing. He should heed his own advice.
October 7th, 2017 at 11:52 pm
I respect your opinion Eric as always.
October 7th, 2017 at 11:55 pm
He’s right, Cotter should be fired, he’s garbage, a moron
Light too,
I’m sick of the incompetence. How hard is it, Look at all the other franchises that don’t suck
usual playoff franchises- expected playoff runs- sick of this garbage
October 7th, 2017 at 11:55 pm
Koetter
October 7th, 2017 at 11:56 pm
And to all of the fanboys who will say…. oh your so negative
grow some marbles and wake up to reality
October 8th, 2017 at 12:00 am
Lol……It is fairweather fans like you that give us a bad name mike. Get a new hobby man cause you know Diddly about football.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:45 am
Hey DeeCamper, please lose the den of depression BS, it’s a little childish and very unprofessional for a “so called BUCS fan”
October 8th, 2017 at 1:30 am
Yeah Mike, We’ll fire cotter and light.
Whoever they are.
Genuis. True genuis
October 8th, 2017 at 2:06 am
After 6 game win streak which was the longest in the NFL, sould be renamed “Den of Oppression”. Get behind the team!
Go Bucs!!!
October 8th, 2017 at 2:59 am
DAN CARPENTER. DAN CARPENTER. DAN CARPENTER.
October 8th, 2017 at 10:19 am
I honestly agree wit the field goal on 4th & 2 opposed to Dirk calling Sims on a toss or pitch play(you know one of those was coming). But after the game winner last week I gave Folk a little credit make this one. The one at the end of the half I didn’t expect him to make it anyway it would have just been a bonus and I also didn’t think it would shake his confidence either BOY WAS I WRONG
October 9th, 2017 at 9:35 am
Joe Says:
October 7th, 2017 at 4:38 pm
Can we stop the Den of Depression crap?
Ask the Bucs. Only need to win five home games in the same season.
—————
For a guy that seems utterly repulsed by stats, you sure seem to love that particular stat. Five wins… It seems almost more like a ransom. “Give me five wins or the girl gets it!”