The Ugly Truth
October 23rd, 2017
“Mike, the Glazers might want to talk to you right after the season.”
Joe hates to bring these facts to the table because they tar and feather a good man.
But just as Joe writes that players should be protected and/or coddled based solely on production, Joe can’t be a hypocrite and must use the same standard for coaches.
Raheem Morris got run after losing 10 straight games to close the 2011 season. He also had pretty much lost control of the locker room and players went totally sideways, including a public spat with cabbie-slugging, pistol-whipping, Adderall-using, granny hassling, gun-totin’ Aqib Talib in a hotel lobby in London.
Morris, a defensive coach, had a rotten defense and was regularly out-coached in the first half of games.
Lovie Snith’s defense was so allergic to tackling and covering receivers that offenses wore themselves out running up and down the field on him, racking up a 70 percent completion rate.
Both were run out of town by Team Glazer.
After 26 games, largely, Mike Smith’s defenses aren’t much better, save for the final half of the 2016 season, which is what got Smith a padded, reworked contract.
Here are the comparisons as far as passing yards per game (and rank in the NFL) between the three Bucs defensive coordinators. Just for kicks, Joe will throw the Greg Schaino/Bill Sheridan era into the mix. At least Schiano, like winning Bucs coach Dirk Koetter, had a true defensive coordinator. Morris and Lovie were their own defensive coordinators..
Raheem Morris
2009: 207.4 yards per game (10th)
2010: 201 yards (7th)
2011: 238.4 yards (21st)
Greg Schiano/Bill Sheridan
2012: 297.4 yards per game (32nd)
2013: 237.9 (17th)
Lovie Smith
2014: 255.2 yards a game (28th)
2015: 240.0 yards a game (16th)
Mike Smith
2016: 250.8 yards a game (22nd)
2017: 301.6 yards a game (31st)
As you can see, Smith’s passing defense is now, overall, the worst of any Bucs defensive coordinator in the post-Chucky era. And Joe would wager Morris, Schiano/Sheridan and Lovie had worse linebackers and defensive backs than Smith.
As Joe wrote yesterday, this is not good at all for the job security of someone or some people.
October 23rd, 2017 at 12:06 am
Dirk Koetter is no longer “winning” Dirk Koetter.
October 23rd, 2017 at 12:14 am
Why can’t they just fire him tonight. The replacement can’t do any worse. And that would really show fans that you care about the product. Cause me as a fan I don’t like watching this every week and never hearing any good reasoning to why we are. This is just another example of white privelage. Leslie Frazier got fired halfway through a season and his numbers were not as bad as this current staffs
October 23rd, 2017 at 12:17 am
Defensive players are starting to call out coaching for playing time. He has lost the team and the fans no need to keep compounding the problem get rid of the cancer as tmax would say and that is our coordinator. He is a old man in a young mans game. Look at what a 30 somethignyear old has done in LA
October 23rd, 2017 at 12:20 am
This is going to sound like a joke. The Bucs should draft D-line and Cornerback in next years draft! JUST THOSE 2 POSITIONS! Thats IT! It’s been a joke long enough at these positions!
October 23rd, 2017 at 12:23 am
I think playing spence in a way Broncos use von miller. Right now he is downright outmatched
October 23rd, 2017 at 12:23 am
3 plays 75 yards. They just signed Thompson off the streets he had 100 yards agains us. Mike Evans hasn’t had 100 yard game this year that’s how bad we are defensively. But we kee hearing excuses on how it takes time to learn this system. Maybe the defensive end we had in for a visit was to fast of a learner because we let him walk out of one buc without a contract and he goes to Houston and gets a sack in his first game so he has half as many sacks as our defensive ends in his first game with a new team with only two practices. It’s not that hard line up at defensive end and go sack the qb. But golly gee wiz isnt mr smith so pleasant what a fine fellow.
October 23rd, 2017 at 12:25 am
I would love to hear there is a news conference tomorrow at 3 at one bucs place
October 23rd, 2017 at 12:26 am
Don’t ever recall the Glazer family, in the 20-some years they have owned the franchise firing any coach midseason.
Mark Dominik fired an offensive coordinator in the preseason. Raheem Morris fired a defensive coordinator midseason. Not the Glazers.
And Joe would fall over backwards if Dirk Koetter canned Mike Smith midseason.
October 23rd, 2017 at 12:28 am
2:30 Monday. Usually streamed live on Buccaneers.com.
October 23rd, 2017 at 12:39 am
Suckaneers doing what they do!!! But a new DC wont fix what trots out onto the field….granted some are trying and sometimes good at their job…but working with what youve got is just that! But im all for bringing in a new DC ALONG WITH FINALLY DRAFTING SOME DE’S FOR A FRIGGIN CHANGE!
October 23rd, 2017 at 12:42 am
Let’s hold out hope can it get any worse bucs fans. We looked stupid against case keenum. We were blown out by a cardinals team that didn’t score a point today. And we gave up ten points today in 3 minutes today to lose to a offensively challenged team. The bears won today and there qb completed 4 passes. Seriously 4 passes. Lesean hasn’t scored all year he scored two today. They haven’t scored outside of the red zone all year they did today. At least the draft will be fun we will be picking in the top ten AGAIN!!!! Can’t wait to trade down to draft an undeesized slow corner or hold steady and draft a qb with an accuracy deficiency. Because we all no that the bucs coach players up and get the most out of there players we could have drafted Kareem hunt this year and he would still be a special teams guy. The league would never know who he was. Because we would still be using sims as a 3rd down back. Remember that guy we drafted from penn state who is fast and great after the catch. I bet he would love to be catching all those wide receiver screens that are slow undersized receiver keeps getting. Vernon, spence, aguayo, Justin evans, sims They have been so key in all our victories. You can’t pick project guys when you can’t develop talent and need immediate help.
October 23rd, 2017 at 12:46 am
If our Bucs do not have at least an 8-8 season, My money is on the Glazers..pulling the trigger on Koetter and Co. I still say Gruden would do well here as long as he gets an outstanding DC. I was never for Koetter being hired as a HC here. OC was Ok. But not HC. People say I’m doom and gloom. I’m not. I just..tells it like it is. And I win my barbarshop FB pools, 75% of the time. I just don’t see us whippin the Panthers. Riverboat Ron will have them ready. He was pissed in his last post game interview. If Koetters wants to keep his job, he’d better go on a winning binge. Glazers ain’t shy and they will give him the boot.
October 23rd, 2017 at 1:37 am
I see 2 possible wins, jets and phins….the rest all losses!
So maybe 4 wins total.
Top 5 pick and Im guessing Barkley….then all D after that.
October 23rd, 2017 at 1:43 am
Another UGLY TRUTH. If it hadnt been for Patrick Murray the game wouldnt have even been close!
October 23rd, 2017 at 1:46 am
This calculus BS SUX
October 23rd, 2017 at 3:56 am
Men lie, women lie, numbers dont. This coaching staff is a joke! Our gm is no better. Laughing stock of the nfl and for good reason!
October 23rd, 2017 at 4:14 am
Koetter will not fire him, to much history, loyalty. Den of depression and despair.
October 23rd, 2017 at 4:14 am
You fire coaches AFTER the season is a wash. Being two down in the division without playing anyone in the division yet with 10 to play IS NOT A F***KING WASH!!
October 23rd, 2017 at 4:24 am
Talk about a losing culture…It’s you crappy fans who emanate the losing culture.
How about …hey team, you almost had it, but next week we will be here to cheer you to victory against our hated rivals! Keep keepin on!
October 23rd, 2017 at 4:48 am
Yes a new DC will fix some issues. His weekly “plan” is terrible. Teams are scoring at will. Teams that dont score the week before or the week after the bucs. Cant rush 4 n expect a miracle every play. Usually when they blitz it works. For some reason its not often. Just look at the aints defense. Years past they blew. This yr they are blitzing 50 percent of the time, and its working. Thats what u do when somethings not working, u switch it up. Cards score 38 on us then 0 on rams. Bills same thing. I guess whatever ails the panthers will be fixed this week when the bucs trot out their “defense”
October 23rd, 2017 at 4:52 am
Fire Mike Smith. Promote Jay Hayes, or Mark Duffner until the year ends.
October 23rd, 2017 at 6:33 am
Didn’t I call this last season? Didn’t I call this in the offseason?
The fix is already on the staff.
Fire Smith and Promote Hayes and this team starts winning games immediately
October 23rd, 2017 at 6:34 am
If Koetter doesn’t fire Smith its going to cost him his job
October 23rd, 2017 at 6:37 am
Guys it’s not then coaching it’s the drafting.
The talent isn’t there
October 23rd, 2017 at 6:55 am
The rules have changed in favor of passing, so that may not be such a telling stat.
October 23rd, 2017 at 6:59 am
Living in Atlanta now, being a Bucs fan, the Falcons fans were so glad to see good man Mike Smith move on, defense was never tough or nasty enough, get out the press box, get on the field in the players face, obviously any adjustment you are making upstairs isn’t working, however I will say, bad tackling, that’s an issue. Saw something on Pete Carroll and the Seahawks on how they work with their players on tackling and we are talking about all-pro players they have on defense. Mike Smith, get the video.
October 23rd, 2017 at 7:02 am
Unless Smith goes to DC and says cut me loose he won’t can him. As a fan that now lives in Atlanta, I have to say I strongly considered coming back for the Carolina game. We made the trek down for Chicago, but I can’t recall a time I felt so great about a season to be let down this fast. Going back to last December we were still in contention for a first round bye. Once we hit Dallas, I don’t think we have ever recovered.
October 23rd, 2017 at 7:18 am
It’s completely unacceptable that this team is 2-4 when it should easily be 4-2 or even 5-1. There is too much talent on this team to be sucking this bad, whatever the coaches did last season to help with “communication” then need to do right now.
October 23rd, 2017 at 7:20 am
How did AP do this week? Enough said!
Better get it right or this will get UGLY!
October 23rd, 2017 at 7:52 am
Jeffbuc said it best: a replacement can’t be worse. It’s statistically impossible
October 23rd, 2017 at 8:15 am
I’ts the GM!
October 23rd, 2017 at 8:18 am
They have to draft all DEFENSIVE LINE. Besides McCoy,This DLine lacks talent! They have to go to a 3-4 Defense because what they’re doing every week isn’t working!!
October 23rd, 2017 at 8:36 am
all you crying for a new gm / coach need to wake up… the root problem of the bucs defense is the mentally weak soft captain who is a complete and utter fraud…
all you need to go back to is to the offseason press conference when your freaking joke of a captain gave a press conference that was more like a funeral speech with the “WOE” is me head down, no confidence whinny little beotch antics… Yet every other player who spoke was UPBEAT, CONFIDENT and EXCITED for new season yet your highest paid player and team captain was a total ARSE and a crybaby…. Can’t win with leaders like that…
October 23rd, 2017 at 8:37 am
By the way. AP ran for 20 yards yesterday.
October 23rd, 2017 at 8:42 am
fastest way for an offense to get back on track is to face a GMC led defense… No one can take the heart out of a team faster than the fraud dt
could you imagine Jameis’ numbers if he got to face GMC and the MIDGET every week. wow
October 23rd, 2017 at 8:46 am
smitty is officially “coach my scheme”!!!!!…he is forcing this scheme upon the players!!!!
the crazy thing is, its a win win for smitty….he knows dirk wont fire him….he knows licht will give him until the end of the season to turn it around and as joe pointed out, the glazers don’t fire mid season…..
dirk isn’t man enough to fire his buddy to save his own a$$….both of them will be otta here it we don’t win 10games…too much talent on this team to be 2-4….
NO EXCUSES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
October 23rd, 2017 at 8:50 am
THEY ALL NEED TO GO, COACHES, PLAYERS AND MAYBE THE OWNERS TOO…
October 23rd, 2017 at 12:12 pm
The defense looks confused as hell. That comes from poor coaching. They are also letting each other down. What made the Bucs defense great under the lawfir of Brooks, Barber, Sapp and Lynch with a side of Rice thrown in was each player knew their role and how to do their job.They trusted each other and didn’t feel the requirement to cover for the other guys constant lapses in knowing what to do. The latter state of confusion which is going on now results in players being out of position leaving huge openings for opposing running backs to gash the defense and huge holes in the seems that allow opposing receivers to have a field day catching the ball. Mike Smith is not going to fix this unless he gets in there and beats some ass, benches players and even cuts a couple of players. Be ruthless with this bunch of shirkers. The offense cannot afford to be a defense like this. Get medieval on their ass, Mike.
October 23rd, 2017 at 1:16 pm
I feel this rumbling in stomach. S**t! just up-chuckaneered! This is the effect the Defense of this team has on me. Burp!
October 23rd, 2017 at 1:31 pm
Drew, I heard the dragon ate the defense and they went down smooth. No resistance at all.
October 23rd, 2017 at 2:12 pm
LongSeason… that’s funny.
October 23rd, 2017 at 2:55 pm
Stick with him. Give him a chance to turn it around.
The Glazers just gave him a bigger contract. Let him earn it. I mean, come on…defense was ignored for years in the draft and he’d had to mostly make do with aging veterans.
Grimes was worth the money, but just about none of the others have been. Draft him some real players.
He was good enough for all of you, including Joe, in this past off season, when everyone was afraid he’d leave the team. Sometimes you have to bite the bullet for a little while.
October 23rd, 2017 at 4:03 pm
We don’t have the talent
October 23rd, 2017 at 4:40 pm
Hell! We have talent. No coaching on defense. That starts with Smith. Smith walks the plank.