Right On Time For Dirk Koetter
November 13th, 2017
BY IRA KAUFMAN
The second half of the Buccaneer season is now underway and it can be neatly summarized in five words:
A referendum on Dirk Koetter.
Tampa Bay has seven games remaining to show the Glazers how much these players still believe in what Koetter and his staff are selling.
Sunday’s results weren’t overwhelming on that score, but the Bucs found a way. Just as importantly, they found some energy.
Make no mistake, the Jets needed this game badly. They knew a win would leave them at 5-5 heading into a bye week, giving the New York tabloids additional time to praise them as NFL overachievers.
Instead, the Jets were roasted for losing to a last-place team and looking flat in the process.
“It seemed like they wanted it more than we did,” said Jets nose tackle Steve McLendon.
Those words should resonate with Buc ownership because lack of effort did in Raheem Morris after the 2011 season, only one year removed from a 10-6 finish that thrilled fans and ownership alike.
No Fake News
The Glazers felt they had no choice but to jettison Morris after that unfathomable 10-game losing streak. The ugliest word in sports is “quit” and even supporters of Morris had to admit that the team quit on on its head coach.
During this season’s five-game losing streak, there was a gnawing concern that effort and hustle were again becoming issues at One Buc Place.
For one afternoon, those worries were cast aside.
“We went out there today and had fun,” said Kwon Alexander, who looked like his old active self after a few pedestrian games.
“Everyone did their job and everyone was in the right spot.”
The Bucs swarmed to the football like they did in the season opener against Chicago, hunting the quarterback and closing down running lanes.
“That was some lights-out defense we just played,” said Luke Stocker. “It’s hard to play offense when your quarterback is getting hit and you can’t run the ball.”
You can’t fake steak and you can’t fake energy. For five weeks, the Bucs were still standing around when fans returned to their seats after the National Anthem.
The Resistance Movement
As the Glazers looked on in alarm at an unraveling franchise , the Jon Gruden rumors continued to swirl. Not a single current Buc played for Gruden, but they all heard the growing conjecture about his return.
Dirk Koetter standing tall over the “resistance movement.”
How would they respond?
“Everyone ran to the football,” said Lavonte David, the leader of the resistance movement. “We got together last week and realized we were beating ourselves. Today, everyone made plays.”
Across the hall, Austin Seferian-Jenkins addressed the Jets media.
Through three quarters, he hadn’t said a word in this matchup, failing to catch a single pass.
“Our defense did its part … our offense has to play better,” he said. “The Bucs have a lot of talent over there — they’ve got some ball hawks. Give them credit, they played very hard.”
There’s your headline, Buc fans: they played very hard.
It doesn’t seem like too much to ask, but it’s been a long time coming.
For Dirk Koetter, it may have been right on time.
Ira Kaufman is the most beloved, revered and esteemed Buccaneers columnist in town. He has hung his hat at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters since July 2016. Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter, Ira busts out columns here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and his award winning podcasts fire Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can also see Ira every football Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on FOX-13, Scott Smith’s Tailgate Sunday.
November 13th, 2017 at 1:40 pm
Yep in terms of saving his job / this coaching staff that was absolutely necessary.
I never thought the players quit on dirk or mike smith last year at any point; but I honestly haven’t been sure about this year. It’s never a good reflection on leadership when the team doesn’t look like they give a sh1t that early in the season.
Still need to see them do this on the road where they’re giving up over 30 PPG like every game lol.
ANd I still think -regardless – the lesson of this year is we still need better leaders / as4holes on this team. The fact that DJax is one of the vocal leaders at this point is cool but I don’t think he’s typically been that way – which just shows we’re missing that fire from more players.
Still think it’d be prudent to move on from GMC if we can get 2 top 3 round picks; and rebuild that D-line with some nasty a4hshole types that won’t stand for not having a pass rush.
November 13th, 2017 at 1:42 pm
The Bucs will finsih either 6-10 or 5-11. Still might not be enough to save Koetters job. We will not beat the Saints twice or the Falcons. And Detroit is ballin pretty good right now. Sorry Ira, I’m still not optimistic right now. The best thing Koetter can do is put Jameis on IR and let him have surgery. Who knows? Fitz just might win a few games…………Beat a quality team then you can say we are turning the corner. Until them? Its the SOB’S (same ole Bucs!)
November 13th, 2017 at 1:52 pm
The fact that it took half of a season to muster up this effort from the team in November tells me a lot about the culture.
I don’t know who or how but this organization is void of leadership from above!
November 13th, 2017 at 1:59 pm
I’ve got five words for Dirk Koetter:
BETTER GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER!!!
@Architek- I agree completely! ZERO leadership from above. Do you think the Rooneys would tolerate this BS from Tomlin? Tomlin from his players? Heck he benched Bryant for far less. It’s about accountability.
November 13th, 2017 at 2:05 pm
Architek, they never stopped fighting to win.
They were just going about it the wrong way.
November 13th, 2017 at 2:17 pm
The right time for Dirk Koetter was 3 weeks ago against the Panthers…
November 13th, 2017 at 2:19 pm
When Cutler goes HAM on them next week, what will ya’ll write then?
It was the JETS ya’ll the FAKING JETS. Get a grip.
November 13th, 2017 at 2:20 pm
I’m kind of worried he may do just enough to convince the owners hes worth keeping around and some fans as well and we are back here at the same time next year in the same spot… like still out of it halfway through thr season.. still frustrated with slow starts and bad game planning.. to me unless he really goes on a win streak it should be too little too late
November 13th, 2017 at 2:27 pm
Joes………I LOVE your site and will continue to read it every day. However I will stop reading the comment section as you have attracted the worst section of our fanbase somehow. Outside of about 10 or 15 regular posters here it is mostly trolls that post here. Being a fan since 76 I know what it is like to GO to Every home game during a 14 year losing streak and stand by my team regardless. Some of you idiots that post here every day just for ‘shock effect’ are completely pathetic! Even after a Win and a Good showing by the defense and trolls want to spew negativity still. All of us expected more out of our Team this year and we are all disappointed. That doesn’t give reason to pile on them and be a D!ck! Stupid is as stupid does and there is A LOT of stupidity around here.
Keep up the Good Work Joes! You will always be one of my first sites visited every morning!
November 13th, 2017 at 2:44 pm
The coaches did a great job yesterday!!!!!! And the Jets had 10 days to prepare against the Bucs!!!!!!!! Good to see that when the starters came back, how open the defensive playbook became!!!!!! Missing parts and Coach Smitty still makes it look so good!!!!!!!!! This team is lacking an the trenches and everyone knows that, But good game plans to minimize the glaring weaknesses of the team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great Job Bucs!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 13th, 2017 at 2:58 pm
SB , Well said you are right. No matter what there are 5 to 10 jack asses who accent the negative down play the positive on this site. Troll heaven for them with the Bucs bad season. Oh well better days are ahead.
November 13th, 2017 at 3:19 pm
@Realist
No matter how this season plays out I think we can all agree next year’s roster moves should be all about #TrenchWarfare
November 13th, 2017 at 3:35 pm
@Lord Cornelius
Agreed!!!!!!!!
And it might not take as much as some might think!!!!!!!!!!!! We can dump/trade JR Sweezy ( only 2 million) in dead money, Move DS76 to guard and get the best LT in the draft!!!!!! Free agent DE and CB and Draft DE, CB, RB and this team really might be something!!!!!!!!
No hard knocks!!!!! Just total focus of one goal!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its a Realist Repost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Buc Realist Says:
April 10th, 2017 at 7:21 am
If the owners signed up the Bucs and are forcing it on them, then that is fine!! they can sell more jersey’s and the Buc fans out west will love it!!! But I will think of the year differently!!! My expectations for the team has changed!!!! The goal of going deep in the playoffs will change to “just being national recognized”!!!!!!
In other words I will give coaches and players a huge pass this year if we do the NFL’s longest commercial!!!!!!
I do not see how this helps the team on the field, and I do not see NFL’s best head coaches lining up to be on it!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!
November 13th, 2017 at 3:52 pm
I just think it’s funny that even The all mighty Dak Prescott can’t win a darn thing when he’s getting hit left and right. Hmmmm!
November 13th, 2017 at 4:54 pm
They showed heart, they played hard and if Fitz hits a couple of those passes he keeps throwing behind receivers, it would have been a blowout..
The Jets DLine is awesome and it showed as we were under siege all day…can we trade all 4 of our DT for Leonard Williams?
Sweezy is some kinda bad….can we have EDS and Pamphile at G and sit his holding, offside, horrible pass blocking butt down…he was completely exposed yesterday
To get a victory is sweet and gives hope that next week we will be just a little bit better, or at least enough to take another one..
Can that D show up when we are on the road?????
November 13th, 2017 at 4:57 pm
They played in front of their family, friends, and fans at home. I would think they’d put forth a better effort then we’ve seen so far. Unfortunately that won’t buy Koetter, or Licht squat. The Glazers had loftier goals then finishing last in the division, with a sub .500 record, and no chance at even a wild card play off game.
November 13th, 2017 at 5:26 pm
I still believe they were believing their own clippings and thought all they had to do was show up. A five game losing streak made those clippings ancient history!
I think they now have the desperation required for success. Obviously we to hope it’s not too late…but hard to believe given their schedule and the teams in our division that it’s not hopeless.
Meanwhile I’m most concerned about #3. Nobody knows what’s really going on.
What are the long term possibilities….do we have another Andrew Luck? If #3 can’t come back at his full capability we are in trouble!!! Ryan Griffin as a franchise QB? Hard to envision.
BTW…this is not a slam at #3…it’s fear on my part. I think #3 is the real deal but if you take away his golden arm…it’s the NFL and he’s toast.
November 13th, 2017 at 5:48 pm
Leave it to the media to try and make us ride the roller coaster ride with them but this one win against a losing team does not change the minds of the Glazer’s. To even suggest they ride a win loss roller coaster when making franchise changing decisions says they have no business being owners. You still have to look at how they won and who they beat. If they came out flat against say Detroit or Atlanta this game means absolutely nothing and that’s what it should mean to the Glazer’s.
I think it’s not the quarterback but it’s the coach. The team does nothing in the first half no matter who is under center, this team was built to put up points that’s what will save his job…. Not a 15-10 win against another franchise headed for a top 10 pick…come on ira
November 13th, 2017 at 6:01 pm
i believe they 100% still believe in the coaching staff but still serious questions need to be raised about koetters play calling and ultimately if he can lead a successful playoff team. also mike smith should be coaching for his job. any signs of the defense going back to its old ways in these last games and he’s gone . can’t trust him. i think i’ve we are able to salvage the season and finish with 7 or more wins that should give koetter another chance to get us to the playoffs. “barring circumstances if we look awful last couple weeks but still win because of bad play from other team he should be canned” but i believe if he stays we need to look into gettin a real play caller in here to be off. coordinator . monken has been fine but never a play caller in the nfl.
November 13th, 2017 at 8:19 pm
@SB totally agree the site is great but is sullied by the few whom spew their venom and are so dang negative like it is a sport. Get a life and don’t ruin it for the true fans!