Third Down Defense Inexcusable
November 26th, 2017
“Hey Mike, what would be your reaction if I told you an NFL defense could only stop one third down attempt in a second half?”
The Bucs third down defense was so atrocious today, a Pasco County high school flag football summer league coach would be so ashamed he’d likely resign.
When the Bucs needed their defense the most, it cowered in the shadow of Matty Ice and Julio Jones.
In the second half today, the Bucs stopped the Dixie Chicks on one third down. One! How could this be?
And when the Bucs lost the ball on downs late, with Atlanta holding a one-score lead at 27-20, the defense just needed one stop on third down. One.
Instead, the Bucs gave up a touchdown drive.
Game over.
When the dust settled, the Bucs coughed up 516 yards of offense to the Dixie Chicks. That is not a typo — 516 yards! If there was a Mexican Football League, a coach could wind up missing if his players were responsible for that kind of feces. He surely wouldn’t be kidnapped. Who the hell would pay the ransom?
Joe thinks the world of Smith and it always pains Joe to type the following, but Joe sure hopes he has a good realtor. How can Team Glazer possibly stomach another season of this? The Bucs have Pro Bowl players at every level of the defense. Quality young players in the back two levels.
There is no excuse for this kind of tripe. And the fact it always happens on the road makes it even worse for Smith.
November 26th, 2017 at 5:12 pm
Not saying that Smitty is doing a great job coaching the defense, but good heavens Joe, look at the talent he’s stuck working with. Dumpster fire in the making.
November 26th, 2017 at 5:16 pm
Ryan Smith (who) playing press man on Julio Jones (All Pro) on 3rd and 8 with the game on the line.
Wonder how that’s gonna turn out.
November 26th, 2017 at 5:20 pm
This is why you don’t hire your BFF if he isn’t the right fit. We know about defense in Tampa and we know when we have the right fit for a soft zone 4 man steady rush.
Get this scrub coach staff out of here. They are a disservice to our players.
And no we are not world beaters on defense but we have 4 legit probowlers….Beckwidth and Gholston can make play……and did you see Evans at the start of that game? Dude was an anjmal!!!
You can’t convince me the right coach couldn’t produce more results with these guys. Mike Smith was a horrible hire, that’s all there is to it.
November 26th, 2017 at 5:20 pm
All off-season we heard about how Smith was focused on designing plays to confuse QBs. It seems every play we can all tell what the coverage is. The only thing that might confuse the QB is trying to figure out why no one is within 5 yards of the receivers. They stop and say ” huh I wonder why no one is trying to sack me?, And why are they playing so far off my WR?” Well played Mike Smith, they never saw it coming.
November 26th, 2017 at 5:22 pm
Mike Smith has to go, Lovie smith had half this talent and defense is just as bad as when lovie was calling the defensive shots. Lovie didnt have Ayers, Tj ward, Grimes, VH3, Beckwidith, Baker and Kwon was suspended the last 4 games of the season.
BYE MIKE SMITH!
November 26th, 2017 at 5:22 pm
Mike Smith SUCK!!!
November 26th, 2017 at 5:24 pm
How in the world you pass up a renowned defensive mastermind in Jim Schwartz to have a guy that has never pioneered a defense as your D Coord. It’s incomprehensible.
November 26th, 2017 at 5:27 pm
We need to get rid of koetter now!!! 2nd n 2 n we throw three times…r u serious? Plz sever ties wit MEvans also. He’s slow, soft n drop too many passes. when he does catches a pass he hit the ground prematurely anticipating contact. Charles Sims could have scored had he played with tenacity such as Atlanta’s 2nd n 3rd string rb I’m tired of watching him dance in place on missed opportunities. We need speed n players with a drive n killer instinct. Again MEvans is soft, he’s slow n one dimension. He’s a waste. I’ll take Sanu over MEvans any day killer instinct over thriller instinct.
November 26th, 2017 at 5:32 pm
While the Bucs defense has many problems, I’m all eyes on their offense. The offense is straight horrid. Too many 3 and outs. Too many drives to the red zone only to settle for 3 points. Too many runs with yards lost or for no gain. Too many 3rd and long. Too many receivers being open and not thrown to. Too many balls being thrown behind the receiver or over thrown. Say what you want about the Bucs defense but the offense has too many weapons (for Winston?) to fail. Year 2 of koetters tenure and there are no positives on the offensive side of the ball to build off of. Defense has 20 t.o.’s this year and the offense can’t do anything with them.
November 26th, 2017 at 5:59 pm
I love this site but it’s the same stories every week……
November 26th, 2017 at 6:02 pm
Mike Smiths hire as I told someone at the time was Dirk Koetter Fire
I use to laugh at the Atlanta ownership allowing this guy to soften the Falcons !!! Glazers need to fire Smith immediately if Licht doesn’t and if Licht doesn’t he gone also.
Please bring in Romo to be offensive coordinator , he would bring the fire and passion that Koetter lacks yet Koetters strengths would help Romo and vise versa !!! Give up a third round pick to get wade Phillips over to Tampa !!!
That literally is the worst coached defense the NFL has seen since Lovie , oh that was in Tampa Also. Licht is scared to hurt Koetter and Koetter is scared to hurt Smith , well guess what jack asses half a million fans don’t give a sht , Licht do your dam job ,,,,,,Fire Smith Now !!!
November 26th, 2017 at 7:03 pm
500+yards!!!…. This staff has to good!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
November 26th, 2017 at 7:46 pm
*go
November 26th, 2017 at 7:49 pm
Theres good reason both Koetter and Smitty were bid farewell by Falcons owner Arthur Banks. As usuual, we collect the discardibles and give them a brand new name…I said it before his hire, Koetter is not HC coaching material. He’s a great complementary guy though. Now the big question is, How will..4-8 look?
November 27th, 2017 at 10:22 am
He’s horrible, he’s always been horrible. I didn’t want him in Tampa and I wanted him to leave after last season. The fact is, that he was in Atlanta FOREVER and it was HIS defense that kept his team from being a true contender. He never even had a defense in the top half of the league while there. He rests on his accomplishments of what he did as DC for the Jaguars back when they were loaded with talent up front (Henderson, Stroud) and had playmakers all over the place (Rashan Mathis). He is not a good DC and hasn’t been for quite some time. He needs to go… so does Koetter.