How Ugly Could It Get?
December 18th, 2017
“Jiminy Christmas, I can’t control that people love me!”
This is something Joe feared and detailed way back in May, when the Bucs announced that the greatest coach in franchise history, Chucky, would be inducted into the Ring of Honor.
What happens if the Bucs are having a lousy season and fans have turned on Dirk Koetter, how ugly could it get at the Den of Depression with fans hollering for the return of Chucky on his big day?
Well, here we are. Chucky will be inducted tonight.
In yesterday’s broadcast of “Tailgate Sunday,” WTVT-TV Channel 13 sports anchor Scott Smith (there should be a moratorium of “Scott Smiths” in the Bucs press corps) was joined by JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman and former Bucs defensive back Ricky Reynolds to discuss how ugly it may get at the Den of Depression if the Bucs are trailing at halftime and fans are well-lubricated.
Reynolds also noted that three weeks ago when the Bucs played the Dixie Chicks, the 14 different coverages the Bucs tried on Atlanta wide receiver Julio Jones could be summed up in one word.
“Soft.”
View the episode below. Video courtesy of WTVT-TV Channel 13.
December 18th, 2017 at 5:15 am
Bucs defense is soft. Linebackers are the strongest group as we have heard plenty of times by Warren Sapp it starts up front. Our front end is hurting our back end. Our DC isn’t helping anyone or anything……
December 18th, 2017 at 6:42 am
Last prime time game for the Yucs for the next 2 years
“I can’t wait to fire this pathetic Klueless in 4 weeks”
Darci Glazer
December 18th, 2017 at 7:16 am
Son of Kobe: not really true about no prime time games for the next 2 years as every NFL team gets a Thursday night game so that the Bucs can get boat raced by someone on a short week if they go on the road (trip to the ATL comes to mind, 56-0 at one point) or lose a close one at home like they did to the Chowds thanks to Nick Folk on week 5. Would not surprise me if the Glazers try to move one of their home games to Wembley or Tottenham next year simply for the coin as attendance is likely to nose dive next yer unless they hire Chuckie but yeah, doubt if we see the Bucs on MNF for the next couple of seasons no matter who coaches the team……
December 18th, 2017 at 7:21 am
I love Chucky. I love the fire and the passion! Should be a great night for him.
That being said, the Bucs have a tall order tonight. The Falcons are playing for a division title, and are playing well. The Bucs need help at RB, OT, DE, S, etc… I just don’t see the Bucs pulling this one out. Look for the return of Chucky rumors to get even louder after tonight.
December 18th, 2017 at 7:34 am
I’ll repost this prediction in March after it comes true (actually will let Realist report it since he’s so good at that):
1 – HC Dirk Koetter stays for 1 more year (but gives up OC hat).
2 – OC Todd Monken is designated as the REAL OC.
3 – DC Mike Smith stays for 1 more year (but gets a LOT of new players on defense).
4 – QB Mike Bajakian is replaced.
5 – OL Coach George Warhop is replaced.
6 – Desean Jackson, Chris Baker & Doug Martin all get released.
7 – GM Jason Licht does NOT get offered a new contract.
December 18th, 2017 at 7:58 am
Interesting predictions Defense Rules. The one GLARING prediction I completely disagree with is Smitty being retained, regardless of any new players.
Otherwise, I think I could live with the rest.
December 18th, 2017 at 8:20 am
@ Defense Rules
The only point I disagree with you is #4.
I heard mike is very good but JW is just an idiot and is not soaking up the advice from his HC and QB C………….unfortunately, you cannot coach the stupidity out of a kid that’s been doing this sheit since he was playing PEE WEE football.
December 18th, 2017 at 8:31 am
Understand completely Bucsfanman, LOTS of folks want to see Smitty out-a-here. I’m not one of them for 3 primary reasons. First, experienced coaches like Smitty don’t just forget how to coach one day. He’s got a very good staff IMO, but the Bucs management hasn’t given them much to work with. Results, regardless of who was DC, were predictable. Second, he knows the players. When it comes to who should stay & who should go, I’d trust Smitty’s evaluation much more than I would Licht’s or even Koetter’s. And just as important, he appears to have very strong relationships with our key defensive players (like Lavonte & Kwon for instance). Third, he also has critical HC experience (as in being voted NFL Coach of the Year THREE different times … 2008, 2010 & 2012). His relationship to Dirk Koetter is a critical element IF Dirk is retained. If Koetter falls flat next year (assuming some major personnel upgrades), Smitty would be a very logical person to slide into the HC position (if he wants it of course). Lots of IFs there I know, but bringing in a whole new coaching staff … along with a new GM (he’s a goner) AND a number of new players … would be the worst of all worlds.
December 18th, 2017 at 8:38 am
TheBucsAnthem, I don’t disagree with you about Jameis. Something weird is going on this year with him & I don’t have a clue what it is, but his actions are showing me a very different Jameis than we all saw his first 2 years. Might be frustration with not getting the results he was expecting of himself AND the T-E-A-M, or it might be that he’s a lot more sensitive to criticism (from coaches, media and fans) than any of us thought.
Whatever the real situation is, Mike Bajakian has had 3 years working with Jameis and I for one am not impressed with the results. I’m sure that he’s a very good coach, but if he’s not getting through to Jameis then Bucs need to try someone different IMO. Can’t keep doing the same thing but expecting different results. Jameis is going into his 4th year, and Bucs have a critical decision looming at the end of next year: Is Jameis our QB going forward or not?
December 18th, 2017 at 8:43 am
@ Defense Rules
You could be right….but I honestly think no coach right now can get through to JWs thick headed skull.’
JW needs to be completely torn down mentally and then rebuilt up again with good habits.
I honestly think it’s all Jameis and not the coaches faults at all.
December 18th, 2017 at 8:56 am
defense rules
it will be a cold day in h3ll for those predictions to come true…..face it….dirk is as good as gone….offense, defense and ST has regressed under his watch….players are regressing….an extra year with dirk will only guarantee a higher draft pick next year….
as you stated,” Something weird is going on this year with him & I don’t have a clue what it is”, well i’ll tell you its coaching….those who don’t have their dirk sunglasses on can see that….he’s surrounded by incompetent coaching…..
cant wait for 01/01/2018….PODS containers will be waiting for dirk at his front door….GO BUCS!!!!
December 18th, 2017 at 9:09 am
Either the team cleans house or not.
If the Bucs retain the staff but fire Smith, the team will be hard-pressed to excite season ticket holders into renewing.
IMO, cleaning the coaching house will happen. The entire team, every aspect of the game, has regressed and frustration set in. This is not a good thing.
@Defense Rules: I’d keep Jackson. I can’t recall when such a weapon was so badly underutilized. But there is a lot of dead wood that needs trimming.
December 18th, 2017 at 9:10 am
@813bucboi: “Dirk glasses”…LOL…
December 18th, 2017 at 9:16 am
I agree about the “revolving door” of coaches DR. Those are fair arguments, especially talent-wise. My issue is that he never adjusted scheme. How could he continue to watch DBs playing so far off the WRs? How come he waited so long to get the LBs involved in regular blitzing, especially with a depleted d-line?
The straw for me is the conversion rate on 3rd and longs. It’s absurd! It seems like we’re better off when it’s 3rd and 5 or less than when it’s 3rd and 10.
December 18th, 2017 at 9:21 am
I’m jealous of ole Chucky. HE;s always surrounded by several cutie-pies. Watch out Chucky.
December 18th, 2017 at 9:52 am
Good thing Chucky isn’t running fro Congress.
December 18th, 2017 at 10:43 am
DR – re your predictions…
I can see 1>5 happening as I believe the Glazers will not be so quick to fire coaches this time around. Smith staying is the least likely but like you said Mike Smith did not forget how to coach and neither did Dirk.
#6 – DJax isn’t going anywhere. He is guaranteed $7.5M of his $11M salary in 2018 and has shown himself as a valuable weapon in 2017 despite not having any long pass hook ups so far this year.
#7 WTF?? You think the Glazers will bring back the primary coaches who (along with the underachieving players) are largely responsible for this crappy season – but fire the GM who has drafted a ton of young talent?? Hell – Jason Licht drafted TWICE as many good players in 2 drafts (2015 & 2017) as Dom did in 5 years. IMO – there’s a much better chance that GM Licht stays and the coaches get fired than the opposite scenario you predicted with #7.
December 18th, 2017 at 12:36 pm
@Pickgrin- IMO Licht could be fired solely for the Hargreaves and Aguayo picks. He’s landed some nice ones but a #11 overall should not be difficult to hit on and land. We know the Aguayo story!
December 18th, 2017 at 12:39 pm
First round picks have a 50% bust rate.
Every GM will miss on them from time to time. Agauyo was just horrible though. But I”m not going to get rid of someone for 1 draft pick over a 3 year period.
December 18th, 2017 at 12:47 pm
@un- I can’t help but think that the VHIII pick was in large part because of his Florida connection. In GM terms, you don’t draft “feel-good” guys if you’re trying to build a team.
I don’t think he’s a bust yet, but WTF is wrong with him?!
December 18th, 2017 at 1:25 pm
@bucsfanman
I really don’t know. Seems like he just lost his confidence. OR he was playing injured for a while and was giving all that cushion so he didn’t get burned. But we’ve seen all out other DBs playing 10 yards off as well. Grimes is the only one that can actually do it right.
VH3 looked better playing in the slot, which funny enough, I thought he was better suited for that anyways when we drafted him. I know he’s got decent vertical jump, but his overall smaller size and slower speed just doesn’t match up against big fast receivers on the outside. Maybe he’s okay on the outside if you’re always going to slide a safety over to give him help, but then really what’s the point?
December 18th, 2017 at 1:25 pm
*all our other DBs
December 18th, 2017 at 1:34 pm
Pickgrin … I thought DJax had already gotten all of his guaranteed money. If not, as you say, he’ll be here another year. It’s not that he’s not valuable, because he is. I just happen to think that Bucs now have too many receivers (WRs/TEs/RBs) vying for the ball. Personally think that’s been one of our problems … too many mouths to feed. Godwin has turned out to be an excellent WR, and he’d be a good #2 to ME13 IMO.
Far as our GM goes, his drafting record is OK, but his prioritization isn’t. Plus his FA and T-E-A-M building has been mediocre at best. Bucs are building this team based on HIS VISION, and right now 4-9 speaks volumes about the credibility of that vision. Anyone can go out and buy a whole bunch of Mercedes parts then force-fit them into a Volkswagen Beetle, but that won’t make it a Mercedes.
December 18th, 2017 at 3:07 pm
There you go DR, TEAM building/chemistry. WHO ARE THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS?! WTF IS OUR IDENTITY?!
Seriously!
December 18th, 2017 at 4:14 pm
Its important to realize where Licht started from. He inherited one of the worst teams in the league (as evidenced by the 2-14 2014 record). Dom drafted exactly 3 “good” players in 5 years – McCoy, LD54 and Martin who were still here and among the very few legitimate “building blocks” when GM Licht came through the door.
Why the talent assembled thus far has under-achieved so badly in 2017 – especially after a nice run the 2nd half of the 2016 season that got everyone’s hopes and expectations up for this year – is a true mystery. No one including players or coaches seem to be able to put their finger on what’s “missing” in 2017. Which is bad – because if you don’t know for sure what is causing the “problem” (ie – not enough wins) – then how are you going to fix the problem?
What is not in question though is the young talent drafted by GM Licht since he got here 3 years and 11 months ago.
Evans, Winston, D. Smith, Marpet, Kwon, Spence, Howard, J. Evans, Godwin, Beckwith. Pamphile and Hargreaves both had bad years in 2017 but have demonstrated talent and will likely bounce back to be at least decent players. Throw in budding young role players like Ryan Smith, Stevie T and established young UDFA finds like Brate, Humphries and Barber…
That’s pretty impressive work by our GM considering starting from near scratch and lacking many of the most basic ingredients necessary for building a “winning” organization.
We now have most of what’s needed to “win” talent wise and Licht has gotten us to this point faster than most GMs would have been able to. Even coach K said in preseason that this 2017 team was “by far” the most talent he had seen assembled in Tampa Bay.
Sure you can now point to a few bad picks out of the 2 1/2 dozen or so that Licht has made (ASJ, Aguayo and Hargreaves at #11 specifically) but Jason is way above average when it comes to picking solid players vs “busts” compared to the average NFL general manager.
Many people’s gripe with GM Licht is they don’t like his seeming non-prioritization at certain positions. (DE in particular). What most who feel this way don’t consider is that your GM is largely doing what so many say they wish he would do come draft time – but then change their minds come draft time and post draft as they get fixated on this player or that position. Jason is largely drafting good football players over “need”. We “needed” a good DE in the 1st round this year but instead got a generational talent at TE. We “needed” an upgrade at RB in the 2nd or 3rd round this year but instead got a good looking safety prospect, a very reliable looking young receiver and a great looking young LBer who can play any LB position well which he’s already shown he can do well in just his rookie season.
DL, CB and RB will all get addressed in the draft this year and/or next (along with OL hopefully) – meanwhile (if he is allowed to) Jason Licht will continue to build this team up with talent and at some point (hopefully soon) the wins will come.