No Vote Of Confidence
December 5th, 2017
Strong game not yet enough to get off bench.
When Joe witnessed with his own eyes Peyton Barber run for 102 yards on 23 carries at Green Bay, Joe thought perhaps we may finally be seeing a changing of the guard at running back.
It seems Dirk Koetter is not quite yet ready to go there.
In his day-after presser, Koetter was asked if Barber will be given another chance this Sunday against the Lions to repeat his performance against the Packers.
Koetter didn’t really issue a vote of confidence and hesitated to name Barber a starter so long as Doug Martin can suit up.
“We will see when we get to that point,” Koetter responded when asked if Barber earned the starting role for the Lions.
“Right now, we don’t have that option because Doug [Martin] is in the [concussion] protocol still. If he can go out there and duplicate 165 yards rushing every week, you’d do it. Unfortunately, that’s not guaranteed. It’s not quite that easy, but yeah you’d love to.”
No, Barber is not Emmitt Smith. This just in: Neither is Doug Martin, who at this point is two full years removed from his last 100-yards rushing game, and who once again for the second straight year is at the very bottom of the league in yards-per-attempt. Since Martin ran for 1,400 yards in 2015, which now looks like more an accident by the week, the Bucs have largely struggled on the ground and Koetter himself has mentioned how this drags down the offense.
So why not let Barber get another shot? What’s the harm, what’s the drawback, that Barber might only run for 3.5 yards a carry?
December 5th, 2017 at 6:19 am
Dirk is toast, he’s a coordinator pure and simple.
December 5th, 2017 at 6:31 am
What did you expect, Joe? He will wait til Martin is cleared to play again and we can all sop up that 2.3 yards per carry crap the rest of the year. No confidence in this coaching staff.
More than likely, the reason the Defense has been so putrid is Koetter wont put any heat on Smith.
December 5th, 2017 at 6:35 am
Why are they hell bent on Doug starting? What do they see that everyone else doesn’t? ” Get your best players on the field” that’s all Koetter says, unless it’s at the RB spot. Doug will be cut after the season, so what’s the point. Way to go Dirk, hitch that wagon to a guy who is lost. Other teams out of the race for the playoffs are playing the young guys MORE, I guess Koetter has this notion if he can win another game or 2 he will be back.
December 5th, 2017 at 6:36 am
There was never a competition in pre season, or training camp. Koetter tried to protect his players health, more so then prepare them to play. Licht, and Koetter made the decision to bring D.M. back at his ridiculous salary. What does it say about their judgement if their fourth stringer is actually better then their high priced rehaber?
December 5th, 2017 at 6:42 am
1400 yards an accident??? Please get out of here with that! That year most of his yards were after contact and making people miss in the backfield. You people are sure NFL fans, not for long when it comes to players here. Still I think Barber earned another crack at it and let Martin be a back up
December 5th, 2017 at 7:03 am
It won’t matter I don’t Koetter will survive. He’s gone at the end of the year.
December 5th, 2017 at 7:11 am
Koetter is trolling the media. Barber will start vs Detroit
December 5th, 2017 at 7:19 am
Nothing Koetter does or says makes a lot of sense. You would think that Easy is correct about trolling the media if we were talking about a coach savvy at misdirection like the Hoodie in New England but this is Dirk Koetter the guy who keeps losing games via poor play calling and the refusal to remove his DC. Marvin L in Cincy had an OC that was almost as inept as Mike Smith was and he had the stones to yank him after an 0-2 start, too bad Koetter could not make the same call. 4-12 is very likely Bucs fans, embarrassing and yeas that has to get the coaching staff and the GM all fired, time to blow the team up Glazers….
December 5th, 2017 at 7:21 am
Koetter’s stubborn refusal to play Barber reminds me soooo much of Gruden refusing to play Ernest Graham to prevent Caddy’s wheels from falling off so prematurely. Why are the Bucs cursed with such stubborn ass coaches?
December 5th, 2017 at 7:24 am
Dirk always holds his cards close to his vest. He will never tell his personnel decisions until he has to. Does not want to give the opponent any “advantage”.
December 5th, 2017 at 7:26 am
Save this headline for after next weeks game when the Glazers are asked about Koetter.
December 5th, 2017 at 7:29 am
Since our Last 10-6 season in 2010 under Raheem Morris the Bucs have gone 36/72 till now. Yes that was probably a Fluke season but 36/72 since 10 wins is a long time to watch this team circle the drain year after year.
That my friends is a lot of loosing to watch, ugh, so tired of saying ” well….there is always next year?!”
December 5th, 2017 at 7:37 am
How is this a vote of no confidence? What do you expect him to say after one game. The reality is that Payton will likely get the start Sunday. But unlike you Joe, Koetter is showing some class and respect for a player who was injured working his butt off for this team- and who has done so throughout his career here. These players will feel the effects of things like concussions long after they stop playing. But to you I guess it’s just about entertainment. Praising Barber is fine but show some respect for injured players.
December 5th, 2017 at 7:38 am
“Totally Confident”, right guys?
December 5th, 2017 at 8:03 am
Oh boy Dirk. So much to criticize about the guys head coaching abilities. Think Ill save it. Hey glazers, Please do your dam homework next time. There are very important things a head coach must know how to do.
December 5th, 2017 at 8:05 am
One thing you have definitely been consistently right about is Doug Martin. You were calling for him to be released or traded before he came back off of his suspension, but it never happened. Dirk is a hard headed man who has zero interest making any kind of adjustments. His loyalties and stubbornness will be the end of him here in Tampa.
It’s so funny how we got rid of Lovie Smith because he was stubborn and loyal and refused to make adjustments. And replaced him with a man who is no better. Dirk looks more unqualified to lead this team by the day. I really don’t have much confidence in Licht now either. Dirk is his man. He was the one who convinced the Glazers to cut Lovie and promote Dirk. Their fates should be tied together
December 5th, 2017 at 8:07 am
Happy for the kid….he got a little shimmy in him….
December 5th, 2017 at 8:49 am
Where’s the accountability on this team? Where!?!?! Martin hosed this team in the middle of a playoff run when he favored his demons over football. Over his teammates. Over winning. I’m not even talking about production- that’s a whole other damning argument against him. No. I’m talking about serving a suspension and then being gifted the starting job back. That’s right, gifted. Now, if that was because of a lack of quality talent behind Martin, then Licht needs to be terminated. If it’s because Dirk and his staff can’t or won’t develop young backs, then they need to join Licht. Back to production- Martin has simply not earned the right to start in 4 out of 6 seasons here. Is it a Boise/Idaho thing? Is it that Dirk wouldn’t have usurped Lovie w/o Martin’s contract year performance? All of it stinks. All of it.
December 5th, 2017 at 9:20 am
Frank Pillow,
Once again your comments are spot on. You’re absolutely right, Doug Martin was essentially gifted the job back after the suspension. The Bucs had a get-out-of-jail free card with Martin and they decided to not use it.
I have no confidence in the coaching staff but as far as I’m concerned the only person that really needs to be shown the door once the season is over is Jason Licht. The Bucs have a worse winning percentage under Jason Licht than any other GM over the past 25 years.
December 5th, 2017 at 9:29 am
D-Rome….I am as unhappy as most, but think the GM/HC need to be allowed 1 more year….too many other variables factored into this seasons W-L record
December 5th, 2017 at 10:00 am
P’cola
The other team already has the advantage if they are playing the Bucs.
December 5th, 2017 at 10:35 am
I have been one who has hesitated to call for Dirk’s head because constantly changing coaches never accomplishes anything. However, this has done it for me. When he is slapped in the face with a better option @RB than the check-casher who should have been let go in the off season and refuses to accept it, it brings into question whether Dirk really does have the mindset and judgement of a true HC!
December 5th, 2017 at 10:39 am
Too many games opponents have dominated the Bucs, even average teams like Cards and Bills stomped Bucs. With Lions, Falcons and Saints all playoff alive, expect to see more home losses as this team doesn’t know how to play a complete game. They play in spurts, good offense, bad offense, good defense vs pass, bad defense vs run, good defense vs run, big breakdowns in secondary, pass rush? Its all the same unprofessional performances from key players every week. If you had to make a list of most disappointing Bucs they would be at the top of the chain: McCoy, Evans, Winston, Jackson, Martin, Ayers. These were the players that were supposed to push this team into a competitive game but none of them have shown week to week they can be counted on to make game changing plays.
December 5th, 2017 at 10:50 am
I’m assuming Koetter had a big influence on Doug’s $35 million contract and knows if he doesn’t start him due to performance that’s another BIG reason the Glazers should not bring Dirk back next year.
December 5th, 2017 at 12:06 pm
We owe Doug Martin nothing. Barber may not have the upside that Martin ONCE had, but he showed patience and vision Sunday. The only running backs that last 6 plus years are the elite ones. I want to see what Peyton can do with a full share of the load in the rest of these games.
December 5th, 2017 at 12:58 pm
Hawley back this week should halp in the running game too.
December 5th, 2017 at 1:02 pm
If Martin starts- it will be one of the stupidest decisions Ive ever seen this team make.
And thats From a Franchise infamous for stupid f**king decisions.
If Martin Takes the first Snap, Koetter should be fired at halftime
December 5th, 2017 at 1:17 pm
I was ready to cut Drug Martin last year. Simply based on the fact that he wasn’t even that great in his best seasons; and at his best was just an average RB imo. If you look at his 2012 / 2015 seasons; he had dud performances in 50% of his games (~ 50-60 total yards or less). He flat out sucked 4ss in 2013,2014,2016, and now 2017. I have never understood the fan’s massive love of this guy – a guy who took a big contract only to get suspended right afterwards for drugs
December 5th, 2017 at 1:24 pm
(Sigh)
I said it a million times.
Doug Martin only plays hard- when he has money on the line
Played hard his first year, and his contract year.
Coasted the rest
If Koetter starts Martin, Koetter should be fired at Halftime
And Tmaxipad should be the new coach- to celebrate his promotion!
Now, he will officially be the SECOND dumbest person in Tampa!
December 5th, 2017 at 4:09 pm
When martin comes off concussion, he will be starting rb because
this is what Klueless Koetter is and does
martin would never be used under Grudog. Barber has decent hands and immediately heads north south
theres little holes in the nfl and it closes quickly. Barbers skillset is what is required. hit the hole and break arm tackles