Passing Grades At One Buc Palace
January 15th, 2018
It seems there’s a been a lot of back-slapping, fist-bumping, arm-barring and champagne-toasting recently at One Buc Palace.
A thorough and extensive review of the coaching staff has been completed.
The result?
Well, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports today that the entire Bucs coaching staff had its contract options picked up for the 2018 season. The band is coming back, so it appears.
Joe is not surprised. Look, Jason Licht and Dirk Koetter will do everything in their power to improve this football team. These devoted men scour the globe for the best coaches and self-scout their coaches until the wee hours to determine the best fits for this team. And, it seems, that hard work led them to determine (for now) Tampa Bay has the very best staff it could find. Yes, Joe is being sarcastic.
Something sure stinks about this two-week-old Bucs offseason.
Yes, Joe will do the research to see what team in NFL history has had the 32nd-ranked defense like the Bucs did this season and then kept its defensive staff in tact. That might take Joe a looooong time to figure out.
January 15th, 2018 at 1:11 pm
Well not exactly passing grades…..more like being help back having to repeat ….
January 15th, 2018 at 1:15 pm
Must be grading on a REALLY STEEP CURVE………it’s the new touchy-feeling “Everyone Gets A Trophy” school of thought…….EVERY COACH is great, give them good grades otherwise someone might get their feelings hurt….
January 15th, 2018 at 1:16 pm
GTFOH R U Serious?
January 15th, 2018 at 1:16 pm
I think the major surprise…if indeed this is surprising…is Smitty. I was a supporter but when he got toasted by JJ in that Atlanta game and made no halftime adjustments….not good…the fact he put a very weak CB on him instead of Grimes…mystifying…he could have used Evans at safety to cover the top of JJ in effect double covering JJ….I still do not understand that.
Ultimately though I come down with D.R. He has made several cogent posts on Smitty’s hands tied by a significant lack of talent and injuries. I agree.
I have enough curiosity to see how they do this year. Can’t really be worse than last year if we have better luck healthwise.
January 15th, 2018 at 1:19 pm
Mike Mularkley and the Tennessee Titans has decided to part ways. Jon Robinson is now looking for a Head Coach.
January 15th, 2018 at 1:20 pm
**Mike Mularkey***
January 15th, 2018 at 1:21 pm
We need a new ST coach….is that too much to ask…certainly would not upset the apple cart and send a small message to get your sierra together….
January 15th, 2018 at 1:28 pm
Are we really surprised? This clueless leadership will also keep all the same players in place like Swaggy and Doug. The offensive line will continue the way it is. The schemes will remain the same. They will draft the wrong needs. Then they will hope it will bring better results this season. Everyone else is wrong about what needs to be done in their eyes. It is all so comical and illogical that it borders on twilight zone material. BTW, they hope to sell tickets for the 2018 season to all us stupid fans. What do we know?
January 15th, 2018 at 1:30 pm
have talent will travel! Imcomplete is the only fair grade since Licht failed to provide
quality players on defense last year in free agency. Expecting Spence to come back. The decline of Vh3 ,Ayers,and Gholston were just a few problems. The most
pressing need was DE then CB or safety. So with all those needs we get one safety from the draft.
January 15th, 2018 at 1:31 pm
Here comes another “Accountability“ article. Mularkey; goner.
January 15th, 2018 at 1:31 pm
Clearly they understand that, since ownership has publicly painted them into a corner, that there aren’t very many upgrades to be had. Nobody wants to bank their career on a coach with a big target on his back.
January 15th, 2018 at 1:35 pm
The Glazer boys must be up to something.
Very Un-Glazer like.
Like maybe looking at this little downward attendance trend and the concussion suits and thinking, maybe time to take our billion profit and go?
January 15th, 2018 at 1:39 pm
When I said clueless it was referring to the Love Smith regime. I never thought or hoped that that type of leadership would return to our team. But this is all starting to be another era of hopelessness.
January 15th, 2018 at 1:40 pm
Lakeland, Jon Robison can have Smith, right? Also Lake, I’m here in Dixieland, just south of Lake Hunter. Where are you?
January 15th, 2018 at 1:41 pm
You can’t have “accountability” and firing coaches and in the next sentence say that the front office and coaching staff is a do or die year or they are gone!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!
January 15th, 2018 at 1:42 pm
Still pulling the “32nd-ranked defense” wagon I see Joe. Consistency counts. Or is that persistency? Whatever. Came across some defensive stats that showed the 2017 defensive rankings. Minnesota ranked #1, Jacksonville ranked #2, Chargers ranked #3, etc. All the way down to #24 … the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hmmm, seems they rank defenses by POINTS ALLOWED, not Yards Allowed. Strange people.
That same chart showed that the Bucs actually did several good things last year (and several REALLY bad ones). On the good side, they ranked middle-of-the-pack (#15) in INTs with 13, and tied for #4 in Forced Fumbles with 15 (interestingly, they tied at #2 for Fumbles Recovered with 13 and tied for #3 in TDs off of fumble recoveries with 3). And yes, the Bucs’ offense got credited with those 21 points, just like the Bucs’ defense got ‘credited’ with the 21 points allowed by our Special Teams (such a good deal). On the not-so-good side, they were dead last (tied with Carolina & Oakland) in Passed Defensed with only 56. And they were also dead last in sacks with 22. Yuck!
Ya, I’d say that both the DLine AND the Secondary need some ‘refreshing’. Ya think that’s what Jason Licht & Dirk Koetter are smiling about in that photo by the way?
January 15th, 2018 at 1:50 pm
BringBucsBack
I’m in Atlanta
Defense Rules
My charts has the Bucs defense ranked 22nd
January 15th, 2018 at 1:52 pm
I’m guessing the Glazers told Dirk and Licht they got another year to prove themselves and so they’re rallying the troops internally – we’ll see how it works out. Dirk is clearly on the hot seat so if this is how he wants to do it, at this point it should be his call, with everyone realizing that they’re all fired if they don’t get it done. I’m not totally against this as just hiring some new position coaches is hardly going to fix all the coaching issues. We’ll see how these guys react when they know they’re all coaching for their jobs – will they crumble under the pressure or will they succeed? At this point if Dirk is sticking around I’d rather just see how it goes doing it his way as opposed to getting in new coaches he doesn’t want and then having to hear excuses – this is all on him and Licht now, do or die.
Good luck with that.
January 15th, 2018 at 1:56 pm
I am with joe on this one I smell a rat somethings not right is it the bucs have to much money invested in Smith contract to let him go and what Smith want is to keep his current D staff together? or are the bucs waiting for Koetter contract to expire which I think is the end of next season not sure but i thought Koetter had a 4 year deal. all in all what i am thinking is the bucs might have some kind of financial problem with firing their coach. I am thinking if they had fired Koetter unless they could have found some coach that wanted to keep Smith then they would have had to pay Koetter Smith and the new coach.
January 15th, 2018 at 1:56 pm
The Bucs offense get credit for 28 defense points
Adarius Glanton fumble return TD
Lavonte David fumble return TD
Isaiah Johnson fumble return TD
Robert McClain INT return TD
The Bucs offense actually scored a measly 19.2 PTS/G
January 15th, 2018 at 1:56 pm
Eric..I have been a staunch defender of the G’Boyz since day one….however I think it may be time for them to sell too….NC is up for sale so a perfect time to throw their hat in the ring in a bidding war….the game has changed and the younger demographic is not as rabid as the many generations of football fans before…who knows
The G’Boyz are well intended …but inept is the football world…I wish them well
January 15th, 2018 at 1:56 pm
StPete, interesting that you bring up the Julio Jones roasting of Ryan Smith. That one befuddled me too (keep doing the same thing but expecting different results & someone’s gonna label you ‘crazy’). Kept wondering if maybe Grimes had something wrong with him that game because it just didn’t make sense to keep Smith on Jones.
January 15th, 2018 at 1:57 pm
Dead Dirk Walking
January 15th, 2018 at 1:58 pm
Because how can you make the chicken spit into chicken soup (& I like Licht). Once Spence left and Baker just cashed his checks (& J. Smith was never coming back), what exactly did the coaches have to work with up front. And once VHIII proved a mediocre slot corner, Conte is Captain Stopgap (doesn’t mean he stops anything in the gaps, mind you), and Ward didn’t pan out, what talent did they have in the secondary? The coaches made Evans way more disciplined than he had been, but you can’t coach the fear (of his own lack of speed) out of Hargreaves.
January 15th, 2018 at 1:59 pm
DD…how many red zone turnovers did the Bucs have ? TIA
January 15th, 2018 at 1:59 pm
Bunch of BS!!!!!!! So much inconsistency!
Prepare for another below .500 season…..6 wins, maybe….SMDFH!!!!
January 15th, 2018 at 2:00 pm
Leadership starts from the top.
And the difference from Shahid Khan & Glazer’s.
As U can see from his teams sign & trades from 2016-2017
Defensive Line
• Marcell Dareus (28) DT – $96,574,118
• Calais Campbell (31) DE – $60,000,000
• Malik Jackson (28) DT/DE – $42,000,000
• Stefan Charles (29) DT – $4,000,000
Defensive Backfield
• A.J. Bouye (26) CB – $67,500,000
• Tashaun Gipson (27) FS – $36,000,000
• Barry Church (29) SS – $26,000,000
Completely Revamped Defensive Line & Backfield
Now that’s what U call being hyper aggressive.
Thats an owner that wants to win. No Lipservice
So please stop excuses
January 15th, 2018 at 2:01 pm
2019 draft…..
http://walterfootball.com/draft2019charlie.php
about the only fkn thing to look forward to
January 15th, 2018 at 2:02 pm
@LUV, im close to saying fk it, im done! lol…..wtf is with the Glazers and Licht?!
January 15th, 2018 at 2:03 pm
I don’t think the initial schemes are bad (look how the offense performed when they ran the ball with barber) the defense is pretty close to the same schemes Philadelphia and Atlanta play…those teams have pass rushers we don’t.
If anything this playoffs have proven that having a good pass rush is more important than having a good quarterback…so hopefully this year we go get some instead of just doing it on the cheap.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:05 pm
Lakeland, you’re right, Bucs ended up ranking # 22 in Points Allowed. The rankings that I used had already subtracted the Points Allowed by the ST units (it showed Bucs’ defense giving up 356 points on the season. STs & Offense allowed another 26 bringing the total to 382 points. Doesn’t really matter much because Joe will STILL show them ranked #32.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:06 pm
Well at least we don’t have to worry about tons of hype and expectations next year lol. My god.
I get retaining Smitty/Koetter- that is kind of a package deal right now – but QB coach / secondary coach / either line coach / special teams coaches – all should have been considered for changes…
January 15th, 2018 at 2:08 pm
Well as was said before they must be grading on a curve. We’re 500% better than the Browns staff… 👍
January 15th, 2018 at 2:09 pm
@MadMax
Can’t do thats lol – But the sh!t is getting so old brotha.
We know the younger Glazers are not football guys.
But whoever’s in their ear needs to jump off a cliff.
I mean Wow
January 15th, 2018 at 2:10 pm
Can’t do that lol – But the sh!t is getting so old brotha.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:12 pm
Defense Rules
I have the Bucs defense scoring 28 points
The Special Teams giving up 21 points
The Bucs offense giving up 7 points
January 15th, 2018 at 2:14 pm
Jon gruden already has a better s special teams coach than us. I for one didn’t think anything changes needed to be made seeing as how they’ll all be gone next year.
Even if the defense improves, if Winston had another subpar season and doesn’t take a huge leap forward they will be fired anyway. The offense is the only thing that can save dirk koetter if they can’t score points in first half of games if they don’t show touchdowns he’s finished. Defense has saved dirk twice, once for being good once for being awful he won’t have defense as an excuse for anything this time
January 15th, 2018 at 2:14 pm
@Defense Rules
Bucs were either last or 2nd to last in both yards allowed and points allowed per drive. That stat has nothing to do with the Bucs’ offense at all. That is the defense sucking on average every drive compared to the rest of the NFL.
The Bucs defense forced only 59 points compared to 100 for Jville; or the league average of about 75. That screwed the offense by 16 possessions compared to an average NFL team – or an entire possession per game.
Despite that; the Bucs still moved the ball about as well as anyone; and only punted it 65 times vs the league average of 75 – aiding the defense by 10 possessions they didn’t have to deal with.
The Bucs did have a lot of turnovers; but only 5 more turnovers than the league average. So in terms of net help/hurt – the offense actually helped the defense more so than the average NFL team – to the tune of 5 net less possessions for the defense to face.
On the flip side – the defense forced 5 more turnovers than the league average; but gave up an additional 16 possessions in terms of not forcing other teams to punt the ball – or a net hurt to the offense of 11 possessions.
In summary:
THe offense – including turnovers – helped the defense more-so than the average NFL offense; to the tune of 5 saved posessions the defense didn’t face.
The defense – including turnovers – hurt the offense more-so than the average NFL defense; to the tune of 11 less posessions for the offense.
The defense was the worst in the league in yards given up and points given up per possession.
Not sure how you can have any other conclusion than “our defense was f*cking terrible and one of the worst in the NFL” when looking at that lol
January 15th, 2018 at 2:15 pm
LUV….Poppa G was not a football guy anymore than his boys are….it was the boys that wanted in on the NFL ,they were fans, and once Poppa G understood the numbers he signed the check….a complete fallacy that Poppa G was somehow responsible for the Bucs initial football success and after his stroke the wheels fell off without his guidance
January 15th, 2018 at 2:17 pm
People like to blame Smith but IMO Smith didn’t draft Hargreaves, Spence, or Smith….He didn’t sign Ayers, Baker, Gholston or Ward. Also, this defense got put in terrible field position and deficits on a weekly basis by Winston & Co turning the ball over for pick 6s, easy FGs or not scoring when in the red zone.
Was the defense bad….yes. But was it really predominately coaching? I dont think so. The team was very competitive the last 5 weeks of the season. They allowed some last minute drives but when you’re offense doesn’t get anything going until the 4th qtr, your defense is going to be gassed by the end of the game….especially when you have no pass rush the entire game. There’s a lot more to analyzing performance then just ranking.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:18 pm
@ LUV @Lord @Lakeland @Defense and of course me and the JOES….
AND @BUCS…..since you’re keeping that staff you might as well HIRE US as consultants…..I mean shooting fish in a barrel seems to elude you!
January 15th, 2018 at 2:19 pm
Bobby M…excellent summation
January 15th, 2018 at 2:20 pm
AlteredEgo
There’s no denying the fact – that this organization has taken a nose dive – since stroke back in 2007.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:22 pm
@MadMax
Lol, I mean just look in the archives its right there in black & white.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:22 pm
I wonder how often over the next 15 years, with a team with at least average expectations, you’ll have a team that goes 5-11, but keeps its entire staff intact?
I’m not talking about a team like the Jets that fell apart the previous season and then had its best players purged to try to win the perfect season parade and its big prize, the number one pick–in a season with four or more top 10 quarterbacks coming out. So, I’ll qualify it by defining average by saying a team has to have a win total line of at least 7. The Bucs preseason win total was 8 and that was in what Vegas rated as the best division in football. So, JBF wasn’t the only place where expectations were pretty high.
What would the over/under be? You have about 24 teams each year that qualify times 15 years, so n=360, but then only about 5 of those teams (Houston, Indy, Denver, NYG and us this year) will go 5-11 or worse. So how many out of 75 or so?
Note that besides the Bucs, only Denver kept its head coach and him just barely (italiczed)–with six assistants jettisoned the day after the season ended.
I’ll go with an over/under of 1 and take the under (italicized).
January 15th, 2018 at 2:22 pm
What dirt does Coach K and Licht have on whoever? Something just doesnt make sense here!!!!!!!!!!
January 15th, 2018 at 2:24 pm
Exactly LUV….its almost a freebie the s*it and time we give them….they just need to spend a little bit of their time here……freebies everywhere…..BUT NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
LOL! AHHHHHH! they drive me fkn crazy!
January 15th, 2018 at 2:28 pm
@MadMax
Let the JBF vets guide U …lol
January 15th, 2018 at 2:28 pm
Lets drive down there and put in an application LUV! Where you at, I’ll pick you up Brotha!
I mean, since the bars are set so low, WHY NOT!?!? All they can do is say No! HAHAHAHAHA
January 15th, 2018 at 2:29 pm
**********************
It was just reported yesterday that Mularkey had his contract EXTENDED … not today HE tells them, “no thanks, I don’t want to coach Mariota and these Titans” … interesting.
My guess is the GM caved to the fans and told Mularkey he needs to “air it out” more and Mularkey said, “Are you kidding me? Mariota is second WORST in the entire NFL in passer rating on every pass that isn’t a play-action … we must pound the rock for him to succeed. If you don’t agree than I am out of here!”
I know everyone is freaking out about the Bucs coaches all coming back but consistency can be a good thing … Mularkey went 9-7 last year and just got the Titans to the playoffs for the first time in forever this year … and now he’s gone and they are searching for a new guy … that’s NOT a good thing.
HOWEVER … if the Titans get Josh McDaniels … that could be interesting.
Regardless, change for no other reason than the sake of change is dumb.
****************
January 15th, 2018 at 2:29 pm
Um, Im one of the vets too….been here since what, 2009?
January 15th, 2018 at 2:30 pm
I’m not a Mike Smith supporter. But I think Mike Smith is getting some unfair criticism. He has to play the hand that he was dealt. And and the fact is he was dealt a crappy hand. A handful of crappy players, especially on the D-Line ( the most important piece of the puzzle). Your best CB is a undersized 35 year old vet. Safeties who would be backups on other teams.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:30 pm
AND Hire NFLNUT too, sorry Bro, didnt mean to leave you out.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:32 pm
MadMax
Remember I put in an application two years back to back.
But I never got a call back lol ..FU DOM
Must have those two battery charges I caught – back in my Heavy Dive Bar years.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:32 pm
Ah, I missed it LUV, got it now….you said it us JBF Vets. (Im worked up sorry lol)
January 15th, 2018 at 2:32 pm
LUVMYBUCS Says:
January 15th, 2018 at 2:20 pm
AlteredEgo
There’s no denying the fact – that this organization has taken a nose dive – since stroke back in 2007.
hardly a scientific conclusion….look…the earth is flat
January 15th, 2018 at 2:33 pm
MadMax
I counted U – as a vet brotha
January 15th, 2018 at 2:34 pm
Defense – We’ve already been through the numbers, the Bucs 6 points away from being #29 in points allowed. The offense gave up ONE TD this year, the league average was 2.4. Specials teams gave up 3 TD however, the league average was 1. The Bucs were not at any special disadvantage when it came to non-defensive scores allowed. The Bucs defense was middle of the pack in terms of opposition starting field position, meaning they were not at any special disadvantage there. The Bucs were dead last in terms of points given up per drive – which is important because the Bucs offense did a decent job of using clock and not wearing out the defense by leaving them on the field too much. In addition to those stats you have the stats that show the Bucs were the worst passing defense, the worst in terms of yards per pass play, last in sacks, last in sack yards. The Bucs defense was good at producing fumbles but that is about the only thing they did well. In fact this last season is the first time in team history they’ve finished 32nd in defense, it’s never happened before. They were terrible.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:34 pm
Yeah, well charges can be looked over after years of proven results here…..posts here….GUIDANCE here….those in the know should know right? lol
January 15th, 2018 at 2:35 pm
AlteredEgo
The he started the family business. He signed the checks – made the big boy decision – u get the point.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:36 pm
If he was Mike Houdini, then I would fault him for this crap. But he’s not Houdini, he can’t pull a 12.0 sack Edge Rusher from his hat. He can’t make a shutdown CB magically appear.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:36 pm
@LUV, yeah i missed it….off work for 3 days and about 10 beers in already lol.
Glad my job recognizes MLK Jr. Day.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:37 pm
He started the family business. He signed the checks – made the big boy decision – u get the point.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:38 pm
@MadMax
Good sh!t brotha – enjoy yourself
January 15th, 2018 at 2:43 pm
@LUV, Yes Sir, and grilling steaks for fajitas with my best friend since I was 14 (who played college football in the 80’s) 6’2 250 and could beat me at the 40 when I was 14 and running a 4.6, dude was fast back then, slowed down but he’s still in shape though. Big Black guy with a beautiful White wife….been like family to me for years.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:44 pm
Julius Peppers
11.0 sacks for the Carolina Panthers
2017 salary $4 Million
Gerald McCoy
6.0 sacks
2017 salary $12,250,000
Robert Ayers
2.0 sacks
2017 salary $ 6 million
Will Gholston
0.0 sacks
2017 salary $ 7 million
Chris Baker
0.5 sacks
2017 salary $ 6 million
January 15th, 2018 at 2:47 pm
For as much as I just laid out a case of the defense being the worst in the NFL – because of the lack of talent/injuries/etc I’d still give Mike Smith a bigger pass than Koetter – who left a ton of points on the board because he stuck with Doug Martin and had terrible play designs & calls most of the year in the red zone; and played to kick FGs more often than not.
It’s not like we have had great defenses here. The defense has sucked under every coach since we fired Gruden. Oddly enough the best defensive year we had was probably the weird 2010 fluke year with the joke schedule – and that was the year Gerald McCoy hated the most for whatever stupid reason.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:48 pm
Maybe all the coaches had to take a pay cut so we can spend more in free agency. Lol
January 15th, 2018 at 2:49 pm
MadMax
Lol Good Sh!t – Sounds almost like me 6’3 235 – Irish/German wife
January 15th, 2018 at 2:50 pm
They make more money for 8.5 sacks than half of the population of Polk County combined.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:50 pm
The Glazer kids have always been about “bucking” the narrative, in trying to learn from past mistakes. They do something one way, it doesn’t work, so they go back and do it the opposite way next time. Problem with it is their response is always the polar opposite, and no where in the middle.
For example, they had a football guru but non-players coach with Gruden. They fire him, and hire on the complete opposite extreme, a player’s coach in Raheem. That backfires, so they again go to the opposite extreme in “toe’s on the line.”
So they reset, hire Lovie to bring us back to our roots, then comes Koetter and after his second year we’re again looking at the firing of a 2-year coach. In again bucking the trend of regime inconsistency, we keep him on staff a third season. The problem is again, we’re on the other end of the spectrum: bringing back the entire staff.
I respect the Glazer’s for always looking to improve the process. If we saw those type of in-game adjustments from the defense, 2017 would have a much different outcome and VH3 wouldn’t be falling apart. But I just don’t think they have the solution. We can follow the hierarchy from coaching & GM all the way up to ownership, and the results with the Bucs have been the same for the past decade+.
I surely don’t have the answers but they need to bring someone in that does. I believe the right pieces are in place but a veteran NFL executive that has seen success needs to help guide those pieces.
Get a Bruce Arians or Bill Cowher (just examples) to come be president and help consult this franchise in the same ways we’ve see Coughlin do in JAX and even Steve Yzerman do here for the Lightning.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:51 pm
If we can pick up Chubb and Vita, cut Baker, (Gholston will be a bu in rotation)….draft USC CB Iman Marshall with a 3rd…..the D will look so much better.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:52 pm
Bobby
What? Of course smith didnt “sign” or draft those guys but if you dont think he gave input youre off. Guys are drafted or signed based on the coordinators system. The fact smith is making an 11th overall pick of a corner look like mike jenkins is definitely coaching. He just made arguably the top linebacker unit in the league look below average. His dline had the 3rd highest salary cap percentage of any team in the league. And they sucked. Thats coaching. By coaching we are talking about putting people in position to succeed. Instead of 12 different coverages on julio that clearly are failing, how about you actually stop tinkering with the coverage and send enough guys to get the qb running? N I still never saw bump and run in those 12. Dude the guy had one of the all time worst coached defenses ever. Its obvious we all know we need edge rushers. Why is it so obvious to everyone, including grandmothers? Because smith refused to send enough guys to get pressure. No adjustments, bad coaching. So if smith stays we now know he wont blitz, therefore its edge rushers or bust. Now whats he do when they get a good one and the other coach keeps a back in or has tight end chip him? Nothing as weve seen and we go back to no pressure. Without 2 great de’s this defense is horrible. Of course it could be a good defense with pressure from 4. Every teams can. By not adjusting he basically threw his players under the bus. Said they werent talented enough. Same line that was paid more than 29 other teams were. If they were the lowest paid dline in the league, had terrible linebackers and a bunch of undrafted corners Id be with you and all the “lack of talent” crew.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:53 pm
He!! Yeah LUV, and Im 6’1 210…..great minds think alike Brotha.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:53 pm
NO changes on the defensive staff? None???
NO new special teams coaches?
NO changes to the QB coach?
NO real OC brought in?
Guess Licht and Koetter want to retire after 2018…
But hey at least I don’t have to waste my time in the offseason hanging on every move they make like I have my entire life. I’ll check out the draft and come back from training camp, but that’s about it.
On a positive note, when you go in with ZERO expectations, it’s much easier to be pleasantly surprised at what little success they do achieve. Hooray! And I do think the offense will be improved as long as Jameis doesn’t get hurt again (or suspended). But that’s about it. #silverlining
January 15th, 2018 at 2:54 pm
MadMax
No doubt
January 15th, 2018 at 2:54 pm
Funny, I thought the new practice facility would be an integral piece in relation to playoff wins, championships, et al., Interestingly enough, they had more playoff success and Super Bowl success at their prior facility.
January 15th, 2018 at 2:55 pm
The staff was probably good all along. If we don’t have a winning record by game 8, tank for picks, but keep games close. Then Winston double dips his doughnut in DK’s coffee on the his last play of the season and drops our draft stock. Showoff. Then I woke up and realized it was just a dream. Same ol Bucs. We’ll most likely do well enough next season to miss the playoffs in week 17 since their won’t be any hype this off-season and less distraction. Oy’ Go Bucs huh?
January 15th, 2018 at 2:55 pm
BB…the Bucs had more wins in the Ole Sombrero ….so what is your point ?
January 15th, 2018 at 2:59 pm
Lord Corn
There’s no excuse for ONE player getting more sacks than an entire team
2017
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
22.0 Sacks
2001
Michael Strahan
22.5 Sacks
This is pathetic, you can’t blame Jay Hayes or Mike Smith for this crap
The players need to held accountable
January 15th, 2018 at 3:03 pm
http://walterfootball.com/draft2019charlie.php
They have us picking 14th in 2019….so thats what, 6 wins? SMDH
January 15th, 2018 at 3:03 pm
I read the entire fake news St Pete Times piece and wow does Licht come off as a grade-A whiner. He blames the lack of a pass rush all on Spence getting injured and Jacquies Smith not getting healthy fast enough – seriously, that was your entire plan – two injured undersized DEs with a history of injuries who were injured, that was the plan. Then he blames the entire rushing game issue on Martin, then he blames the entire secondary issues on VH3 getting injured, then he says none of those are excuses… Meanwhile he says the coaches did a great job.
Licht actually said, “The whole year, just the expectations were just, not set by us, it was just something I cringed at”… seriously? Did he forget about this show called Hard Knocks where Dirk is telling Winston that this is the best team he’s ever played on and the defense is top notch? Or Dirk telling the team how good they are? Licht really comes off like a clueless d-bag in that story.
January 15th, 2018 at 3:04 pm
maybe 7?
January 15th, 2018 at 3:04 pm
Some people are carrying on like these guys are 8 year olds in Pop Warner football. These are grown men playing a PROFESSIONAL sport. They are highly paid professionals. They will either do their job or they won’t do their job. I grew up in Lakeland. If you don’t do your job in Lakeland, you get fired, simple as that.
January 15th, 2018 at 3:05 pm
You’re hired too Mr. Rod….didnt mean to leave you out.
January 15th, 2018 at 3:07 pm
every buc fan is better off not counting on to much next year it seems to work out better and I for one never did like the hype /bucs will have to prove it to me before I will ever spend my family’s hard earned money again
January 15th, 2018 at 3:07 pm
And where’s 87? I need my cheerleader!!! (Jut jokin Bro, you know i wouldnt do you like that)
January 15th, 2018 at 3:10 pm
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MARCUS MARIOTA just got his 2nd head coach fired! First it was QB guru Ken Whisenhut and now it’s a coach that just took the Titans to their first playoff appearance in a decade in Mike Mularkey … Mariota is a coach killer.
It’s fun to troll the trolls sometimes!
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January 15th, 2018 at 3:13 pm
NFLNut
Mike Mularkey wasn’t the Head Coach that Jon Robinson wanted.
It reminds me of the Steve Mariucci firing.
January 15th, 2018 at 3:18 pm
Rod/Defense…love your posts…please keep ’em coming. IMO you are both arguably accurate. By my eyeball test the biggest (biggest) issue with the Defense was not getting a stop at the right time to maintain momentum (or curb the opponent momentum), and failing to get one stop to win arguably 4-5 games. The stats support the arguments but for me timing is a key factor in evaluating this defense this year. Sometimes we let the opponent stay ahead of the chains on 1st an 2nd down, too often we let them convert on longer 3rd downs…you name it. I DO believe we are close to being an average Defense with few adjustments..an above average defense with key draft and FA success this off season. The engine that will bring those enhancements to fruition is the coaching staff, IMO. BL: the numbers dont lie, but the eyeball tells me we can be better soon without gutting the team or coaching staff. If I’m wrong, let the chips fall where they may. Go Bucs!
January 15th, 2018 at 3:19 pm
@Lakeland … “Not sure how you can have any other conclusion than “our defense was f*cking terrible and one of the worst in the NFL” when looking at that lol.” I won’t argue with that at all Lakeland. Bucs’ defense needs a almost-complete makeover (LBs are the only exception IMO, although I still maintain Kwon & Beckwith need to switch positions).
I haven’t been saying that they were good by any means. My main point (I think) started off being that Points Allowed is more important than Yards Allowed. For instance, New England’s defense this year ranked #5 in terms of Points Allowed, but #29 in terms of Yards Allowed. In Joe’s World, at #29 they’d be in line for a complete makeover this off-season instead of them playing for the AFC Championship next weekend.
@Rod … “In fact this last season is the first time in team history they’ve finished 32nd in defense, it’s never happened before. They were terrible.” As I said, don’t disagree that they were really bad. But 32nd in defense still applies to Yards Allowed, and that’s not the best measure of how good or bad a defense is. See the New England example.
January 15th, 2018 at 3:20 pm
Marcus Mariota never fitted Mike Mularkey offense. Mularkey like the smashmouth style of football. But the Titans want something similar to the read-option that Mariota excels in.The thing is, Mike Mularkley will get another Head Coach job, it won’t take long.
January 15th, 2018 at 3:24 pm
@Reach87 … ” the eyeball tells me we can be better soon without gutting the team or coaching staff. If I’m wrong, let the chips fall where they may.” Excellent point about timing & 3rd down stops (on non-stops), and I’m completely on-board with your bottom line. Not quite sure what you meant though about ‘gutting the team’ … defense IMO needs at least a half-dozen new players with strong resumes. That’s more than a 50% turnover, but I still wouldn’t call it ‘gutting the team’. We’ve got some really good young players, just not enough of them.
January 15th, 2018 at 3:26 pm
Defensive Rules
In 2015 the Tampa Bay Bucs were 10th in defensive yards allowed, and the team fired Head Coach Lovie Smith. If defensive yards are so important, then they unjustly fired Lovie Smith.
January 15th, 2018 at 3:26 pm
How any team can go 5-11 and get the entire coaching staff re-upped after 17 non playoff seasons in a row is beyond me. Our special teams has been a huge disappointment. The defense is abysmal. I dont expect much from the Bucs in 2018 and thats sad with as much fire power on the offense side.
January 15th, 2018 at 3:32 pm
I think most of us are in pretty consensus agreement about the weaknesses of the team – even if we see it from different angles.
You can’t scheme around a terrible front 4 with a group of revolving players due to injury. I think Smith could have definitely done better – but in the end he was pretty screwed by the talent deficiencies.
But I’d also blame Smitty for some of that. He knew the roster and has input on the draft / FA. If he didn’t then it’s insane we’re paying him what we pay him to not have any input. VHIII was his type of CB – I’d be absolutely shocked if that wasn’t a player Smith wanted for his defense for example. So was Grimes on a more positive side though. He liked big D-lineman so Baker and Stevie made sense; but Licht should have realized Baker was a d-bag for the locker room.
I think we need more Kwon/robert ayers type personalities on our D-line from this draft. A Kwon Alexander of the D-line – who absolutely HATES losing and could care less about ice cream.
We talk about culture all the time. The only consistent presence in all our sh1tty defenses and sh1tty losing culture is GMC. That’s not really fair to him but it’s also simply true. The guy doesn’t seem to give a sh1t about losing. He seems to give a big sh1t about his personal stats. He’s a great nice guy but I really hate hearing his press conferences more often than not
January 15th, 2018 at 3:35 pm
Thanks Reach87 – I personally enjoy the back and forth here, no matter if I agree or disagree, and when the next game is 9 months away you need something to talk about.
January 15th, 2018 at 3:36 pm
Mike Munchak (2011–2013)
Ken Whisenhunt (2014–2015)
Mike Mularkey (2015–2017)
All I know is the Titans better get the same crap we got for being a unstable franchise as this is 3rd coach in a row fired after 3 or less seasons.
January 15th, 2018 at 3:39 pm
You can’t change coaches every 2 years and think you’re going to be successful- I said the same thing 2 years ago when Lovie was fired and said the same people calling for Lovie’s head would be calling for Dirk’s head in 2 years – and here we are. The team would be in a better place today has Dirk just remained the OC and Lovie ran the team – the defense wouldn’t be worse under Lovie and Dirk would have had 2 more years if directly working with Winston and Winston would have had a real full-time OC for the last two years instead of Dirk clearly being overwhelmed as HC and every aspect of the team suffering because of it.
January 15th, 2018 at 3:44 pm
The Titans firing their coach is an odd decision – unless the HC just wanted out since he knows the team is going to tank next year when Luck is back and half the Texans roster isn’t on IR. The coach there used Mariota fairly well as he got him out of the pocket and let him run around – which is really the only value with Mariota since he’s a terrible pocket passer. Whoever they bring in there will have to be flexible with their coaching style if they want to keep Mariota as their guy – and Mariota does have value if you use him correctly and don’t try to fit him into a traditional NFL offense.
January 15th, 2018 at 3:44 pm
Rod Munch
I said the exact same thing in 2015, when they fired Lovie.
January 15th, 2018 at 4:16 pm
This team has zero accountability. If you want a blueprint on how to lose, this organization will show it to you. Frankly, the leadership is talking out of both sides of it arse and that’s disgusting and weak. Be honest. YOU ALL STINK. Both sides of the the ball. IT’S NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Teams that are making changes to their staffs are much, much closer to the playoffs than the Bucs. That’s the reality here. IF YOU WANT TO WIN, DEMAND IT! If the coaches or the players don’t deliver, find someone who can. THAT’S WHAT WINNERS DO!
January 15th, 2018 at 4:34 pm
Well, I guess this is going to be a total b!tchfest of an offseason. Woop-dee-doo! I still remain hopeful that some better D-Line players and an offseason with no hype, plus the spirit of a team that held together and played a lot of close games, will generate better results in 2018. I’m not gonna spend the time b!tching. I just hope for some solid free agent moves and another successful draft.
January 15th, 2018 at 4:35 pm
Jason Licht is preparing for a 7-9 season at best.
January 15th, 2018 at 4:38 pm
I tried to tell you all that this was going to be the way it would play out a week or two ago. The Glazer boys must love the smell of basement mildew.
January 15th, 2018 at 4:49 pm
Glazers didn’t pay for any new coaches because if we don’t get to the playoffs in 2018, they are selling the team that includes the new amazing screens in the stadium and amazing indoor coaching facility for big dollars.
January 15th, 2018 at 5:04 pm
Keep your head up MadMax you can’t see over the horizon by looking at your feet. I also consider you a Vet. 51- 6’4″ 225 here, just a white guy with my own beautiful white wife.
Go Bucs!
January 15th, 2018 at 6:49 pm
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I TAKE BACK WHAT I SAID … Mariota didn’t get Mularkey fired … it’s way worse than that … Mularkey was offered an extension and turned it down … Mularkey GAVE UP ON MARIOTA and just walked … WOW!
It seems completely clear that Mularkey does NOT believe in Mariota … no way a coach who believes in a young 24 year old QB who was just in the 2nd round of the playoffs , up and leaves when he has an extension in place.
Mularkey leaving the Titans is DAMNING FOR MARIOTA … way worse than getting a coach fired!
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January 15th, 2018 at 9:47 pm
NFLNut – yeah it does appear Mularkey wanted out, I really think he knows the Titans are going to be awful next year as Mariota isn’t going to get any better and the rest of the AFC South is getting a whole lot better. When a new coach comes in there it really will be interesting what they do with Mariota, do they try to put a leash on him and make him play a real QB style, or do they design the offense around him? If they put him in the pocket and make him stay there it will be a disaster.
January 15th, 2018 at 9:51 pm
Thanks Rusty, Im trying…..in the mean time we’ve got our wives (mines a hot little Asian) and the off season, shrine game, senior bowl….playoffs, Superbowl, then the draft…..and lots of time to think about all of it.
I’ll have hope for next season, just dont see us getting far since NO new coaches will be here to help the last place D.
And Nut, I shouldve put money on that game….I knew that was a fluke win by them over KC.
January 15th, 2018 at 10:09 pm
NFLNut – Reading more articles from a national level they’re actually saying it was Mularkey’s fault that Mariota played so poorly, that’s not what I saw, I saw a team protecting a bad QB by trying to move him around. We shall see. If they put Mariota in a true spread offense like he ran at Oregon it would be interesting to see what happen – I’m guessing he’d get injured by week 3, but maybe not. I do think that style of offense would be successful for a short burst until defenses scouted him and catch up.
January 15th, 2018 at 10:09 pm
@Munch … it looks like McDaniels just accepted the Colts job … he may have been great for Mariota, but I agree that if the next coach tries to make him a “real QB” he will fail … the kid needs to run a college type offense imho.
@MadMax … you and me both bro! As for your hot little Asian wife … my son is bound and determined to marry a Japanese woman … he’s only 15 and doesn’t even know one, but he is addicted to anime (Sword Art Online, Attack on Titan, etc) and is just bound and determined to live in Japan and marry a Japanese woman one day … he even said he’d buy me a house there so I’m not far away, hahaha.
January 15th, 2018 at 10:37 pm
Until the Bucs hire a guy like Coughlin to run the football operations, this team will continue to make the same mistakes every season.
The one common denominator of the past decade of futility is the main guys making the hires. If that doesn’t change, nothing else will.
Here’s hoping Licht sees the light and goes all in on total revamping both lines.
Fix the trenches, fix the Bucs!!
January 15th, 2018 at 10:45 pm
I almost expect the Bucs to announce at any second that the team has been sold. Nothing else makes any sense. I can see a new owner not wanting the previous owner to make any drastic changes. Let the new owner have those decisions. We can only hope.
January 15th, 2018 at 10:57 pm
AceofAerospace – If the Glazers were going to sell they’d want to do so coming off a winning season since that always inflate the price, also I doubt they would have spent the millions out of pocket improving the stadium since any new owner who spent over $2-billion on the team would want a new stadium.
January 16th, 2018 at 12:05 am
Rod and NFL,
Jared Goff and his turn around from a bust to a franchise guy is something to consider. That and the titan players coming out to the press imploring the Coaches to play to MM’ s strengths is not something that happens every day.
Defensive leadership approached MM and told him to , in no uncertain terms, to defy the Coaches and to play his game. Guys that kind of stuff isn’t something that is dismissed by ownership and management. Especially, if both sides believe MM is the guy. The mutually agreed parting of the ways is a nice way of saying management and ownership believe that they don’t believe in the Coaches and the coach is going to change. Hey, this isn’t a surprise for a second, the pink slip has been in the works for weeks. So I don’t believe mutually agreed is anything but a nice way to say GTFO.
January 16th, 2018 at 8:21 am
People were crying about firing bad coaches every 2 years, So we have year 3. The Glazers are writing off this year, they don’t seem very interested in this team right now.
January 16th, 2018 at 9:30 am
This is no surprise to me and it shouldn’t be to any of you. If you made the case to keep the coach and GM then you were making the case to keep the status quo and to not hold anyone accountable for last year’s *FAILED* season.
January 16th, 2018 at 1:33 pm
Lets face the Glazer boys don’t care about winning or the fans. The only way to hurt the Glazer’s is in there pocket book. The fans need to quit throwing away there hard earned money & stop going to games. Maybe then the Glazer’s will wise up or sell the team to someone who cares as much about winning as the fans. To me its a toss up as to which organization is worse the Bucs or the Rays. GO RAIDERS