Three Different Standards?
January 25th, 2018
Talks defense.
Could the problem with the defense be as simple as a disconnect on the field of play?
Last week at East-West Shrine Game practices in St. Petersburg, Joe talked to NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks, who said there seemed to be some sort of disconnect between the players and Mike Smith,. It didn’t look like what Smith was preaching in meetings were being brought onto the field of play, Brooks said.
Brooks made it clear he wasn’t sure what it was, but was confident the Bucs defense had enough talent to be able to produce much better.
But Brooks also seemed to suggest the three levels of the Bucs defense are playing on three different pages. While lauding the linebackers, said the defense wasn’t a cohesive unit.
The Bucs “have tremendous linebacking corps,” Brooks said. “They can play; they are fast; they are athletic; they can go from sideline to sideline.
“You just have to make sure all three levels are married together. The front, the linebacking corps and the secondary, they all have to be working hand-in-hand because when they play like that, they play together, that’s when you get really, really good defense.”
Is this the ol’ stuff we heard in 2016, when Smith kept harping on communication? Is this guys freelancing? Joe isn’t sure.
One thing Joe is sure of, the defense better be playing at a higher level next year or a year from now, there likely will be different nameplates on various office doors at One Buc Palace.
January 25th, 2018 at 9:02 am
It has been the talent on the D side …not coaching….everyone knows what the defense is lacking…DL and DB
January 25th, 2018 at 9:06 am
The disconnect is we don’t have a defensive lineman other then McCoy who can get 2 sacks a year.
Then o by the way can’t stop the run either
January 25th, 2018 at 9:23 am
It would make more sense if the bucs switched to a 3-4 defense. In fact, we should switch Channing ward to NT because for a DE, his body frame is too big. But for NT, he’d swallow up a lot of space. And since our LBs are faster, we can still blitz two and keep two in coverage. I dunno, I’m no DC. But hey, mike smith has nothing else to lose because his current game plan is wack.
January 25th, 2018 at 9:26 am
@Alter is guess you missed the part when bucky said:
“Brooks made it clear he wasn’t sure what it was, but was confident the Bucs defense had enough talent to be able to produce much better.”
or maybe you missed the articles joe has put out explaining how experts and analysis say we have talent its lack of coaching…..
former/current pro bowler: GMC…LVD…KWON…GRIMES….pro bowlers at every level…..
offense is below average in scoring….
defense ranked 32nd….
special team regressed…..
that’s all coaching….GO BUCS!!!!
January 25th, 2018 at 9:32 am
Bucssuccs Says:
January 25th, 2018 at 9:23 am
It would make more sense if the bucs switched to a 3-4 defense. In fact, we should switch Channing ward to NT because for a DE, his body frame is too big. But for NT, he’d swallow up a lot of space. And since our LBs are faster, we can still blitz two and keep two in coverage. I dunno, I’m no DC. But hey, mike smith has nothing else to lose because his current game plan is wack.
^^^BINGO^^^
using the proper personnel…..that’s coaching….
adjusting your scheme….that’s coaching…..
creating a game plan…..that’s coaching…..
playing to the players strength…..that’s coaching…..
GO BUCS!!!!
January 25th, 2018 at 9:32 am
boi….the offense has the same talent deficit as the D….O needs OL and RB and perhaps a QB that can hit his WR’s in stride and throw to the spot…having you been watching the Play off QB’s throw the ball these past weeks ?
When I see the talent upgrade then we will be able to decide if coaching is a problem….have you coach any sport at any level ?
January 25th, 2018 at 9:36 am
I’m with you 813! Of course, the defense could use some infusion of talent. But I’m pretty sure with Jim Schwartz at the helm our defense would have performed much better!
January 25th, 2018 at 9:54 am
having a soft me first defensive captain who does not raise the level of play of his teammates is the reason there is a disconnect. you have a front office spouting off with terms like Bad A$$ and aggressive team etc yet your on field leader is softer than ice cream on a 100 degree day… that’s the disconnect PERIOD… the fact that he/she comes out flat as often as he/she has a respectable game it is very clear that cancer93 is the problem and the face of the basement years. get rid of the locker room cancer with a smile and bring in driven winners mr licht. it is the only way to defeat the losing culture led by captain blowout cancer93
January 25th, 2018 at 9:56 am
can you imagine if cancer93 could hold a lead the same way he holds his dolls. we would never lose.
January 25th, 2018 at 10:02 am
Switching to 3-4 base defense reeks in stupidity. It would take Kwon and LaVonte completely out of what they do best. Nine out of the 12 playoff teams run out of a base 4-3. The final four all operate out of the base 4-3. The Bucs don’t have an alignment issue. It’s a personnel and coaching issue. Simple as that.
January 25th, 2018 at 10:02 am
@Tmaxcon
or if ran to the QB like it was a camera for an interview, they would put GMC in the hall of fame while he was playing!!!!!!!!!!
I can’t believe the quote he gave about the team defensive leaders “we take a lot of blame for that. Not doing enough in the room or at practice”!
He was the one dancing around for the HK camera’s trying to show what a party training camp was!!!!!!!!!!!! That is the so called leader right there!!!!!!!!
Shameful!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 25th, 2018 at 10:06 am
joe
if your superhero’s bicep was so hurt and he was such a warrior to play through the pain and let’s not forget all those tears that was a nice touch. why is the loser playing in a meaningless pro bowl other than some selfish camera time. legit stars and team first guys get healthy and do not waste time with a meaningless popularity contest. there is a reason the pro bowl is down to their 4 to 8 alternates at nearly every position. but not selfish crying clown. it’s always been me first not team first. career loser and quitter yet joe’s idle. raise your standards joe I know it’s been a long decade. you are way to smart not to see the truth. face the facts your boy is killing this team.
January 25th, 2018 at 10:20 am
Altered
Man you guys and that lack of talent thing. Well if you play the same defense every week and most every play then yes it is talent, considering it was a zone depending on a 4 man rush. If you have a defensive coordinator who can and will adjust its not. This team has great LBs and highly drafted DBs. There was no reason to not play more cover 3 and 1, man to man. Well I guess smiths reason was so they didnt get beat with big plays. So whatd they do? Got beat with the most big plays in the league. Now that there shows its coaching. So yeah the teams a mess. Much easier to find a coach who will play more aggressive defense than 11 new players.
January 25th, 2018 at 10:25 am
darin…can’t adjust talent…especially when the opposing OC/DC….see the same weaknesses we as fans do….LOL…logic>emotions
January 25th, 2018 at 10:27 am
It all boils down to..Points to…Coaching. But as times keeps passing…It will become apparent o even the hard headeness of Buc nation…Our present coaches should never have been hired in the 1st place. I’ll give it..2 more yrs of..False promises and Hopes.
January 25th, 2018 at 10:31 am
alter
not buying the “lack of talent” excuses…..
perfect example: the eagles
they have 2 current/former pro bowlers in fletcher cox and Malcolm Jenkins….they have 1 2nd team all pro in Brandon graham…..
they have 2nd rounders…4th rounders….7th rounders and UDFA’s as starting on their defense…..
the difference maker is coaching…..jim schwart puts his players in position to be successful….he also knows how to develop players….
for example: Brandon graham was a 1st round pick in 2010 and was considered a bust until schwart coached him up, played to his strength and put him in position to be successful….then he was named to 2nd team all pro in 2016….that’s called COACHING!!!!!….it aint the players…..its the lack of coaching….GO BUCS!!!!!
January 25th, 2018 at 10:34 am
the bucs have GRIMES…LVD…KWON…GMC, who have all made the pro bowl at one point or another….and grimes should’ve made it last year….GO BUCS!!!!
January 25th, 2018 at 10:41 am
If I didn’t know any better, I’d think Tmaxcon doesn’t like GMC.
January 25th, 2018 at 10:41 am
Bring in LeBeau as a defensive advisor.
January 25th, 2018 at 11:01 am
Bad talent, plus bad coaching equals 5-11. It’s really that simple. Keeping Licht, plus Koetter equals more of the same.
January 25th, 2018 at 12:19 pm
Switching to a 34 D would be in our best interest imo. It would give us more flexibility and would allow us to have our best guys out there.
Just for fun but could you imagine lining up Kwon at OLB rushing the qb…
January 25th, 2018 at 12:22 pm
Darin,
Let me first state that I’m not a Mike Smith fan. I agree with your overall idea that the coaches should be player driven as opposed to philosophy. If the coaches believe in their own ideas on how to win with a certain philosophy vs winning with the players you have then there’s nothing to do except get that coach his guys.
Mike Smith has been a coach that hasn’t changed or significantly modified his scheme and style. If the team is going to improve its going to come from upgrading players.
Regarding your comments on how to fix the problem with different coverage calls.
It’s not clear what you are proposing. You state running more cov 3 and 1, man to man. That’s not exactly detailed information and I have to ask why you think that it’s the answer to the Defenses problems. How many times did the secondary line up against an empty set or a single back? You going w Cov 3 or ?????
In your expert opinion, which in order is our best cover DB’ s.
Last, the team has a rookie high draft pick at safety and a first round pick at corner or $$. Where is the other high draft picks? I’m not talking about how those two performed if that’s the case then there’s an offset for a rookie and possibly a bust at the other. That all but eliminates the high draft picks
January 25th, 2018 at 2:19 pm
Funky,
Kwon is 6-0, 225 lbs soaking wet. He is not built to be pass rushing OLB in a 3-4 alignment taking on LT/RT – it would wear him out. Plus that would take him away from doing what he does best – making plays sideline to sideline. You don’t take a Porsche and drive it like a Lincoln Towncar.
January 25th, 2018 at 4:38 pm
This is why I hate zone defenses. Play man coverage aggressive Sand lot football. Enough with rolling coverage into different zones etc..let the boys cover a guy a win with athletesisimn. Throw the timing off routes by pressing, this soft zone bull crap is the problem. It’s not the players fault they can perform well playing in a defense that the rest of the league has had figured out for the last decade plus.
One man is going to cost the entire building jobs. Our like the head coach other than the fact he won’t fire his best bud, and I like Licht he has done a decent job no gm.is.perfect Smith has been and still.is the reason this team.will lose above any other
January 25th, 2018 at 4:50 pm
FAN AND FUNKY, Spence would be the perfect old in a 3 4 scheme. He’s almost the exact build as von miller he has the athletesismn and would be better suited than playing in a 4 3
January 25th, 2018 at 6:52 pm
BucEm,
Depending on Spence to stay healthy at this point is like depending on a lambskin condom….