What A No. 31 Defense Gets You
September 5th, 2018
“Don’t worry, Mike. If things go backward, I might be able to find you some work in Bristol. How do you like Stephen A. Smith?”
Yesterday Joe brought word that the four-letter, BSPN, all but predicted the end of Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith when it projected the Bucs to have the No. 31 defense in the NFL this season.
That would be on the heels of the Bucs defense ranked No. 32 — dead last — last season. And with all the personnel upgrades, with all the draft picks spent and all the players bought with millions of Team Glazer loot, for the defense to only improve a hair would be unacceptable to the guys who cut the checks at One Buc Palace.
While researching last night, Joe decided to see how teams with the No. 31-ranked defense fared in each season this decade. Folks, it isn’t pretty.
Since 2010, only two teams that had the No. 31 defense and finished with a winning record. That would be the 2011 Patriots (13-3) and the 2012 Giants (9-7). Those Patriots reached the playoffs and actually lost to the Giants in the Super Bowl. Why did the Patriots and Giants survive with such an awful defense? Look at the quarterbacks.
Since 2010, all teams that finished with the No. 31 defense averaged six wins.
If the Bucs end this season at 6-10, the only question will be how many openings are there on the Bucs’ coaching staff.
September 5th, 2018 at 6:19 am
Benonoch at RG is forcing a draft pick onto the field. Huge Mistake!
The second round is the best round to get a guard.
We had THREE picks and we didnt draft a guard. Huge Mistake!
Cappa is way to slow and his legs are too weak to start at guard.
We could have the best offense in the NFL if we had a better O-Line.
Rojo go hit in the backfield on almost every carry.
We need to find a true starting guard before its too late!!
September 5th, 2018 at 6:23 am
Four more days! We can continue speculating and really that’s all we have right now, but in less than a week we’ll have something genuine to talk about. But even then it’s just ONE game.
It’s obvious that Mike Smith will be gone if we have the 31st defense. He doesn’t need anymore money, he’s had his share of awards including Coach of the Year.
But he’s a decent guy and I hope he doesn’t have to go out with the 31st defense.
On a personal level for me I have to say this team and it’s coaches are easy to root for…with the exception of our best player who can really stretch our patience…but even with JW there is a lot to like about him personally…he certainly has his flaws but he also has his strengths…especially with kids…and he has an infectious joy and an appreciation of life.
I like this team…but I realize that it’s not a popularity contest…this is the year we have to fish or cut bait.
With everybody…including a significant % of posters here telling us how bad we have been…how bad we are…and how bad we’re going to be this year it’s tough to keep the faith.
But I’m drawn to FDR’s famous proclamation after Pearl Harbor…which WAS actually critically important unlike football…
Buc fans we have nothing to fear but fear itself. We can dwell on our unsuccessful past…worry about our present and future…or just suck it up and cheer on for our guys. Ya gotta believe!!!
Did I work in enough cliches? LOL
Let’s just have some fun this year…as Doosh pointed out this team could be very entertaining and fun to watch.
September 5th, 2018 at 6:31 am
Sad thing is that Mike Smith is the only thing holding this team back..Aside from Koetter being too loyal to him but directly he’s the only thing hurting this team with his songs soft defense. Said it day one. He will cost this the the best head coach they had a chance to get. If Koetter can just manage to cut ties with this guy and someone survive after this bad season he will only take off from there
September 5th, 2018 at 6:54 am
Oh Joe, I love your consistency, or maybe it’s lack of consistency, not sure. In one article this morning, Rosenthal at NFL.com has Jameis putting the team on his back and single-handedly carrying us into the playoffs. Jubilation at JBF!!!
But wait, the same morning another article rears its’ ugly head when ESPN predicts that we’ll have the #31 defense, and once again be bottom-feeders. And of course you jump all over that one: “And with all the personnel upgrades, with all the draft picks spent and all the players bought with millions of Team Glazer loot, for the defense to only improve a hair would be unacceptable to the guys who cut the checks at One Buc Palace.”
It’s amusing how Jameis & the offense always seem to get the benefit of the doubt (average ranking 18.67 in POINTS SCORED since Jameis arrived in 2015), yet Smitty’s defense (average ranking 18.50 in POINTS ALLOWED since Mike Smith arrived in 2016) is always condemned as the worst in the league (always using meaningless YARDS ALLOWED as the criteria of course).
Just a thought: now that we have added several FA talent upgrades to our DLine and a bunch of rookie draft picks to our Secondary, why don’t we let it play out and see what we’ve got BEFORE you throw them off the Skyway Bridge?
September 5th, 2018 at 7:02 am
About to start a season and we see this????
How about you balance it with what the number two defense would get us?????
Stop feeding the trolls, please.
September 5th, 2018 at 7:10 am
“BSPN” starts with “BS” for a reason….
2018 Bucs Defense will rank at least 10-15 spots higher than this “projection”.
This “ranking” before the season even starts certainly doesn’t deserve a 2nd negative article Joe.
We need positive Joe to take over all articles for the next 4 days until we all see something real on the field with our own eyes.
If Sunday’s game reveals that Brees still has time to order Jimmy Johns from the pocket and Michael Thomas is running wild and free all over the secondary – then by all means – release negative Joe from his shackles to write multiple “told ya Mike Smith and his DB coaches SUCK” articles.
But unless and until we see a defensive crapshow happen – let’s try and keep the week 1 articles regarding the Bucs chances this year more on the positive side for the next 4 days… Whadaya say Joes?
September 5th, 2018 at 7:21 am
Signed, Pickgrin.
When Joe 2 is discouraged, we all suffer.
September 5th, 2018 at 7:31 am
Since wacky joe is such a believer in “yards” being the measuring stick of all things NFL!!!!!! You would think that he would at least look up that the Bucs defense faced the highest ranking offenses in yards than any other team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Way to have an opinion and then find other articles that validate that opinion!!!!!! No investigating and then reporting facts or another side!!!!!!!
#trust the coaches!!!!!!!! Fix the “real” problem!!!!! The roster!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 5th, 2018 at 8:16 am
stpete- LOL! Cliche alert!
It’s hump day and I’m starting to get psyched! My Hokies started the season with a sound whoopin’ over the Seminoles on Labor Day. What better way to follow it up that an a$$ whoopin’ dealt to the “Aints on Sunday!
September 5th, 2018 at 8:31 am
Thanks for the pep talk Stpetebucsfan. Let’s get a win and bring these doomsday downers back on the Bucs bandwagon. We will see what this team and coaching staff is made of. There will be challenges, but let’s find a way to win…
September 5th, 2018 at 8:36 am
The #31 defense will get the Bucs third prize this season. Not third place, third prize.
September 5th, 2018 at 9:11 am
I think teacherman def has some points !!!
Cappa wouldn’t stand a chance of being on another nfl roster , that guy got absoulutly abused and I mean blown up !!
Big leap in competition so it may take him a while but he was so overmatched on some plays it was embarrassing for him to be on the field .
September 5th, 2018 at 9:26 am
Couple things here:
• Alex Cappa is learning a new position at Guard. No kidding he’s slow and looks weak. Give him time to learn, people, provided he stays at Guard. I have a feeling he’ll be our new Right Tackle at some point.
• How exactly has Mike Smith held this team back? Yes, 32 ranked defense, but instead of just blaming him, why don’t you look at the reason the defense was bad, namely the lack of drafting on defense so that he had real talent.
If I tell my son to mow the lawn, but don’t provide a lawnmower for him to do it, is it fair to say he sucks at mowing the lawn????
This year, Mike Smith will have no excuses…but let’s not just assume he won’t get the job done. A year ago you were mostly worried he would leave the team for a head coaching gig! Give him this year, now that he has talent. And don’t assume the worst.
• Also, let’s not just assume the offensive line will suck like last year. We have three positions with new players. It is not the same offensive line. Not to mention we actually have some promising depth now.
• The position of Right Guard is in flux because of injury, but some of us are forgetting how good some of the depth looked there in the preseason. We may not even need to draft a Guard.
• For heaven’s sake…it is okay to not play it safe and predict a winning season. What will happen if you are wrong? It’s just words!!! It’s not like you will be banned for saying the Bucs go 9-7 or 10-6 or 11-5. Too many people think their words will come back to bit them. Who cares? So what if someone here says “How’s that 11-5 record looking now, Bonzai?”
You think I feel bad for rooting for my team to win? Get over yourselves, people. Stop letting National Media, Trolls and the past decide your current state. Get fired up and be positive until you have reason not to be positive!
September 5th, 2018 at 9:28 am
It gets you fired. I have visions of Bruce Arians and Rex Ryan coming to Tampa in 2019.
September 5th, 2018 at 10:50 am
I read this ..and now I’ve lost any semblance of hope I had. Maybe if Jameis could put more than 19 points a game on the board we can overcome the excuse of a lousy defense. Maybe if Jameis will stop turning the ball over on the opponents side of the field our defense wouldn’t be blamed for so many points allowed. ..but let’s not tell the entire story. Let’s cherry pick. One Joe is such a Jameis fanboy he can’t even be factually critical of the teams problems. Riddle me this Joe, How many easy points were scored by the opposition from the result of a turnover on a short field that was totaled against the defense? If you subtract those points from the total points allowed and our defense is ranked middle of the pack.
September 5th, 2018 at 11:05 am
sorry meant turning the ball over on our side of the field
September 5th, 2018 at 11:57 am
I believe in this bucs team but not Mike Smith
September 5th, 2018 at 12:01 pm
I hope we win in spite of mike smith. I think a big factor of us not getting any sacks is because we play defense from the parking lot. A wr is open as soon as the ball is snapped.
September 5th, 2018 at 12:05 pm
Where’s Vea?
September 5th, 2018 at 12:07 pm
Hey hey hey we’re the Buccaneers ho ho ho we’re the Buccaneers, offense defense now we’re here to say, win more games than you lose men so all your fans can go yay hey.
September 5th, 2018 at 12:10 pm
I tried telling a smitty lover yesterday about this very same thing…..if you have a elite QB you can have a lousy defense….we don’t have that luxury!!!!!
813bucboi Says:
September 4th, 2018 at 10:32 am
defense
when you have the GOAT AT HC and QB anything is possible….even a SB appearance with a lousy defense…..
we don’t have that luxury……compare apples to apples…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
September 5th, 2018 at 12:21 pm
Lets hope the talent eclipses any coaching weaknesses, perceived or not.
BTW, where are all the Seminole fans? One loss and it’s crickets!
Go Hokies!
September 5th, 2018 at 3:32 pm
Higher draft pick