“I Feel Like That’s What We Weren’t Doing”
October 25th, 2018
Bucs rookie corner opens up
There are various theories as to why the Buccaneers defense struggled so mightily prior to Sunday.
And no, Joe is not among the lunatics who believe it was because Gerald McCoy was off the field.
Was it all on fired defensive coordinator Mike Smith? No. But a lot of it was.
Consider what rookie cornerback M.J. Stewart had to say about it. Speaking on the Buccaneers Radio Network this week, Stewart said he felt the defense wasn’t having fun and there was a new energy and effort in practice last week to have more fun an that led to the quick defensive turnaround.
“I feel like, you know, that’s what we weren’t doing. We weren’t having fun as a unit,” Stewart said. “So we took it upon ourselves in practice [last week] to bring the energy and make sure we had fun all week and bring it to the game. … It’s crazy how far having fun out there goes.”
Stewart went on to talk about how a goal was to “shorten up the playbook so we could play faster.” And then Stewart came back to energy, specifically new coordinator Mark Duffner’s nonstop energy.
Perhaps a coach’s No. 1 job is to make sure his players are engaged. The more that comes out, it sure seems like Mike Smith lost touch with that key element of coaching.
October 25th, 2018 at 8:09 am
Whatever it takes to turns things around! Now let’s work on getting some turnovers on Sunday!
October 25th, 2018 at 8:13 am
Sure looked like they were having fun dancing on the sideline. That’ll be ingrained in my mind as long as swaggy humping a palm tree and all the yuking it up and grab-assing on Hard Knocks. As Chris Spielman said during the broadcast after “the dance”, “You better win the game now”, after that embarrassment.
October 25th, 2018 at 8:14 am
They played some top WR prior to Sunday game
The Browns has the ‘ weakest’ WR group in the NFL
October 25th, 2018 at 8:20 am
Man….I have no fun at work either!
October 25th, 2018 at 8:26 am
“I’m Gerald McCoy and I approve of this message.”
October 25th, 2018 at 8:28 am
Once again Trevor S. has some good analysis in his cover 3 . Page 1 on the kicker. Page 2 on the defense. The use of slot corner Stewart on a corner blitz
is highlighted among other things. Many posters have called for blitzes from different angles and Duff incoorporated this one.
October 25th, 2018 at 8:28 am
GMC is always having fun…. I don’t understand!!
October 25th, 2018 at 8:29 am
I think this reflects poorly upon Koetter as he publicly stated over and over again that he was “hands off” on the defense until he probably was forced to can his buddy Smitty. Then again it does make sense that the players are going to rally around their new DC and site having some rejuvenation, fun and energy because if they can’t blame Smitty they have to look in the mirror and own the fact that they were allowing 35 points a game, in fact in a way Stewart is saying that the D unit was not playing with emotion and therefore they were not giving 100%. Yeah we can blame Smitty and it it nice that they held Cleveland to yards in 5 quarters of play but lets face it: it was the flush em down Browns. The team needs to have this effort every week, not just against a team that will probably be picking in the top 5 along with the Raiders, Giants, Niners and Cardinals……….
October 25th, 2018 at 8:29 am
@LakeLand…
I wouldn’t call Jarvis Landry weak by any means! He is a Legit #1 receiver.
October 25th, 2018 at 8:30 am
“held Cleveland to 305 yards in almost 5 quarters”…… left out 305 above^^^^^
October 25th, 2018 at 8:34 am
it was by far the most inept offense that they have played this year, by far!!!!! To think that “a lot of it was” Coach Smitty will just show what a lack of football knowledge this town has with the local media and sheep!!!!!!!!!!! This will fix the defense about as much as cutting drug martin to “fix the running game”!!!!!!!!!!!!! But we all know in this town it is more important to have right opinions than to actually fix the football team,,,,,Right??????????????
Since this year is about blaming scapegoats, when will everyone starting looking for the new GM???????
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 25th, 2018 at 8:36 am
Lakeland right on and now comes AJ Green……bucs did good against the eagles sorry group of WRs too, so expect a real ugly defensive performance in Cincy this sunday against an elite WR an elite RB that licht passed on for some reason
October 25th, 2018 at 8:37 am
Bull crap….I saw for the first time in forever Carlton Davis smash a wide receiver in the mouth at the line of scrimmage.
THAT’S THE DIFFERENCE!!!!!
October 25th, 2018 at 8:37 am
See pewter report
October 25th, 2018 at 8:40 am
They played some high scoring offenses prior to Sunday
New Orleans. 34.0 |2nd in PPG
Pittsburgh. 28.5 |5th in PPG
Chicago. 28.3 | 6th in PPG
Atlanta. 27.1 | 9th in PPG
October 25th, 2018 at 8:41 am
Jarvis Landry had less than 50% catch ratio, prior to Sunday game
And really that’s all they have
October 25th, 2018 at 8:44 am
That’s why I said the Browns has the weakest WR GROUP in the NFL
And Dusthty is right
The Eagles are not that much better
October 25th, 2018 at 8:53 am
It also seems that the GMC ice cream disease is leaking into others like this guy and not having fun, how about collect that $40,000 pay check and play hard nosed football and win leave the ice cream until march
October 25th, 2018 at 8:54 am
smitty was horrible….worst coach in buc history…it aint even close…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
October 25th, 2018 at 8:57 am
he said what smart people know….. the defense plays better when the team is winning or at least being competitive… I.e. the offense doesn’t suck
October 25th, 2018 at 9:07 am
It makes sense. Considering how the defense had the air let out of it as soon as Kwon went out, it got decidedly less fun when they saw that happen to such a prominent member of the defense. The play fell off considerably after that happened. I would say that, if this is the culprit, then Smith wouldn’t be absolved of blame for it. It’s the coach’s job, as Joe stated, to ensure that the team is engaged and dialed in to what they’re doing. If the players needed a scaled down playbook and to have fun with what they were doing then it was a failing on Smith’s part to not recognize that and adapt.
October 25th, 2018 at 9:17 am
It’s about leading your troops from the front, can’t do that in a booth.
October 25th, 2018 at 9:18 am
Having Gerald McCoy not play is refreshing
October 25th, 2018 at 9:36 am
lets see how we do against a decent offense this sunday. This game should tell if we turned the corner or ran into a brick wall.
October 25th, 2018 at 9:49 am
Having fun is a good thing but players are paid a lot of money to do as Belichick says, “do your job”. Fun or not, “do your job”. What really makes a job fun is winning!!! Winning is what comes when everyone does their job.
October 25th, 2018 at 9:50 am
It just might be the first game that all the corners were on the field and healthy
at the same time.
October 25th, 2018 at 10:03 am
@ Dusthy Rhodes
So Licht should’ve drafted Mixon rather than Howard in the first round? Justin Evans was drafted two picks after Joe Mixon.
October 25th, 2018 at 10:28 am
I read Mike Smith book, and it seems he did not follow his own words.
October 25th, 2018 at 10:28 am
@JOE
No. But you are one of the many lunatics who still defends Geraldine McBooty at all costs. The proof is there. You are one of the many who argued that he needed help etc… and when that help came he would be a monster… guess what… JPP is here and a dam good help… But McBooty is still doing the same antics. “My fault Joe. My fault Joe.”
October 25th, 2018 at 10:28 am
It has nothing to do with not having fun doing your job, anyone can do a job and not have fun and still under perform, if you do your job with passion and enjoy what you do you give more. I never wanted staff to just do the job I’ve always wanted my staff to enjoy what they do so they do it with passion and pride
October 25th, 2018 at 10:56 am
You can’t boost energy sittin upstairs in a GD pressbox. I still cannot understand why Smitty never came down..even after his so called, better game viewing was not working. Now thats outright stubbornest. And Koetter did not even demand Smitty be on the field. You would think….Ok..I’m done with it. If our Defense continues to get off the field and get sacks, we will win some games.
October 25th, 2018 at 11:28 am
Firing Smitty was the best thing we could of done. He deserves 90% of the blame for the trash defense
October 25th, 2018 at 11:31 am
Wow look who finally came out from under Mike Smiths nuts sacks…
October 25th, 2018 at 11:34 am
We could easily be 5-1 if Smitty was fired in the offseason. But noooo. Friendship and loyalty was more important. BS!
October 25th, 2018 at 1:24 pm
Browns receivers aren’t the worst IMO. Dallas, Arizona, Seattle, San Fran, and a few others have worse situations.
Jarvis Landry
Antonio Calloway (been very solid)
Rashad Higgins (solid #3)
David Njoku
Chubb/Johnson
They definitely have pieces to work with. Their O-line is also solid. Their D is pretty stacked talent wise. They’re just young.
October 25th, 2018 at 1:27 pm
@Realist
All I want is for the team to win. I wanted MS to succeed.
It seems you want the team to get blown out Sunday typical to other games this year…. to support your opinion on the staff….which is the type of fandom you’re criticizing…because if the D plays well what are you going to say?
GO BUCS!
October 25th, 2018 at 2:34 pm
Realist has a ba-a-a-a-ad sheep fetish! Just sayin’!
October 25th, 2018 at 2:55 pm
when your coach isn’t engaging and challenging you, i guess that is how things like dancing to celebrate an 8 point deficit happen
October 25th, 2018 at 5:30 pm
Don’t care what people are saying about opposing receiving corps, Carlton Davis continues to look damn good and I truly believe it’s going to better by the week if he can stay healthy.
October 25th, 2018 at 6:51 pm
Football Outsiders Rankings
Jarvis Landry 70th ranked
Antonio Callaway 73rd ranked
Rashard Higgins (injured) didn’t play against Bucs, not ranked in top 75
Cleveland OLine is ranked 32nd in pass protection
Only team in the NFL to allow 30+sacks
Has allowed 32 sacks
October 26th, 2018 at 7:15 am
@lord of corn
I don’t want anything, I am telling you what is!!!!!!!! You seem to be mad about the truth!!!!!! do you get mad at a thermometer when it tells you it is very hot outside???????????