Still Time To Fire Mike Smith
October 15th, 2018
Joe often tells people that the NFL is a fluid business, as is covering the NFL.
One day’s truth is another day’s fiction or ancient history.
After the Windy City Wipeout two weeks ago, Dirk Koetter made it very clear that firing defensive coordinator Mike Smith was not going to happen, and that it was as an ill-advised option because he saw no viable alternative.
But that is two-week old news. What about now?
With two weeks to prepare for a familiar Atlanta foe, the Bucs defense marched onto the field and was horrendous overall — unprepared and outplayed. Koetter witnessed the very best bye-week, fix-job his defensive coaching staff had to offer and look what it produced.
Coach, there’s still time to replace Smith and/or change his role. And if not, there’s time to call in favors to get some seasoned advisory help at One Buc Palace immediately.
Pay for it out of your own pocket, if you have to. Frankly, if Mike Smith cared enough, he’d demand that Koetter hire at least one fresh set of eyes to come in and assess everything about this defense.
The Bucs rank last in the NFL in passes defensed (14) and in interceptions (1), in addition to being on pace to allow the most points in league history. And quarterbacks are completing passes against them at a league-record percentage, by a wide margin.
For a third-year defensive coordinator with talented players, it’s fair to say this could be the most dysfunctional NFL defense anyone has ever seen.
That’s a death row sentence in a passing league and the power players at One Buc Place know it. Will they have the fortitude to do anything, anything, bold to fix it?
October 15th, 2018 at 10:04 am
My gut is that M. Smith stays where he is and the Glazers clean house at the end of the season. Why change now? This team IS. NOT. CLOSE. They stink and changing one thing isn’t going to change a God darned thing? CLEAN HOUSE 2019.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:05 am
I think I’ve got more chance of winning the lottery!
October 15th, 2018 at 10:06 am
Can’t wait to hear your Podcast! Something tells me you won’t be so smugly sure of a Buc’s victory as you were last week. LOL!
This defense really doesn’t give the team more of a 50-50 chance at best regardless of opponent.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:07 am
Koetter would rather put the jobs of 50 plus players and coaches at risk than get rid of Mike Smith, seems pretty selfish
October 15th, 2018 at 10:11 am
I think Koetter has decided to ride or die with Mike Smith, which will likely cost Koetter his job. This offense could finish with team records in points and yards, but if the team finishes 6-10 or worse, the entire coaching staff should be let go. No Mulligans for Koetter at this point. He had the best opportunity to change something that was obviously failing and chose not to. Heck making that change may have allowed him to keep his job even if the team finished 6-10 with franchise best offense, because at least he recognized the flaw and actively tried to correct it mid-season.
Right now, anything less than 9-7 should cost Koetter his job, and no assistant should be guaranteed a spot with the new staff.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:12 am
I just don’t get it. Enough is enough. We all know this defense has talent. To continuously get embarrasss by wide open receivers. It’s just demoralizing to watch. When you register one pass defensed by Carl Nassib…gtfoh.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:16 am
I agree. But I honestly think unless the Glazers or Licht are going to step in to make an executive order, it’s not going to happen.
Koetter, no matter what he says verbally, would rather go down swinging with his buddy then try to save his own hide and just fire the bum.
“Jameis is going to be here a lot longer than I will.” He’s already accepted it.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:17 am
I will not pick the Bucs to win another game this yr due exclusively to Smith’s Defense.
He should be fired today. The rest of the season is already a wash anyways.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:17 am
No
October 15th, 2018 at 10:18 am
ChanEpic
Not close? How many games can we WIN scoring 28 points per game and an average defense?
I believe that the answer would be more than 2 out of 5.
Why wait? Are you not sick and tired of this mess already? Are you calm? Are you OK with not playing in January AGAIN?
Go Bucs!!!
October 15th, 2018 at 10:18 am
The bad part is, we don’t know who to keep and who to get rid of on this defense. They are underperforming so much that it’s hard to figure who to keep
October 15th, 2018 at 10:18 am
Why bother? Let the tankjob continue. Clean house and use high draft pick on a real franchise QB.
I’ve been a loyal Bucs fan since 1976. I’m too old to start over, but maybe my grandkids will see another Bucs playoff appearance.
4-12 record for this season is a generous prediction.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:21 am
Jameis does not have the leisure of handing off to a running back to take time off the clock. His mindset is that he always has to score touchdowns and unless that burden is removed from him by a decent defense the turnovers are going to be there. Even the Falcon depleted defense can string together a few plays to get the other offense off the field
October 15th, 2018 at 10:21 am
IMO there are a few glaring things. I liked what I saw from Kendall Beckwith at MLB over Kwon. So I would move him to strongside when Kendall is ready. Contested balls in the secondary. you can’t have defensed passes when the defender is 5 yards away. I understand the wanting to hold someone accountable and agree. I happen to like Buckner as a DLine coach and would hate to see him go before he had a chance to mold this unit. I say hand the keys to the Defense to him and Duffner.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:21 am
Well, at least we had Fitzmagic for 2 games. It’s the middle of October and us Bucs fans are talking draft and coaching/GM changes. Another wasted year! Just fire Smith now so we can at least be placated as fans. Prolonging the inevitable is sure to drive away (permanently) more fans. Realize this year is an abortion and CLEAN HOUSE starting with GM and coaches.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:22 am
Can we at least fire the secondary coach?
October 15th, 2018 at 10:22 am
The best managers always have other options…..there is no good manager that will be held hostage by any employee no matter how important the position.
By saying there is no good other option to Mike Smith is admitting incompetence.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:23 am
On top of all of this, the Bucs are currently on pace to have even *FEWER* sacks this season than last season.
Totally confident, right guys?
October 15th, 2018 at 10:23 am
25 points per game would have been good for 3rd worst in the league last year. just that simple benchmark would have the bucs 4-1 with this offense. we can’t dismantle a promising group because we have one guy who can’t scheme against modern offenses
October 15th, 2018 at 10:24 am
The Bucs have the #1 ranked offense in the NFL and are squandering it with this putrid defense.
I do think the Bucs have good players on defense. The largest problem by far is the scheme and coaching.
I don’t understand why Licht and the Glazers don’t do anything about it.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:25 am
Please keep him Dirk there’s just too much talent here and you clearly have no idea what to do with it and not a good enough coach to adjust. Continue the bucs life tradition. The obvious outcome is on the horizon and I’m all for it. Get someone else in here even though that is when the glazers screw it up and hire someone not qualified
October 15th, 2018 at 10:25 am
dirk must want out of here too…to ride with smitty at this point???, he must want to go as well – so they’re just riding it out in cruise control until canned…it’s a shame the real fans gotta pay the price and suffer for this defensive calamity…
#TonyDungyIsTheAnswer
October 15th, 2018 at 10:25 am
*4th worst
October 15th, 2018 at 10:26 am
I rarely give up. But unless this team tries something dramatic with the defensive coaching staff I’m pretty much writing this year off.
I have enough optimism left to believe we could still turn it around…with NEW coaches on the D side…at least a new DC and DB coach. If Vea keep improving and the young DB’s begin to learn their positions and we have far, far, far better defensive game plans (that won’t be hard to do) we could continue to improve and we do have a very talented offense.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:26 am
imagine if coaches and players got half paychecks for losses and full paychecks for wins…everything would be a different story…that would change things in a wild way
October 15th, 2018 at 10:27 am
the bucs have one of the most productive offenses in the league and people still feel like we are years away from competing. i think that says everything about what this defense is doing to the psyche of this organization
October 15th, 2018 at 10:29 am
If Mike Smith had any integrity he would resign immediately. This would allow the team and staff to focus on the positive and reset the season.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:31 am
@pick6 :
correct
we just need an average defense to win 10 games here…we don’t need a dungy-esque defense…we can go 10-6 easily winning games 28-21 each week…just sayin…
October 15th, 2018 at 10:31 am
Adam from NY,
That’s disgusting! Very disgusting!
October 15th, 2018 at 10:31 am
I was ok with Koetter until he back himself into a corner with Smith. I think this applies to a lot of bucs fans. It will cost him his job.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:32 am
jpp is losing his mind – and will flip out soon – he has never experienced being on a team run like this…he almost had a meltdown with buckner on the sidelines yesterday….he is a very real, hard working and emotional guy that wears his heart on his sleeve…this team is starting to eat away at him…
just a thought
October 15th, 2018 at 10:34 am
Mike Smith just needs to make his week six adjustments.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:34 am
Every morning I wake up hoping to read that Mike Smith has been fired. It is a sad existence. Screw you Koetter and you screw you “Smitty.”
October 15th, 2018 at 10:34 am
honestly, never seen a defense like this…guys wide open play after play, for 3 games now! no pass rush continues and playing way off the line…truly horrible
October 15th, 2018 at 10:34 am
Just like with politics it is all talk and no action. What is being done about Smith? It all sounds good on paper but what is the reality each week? The team doesn’t care so why should we.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:38 am
@D-rome :
smitty once said: “disgusting times call for disgusting comments”…
so i guess i’m just a player on smitty’s d…
#SorryDoubleJoesThisTeamIsUpsettingMe
October 15th, 2018 at 10:39 am
Lowkey you still have to look at Licht needing to be replaced. We extended him too early because outside of drafting he’s failing at every other aspect of his job. He’s responsible for the coaches as well. Coach Smith hasn’t shown the organization anything of note to justify him retaining his position. Dirk Koetter is basically in the same boat as well. Hindsight being 20/20 he should’ve never been given the HC position in the first place. The organization and a lot of us fans as well gave Koetter too much credit for the offense improving upon his arrival. We went from a season of (NO offensive coordinator), no #1pick QB, and to 2nd round linemen in Donovan and Marpet. Of course, our offense was going to improve from Glennon and Tedford. Yet Licht couldn’t even understand this and gave the job to Koetter who’s clearly not ready for being an HC. That’s why Dirk doesn’t want to fire M Smith because he needs help with his own job.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:39 am
AtlBuc Says:
October 15th, 2018 at 10:21 am
Jameis does not have the leisure of handing off to a running back to take time off the clock.
HELLO!!!! Noone has that ‘leisure’ when the Defense allows TDs on the first three drives of a game!
October 15th, 2018 at 10:39 am
If they fire Mike Smith
Who will be Koetter and Licht scapegoat?
October 15th, 2018 at 10:40 am
Had a dream last night that I’d wake up today and Mike Smith was already fired. Opened up JBF and got splashed with a bucket of ice water.
Noooooo. Last January was one year too late to fire Mike Smith.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:41 am
its not going to happen! We need to trade for Patrick Peterson right NOW!
October 15th, 2018 at 10:42 am
Give the man a full season, see where we are then.
Loads of rookies playing.
And win Sunday so we can get back in the hunt.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:42 am
Joe Blahak
imagine how bad it could of been if Sanu and Ridley had stayed in the game.
They were down to Julio and we still couldn’t cover one man.
Anybody who thinks Grimes isn’t just collecting a check didn’t watch the same game that I did.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:43 am
joes:
read my comment above about our team leader jpp…he’s about to go all out crazy up in that locker room on these dudes that are punking out…
he sees the team is lost and soft…so he is trying to save vita vea now, and take him under the wing before he’s ruined too…
for real tho, i don’t think a single bucs player could whoop jpp’s ass…he would serve ’em all up in a one on one steel cage match
October 15th, 2018 at 10:43 am
NPR with his same jameis garbage every article. Hes not going anywhere, maybe you should. The fact that clowns like you can blame anything but a HISTORICALLY bad defense is ridiculous and makes you almost unbearable.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:44 am
TBTeddy
On the bright side
Usually the Glazers extend contracts and then fire them…
October 15th, 2018 at 10:44 am
The offense was just as bad as the defense early in the game
The offense scored a TD and missed the PAT
They kicked off to the Falcons, the Falcons scored
7-6
The Bucs punted to the Falcons
The Falcons scored
14-6
The Bucs punted again, the Falcons scored
21-6
The Bucs threw interception, their defense held the Falcons
Falcons punt
Don’t try to lay all of the blame on the defense
There is no EXCUSE for the Falcons to go Punt/Punt/Interception
On a weak Falcons defense that’s missing 4 starters
A defense that came into the game giving up 32.6 points a game
121 points in the last 3 games
October 15th, 2018 at 10:44 am
We had a golden opportunity yesterday. Played a team we know very well minus it’s number one back, and then early on Falcons lose their top producing WR. Missing a bunch of guys on D as well. We had a bye week to get things right. I like to flip around on NFL ticket and watch other games and no other defense has so many guys literally out in space like us. Lost in space. That is my name for our D.
When it is 3rd and long and our safeties backpedal and our Linebackers react to play action the only players heading to the sticks are the Falcons. Why is that Mike? How do you not defend the first down marker when you know that is where the ball is going? I was waiting for the players to go rogue at one point yesterday. Why would you ever run against us when you can complete 75% of your passing attempts?
October 15th, 2018 at 10:46 am
**No excuse for the Bucs to go Punt/Punt/Interception**
October 15th, 2018 at 10:48 am
Cgmaster27 Says:
October 15th, 2018 at 10:43 am
NPR with his same jameis garbage every article. Hes not going anywhere, maybe you should. The fact that clowns like you can blame anything but a HISTORICALLY bad defense is ridiculous and makes you almost unbearable.
_______________________
Completely agree @Cgmaster27
No logical person would blame the Bucs loosing record on anything other than the defense.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:49 am
The Bucs record with Jason Licht as GM
24-45
Enough Said
October 15th, 2018 at 10:49 am
Because of the Defense, you’re forcing all other facets of the game to be perfect. It shouldn’t be that way. The kicker should be able to miss a kick occasionally. Winston should be able to throw a pic. Instead, all of these players need to play perfect or we’re screwed.
Listen, I understand that the D will give up some points, but you cannot have opponents scoring at will week after week. We can’t get a pass rush. We don’t challenge receivers. There’s no disruption to the opposing offense. I have a feeling that Mayfield will look amazing this week, and if this happens, the Bucs should be ashamed.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:51 am
The Saints gave up 48 to the Bucs week one
They haven’t lost a game since
Won 4 straight
They are not sitting around moaning about their pathetic defense
They are averaging 36 points a game
Putting teams away
October 15th, 2018 at 10:52 am
Joes:
the fact that we start every game off on the wrong foot with quizzz rodgers taking kickoffs is absurd – it’s a whole story in itself…he is good for a 15 yard return at best every time – so basically from jump, koetter is making the wrong call….i can think of 5 guys off the bat who would be better in that spot…quizzz has no moves or break away speed for returns…just because quiz lied to dirk and said he is the 3rd cousin of michael spurlock, is no reason to give him that gig
#StartingOnTheWrongFoot #PlayingFootsyInTampa
October 15th, 2018 at 10:52 am
FIRE MIKE SMITH!!!!
October 15th, 2018 at 10:54 am
LakeLand- You might as well type, “Truth isn’t truth!” while you’re at it. Blaming it on anything other than defense goes against the “agenda.”
There were failures at every level yesterday. Some worse than others.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:54 am
Matt Ryan 5 TD, 0 INT
148.1 passing rate
And the Saints still beat them
October 15th, 2018 at 10:54 am
I’m not sure defense and talented players
Should be used in same
Sentence..I don’t see it..maybe jpp..the rest are average at best.
Linebackers didn’t do anything until 4th..still average.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:55 am
It was time after last season. Its to the point now I’m done watching until Smith is gone at least. Prefer Dirk gone too. No way these guys ever get to the big one. Why else play this game? This team is oozing with talent. Cant stop a nose bleed. Cleveland will smash them if they trot out that same shat show of a defense. At least I wont have to see it. Wake me up when justice is served and sittin back smitty is outa town. I guess he didnt get the testosterone replacement therapy during the bye week he badly needs.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:55 am
Wausa
The Defense (Smitty)
The Head Coach (Klueless)
The GM- way to many misses on premium picks.
The Glazers
This organization is dysfunctional all the way through. As sad as it is to say, the worst thing that could happen is for us to go 7-9, 8-8 and this staff gets another year. IMHO
October 15th, 2018 at 10:56 am
@Jerseybuc Lost In Space! I’m dying right now, that’s the perfect name for Smith’s defense. You should send them boys some t-shirts lol.
October 15th, 2018 at 10:56 am
Bucsfanman
Where I’m from GOOD football teams win games
They don’t point fingers
October 15th, 2018 at 10:59 am
If we don’t have the ball last- we will lose- just see the last 26 seconds of the first half. That FG, killed us!! The missed extra point Killed us!! and in true Matt Bryant stick it to the Bucs fashion, he drilled a 58 yard FG that no coach in their right mind would have ever tried, and pulled his hammy doing it. He couldn’t have pulled it on the approach? Cutting that guy may be the single worst move in Buccaneer history.
October 15th, 2018 at 11:00 am
@Lakeland you can’t be a GOOD football TEAM when half of it is the WORST in the league.
October 15th, 2018 at 11:00 am
OMG
every time JW loses a game mike smith sux… lol
no one was saying this the 1st 2 games!
October 15th, 2018 at 11:01 am
LakeLand- Well said!
I’d like to offer some advice to the Bucs organization:
SHUT UP AND FIX IT!
October 15th, 2018 at 11:02 am
Don’t fire Smitty now. Keep him so we can ensure the entire coaching staff is fired. Big mistake not firing these losers last year.
October 15th, 2018 at 11:06 am
Nice guys finish last. Let’s let someone else take the reins of this defense. Smith’s gotta go.
October 15th, 2018 at 11:07 am
I watched the game last night
The Patriots beat the Chiefs 43-40
Neither team was looking at their defense
They were too busy trying to out score eachother
The team with the most points is the winner
October 15th, 2018 at 11:07 am
Defense was horrible
Defense was bad
Not the only reason we lost
Spread the wealth Jamies three a horrible pass in the end zone to DJax
Jamies could not hit DJax in stride long
Jamies threw into a double team with a man wide open
Come On Joe Tell the WHOLE STORY
WHY do we defended this Man so vigorously without Blame
He is the Leader in the field
Ryan won his game with as bad a defense
October 15th, 2018 at 11:09 am
Even if they fix this mess and turn the season around…would you want to keep this crappy coaching staff and GM?
“The body of work” speaks for itself…time to fire the cannons…right at the coaching staff and GM..
Lets start talking possible regime change options!
October 15th, 2018 at 11:10 am
it’s not the coaches it’s the organization. how many failed regimes do the glazers get to hire and fire before you fools accept their complete and total incompetence. They have NO DESIRE TO FIELD A COMPETITIVE TEAM. THEY HAVE NOT EVEN TRIED TO BE COMPETITIVE SINCE SUPER BOWL. THE ON FIELD RESULTS PROVE IT…
from paying of man u debt down, letting brooks hang on way to long, to setting up Raheem for failure, to letting the crying clown and his pathetic side kick run off schicano, to the failed PR stunt that was the lovie friends and family era… get rid of the glazers and get rid of the that sorry excuse for a team captain cancer93 and maybe there will be some hope. until then you are just pissing in the wind optimists.
glazers need to relinquish control and not to some ignorant has been bum like dungy the clown. the same ignorant failure who never won a damn thing with the bucs. his pathetic two playoff victories in 6 years is absolutely disgraceful given the talent… not to mention he was punked by the ravens when they won the super bowl with dilfer who dungy the clown could not even manage a high school level offense. he wasted most sapp’s one of the 2 true stars in franchise history the other being selmon of course. throw that mr peanut looking fool in a dog fighting ring that is where his hypocritical arse belongs. dog food.
you idiots need to stop living in a failed past… you realize those under achieving players you call legends only won a pathetic 5 post season games in their careers and ZERO without Sapp. 3 in one damn year
you realize that Montana, Staubauch, Bradshaw, Brady those are Legends with multiple rings. They actually had success in the post season unlike the under achieving has beens led by dungy the clown… you low standard fans need to let it go and move on from the failed glory years.
October 15th, 2018 at 11:16 am
Keep throwing that talent word around. The d is talented. The d is terrible and it’s all about the players on the field. Talented defenses don’t miss tackles they’re not constantly getting beat. The play is called and you know what your job is on that play. The job isn’t getting done and it’s all about the players on the field.
October 15th, 2018 at 11:16 am
Can the bucs still trade Winston anytime during the season ?
October 15th, 2018 at 11:18 am
Can somebody tell me who these talented players we have on d are?
October 15th, 2018 at 11:19 am
There’s 14 teams in the NFL averaging 25 points or more
This is an offensive league
The rules favor offense
Defenses are at an disadvantage
There’s only 6 defenses giving up less than 20 points a game
October 15th, 2018 at 11:26 am
@Lakeland
How many defenses are giving up 33+ points a game? We’re averaging 28 points a game on offense. We don’t need our D to be great or even good. Just be average. Hold the opponent to around 24/25 points a game and we can actually win.
October 15th, 2018 at 11:34 am
SchwiftyBuc
The offense has turned the ball over 9 times, the past 3 games
That’s 9 times they put their defense back on the field
9 times they denied themselves from scoring
No one is complaining about this
October 15th, 2018 at 11:40 am
You know you have a bad defense
Turing the ball over is only flaming the fire
October 15th, 2018 at 11:42 am
Every team needs a..Whippin Post. Smitty is ours. Feels like I’m dieing.Hit it Jai Moe
October 15th, 2018 at 11:43 am
I say go ahead and fire Koetter and Smith. They won’t win more than 2 or 3 games the rest of the way. Koetter isn’t going to address the failing defense and hold Smith accountable, so the Glazers need to step in and remove both of them. That will also give them a head start on the coaching search. They need to finally land a great head coach and that search should start ASAP.
October 15th, 2018 at 11:48 am
Fans don’t matter to the Glazers. Just buy another Buc hat or tee shirt and shut up..so they probably think. This franchise is not serious about becoming championship quality. We lost that after Dungy and the one year chucky lead Dungy;s troops to a champiobship. That is and was it. You never hire rejects from another team who could not get it done with that previous team. I betcha ole Arthur Blanks was skinnin and Grinnin yesterday.
October 15th, 2018 at 11:59 am
The reality is that we will have to lose to the Browns and Baker Mayfield will be phenomenal. Then it will be too late and we will get Jason Licht stepping in to kindly, with much dignity, relieve Mike Smith of his duties.
October 15th, 2018 at 12:03 pm
Don’t see that happening Fire. If they were going to fire Smith they would have done it over the bye week.
October 15th, 2018 at 12:07 pm
Some of you guys are completely ridiculous. You know who you are, the no matter what happens in the game you always find a way to blame the loss on Winston guys. We have quite a few of you on this site. I found it interesting that Mahomes had almost the same stat line that Winston had. Mahomes 23/36 352 4 tds 2 int. lost 43 to 40, scored 9 points in first half. Winston 30/41 395 4 tds 2 int lost 34 to 29 scored 13 points in first half. So you tell me is it Mahomes fault that the chiefs lost that game to new england? No I’m sure you guys are saying what a great game Mahomes played, while in the same breath, bashing Winston for the loss. My point is to expect any QB to play a game with the expectation that they have to play a almost mistake free game to make up for this awful def. is mind boggling. Guys this QB led us to over 500 yards of total offense, think about that, with any kind of defense at all we should have won going away. All our team needs is a new direction on defense and the wins will follow.
October 15th, 2018 at 12:15 pm
@Lakeland you’re only proving the point of how horrible this defense is.
If our defense was only giving up 25 points a game, we would be 4-1
THE DEFENSE IS THE PROBLEM.
Only scoring on one of your first three drives should not take you out of the game simply because your defense is unable to stop ANYTHING.
October 15th, 2018 at 12:37 pm
John tackles are missed because of lack of heart and being afraid to get hurt, that’s where coaching comes to play.
I’m not saying they got mad talent but they’re definitely not getting the most of they have. Miko Grimes looks like doesn’t want to make contact with anybody out there.
October 15th, 2018 at 12:56 pm
@ChipBuc – I waver about JW but your post is well said.
October 15th, 2018 at 1:00 pm
Kotex is an idiot. Don’t change a thing Coach and you’ll be looking for a new job along with Mike Smith.
Your CB are always playing scared, they play off and guys aren’t on the same page with each other in the secondary.
Is that the players fault or the coaches fault?
I say ti’s the coaches fault because you don’t know how to coach your players up and get them to think about what position they need to be in.
FIRE MIKE SMITH!!! FIRE MIKE SMITH!!
I will be yelling this next week and the week after that too.
Or don’t fire Mike Smith and you and Smith can split the price of a lunch sandwich in the unemployment line!
October 15th, 2018 at 1:00 pm
Smith shouldn’t be blamed for everything, he has no talent at corner or safety. I beleive you could find players off the street that could play better. Interceptions and turnovers are non-existent with this defense. It starts at the top with Licht, he must go. Smith should go also because I think the players and fans have no confidence in Smilth.
October 15th, 2018 at 1:03 pm
@ ChipBuc I completely agree. All great QBs take risks that sometimes lead to interceptions. Unfortunately, Winston doesn’t have the luxury of having a defense to fall back on and pick him up when he makes those bad throws, which all starting QBs make. The Winston haters are going to hate and blame him for everything. Like Like JP said in Bucs Uncensored, those haters might be racists.
October 15th, 2018 at 1:16 pm
It’s the same problem that we had with lovie smith. the league had the playbook on how to beat his defenses. This isn’t hard and it’s not rocket science why it’s not working. The league knew that lovie’s defenses had no answer for a slant pass. they ran those all day and it worked every single time and they marched the ball right up the field. Every week we see that every pass is finding a receiver that doesn’t even have a defender in the screen to be found anywhere. It’s not that they’re outplaying our corners, it’s that our corners are not even in position to make the play. We’ve lived this life before and we know how it ends. Mike Smith is 96 years old. Why in the world would we think that he’s had these issues since he arrived and all of a sudden he’s going to change what he’s doing when he’s been doing the same thing and coaching the same style of defense since 1936.
October 15th, 2018 at 1:17 pm
@BurgDweller: MIGHT be racist? I’d say 90% of the haters are DEFINITELY racist.
October 15th, 2018 at 1:17 pm
If us fans band together and NOT go to games, not watch on TV or listen on the radio for a few weeks it’ll begin to hit ownership in the pockets and at that point they “MAY” decide to take action and change Mike Smith’ role…. Ownership are obviously smart and wily business people; there’s virtually no way they can not know that our defense is probably the worse EVER in the history of the NFL (and what a shame with so much talent to lean on)…
If ownership will not step in and take action us fans should do our part and not contribute our hard earned money to these billionaires who refuse to step in and do what needs to be done in order to give us hard working people a team and product to be proud of… Does anyone think that ownership can be proud of the current defensive product? Refuse to give them your money for a few weeks and we’ll (hopefully) see a different play-caller on defense…….
October 15th, 2018 at 1:45 pm
Mike Smith has to be trying to get fired, that way he collects his guaranteed contract and doesn’t have to put the work in. There simply is no other explanation for him not changing this defense in the last 3 years. Players are getting worse and worse in this scheme. I said it before, I’m waiting for Ashton Kutcher to walk out to let us know we have been punked for keeping this guy around.
October 15th, 2018 at 1:45 pm
It done! Adios.
October 15th, 2018 at 1:46 pm
Well John I can tell you they have already lost at least one life long fan. I won’t be back until they make a change. I am a runner and was going to go the Cleveland game because that is this year’s Treasure Chest run game. I will be running on a treadmill at home rather than watching them get beat down by the Browns. Yesterday I went to the Hard Rock to play poker and only watched bits and pieces of the defensive trash going on. FIRE MIKE SMITH PLEASE!
October 15th, 2018 at 1:50 pm
Just saw that Smith is gone! Thank the lord!
October 15th, 2018 at 1:51 pm
Ian Rappaport reports Bucs have fired Mike Smith !
October 15th, 2018 at 1:52 pm
@jmarkbuc,
We may not have a Bucs team to root for if it weren’t for the Glazers. They have spent more money than Hugh Culverhouse ever did. So, I’m just fine with the ownership. Much better situation here than with Dan Snyder, Jerruh Jones, and Al/Mark Davis.
October 15th, 2018 at 1:53 pm
Done. Mike Smith is no longer DC
October 15th, 2018 at 1:53 pm
He was just fired
October 15th, 2018 at 1:53 pm
Mike Smith is FIRED! Check it out online!!! Woooohooooooooo!!!!
OMG. Jack Del Rio? OMG. I’m giddy!!!
October 15th, 2018 at 1:54 pm
Nevermind, Duffner is taking over. Slums back to reality.
October 15th, 2018 at 1:55 pm
*Slumps
October 15th, 2018 at 1:55 pm
I’m confused.
October 15th, 2018 at 1:55 pm
Fired!!!
October 15th, 2018 at 2:01 pm
Anyway, Duffner makes sense as long as he tweaks the D. There is no time to learn a new scheme from an outside coach coming in mid-season.
I had no idea Mike Smith was the highest paid DC in the NFL. That was money well spent. At least Mike Smith can laugh all the way to the bank and he’s going to account for dead money the rest of the season.
At least the Bucs have the fewest amount of cash locked up in dead money in the entire NFL. Aguayo still collecting a pretty penny from us.
October 15th, 2018 at 2:10 pm
bucs fire mike smith a few minutes ago
October 15th, 2018 at 2:11 pm
I think some of Jameis bad turnovers comes from trying to keep pace with opposing offenses he knows he has to put up points in order to have fighting chance at end. That makes him try throws he knows are not high percentage but he feels he has to try or he would be down 14-21 points in no time. Better D and better running game to lean on and I think we would see the Jameis franchise QB everyone is expecting!
October 15th, 2018 at 2:11 pm
now its dirts time
October 15th, 2018 at 2:12 pm
BREAKING NEWS….Smith is OUT, with Dufner taking over!
October 15th, 2018 at 2:13 pm
BUCS JUST FIRED MIKE SMITH!
October 15th, 2018 at 2:17 pm
This was most definitely the Glazers telling Koetter and Licht to fire Smitty. No other way this happens.
October 15th, 2018 at 2:21 pm
Smitty out, yeah I don’t think Dirk fired him, it was message from above
October 15th, 2018 at 2:30 pm
He’s finally gone, Thank God!
October 15th, 2018 at 2:36 pm
FINALLY! — Ok now we can MOVE FORWARD.
October 15th, 2018 at 2:36 pm
Scheme? Throw scheme out the door! Just play sound fundamental defense and the rest will take care of itself. That was Smitty’s problem to begin with!
Throw it all out and play the basics. We have players that can make a difference.
October 15th, 2018 at 2:38 pm
It came down to the Glazers telling Koetter if he wants to keep his job for the remainder of this season, then he needs to let them fire Smith and move on.