Exceeding Expectations
November 3rd, 2018
Steal.
Not many things are going right for the Bucs defense this season.
The Bucs are still on pace to challenge for the most points allowed in NFL history in one season. The 1981 Baltimore Colts hold the record at 533, an average of 33.3 points a game. The Bucs are allowing an average of 33.3 points a game.
One defensive bright spot is the play of Jason Pierre-Paul. He’s on pace for 16 sacks. Greg Auman of The Athletic writes about JPP’s feat and just how awful the Bucs’ pass rush has been for much of the 21st century.
The league has had 98 different players combine for 211 10-sack seasons since the Bucs’ last one (2005), with DeMarcus Ware getting eight by himself.
How the Tampa Bay franchise has failed for so long after so many swings-and-misses should be taught in a sports management class at a higher institute of learning. It is truly mind-boggling.
The fact Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht obtained JPP for a third-round pick is a complete coup. In fact, there is a warrant for Licht’s arrest in New Jersey for larceny.
November 3rd, 2018 at 10:08 am
It sucks to see this man without that “C” on his chest. He deserves it. The man comes to play with BALLZ every weekend. Now imagine if he had some help on the interior. No apologies.
November 3rd, 2018 at 10:18 am
Joe Why are my post so slow to come up
November 3rd, 2018 at 10:22 am
He has yet to be corrupted by whatever it is that corrupts players on this team. I hope it continues.
November 3rd, 2018 at 10:33 am
Well said, @Season
November 3rd, 2018 at 10:37 am
It’s really too bad that the 3rd rounder spent to acquire JPP is looking like the only good pick of the 2018 draft outside maybe Justin Watson and Maybe Carlton Davis.
I like Vita Vea, but as of right now you simply cannot justify picking him over Derwin James or Daron Payne or Jaire Alexander for that matter. Each and everyone of them is outplaying Vea at a significant level.
After being extremely disappointed with the Ronald Jones pick on draft night, but I began to warm up to him. However, just like with Vea. You can’t justify taking Jones over Josh Jackson or Kerryon Johnson.
Now, we get to Ol’ Slow poke MJ Stewart. There no 2 ways about it. This dude SUCKS! He simply does not have the athletic tools necessary to EVER be even a decent corner in the NFL. He is a step slow now and always will be. The dude has been getting burnt by anyone and everyone since Rookie minicamp when he was lining up against nobodies. Meanwhile Dontae Jackson is balling out in Carolina.
This may just be Jason Lichts worst draft to date. Also, Can you imagine how effing good this offense would be if he had made the correct choice in 2017 and had drafted Kareem Hunt or Alvin Kamara in the 2nd round instead of Justin Evans?
Don’t get me wrong Evans is no bust, but he still takes really bad pursuit angles at times and gives up too many TD’s. And he’s no where close to being the same caliber player as Hunt or Kamara who are indisputably 2 of the best backs in the league.
Licht needs to be replaced or demoted.
November 3rd, 2018 at 10:40 am
@Ray Rice … “The fact Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht obtained JPP for a third-round pick is a complete coup.” As they say … ‘Timing is everything’. I’ll give Licht credit for pulling the trigger, but the gun was loaded by Gettleman. Had he not replaced Jerry Reese in the off-season, no way the Giants part with JPP (at 1-7 right now, they probably wish they had him back).
Same thing with the 2018 draft … ‘Timing is everything’. I’ll certainly credit Licht with taking advantage of the circumstances that developed (first round move down for extra picks), but ‘All the stars had to align’ for those circumstances to be created. And align they did. We ended up with 4 picks in 2 rounds instead of 2 … THAT’S A COUP. How those 4 picks were spent? Jury’s still out obviously, but we’ve now seen all 4 rookies play now. None look like ‘Rookie of the Year’ candidates at this point, but the bigger issue is ‘Will they be able to help us in the long term?’ Hopefully the answer is yes, or we’re in deep doo-doo. This team can’t afford to miss on 1st & 2nd round picks.
November 3rd, 2018 at 10:46 am
Yes, everyone knew how good Hunt and Kamara would be. That’s also the reason why they were picked in the third round. Looking back now, those dudes should’ve been first round picks, it’s easy to look back on a draft and say we should’ve done this or that. Guess what 32 teams missed on both of those players through 2 rounds and some teams through 3 rounds of the draft.
November 3rd, 2018 at 10:48 am
Yes great player. Ill admit I thought Licht should have gotten Quinn over JPP. Wrong on that one even tho both would have been nice. Jpp shows up every week. Need more guys giving it all. N of course need a different defense.
November 3rd, 2018 at 10:58 am
D.R. Stop with the objectivity. You’re going to confuse “some” of our posters here! LOL
JPP’s achievements are all the more remarkable when you consider his teammates. If you’re an NFL OC who do you game plan for on the Bucs defense? Which player scares you? Only ONE. Imagine how much focus has been on JPP…GMC has been out how long now? JPP has had next to no help on the DL.
JPP is clearly a special player I hope we can lock him up for a few more years at least.
November 3rd, 2018 at 11:04 am
@JP_09
Certain people like myself, were practically screaming on here in 2017 about just how damn good Kareem Hunt was. I was super, super high on this guys production, tape and physical tools and I was actively saying on a regular basis that this dude was much, much better than Dalvin Cook who many were projecting to be a first rounder. He was my 3rd rated back that year behind Fournette and Mixon.
Admittedly I was not as high on Kamara due to his lack of effectiveness between the tackles at Tennessee. But I still had a 2nd round grade on him based on his agility and physical skill set.
I just don’t know how everyone didn’t see how damn good Kareem Hunt was. It was plain as day to me he could be every bit as good as Frank Gore in this league… Makes me sad to this day we didn’t take him.
November 3rd, 2018 at 11:09 am
@Schwifty
Honestly the Bucs just suck at scouting, hell any back they picked last year would’ve been better than the one they picked. I personally wanted Carson, thought he would be a 3rd pick and he didn’t go until the 7th.
November 3rd, 2018 at 11:32 am
Hopefully GMC won’t make JPP a big softie
November 3rd, 2018 at 11:41 am
OK StPete, you win. You’ve probably been following the Bucs even longer than I have (since 1982 in my case when we first moved to Tampa). Moved away (in the military) 3 years later but came back in 1995 for good … one year before Tony Dungy took the reins. I was ecstatic from Day One and bought season tickets for the first time. Kept them until several years ago when the ‘Game Experience’ just stopped being fun. But I still love the Bucs & hope big-time that we can regain that 1990’s ‘quality’ that Tony instilled in not just the team, but also in the fanbase. Fans still bitched & moaned then like they do now … but it was always from a winner’s perspective. The NEXT STEP was to win a Super Bowl, not to prayerfully break even. Too much water under the bridge with this regime unfortunately, ’cause I really do like Koetter. But he’s not the HC to lead this team back to relevance. And Jason Licht certainly isn’t. End of the year will be interesting.
November 3rd, 2018 at 12:44 pm
It could be said that the addition of vita frees up JPP for 1v1 that he wins.
November 3rd, 2018 at 12:52 pm
Rick, make no mistake. I’m not down on Vita Vea the player. I think he’s got the tools to be a special player. But I’m criticizing the draft pick in comparison to the way players drafted after him at major positions of need are performing right now.
Also, your theory needs work because JPP was averaging a sack per game in the 3 weeks that Vea was out.
November 3rd, 2018 at 1:12 pm
spbf Says:
“JPP is clearly a special player I hope we can lock him up for a few more years at least.”
JPP is currently under contract through the 2020 season. He’s not cheap by any means earning $14.5M in 2019 and $12.5M in 2020. But his play thus far is pretty much guaranteeing he will be a Buccaneer at least 2 more years and earning all of the $39.5M from the contract the Buccaneers inherited.
After that, Pierre-Paul will be turning 32 and his value to the team vs the cost of keeping an aging star will need to be re-evaluated.
Very glad he’s here for at least these 3 years though…
Time for McCoy to step it up if he wants to stick around and continue to play more years with JPP I’m guessing…
November 3rd, 2018 at 1:15 pm
Schwifty
True about the sacks. If there were a ease of sacks stat I think I may be on to something, lol. You know I think Licht put all his money on the dline performing at a otherworldly level to cover up for the aging, rookie, below average secondary. He put the finishing touches on the dline project by selecting a first round dt. Gamble on the dline overhaul didn’t payoff.
November 3rd, 2018 at 3:33 pm
Pickgrin
Thanks for that info. I like GMC…not a total detractor like many here but if got to a cap issue I would keep JPP and let GMC walk.
Maybe we can keep both but if not it’s become clear to me who the real star it.
D.R.
Grew up across from Cincy in N Ky Stuck with the Browns for a long time until the GOAT Brown….Paul himself brought a franchise to our market.
Moved to St. Pete in the late 90’s and immediately moved my fan allegiance to the Bucs.
I feel largely like you about Koetter/Licht and the current admin.
Liked them but Koetter whether he caught a bad break in the timing or not will have to go with Licht and probably Fameis as well. Hate to say it but I’ve lost respect for Koetter and Licht and JW too for that matter.
November 3rd, 2018 at 11:34 pm
Remember all the dopes here after game one in New Orleans saying that JPP was just cashing a paycheck, hasn’t playing hard, is another bust. LOL! The same people say McCoy, a year in year out Pro Bowler, doesn’t play hard, isn’t any good and they get angry when he smiles. Then most of those same idiots say Winston, a 24-year old with numbers matched only by HOF’ers and lead the #1 offense in football is a bum and a bust and must be cut.
Basically the message board lynch mobs are terrible player scouts.
November 4th, 2018 at 5:09 am
Jason Pierre-Paul is doing what I always felt he would do for us. That’s why I wanted him in 2015.
The one knock I have is that the McCoy haters are not asking why JPP is not making the rest of the Oline better. After all, that’s what they have always claimed McCoy needed to do. Of course, he’s not McCoy, so it must be okay.