Defense Not (As) Horrid Anymore
December 21st, 2018
No valid explanation.
A couple of things might be a struggle to answer for Bucs Bit-O-Honey-snacking, Ozark-watching, yams-eating coach Dirk Koetter when (if?) he has to sit in front of Team Glazer after the season.
More than once Koetter has said the Bucs have the requisite talent to win. Yet his teams haven’t won much of anything the past two seasons.
And of course, we all remember the scene in “Hard Knocks” when Koetter told Jameis Winston he is more like Aaron Rodgers (which is backed up by stats) than Tom Brady, yet Koetter has Jameis passing in an offense more suited for Brady than Rodgers. Why?
Then there is Mike Smith. Koetter brought back Smith as his defensive coordinator after a wretched 2017 season in which Smith’s defense was dead-last in the NFL. That may prove fatal for Koetter’s days with the Bucs.
Through the middle of October, the Smith-led Bucs defense this year was hellbent on setting 99-year old NFL records for futility, including most points allowed.
Just after getting alley-beaten on Chicago’s lakefront by the Matt Nagy-gang and the Bears, Koetter was asked about replacing Smith. Koetter scoffed and all but said changing defensive coordinators in mid-season wouldn’t help anything.
Yet two weeks later, Smith was gone. Koetter took the bullet for the move but it sure smelled to Joe like Koetter was ordered to do the deed or Smith was fired by someone higher up the food chain at One Buc Palace than Koetter.
Since, the Bucs defense has steadily improved. Not yet good, but no longer a matador defense. Under Mark Duffner, the Bucs are no longer the worst in the NFL in points allowed much less about to set an NFL record.
Per the good folks of NFL Films who calculates stats for BSPN’s NFL Matchup, the Bucs are now the third-worst in the NFL in points allowed, coughing up 28.8 points a game.
No, it is not a complete turnaround but it sure is improvement.
So back in early October, Koetter suggested replacing Smith would have just been a cosmetic move yet we now have evidence to the contrary.
Too bad the Smith firing was too late to save the Bucs’ season. And it likely was too late to save Koetter. And that’s a shame, no matter what Koetter offers to explain this away.
It didn’t have to be this way.
December 21st, 2018 at 12:30 am
Can’t wait until Kris Richard gets his hands on this secondary and this whole team in general. 813 is right, that man is destined to be a great leader and coach.
I took upon myself to look up some videos and honestly I went to work today trying to be better because of things Richard said. That guy is inspiring, intelligent, and very articulate.
We probably won’t hire him because Glazer boys will sign some schlub but man would I ever be like overly excited if we got that dude.
I guess thanks Duffner for showing us that we DO have some talent here.
Can’t wait for next year.
December 21st, 2018 at 1:11 am
“To be head coach you need to be decisive, klueless just doesnt have quick awareness and understanding
Screws up with time management ,quick adjustments, and use of timeouts still and never learns
There can be an earthquake and the roof falling and klueless wouldnt know if it landed a foot behind him
Atlanta will be his last game and he still will choke and tighten up when the score is close. Afraid to lose , excessively conservative and predicatable. The kicker can miss 4 kicks but klueless will play for field position for the 5th attempt
He is an employee and not an employer
He is not a leader but needs to be lead and told what to do
“Kobe has stated this 3 years ago”
Kobe Faker
December 21st, 2018 at 2:40 am
To Little..too Late there Mr. Dirk. You knew your defense Sucked after last year. Yet…You kept your compadre..Pressbox Smitty secured up there in his press box.
Stevie Wonder was hollarin for you to fire Smitty before the season began. And tampa bay journalist are just as guilty. Only one..maybe 2 demanded hsi firing. I said here on this webiste from day 1 they should never had hired you and I was RIGHT.
December 21st, 2018 at 2:58 am
Vic Fangio has “Da’ Bears Defense” gearing up for a Super Bowl Run.
December 21st, 2018 at 3:32 am
Head Coach: Vic Fangio
• Defensive Coordinator: Todd Bowles
• Outside Linebackers Coach: Bill Davis
• Inside Linebackers Coach: Mike Caldwell
• Defensive Line Coach: Brenston Buckner
• Assistant Defensive Line Coach: La’Roi Glover
• Cornerbacks Coach: Dennard Wilson
• Safeties Coach: Ed Donatell
• Assistant Defensive Backs: Roy Anderson
Note(s)
• Vic Fangio, Todd Bowles & Bill Davis have all been successful defensive coordinators in this league.
Vic Fangio – Former / Current Staff Members
• Outside Linebackers Coach: Bill Davis
• Safeties Coach – Ed Donatell
• Assistant Defensive Backs – Roy Anderson
Todd Bowles – Former/Current Staff Members
• Defensive Line Coach: Brenston Buckner
• Assistant Defensive Line Coach: La’Roi Glover
• Inside Linebackers Coach: Mike Caldwell
• Cornerbacks Coach: Dennard Wilson
December 21st, 2018 at 3:41 am
@Joe … “Bucs are now the third-worst in the NFL in points allowed, coughing up 28.8 points a game. No, it is not a complete turnaround but it sure is improvement.”
I enjoy stats Joe, but singular stats rarely tell the whole story IMO, or let you see what’s REALLY going on. This is a good example of that. Yes on the season (14 games) Bucs’ defense has given up 403 pts (28.8 PPG), BUT … break it apart and it shows a different picture. For the first 5 games under Smitty we gave up 173 pts (34.6 PPG) against some pretty good offenses (those 5 currently ranked #8 average). In the last 9 games under Duffner we gave up 230 pts (25.6 PPG) against offenses that currently rank considerably worse (those 9 currently rank #16 average). So yes, our defense is doing better (giving up 9 PPG FEWER is very significant IMO) but we should be doing better because our opponents’ offenses are weaker.
BUT (yet again?) … our starting defense looks very much different right now than it did to start the year. We didn’t have Vea back until Game 4 (and he’d missed ALL of training camp as a rookie). We lost Beau Allen for Games 3-5, and had to use Gholston as his replacement. Curry missed 4 games in the middle of the season, starting in Week 7. Grimes was out until Game 3 and we lost Kwon after Game 6 & VHIII after Game 1. In other words, lots of starters were out in those first games. It obviously hurt because our DLine in particular since we had almost no pressure on the QBs.
And recently we’ve lost even more defensive starters (Evans). Smitty saw LOTS of challenges personnel-wise, but Duff has seen just as many. Very much different Bucs team on the field in our last game against the Saints than we fielded in our first game against them. Just sayin’ … singular stats (28.8 PPG allowed, ranked #28 defensively in YARDAGE ALLOWED but #30 in POINTS ALLOWED) doesn’t REALLY tell the whole story of this very disappointing season.
December 21st, 2018 at 4:00 am
GREAT!!!!! So we went from dead last to third worst!!! Now THAT is progress!!! Why just give the Largo High school special education class President Jason Gump another year and then in the first round we can draft a long snapper and then trade ALL of our remaining picks and maybe Mike Evans and JPP to move up to get another first rounder and then draft that kicker we so desperately need. That will do it right Jason?? (Oozing with sarcasm in case your part of Jason’s class)
December 21st, 2018 at 5:48 am
There has obviously been an uptick in our defense in part because its more of an attacking defense. Our inability to stop Ravens running game, not withstanding.
Not all the blame can be placed on the defense. Offense needs to finish drives
limit turnovers.
December 21st, 2018 at 6:16 am
I cannot WAIT for Dirk to be fired so the non-creative Joe won’t lazily full half of all his articles with: “Bucs Bit-O-Honey-snacking, Ozark-watching, yams-eating coach Dirk Koetter”.
Enough already. We aren’t two. You wore this out shortly after it hatched in your brain. I personally hate it.
Hey Joe…love you, love this site…but for the LOVE OF GOD, would you please start treating us like adults and stop with this old, tired nonsense.
Be above that please.
December 21st, 2018 at 6:23 am
Since Smith was fired it’s almost as if Koetter is purposely trying to lose and make Jameis look bad. Why hasn’t the offense made adjustments? Why are there never any adjustments in game on this team?
Koetter sucks
December 21st, 2018 at 7:13 am
Can somebody please explain to me how Koetter still has a job?! We are literally lauding a “defensive turn-around” from last place to third to last!
December 21st, 2018 at 8:44 am
The defense is still bad, just not As bad. Dufner still had to run Smith’s scheme and use his players. He just made adjustments to it.
December 21st, 2018 at 9:10 am
Still need a talent overhaul and a DC who knows how to scheme.
December 21st, 2018 at 9:21 am
You are asking Joe not to be Joe. Sure, Joe can be just like a newspaper and write boring AP style articles that are as plain as the black and white newspapers they are. And what exactly is the point of that?
Joe has a successful business. Why change his business model to reflect not just a failing business, but an outdated news delivery service?
December 21st, 2018 at 9:47 am
alaskan
smart man!!!!….lol…
good to see you did a little digging instead of just saying,” we dont need another coordinator”….kris is much more than that….
he has what it takes to be a great HC imo…
i agree with you regarding the glazers but i hope we’re both wrong….glazer will try to make a “splash” at the HC opening with a big name….
i hope they do their due diligence and find the right coach for this team…..
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!…#ADIOSDIRK!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
December 21st, 2018 at 9:59 am
Is this a coincidence or common sense
The defense are playing a lot better
After the offense quit turning the ball over 3-4 times a game
December 21st, 2018 at 10:02 am
He was being loyal to his good friend and I can respect that.
Yes – Licht fired Smith with direction from the Glazers. The fact that Licht nor Koetter wouldn’t act until made to do so will cost both of them their jobs in the end. They proved they put their personal feelings above the good of the mission and a true leader wouldn’t do that.
Sad – but not everyone is built to lead.
Time to reboot.
December 21st, 2018 at 10:04 am
Joe needs to be Joe…but surely Joe can take some constructive feedback from loyal readers (I’m not the only one who has begged you to please stop). I think there’s a more creative, even MORE successful Joe in there who can find new phrases that don’t wear out their welcome. And honestly, these copy-and-paste collection of one-time clever sayings do not have to litter EVERY reference to Dirk in EVERY article.
Just be mindful that it just seems lazy after a while.
That said, if you continue to be “that Joe” I’ll continue to be a suffering loyal reader because I value the other 99% of your collective efforts.
December 21st, 2018 at 10:19 am
Fangio or Richards for HC. Monken OC Duffner DC, Buckner DL Of course it would be up to the new HC to say who he wants as coaches.
December 21st, 2018 at 10:21 am
Before hiring any coaches fire Licht & get new GM. It would also be nice if Glazers sold team since I believe that is the root to this mess.
December 22nd, 2018 at 12:03 am
I dunno Todd. Joe’s description of Dirk is kind of funny to me and to be honest I just skim over it to get to the core of his take. Personally though yams tend to give me the skitters, perhaps Dirk has constipation. That would explain his pained expressions on the sideline and when talking to the media…