Sad
December 14th, 2018
Opportunity lost.
Man, what could have been.
The Bucs have one of the best offenses in the league. But sadly, the defense of the Bucs was so terrible last year and early this season, that it totally Pearl Harbored any hope of a winning season.
Yes, the defense turned around but it is too late. Consider the following:
The Bucs are on the cusp of doing something no offense has ever done. The Bucs currently have five games with at least 500 yards. If the Bucs can pull off another in the next three outings, it will tie the 2013 Broncos and 1961 Oilers for most 500-yard offensive games in a single season of NFL history.
And what do the Bucs have to show for all of this? We’re stuck in the middle of coach-watch, seeing if/when Bucs coach Dirk Koetter has to turn in his access card to One Buc Palace.
As our reigning Commander in Chief would Twitter, “Sad!”
December 14th, 2018 at 4:20 pm
And your solution is to fire the head coach that built this up and start over.
Now that’s sad!
December 14th, 2018 at 4:21 pm
Don’t leave out the QB drama and horrid play…other than the big tease week one and two
December 14th, 2018 at 4:27 pm
I couldn’t agree more!
However, we cannot ignore how bad the turnovers have been the last several years. In Dirk’s offense, it is aggressive in the passing game and with deep passes. Thus vulnerable to fumbles sitting in the pocket and interceptions. So yes we can drive but those turnovers kill them. Thus why we aren’t top 5 in pts.
I think an offense could be elite under koetter and monken but it takes a more tenured and mature QB which jameis will be at some pt. But it was nearly impossible to maintain this offense and deal with his struggles or Fitz mediocrity.
The last couple of weeks showed how great and efficient this offense could be with a more conservative approach. Too bad we didn’t have a better run game or this offense would have been truly elite and the turnovers would have been resolved to an extent.
The next coach will hopefully find that balance, enforce better run blocking, limit Jameis’s risks and our offense will still be very good for a while. We’re close guys. As u can see with the defense improving.
I like Dirk. I wouldn’t be devastated if we retain him like most but someone who knows what they’re doing will vault us into contention quicker than most believe. Talent is there. We just need tweaking. No matter what the haters say.
December 14th, 2018 at 4:27 pm
Me thinks Joe gets roll eyes and dirty looks curt answers from Koetter at press conferences….hence the butthurt blogsmack
Joe absolutely couldn’t care a bit about that kind of thing. In fact, Joe finds candid, expressive Koetter supremely entertaining.–Joe
December 14th, 2018 at 4:30 pm
start over this gut hasn’t started yet its been 3 seasons folks
December 14th, 2018 at 4:30 pm
Altered did you ever stop to think that maybe just maybe the style of offense contributes to the QB play, no matter who it is?
December 14th, 2018 at 4:31 pm
you keep this coach and we will be talking about a whole batch of different excuses
December 14th, 2018 at 4:31 pm
next year
December 14th, 2018 at 4:40 pm
Dang the Broncos were 13-3 and the Oilers 10-3-1. Here the Bucs are, lucky if they get to 8-8.
Dirk is a heck of an offensive mind but he is no visionary. If he knew how to make the hard and correct decisions, Smitty wouldn’t have made it to this season and Jameis wouldnt have been on the bench for a stretch where his team went 0-3.
The fact that Dirk played Fitz after they posted 3 points against the Giants tells me all I need to know about Dirk and his ability to make the tough decisions.
This offense puts up stats but stats dont win games, obviously. Garbage time passing stats mean nothing and they will not be missed.
If you looked back I was very optimistic for this season and was a huge Dirk and Licht supporter.
I can say i have fully lost faith in both of these employees and I for one cannot wait until the next season. Hopefully we hire the right guys or it will be right back to this viscous cycle again.
It’s a Bucs Life, stuck here in Succaneer Cove.
December 14th, 2018 at 4:40 pm
Agreed – and with the potential on defense, extremely sad. Hunter remembers getting ridiculed for emphatically expressing his displeasure with forgoing Derwin James in the draft. Vita Vea is a solid project to develop but Derwin James would have delivered during a crucial season, this year, with heavy team direction decisions to be made. Florida boy and proven.
December 14th, 2018 at 4:40 pm
3 points against the Redskins*
December 14th, 2018 at 4:42 pm
Derwin James got run over hard by the great Damien Williams. He still had a decent game but when I saw that I thought, man maybe he does belong on the Bucs.
December 14th, 2018 at 4:45 pm
Ndog…obviously it has not sunk in… Jameis is inaccurate and inconsistent and is prone to make bonehead decisions…IMO Jamyth “The most NFL ready QB in 2015″…can ace every defensive read and make the perfect offensive call/throw in the film room….real time his hard drive spins…and oh yeah he is not accurate …man I wish he was the guy !…don’t see it !
December 14th, 2018 at 4:47 pm
Koetter deserves to be let go because of the following:
1) Loyalty to Smith & having a completely hands off attitude about the defense.
2) Horrible handling of the QB position
3) Not recognizing when to get rid of bad kickers
4) Terrible clock management
5) Starting Caleb Benenoch
December 14th, 2018 at 4:48 pm
I bet Dirk doesn’t flip a coin a sad b!t@h.
December 14th, 2018 at 4:50 pm
At least in 3 weeks we can all be in agreement again when the 2019 draft talk begins…
December 14th, 2018 at 4:53 pm
Yup, And just as they are getting it figured out on the defensive side we all want to run the master mind of that offense out of town…..SMH
December 14th, 2018 at 4:58 pm
If he was Tweeting about the Bucs it would look like the following:
“Bumbling Jason Licht is a clown and the Buccaneers are a DISGRACE to professional football! A sinking ship lead by a TOTAL CLOWN! SAD!!!”
December 14th, 2018 at 5:02 pm
bucs can do better with new gm and coaching staff
December 14th, 2018 at 5:05 pm
“Ranked 10th in scoring because of numerous amounts of early blownout games
Worst nfl offensive line
Worst running team in the NFL
JBF offensive Guru is going to be unemployed very soon and NOT 1 NFL team is going to hire this clown”
Kobe Faker
December 14th, 2018 at 5:10 pm
Drip, drip, drip….geez Joe’s, it would be nice to read you writing about something else other than Koetter’s alledged exit. It’s starting to sound like CNN around here with Trump’s pending exit too. Both of you can use some new leads.
December 14th, 2018 at 5:10 pm
It is what it is………….
Coulda, woulda, shoulda has no place in the NFL.
You are what your record says you are………….Simple as that……………
Time to move on to the next chapter of As the Bucs turn……over.
December 14th, 2018 at 5:14 pm
Only team in the NFL with 7 players who have 5 td scores. I’m used the the Bucs sucking but at least there is something to cheer about. I guess we will go back to 18 pts per game and the opponents will avg 23 pt per game.
December 14th, 2018 at 5:16 pm
This is so sad… Alexa play Despacito.
December 14th, 2018 at 5:19 pm
Blaming Koetter for the kicker is stupid. That’s the GM and Special Teams Coordinator job.
Blaming Koetter for the defense is halfway stupid.Yes, he gave Smith too much time, but you can’t show me an offensive head coach who is hands on with the defense.
Koetter is the head coach. Not the QB Coach or the Offensive Coordinator. He has more to handle than to focus on one position.
December 14th, 2018 at 5:20 pm
Oh yes…and the play calling? He’s only called 1-2 games this year. The rest are on Monken.
December 14th, 2018 at 5:22 pm
That’s what happens when ownership keeps hiring an amateur at head coach. Licht built this offense and Koetter wasted the talent
December 14th, 2018 at 5:27 pm
@Notthereyet
The Glazers allowed Jason Licht to hand pick his Head Coach. He choose Dirk Koetter.
December 14th, 2018 at 5:29 pm
Getting 500 yards in either of the next two games looks insurmountable since the ravens and Cowboys are playing for a playoff spot.
Now the last game of the season against Atlanta….maybe.,
December 14th, 2018 at 5:31 pm
One of if not the NFL’s best offenses and we are gonna finsh 6-10?..I hope. Get
some football know how in here or the Bucs will go down as not one of..if not the worst team in NFL History! As my man Bob Seger says, its time to..
TURN THE PAGE baby!
December 14th, 2018 at 5:33 pm
For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, “it might have been.”
December 14th, 2018 at 5:38 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai
It was more than 1-2 games and Monken was given the play calling duties because the former OC Koetter couldn’t handle it last year either.
December 14th, 2018 at 5:42 pm
#KEEPKOETTER
December 14th, 2018 at 5:44 pm
Next time I would suggest making the coach actually earn their keep before the ridiculous propaganda campaign.
December 14th, 2018 at 6:35 pm
For the keep Koetter crowd…… Koetter is a garbage head coach who is more on the declining side than upside. He will be Off coordinator and probably never have another shot at HC
December 14th, 2018 at 6:36 pm
Koetter deserves to be fired for the one reason of keeping Mike Smith as DC after our defense was ranked #32 in 2017, he continued this huge mistake until the outrage was so overwhelming he had no choice. That is his fault and he deserves to get booted out and FORGOTTEN!
December 14th, 2018 at 6:37 pm
Fool’s Gold. When the Bucs had the arguably NFL best Saints on the ropes last week, they went turtle and were skunked in the 2nd half. Unclutch multiple times in games that were very winnable ( Washington and Pittsburgh come to mind ). Not falling for it ( hate to say/admit they miss DJax clearing out the backend ) despite the multiple 500 yard games. Products of multiple furious rallies that fell short I’m afraid.
December 14th, 2018 at 6:37 pm
I am just so tired of this team finding ways to lose. We invent new ways to lose every season. Some of the blame is on the players, some on coaches, and some on GM and owners. I just hope everyone in that building is not pointing fingers and taking a hard stare in the mirror.
December 14th, 2018 at 6:47 pm
Ya but let Fire the man behind all of this. That’s smart. The reality is that The defense is the problem. If we fire Dirk without a replacement plan it would be a huge mistake and we would get worse.
December 14th, 2018 at 6:49 pm
Blindly firing coaches and hoping a Sean McVay falls into our lap is why this cycle continues.
December 14th, 2018 at 7:09 pm
Tbbucs3 Says:
December 14th, 2018 at 6:47 pm
Ya but let Fire the man behind all of this. That’s smart. The reality is that The defense is the problem. If we fire Dirk without a replacement plan it would be a huge mistake and we would get worse.
Dude who do you think hired and kept the defensive coordinator?!?!?! When you’re the head coach you’re responsible for the ENTIRE TEAM not just the passing game. Whoever is responsible for this defense, running game and entire special teams has to go. Guess who that is!!!!?
December 14th, 2018 at 7:21 pm
@Wausa…it’s a good reminder, to all, those specifics and to those that want to anoint Koetter. He’s not been a good manager of his position and all that comes with it. 500 yard games dont mean squat if you consistently make bad decisions and LOSE.
December 14th, 2018 at 7:25 pm
Dirk is not gone yet Joe, hopefully he can get a great D coach and we will be OK
December 14th, 2018 at 7:27 pm
lol D-Rome.
Pretty close, except you actually spelled each word correctly…
December 14th, 2018 at 7:30 pm
The worst part about it is, if Dirk is fired he will absolutely have no problem finding employment as another team’s OC and next seasons too 3 offense will belong to that team.
That’s not a call to keep Koetter as HC but it will be a shame and gut punch to watch his offense rack up yards against the Bucs next year if so.
December 14th, 2018 at 7:41 pm
If you know of a bigger story with the Bucs, feel free to let Joe know.
December 14th, 2018 at 7:46 pm
Ndog
The defensive coordinator wasnt not the biggest problem on the defense. No Mike Smith was not good, but if we had good players on defense we would be good. Who is that a reflection of? Oh yea our terrible general manager.
Hope you guys enjoy this stretch of relatively decent defense where playing right now against Nate Mullen’s and Alex Smith cause it won’t last. Just like in 2016, these BAD players on defense will eventually get exposed.
December 14th, 2018 at 7:46 pm
Typical “woe is me” article and comments that permeate the Bay are. The Bucs play one of the best defenses this week. Let’s see what that offense can do, how Jameis can do against it, and root for our guys.
If the Bucs win 35-14, then everyone will be praising the team and hoping it stays together.
If they lose then it will be “get rid of all the bums”.
Let’s do some astute actual analysis on the game itself and let the outcome determine this team’s fate.
December 14th, 2018 at 7:50 pm
We start holding opponents to under 30 points like NFL teams are supposed to and some of you act like it’s the 2d coming of the legion of boom. Ya it’s the legion of Boom made up of Ryan Smith, Chris Conte, Andrew Adams And Brett Grimes. The players in the Back end are simply not good enough.
All getting rid of Mike Smith did was eliminate the embarrassing blowouts to Mitchel Trubisky. But just like in 2016, do not be fooled. They will crash back down to earth.
December 14th, 2018 at 8:03 pm
I didn’t want a coaching change but the total melt down of this coaching staff is disturbing Glazers need to make a big time splash man guys get in the game and act like you even care .
December 14th, 2018 at 8:09 pm
Wausa hit the nail on the head with his 5 reasons that Dirk has to f’in go. I will add that Koetter can design an offense that can get big yards yet somehow has a team that can not win the time of possession due to a below average run blocking OL and his affection for sticking with guys like Doug Martin and Jacquez R….. He also has made some very poor decisions in playcalling such as when a W is within a Jameis throw in the ATL and goes with a horrible gimmick play instead. He also allowed a cancer to thrive in the locker room known as DJax and stuck with Fitz in the DC and Giant game which were 2 games Jameis probably could have won. The 2nd half meltdown last Sunday showed his lack of adjustments during the game. Bucs win just 2 of the 4 games I mentioned and they are 7 dash 6 and perhaps Koetter could make a case to stay. Win 3 or 4 of those and then the Bucs mifht have made the playoffs but Dirk went 0 for 4 so its bon voyage time for Dirk and most of his staff….
December 14th, 2018 at 8:15 pm
Alexander the great died in 323 b.c. at age 32.He conquered much of the known world and is ranked as one of the most influential men in history.Could you imagine Koeter as one of his generals sitting around a wind swept fire giving Alexander one lame excuse after another”.I thought someone else was watching the horses and who knew the swords needed sharpening.”GO IN PEACE KOETER AND LICHT.PLEASE GO TO SOME FAR AND DISTANT LAND AND BECOME LIBRARIANS!!!!!!
December 14th, 2018 at 8:38 pm
I wouldn’t be too upset if we kept Koetter, I think he has learned a lot and going forward with a decent O/L and a Kicker this team could be competitive. What I have an issue with is a GM that can’t evaluate talent and does crazy things in the draft. Koetter can stay another year but Licht needs to go.
My concern is that every time the Glazers hire a new head coach we lose any progress that we have made and things just get worse.
December 14th, 2018 at 8:54 pm
,The Bucs may have one of the top offenses in the league but, they have left a lot of points on the field especially in the red zone the last 2 years. All I want for Xmas is the Bucs to have 3 or 4 good seasons where they at least make the playoffs. I like Koetter but it doesn’t look like he can get the Bucs over the hill. I am tied of who’s gonna be the Bucs draft choice being the only excitement with this team each year. Maybe the Glazers will sell the team to Eddie Debartalo ( smile)
December 14th, 2018 at 9:52 pm
Why am I getting this bad feeling the Bucs win out the last 3 and somehow someway Koetter stays another year ! Ugh
December 14th, 2018 at 10:12 pm
Now that Smith is gone the defense is playing aggressive and well….however I have now lost confidence in Koetters faulty to set aside his pride and let Monken have full control of the playcalling. I would probably say at this point the best thing to do would be to keep everyone in place except for Koetter, warhop and possibly the special teams coach but I would leave that up to Monken. I think Monken carries a “bigger stick” than koetter and the players would respond well to him. Too many mental errors occurring week in and week out. Koetter has to go.
December 14th, 2018 at 10:28 pm
Sad?
The Bucs have been Sad ever since Gruden was fired.
Bad GM’s, bad head coaches, bad QB’s and bad rosters.
I honestly believe that the Glazers want to put a winning team on the field, they just don’t know how. They keep hiring the wrong people so they apparently keep listening to the wrong people.
I don’t know what the answer is, but it looks to me like they need to hire a very experienced football person as say President Of Football Operations to come in and make evaluation of everything and everybody and make the changes they feel is necessary from top to bottom
December 14th, 2018 at 10:39 pm
Bucs already have one. His name is “Jason Licht” and is an NFL-lifer. He is in charge of all football operations at One Buc Palace and answers only to Team Glazer.
It was the same with Mark Dominik, an NFL-lifer.
December 14th, 2018 at 11:27 pm
Joe
Thank You for helping make my point for me.
As Jason Light finishes his 5th year as Bucs GM, his record is 27 – 50, his team will finish below .500 again, as well as miss the playoffs, and his roster is still full of holes.
He is the very first person that needs evaluated
December 15th, 2018 at 12:09 am
D1QB Says:
December 14th, 2018 at 5:59 pm
Context,
* Bucs lead the lead in deep ball completion %
* week 14
– 11 pass attps 5yds or less.
– 5 pass attps 5-10yds
– 10 pass attps 10-15yds.
– vs
-10 attps 15+ yds
*week 13
– 10 pass attps 5yds or less
– 9 pass attps 5-10yds
– 3 pass attps 10-15yds
– vs
– 6 pass attps 15yds +
*week 11
– 3 pass attps 5yds or less
– 7 pass attps 5-10yds
– 3 pass attps 10-15yds
– vs
– 3 pass attps 15yds +
*week 8
– 14/35 14 0f the total attps 15yds+
* Points per game…rank 10
* Red zone scores per game rank 8
* Red zone TD% 61.22% rank #16
* Team touch downs per game rank #6
* Red zone scoring attempts per game rank #5
* Winston time to throw 2.75
* Fitzpatrick time to throw 2.64
*Winston deep ball completion % 14.2
* Fitzpatrick deep ball completion % 23.4
* Winston completion rate 10-20yds exceeds league avg
2 areas that are way below league avg.
20+ left side 23.6% vs league avg 75.9%
20+ middle 39.6% vs league avg 84.8%
Summary,
Bucs fans underestimate the # of short passes and overestimate the # of deep
Red zone scoring, attempts, % is better than argued
Winston is not completing deep balls at the league avg.
Winston is taking more time than Fitzpatrick to throw.
December 15th, 2018 at 12:27 am
They already have a great D Coordinator
December 15th, 2018 at 4:21 am
If they fire Dirk, he’ll win a ring as someone else’s OC soon.
I think this is another Norv Turner kinda thing; not great in the more executive role of HC, despite talent as an OC
I mean, I think Koetter would do better with a “team manager” type of HC above him, making decisions about who plays at what positions, and leaving Dirk as ‘just the OC’ to make and call plays for those guys. His sticking with Mike Smith, Benenoch and others are some tip-of-the-iceberg signs that he’s not as good at those overview, objective, executive decisions that a good HC needs to make.
The ill effects of some of this even trickles up to Licht, who is at times giving a HC what that HC thinks he needs (or doesn’t need). Someone like Bellichick, who is a much more ruthless and effective executive HC would have expressed different needs before drafts and free agency .. and about assistant coaches.
Just thinking .. Maybe he’s learning and getting better at this aspect this year. But if Dirk is replaced, it should be by someone who is more skilled as a “manager” than necessarily as a “guru” for either side of the ball (IMHO)
December 15th, 2018 at 4:51 am
@Mord … “If they fire Dirk, he’ll win a ring as someone else’s OC soon. I think this is another Norv Turner kinda thing; not great in the more executive role of HC, despite talent as an OC.”
Don’t know about Dirk ‘winning a ring’ with someone else Mord, but he is surely a more capable OC than he is a HC. A big part of that though IMO is the way Dirk became a HC here … ‘promoted’ as a brand-new HC BUT having to retain his OC responsibilities (dual-hatted). That’d be a toughie for most experienced coaches, but for a brand-new HC having to learn-on-the-job it’s close to being the kiss-of-death IMO. And I think that explains why they agreed to bring in Mike Smith to be his DC (surely at Dirk’s request) … so that Smitty could act as a ‘HC-mentor’ so to speak.
Funny thing happened on the way to the forum …
December 15th, 2018 at 4:56 am
I agree Koetter probably has made some mistakes and like so many will be gone in January. His buddy Jason will join him shortly thereafter. It would be nice if the Buc’s could get their 6th 500 yd game. (would pad his resume’ a little) He will be absorbed into the pool of former head coaches most likely in as a QB coach or possibly an OC. Buc fans will blame him for all the team problems giving the new regime a few months to settle in before gradually turning their hate and complaints against the new coach and GM. (of course Free Agency and the Draft will probably piss off many. By this time next year the focus and contempt for new management will be in full force and conversations about 2 or maybe 3 years tenure will fill the post. In a way I envy Dirk and Jason, Life after the Buc’s Must be so much less stressful and more fulfilling.
December 15th, 2018 at 6:58 am
@ Defense Rules, true enough, I’m overstating it; should have said “*could win a ring”
but .. I think we’re otherwise in agreement.
December 15th, 2018 at 7:02 am
This offense often pearl harbors itself with penalties and turnovers. Since 2016
our record is 3- 16 when our QB has 2 or more turnovers. IMO, this forced Koetter to go into a conservative shell too often.
December 15th, 2018 at 8:20 am
“Sad” is seeing the so-called franchise suspended for off the field antics !!!!!! “Sad” is watching the GM finally pay attention to the defense by bringing in 75% new starters during a “prove it year” when we all know that it takes time for the roster to get!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Sad” is local media thinking that the roster is just overflowing with talent!!!!!!
We will see what the “new” GM and Coaching staff will think of all the “talent” that the current coaches are accused of holding back!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Buc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 15th, 2018 at 8:42 am
Tony LA Says:
“Let’s do some astute actual analysis on the game itself ”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ok. I thought that is what we do every game.
December 15th, 2018 at 8:56 am
Imagine if dirk had even just a good offensive line , and a stable of running backs and a really good qb ?
December 15th, 2018 at 10:12 am
Keep Koetter and we’ll be going after the Glazers
December 15th, 2018 at 5:36 pm
All these offensive stats are meaningless when the Bucs offensive line gets manhandled in red zone. Koetter’s offense has put up great yardage stats but their is no running game to seal wins and when they play teams with losing streaks, Dirk doesn’t convince his players they can beat up on a team on the ropes. He has done some very good things developing a good passing team but as I’ve heard Joe say on podcasts many times, the team is “mentally weak”. I call it a lack of killer instinct. Some of that has to fall on the HC, its up to him to have a team that can play 60 minutes of good football. Too many tails of 2 halves. I also don’t like the lack of surprise in the offense. A little too predictable for me.
December 16th, 2018 at 9:46 am
Koetter’s biggest failure has been making excuses for Warhop’s failures with our OL!