“Rather Than, You Know, Listening To The Media Tell Them How Bad They Are”
May 14th, 2020
One of the straight-talkers inside One Buc Palace — and outside — is a fan of Bucco Bruce Arians.
The X’s and O’s guru of the Buccaneers Radio Network (and Joe’s insurance agent), retired tight end Dave Moore, played for Don Shula, Tony Dungy, Jon Gruden and more, so he knows good coaching and different styles.
During a recent chat with WGR radio in Buffalo, where he played the 2002 and 2003 seasons, Moore gushed about the quality of Arians’ coaching.
One aspect he raved about was the head coach keeping the secondary on a growth path last year despite a brutal beginning by seemingly the entire young unit — and howls from guys like Joe.
“They had a very rough start. They got blown out in some games,” Moore said of the secondary. “But they were able to turn it around and win consecutive games. … They were able to run some off at the end with very young defense. You’re talking defensive backs that had two years or less in the league, and they were able to really turn things around. And that says a lot about the coaching staff and his ability to motivate these guys and keep them on course rather than, you know, listening to the media tell them how bad they are.
“That’s something that, you know, not all coaches have, but he definitely has that it factor.”
Joe agrees with Moore completely! Heck, Sean Murphy-Bunting just talked about his struggles and recovery yesterday. But Joe also believes the young secondary has more to prove — more than most observers think.
Joe is encouraged by how the young cornerbacks finished, but a strong finish often means nothing a season later. And if you believe it does, than you might want to remember that the Falcons beat the Saints and 49ers on the road last season en route to closing the season with six wins in their final eight games.
May 14th, 2020 at 12:06 pm
Yep, they were young and green. I do believe there is some talent there, some not so good.
If you think about it, since the latest CBA no team looks good until about week seven, in most cases. I know tackling seems to get better probably because you can’t do it in practice, so it takes some games to work on it.
Our secondary has been dreadful for a couple of years..thinking they might start to turn the corner now.
As far as BA, and his “the secondary is fixed” quote. They were picking off the #1 QB all training camp, so he probably thought they were good to go…..
May 14th, 2020 at 12:23 pm
sign of great coaching and players buying in….
front 7 played great at the end of the season too….
GO BUCS!!!!!!
May 14th, 2020 at 12:47 pm
The question is can they do it week in and week out for 16 weeks since everything started to click for them in the back half of the season. I really would like to see in a base package who the starting corners are? Will it be Dean and Davis or Davis and Murphy-Bunting? I know on the Nickel packages all three will be on the field. Honestly I hope Whitehead can stay healthy the entire season I think with good coaching he can be solid. I just hope Antoine Winfield Jr is able to come in as a rookie and is able to cover and get Ints.
May 14th, 2020 at 1:02 pm
So all they need is a soft schedule and to face a bunch of bad backup qb’s like they did in the back end of last season!!!!!!!!!!!!
and for those keeping score!!!!!!!!!!!
Loser Frazier 25.6 Points Allowed per Game (16 games)
Loser Lovie – 26.1 Points Allowed per Game (16 games)
Coach Smitty -24.97 Points Allowed Per Game ( 37 games)
mark duffner – 26.45 Points Allowed Per Game ( 11 games)
toilet bowles – 28.1 Points Allowed Per Game ( 16 games)
Pretty telling stats that the local media and sheep will never say or talk about !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sad how the local media and sheep fell hook, line, and sinker to the “all they need is to be coached up”!!!!!!!! But after 2020 season, the sheep will then will “REALIZES”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2019 revealed answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already knew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 14th, 2020 at 1:03 pm
I do believe that the constant negative bias of Some our fans And media does hurt player focus and performance. As a teacher, getting students to believe in their abilities is half the battle. Teaching them how to prepare is another major factor.
May 14th, 2020 at 1:18 pm
Realist you have a terrible argument here. That comment is just a repost from months ago. You continue to demonstrate how lazy you are by not considering the whole story or full context of that stat line. You have forgotten or just dismissing the immense improvement we saw from the defense on the back half of the year (Shaq was league sack leader, #1 rush defense, #5 in efficiency). Lastly the Bucs only gave up 17.5-19 points a game the last half of the season once the score was adjusted for Jamies Winstons turnovers returned for TD’s and turnovers in the Bucs own red zone. Please research better.
May 14th, 2020 at 1:23 pm
Mitch
Realist is too far gone to listen. He’s been doing this for years. I think he’s Smittys nephew. And yeah he puts Jameis’ pick sixes on Bowles. Brilliant guy
May 14th, 2020 at 1:27 pm
Good post, Mitch!
May 14th, 2020 at 1:32 pm
It is quiet telling that the the Bucs have had mediocre defenses for quiet some time. No matter who the coach is they seem to put a bad defense on the field. The secondary especially have been hit hard. Going back to coach Schiano the Bucs DB’s have been below average, it’s a combination of coaching and bad scouting on the part of GM’s, hopefully this up coming season is different.
May 14th, 2020 at 1:33 pm
It was a good post joe in michigan!!!!!!!! Did you like the part where he claimed that I “was lazy and did not considered the whole story” and then mitch went on to ONLY adjust numbers of the 2019 to fudge the numbers!!!!!!!!!! As if there were only turnovers in 2019, and not that the bucs that have been in the top 5 for turnovers since 2014!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Joe in Michigan could wear a watch and still not know what time it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s time to herd the sheep, and put them back in the pen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 14th, 2020 at 1:49 pm
With a decent kicker the Bucs were 10-6 last year even with the putrid secondary through 10 games and Winston’s giving ways. The Gay guy needs to be pressured. He needs to know a repeat of last year’s extra point fiascos and chip shot shanks will not be tolerated.
And I still believe that Winston felt pressure because he knew how bad the secondary stunk and felt he needed to compensate for it — and then let’s not forget, at the end he was without Evans, Godwin, and Miller and Brate wasn’t 100%.
May 14th, 2020 at 1:50 pm
You are lazy, they are fair adjustments, and if I find the time I’ll adjust for all five years so you can see that Bucs defense undeniably played better last year than the previous half a decade or more ( except the 5 game win streak in 2016).
May 14th, 2020 at 2:19 pm
El Buco Realisto: Let me ask you…Are you a young child or have a disability?
May 14th, 2020 at 2:21 pm
Swampbuc if felt so much pressure 🤔that explains all the ints early in gms. You know the picks 6s and the bad field position yea that explains alot🙄
May 14th, 2020 at 2:32 pm
The Band of Brothers will pick up where they left off last year. Progress was made by 2nd and 1st yr players. We haven’t seen that around these parts for quite some time.
I also believe their improvement (especially after VH was launched) proves we don’t need the veteran presence or salary cap hit to be good. We have smart, well coached athletes across the secondary. Let them play!!!
In BA I Trust!
May 14th, 2020 at 3:19 pm
@Sport
Great point!!!!!!!!! Which backup qb do you think they looked the best against????? Gardner Minshew or David Blough?????? Hard to say which one ” that the defense turned the corner” more against!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lol!!!!!!!!!
It’s time to herd the sheep, and put them back in the pen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 14th, 2020 at 4:26 pm
El Buco Simpleton
Yeah Desean Watson and Matt Ryan are no one.
May 14th, 2020 at 4:27 pm
Our Defense completely changed when JPP came back. This helped our young secondary out more than anything. The talent is there but without a consistent pass rush, we got ate alive. I was at the Panthers game in Charlotte last year and watched Cam work over us with ease. Granted he missed a ton of wide open throws he still went for over 300 yards. That all changed when JPP came back. So I’m expecting a big year if our DLine and pass rushers can stay healthy.
Vea, White, and Winfield give us a great foundation on all 3 levels for many years to come. The middle of our Defense is gonna be fun. Great picks by our GM.
May 14th, 2020 at 4:50 pm
I thought the secondary looked good against Matt Ryan / Julio Jones / Calvin Ridley / DeAndre Hopkins / Deshaun Watson but i guess those guys suck
May 14th, 2020 at 4:51 pm
Like you can’t stat spin how Carlton davis played towards the end of they ear lol.
The fact that he’s using those #’s over and over tells me the guy doesn’t really even watch the games.
And when you factor in the average points off turnovers and the additional turnovers over league average we faced then Bowles ends up #1 on that list in just year 1 with a horrific start included in those totals.
May 14th, 2020 at 5:15 pm
Swampbuc
“The kicker! And I still believe that Winston felt pressure because he knew how bad the secondary stunk and felt he needed to compensate for it — and then let’s not forget, at the end he was without Evans, Godwin, and Miller and Brate wasn’t 100%.”
Four or five EXCUSES for “Blameless” in just a few lines of post. No mention of course that Perriman put up over 100 yards in each of those final two games averaging just under 120 yards those two games…ROJO produced close to 120 yards of total offense in each of those last two games.
But Perriman 100 yard games are not the same as CG or ME 100 yard games.
May 14th, 2020 at 6:43 pm
You’re comparing an entire team (the Falcons) and all the variables and changes from year to year to players on an upward journey of knowledge and growth. Apples and oranges.
May 14th, 2020 at 7:08 pm
How much time this young high ceiling DBs were on their feet with 30 ints. last year proves a bit to me.
Was not like going on a Smitty sack run at the end of the year. Talented DBs playing where they’re supposed to be and will only become better, possibly much better, under Bowels’ continues defensive coaching.
May 14th, 2020 at 8:37 pm
Hey Realist you turd. Don’t you realize that Jameis had just about double the amount of interceptions in the average smitty year. So let’s say 15 extra interceptiobs lead to an additional 60pts or so. Maybe you can reduce the 28pts per game to 24 based on that
May 14th, 2020 at 9:15 pm
One very appealing thing about our DB’s is that they come to us with reps as real ball hawks. I’m anxious to see if these guys can cash in on those skills this year and add some ints.
And then imagine if LVD and DW begin picking some off. Imagine if Bowles turns them loose next year and they get to add some sacks blitzing?
We talk about how tough our front is but I believe our LB’s may fly under the radar…we know LVD doesn’t get his propers and DWhite is still young. They may blow up this year.
May 14th, 2020 at 9:30 pm
I agree with Joe the young cornerbacks do have something to prove, I don’t think they are finished showing everyone what they have. It is a start, good article topic. I Do believe the difference in culture, Brady, Gronkowski and experience will only make them a force to be reckoned with.
May 15th, 2020 at 1:17 am
Did bucs realist hit em with another narcissistic repost?…
Another thing realist doesn’t tell you is the pick 6’s by Winston this last year. Did the realist take those points away from last years point average?… Nope!
He also doesn’t tell you about the field position when those turnovers happened. 121 points last yr off of Winston turnovers.
Bucs defense is far from perfect but let’s break down those numbers a little more before hitting them with the narcissistic repost.
May 16th, 2020 at 9:59 am
ok, so Atlanta’s secondary didn’t play as well one season to the next is what I’m reading and I wonder how much did Atlanta D-line change from those two seasons. Cause us old school Bucs fan from the “glory days” has heard many of the defensive players on the team learning ok if you do your job, I do my job, this works. I just have to trust you will do your job. It was half way through a season and this bucs crew seemed to be “getting that”. Which is why getting our own free agents upfront to resign. Barett, Suh, and JPP back up front. Let’s just hope Lavonte David starts to get it. And when I say it, I mean the National recognition he derves now with 5 prime time games.