Gameday Tampa Bay
November 11th, 2013
Game 9
Dolphins (4-4) at Bucs (0-8)
Kickoff: 8:40 p.m.
TV: BSPN.
Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (in Tampa WFUS-FM 103.5, and WDAE-AM 620); SiriusXM Channel 86.
Weather: Per WTSP-TV, it should be a beautiful night for football at the Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway. A kickoff temperature of 72 is expected under balmy breezes. At the end of the game, it should be in the upper 60s, and maybe pushing 70. Chamber of Commerce night for a national audience.
Odds: Per FootballLocks.com, Dolphins -2.
Outlook: On paper it is so simple: The leaky Dolphins offensive line has lost its starting left side. So load up on a pass rush from the right. Right? Right? Probably wrong. The Bucs seem too hellbent and too busy running cutesy stunts that regularly take defensive linemen out of position and/or out of plays. The results are a horrible sacks total lost opportunities to make plays.
It’s like the captain of a burning ship. The Bucs are going to do it their way, baby, listing ship or not.
There’s really not much for Joe to be positive about;. the Bucs have the worst record in the NFL. The biggest positive is to say they could and should draft a stud next spring.
What Joe hopes to see is the newfound Bucs running game with rookie Michael James. If the Bucs can block tonight like they did against Seattle, then it will be interesting to see how James fares.
Sadly, whatever the Bucs do right in the first half, Joe suspects they will inexplicably get away from that in the second half, and end up losing the game.
It’s what the 2013 Bucs do.
November 11th, 2013 at 6:32 pm
Tampa Bay fans are already mourning the loss of Steven Stamkos. We desperately need a Bucs win to lift us up.
November 11th, 2013 at 6:33 pm
This will be the first win. Thankfully it won’t hurt our chamces for the #1 pick.
November 11th, 2013 at 6:42 pm
@ Jordan. Broken tibia. Does not look good. So sad. Aside from the Rays, it was the one team that we could really take pride in. Not that it changes, but Stammer was the brightest light.
It is sad when Joe is feeling as negative as I am. Despite it all, I still want to see a damn win. It is what it is. A meaning less game but we need to at least win 1 game.
November 11th, 2013 at 6:51 pm
GO BUCS!!!
November 11th, 2013 at 6:52 pm
This is a game the Bucs can easily win (or lose). If I see the Bucs blow another 21 point lead and only score 3 points in the entire second half I might just stop watching the rest of this season’s games. Schiano has to wake up and realize that if coverages and blitz packages aren’t working, he needs to make proper adjustments. If Mike James has over 100 yards at halftime, keep giving him the ball after halftime. If Glennon is running for his life, call for more slant routes or other short/medium passes.
In the end I think this game will come down to how well the O-Line plays. In the first half of the Seattle game, they looked like a bunch of bulldozers. Then in the second half, they looked like practice dummies. Mike James couldn’t get a hole to burst through, and Glennon was getting flushed out of the pocket on almost every pass play, if he didn’t get sacked. I think the Bucs D can handle the Fins, of course I could be wrong. This is a defense that gave up a 21 point lead, an insult to the offense.
Whatever happens, GO BUCS!!!!
November 11th, 2013 at 6:57 pm
The Lightning will be fine IMO. Stamkos’ injury is a huge blow, and Lecavalier is gone but we still got St. Louis. Honestly I haven’t paid close attention to the Bolts since their 2010-2011 playoff run in which their 41 year old goalie put up the best numbers in the league. Shoulda gone to the Stanley Cup, dumb Boston Bruins. The Rays are still awesome though, I just hope next year they actually try to get past the ALDS, but 4 straight 90+ win seasons with one of the lowest payrolls in baseball makes them damn fun to watch!
November 11th, 2013 at 6:58 pm
Better win dis un! Mean dat!
November 11th, 2013 at 7:02 pm
The Bucs might be able to turn it around with that number one pick.
Any joy from winning this game will be short lived. And totally inexplicably give Glazer’s cover to keep the losers in place at OBP. It isn’t worth it!
The number one pick could provide years of contention, with the right GM and coach.
Go Fins.
November 11th, 2013 at 7:19 pm
There has got to be something else going on that we don’t know about.
I mean how can someone be so stubborn and hard headed that that they would refuse to make adjustments… Come on nobody can be that damn ignorant!!!
November 11th, 2013 at 7:36 pm
Aprehensive…is a feeling that I can’t recall having before viewing a Bucs game…and I’ve been a fan since 76……but that’s what I feel…..I guess it’s blowing the 21 point lead last week…we need to start strong and never let off the pedal tonight.
I think the key to this game is our D-line…..they must get to Tannehill or we won’t be able to outscore them.
November 11th, 2013 at 8:04 pm
Just found out about Stamkos here. That burns. Go Bucs, bring us loyal fans a good game and a win.
November 11th, 2013 at 8:07 pm
If we lose, blame it on leaky Josh Freeman. Does that still work Joe?
November 11th, 2013 at 8:41 pm
JK:
Damn right it does. Will for the foreseeable future. Likely a couple of years.
November 11th, 2013 at 8:51 pm
Much as it grieves me to say, Joe is spot on with his comments. Bucs’ players were vetted thoroughly before signing(an occasional misstep is part of the business) so it’s the coaching staff as a whole to properly analyze each weekly opponent, set the right plan,schemes and player alignments. So far, the entire staff does not get a passing grade. Tonight’s game proves nothing, two dysfunctional franchises playing volleyball.
November 11th, 2013 at 9:03 pm
Kind of cool watching the Bucs warm up in the background.
November 11th, 2013 at 9:11 pm
“Damn right it does. Will for the foreseeable future. Likely a couple of years.”
If there were only someone we could hold responsible for such a dramatic setback.
November 11th, 2013 at 9:37 pm
I think the Glazers are breathing a sigh of relief that Schiano, Dominic and themselves are not the main subject of discussion and ridicule tonight.
I think they are also relieved that the Jags lost one.
November 11th, 2013 at 10:10 pm
Here’s a novel target: Josh Freeman
November 11th, 2013 at 11:19 pm
Glib.