Coach Kudos For Melvin, Banks And Wright
August 9th, 2014
On that depth-chart thing the Bucs issued this week, the Tampa Bay starting cornerbacks are injured Alterraun Verner and Mike Jenkins.
They didn’t play last night, but Lovie Smith shared some love today for two of their fill-ins.
This afternoon at One Buc Palace, second-year cornerbacks Rashaan Melvin and Johnthan Banks were singled out as strong performers in the secondary, along with safety Major Wright, who played a ton of snaps. He started for Dashon Goldson, who had been practicing well but the Bucs opted to play it safe with him as he recovers from offseason surgery.
Cornerback Danny Gorrer got the start with Banks, but it was Melvin and Banks who got the praise. Melvin was a bit of a surprise, given that he was in a walking boot earlier this week, still nursing a bum ankle.
This is all great news for the Bucs’ depth in the secondary. Lovie has very high standards for his defense, which impressed in its debut last night.
August 9th, 2014 at 5:58 pm
I am a Banks fan and hope he does well this year. But watching him try and spear tackle everyone last night and not wrap up at all leaves me very concerned that he is going to a liability.
August 9th, 2014 at 5:59 pm
Just saw the press conference on the bucs app probably avail on buc.com too. In response to this “There’s not a lot of great preseason football being played anywhere.” The one thing I’d say to lovie is he should watch the broncos vs Seahawks game or the chargers game. Shit even the bills looked more competent. Sorry man but I despise excuses.
August 9th, 2014 at 6:04 pm
McCoy is great. David made a great play too, so good you thought foster made the tackle. Banks played very well. So did Gholston although he didn’t play w the first team.
August 9th, 2014 at 6:25 pm
Defense? Check.
Offensive skill players? Check (mostly).
Offensive line? Uh…holy *#&! and WTF?!!!
August 9th, 2014 at 6:26 pm
The Buc’s are consistent. We have line problems year after year. Last few years it was the D that stunk up the place and now its the O. The D looks good and deep. The O, well I just hope some of these late rounders can become adequate. Josh looked somewhat confused but I attribute that to the Vanilla offense they were running. You cannot practice one thing and on game day switch. Thats pre season for you.
August 9th, 2014 at 7:03 pm
Hey Joe, you see that Boone from San Fran is a trade candidate according to PFT?
August 9th, 2014 at 7:21 pm
That dropped pick from Wright was awful. Your never gonna get a better chance than that to pick off a pass. He’s a gator to. C’mon right. Gotta catch those.
August 9th, 2014 at 7:27 pm
Watching ALL the preseason games, most teams OL looks like an issue, maybe it takes longer for OL to gel
August 9th, 2014 at 7:32 pm
@pass the Buc, you have summed it up nicely. They are keeping the up tempo offense they have been practicing under wraps. Cousins clearly sucks but I’m hopeful the rest of em will gel
August 9th, 2014 at 7:38 pm
I said this last night, I don’t think people realized we were essentially starting our second string secondary. When the broadcasters said our second team was in, it was in fact our third string.
Our third string was actually our fourth string. I think overall the secondary did really well given that information.
August 9th, 2014 at 7:39 pm
Brian Says:
August 9th, 2014 at 7:03 pm
That’s been floated since before training camps even started. Not really news until we hear that SF is actually interested in trading him and the asking price is reasonable.
August 9th, 2014 at 8:50 pm
Don’t expect any posts from the Joes with their man crush on TV.
August 9th, 2014 at 9:14 pm
I see the same Pawel… I thinks it’s the fact that DLunemen have had to pull back the reigns for the past two weeks and get all amped up for the first preseason game. Whereas, O linemen have seen the preseason casualties and don’t want to end up on the PUP.
August 9th, 2014 at 9:18 pm
BFFL
Not for nothing but he having a better outting than M13 or MG8. 🙁
August 9th, 2014 at 9:29 pm
What..no Johnny thread….
August 9th, 2014 at 11:33 pm
I was very pleasantly surprised how the backup secondary played, considering what a nightmare that has been under Schiano! However, Wright played this defense in Chicago and Banks played this defense at Mississippi State! That helped.
August 9th, 2014 at 11:50 pm
DB55
So you expect a team that was 4-12 last year and has a new coaching staff and 40 new players to be as polished as the two teams that were in the Super Bowl last year?
Sorry to tell you bro but you’re going to be disappointed quite a bit more.
August 10th, 2014 at 1:07 am
I got the feeling that this defense is on its way back to being dominant again after last nights game. Everyone on that side of the ball played well, but it was like they knew they were going to play well. We haven’t seen that kind of confidence from our defense in about 10 years. We still have a little ways to go, but we are on our way back to being dominant defense again, there is no doubt in my mind about that.
August 10th, 2014 at 3:05 am
whatever happened to the linebacker Nate Askew?
August 10th, 2014 at 3:28 am
I noticed Banks has beefed up a little. That should help in press man. I hope Verner heals soon enough….Goldson too. That jax winning TD probably wouldnt have occurred if they were healthy and playing.
Anyone notice Clowney? Im telling you, bust! Thats why Im glad we didnt go after him. And Houston has him at OLB? Thats because he sucks at shedding good blockers. He had that one sack, but boy was he sucking air, lol.
August 10th, 2014 at 10:58 am
To bad Smith doesn’t have high standards for the offense.
August 10th, 2014 at 12:34 pm
@dmoney
Let me put it this way the only teams who went backwards on off was the bucs and Oakland. No other teams struggled like us. Bortles, manziel n bridgewafter all out played our QBs. So when Lovie says calm down NO ONE is play good football the first ps game, I call BS!
August 10th, 2014 at 7:04 pm
All in all, I thought the Safeties and Corners played well this week. There was LOTS of hitting receivers and balls being jarred loose.
I thought Major Wright looks like a new man out there. He had lots of promise in Chitown, but the deluge of injuries on their D-line in the last 2-3 years for them had him being left out there on a wing and a prayer while opposing Qb’s had all the time int he world to book vacation time and order things for their spouses on amazon and then to finally throw the ball to their receiver.