Frustrated? Alterraun Verner Is, Too
September 16th, 2014
Bucs CB Alterraun Verner is expecting a battle Thursday night.
Joe wrote Sunday night how outraged left tackle Anthony Collins was with the nutkick of a loss to a slug third-string neverbeen Lambs quarterback.
It seemed there are a good many Bucs fans out there that don’t think Bucs employees are as upset as they are. Not true. They just don’t show their emotions.
Take cornerback Alterraun Verner. He had all sorts of teams he could have signed with this past offseason. He chose the Bucs partly because of Lovie Smith, partly because he bought in to what Lovie was selling.
Now he looks up and the team is 0-2 and in a handful of hours, they will face the angry Dixie Chicks on their own turf, themselves also coming off a loss.
“Anybody who starts 0-2 is going to be frustrated,” Verner said this afternoon. “Nobody wants to start the season losing their first two games. Especially both home games. It is definetly frustrating but we still have 14 games to play. We have to worry about this one this week.”
It sure seemed like Verner was almost as frustrated as Lovie is about the lack of a pass rush. Verner stated that even though the front-7 has been ravaged by injuries — the Bucs likely be down four opening-day starters from the front seven — Lovie has no plans to change the defense.
And in this defense, Verner said, echoing Lovie, pressure on the quarterback is critical.
“Oh, we are not changing too much,” Verner said. “We believe in the next man. Obviously, some of the guys who have gone down are big guys. but we are confident guys behind them. We are still going to do what we are going to do. This defense is still predicated on a team aspect, not on individual performances.We are still going to do everything that we have been doing.
“Our defense is a lot of rush and cover. If it is just going to be a match-up between me and a receiver that big [Julio Jones] and if the quarterback is not being pressured, especially the way the rules are set up, I’m going to be at a disadvantage all the time. So you have to have faith in the system and faith in the rush guys getting to the quarterback.”
Verner emphasized if there is no pressure on the quarterback while faces a Jones-type of receiver, then you just don’t give up, you then have to be physical and have to go for the ball.
“You have to be proactive,” Verner said. “But it is going to be tough. He has six inches, five inches taller than you. It is not an impossible feat. I have been able to do it before.”
Well, until proven otherwise, Verner is going to have his work cut out for him. In Joe’s eyes, Will Gholston, who had a sack against the Lambs and is still not 100 percent, should be a full-time stater. Still, Lovie is expecting (hoping?) for more so his cornerbacks aren’t hung out to dry.
September 16th, 2014 at 2:05 pm
Bowers might have better luck playing inside. He seems to do better playing DT. Let Gholston and English play DE.
September 16th, 2014 at 2:09 pm
“We are still going to do everything that we have been doing.” WHAT?
September 16th, 2014 at 2:12 pm
They have to keep doing what they’ve been doing. What are they gonna do? Stop trying different personnel to get pressure on the QB? Just sit back, accept that they can’t get pressure, and give up? What the hell kind of philosophy would that be? Of course they have to keep trying.
September 16th, 2014 at 2:13 pm
they’re all gonna start turning on them. Vjax you can tell the most when he’s coming back from a 20 yard route where he was wide open…or just in general. you can see it on his face when stup plays are called.
the players are gonna turn on this coach quicker than they did on Schiano, at least he did not feed them a load of bs. like win now, speed in space, don’t expect the fans to be patient, etc, etc, etc……
and why the hell are they giving away 15 yard passed all day. ever hear of press coverage lovie?
September 16th, 2014 at 2:16 pm
verner sounds terrified of julio. LOL
and in the same breath he throws the D line under the bus.
just shut it or man the f&@k up!
not good!
September 16th, 2014 at 2:21 pm
I am almost relieved there is a 3 week break from home games at this point. I can’t imagine what the players feel like. Hopefully they find something positive in this away stretch but it’s hard to be optimistic with much in the first 2 games. I will not start bashing on Lovie yet. I will say if they can’t get McCown under control they have to go to Glennon. I don’t see it happening before the bye though. Hopefully we aren’t 0-6 by then.
September 16th, 2014 at 2:37 pm
I will say I may be sick of lovie already, there has to be consistency to find success. we can’t have a new coach and new roster every two years giving away draft picks in the process.
I think lovie rode the coat tails of some great players and dare I say it, the preference for coaches rather than qualifications
I miss Gruden and never wanted him gone though.
September 16th, 2014 at 2:39 pm
i’m saying i am not calling for his head even if he is incompetent. even a blind squirrel finds a nut ya know.
September 16th, 2014 at 2:41 pm
preference for diversity candidates as coaches, rather than actual qualifications…dang it , got side tracked
September 16th, 2014 at 3:19 pm
^What the hell are you talking about?!
Anyway, I like Verner and he’s 100% right to be saying what he is. With no pass rush he is left to dry. Revis would also be left to dry if he were still here. There is zero pass rush. Not one bit. All of our sacks have been broken plays. I hope moving Bowers inside will create something, but it was pathetic watching us blitz at the end of the game sunday and all our LBs hitting a wall at the line of scrimmage…
September 16th, 2014 at 3:43 pm
Joe, spell check your stuff. This article was all jacked up with missing words, letters, and misspelled words from the start all the way to the finish.
September 16th, 2014 at 4:16 pm
I’m really missing revis. Overpriced, yes, but our secondary was somewhat respectable because of him a year ago. now it looks like anybody with at least one arm could score 3 tds passing on the bucs.
September 16th, 2014 at 5:31 pm
check out revis playing…. he’s been burned 2 times now badly.
September 16th, 2014 at 6:01 pm
No pass rush, no stopping passes over the middle behind the linebackers.
September 16th, 2014 at 8:24 pm
Maybe the Bucs are destined to be a road warrior team this year…lose to total sh!t QB’s at home but scrap out victories against good teams in their house? I need some more kool aid…the top shelf stuff please. Things have to get better for the Bucs, they certainly can’t get much worse.
September 16th, 2014 at 9:14 pm
He’s frustrated. Ha ha ha that’s hilarious. He’s only been here what 4 months or so.
Join the club pumpkin. Start winning.
September 16th, 2014 at 9:47 pm
Of course he’s frustrated!!!! If bucs fans raised hell by that playcalling. Who’s more frustrated with this team and the bad coaching than our defense. Imagine them sitting on the sideline on those late 3rd down run plays in the redzone. Gerald McCoy and everyone talked about having the personnel to carry the offense then they go out and don’t even attempt to their in the endzone
September 17th, 2014 at 7:05 am
He’s frustrated? Think about how we feel when our idiot coach cuts one of the very best defensive players in the league and gets NOTHING for him because he wants to run an outdated defense that hasn’t stopped anyone in years. How do get rid of good players and think team will be better?
September 17th, 2014 at 10:16 am
Why all the Lovie hate? Y’all were pleased as punch when he was named HC. Think I’ll give him a chance.