One Garbage-Time Interception
October 1st, 2014
A plea to get physical emerges
Here’s a stat that’s surely got Lovie Smith seeking sleep aids: The Buccaneers’ defense is stuck with only one interception through four games. That ranks tied for 27th in the NFL.
The lone pick was a garbage-time theft of Falcons quarterback T.J. Yates by Danny Lansanah. Sadly, there is more troubling data.
Tampa Bay has only eight passes defensed, via official NFL.com stats. That’s dead last in the league. For some perspective, no team in the top-16 has less than 20.
No wonder teams are passing all over the Bucs and finding comfort in their cushiony zone defense.
And here comes Drew Brees and All-World tight end Jimmy Graham in the SuperDome. Graham already has 32 catches this season.
Former Bucs tight end Anthony Becht was on WDAE-AM 620 this morning pleading for Lovie Smith and Leslie Frazer to get physical with Graham at the line of scrimmage.
“You gotta get up in his face initially and try to jack him up,” Becht said. “We gotta affect Graham prior to him getting into his route.”
Joe couldn’t agree more. It’s finally time for Mark Barron to live up to his draft status. Or maybe the Bucs shift gears and put Johnthan Banks on Graham at times, so he can use that length?
Something has to change in the way the Bucs approach stopping tight ends.
October 1st, 2014 at 10:41 am
These stats are damning. You knew it was bad from watching these games but the stats really spell it out.
Joe- do you plan to ask Lovie today for an explanation?
October 1st, 2014 at 10:43 am
Joe loves questions like that. What’s to explain? The nubmers are the numbers. Not good enough and they’re working on it.
October 1st, 2014 at 10:44 am
Lovie, and Leslie should try having the corners play more man coverage, and have the LBs, and safeties play zone…
The reason we don’t have many turnovers is because of the extremely soft coverage the corners, and safeties are playing.
If you are playing 5-7 yards away from the receivers they’re going to make easy catches all day long!
October 1st, 2014 at 10:49 am
So it’s not worth asking???? You could say that about just about everything. C’mon really? This crap is unacceptable and there ought to be an explanation after watching 4 games of this garbage!
October 1st, 2014 at 10:52 am
When need to press man more across the board
October 1st, 2014 at 10:55 am
Banks has been the worst player on the defense this year. His lack of speed is killing him to be honest. He can’t close on the WRs at all. He is constantly just gazing into the backfield at the QB and losing sight of wideouts running through his zones. Bucs need a major upgrade at speed from the CB position for next year.
We have one interception. Aside from goldsons miss at the end of the Panthers game I cannot recall them being close to another. Very alarming.
October 1st, 2014 at 10:55 am
Well on the bright side they have not been flagged for personal fouls or pass interference very often, unlike last year when Joe was lambasting certain players for playing tough. This is the result of those costly fines, and probably the main reason for our corners and safeties giving tons of cushion to avoid penalties, or even worse fines. You know, these rule changes that were made to benefit the offense, has softened the competition from the defensive backs. Not just on our team but it is happening league wide. Look at New Orleans defensive backfield, same thing.
October 1st, 2014 at 10:59 am
Look for 10 yard cushions on Graham on every damn play.
October 1st, 2014 at 11:00 am
FWIW- Since the time Lovie got here he has preached that the fans should not be asked to be patient with the team. However, one of Lovie’s ‘Adopted Sons’ none other than Mr. Derrick Brooks himself has said from the beggining ad nauseam, “Be Patient, It takes time to get this defence down.” Virtually every time I have heard Brooks speak he says this. I think Mr. Brooks has Lovie’s back here. Lovie can not say what actually needs to be said but Brooks can and does.
October 1st, 2014 at 11:13 am
“Not good enough and they’re working on it.” – Joe
Dallas..that’s what Joe was trying to tell you. That that would be Lovie’s answer and not too much more.
It’s not like he’s going to ask him. Hey bud what’s you’re problem.?
October 1st, 2014 at 11:25 am
Pat Says:
“However, one of Lovie’s ‘Adopted Sons’ none other than Mr. Derrick Brooks himself has said from the beggining ad nauseam, “Be Patient, It takes time to get this defence down.”
You can type that and believe that without skepticism? I’m a huge FSU, and Brooks fan, but I can’t take one of “Lovie’s ‘Adopted Sons’ “at face value.
Sorry you can man, but I can’t.
October 1st, 2014 at 11:44 am
87- yeah I got that and it is complete BS that better questions can’t be asked regarding this embarrassing pass defense. What’s the point of having press conferences with the coach if you aren’t going to ask good and relevant questions. This excuse that he will not answer tough questions so there is no point in asking is lousy excuse for journalism on any level.
October 1st, 2014 at 11:52 am
Banks been playing bad????? Verners been horrible…..Banks is the only corner making any type of plays
October 1st, 2014 at 12:05 pm
Crush him like a graham cracker.
October 1st, 2014 at 1:39 pm
QBs are passing against us in the 80% accuracy range. that’s not going to correspond with great INT and PBU numbers. unfortunately, it’s still way too easy for QBs to find the spots where our defenders aren’t.
October 1st, 2014 at 1:51 pm
There’s only one good piece of good news I can take from this: we are due for some INT’s. It’s almost impossible to go 4 games and not get any picks (I don’t count anything that happened in Atlanta after the score is 56-0). Hell, usually a QB will throw a couple right to you, or at least it will get tipped at the line. So I’m not saying we’ll necessarily get better, I think we may just get lucky. I’ll take it.
October 1st, 2014 at 3:45 pm
That’s one stat you can forget about…. Interceptions lol yea right, we’d be lucky to get passes defensed
October 1st, 2014 at 3:50 pm
Guys…take it easy on 55. I respect his opinion. After all, he is a hall of famer. On a side note, Anthony Bechtel on WDAE is a must listen on demand. 620WDAE.COM
October 1st, 2014 at 3:51 pm
Becht…stupid auto correct.