“Highly And Overly Emphasized”
October 23rd, 2014
A little change was in the air at Bucs practice yesterday
Every day at practice, Greg Schiano ran the Bucs through a circuit of high school-like drills on tackling, fumble-recovery, ball-stripping and interceptions.
Frankly, those tactics all worked for Commander Schiano. Tampa Bay was tied for third in the NFL at takeaways last year.
Sadly, one of the worst offenses known to planet earth, couldn’t capitalize.
Lovie Smith talks a big game when it comes to takeaways, and his Bears teams were elite ball-snatching artists. Right now, the Bucs are tied for 16th in the league with 10 takeaways through six games.
That’s not acceptable, says Gerald McCoy, who explained last night on his Total Access radio show that Lovie has adjusted his approach. Takeaways are being “highly and overly emphasized” in practice this week, McCoy told the WDAE-AM 620 audience.
McCoy was careful to say that “overly emphasized” wasn’t a negative comment. McCoy’s just excited for it to pay off on Sunday against rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and Vikings.
McCoy said Danny Lansanah made an incredible one-handed pick-six in practice yesterday, which could be a great omen.
Yes, Joe, too, is hoping the Bucs can recapture some of that Schaino takeaway magic.
October 23rd, 2014 at 11:07 am
“Right now, the Bucs are tied for 16th in the league with 10 takeaways through six games.”
Wow. Smack dab in the middle. It sure doesn’t feel like they are average. Feels like a bit below.
October 23rd, 2014 at 11:15 am
Wow! Never thought that after 6 games Joe would be begging for the days of Schiano the great (TM).
October 23rd, 2014 at 11:17 am
can we just get to the draft already
October 23rd, 2014 at 11:17 am
The sad thing is Lovie had a year to evaluate everything. He prolly knew he was coming to Tampa, and when he got here he was happy with the pieces in place on the “D”. That’s why he drafted all offense in the draft.
So what has gone wrong. HIS defense is ranked 32nd. I find it amusing that Schiano got the blame for all things Bucs, but Lovie gets a free pass. People on here are calling for Fraziers head, how come he gets the blame when obviously Lovie has a huge hand in the defensive make-up of this team.
The last nail in the coffin for me will be if we trade Vjax, my season tickets will be the last thing I spend on this franchise till they turn this thing around.
I know ppl say he is overpaid etc., but trading him will basically signal that we have laid over and called the season a bust. That will be sad….
October 23rd, 2014 at 11:21 am
wombat, this season is a wash, so why keep a 32 year old reciever who will command 10 mill a season, when we can cut ties and maybe get a 2 or 3 in the deal? Anyone who thinks this season isnt over is delusional. My only hope is that the key players ala mccoy and david dont give up on lovie’s d and part ways with the bucs, cuz then i too will give up. but trade vjax? that is a MUST if we can get a 3 or lower, evans is a solid big WR , we need a speedy deep threat, having 4 slow 6’5 recievers is good, if ur in the red zone.
October 23rd, 2014 at 11:27 am
“Schiano the great (TM).”
LOL DB55 …it’s very important that the TM gets put in there. Thanks!
October 23rd, 2014 at 11:39 am
@Wombat – Everybody was in Schiano’s case because it was his 2nd year.
This is Lovie’s 1st season as head coach for the Bucs. The defensive scheme takes a while to learn. This was said by Derrick Brooks last spring. He warn fans not to expect a lot from the defense in the 1st year.
Dungy’s 1st season started at 1- 8 in 1996.
Smith’s 1st season with the Bears started at 1-5 in 2004.
All is right on track. Ugly but right on track. We are in good hands with Lovie.
BTW Schiano does not belong in the NFL as a head coach…
October 23rd, 2014 at 11:43 am
Wombat Says
“That’s why he drafted all offense in the draft.”
Maybe. Or maybe he knew from experience that it takes longer to build an offense, given that he had so many issues in Chicago. He knew who was coming out in the draft. Maybe he knew, given were we picked, that it would be better to go offense.
Really, you can’t say his reasons for doing something without being him. Neither can I.
October 23rd, 2014 at 11:45 am
I still think a turn around is possible. I mean, playoffs are a small chance, but the turn around I’m hoping for is in culture and effort in the second half of the season. Really, the bye week is the right time for it.
So I’m watching from here on in the hopes of seeing improvement from game to game in each player and the team as a whole.
October 23rd, 2014 at 11:54 am
The Buc D has 9 whole sacks on the year.
The Broncos have two guys that total 15: Von Miller (8) and DeMarcus Ware (7).
I wish we had a guy that could create his own sacks. 🙁
October 23rd, 2014 at 11:58 am
“BTW Schiano does not belong in the NFL as a head coach…”
Because he’s still being paid by the Glazers…
October 23rd, 2014 at 11:59 am
Touchdown, you are out of your skull, give me one example that makes you think Lovie is doing ANYTHING right? This team may not win another game, have been blown out of the 2 biggest margins in the NFL this year. Gave away 4 starting offensive linemen and is a poor evaluator of talent thus far. This was a playoff claiber defense last year, where did it go? Don’t give me the BS that it takes time…how did Andy Reid make the playoffs from a 4-12 team. Lovie was a bad hire, I thought schiano deserved one more year, to see if he had it turned around, schiano needed offense and this team was on its way. Even down in Houston, they are turning it around with a whole new system and a 3rd tier QB
October 23rd, 2014 at 12:20 pm
“BTW Schiano does not belong in the NFL as a head coach…”
And another thing Schiano (who does not belong coaching NFL) won 7 games in his rookie season as an NFL coach. Stay tuned if Lovie can even come close to that, right now I don’t see it.
October 23rd, 2014 at 12:26 pm
Sorry, learning the system is a POOR excuse. I won’t have it!! These are paid professionals and if they were in corporate America would be on the streets, contract or no contract. This is Lovies team and I believe he doesn’t have the right personnel. His evaluation of the offensive line was a joke, and I am thinking the group he put together on the D-line is a bigger joke.
I don’t care what system he is running, if you are a DL you are suppose to get to the QB. Even if you screw up you you would think you would get lucky and blow thru a block. MJ was against an undrafted free agent last game, he should have beaten him like a red headed step child… he came in second. I think it comes down to how much heart you have. I remember when Hovan was here, he over achieved all his life, if he had MJ’s body he would have been a HOF!!!
Don’t give me system, thats part of the problem, but its not the only problem.
October 23rd, 2014 at 12:58 pm
Personnel may be a problem – or it could be that the personnel just hasn’t gotten the demands of the system – ask Dallas how that works.
Sure wish we could have signed Marinelli…Lovie’s first choice for DC…instead we ended up with Leslie.
Maybe that’s also part of the problem…too…?
Time and patience, the defense is sound, the core of the personnel is set…just takes time.
Your corporate America analogy is laughable. these guys have elite skills – and the starters are one of the 32 best on the world at what they do. Plus, they play on a contract – that contract has incentives and guaranties – and they are ALSO part of union that has made it extremely difficult to zsimply Fire those you don’t think are performing.
Also, corporate America is so chock-full of politically correct careerist so afraid of making a mistake – they have to have 6 meetings, 5 documented coinciding sessions, 7 reviews, and a departmental meeting to determine if an abusive employee should be given time off (with pay), time off (without pay), or to have a letter of reprimand placed in their permanent file…corporate America isn’t better than the NFL, very few in corporate America are one off he top 32 at their position in the world…and when you find one that IS that good…they play by a different set of rules than everybody els.
So no, they wouldn’t bs imply be cut, they be even MORE coddled…
Only, you’d be doing their work AND getting them coffee.
October 23rd, 2014 at 1:13 pm
The approach Lovie is taken is all wrong IMO..The players should not be focused on stripping and interceptions. That’s the problem.. Their so focused on the takeaways that they’re forgething to play basic D of covering and tackling. Get the D playing at high level in those 2 areas first and then institute the takeaways.
October 23rd, 2014 at 1:19 pm
lovie is the worst head coach in this teams history and frazier the worst D.C. they gutted the team, brought in their glorified FAs none of which has panned out. hired a O.C. who had a major health condition(wonder if they knew this when tedford was hired) hoping it would work out, then had to go with a inexperienced 32 year old as playcaller. refused to address the O line other than mankins, incognito should have been signed also( I know he is such a bully) imagine hurting the feelings of a 300 pound nfl player( oh the humanity) his schemes defensively are outdated, and he can’t even make a intelligent choice at starting QB. I HAVE SEEN ENOUGH OF THIS CLOWN. and his circus show. we need a new ringmaster.
October 23rd, 2014 at 1:30 pm
My bad. Not “corporate america”, I meant the “real” world….
October 23rd, 2014 at 3:02 pm
Does anybody know what happened to Schiano? Laying low and enjoying his millions while he takes a year off?
I suspect he will return next year as a head college coach or perhaps a defensive coordinator in the NFL. As Joe frequently points out the defense last year was not the problem. Given that it is this season it makes Schiano look like he has some cred as a defensive guy.
But given Schiano’s personality he’s probably better suited to working with kids in college than men in the pros.
October 23rd, 2014 at 9:07 pm
@Dusthty Amen. Lovie is a moron. Should have kept Schiano and got new coordinators
October 24th, 2014 at 1:27 am
Yes, Greg Schiano is such a mastermind…not a single other team even interviewed him (including his “good friend” Bill Billicheat).
He’s so gifted a talent evaluator, organizer, and administrator – his old college deleted him from their contacts list – and promptly changed conferences.
They don’t even want him on TV anymore.]
Yeah, sooo good…
[hint: if you have to ask “where is he now…?” …he was not good]