So, You Miss Mark Barron?
November 3rd, 2014
The Bucs defense improved without passive safety Mark Barron.
Despite what the players say, Joe thinks the Bucs defense is improving. Yeah, really. The Bucs held the Vikings to 13 points last week (in regulation) and the Browns to 22 (and honestly, the special teams gave up 11 points to the Browns’ offense).
Bucs players have told Joe, no, the defense hasn’t turned the corner. But Joe can see it, especially yesterday.
When is the last time you saw the Bucs lay the wood to people play after play like they did Sunday? It was refreshing.
You know what else was refreshing? No Mark Barron. The failed first round draft pick of a safety, now poisoning the Lambs’ roster, was replaced by Major, who had major impact. Wright had seven tackles and six assists.
Even safety Bradley McDougald seemed energized by Barron’s absence. Barron should take notes on McDougald’s coverage and hit that led to Clinton McDonald’s interception.
Did the Bucs improve on defense without Barron? Joe would say, yes.
November 3rd, 2014 at 6:28 am
Mike would say yes too. But Mike is also not going to hold his breath Major won’t get bit by the same apathy bug that seems to bite every starter on this team over time.
November 3rd, 2014 at 6:45 am
Lets see how Major fairs against the Matty Ice and the Falcons offense before everyone starts singing the praises. Wright was an improvement over Barron yesterday; but probably every starting safety in the NFL and a lot of backups would also be an improvement; plus Barron’s new damned team won a game yesterday (even if he did not contribute to the win, he did not lose yesterday), something the Bucs have not done in a month and may not until 2015 if the team can not fire on all cylinders! When the defense plays decent; Napolean Dynamite throws picks and the offense can’t gain 1 ****ing yard in 3 plays with 2:08 left in the game and the special teams lay another egg. If the offense scores 35, you can bet the defense and special teams will find a way to give up 38+…..
November 3rd, 2014 at 7:10 am
Opening drive of the second half when the d could have made a statement. They gave up an 11 play 80 yard drive. Game over. D sucks.
November 3rd, 2014 at 7:20 am
I almost agree, but wonder how much we’d call this an improvement if the non-called helmet-to-helmet penalties had been caught.
Seems like there were at least 2 or 3 of those, the enforcement of which could have been pretty impactful… And the refs don’t usually miss those
Also, who made that open-field whiff in the first quarter? That was pretty embarrassing. I wondered if it was Golson, maybe embarrassment motivating a return to his ‘old ways’. Is it really “better” play at safety because the refs missed callable penalties?
There’s a long long way to go, baby steps not withstanding
November 3rd, 2014 at 7:23 am
I don’t think anyone said the D didn’t still suck, but they definitely looked improved. I actually saw swarming to the ball yesterday. Best game of the year on defense in my opinion.
November 3rd, 2014 at 7:33 am
We either draft Jameis Winston of next season will be a total failure too.
Jameis or Bust.
November 3rd, 2014 at 7:40 am
Yes. You know who else wasn’t missed? That Collins bum. I know we gave up sacks but, they were more coverage sacks. Oline played well major was crunching people. Good game.
November 3rd, 2014 at 7:40 am
Was Barron the starter yesterday because its stats line is :0-0-0-0
November 3rd, 2014 at 7:41 am
It was clear by his quotes when he got to st. Louis, baron didn’t buy in. Now we have players in that do. Immediately the position is being played better. It’s not rocket surgery. We’ve got another purge coming this offseason where we trim the rest of the dead weight. Then we can play decent football, hopefully
November 3rd, 2014 at 7:47 am
Barron Who?
November 3rd, 2014 at 7:50 am
The important thing is we didn’t do anything to kick us out of the Jameis Winston sweepstakes. But we need to get Oakland to win a couple of games.
November 3rd, 2014 at 7:55 am
Two third and 15 or longer conversions happening, getting lit up by Hoyer and a bunch of 3rd and 4th WRs and backup TEs, and that’s considering improving. Imagine if Hoyer had Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron? Could have been 400 yards passing. This is the new baseline for “improvement” for our defense, not being extremely awful and simply being bad. It really, really, really sucks being a Bucs fan.
November 3rd, 2014 at 7:58 am
make that an OR
November 3rd, 2014 at 8:02 am
Winston is high risk. I wouldn’t touch him with the proverbial 10 foot pole. If the Bucs draft him, I foresee him out of the league on a domestic violence charge or something similar, within a couple of years. He’s already got too much of a track record indicating a great lack of maturity and poor off the field decision making. Besides, QB is by far not our greatest need.
November 3rd, 2014 at 8:10 am
Draft Winston…high risk??? what qb is not a high risk, have you seen this crap out on the football field from the QB for the past 4-5 years…draft winston, see what happens and let the dust settle… we are going to be 1-15 this year and could very well turn in our 2nd ofer season and there is no further of a drop we can make at this point with the QBs and whoever we are just REARRANGING THE DECK CHAIRS ON THE TITANIC
November 3rd, 2014 at 8:24 am
They made improvements most definitely. They got a couple of 3 and outs. Also It was the first game that I heard the announcers say that an opposing quarterback didnt have anybody open to throw to a couple of times. The defensive line did way better, that #56 guy on the line is doing way better than Michael Johnson. I just need to wait and see when they play atlanta. Everytime I think there going to do good from here on out. they get blown out
November 3rd, 2014 at 8:27 am
I’m not going to get away from my stance that the offensive and defensive lines are of paramount importance this offseason. That said, if our O line plays the way it did on Sunday for the rest of the season, I won’t beat the drum quite so loudly for us to address it in the early rounds. D line is still suspect and I won’t be upset if Lovie drafts a beastly DE so we can finally be dominant with our front 4. If one doesn’t deserve being drafted in the spot where we’re drafting, and if the O line continues to play at the level they did yesterday or better for the rest of the year, I would be ok with drafting a QB with a high pick. I’m not going to get in to the debate about which QB, because they all have significant question marks which warrant a lot of scrutiny before committing high draft picks to them, but if the staff does their diligence and they land on one then I won’t be upset. I don’t want a QB in lieu of an O lineman though if the line is still porous
November 3rd, 2014 at 8:40 am
Yeah, I said it before. The entire team is showing signs of improvement. Plus they are still weeding out the bad ones.
I remain optomistic
November 3rd, 2014 at 8:43 am
I miss winning….
The two players traded away now know what that feels like.
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:05 am
I remain optimistic also. The Bucs have shown recently and will show some improvement here on out. Enough to win, that looks doubtful, they may upset somebody. I bet the Falcons are honing their beaks in anticipation of facing the Bucs to get back in the win column come Sunday.
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:20 am
We are improving. I’m not expecting any wins. But I am hoping to see some more this year.
Sign Connor Shaw!
Go Bucs!!
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:45 am
I totally agree and John Lynch spouting off was way off base. John Lynch was a great player but apparently his “assessment” of Barrons ability and potential was about as good as “the rockstar’s”. Bottom line is we looked better in coverage (at least by the safeties) than we have all year. Hmmmmm I wonder why? Good luck Lambs now Fisher’s defense can be as soft as our has been in recent years.
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:49 am
PatrickinVA what exactly is rocket surgery?
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:51 am
Johnson is still a big problem. I’d like to try Gholston at RDE. What happened to Smith?
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:05 am
This is kinda stupid. Wright’s stats looked okay. Barron was the 2nd leading tackler on the team at the time of the trade. Wright, like Barron, missed some opportunities to break up some completed passes that resulted in 1st downs.
The big difference the lots of people somehow overlook is DEFENSIVE LINE PRESSURE. When the defensive line has gotten pressure, the Safeties can actually make plays. Yesterday, there was lots of defensive pressure up front. The game against the Saints when Barron played his ass off: Defensive pressure up front. Stop pushing stupid ass agendas and watch football, man. It’s kinda simple.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:31 am
The defense definitely played with more fire yesterday. There were a couple of helmet to helmet hits that could’ve been called but otherwise they were hitting hard and swarming to the ball. The defense looks like it might be turning a corner. Unfortunately the team still lost.
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:32 am
What game were you watching?????? If you didnt notice play after play
Browns targeting Wright and Verner then you are blind … They scored every touchdown on wright and verner … Moved up the field with ease … Want to talk about Wrights stats on tackles ? Well look at why … Becuase they caught the ball in his area time and time again … Plzzzz wake up n smell the coffe people …
November 3rd, 2014 at 10:54 am
Verner is getting burnt every Sunday it seems. Now I don’t know what the scheme calls for or if he is expecting help over the top but he is constantly getting beat deep….. Who is that Smith kid coming off the edge? Man he is Yungry! Lol! Seriously though, they need to put that kid in more. He had 2 sacks yesterday and he’s not making $98 million.
November 3rd, 2014 at 11:44 am
For everyone making the case that drafting Jameis Winston would be a mistake due to his “off field” issues, I could make a case for the exact opposite. This kid is 20 years old and has been under a microscope like no other for 2 years now. Has he made mistakes? Absolutely. But again, he is 20 and by no means a finished product. He has been under pressure that no other player in college football has dealt with. All of this while playing and starring for high performing football and baseball teams. Oh, and by the way, he was on the All ACC academic team which never gets reported.
However, have you seen the way he plays QB? There is no doubt who the leader of that team is. He routinely makes decisions on the field that professionals have yet to master. And he’s a gamer. This guy only gets better when the game is on the line and the pressure is huge. How can you not take a player of his caliber?
November 3rd, 2014 at 12:03 pm
^Because if Jameis was really a player “of that caliber” he’d be a stone cold lock to go #1 even with all his sociopathtic tendencies. Instead he might not even go in the top 10 and many, many teams do not have him on their draft board. And that’s before teams go over his life with a fine toothed comb. Jameis has about the same ceiling as Ryan Tannehill, which from his play lately is pretty good, but Jameis is not Andrew Luck or anything close.
November 3rd, 2014 at 12:05 pm
Plus as mentioned many times and I will keep pounding this one
Jameis = sociopath
Mariota = Good Christian Boy
Lovie = Hard on for Good Christian Boys
There is no doubt at all who Lovie will take if he’s going after a QB.
November 3rd, 2014 at 12:17 pm
Bucrightoff, I am pretty sure all those assessing QB talent would tell you he is the #1 talent at QB and that it is only the “off field” stuff holding him back as being the face of a franchise. I have yet to hear anyone, even those that are critical of his off field issues, say that he is not a superior talent at the QB position. His ceiling is far superior to a Ryan Tannehil or anyone else in his draft class or last years draft class.
Clearly he has some more growing to do but again, he is 20. While the sexual assault is serious business, it seems pretty clear to me that he got involved with someone with bad intentions. Aside from that, stealing crab legs and cursing on campus are hardly major issues. I think he should stay in school another year to prove he has matured but if he entered the draft today I would take without hesitation.
November 3rd, 2014 at 12:23 pm
But Lovie won’t and that’s what matters. Anyone who wants Jameis has to get Lovie fired first. Lovie is not taking Jameis, no way, no how. If Mike Williams is too unsavory for his liking, Jameis is radioactive level toxic. Not happening.
November 3rd, 2014 at 12:28 pm
^you may be correct about that but I am arguing that would be a mistake. I do think they need a legit starting QB to build around and I do not believe Mariota is that guy. Outside if Winston, not sure this is a very strong class of QBs.
November 3rd, 2014 at 12:42 pm
Wright definitely had a major impact, like giving up the go-ahead TD in the fourth qrt AGAIN.
Cinnamon toast crunch gets burnt AGAIN not to mention the 3&17 conversion miles Austin got on Verner and wright but yea the D is improving. Psst smh
Wright > Barron = Mike Jenkins > Jon Banks, it’s just not true.
But hey our 100 mil dollar All-Pro, All-World, All-Ice Cream captain got a sack against a backup center so hey well worth the money. No sign of him in the 4th or on 3rd down but hey he’s the best in the league so there’s that.
November 3rd, 2014 at 12:48 pm
Nick2 Says:
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:49 am
PatrickinVA what exactly is rocket surgery?
Patrick,
Rocket Surgery is similar to Brain Science.
November 3rd, 2014 at 4:28 pm
Wright (and McDougal on a couple plays) looked better to me than Barron. It sucks only getting 4th and 6th round picks for the #7 overall pick just 2 1/2 years ago – but we actually did become a better team by trading him. Addition by subtraction. Maybe we can find a diamond in the rough with those picks – or use them to help secure the young QB draftee we so obviously need.
November 3rd, 2014 at 6:26 pm
Buctebow Says:
November 3rd, 2014 at 12:48 pm
Nick2 Says:
November 3rd, 2014 at 9:49 am
PatrickinVA what exactly is rocket surgery?
Patrick,
Rocket Surgery is similar to Brain Science.
—————————————————
I think it’s when they take out the appendix of someone who plays for Houston.
tickrdr
November 4th, 2014 at 8:23 am
Agreed, Joe. Defense, except fora few breakdowns! Looked good yesterday.
Still! Dashon Ghoston has to go and the NFL May step in and say so after it views the helmet to helmet hit Gholston put on a prone Browns receiver. How stupid can you be. He was lucky he wasn’t flagged.
Only other play that sticks out of my mind was the third and 14 play where even the announcer called the slant and David was out of position as was Verner. C’mon man.