It Starts With Practice
November 14th, 2014
In four losses the season, the Bucs held leads in the fourth quarter. Problem was, the defense couldn’t make critical stops hacked up leads.
Few were more gut-wrenching than the losses against the Lambs and Vikings, both at home, when a never-been quarterback who was pulled off the street and a green rookie, respectively, led their teams on last-minute scoring drives.
No one is more frustrated about this than Gerald McCoy. The Bucs defensive tackle believes the Bucs just need to be better shutting down their own offense in practice and that will eventualy carry over into real games.
“Well even more than just that – end-of-halves or end-of-game situations period, we haven’t been good in and that starts with practice,” GMC said. “We do two-minute drill on Thursdays and we have to compete at game speed, even though we don’t wear pads, we still have to compete at game speed. You don’t have to bull-rush anybody, but you can still get a good pass rush, get your hands down, timing down, receivers can run great routes, in the back end they can make sure they’re in the right position, but we have to compete much harder in those drills in practice for it to carry over into the game. Sometimes the two-minute drill, at the end of practice – Coach Smith is very strategic and he’s very smart, he does it that on purpose. To practice for however long we practice and then you put this two-minute drill at the end of practice, it’s to simulate the game. Starting with me and all the way to the backend we have to compete, compete and compete at the highest-level in practice in order to improve on that in the game.”
Now there are a few things that jump to mind here. Why hasn’t this been done earlier? Did the coaches not think of it? Or were too many players just going through the motions of practice in shorts?
Joe isn’t sure what to make of this but he is glad GMC recognizes the issue and is trying to do something about it.
November 14th, 2014 at 3:26 pm
Can they practice double and triple teams on Aunt Geraldine. Since everyone is convinced that this occurs to him on every play. He should learn how to beat them in practice so it can carry over into the game.
November 14th, 2014 at 3:30 pm
cue all the GMC haters in 3, 2, 1…
November 14th, 2014 at 3:34 pm
NFLPA has turned them into puss!e$. Practicing without pads? Come on. If you are going to do 2-minute drills put the pads on and go to town son. This isn’t a walk through. I also like how he says we have to do better shutting down our offense in practice. Makes me to believe that they can’t even stop our own offense.
November 14th, 2014 at 3:42 pm
Thanks Obama!
November 14th, 2014 at 3:55 pm
We talkin bout practice?
November 14th, 2014 at 4:03 pm
3, 2, 1…….
Practice a tackle Gerald and maybe you’ll get one this week.
November 14th, 2014 at 4:15 pm
Which means our QBs or QB and kicker have had us in position to win. And who again let it slip away? So our record should be what? Look around the NFL. Teams put close game up and win because their defense HOLDS!
November 14th, 2014 at 4:21 pm
Maybe think about that when the NFLPA is negotiating the next CBA. The players didn’t want padded practices. No complaining now about how you can’t get better because you’re not wearing pads in practice
November 14th, 2014 at 4:27 pm
Joe I thought the problem with those four losses was that glennon didn’t put up enough points. Now it’s the defense?
@biff
STOP IT NOW! Geraldine gets at least 1 tackle every game. The problem is trying to get two. Lol
Joe do the Redskins have any udfa, rookies or first time starters on the oline? Just want to know if Geraldine will get a sack on Sunday.
November 14th, 2014 at 4:29 pm
Naw. It’s Bush’s fault.
November 14th, 2014 at 4:49 pm
Our defense use to be bend but don’t break. Now it’s just broke for sure in the 2 min drill. Hell they will throw in a yellow flag or 2 along the way.
November 14th, 2014 at 4:52 pm
It may start with practice but it certainly ends with losses on Sundays.
November 14th, 2014 at 5:31 pm
It is the players running the system that is the problem. We have already changed both are safeties. Cornerbacks are people I have never heard of. I haven’t heard mason fosters name all season except that he was injured for a couple games. Lansanah had two pick sixes other than that haven’t heard his name. And I have heard the defensive line names called on more penalties than good plays. We have no talent on defense can’t keep changing coaches cause the players aren’t any good. To many holes on both sides of the ball to think lovie can fix it in one offseason. I am mad also cause I believed the hype that he can win 10 games with good defense and special teams. Let’s give him the chance to get that defense. But if he continues with koenen as our punter I might call for his head to
November 14th, 2014 at 8:29 pm
Practice? We’re talking about practice????
November 15th, 2014 at 5:16 pm
If you can’t stop your own offense there’s really no help for you GMC