Hopeful For Jacquies Smith
August 6th, 2015
Spending a full offseason with the Bucs could push DE Jacquies Smith closer to double-digit sacks.
Joe is aware there are fans who have been run from their neighborhood watering hole due to throwing beer mugs at TVs. Why? because opposing quarterbacks sit in the pocket so long they can order a pizza — and have the damned thing delivered — before a Bucs defender gets to the same zip code.
Add to that the knowledge that the Bucs let Michael Bennett walk for no good reason is enough to strangle a bartender.
Tampa Bay hopes to resolve its missing edge pass rush this year (and yeah, Joe’s been hoping for Rachel Watson to show up on his door step shivering, looking for personal warmth and comfort. Wonder who gets their wish first?).
If the Bucs do get an consistent edge rush from a defensive end, then it may be Jacquies Smith. Plucked from waivers after the Bills cut him just after the 2014 season began, he played in 15 games for the Bucs and totaled 6.5 sacks.
Smith hopes knowing his teammates better and having a full offseason and training camp with the Bucs leads to more sacks.
“Yeah, I think it has helped me out a lot,” Smith said today of being with the Bucs for just about a full year. “I have a lot of familiarity. Coming in and going through the offseason and OTAs and things of that nature and knowing the guys in the locker room. And knowing what each guy next to me is capable of. It helps you a lot.”
That sounds all good. Now it is time to put that into practice. If Smith can somehow get, say 10 sacks, then Joe is going to take a wild stab and suggest the Bucs defense will be markedly improved this fall.
How many times have we heard that Lovie’s defense needs pressure on the quarterback?
August 6th, 2015 at 8:27 pm
Keep it up with these positive player takes following a glare back to what was and I’m tempted to join the Bucs can win the NFC South this year mob.
August 6th, 2015 at 9:10 pm
Jac will answer the double digit sack bell this season. High motor along with relentless effort. Lovie Smith tends to get that out of his players especially when they have a full florescent green light to do so. But a where my buddies at? Y’all know the ones. One time for all my Animosity Amigos!!! 👍👍.
August 6th, 2015 at 9:27 pm
Joe that is with any defense that the front four gets to the qb asap AND the back seven give them time to get there. People call Lovie Smith a passive defense! What??? You expect the defense to blitz on every down???
August 6th, 2015 at 10:39 pm
Smith has never been an every down player and if he can speed rush all game and hold up at 250 pounds, then that would be fantastic. I like Smith and he is relentless, very quick, good speed, and has some toughness too, but I doubt he can physically do that all game long, and teams may start with game plans pulling a Center or Guard or Fullback to crunch block him and get outside his contain for good yardage. Fortunately, we have Melton who can take his place and stop that foolishness!
August 7th, 2015 at 12:17 am
We will know by week 6 if this was a misstep not to get a solid FA DE/pass rusher. I hope JSmith lights it up from the edge…but I am a non-belieber at this point. Last year, the sampling size was not enough to truly eval him as he is right OTA help gell the DL/OL lines.
August 7th, 2015 at 1:41 am
9 sacks coming his way this season.
August 7th, 2015 at 2:20 am
Personally I think they have extremely good DTs which will make their average DEs better.
I think the DT rotation and fresh bodies rotating at DE will get this team into a respectable sack total— finally.
They still need to draft a DE next year though.
I suspect with some decent pressure on the outside and real good DTs along side McCoy, he should crack 10 sacks this year.
August 7th, 2015 at 3:29 am
The Big Macscan handle DT( McCoy and Macdonald)
Put Melton at one DE, and Mr Smith and Mr.Johnson at the other
That’ll hold the fort, til we draft our DE next year.
August 7th, 2015 at 8:36 am
I’m with you Dave,my belief is DT play will force teams to focus a lot of attention on them. I believe this double digit crisis people make it to be can be answered by Jac because he is described as high motor individual. A lot of their sacks come after the pocket has broken down and the QB has causally scrambled towards a side line and out of no where dang someone is collapsing them from behind.
August 7th, 2015 at 11:17 am
I can’t tell if our defensive line is a gathering of underrated future hall of famers or if our o-line is just that generous.