Bucs Defense Torn Apart
October 16th, 2015
All-22 video is not kind to Bucs CB Tim Jennings. (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.)
Joe is a big believer that the eye in the sky never lies.
We may see something with the naked eye, but after further video examination it becomes something better — or worse.
This is so with the Bucs defense. Currently, the Bucs have one of the worst red zone defenses, a fact head coach and de facto defensive coordinator Lovie Smith claimed earlier this season was distortion.
Well, numbers geek Max Luckan of CBS Sports, typing for something called “Real GM Analysis,” decided to shine further light on Lovie’s defense and came away scarred.
The thing that jumped out at Joe from Luckan was that on 37 percent of opponents’ drives — over a third! — the drives ended in a score of some sort.
The further you read the worse it gets. And Luckan has choice words for Loaf Jennings’ play against Jacksonville last week.
Against the Jaguars, Jennings played 97% of the snaps on defense, and by my count, Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles completed 7-of-10 passes thrown Jennings’ way, including two touchdowns.
Luckan goes on to write that Loaf often was so far out of position, he literally hung Bucs safeties out to dry, as they had zero chance of covering up Loaf’s mistakes.
Luckan also suggests Mike Jenkins is nothing to write home about but Loaf is so bad, he almost makes Jenkins look average.
October 16th, 2015 at 8:11 am
we have the worst corners in football, year two of Lovies defense. He has stocked the cupboard with junk food so far in his two year shopping spree…..
October 16th, 2015 at 8:23 am
If and I mean “IF” Lovie survives this year, The Lovie apologist will tell us next year how then new players need time to learn and gel in Lovie’s most complicated defense in the NFL, ( It must be the most complicated because no other team says it takes over a year to learn and fell comfortable in the defense!!!).
And then there are some of the Lovie Sheep that will pull numbers from a couple of games and try to tell everyone that this defense is a top 10 defense. Or that a points from a turnover does not count, or if the Bucs opponent makes less than a 80 yard drive, that it should not count against the defense. The Real Buc fans see right thru skewed numbers and the lies that this head coach is telling!!!
Watching a Lovie team is like watching grandpa drive 30mph when the speed limit is 60mph!!!!!
October 16th, 2015 at 8:34 am
Banks come home!
October 16th, 2015 at 8:34 am
Grandpa is not only going 30 in a 60, he’s pulling over to stare at the sign with the temperature on it, a true story. It’s called the wet noodle pass D.
October 16th, 2015 at 8:39 am
Bad pass defense in a passing league… Bad combo for a coach stuck in 1980s football
October 16th, 2015 at 8:48 am
The Cover Nobody defense is what it should be called.
October 16th, 2015 at 8:49 am
I should have been enjoying watching the Bucs first home win since the Clinton administration, however I was distracted by the vial play of Jennings. He was beyond bad. In addition to the plays where he just got flat out roasted, I also recall the play where Bortles rolled out to his left for an eternity and found Yeldon in the end zone. Jennings literally stopped scrambling to cover and stood there. Zero effort. And one more thing… I am so tired of seeing this guy celebrate like he made a play, when he simply gets beat and the WR drops the pass. Even when he draws a PI penalty, the ball still goes for a completion! Haha, I’m done. I know he was solid in his prime, but those days are long gone.
October 16th, 2015 at 8:56 am
“The thing that jumped out at Joe from Luckan was that on 37 percent of opponents’ drives — over a third! — the drives ended in a score of some sort.” – Joe
Well, to be honest, I think it might still be an improvement over last year. It sure felt like teams scored on us nearly every position last year.
Maybe a slight exaggeration, but it felt that way.
October 16th, 2015 at 9:02 am
Rolled my eyes when they showed the stat on Thursday Night Football…….worst defensive in league when it comes to giving up points…..tough to win under those circumstances so we should rejoice that there are two wins on the board already!!!!
October 16th, 2015 at 9:26 am
Lovie I’ve learned since he’s been here is very overrated. Why he would consider Jennings and Jenkins over Verner and Banks is simply suicide . How can any good coach try and sell that? How stupid does he think we all are? I know Atlanta lost to the Saints but there defense seems to play so much harder and better than ours that it’s mind boggling after 2 years our D looks no better at all. I really think Lovie has no clue and the game has passed him by.
October 16th, 2015 at 9:45 am
#siegethebillboards
October 16th, 2015 at 9:48 am
If banks comes back and Lovie doesnt start banks/verner over jennings/jenkins, I will, and i emplore everyone else to do so, I will riot.
October 16th, 2015 at 9:51 am
Realist
As usual you keeping it 💯
The worst part is that this defense looks very confused. From gap integrity up front, to containment, to coverages, tackling, you name it.
Thank goodness one of our “real buc fans” emailed Dan Quinn and told him “it takes time” cuz if not he’d be 6-0.
October 16th, 2015 at 9:57 am
If EDS can’t lose his job due to injury (even though he deserves to lose it) then neither can Banks. Simple as that.
October 16th, 2015 at 9:59 am
This is Lovie the losers defense. He’s the coordinator and “owns” it. Of course Lovie is a liar and a coward who will not take responsibility for his defense or any other short coming. The bus will NEVER come close to their potential (what ever it is) while we have Bozo the clown as head coach. His glass is always half full … of bull spit…
October 16th, 2015 at 9:59 am
Maybe we can hire Schiano as the defensive coordinator
October 16th, 2015 at 10:20 am
Agreed … the Bucs defense has been torn apart. It’s given up 17 TDs through 5 games (plus 2 TDs have been allowed by our offense on INTs). Our pass defense has been torched constantly, allowing 12 TDs, but 8 of those have come in just 2 games (Titans and Jaguars).
What’s scary is that the secondary was totally different in each of those 2 games … only McDougald started both games. In other words, Lovie has been looking for ways to improve our pass coverage, but those answers apparently don’t exist in our current roster.
Jenkins and Jennings certainly aren’t the answers. Banks is improving steadily as a CB, but he’ll be just coming back from a knee injury … not great. Verner, for whatever reason, seems to be in Lovie’s doghouse, although I think he’s far better than Loaf. Sterling Moore seems to be a big question mark in this whole thing at this point, but he was only in for 15% of the plays in the Jaguars game for some reason.
Bottom line: It’s gonna be a LONG season for our secondary. And for us Bucs fans.
October 16th, 2015 at 10:30 am
NFL com has the bucs pass def ranked #6, is that crey or what?
October 16th, 2015 at 10:33 am
How does a veteran that played in Lovie’s system (what ever that is)not be in the right position?
It’s like every career on the planet. If you do it long enough, eventually you become an expert.
I would cut him THIS week and move on. No I wouldn’t keep him for even depth.
This is all on Lovely(like every other dumb move) if he starts against the Skins…
October 16th, 2015 at 10:41 am
It’s the Cover 1 variant to the original cover 2. Cover 1 guy and let the rest run loose in the secondary 🙂
October 16th, 2015 at 10:47 am
I agree @Bucmania. I yearn for the days when our D was feared around the league. I mean, either it’s the scheme or our players just seem bored playing in it. Tampa2 is pretty passive and I think defensive players want something more aggressive nowadays
October 16th, 2015 at 10:56 am
I think we have to be really asking ourselves “What the HELL did Verner do to lose his job to Tim Jennings!?” Jennings was cut from the Bears for a reason so how do you lose your job to some scrub like that!?
I’m not going to sit here like AN IDIOT and try to call Lovie names, say he’s stuck in the 80’s, say that he has a small WANG, because I KNOW FOR A FACT that this man knows more about football than I or anyone else that posts on this site and I know for a FACT that he has a bigger WANG!
“It’s as simple as that” – Lovie Smith aka “Mr. Competent” aka “I’m a Head Football coach in the NFL and your just a b!tch posting in a forum”
“Lovie is a GREAT coach!” – Kwon Alexander (The only opinion that really counts)
October 16th, 2015 at 11:00 am
I think we might have had the best CB in football not even 18 months ago. What happened there?
October 16th, 2015 at 11:54 am
Bring in Jim Schwartz to fix the D.. He did wonders in Buffalo last year and IMO could turn around the Bucs D as well.
October 16th, 2015 at 12:01 pm
Problem solved, we trade away another first rd pick to the Jets for Revis.
October 16th, 2015 at 12:04 pm
I’m not a big Lovie fan. But he and Licht decided to build our offense first and it seems they thought they could struggle through a couple of years with a patch work defense. That’s what it looks like to me anyway. I imagine that the majority of draft picks and free agent signings next year will be defensive. I also expect that we’ll see a much better defensive product as a result. That being said, Jennings has got to go. He’s not even giving full effort and that is unacceptible for any professional player. And I imagine that we’ll see someone else take his spot against the team from Washington. Go Bucs!
October 16th, 2015 at 12:06 pm
OneLove, I’m confused and seriously concerned about the lettuce you’re smoking. Elsewhere you’re in full support of Lovie but here… Well I’m not sure what your stance is.
Let’s not continue to get Love drunk over wins against bottom-tier teams. Some players this past week echoed the same sentiments, and I love hearing it. LOTS of work needs to be done to a team in rebuilding and a shoot out with the Jags doesn’t convince me otherwise.
October 16th, 2015 at 2:53 pm
@Realist Says- Lovie’s sheep? Really? Listening to the Realist is like listening to a blue and yellow macaw parrott who repeats the same thing over and over again. Lovie’s this, Lovie’s that. BucMania Says Lovie has no clue. Buc1987 Says Lovie makes dumb moves. Charlie V Says Lovie is a loser, liar, coward and is bozo the clown.
Buccaneers are #6 in the NFL in Pass Defense (202.4 yards per game)
Buccaneers are #6 in the NFL for Sacks (15)
Buccaneers are #2 in the NFL for Forced Fumbles (9)
Buccaneers are tied #3 in the NFL for Defensive TD (1)
Lovie knows defense. Who has no clue, makes dumb comments and acts like bozo the clown?
October 17th, 2015 at 9:37 am
This team needs one more solid corner once Banks is back. They found the right slot in Verner. The sky is not falling.