Gerald McCoy Identifies “Our Achilles’ Heel”
December 1st, 2015
Joe’s got ironic and telling words from Gerald McCoy.
As regular readers here know, Joe searches the globe for all things Bucs night and day, winter and summer, holidays and weekends. But sometimes Joe misses something. This evening, Joe located a McCoy interview on CBS Sports Radio with Tiki Barber last week, prior to the meltdown in Indianapolis.
Barber asked McCoy what the “X-factor” to push the Bucs into the postseason will be. McCoy had a quick answer.
“I think it’s two things: eliminate penalties and finish games,” McCoy said. “That’s been our Achilles’ heal the past couple of seasons, penalties and not finishing.”
Man, isn’t that a head-shaker? McCoy uttered those words before Sunday’s game, when the Bucs melted down and had 12 penalties, many of them costly. And the Bucs were shut out in the second half, despite leading at halftime and having the ball to start the third quarter.
McCoy said penalties have literally lost the Bucs multiple games this season. He specifically cited nine third-quarter penalties in Washington. As Joe noted yesterday, the Bucs are on pace to set the single-season NFL record for penalties.
There’s still time to correct the Bucs’ troubles in these areas. It’s very much on Lovie Smith if the team can’t end the sloppiness.
December 1st, 2015 at 7:23 pm
I don’t wish to jump on the bash GMC wagon…he’s a very good DT…he’s worth the money…he’s just not had a HOF career yet. Still has time but not yet.
But he was the Bucs season in a microcosm. A nice sack…his 7th..2nd only to Geno Atkins 8. But then he negates that loss on the very next play with a stupid offsides…GMC listen yourself man…you nailed the problem but were still part of it.
But that’s the Bucs…1 step forward 1 step back…better than the past..1 step forward and 4 steps back. Slowly but surely we are getting there. The corps of this team is a combo of raw rookies…and the experienced players like GMC and LVD are still trying to shake off the loser culture.
December 1st, 2015 at 8:08 pm
GMC’s head wound looks like it’s still oozing Buccaneer Red. No excuse for that many penalties.
December 1st, 2015 at 8:11 pm
Did he call out himself and the D-Line too????
yeah…..that’s what I thought….no way in hell he’d ever say that!
L&L should trade him to another team for a couple of first round picks…..the bucs would save money and gain more players for the price of an overrated player.
It’s a win-win situation!
December 1st, 2015 at 8:14 pm
Well said SPBF. Seems humorous now that only a couple of weeks ago so many Bucs fans were all over GMC for not making enough tackles, not enough sacks, not smiling enough … whatever. Now he’s a prophet.
In just a couple of games the Bucs went from perennial cellar dwellers to playoff contenders in many of those same fans’ eyes. And yet the team has the same coaches and the same players. Apparently the best way to change perceptions is to win.
December 1st, 2015 at 8:24 pm
The problem is that the penalties are widespread and varied… and they are being committed by mostly veterans…..like Mankins, McCoy & even Vjax…..
If someone would explain exactly how you coach this out of your team…I’m all ears…..I think the players have to realize that they are hurting the team badly.
These guys are making millions of dollars…..perhaps they should be fined significantly and send the money to local charities. (probably not permitted)
December 1st, 2015 at 9:25 pm
Achilles heal?
December 1st, 2015 at 9:29 pm
McCoy should be an analyist instead of a defensive tackle. If he could live up to his salary, we would be already be in the playoffs.
December 1st, 2015 at 9:43 pm
TheBucsAnthem
Really????? Do you pay attention at all? McCoy gets on himself ALL THE TIME.
But that’s irrelevant to you because you, along with some others just want yo hate on the best D Lineman they have.
It’s ridiculous.
How about focusing on the issue – they need better DEs and DBs.
Solve that in the offseason and they win the division
December 1st, 2015 at 9:57 pm
The Colts were called for only a couple of unnecessary roughness, a couple of defensive holding (5 yards) and a 12 on-field penalties.
The Bucs? Ha. Conte leaping? Jones hands to the face (replay confirmed his hands did not touch the face) Mankins unsportsmanlike conduct, Evans FS, OPI, Kevin Pamphile: Offensive Holding, Bradley McDougald PI, Henry Melton: Henry Melton: Neutral Zone Infraction, GMC NZI, Jacquies Smith NZI, Vincent Jackson: Offensive Holding, Gosder Cherilus:False Start.
The penalties were one sided and by half the team. I am sick of Cherlius making them, sick of Evans, sick of lame Neutral Zone Infractions and I am sick of leaders like GMC and Mankins making them. Follow the leader?
December 1st, 2015 at 10:00 pm
Dave
The fact is that GMC has not lived up to his contract or his “self-proclaimed leader” status………………real leaders don’t proclaim they’re one…..they are proclaimed by others!
and of course GMC and the D Line is not the only issues on the team
The bucs team has always had issues with the Secondary, The O-line, penalties, and now Mike Evans dropped passes (Michael Clayton stone hands)
This team has many issues…..but still GMC is part of that problem
December 1st, 2015 at 10:15 pm
@Anthem. G McCoy is a great player. Despite the haterade drank on this board, we are lucky to have GMC. I disagree that GMC doesn’t live up to his draft status. He’s at the top of the boards with DT’s stat-wise and he is constantly double-teamed. I mean virtually every play. I know we want ore out of him as well as I do. He’s not great at this moment but he could become great. Much of the criticism falls on him because our edge rushers are average at best. We need to pair him with a premium D.E. which we hopefully get in the draft and all of a sudden this defense will be a force. Clearly need at least 1 Cb too. We should be going defensive heavy on this draft. Hopefully the draft is stacked with talent on defense.
December 1st, 2015 at 10:30 pm
You people are obsessed with stats! Watch the games and what do you see? I know one thing you don’t see, that is so one who makes a damn play that actually means something. A lot of players have stats but they mean nothing is they are not done at the right time or have little impact.
December 1st, 2015 at 10:54 pm
@TheBucsAnthem
Sheesh. McCoy only recently got the contract. How about giving him a little time to live up to it???
You know, he only needs 3 more sacks to reach double digits and he has 5 games to do it in. He will do it at some point in the next 4 games.
Double digit sacks is living up to it, but I don’t expect certain people to admit that.
December 1st, 2015 at 10:56 pm
And if stats do not matter…then why hold his current sack total against him anyway?
December 1st, 2015 at 11:01 pm
Gerald McCoy never makes a play that changes a game he makes garbage time stats. That red patch on his head is a low gas light
December 1st, 2015 at 11:19 pm
I’ve been heeled of my heal issue.
December 2nd, 2015 at 1:29 am
Kudos to bucs fans who watch GMC play and doesn’t track stats….. “Stats are for losers”…. lol!!!!…
GMC is simply not a consistent player…..his disappears so many times in so many games that you forget he’s even playing.
Have you ever heard offensive lineman talk about blocking schemes??? No coach or O-line gameplan around GMC…..NO ONE….he doesn’t intimidate any team in the NFL period.
So I guess the Colts all had elite tackles because Jameis got sacked five times and they were always in our backfield disrupting our QB…..it’s all about game planning and adjustments…….right????
This team would be better off without GMC……atleast we wouldn’t have to hear excuses on a weekly basis.
December 2nd, 2015 at 4:54 am
C’mon, while I wanted my Bucs to trade up for a shot at Suh..the fact is…that was never going to happen. We got Gerlald, who seemed to describe that his favorite role while at Oklahoma was either a 4-3 “over” or as a 3-4 nose…you can’t really argue that he’s had a lot of help.
GMC is just fine, he’s the only true threat to sack the QB on the D-Line. Makes it relatively easy to account for him. Even though Sunday’s sack was a coverage sack, he still never quit on the play. The guys is ALWAYS pulling a double team which makes the other guys on the line look good, but the opposition doesn’t really account for any Buc D-Linemen except GMC.
…now, once they find a RDE/edge rush DE, and with Gholston at LDE shutting off the run – opposing offenses won’t know who to cover. Think; Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice…in their prime. Add in a dash of Lavonte David and Kwon Alexander – and the LB’s might be just as good as the glory days…
…but the one thing Kid Fameis is still going to need is a LOT and a C…can’t keep losing the penalty game.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:28 am
I’ll bet after seeing Dini sack Hasselbeck for a 4 yard loss and then immediately giving them back 5 yards on a hard count has them rolling on the floor laughing in the Colt’s and Falcon’s film rooms.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:36 am
Do something about it then Geraldine!!!
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:40 am
I get the criticism of GMC and Lovie…2-14 followed by that horrible opening day loss to the Titans will do that. But frequently posters go over the top in trying to insult their targets.
Gerald McCoy never makes a play that changes a game he makes garbage time stats.
I’m getting old and so my memory may have failed me, but wasn’t that GMC who got to Matty Ice to preserve that narrow win over the Dixie Chicks up in Atlanta.
That game represents 20% of our wins this year. He HAD AN IMPACT.
We have two players that will forever be compared to the player drafted just ahead or behind them because they play the same position. GMC and Suh and now #3 and MM.
GMC has seven sacks Suh only has 4. What you mean the dirtiest meanest player doesn’t alway get more results?
#3 and MM…is an even bigger comparision because we didn’t get to make the choice between Suh and GMC..Detroit did that for us…But with #3 and MM the choice was ours. I’m an MM admirer and believe he will be a good QB. But after watching 11 games I’m now totally convinced we made the best choice!
#3 has a chance to be a “generational” QB. I used to believe #3 was better now..and MM for the long term…I no longer feel that way at all and that’s not disparaging MM…he’ll be excellent…it’s to praise #3.
And so…Suh or GMC…I’ll take GMC….MM or #3…slam dunk now…#3!
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:45 am
OUt of the 12 penalties, 6 of them were horrendous calls and 2 should have gone against the Colts. Every year they talk about making officiating better and every year it gets worse.
December 2nd, 2015 at 8:57 am
@Brandon
Agree with your observations about the way the Indy game was called…as Lovie said we all have off days and that was a horrible day for the officials.
Also agree that it’s not just us…bad calls abound around the league.
But I do believe our rep precedes us. We are known as an undisciplined team and I think that does stick in the officials minds. Sadly we have a higher hill to climb to start getting calls like the Pats or Packers. We have to work extra hard to avoid penalties. Fair or not it is what it is.
December 2nd, 2015 at 11:00 am
“The Bucs now have 109 penalties through 11 games. That’s a pace for 158 on the year. That total would tie the NFL record of 158 held by the 1998 Chiefs, whose coach wasn’t their coach the following season.”
…and three other teams have MORE penalties than the Bucs, so we won’t necessarily get the record.