The Biggest Story
October 11th, 2016
It was a Jason Licht kind of night with DaVonte Lambert (right) and his no-name friends coming up big.
For the hardest of hardcore Bucs fans, there should be one biggest story out of last night’s victory in Charlotte.
Somehow, the Bucs managed to win without three starting defensive linemen. And that’s not counting productive defensive end Jacquies Smith, who was lost for the season on opening day, or rookie DE Noah Spence playing last night with a messed up shoulder.
Depth on the defensive line allegedly was a major strength of the Bucs defense entering this season, and it’s been tested to historic proportions.
Undrafted rookies Channing Ward and DaVonte Lambert both started and got loads of snaps last night.
Lambert took 96 percent of the snaps, per Pro-Football-Reference.com, and he had a hand in four tackles and forced a critical fumble. And what a play it was (video here). The strip of Panthers quarterback Derek Anderson was a true fourth-quarter gem with Carolina driving in Bucs territory with the score tied at 14. Just look at the pursuit of Lambert in that video.
Bucs general manager Jason Light deserves some love this morning. He doesn’t coach or miss throws and kicks, but he is responsible for making sure the bottom of the roster has enough talent to win games when necessary.
October 11th, 2016 at 9:17 am
Keep starting them I say! Let the other guys sit and heal and watch!
Dont mess with whats working.
October 11th, 2016 at 9:19 am
Using the term “working” very loosely Max.. The panthers were quite able to run the ball down our throats at-will in the 2nd half. We are fortunate they turned/we forced the ball out of their hands..
October 11th, 2016 at 9:25 am
Great thread
After the draft and the instant you on the roster, throw the draft rank and how much you make out the window
It is all about what you do on the field and production
The great FOs and teams belive this. Bellichick and seattle. It is about production and the team. Throw pride out the window
October 11th, 2016 at 9:25 am
I would like to see those two guys stay on the active roster. With Banks, Verner, and Robinson sitting, I would release one of those guys
October 11th, 2016 at 9:29 am
Spence did play last night albeit a very small role. Was in at LDE on that fumble.
Joe wrote that Spence played in this post.–Joe
October 11th, 2016 at 9:33 am
We had little to no pressure on the quarterback and the 2nd half running defense was terrible(as mentioned above).
The ball bounced our way all night and that’s why we won. Not because of stellar play out of our backups.
October 11th, 2016 at 9:34 am
Rogers was very impressive though.
October 11th, 2016 at 9:39 am
They were able to run the ball in the second half because they got tired they didn’t have anybody else to come in for them but I would definitely keep GMC out. The moment he steps out our def start improving ……
October 11th, 2016 at 9:41 am
Whoever was playing RDE got crushed all night on their sweeps as they gashed us. That guy will have to toughen up and learn how to stand pat at the point of attack and string out those outside runs if he wants to continue playing.
October 11th, 2016 at 9:41 am
God bless the kid… you can clearly see after the play he was shaken up maybe concussed or just flat out tired from playing so much but he made the play when it counted the most
October 11th, 2016 at 9:50 am
Never stop adding to the d line. Stuffing the run was mostly due to good play calling and lb play moreso than our d line penetrating. The only time a d lineman even hit Anderson the whole night was on a false start lol.
Well called game by Mike Smith where no one blew their assignment egregiously. But we desperately need McCoy and an edge presence
October 11th, 2016 at 9:56 am
Suh 20 mill
Gmc 17 mill
Watt 16 mill
=doesnt mean wins
The defense is about group and team effort
Gmc should wipe down the backs of these men after they came after the shower and picked up the jockstraps and gave them to jason gump to clean in the swimming pool by hand
October 11th, 2016 at 10:01 am
I’m very grateful for a W but, yikes, I feel like we squeaked one out over the Browns. We did everything we could to lose that game, including letting Greg Olsen rack up nearly 200 yards! But I’m trying to be positive, though it’s hard to see that the arrow is really pointing up.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:02 am
The NFL is all about rushing the passer. It’s the most important “event” that occurs with good defenses. Last night the Bucs were lucky. These no names on the D-Line had a decent game but they are nothing more than a cludgy stop-gap. That’s it. Go beat SF and then the Bucs will have my attention.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:04 am
lots of credit goes to dline coach hayes for getting these guy prepared….GO BUCS!!!
October 11th, 2016 at 10:07 am
Joe
No one with half a brain would say going into the season the DL had depth… Come on man.. How can you say depth with the fragile 3 at DT especially considering two are already out. Anyone who watched Jaq Smith play new he’d be hurt again as usual. I like Licht for the most part but he gambled on to many fragile players with significant injury histories
October 11th, 2016 at 10:11 am
second half was white knuckle time. those boys were not used to that workload and seemed pretty winded. kudos to them for hanging on and forcing stops at critical moments. they can hopefully go back to being backups next time the bucs suit up
October 11th, 2016 at 10:13 am
@bronco62. I saw the DE over the left tackle live up inside of a tight end a bunch of times. I suspect he was responsible for edge contain, but only the coaches truly know. The Panthers saw this and exploited this, but only a few times. The Panthers last offensive drive, on 3rd down, they tried going to the LT side, but we were ready.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:15 am
GMC praying for the kick to go thru may be his most productive part of the season so far.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:31 am
The d line scrubs did a good job against the run, they just seemed to get winded towards the 4th. None of them have probably ever played that much in an NFL game besides Akeem Spence.
The problem is — no pass rush. Unfortunately that is a problem with the first team guys also. Extremely inconsistent.
Regardless, they pulled it off and got a win. They are back on pace for the 8-9 win season because 2-3 is exactly where many, including me, figured they’d be after the first 5 games.
If JW can step in to throws and a pass rush can get going, they will be dangerous, until then, it’ll be a struggle.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:35 am
We got plain ole lucky last night. Our defense was starting to run out of gas. And I believe had the game gone overtime..we lose. Carolina was also playing without starters and had a couple rookies playing their 1st games in the secondary. Olsen is a Buc Killer. Guy racks up half his seasons numbers on the Bucs. Lets give crdit to our backup running back JR. The guy fought like Joe Frazier! And he did so on every single play. That’s heart. Kind of players we need. Koetter needs to reward him with more playing time.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:50 am
@Landon
Well, w/o the turnovers, 3 from the D and one from special teams, it wouldve been a different outcome. And since there wasnt any backups to our backups, they were gassed. Understandable. But they still found their way.
October 11th, 2016 at 10:53 am
We are sooooo much better off without McCoy. I mean, it’s not like he sacked Matt Ryan and knocked down 2 passes in the Atlanta game or is constantly putting pressure on the opposing QB’s or anything. Yeah…he’s a bum. Look how much our pass rush has improved since he’s been out.
Some of you are true idiots who post on here…
October 11th, 2016 at 10:55 am
@mike johnson
not luck, That is why the owned the time of possession last night!!! covering up weaknesses as best they can!!! Its called coaching and maybe you can tell the incompetent one some pointers as he melts down in his college job!!!!
VH28 had a very good game as well!!! defense came up huge last night!!! especially with the pass rush being a huge issue for this team!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!
October 11th, 2016 at 11:00 am
Buc Realist..I figured you’d go out and buy a new skirt complete with pom poms this morning. It was the heart of the team. Not coaching you pompous idiot! Like I said, Luck. However, You can bask in your glory for today. We did win. Just don’t let the neighbors see you in that lipstick and skirt!
October 11th, 2016 at 11:22 am
I’m siding with Realist on this one.
October 11th, 2016 at 11:25 am
I didn’t notice Noah Spence out there but shoot, he played 39% of the snaps.
Meanwhile Alterraun Verner played one defensive snaps and Jonathan Banks had none.
October 11th, 2016 at 11:29 am
^^^^ HA ha ha ha ha ha ha….^^^
October 11th, 2016 at 11:31 am
Bottom line, we need to free up some roster spots and cut/trade some slag. We all see whose been “ballin” the last two games. Keep Ayers and Grimes and see who we can sign.
October 11th, 2016 at 11:39 am
What in the hell is the Realist talking about, covering up weaknesses with coaching, Coaching damn near blew this game but by luck, chance, the love of God we won!! SIMPLE AS THAT!!
October 11th, 2016 at 11:42 am
McCoy didn’t play? I didn’t even notice… Lol…
October 11th, 2016 at 11:43 am
I dont know if id call them the biggest story. They stopped the run very well in the first half but were tired and soggy in the second half. They also didn’t get one sack. I give them their due credit though for being a bunch of rookies and backups that were on the field almost all night and pulling off the win.
October 11th, 2016 at 12:45 pm
Lambert took 96 percent of the snaps, per Pro-Football-Reference.com, and he had a hand in four tackles and forced a critical fumble.
——————–
Impossible! We’ve been told over and over that this is NOT the job of a DT.
4 tackles AND a FF. It just can’t be. DT are supposed to have 1 tackle per game and a lame 1st qrt sack.
Somebody didn’t play and we won, coincidence? I think not.
October 11th, 2016 at 1:01 pm
Jason Licht acquired those no name backups for us and they played as well as our starters would have if left in the whole game without backups. They are definitely keepers as is Rodgers who was fantastic giving us a running game and opening up the passing game. Koetter gets credit for a great game plan running the ball right at their defense in the first half and settling down Jameis so he could throw well early on. Over this break we will heal up our walking wounded and give us a good chance to win our division and make the playoffs this year.
October 11th, 2016 at 2:53 pm
Look, call it what you want, luck, heart, want-to, covering up weaknesses (like a QBs inaccuracy), it’s a ‘W’!!!
The GMC talk is so tired guys. I don’t know what you were watching, but there was little to no pass rush in this game. Saying we’re better off without GMC is idiotic at best. We are a better team with him than without him. That we won in his absence is a testament to the PLAYERS that replaced him.
Good job D!
October 11th, 2016 at 3:11 pm
Bucsfanman
There is no pass rush with her either.
October 11th, 2016 at 3:22 pm
^^^YOU, my friend, have issues!!!!
We’ll see when “she” gets back!!!
October 11th, 2016 at 4:45 pm
16 mil a yr buys 4-5 pieces that are desperately needed and much more valuable than 1 tackle per game or a 2nd qrt sack. Addition by subtraction if you ask me.
October 11th, 2016 at 5:11 pm
@DB55- How has that worked out for us? We go through this every new regime. You have to have a foundation and jettisoning GMC is not the answer it only creates another hole that you need to fill. Build through the draft. Find his replacement there. Draft a WR to replace VJax and load up on safety and defensive end help.
GMC is NOT the problem, neither is his 16 million. This team is and has been like swiss cheese! How about a whack-a-mole reference?! Stop trying to part with his services, we have faaaaaaaaaar greater needs. Did you watch the game?! Faaaaaaaaaaar greater needs!!!