Worst Game
November 6th, 2016
Gassed in more ways than one
Joe’s been a big defender of Bucs left tackle Donovan Smith, a second-round pick last season. He hasn’t missed a snap and has done a heck of a job overall.
But Joe is halfway through studying O-line film of Thursday night’s Bucs-Falcons debacle, and Joe’s waving a white flag.
This was Smith’s worst two quarters of football, and his worst game.
At right tackle, Demar Dotson clearly struggled with the extreme athleticism of Vic Beasley. Ok. Somewhat understandable. But Smith was getting abused by Adrian Clayborn and Brooks Reed. C’mon.
Clayborn was besting him in the run game and in the pass game, as was playing with a lot more juice.
Smith looked like he was gassed — in the first half. Joe’s not about to say Smith was disinterested, but Joe has a seen Smith play lower and with a lot more fire. (What exactly was going on during that quarterback sneak?)
Of course, Smith’s mess gave Pro Football Focus chief and NBC color commentator Chris Collinsworth all kinds of extra ammunition to trash Smith on national television. And he did, making his anti-Smith PFF Tribe proud.
Yes, Joe will study the second-half, too. But Joe’s memory is saying it wasn’t much better.
Hopefully, Smith gets his legs back under him and comes out firing against Chicago.
November 6th, 2016 at 12:33 pm
While DS76 had a very rough 2 games. I think that this can be fixed by drafting a very good TE that can both catch and block so he stays on the field thru most snaps!!! If We had such a TE it will help the O-tackles by chip blocking and funneling the speed rushers right to DS76 or DD69!!!! The TE can then still run a pass route or block in the second level!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!
November 6th, 2016 at 12:38 pm
Sure clayborne wasn’t Reggie white.
But I think we should have kept him in the rotation.
November 6th, 2016 at 12:40 pm
I’d like to see them draft a true LT with a little more athleticism and move Smith to RT where him and Ali can’t just mash and mash and mash.
November 6th, 2016 at 12:41 pm
I hear what you’re saying, Realist. But I’m if the line of thinking that if you have to consider drafting a TE to constantly help your LT then just use a high draft pick and get a good LT.
November 6th, 2016 at 12:44 pm
He’s a guard playing tackle. His feet are way too slow for LT. He’s allowing a tremendous number of pressures on Winston. That just can’t continue.
November 6th, 2016 at 12:45 pm
@Schmuckaneer
TE can help the Tackles, Run game, and be a true pass option for JW3!!!
also compounding the pass blocking issues is that no RB left really know how to pick up the blocking scheme or help block!!!!!!
November 6th, 2016 at 12:50 pm
ElioT, sounds like a good idea.
November 6th, 2016 at 12:57 pm
The dumb Yucs should have drafted the athletic Laremy Tunsil.
November 6th, 2016 at 12:59 pm
I also have not seen a reason for all the complaints about Smith. That being said he was HORRIBLE Thursday and his play must never look that way again or he will also need to be replaced like over half of our roster.
November 6th, 2016 at 1:12 pm
Agreed Joe. I am really starting to question Licht. At this point his drafting is starting to look pretty suspect. For instance, while ME looks like an all-pro many were advocating us drafting Carr with that pick. I’ll take a franchise QB over a GREAT wideout. Smith looks like a bust, trading up for and drafting Aquayo looks like another bust. ASJ is out of here, Bell is gone, Ryan Smith can’t make it on the field when we have 2 REALLY bad safeties. On top of all of that, he drafted JW and any OBJECTIVE(not FSU fan) would say that at this point Mariotta looks like a better pick than JW. He deserves credit for Marpet but outside of that it looks like we should have kept Dominick
November 6th, 2016 at 1:34 pm
Glazers need to hire a president to be their brain and oversee the accountability of the GM because there is just too much stupidity at the top.
November 6th, 2016 at 1:37 pm
I’m sitting at home watching the 2016 NFL draft, drinking Red Stripe, while sipping some E&J Brandy. Round 1, Laremy Tunsil is falling, we trade down with the Bears so they can get Leonard Floyd. We gain a 4th round pick in return, Roger Goodell comes to the podium for the Bucs pick and he announce Vernon Hargreaves from Florida. I’m sick to my stomach now, no Laremy Tunsil. Round 2 I know that we need a big receiver opposite of ME, i’m thinking WR Michael Thomas ( Keyshawn Johnson Nephew ) all the way. Here come Goodell, Tampa Bay draft Noah Spence from Eastern Kentucky. I’m trying to understand this pick, an under size Edge Rusher with off field baggage. A few picks later the Saints grab Thomas, then we trade our 3rd and 4th, i’m 100% it’s for S Vonn Bell from Ohio State. They announce Roberto Aguayo, Kicker from Florida State, i’m in a state of shock now. I’m asking myself ( what just happen ). Round 4 I’m thinking Miles Killebrew, we still need a safety, and it’s CB Ryan Smith from North Carolina Central. I’m done with the draft now, i’m cursing, i’m mad as hell now. Then i realize why we sucks year, after year.
November 6th, 2016 at 1:41 pm
Joe, i’m not sure what you are looking at when you are studying Oline. It’s clear to me you have no clue what to look for. Studying Smith from his days at Penn St. Its clear that he is not an NFL LT. He doesn’t have the agility of the footwork to play the position. He’s at BEST a RT and on most teams in the NFL he would probably be a back up RT. Go evaluate other position because OLINE is not your speciality.
November 6th, 2016 at 1:44 pm
It’s time to get RID of Jason “Slingblade” Licht! The guy is as dumb as a brick(or as smart as one) and has done very little to improve the roster. His flubs in free agency are monumental and his drafting has been very questionable outside of the first round.
November 6th, 2016 at 1:46 pm
Right with you Lakeland. In all my years of watching the draft ,when they announced Agauyo , I turned the tv off, first time turning the draft and not watching any more of the draft after the second round
November 6th, 2016 at 1:50 pm
And Joes being very very kind because of his deep love for D Smith. He looked like a guy who’s never even played O Line before. As clumsy and awkward as he looked, if he would have fell on his arse I wouldn’t have been shocked. I can now see why pro football focus had disdain for him. It’s a miracle Winston didn’t get seriously hurt with that imbecile blocking for him
November 6th, 2016 at 1:56 pm
I think it’s time to start thinking about making some changes to the Oline….Perhaps send Pamphile to LT or RT…..place Sweezy (perhaps next year) at LG……Perhaps bring in a FA LT.
I think Smith is a keeper but perhaps not at LT. The good news is that we have some depth.
I am probably one of the few but I don’t move Marpet to center….I leave him where he is performing well….at RG.
November 6th, 2016 at 2:02 pm
Move D.Smith to RT Marpet to C and Sweezy to his natural RG spot and sign a new LT. O line would look much better
November 6th, 2016 at 2:03 pm
Oh and keep Pamhile at LG for one more season and we if can keep performing
November 6th, 2016 at 2:03 pm
JR:
Do a little research yourself. Look up all the right defensive ends this rookie left tackle faced last year and how many sacks he allowed. Then research how many yards the Bucs rushed for last year. That’s all you need to know.
Joe has actually spoken with real humans who work in the NFL both past and present for a living, not some geek in a dorm room at 2 a.m. on a Monday pretending to be a football savant. Joe hasn’t found real football people who hate Donovan Smith (keep in mind, Collinsworth employs the geeks so he has a vested interest in not Pearl Harboring his own business on national TV).
Forgive Joe is he relies on coaches and players not a keyboard warrior majoring in chemical engineering.
November 6th, 2016 at 2:11 pm
@Bucnut2
You said…. “he (Licht)drafted JW and any OBJECTIVE(not FSU fan) would say that at this point Mariotta looks like a better pick than JW.”
To be OBJECTIVE by definition means being without bias and representing facts.
JW – 17 TD, 9 int. through 8 games. Numerous injuries to RB’s(a QB’s best friend) and Receiving Corp. depleted and deficient to begin with. 3 and 5
record this year, 9 and 15 overall.
MM – 14 TD, 6 int through 8 games. D. Murray at RB- currently 2nd leading rusher in NFL. D Henry- backup RB with over a 4 yard avg. MM out 4 games last year Tenn- won 3 games in 2015 and they are 4 and 4 going into today.
So….. No, Mariota does not look like a better pick
November 6th, 2016 at 2:11 pm
Donovan Smith is terrible and has been exposed . No way he can block anyone coming outside on a speed rush.
November 6th, 2016 at 2:16 pm
The Buccaneers clearly miss the quiet, low-expectations basement of the NFC South, save for a handful of players. Below is my status report the first half of the season:
Winston- Full Participation. Balls out but limited by line
Evans- Full Participation. Balls out*
Alexander- Limited. Competitive but less effective than last season. (who told him to slow it down again?)
David- Did not Participate. MIA
Ayers- Limited.
Brate- Limited. Doing the best he can, I guess.
Conte- Did not Participate
Gholston- Full Participation. Most improved player
Grimes- Limited. Is that what turf-toe is? Watch out for banana peels.
Hargreaves- Limited. Rookie
Hawley- Limited. On again, off again
Humphries- Limited. Underrated (by other teams) but not great overall
Marpet- Full Participation. Balls out
McCoy- Limited. Virtually ineffective
Pamphile- Full Participation. The best we’ve got (according to coach)
Shepard- Full Participation and limited at the same time, now injured
Smith, D- Full Participation yet limited
Spence, A- Limited
Spence, N- Full participation. Balls out. Rookie. Playing hurt.
Stocker- Limited
Tandy- Limited
Verner- Limited
V. Jax- Limited. Declining. Mascot
Sweezy- Who?
Aguyao- His dad should make him work on the farm all off-season as punishment for his performance.
November 6th, 2016 at 2:24 pm
Edit:
*Contract year? I hope this is not the expectation, as seen by our recent track record.
Winston- Also limited by decimated running game and lack of offensive weapons.
November 6th, 2016 at 2:32 pm
Our OLine got exposed Thursday night for what they are: mediocre. Watched our 2 tackles quite a bit, and both looked terrible in opening holes for the run game and when pass blocking. Especially in pass blocking. Dotson is not a starting lineman, period. Far too many penalties and too easily faked out (slow recovery and he doesn’t even appear to be all that strong watching him get bull-rushed last game). Donovan Smith has certainly looked better in some other games than he looked against Atlanta, but I still question if LT is a good fit for him at the NFL level. Personally think he’d make a better Guard, but that leaves a monster hole at LT (like LakeLandBuc, I too wanted the Bucs to draft Laremy Tunsil once he fell in the draft). I really believe that Pamphile could be a decent RT (he’s a lot more athletic than Dotson it looks like), but that’d still leave the Bucs needing a LT if D. Smith is moved to LG. Hard to find a good starting LT in FA. Kept thinking Thursday that the Bucs OLine sure does seem to be missing Mankins’ leadership and experience this year.
November 6th, 2016 at 3:33 pm
Another shining display that Licht has no clue. This team will never improve as long as Licht is the GM and Smith is the DC. Give Koetter another year but he really doesn’t have much to work with. Terrible miscalculation of the talent level on this roster and very few players that truly care. Players regressing everywhere. So the answer was to draft a kicker in the 2d round. Nothing will change until Yucs get a Bill Polian type to clean this mess.
November 6th, 2016 at 4:07 pm
I want to see Licht following the Patriots plan for OL.
Draft the big, hungry, corn fed boys who seem to treat the job as a real job.
I’m not against Donovan, I just think there is a better formula for a kick ass OL.
November 6th, 2016 at 4:27 pm
Jamie’s is just being him. Keep doing your thing br@as
November 6th, 2016 at 4:50 pm
@Pat-nice try at spinning stats. Here are some for you. QB rating MM ranked 13th, JW 25th. Completion % MM 63, JW 59. watch some titan games. MM really misses wide open guys like JW does. His incompletions are at least close to receivers unlike JW who can’t hit the broad side of a barn. oh and but the way, forget the weapons discussion, their is no one even close to Mike Evans on the Titans.
November 6th, 2016 at 4:54 pm
rarely misses
November 6th, 2016 at 5:46 pm
The BUCS should give whatever it takes to get Kill Bill in here. He would purge this roster of this apparent BUCS mannequin challenge
C’mon BUCS
November 6th, 2016 at 6:57 pm
Buncut keep up the fight brother. You were wrong before the draft and you are wrong now but at least you are consistent.
November 6th, 2016 at 8:50 pm
Hey buncut did you just see your boy lose the game for his team with a fumble that was returned for a td then he followed up with a pick 6? BUT he is Soooooooo wonderful according to you. See us bucs fans can throw the same crap at you.
November 6th, 2016 at 9:04 pm
Thanks Joe, because my all 22 film says that Last week was his Worst game of the year, and it WAS until Thursday night. Dude is getting BLOWN UP whereas Marpet is a Bully. Maybe the PFF crowd is right with their Calculators as weapons
November 6th, 2016 at 9:39 pm
Smith is hot garbage. He is lazy. He’ll quit on his assignments. Terrible. I would rather see Gos in there.
November 6th, 2016 at 10:36 pm
Lakeland Buc spot on… jason licht is a HORRIBLE GM, the bucs could have a dominating OL and pieces that are missing but Licht has no clue
November 6th, 2016 at 11:39 pm
These guys were done at halftime. That long, aggressive game against the Raiders before the short week killed them. And having like 60% of the projected 2016 starters (and backups for that matter) injured doesn’t help.
By the way, this team suffers a lot of injuries it seems, or maybe that’s all of the NFL by this point in the season.
November 7th, 2016 at 2:14 am
@Jr Allen,
T.C. alumni?
November 7th, 2016 at 3:54 am
D Smith is a guard playing LT.