Defensive “Problem” Solved?
November 19th, 2017
Bucs CB talks defense.
Last week the Bucs may have had their best defensive effort, although the game against the Belicheats was pretty impressive as well.
But there have been problems with the defense. Isn’t allowing an average of 33 points a game on the road a tip-off?
Joe chatted with cornerback Ryan Smith last week, who had a nice game against the Jets. Joe wanted to know if last week was a fluke or can the Bucs finally have a decent defensive showing on the road for a change.
Smith acknowledged a problem was corrected.
“I think we found what the problem was and we will show it again at Miami,” Smith said.
Smith wouldn’t tell or explain to Joe what this mysterious “problem” was or is.
“We know what it is,” Smith said.
Well, if that is correct and the Bucs play inspired defense today against bratty Jay Cutler and the Dolphins, Joe thinks it is fair to ask why it takes defensive coordinator Mike Smith a half-season each year to figure out what is wrong with the defense and have it corrected.
The Dolphins are coming off a brutal Monday Night Football game against the Stinking Panthers. So Joe asked Smith if the Bucs consider the Dolphins wounded prey.
“We have to take every game like that,” Smith said. “No matter if they are having a good couple of games or a bad couple of games, we have to come into every game like [the opponent] is a wounded animal. We have to build on that good game [last Sunday.”
November 19th, 2017 at 12:04 pm
They told GMC to play every down with Passion and like he was making Million dollars
November 19th, 2017 at 12:11 pm
In fairness to Smitty…he had to build the D last year with all new players.
This year…who was his very best defender heading into the season…I think Kwon would get some votes there and he plays a critical position right in the middle of the D. Smitty had to do without Kwon for how many games?
Brent Grimes is clearly our best DB…how many games has he misses…3? Almost half the games.
Noah Spence was out most promising edge rusher…Smitty lost him for the entire season early.
IE Who the hell are our defensive players. We knew heading in that depth was not our strength except at WR…we’ve had some significant injuries…Smitty is still trying to figure out who “his guys” are.
Beckwith has come out of nowhere to sparkle but Smitty deserves a half dozen games or so to figure out what he really had in Beckwith. Ryan Smith…Smitty still isn’t sure what he has there…..if looked at objectively this shouldn’t be such a big surprise.
Tons of different combinations and permutations in our defensive lineup and we’re surprised at inconsistency?
November 19th, 2017 at 12:17 pm
Lol, what “solved” the Bucs defensive problem? Its called playing the Jets. And, guess what… Shocker: The Bucs defense will look “great” again today against the garbage Dolphins. Are they really improved… Joes are quite the optimists.
November 19th, 2017 at 12:30 pm
Agreed!!! Beat a team with a winning record before making this kind of claim.
November 19th, 2017 at 1:06 pm
I would hope that the 3-6 Bucs aren’t looking past the 4-5 Dolphins. Yes they’ve lost 3 in a row, but up until then they’d been playing quality defense … their defense has been horrible these last 3 games. Ravens & Panthers absolutely obliterated them with the run, and Oakland did a number on them with the short passing game especially (close game though). Hopefully Koetter can get the running game to step up & complement it with the short passing game. Dolphins defense is susceptible to both it looks like.
November 19th, 2017 at 1:24 pm
Some great points St. Pete
November 19th, 2017 at 2:49 pm
Communication and awareness were the problems.
And the question is:
WHY THE HE11 DID WE JUST START HAVING THOSE FULL-D SQUAD MEETINGS AND DISCUSSING THINGS AS A DEFENSIVE UNIT?!?!???
It’s well documented that that’s what turned things around for us on D last year and we didn’t start doing that this year until LAST WEEK? SMH.