Another Film Victory For Donovan Smith
December 4th, 2017
Bucs left tackle Donovan Smith
The legion of Donovan Smith haters, fueled in part by the misguided professional stats nerds, are having another morning.
Of they should be.
The game film from yesterday show a second consecutive strong game by Smith. There’s no denying it.
Yes, he gave up a sack, a missed blitz pickup off his edge that almost appeared like a miscommunication. Still, it was his responsibility. Bad play. But beyond that, Smith was nearly flawless. Not even a penalty.
Joe has written over and over that 24-year-old Smith is at least average, and he hasn’t missed a game in his three-year career. The other studs in his Bucs draft class, Ali Marpet, Jameis Winston and Kwon Alexander, have all missed time.
That durability means a lot, especially at the critical left tackle position. And Smith is young with superior raw talent. The upside is there and he wouldn’t be the first offensive lineman to improve after 24 years old.
Joe has supported Smith through the howls for his head, simply because those calls or misguided. Smith, if he was a problem, is certainly among the least issues in the Bucs’ trenches.
December 4th, 2017 at 10:02 am
Seems to me like he lets Jameis get effing Drilled at least once per game.
Move him to Left Guard. That way he won’t be directly responsible for getting Jameis hurt. Again…
December 4th, 2017 at 10:09 am
Now you’re counting victories on film?? What a joke.
December 4th, 2017 at 10:13 am
Yes, he did give up a sack, but was blocking very well IMHO, on running plays.
Call me an unashamed Peyton Barber supporter, because I am.
If it was me, I would never have re signed Doug Martin.
IMHO, another one of Licht’s questionable moves.
Smith will only get better, and give him a back who hits a hole hard, and doesn’t dance behind the line like he is at an YBOR City club, and he will be fine.
We could have easily won yesterday, though it will be better as far as the draft goes that we lost.
Many of us thought this was gonna be our year, looks like we will have to wait.
December 4th, 2017 at 10:13 am
@Joe
They really focused and took advantage of the 2 backups in the game of the O-line!!!!! While the last 2 games has been avg. to above avg. there is a lot of bad film and DS76 is tied 4th in most penalized tackles in the league!!!!
To surprise to the so-called fans, The Bucs will have very long conversations about moving DS76 if a high graded LT is sitting there when the high 1st round pick rolls around!!!!!!!!!! Think if you fix 2 positions by moving to guard!!!!!!! Many teams would take very good Guard and Center using 2 second round picks!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 4th, 2017 at 10:17 am
Joe,
I wonder if DM@@ is in the game, is that something he sees that the other backs do not, obviously it comes with reps and practice, but when I saw that I noticed the RB didn’t slide that way to protect jameis, as DM usually does. I think that is what Coach K was saying
December 4th, 2017 at 10:21 am
He should be our LG and draft a LT or sign a savvy veteran
December 4th, 2017 at 10:32 am
The Buc Realist Says:
April 10th, 2017 at 9:52 am
“In other words I will give coaches and players a huge pass this year if we do the NFL’s longest commercial!!!!!!”…..
ok @realist….you’ve blamed lovie…..you blamed having no RB….you’ve blamed “a tougher schedule”….you’ve blamed IRMA…..you’ve blamed HK….and now you want to blame the oline and dline…..BS!!!!!
you have ran out of excuse since week5…..this staff is incompetent and must be shown the door….things will only get worse if they are retained….we have an HC that doesn’t get involved in the defensive game plan because he’s scared he’ll screw it up….GTFOH!!!!….a HC is suppose to know offense…defense and ST equally…..nor at least have to balls to tell his DC he aint getting the job done…..
dirk should be let go asap!!!!…..GO BUCS!!!!
December 4th, 2017 at 10:34 am
I have filed a lawsuit against the BUCS as s result of my Sunday alcoholism and Monday hangovers. The only way one can watch my Bucs is to get completely snockered. This numbs the pain of game missteps and ultimately losing..which we have become experts at. I have also consulted a shrink concerning this, ” GET OUT” sinking feeling I have during games..knowing we are going to lose. Just revealing this personal stuff to my fellow Buc fans sends..me to my liquor cabinet for a Shot..to calm my nerves. I blame the Tampa Bay Bucs. And Like my president..I am..Doubling down!!
December 4th, 2017 at 10:36 am
He’s had two good games. I’ll be happy when he can put together a solid season.
December 4th, 2017 at 10:39 am
I never felt Donovan Smith was a problem. It’s called development…something Bucs fans clearly can’t grasp.
December 4th, 2017 at 10:46 am
“Joe has written over and over that 24-year-old Smith is at least average….”
This is what we are reduced to in Tampa Bay. We get our panties wet when we draft an “average” player. “Well both his legs work, and somehow he gets to the stadium on time. Those are pluses right??? I SMELL CONTRACT EXTENSION!!”
December 4th, 2017 at 10:49 am
yup buctrooper average and lichts average moves get us 5-11
December 4th, 2017 at 10:55 am
average lives in the basement…. greatness wins championships.
December 4th, 2017 at 10:59 am
D Smith was fine…E Smith was bad….M Smith was horrible.
December 4th, 2017 at 11:07 am
SMH ….LOL Yeah joe….Julius peppers was in the game and came off the bench from the pup list to challenge him right
December 4th, 2017 at 11:18 am
D smith is not a franchise LT… this team is cleveland south, need real player personnel front office not this licht show
December 4th, 2017 at 11:26 am
He’s not moving Guard.
December 4th, 2017 at 11:30 am
Donovan Smith has the tools to be a serviceable, borderline really good player. I do believe that LT doesn’t totally fit his game. I understand his desire to be a left tackle but for him, the line and the team to step to another level he might need to be more flexible in his thinking.
The Clay Mathews free run, really looked like a Peyton Barber screw up. Not sure why you would ever scheme D Smith to block down with Clay Mathews on the outside, but D Smith didn’t even consider it. Koetter basically cut McNichols for less than this.
December 4th, 2017 at 11:33 am
I don’t see the Bucs winning the NFC South for the next 20 years. The other teams:
Draft better
Sign better free agents
Have superior front office
Have better coaching
They are superior teams
December 4th, 2017 at 11:39 am
Lakeland
the league is most likely going to contract within 20 years because of the BS concussion outrage and TV money drying up. considering younger generations are not watching nfl’s reign on top is going to come to a crashing end… I agree with you 100% the bucs will NEVER win another meaningful game in their existence.
December 4th, 2017 at 11:44 am
Lakeland haha that seems to be bucs history
December 4th, 2017 at 1:43 pm
@Lakeland- Until at least 4 out of 5 of those are corrected, you might as well drop the mic on that one!
#startsattheTOP
#BuildtheTRENCHES
ps- I don’t even know why I do the # thing! I’ve never used Tweeter and still have a flip-phone!!!! 🙂
December 4th, 2017 at 1:44 pm
I could see the Bucs drafting Mike McGlinchey to play LT and moving Donovan to RT … but even if they keep Donovan at LT and have McGlinchey at RT … that’s a nice tandem of bookends!
December 4th, 2017 at 2:10 pm
The o-line as a whole is a problem.
We FINALLY open a few holes in the run game (of course Green Bay on average gives up 112 rushing yards per game, but who cares about facts), but then we (the o-line) allow 7 sacks and 14 QB hits.
smdh this line is still no good.
December 4th, 2017 at 2:15 pm
@unbelievable- The only thing I can think of is the back-ups run-block better than the starters and vice versa. That, and GB gives up a lot of rushing yards.
Nope, nothing to see here! OL is just fine!!!
December 4th, 2017 at 2:19 pm
The way this team usually drafts second round picks, I guess we should be doing cartwheels for someone that’s average.
December 4th, 2017 at 2:37 pm
Sometimes I think Joe owes him money, and he has to pay him back by talking him up. Average, in todays league of bad offensive line play.
December 4th, 2017 at 3:00 pm
yea Bucsfanman I thought the same thing. Hawley appears a better run blocker than Marpet at center, but my god, the pass protection was just atrocious.
Jameis injured, again.
December 4th, 2017 at 4:39 pm
And let me guess, his play improved bc Martin wasn’t on the field?
If we’re sitting here applauding 2 good games in a row in the middle of his third year, he’s marginal. To protect your “franchise” QB, you need more than that, you need someone that doesn’t take plays of mentally.
Push him to RT and get a true LT
December 4th, 2017 at 4:47 pm
This site is flooded with haters all the time these days. The few with a lick of sense speak wisely, but the trolls have sheer numbers on their side.
I remember when things were more balanced.