About Robert Ayers’ Rant On The Bucs’ Secondary
August 4th, 2018
Robert Ayers chimes in. Bucs players respond.
As practice kicked up this morning, former Bucs defensive end Robert Ayers, who is currently out of the NFL, sent a blast at Bucs coaches to a fan on Twitter.
It wasn’t nasty, but the message was clear. See it below:
Well we only ran 2 coverages.. all game all season.. ain’t all their fault.. but let me shut up 🙊
— Robert E. Ayers Jr (@RobertAyersJr) August 4, 2018
Everything originated with a positive Tweet about Gerald McCoy batting down a Tom Brady pass last season.
Of course, Joe talked to a couple of Bucs defensive players today about Ayers’ take. One said he didn’t know whether the Bucs only ran two coverages (it was an odd answer because this was a guy who certainly would know.), the other said Ayers was inaccurate “but I get why he might say that.”
Without mentioning Robert Ayers, Joe asked Lavonte David about whether the Bucs ran more than two coverages last season.
“Man, we ran multiple stuff but we were limited in a lot of areas, as far as injuries and things like that,” David said. But now we got everybody back healthy and we can do more.”
However you feel about the Bucs’ secondary coaching and the decisions by Mike Smith last season, there’s no denying the Bucs were handicapped in their back seven for so much of the season. That includes Brent Grimes playing at no more than “80 percent” all year, and injuries that shook up the linebacker corps for half the season, and various injuries with Keith Tandy, Vernon Hargreaves, Robert McClain (concussion) and more.
As for Ayers, well, he might have been advised to worry more about his own play and the poor play of the guys around him on the 2017 D-line.
August 4th, 2018 at 12:08 pm
If true , then it sounds like I could be an NFL defensive coordinator
Who knows. Probably just pissed cause no team has interest in him. Especially bucs who would have paid around 7 mil.
Definite upgrade on dline if guys stay healthy. Health is the key.
August 4th, 2018 at 12:16 pm
Well it was just as I thought. The biggest downfall on the team is this cover 0 sky zone scheme. I don’t care who we brought in that scheme is gonna do us in. Ppl constantly throw Vh3 under the bus because he plays 10 yards off. That the scheme ppl. Msmith should have never been retained
August 4th, 2018 at 12:16 pm
So, the DBs are supposed to cover the WRs for 10-15 seconds while the Dline has time to rush the QB?
August 4th, 2018 at 12:19 pm
First off, he is not that wrong!!!!! The back end had 2 rookies starting that would limit the playbook, due to injuries and demotions!!!!! But their was no pass rush!!!!!! It was so bad that I would see RB in pass pro with no one to block because the D-line was manhandled!!!!!!! Its like Bighoghaynes says, Don’t complain about the barbecue if you did not bring nuthin!!!!!!!!!
Of course I always tell him, have great barbecue and you do not have to worry about stuff like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 4th, 2018 at 12:24 pm
LVD sort of agreed with him in not so many words….
August 4th, 2018 at 12:24 pm
“Big, if true.”
August 4th, 2018 at 1:01 pm
LaMarcus,
Just as you thought? Cov 0 sky zone scheme…..Lol there’s no such thing…..
It literally makes no sense. Obviously, you thought wrong.
But damn it’s funny ……
August 4th, 2018 at 1:05 pm
31 tackles and 2 sacks last year
Still unsigned…
Might want to keep your mouth shut – at least until you get a job….
Just sayin – Mr “Beasting”
August 4th, 2018 at 1:06 pm
D1^. Shack!
August 4th, 2018 at 1:07 pm
Joe, outstanding follow-up on Beasting Ayers Twitter comment. Awesome!
Best 2 sentences I’ve read on JBF in awhile analyzing the 2017 defense: “However you feel about the Bucs’ secondary coaching and the decisions by Mike Smith last season, there’s no denying the Bucs were handicapped in their back seven for so much of the season. That includes Brent Grimes playing at no more than “80 percent” all year, and injuries that shook up the linebacker corps for half the season, and various injuries with Keith Tandy, Vernon Hargreaves, Robert McClain (concussion) and more.”
And Lamarus, neither one of us REALLY knows what went on with VHIII last year. Same defensive coaching staff 2016 & 2017 … different results, from the defense overall & from VHIII. Personally suspect DLine under-performance last year had a lot to do with VHIII’s problems, but I also suspect that other teams figured out VHIII’s weaknesses after they got his rookie year on film and they adjusted. He seems to be bouncing back somewhat this preseason, but I also think he’s better suited as a nickel CB than as an outside corner. Time will tell.
August 4th, 2018 at 1:27 pm
Mike smiths schemes are trash.
Plain and simple.
Should’ve been fired.
Only got a job cause stupid koetter promised him a job if he ever got a head coaching gig. So he wasn’t hired cause he was the best candidate but because he was promised a job as a return favor.
Pathetic.
August 4th, 2018 at 2:13 pm
This is concerning to me. People on this site want to get on players for being dishonest, what about coaches?
Where were all the “exotic” blitzes and disguised coverages we were lead to believe existed? Last off-season we lauded bringing Mike Smith back as the biggest off-season move. I can speak for myself in saying I’ve lost a bit of confidence in Smitty.
I haven’t lost all confidence because I understand that our pass rush was…(what’s worse than pitiful?) deplorable…as you Trumpers like to say.
As for Hargreaves, I feel the same as I do for Smitty. I was a strong supporter and was pumped he was having a breakout offseason last year and had a great pick in the preseason. Then he gets into the season and its back to timid little Hargreaves. I reserve a little hope he can turn it around though and i hope he does before these young dogs chase him out the yard.
August 4th, 2018 at 2:34 pm
I don’t get how he can’t be proved right or wrong. Surely thier are Bucs fans or podcasters or media members among us that understand defensive coverages more than I do that can watch a couple of all-22s and see how many we ran. This doesn’t seem too hard.
August 4th, 2018 at 2:36 pm
I’ve been saying this for years. Holy crap finally a player speaks. YOU CAN’T RUSH THE QB WHEN EVERY WE IS WIDE OPEN BEFORE THE BALL.S EVEN SNAPPED!!!
Julio called them out for not adjusting!
All game!!! All season!!!!! I DON’T CARE IF YOU HAVE A TOP FIVE LINE ON PAPER IT WILL BE A BOTTOM FIVE LINE THE WAY SMITTY PLAYS THESE GUYS IN COVERAGE.
The stats don’t lie…This goes back to lovie Smith and even raheem Morris. Schiano was the only one who car code to sniffing being a decent unit. This crap soft coverage will never work I don’t care how hard they try to perfect it.
Preach Robert PREACH!!!!!!
August 4th, 2018 at 2:36 pm
As bad as our defense was last season it wouldn’t surprise me if he was right, but I highly doubt it.
August 4th, 2018 at 2:39 pm
Been saying this since Raheem Morris, through Lovie and now Smitty. You can’t expect to sack the qb when the coverage is 12 yard cushions on every play.
August 4th, 2018 at 2:39 pm
Did Ayers’ comment conflict with anyone’s eyes?
August 4th, 2018 at 2:54 pm
Annnnnnnnnnd he’s still out of work, yeah.
August 4th, 2018 at 3:01 pm
Yeah D1
It does make sense Cover 0 but cover your ass scheme Msmith is played out That’s why everyone has a career high against us
August 4th, 2018 at 3:01 pm
Annnnnnnd mike smith will be soon enough.
August 4th, 2018 at 3:04 pm
Mike smith is trash. You blind believers are idiots.
He got fired for the same reasons.
His defensive schemes suck.
If he and clueless koetter werekt buddy’s he would’ve already been fired.
I hope they both get canned before Christmas. Pathetic to have this much talent and be winning 5 da m n games.
August 4th, 2018 at 4:04 pm
Injuries happen to every team.
The good teams adjust and win.
the bad teams use them as excuses.
Last season the Eagles lost their All Pro QB just before the playoffs. No problem.
The year before the Pats dealt with Brady’s 4 game suspension and another Gronk injury. No problem.
Good tams adjust, bad teams make excuses.
August 4th, 2018 at 5:06 pm
That includes Brent Grimes playing at no more than “80 percent” all year
He’s a year older why would we think he’d play at 100% even half the season. Hope he can stay healthy but he’ll never play press man if we needed it
August 4th, 2018 at 5:42 pm
It’s concerning that LVD and another player basically agreed with him, though I do understand injuries and rookies played a part in that.
It might be more concerning that the other unnamed player (who obviously logged a lot of snaps) didn’t even know if it was more types of coverages then that!
August 4th, 2018 at 8:27 pm
It is true. The reason nfl execs were saying how predictable the bucs were. Terrible yeaf coaching by mike smith. No way to sugar coat it. He could and should have sent blitzes with cbs and safeties and multiple lbs. For some reason he thought playing it safe would hold the damage down. Still gave up 2nd most explosive passing plays. Bad.
August 5th, 2018 at 4:38 am
LaMarcus,
I’m in 100% agreement with your thoughts on MSmith. I’m not disagreeing with your basic premise.
But the cover 0 sky zone…….is hilarious…..
FYI, cover 0 is man. They didn’t play man. So it’s not that.
Besides, Cover 0 zone literally is a contradiction.
It’s Man or zone..but it can’t possibly be man zone .No such thing.
Now there’s any number of Combinations of man and zone ie; man under 22. It is a coverage, but not 0 zone.
Sky zone…… first the terminology is wrong. You can be cov (fill in the blank) sky
But there’s no such thing as sky zone. Because it doesn’t make sense from a grammar perspective. It’s that simple.
I didn’t question your observations, nor do I disagree with what your opinion is. I am calling out your description and the mistake in identifying the cov.
August 5th, 2018 at 5:14 am
LaMarcus,
I agree with your basic premise.
But cover 0 is man coverage. The Bucs play zone.
It’s not possible to play man zone unless it’s a combo coverage .
(example, cov 2 man under).
Sky zone, literally makes no sense. It can be cover call ( fill in the blank) sky.
But no one would call sky zone. Because it doesn’t give the number of zones to cover. Well, if you’re correct, no way possible for that to be true, the zones to be covered is 0. Which means by definition that it’s not zone.
Added together, ” cover 0 sky zone” makes no sense.