“Arrow Up”
November 28th, 2018
Tips his cap to the defense.
Don’t come at Bucs Bit-O-Honey-snacking, Ozark-watching, yams-eating Bucs coach Dirk Koetter and try to tell him his defense, last in the NFL, got the job done thanks to a third-string quarterback on Sunday.
The Bucs held the lowly 49ers to nine points, their lowest offensive output of the season. And Koetter lauded his defense during his weekly sitdown with WFLA-TV Channel 8 sports anchor Dan Lucas.
Given how beat up the defense is, Koetter thought the performance of his defense was inspirational.
“New guys are stepping into new roles,” Koetter said. “When you consider Kwon [Alexander] has been out of action and is going to be out the rest of the year. And Lavonte [David] is out. Justin Evans and Chris Conte our starting safeties — I mean the middle of our defense we are basically playing our second wave of guys now. New guys are stepping into new roles.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the way they are competing. Coach [Mark] Duffner and the defensive staff, they are changing it up and giving them different looks.
“If you can hold any team, it doesn’t matter who it is, to nine points, you are going to have a great chance. … All of those things are arrow up.”
Koetter also mentioned the eight quarterbacks hits the Bucs defensive line dished out to 49ers quarterback Nick Mullens in the first half alone took a toll on the young signal-caller, who wasn’t sacked in his previous two outings.
Could it possibly be that Koetter and Duffner, almost accidentally because of injuries, are discovering who they can count on defensively and finding their true dogs, as well as those who are little more than kittens?
You can watch the full video of Koetter’s sitdown with Lucas below. Video courtesy of WFLA-TV Channel 8.
November 28th, 2018 at 12:27 pm
Keep Koetter!!!! This season has been a disaster with #3 suspension. Plus with Fitztragic mirage play this year that I truly believe split the locker room.We aren’t that far away from being contenders.
November 28th, 2018 at 12:29 pm
Hey it only took like 4 years lol.
Slash I am not buying into anything right now. Get to 7-7 and let’s talk about this regime having a future.
November 28th, 2018 at 12:41 pm
Too much too little too late.
November 28th, 2018 at 12:49 pm
Lets see how good this defense is this week against a good offensive team.
November 28th, 2018 at 12:58 pm
Now only imagine if he’d made the decision to bring in a real DC before the season started.
November 28th, 2018 at 1:02 pm
Get Dirk and MeJax both out of there.
November 28th, 2018 at 1:03 pm
How many Varsity coaches laud beating up on their Junior Varsity teams? The ones who have a week Varsity squad that’s who.
November 28th, 2018 at 1:06 pm
Keep Dirk, hire defensive coordinator
Super Bowl run 2020
November 28th, 2018 at 1:12 pm
Dirk isn’t the best HC out there but if someone can come in and put a defense together, it might be best to keep him a bit longer…Continuity
November 28th, 2018 at 1:23 pm
Oh, the continuity theorists…
Do we really want to continue with a guy who is an OC MASQUERADING as a HC?
“I don’t know how to fix it”
November 28th, 2018 at 1:24 pm
Keep Koetter, fire GM…Move on from DJax, and have a deep evaluation on JW…Bring a new DC and bring some talent on defense, is not enough with JPP……..No talent on the secondary, no corners no saftys……..and please bring a running back….no running game and no defense you dont have a chance on the NFL, simple as that!!!!!!…..it´s not that hard to relize where the problem is…..is not rocket science
November 28th, 2018 at 1:31 pm
Deep down, Koetter knows the arrow isn’t up and that the defense went against a terrible offense.
November 28th, 2018 at 1:33 pm
Koetter is in full CYA mode
He and JLicht have to go…..
November 28th, 2018 at 1:42 pm
Isn’t this what happened last year? Dirk couldn’t get our running game going until injuries forced personal changes?
Way too many mistakes in way to many areas for this guy. Personal, gameplanning& preparation, in game management, ect.
What are you guys that want to retain Dirk looking at? A stat sheet for offensive passing?
Please stop calling for this guy cause you did it last year and we were done before Halloween, again.
It’s been a complete failure and another year of failed expectations. Please stop asking for more of this. Please? I can’t stomach anymore unprofessional football.
November 28th, 2018 at 1:49 pm
That being said I will still support Dirk while he’s here. I’d love to be wrong and see us win our next two division home games.
It seems crazy to think Dirk could change it around but I’ve seen enough sports to know that crazy stuff happens all the time.
Dirk must win some of these division games. Not only have his teams been beaten by our division he had been outcoached in those games. You cannot retain this guy if he handle the teams he sees twice per year. We aren’t even competitive in many of these games and that is a major red flag that your coach just isn’t good enough.
November 28th, 2018 at 1:54 pm
D-Rome…….The 9ers offense might be bad but as Joe wrote Mullens had not been sacked this year. Listening to the broadcast the 49ers have a talented Oline. That could be a hint that maybe our Dline has started clicking and can have similar performances down the stretch….the rest of the defense….let’s just not go there.
The odd thing was that the two prior games featured, arguably, the two worst Olines in football. Go figure.
November 28th, 2018 at 2:05 pm
^^ @JimmyJack
I do know that Joe Staley has been a very good OT for a long time, and Vita Vea completely rag-dolled him on that QB sack.
In late October, the 49ers OL was being called “one of the NFL’s best” in some circles.
November 28th, 2018 at 2:22 pm
I will like to see what Vita Vea does this week. He has already seen the Panthers so now familiraty will be a factor.
That’s why I have been patient with him. A rookie DT usually needs a bit of time circulating around the league to see how opposing linman are going to attack him.
Wasn’t expecting him to blow up like that. Anybody’s guess how he shows up for the last few games.
November 28th, 2018 at 2:23 pm
The way we have made previous backups look I will take this result. I thought for sure we would make Mullens look like the second coming of Peyton Manning… Thank goodness we finally looked at least competent.
To be fair I think Duff is doing decent. Hard to get thrown into the DC role midseason like this. Also, I think it is important to note duff has a short deck to deal with considering all the injuries on defense. We will see how the team finishes the entire coaching staff and Licht management are fighting for their very jobs.
November 28th, 2018 at 2:25 pm
^^ @JimmyJack
Right there with ya man, as far as being patient with him. It was driving me crazy people calling the kid a “bust” already. You are so right about DT’s taking time. Even the mighty Sapp took time.
I am excited about Vita’s play this past week. He showed a lot of passion & intensity. It will be fun to watch.
November 28th, 2018 at 2:27 pm
^^ @doolnutts
Killer points about the job Duff is doing, for all the reasons that you illustrated. A short deck for SURE! — His guys are playing for him though.
November 28th, 2018 at 2:28 pm
That “D” DAMN sure deserved a win against the Redskins too.
November 28th, 2018 at 2:37 pm
“LOL! Try to play football at 9 in the morning!
Getting these west coast teams to come in and play at 1pm when they couldnt sleep the night before and there are bodies and mind tells them its 9 in the morning, they be stopped ….and vice vera with eat coast playing at 1pm west time
Stop drinking the Klueless Koolaid! Lets wait to see what we do against an angry panther team this sunday
“Dilly Dilly”
Kobe Faker
November 28th, 2018 at 2:49 pm
Get Dirk the hell outta here. How are people seriously alright with him staying? He is not head coaching material!!!
November 28th, 2018 at 2:51 pm
Well we should know if they are for real very soon with Cam coming to town and Drew on deck.
Lordy.
November 28th, 2018 at 2:59 pm
Hey even JJ Watt and Kalil Mack took some time to adjust to the league. But kneejerk reactions are common for sports fans…..I’m sure a few fans of them guys called them busts too.
November 28th, 2018 at 3:02 pm
Everybody’s entitled to their opinion but it really surprises me at how many people think we should retain Koetter.
November 28th, 2018 at 3:14 pm
Keep Koeter and bring in a new DC unless Duff works out. Koetter produced a good offense. Please draft a big running back for a change. Draft a couple of guys on D and you have something. Keep Licht. He’s found some good talent over the years. Drafting is hard, much of it is luck.
We are not that far away.
November 28th, 2018 at 3:29 pm
Bucsfanman……I don’t get it nor have I heard one compelling reason to keep Koetter. His only success has been in the passing game. I have no idea why succeeding in one area and failing at everything else is considered good enough to be our HC.
Meanwhile this top passing game we have has been purely overrated. For 3 years they have come into games with bad game plans that don’t work and give us no points while the rest of Dirk’s team does nothing in all these blowout style losses we are forced to suffer through.
November 28th, 2018 at 3:34 pm
Just because your coach is offensive minded does not mean he should be judged on half of the team. It doesn’t work that way in 31 other NFL cities. Why does it work that way here?
For years this team has had accountability issues and it seems to be rubbing off on the fans who aren’t holding Dirk accountable.