Koetter: Controlling Performance For Vea, McCoy

December 23rd, 2018

Gerald McCoy dropped one tackle on the stat sheet today in Dallas, but he won the heart of his head coach.

Will he win the heart of the Bucs’ next head coach once the guy reviews film in January? That’s an unknown.

Today, the Bucs bottled up the Cowboys’ running game in a big way. They made Ezekiel Elliott look more like Peyton Barber, as the beast in the Dallas backfield had 85 yards on 18 carries. The other six rushes by the Cowboys netted five yards.

“I thought Vita and Gerald controlled the inside,” Koetter gushed on the Buccaneers Radio Network after the game.

Vea finished with two solo tackles, one assist, one sack — and one sack lost to a rather phantom face mask call. General manager Jason Licht talked on team pregame show about how Vea is “impressive” and over the last four games “is playing up to the position that we drafted him.”

Make that five games after today.

As for McCoy, the Bucs will have a $13 million decision to make after this season. That’s what he’ll be paid if he’s granted a 10th season in pewter and red.

34 Responses to “Koetter: Controlling Performance For Vea, McCoy”

  1. Tbbucs3 Says:

    Sounds like a last minute Hail Mary attempt to save their jobs.

  2. DB55 Says:

    McIceCream and Winston has the same amount of tackles. Might as well play Winston 20 if McIceCream is worth 16. Ijs.

  3. Bird Says:

    The next coach /GM will make that decision.

  4. AleteredEgo Says:

    Time for McCoy to restructure…rather keep #93 another year and use the high draft pick OL or CB

  5. Pelbuc Says:

    Trade or release JW, GMC, DJax, Donovan Smith, Benenoch, Kwon, Gholston, Curry, Unrein but whatever they do sign Humphries. The only one that plays with heart.

  6. Bird Says:

    McCoy should do a restructure. Give the bucs a deal.

    Tampa has paid him good money over the years and he has missed quite a few games

  7. Stu Says:

    “Phantom face mask call?”

  8. Jfkjfk Says:

    Wow team hasn’t given up once

  9. Defense Rules Says:

    AlteredEgo … “Time for McCoy to restructure.” Yea verily. With so many other NEEDS, no way this team can afford to pay an aging DT $13 mil. For $7-$8 mil sure, but that extra $5-$6 mil represents one very good RB or a Safety (or maybe even a decent RT). LOTS more mouths to feed if we expect to be competitive next year.

  10. BigPoppaBuc Says:

    Vita is getting better and better. LVD has new life since Smith got canned. Brent Grimes is one game away from retirement as he cost us big time today. Nassib is a keeper. This defense isn’t totally inept. They just need some help in the secondary and a coach with fire and guts.

  11. Buc believer Says:

    AWW!!! Isn’t that just sweet!!! Batman has won the heart of his head coach! Must be for his aww shucks hope I didn’t hit you to hard oh golly gee whiz we sure did try now everyone celebrate with cookies and milk because we only have one more game to fake it… errr play attitude. Not because of anything this fake arse afront to all true hard nose players actually did today or for the whole season for that matter.

  12. BucLover727 Says:

    Liking what we are seeing from Vita.

    McCoy I’d like to stay but understand it’s a business. Will be interesting to see play out.

  13. SOEbuc Says:

    No on GMC. Vea is looking like a great pick for a defense that got 22 sacks in 2018. Not a sack master but a fast monter to push back the pile and pulls double teams towards him.

  14. LakeLand Says:

    Aaron Donald had 3 sacks today
    Giving him 19.5 for the season

    I remember GMC words

    ” I will not change position for a rookie”

  15. Not there yet Says:

    No need to restructure just cut ties and he’ll get his day in the ring of honor. I can think of a few players most much better than him that were treated worse. Sapp has to play elsewhere, the way brooks and rice were cut was disgraceful. He’s made his money so if he’s cut he can’t complain at all.

  16. DanBucsFan Says:

    Here we go with the time of year when the morons start to play arm chair Gm, and trade \ cut \ release more than half the team . They also would love to fire the coach and Gm yearly unless the team wins and dominates every week.

  17. TheBucsAnthem Says:

    McCoy is gone

    we all know this

  18. SOEbuc Says:

    Vita is looking better every week and very healthy. I expect nothing but better things for him in the future.

    Ed Oliver in the first round. Him and Vea could make this inside DL great for the next decade. Vea pulls over the double team and Oliver is a guarantee to get more than one tackle.

  19. Jean Lafitte Says:

    McCoy will be playing for a contender next season

  20. Jean Lafitte Says:

    Damn that Mahomes is something special

  21. John B Says:

    Every team in the league is running and throwing right at Brent – he is just horrible – Ryan Smith is better at this point – every time they needed a play head towards Brent he can’t/won’t tackle anyone, such a joke that he is even on the field

    Hold his head high? For what, stealing $10mil?

    Bye Felicia!

  22. SOEbuc Says:

    John B

    Grimes is a steamy dumpster diaper. Second worst to Benenoch.

  23. Max Says:

    13 million is nothing for a top ten DT. Keep him

  24. Jason S. Mclaurin Says:

    Gotta keep McCoy and no need to restructure his contract will be up in two years anyway once next season begins. Vea is a beast. We need to find another huge DT stud that can clog up space and force pressure. Another 350lb guy wouldn’t be bad up the middle. I don’t think we should go Ed Oliver early but instead let’s look for a running back or stud DE in the first. I really would love to see them address linebacker depth early in the draft as well. We need quality depth as far as 7 on 7 is concerned because there’s always a lot of injuries there on offense and defense. I just feel a coaching change could reboot the offensive line that’s why I feel we shouldn’t draft there early but late instead and find a quality guy off the street. N. Spence seems done though and no telling how much longer JPP is around for but we need fresh depth from defensive end early in the draft not DT like I said unless we can get another guy big as Vea is that can clog holes. McCoy will buy us time with up to standard play until his contract runs out after 2020. We need two quality defensive ends early out this draft and a running back as well. No more early round DT we still got McCoy. No more DB we just drafted like 6 in two years and they all can play too especially if Duffner is coaching them next season. No more offensive line although we haven’t made one a first round pick but right now they seem stocked at that position too just need to fire the coach whose coaching that unit instead of getting rid of the whole regime. Keep Kalm, Keep Koetter and Licht, and fire Warhop. Draft a power running back early and look for more speedy defensive ends to put around Nassib and JPP.

  25. PhillyBuc Says:

    If $13mm for one tackle a game is the going rate for a DT, then sign him, otherwise get what ever you can for GMC and cut bait with this travesty.

  26. Bucs Fan #7423 Says:

    13 million for one meaningless tackle a game???

    Gfoh!

    Cut him and pay someone who production is worth 13 million

  27. BucHead5588 Says:

    I can’t wait to see JW thrive Under a new Coach an I really like that Capia is getting some good Reps in at RG with Cappa coming along I honestly feel that Benenoch played well at RT last year when filling in for Dotson I think he would do good at his Original position but I also wouldn’t mind the Bucs Drafting OL DL an CB but I really like Devante Harris C Davis VH3 an MJ an Smith it seems like all the CBs that we all used to hate seeing on the field actually looked like they were developing this year an had good games then wouldn’t play at all an I think RoJo will be Fine next year he just hasn’t got the opportunity an he will get his way back in to the game next year he’s playing Special Teams an after seeing him in on Tackles an having a good attitude he will be fine just hasn’t had a chance Bucs got a good Squad they will get rid of some players we held onto a year to long instead of letting go a year early Grimes Dotson An I like McCoy but if he does not restructure his contract I don’t think Bucs can keep him

  28. Bucsfanman Says:

    LakeLand- IMO, that’s an indictment of the franchise more so than of GMC. If I’m the HC or GM, I tell GMC to pound sand if he doesn’t want to improve the team.
    BTW, I thought Suh’s stats would elevate next to Donald. He’s got like 3.5 sacks or something. Probably doesn’t care though. The Rams are winning.

  29. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    “They made Ezekiel Elliott look more like Peyton Barber, as the beast in the Dallas backfield had 85 yards…” – Joe

    Peyton Barber wishes he could have an 85 yard game as a ‘bad game.’

  30. Tampa Bay Demon Says:

    Very happy to see VITA VEA performing the way that he is.

    That is precisely WHY you do not label a DT as a “bust” half way through his fricking rookie season.

  31. Bobby Says:

    Oh, you mean like 90% of the posters on here labeled Vita a bust and now are singing his praises? Yeah…..we have a pretty stupid fan base.

  32. ATrain Says:

    Why does GMC even get mentioned when the Rookie DT outplayed him by a mile

    Really

    GMC is a Good DT give him 7 million or trade him

    I think we could get a 3rd round pick

    But the way Joe looks at GMC he is worth first rounder all the way

  33. TOM Says:

    Why does Koetter keep praising these crap players. (D. Smith, Bennoch & now McCoy) McCoy is not a bad player. He just doesn’t deserve 13mil. Hump deserves 12 or 13 mil a lot more than McCoy or Smith.

  34. Brian Says:

    Ummm.. that was NO phantom face mask. It couldn’t be more clear on replay that he grabbed the face mask.