Poor Secondary Totally On Organization
October 6th, 2019
Rough day.
“Totally fixed,” Joe’s rear end.
The only thing fixed about the Bucs secondary is that each Bucs cornerback went to the vet before the season for a private procedure.
Playing like neutered dogs today, the Bucs coughed up 345 yards passing in the 31-24 loss to the Saints in New Orleans.
And the problem with this secondary lies at the feet of every Bucs employee in the football wing of One Buc Palace. The secondary has been downright atrocious the past two seasons. Name a free agent they signed that could have started or at least been a quality nickel corner?
None, that’s who.
And today’s half-arse effort came a week after the Bucs gave up over 500 yards passing to Jared Goff. It took a franchise record-scoring effort by the Bucs to make people not notice that.
So yeah, the Bucs knew in the offseason the secondary was bad. So they went out and drafted Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean. SMB finally made a key play today after a dropped Alvin Kamara pass. Jamel Dean has been seen on milk cartons.
How many draft picks have the Bucs burned on bad corners? Well, Vernon Hargreaves isn’t awful though he does have really bad games like today’s. He is not close to playing at a level one would hope a high first-round draft pick would play.
The problem here is the bad secondary fail is on everyone from coaches all the way up to the folks who answer directly to Team Glazer.
A fail on coaching, both past and present.
A fail on scouting.
A fail on drafting.
Fail.
No, the Bucs are not out of a playoff race yet. Unless this secondary gets much better in a very short period of time, the Bucs have no prayer of a playoff run if this ole’ pass defense continues.
If the Bucs aren’t shopping for a corner with teams looking to shed payroll and build for the draft (Denver will soon host a fire sale, per reports), it will be a grave injustice to both fans the Bucs organization as a whole. Find someone.
And yes, even if you land a stiff, that’s at least demonstrating to the fans the team is trying to resolve a major issue instead of sitting on hands and hoping things get better on their own.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:28 pm
Ownership….Fail
October 6th, 2019 at 4:28 pm
Oline remains trash also.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:28 pm
Dean and Davis on the outside with bunting in the slot
October 6th, 2019 at 4:28 pm
Start Dean, and SBM. VH3 and Stewart are terrible.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:28 pm
Trade VHIII now for a decent looking transgendered cheerleader….i mean, since we’re going there, may as well……..
October 6th, 2019 at 4:29 pm
or hargeaves in slot
October 6th, 2019 at 4:31 pm
Time to make trades if we want to save our season. Starting with 2 new corners. I’m tired of VH3 and Davis and MJ Stewart. Whitehead is good the first ten yards and liability in coverage. Come to think of it we don’t have any cover guys AT ALL!!!
October 6th, 2019 at 4:31 pm
Once again the hope of making the playoffs have been shattered before Halloween.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:32 pm
While Carlton Davis isn’t going to be confused with an All-Pro CB anytime soon, it is telling how the secondary completely fell apart when he got ejected.
VH3 is legitimately bad at covering almost every single WR1 in the league.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:32 pm
Playoffs? I am still feeling very good about my prediction of 5-11.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:33 pm
Lol Madmax
I’m soooo tired of VH3. Brags when he makes a play then makes a stupid look on face when he constantly burnt toast dust. He is no top corner maybe a slot a guy
October 6th, 2019 at 4:33 pm
lol I love the fans blaming the offensive line on this performance. not the QB that cannot get rid of the ball.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:34 pm
VH3 is an awesome transgender cheerleader.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:35 pm
Well, fat from being a hater, but this is exactly what Ive been talking about!!
Web are a bad franchise!!! Thats a fact!!!
Personally I am Big bucs fan but que is the same los story over and over again!!
Last year everybody Point es fingers to Koetter!!!
What about now??!!!!!??????
October 6th, 2019 at 4:35 pm
How many contested passes did Bridgewater throw for completions today? I think maybe one? Announcers played up Saints receiver as making some good catches? That was bit much as white shirts were hardly even in the tv frames! Fixed on the backside? Not so much. O line also totally dominated, like the line of old. Very discouraging day. Not much silver lining to cling to. Debacle is not to strong a word.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:35 pm
I think we should give bunting a shot outside because Hargreaves isn’t suited for out there
October 6th, 2019 at 4:36 pm
its kind of hard to get rid of the ball when the Dline is constantly in your face right when you snap the ball.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:37 pm
Time to stop mentioning”totally fixed” because it was coach speak in camp. Some scouting staffs are bad at position groups. We seem to be good at receiver and bad at DBs. Hire some different scouts for that group. Online was only an issue down 14. Officiating was horrible in first half.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:38 pm
VH3 is to small, and slow to play corner in the NFL. He couldn’t have been burned more with a blow torch, then the way Thomas burned him. Don’t know what the Bucs coaches were thinking, but it was painfully obvious early that Veron could not cover Thomas. Yet for whatever reason, they were clueless as to stop it.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:38 pm
DB55…some makeup and a pink tutu, there ya go!
October 6th, 2019 at 4:39 pm
There isn’t another team in this league where VH3 is a starter. No way.
Rod Jones 2.0.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:40 pm
Instead off drafting more corners, and safeties next year, Licht needs to draft a RT, and pass rushers. Dotson was as bad as VH-0.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:40 pm
The problem is we play man to man 90% of the time and the blitzes are not getting home. Asking rookies and 2nd year players to play man to man 90% of the time when the blitzes are not getting home is laughable. Im looking at todd bowles now.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:41 pm
It is obvious that Licht went with VH3 in draft cause Vh3 was a Florida boy, not a talented CB. I reckon Licht though he could improve ticket sales.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:41 pm
This is the Schiano defense all over again. Sell out to stop the run and blitz. If you can get the pass off, the only thing stopping the receiver from getting all the yards he wants is his ability to catch the ball and get upfield. Maybe switch it up now and then and put the LBs in the middle of the field to help out with that gaping chasm in the middle of the field
October 6th, 2019 at 4:42 pm
Another 4-5 years of multiple high picks oughta fix things. Even if they’re already fixed. Michael Thomas must feel like he’s a senior playing vs junior varsity when facing the Bucs secondary.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:42 pm
The problem with the secondary is the end result of a 5+ year reign of terror led by Jason Licht.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:43 pm
FIRE LICHT 🔥 FIRE HIM. Nooooow!
October 6th, 2019 at 4:43 pm
I am so tired or all the BS. First, we are told BA and Bowles will fix everything.
All this draft capital, and trash. So they extend Licht just to get BA in here, and they sell us on the coaching. So, here we are again. Giving up points by the truck load, and no end in sight.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:44 pm
I hope IT’S ALL GOES BACK to JASON LICHT is implied in this post
October 6th, 2019 at 4:47 pm
So i guess MT is some FA that was sitting on his couch….lol…
MT did what ME should’ve done….
But hey….let’s trade for lattimore since he can shut down #1 WRs with no pass rush and no pressure….lol…
GO BUCS
October 6th, 2019 at 4:48 pm
VHG gave up 7points but yeah let’s blame all 31 on him…..
GO BUCS
October 6th, 2019 at 4:48 pm
Can we just trade for a proven corner I’m sick of seeing this same crap
October 6th, 2019 at 4:50 pm
Calling JPP, report for duty. If it’s raining, please take a cab.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:50 pm
Right about now…The Bros. Glazer ( Darcie wouldn’t approve and was left out )
…Licht Weight is secretly being extended another 5 years. Stay tuned for details forthcoming in Feb-March timeframe.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:51 pm
I’m ready…2nd round pick for Patrick Peterson, 1st round pick for Trent Williams. Bruce is almost 70.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:54 pm
On a lighter note, Cairo Santos was 0-4 and completely cost the Titans a win. So there’s that. Did anyone expect to beat the Tams and Saints on the road back to back? One thing is clear- Leftwich needs to get Jameis going early. Still no screens or even swing passes. RBs were okay today- o-line is garbage
October 6th, 2019 at 4:55 pm
Scheifen- should do those trades yesterday!
October 6th, 2019 at 4:55 pm
I try to share any hopes I got with this fanbase and try to find optimism within the depths of this tortured fanbase.
But I got nothing when it comes to this secondary. We are completely incapable in coverage.
Sure Carlton can play his man…..aside from him all’s I got for y’all is maybe Justin Evans can find a miracle recovery? Ahhhh …..Ryan Smith. Don’t know what else to tell y’all.
Bunting didn’t look too too lost out there like Vernon did for basically the whole time but Bunting is clearly a developing player who does not look like he will be ready this season.
They said Teddy was 11for 11 during their offense surge(didn’t notice if it went longer then 11 in a row)? That is totally unacceptable to the Mike Smith degree………..Carn’t tell y’all any different then this secondary sucks….BAD!!
GOOO BUCS!!!
October 6th, 2019 at 4:57 pm
The Bucs D are so bad.. they couldn’t stop Thomas because he’s a stud. But Tedd Ginn jr. tho?!?! 💩💩💩
October 6th, 2019 at 5:05 pm
Make no mistake. They are out of playoff contention. Not a chance.
October 6th, 2019 at 5:11 pm
813…
You cannot be this oblivious. He gave up a heck of a lot more than one catch. Many of which gave up 1st downs on crucial 3rd downs. On drives that ate up clock and ended in touchdowns.
He was abused all day long. And outside of 2 plays this season has been garbage. He is not suited to play outside corner. He is however a decent nickel.
That’s why we need to trade for a legit #1 corner and put Vernon in the slot where he belongs…
Go Bucs.
October 6th, 2019 at 5:13 pm
Why did they let Bradley MacDougald go and not sign a veteran dB!I’ve been asking that question that question for 2years.
October 6th, 2019 at 5:16 pm
@813 get your nose out of hargreaves jock. He was smoked repestedly today. Anytime the saints needded a first, they threw right at your boy toy Hargreaves. The dude is a slot corner with no speed. He wont be on thsi roster next year so enjoy him while you can.
October 6th, 2019 at 5:19 pm
Vernon Hargreaves is no better now than when he was drafted in 2016. He hasn’t learned or improved anything. You expect some improvement between years 1 thru 5 but I just don’t see it with Hargreaves. The other DB’s have more wiggle room since they are mostly 1st and 2nd year players. If this team somehow wins in London next week they will need to improve the secondary with a trade. Maybe Patrick Peterson will be available. We need a true #1 corner that can battle with true #1 wr’s. Davis has some promise but I’d feel better with him as a #2.
October 6th, 2019 at 5:21 pm
Aw
So VHG was the only DB giving up first downs today?
I saw a awful lot of Whitehead and SMB getting beat too….for TDS and first downs….
Again….how was the pass rush today?….hard to cover when we aren’t getting any pressure…..
GO BUCS
October 6th, 2019 at 5:24 pm
Let’s not leave out safety Edwards. I thought he had a terrible game today.
October 6th, 2019 at 5:25 pm
I called it lol anyone upset that secondary played like they normally do is just working on a heart attack. New Orleans is a better team and were before this game for all the Homer’s that are upset about the lost. More big game experiences more playoff appearances so this games was nothing to them and just proves bucs are not quite there yet anything else is just trolling. VH3 has always sucked
October 6th, 2019 at 5:29 pm
Great article and it is spot on. How insane is it that we have so much invested in the secondary and it is no better than last year? Licht needs go and if Arians takes offense, then he can go too. Too bad we can’t get rid of the inept ownership as well.
October 6th, 2019 at 5:32 pm
DEFENSE AS A WHOLE PLAYED HORRIBLE.
October 6th, 2019 at 6:20 pm
Joe, they still can’t generate a pass rush. The right side of their OL got exposed today for being the fraud we all knew it was. And, our secondary can’t cover at all.
What would you prioritize and what can be addressed through a trade now?
October 6th, 2019 at 6:27 pm
How many DB’s has Licht missed on but he’s Arians boy so he’s bulletproof
October 6th, 2019 at 6:35 pm
But Bruce said it was totally fixed…in a way he is right- instead of getting torched in a soft zone scheme, our cement-shoe laden group of CBs are getting burned in a press-man scheme.
October 6th, 2019 at 6:45 pm
I dont think licht missed on secondary help. A lot of these players are young and in their 2nd year at most. I do believe hargraves is not good. Ive said before, hargraeves was the only cornerback to give up over 1000 yards in 2016. I know joe said hargraeves had a good rookie year and the coaches at that time could not “develop” conerbacks but he may just not be good. I wanted the bucs to draft rankins who has made a pro bowl. Having said all that, the bucs need to stop blitzing 90% of the time because the dbs are not ready. Id start putting these players in positions to make plays. Oh and whitehead should have picked that ball off like ed reed or troy polomalo would have when we were down 24-17. Instead we fall behind 31-17. Not good
October 6th, 2019 at 6:46 pm
You’re not gonna catch me defending MJ Stewart anytime soon. Uh uh no sir not me. Him being as garbage as he is another reason why I want to trade for a legit corner. Putting Hargreaves in the slot and Stewart on the bench would solve a lot of problems…
October 6th, 2019 at 6:51 pm
VhIII to the slot?
VHIII to the street. Why are we pretending with this guy?
We do that a lot, pretend a guy is great when he’s really not.
Wishful thinking, while whistling in the graveyard. Until we get a FO and coaching staff to call players what they really are and do something about it, we will continue to be cheap Ho’s pimped out by the Glazers…..
October 6th, 2019 at 7:03 pm
Funny how our secondary has sucked for a long time. Even with Talib and Revis. The secondary is a unit not one man but its sad that the delusional Florida state ran site only puts Hargraves pic up every time like its only him struggling in this sad zone defense. What happened to press or man coverage? What happened to the pass rush? What happened to doing what our players are good at? No Joe just keep throwing Hargraves under the bus and expose yourself again.
October 6th, 2019 at 7:20 pm
the worst thing of all is the guys in the secondary are all learning from the vet of the bunch, how to be a good pro…hargreaves
and he doesn’t really know where to start himself on fine tuning his game…
let’s just call him ” hargrievances” again
October 6th, 2019 at 7:20 pm
hargrievances has entered the building………….again
October 6th, 2019 at 9:50 pm
Hargreaves is bad because of physical limitations, IMO. The part that pissed me off today was his lack of effort in tackling. The wave tackle “attempt” at the 10 yard line was pathetic. We probably reached on the Sean Murphy-Bunting pick, he’s not that good either, but he has the measurables and played hard today. Yes, I’m rooting for the kid from Michigan.
October 6th, 2019 at 10:07 pm
Vern can only play the nickel. That’s it. He’s absolutely worthless as a boundary CB.
Bring in Dean at CB. Move VH3 to nickel. MJ to the bench and hope SMB stays there too.
October 7th, 2019 at 2:44 am
Give Licht s 5 year extension
October 10th, 2019 at 10:56 am
All you Buc fans that are fed up. Support a real pro team. The Rays. Money much better spent.