Old School Fundamentals Sorely Lacking
November 2nd, 2022
Throwback Bucs.
Reading this excerpt, Joe immediately was reminded of Joe’s favorite John McKay quip.
The original coach of the Bucs was as much a comedian as he was a football coach. The guy always had a one-liner.
Joe’s favorite was, “Well, we didn’t block very well today. But we made up for it by not tackling,” McKay said in a postgame huddle with reporters.
This came to Joe’s mind right away reading Jeff Kerr’s piece on CBS Sports where he noted the big problem with the Bucs is that they can’t run block and they can’t tackle.
Other than that, how was the car ride, Mrs. Kennedy?
Can’t block, can’t tackle: The Buccaneers may have the skill players, yet need to watch the game film where the problems lie. Tampa Bay averaged just 2.9 yards per carry on the ground and allowed 7.0 yards per carry in Thursday’s loss to the Ravens. The Buccaneers average only 61.9 yards per game and allow 132.4 (202 over the last two weeks).
That’s simply not good enough to win games, even with Tom Brady at quarterback. Averaging 3.0 yards per carry and 4.8 yards per rush (6.7 over last two weeks), is a formula destined for failure.
The Buccaneers can’t run and can’t stop the run. Simple.
When you are giving up more than double the amount of yards on the ground than you run for, that’s often a recipe for disaster.
And if you told any Bucs fan the Bucs, with a healthy Tom Brady, would start the season 3-5, yeah, that would have been deemed a disaster.
If Joe was to type that the Bucs are soft in the trenches, how many would argue?
“Well, we didn’t block, but we made up for it by not tackling” – John McKay #Buccaneers https://t.co/q2ODcSJhiX pic.twitter.com/AwBaax51dQ
— Old Time Football 🏈 (@Ol_TimeFootball) December 10, 2021
November 2nd, 2022 at 3:59 am
I liked McKay. I think it was the hat, mainly.
Wasn’t he the one, when ask about the offensive execution, he said “I’d be in favor of it”… (or something like that) lol
November 2nd, 2022 at 5:00 am
The lack of quality run blocking is a problem but the defense to me is the biggest concern. Bowles is supposedly a defensive genius but defense is all about fundamentals. The Bucs defense couldn’t tackle an old lady in a phone booth. They constantly take bad angles, they don’t use the sideline as an extra defender, they consistently don’t fit the right gaps and they seem to have mental lapses almost every game. Where is the coaching, where is the desire by the players and where is the hustle? It’s extremely disturbing and it’s not like it’s something new. We were seeing some of the same stuff last year. This is mainly on the coaches for not getting the players ready.
November 2nd, 2022 at 5:06 am
Jason Licht will be FIRED for not making the acquisition of Suh and JC Tretter his top priority and deservedly so.
November 2nd, 2022 at 5:45 am
Almost time for the Head Bags.
November 2nd, 2022 at 6:20 am
Bucs have multiple problems that all relate back to personnel & coaching. This team is not nearly as talented as the 2020 or 2021 teams, and it shouldn’t come as any surprise that we’re 3-5 right now. Yes their fundamentals suck … because we’ve got too many 2nd-stringers masquerading as starters & key rotational players. Not only doesn’t that bode well for the remainder of this year, it REALLY sucks for the future.
The OLine isn’t winning the 1-on-1 battles. Hard to run effectively if your OLinemen can’t move the guy in front of them & create holes. But that’s OK; they make up for it by not being able to hold their blocks for more than a second while pass blocking. It’s about talent & chemistry, and neither is there this year like it was these past 2 years. Too many changes.
The DLine isn’t winning their 1-on-1 battles either. They get moved out of their gaps far too easily. RBs are hitting the 2nd level so fast that even our ILBs are whiffing on the tackles. Against the Ravens, a running team, it was our Safety Edwards who had the most tackles (11), and 8 of those were solo. Not good.
The talent’s not there. Vea, Hicks, Hall, Gholston, RNR, Senat & O’Connor are all listed as our DLinemen. Compare that to the 2020 & 2021 DLine of Vea, Suh, McLendon, Gholston & RNR with Letbetter & O’Connor getting a few snaps. Hicks is no Suh and Hall is no McLendon, plus Gholston & RNR & O’Connor have aged quite a bit. Sad state of affairs, but with no trades our only hope now is that Jensen & Hicks can make it back fast and provide the beef & leadership that’s sorely needed.
November 2nd, 2022 at 6:27 am
My wife & I sat thru the 0-26 run at the old sumbaro. At least the games were entertaining (even the losses) and there was reason for hope & improvement. The improvement did come by the team making the playoffs in just their 4 th season. AND there was no free agency of players back then. John was a hoot! This team is headed in the wrong direction and Bowels boring! Sure am glad I gave up my season tickets.
November 2nd, 2022 at 6:42 am
Question: “What do you think about the execution of your offense?”
McKay: “I’m in favor of it.” Best one liner ever!
November 2nd, 2022 at 6:43 am
john mckay…the original buccaneers mack daddy
November 2nd, 2022 at 6:59 am
Couple of plane crashes and we’re in the playoffs. John McKay.
November 2nd, 2022 at 7:10 am
Blocking and tackling. Except for those two lacking team traits, we’re OK.
November 2nd, 2022 at 7:11 am
Old, bloated, overrated roster, clueless coaches, equals 3-5.
November 2nd, 2022 at 7:26 am
Dewey, thanks for the laugh. I’d take McKay as coach right now. At least he had a personality.
November 2nd, 2022 at 7:38 am
“How do you feel about the execution of the offensive line?”
“I’m for it.”
Does anyone remember who asked the question?
November 2nd, 2022 at 8:02 am
I think what’s been even more shocking is a Todd Bowles team can’t stop the run. Other than Vea, they are getting pushed all over the place. It’s back to the pre Bowles days. The only player on that defense playing well is David, but now he’s 5 years older.
November 2nd, 2022 at 8:45 am
Tom McEwen probably asked the question about the execution of the offense, he and McKay were running buddies I think. Back then all we had was coach McKay and Lee Roy Selmon.
November 2nd, 2022 at 8:54 am
Players need self discipline to block and tackle properly. Self discipline starts with the little things like being on freakin time.
November 2nd, 2022 at 9:05 am
Suh is missed.
After seeing JPP, I don’t think we miss him.
He looked over weight and slow actually.
November 2nd, 2022 at 9:29 am
The coaches have lost the team. This is Raheem Morris of 2011 all over again.
November 2nd, 2022 at 9:31 am
This is a bad, heartless, rudderless team, and nothing will turn it around this season.
Only a cleaned house, coaches and players, and sucking up cap hits will right the ship in 2-3 years.
It’s time to pay the piper.
November 2nd, 2022 at 10:22 am
@DefenseRules
If it weren’t for your good grammar and logical breakdown of football statistics I’d think you were Todd Bowles commenting on this blog. The problem with the 2022 Bucs is the coaching, especially Todd Bowles, Leftwich, and Armstrong.
The only reason I’m here on this site is Brady. Watching him waste his talent under these coaches is maddening. The offense is moribund due to bad coaching, not a lack of talent. Are you gonna tell me that the Bucs don’t have superior talent to the Steelers, Panthers, or even the Packers and Ravens? The Bucs can’t run because their formations and personnel telegraph a run so the defense stacks the box. Also, why not run behind Mason and Wirfs with an assist from Kieft on that side? As far as the passing game, protect Brady and scheme the receivers open. Give the line some help with a FB or TE. After all, only one receiver can catch the ball so please provide more protection so that Brady is comfortable in the pocket.
I don’t think the defense is playing that badly. There seems to be a morale problem since the offense is underperforming and they are on the field to long. But still, they are too often out of position and tackling poorly. Again, poor coaching.
November 2nd, 2022 at 11:14 am
I see our team as being terribly out of shape. Our guys are flat out tired, and when football players get tired, they make mistakes.
If I were coaching our team, I would have fired our strength and conditioning coaches a long time ago, and make conditioning drills MANDATORY.
If you watched the Ravens game, we were having our way physically with them, until our guys started getting tired.
Once we got tired, they had their way with us.
WE are a good team with good players. Unfortunately we are horrible out of shape!
November 2nd, 2022 at 12:01 pm
Lt. Dan, that’s the one-liner that comes to my mind as well. Funny as hell!
November 2nd, 2022 at 12:07 pm
Capt Oblivious … ‘The problem with the 2022 Bucs is the coaching, especially Todd Bowles, Leftwich, and Armstrong.’
I guess I see the Bucs’ problems as being broader Oblivious (and no I’m not Todd Bowles). Like I said earlier … ‘Bucs have multiple problems that all relate back to personnel & coaching’. No one gets a ‘Get out of Jail Free Card’ when you’re 3-5 and circling the drain.
I agree about the coaching. I also agree with Chris that our Bucs are ‘terribly out of shape’.
Hodad summed it up nicely … ‘Old, bloated, overrated roster, clueless coaches, equals 3-5’.
November 2nd, 2022 at 1:06 pm
Out of shape for sure. At least we should demote Tony Piroli and no one seems to ever mention him. He is (in case anyone cares) the HC of strength and conditioning.
November 2nd, 2022 at 2:27 pm
“we can’t run .. & we can’t stop the run” sums it up pretty well….
November 2nd, 2022 at 8:14 pm
The Bucs kick field goals well, and punt pretty good. They suck at every other aspect of the game.
November 5th, 2022 at 2:32 am
Hey even the head coach gets to take a day off in the middle of game week. No big deal.
Head banging facepalm.
Done.