Halftime Motivation
October 4th, 2011
Brian Price and Gerald McCoy walk away from their fallen prey, Curtis Painter, in the Bucs win over the Dolts Monday night.
In what has been a nasty habit for the Bucs all too often the past two seasons, the Bucs had an ugly first half.
Between limited scoring and a deluge of penalties, there were more than a few Bucs fans who wished the Bucs had never been selected to play on Monday Night Football.
Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy was as frustrated as the fans. He knew his comrades, as well as himself, could play better.
So GMC laid the law down at halftime.
“I told them we had to go out there an attack,” GMC said. “I told the guys — the d-line: ‘Look. We have to go out and there and get angry. Just play nasty and get angry and it made a big difference in the second half.”
GMC recorded a sack in the second half and probably should be credited with another that was initially given to Adrian Clayborn. GMC didn’t want to talk about that. He wanted to talk about how the defensive line as a unit took over the game late, like a pack of starving German Shepherds.
“I was ready for the next play, get them down and get ready for the next play,” GMC said. “We had to force [Curtis Painter] into bad throws. They were trying to use three-step drops so we couldn’t get pressure on him. But our coverage was so good we were still getting pressure on him. We told our [secondary], if he gets more than three steps we will get to him and we did. If he took three steps and he thought, we were there.”
Like the rest of the Bucs, GMC was happy the Bucs could show a national television audience they can win ugly games.
“We [showed the public the Bucs] can win in adverse situations and that we are young and hungry team, youngry, like what Coach Morris said. We want to win a division and the Colts were another opponent. now it’s San Francisco. Three-and-one feels good. You always want to be in a position like this. It feels good. Enjoy it for a few hours and move on.”
October 4th, 2011 at 2:02 am
Was it just me, or did Elbert Mack make a couple of big plays late in the game?
October 4th, 2011 at 2:15 am
Was it just me, or did Talib give up a couple big plays in this game? And what’s the deal with him playing against the opponents #2 WR the past couple weeks? Not the sign of a top 10 CB, that’s for sure.
October 4th, 2011 at 2:28 am
Talib was playing the one spot for most of the game. Problem was, Painter is a lefty, so that makes the defenses left side the #2. I don’t understand why they didn’t have him blanket Wayne and put Biggers on Garcon. Not that it would have ended any better for either of them.
Either way, I am liking the man2man scheme. Gives our DL time to rush the passer and works better for the run. Looks like we are seeing a weakness at DB built for cover now playing man. Its gonna take at least till mid season for them to get a hang of it. I hope they grasp the man2man scheme better than our OL grasped the old zone blocking scheme.
October 4th, 2011 at 2:36 am
I take that back. He is not a lefty(I don’t know why I thought that. I just watched the friggen game! 8 too many Coors Lights I suppose.). Still, Garcon played X and Wayne played Z for most of the game.
October 4th, 2011 at 2:39 am
First long TD was in cover 3 zone, not man. Talib took the inside man, but his responsibility was outside third. At least that’s what it appeared to be on the multiple replays. FS to deep center, SS to middle sideline zone, CB drops deep. Second one looked man2man. Talib was off about 7 yards, first step back, couldn’t recover quick enough to get upfield before the Tackle got to the edge to block him.
October 4th, 2011 at 3:08 am
I think kangaroos have pouches. It sems they are on their bellies.
October 4th, 2011 at 5:42 am
I hate having to say this, but I think there may be something wrong with Talib. Capt. Tim has been saying it all season and I have been disagreeing, but I think he has been right all along. I noticed it on the second Garcon TD. He doesn’t seem to be running right. Perhaps the hamstring is still bothering him, but he just didn’t look right chasing down the ball. I’ve been wondering why he has yet to cover the other team’s best WR, but I really can’t think of any other explanation.
October 4th, 2011 at 5:55 am
I think it’s safe to say Thomas and his BFF Wimpy Ruud will not be involved in this post. Come on girls, aren’t you happy for GMC????
October 4th, 2011 at 6:38 am
GMC dominated! But, he’s been doing that all season!
I’m not trying to trash Talib, HawaiianBuc.i think Talib is much better than he’s played. But he gave up two long TDs tonight, and he was playing their 2nd or Third WR. Even Chucky was surprised by this, and mentioned it on several occasions. I’ve pointed it out the last 3 weeks, but no one is listening.
Great game for the D-line, Foster, and even Hayes. Black hid all game again.
It was a bad night for Talib.
October 4th, 2011 at 7:21 am
Capt. Tim,
Yep, you have been right all along. Everything you have been saying about Talib seems to be spot on. When I saw him running after Garcon, I remembered how you’ve been saying he must have some kind of injury. He’s going to have to start playing better, as our schedule is about to get really tough. I really like Biggers and all, but he should not be covering the best WR on the other team.
October 4th, 2011 at 7:26 am
Some things:
1) GMC got his first sack…and he’s been very disruptive every game. I think he’ll start knocking down QBs more and more and finish the season strong.
2) Very classy how the Bucs reacted when a Colts play was carted off the field. And that next play had to be hard…good gain and yet all I could think about right away was the injured player. Poor guy.
3) The Bucs have 3 players on pace to get 8 sacks this year.
4) Foster is doing remarkably well.
5) Who played Grimms spot? I don’t think safety showed any weakness at all in this game.
6) Painter had a really good first outing. No mistakes at all.
7) That first TD the colts got was NOT a TD. He stepped out of bounds…and it seemed very obvious to me. So the game should not have been so close.
8) The Colts second TD should have been an illegal block to the back…so that should not have been a TD either. Especially since the refs called the Bucs on the same thing before that.
9) Penalties. They almost killed this game.
10) BUCS ARE ON PACE TO GO 12-4!
Unrealistic, but it’s true (right now). BSPN is now saying the Bucs are a legit contender…for the SUPERBOWL! I have my doubts, but you never know. The good thing about this is the national attention we are suddenly getting. This will mean more primetime games next year if we keep doing well.
11) Where are the picks? As we all know, getting pressure on the QB should result in more picks…yet we only have what? 2? Not good enough.
12) I kept thinking…what if Blount were to get injured? If that happens, we have nothing on offense. His running game is helping the passing game. I sure wish I could feel more secure about the depth.
13) Benn’s stats didn’t show it…but I think he stepped up his game. Remember, something like a 65 yard TD was wiped off by a penalty. If not for that, he would have had over a hundred yards. His hands are getting softer…really liked this outing for him.
14) Preston Parker. I still don’t like him on kick/punt returns, but man, this kid is doing great in the passing game. I don’t know why he’s even listed as a RB on the team. I think he’s the leading pass catcher.
15) Stocker had some nice moments…feel really good about his development. Something tells me in 2 years he will be one of our best players.
16) Our FB actually showed up. Good blocking and a good run or two.
17) Freeman. At no point in the game did I feel like there wasa chance we would lose the game. I suspect most Tampa fans knew we would win throughout the game.
And that’s because of Freeman. Kid is a clutch player. If we were to make it to the NFC championship game, I don’t think this team would ever choke. Love having a franchise QB!
18) Is it me, or did McCoy’s sack come after Price left the game? Something to think about. Could McCoy be sacrificing his own stats for the benefit of the rest of the line?
October 4th, 2011 at 8:05 am
Hawaiian- I noticed it in the first game. Talib didn’t play Calvin Johnson. He hasn’t played a number one WR all year. It’s been Biggers! And Biggers has player pretty well. But not a shut down guy. He would more than handle most #2s. Playing the 1’s, it’s been about a draw. They don’t kill us, but he can’t shut them down- he’s in contain mode.
I don’t know what’s wrong with Talib. While he was never a shut down corner, as many claimed, he is better than he has played in these 4 games. It’s like 2 years ago- we are giving up all these long TDs, and it’s been Talib. Usually on some 2nd WR like Pierre last night. Both those long TDs were on Talib. I think he’s hurt, and the Bucs are trying to hide it. It’s not working. Painter was targeting Talib all night. The one time Biggers and Talib had to switch off Reggie Wayne, Painter went right at Talib on Wayne- TD!
It’s gotta be a hamstring or something. I don’t think Rust would throw him off that bad. But something has definitely gone badly wrong with Talib.
I gotta say this. I’ve neen picking on them all season, But Trueblood played great last night. And Davin Joseph played his best game in years. They looked really good!! Even Faine held his own. I’m happy to say that the O-line is playing very well- and I’m very happy about it! I think Pat Morris has changed things for the better!
Quincy still hiding from RBs thought!! Why did he start again??
October 4th, 2011 at 8:23 am
14) Preston Parker. I still don’t like him on kick/punt returns, but man, this kid is doing great in the passing game. I don’t know why he’s even listed as a RB on the team. I think he’s the leading pass catcher.
Parker is wearing a wide receivers number- Anything that has him listed @ RB is a misprint.
October 4th, 2011 at 8:55 am
Pete Dutcher
Good points. I think both Colt TDs were good personally.
Basically this was a blowout. The score was close for 3 reason:
1. Garcon TD 1
2. Garcon TD 2
3. Penalties
Basically, the Bucs dominated in the trenches and the COlts got 2 big plays for scores. Niether should have happened with ebtter coverage and/or tackling.
Penalties absolutely have to be cleaned up. The Bucs lost 10 points directly because of them and WELL over 100 yards. Heck, they were starting one drive at 1st & 33. STUPID mistakes
The agressive mistakes I can live with but many were just plain stupid.
As far as Talib: He is playing the bigger of the 2 WRs the last 2 weeks (Jones and Garcon). He did not give up the one TD but was out of position for the 2nd and made a piss poor tackle effort. He needs to step his game up.
I expected rust from him coming off the injury and not seeing the field until week one, but that needs to be gone now and he needs to play better.
Lynch played better than Grimm had all year.
Graham needs to hang onto that ball.
WHY is it every game Josh is trying to get an INT in the end zone. he got lucky this time.
Mike Williams had a couple balls dropped. They need to get him involved earlier on with something other than a bubble screen.
Blount Object is the man. Who is the backup???????????????????????
LOVE the wild cat option on 4th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE the “Go fo it and put the game away” mentality on 4th and a “credit card”
Great game because alot of positives but a lot of negatives for the team to learn from.
October 4th, 2011 at 12:53 pm
I’m not so sure they slump in the first half. A friend of mine and I were talking yesterday that they needed to calm down when we watched them on the first series.
Made me think that maybe their real problem is they are young and over-exuberant when the games start. It seemed like they did not change their game plan at all between the first and second half – they just performed much better.
Makes me think it is two factors –
1) Youngry = too excited and geeked up at the start of games which leads to over pursuit, over-reaction, penalties, too high emotions, etc.
2) Sticking with the game plan and settling down in the second half leads to tiring teams out and looking much better as a result.
Thoughts?
October 4th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
Where is Thomas 2.2? Guess GMC having a good game shut him up for a week.