“No Excuses. No Explanations”
November 28th, 2011
Raheem talked about yesterday's run defense but wasn't too interested in big-picture chatter at his Monday news conference
The Bucs getting gutted and gashed in the running game yesterday, along with all things defense, were discussed at Raheem Morris’ postgame news conference today, one of the shortest of the season.
So what happened coach?
Raheem praised Chris Johnson and the Titans’ O-line, and praised his secondary in run defense in preventing further damage from Johnson’s stunning day. Raheem said his linebackers made splash plays, but they need to make more of those and do better shedding blocks. Raheem said “it all starts up front,” seemingly referring to failures of his defensive line in stopping the run.
One reporter, Joe believes it was Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune, hit Raheem with the in-your-face question of the day. “With all due respect. What has happened to your defense?” he asked.
“We gotta play better,” Raheem said. “We don’t make excuses. No excuses. No explanations.”
November 28th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
Don’t give the linebackers ANY credit. For every splash play like the Hayes INT there were 10 times they didn’t stay in their gaps or get off blocks or even just make the damn tackle.
The linebacker play has been horrible this year. I would have had a hard time choosing them or the secondary as the worst unit of this team, except the secondary has actually started covering for bad LB play lately.
So now I can say with complete confidence that the linebackers are the worst unit on this team.
November 28th, 2011 at 1:42 pm
This wall is crumbling quicker than east germany after reagan said tear down this wall.
November 28th, 2011 at 1:43 pm
Youngry – Stats Are For Losers- Ya I Said It We Are The Best Team In The Nfc – Gotta Get Back To The Lab anyone else got anymore of raheem the great quotes
November 28th, 2011 at 1:43 pm
Rah just said all we need to know. “no explanations” He’s clueless.He has no idea what in the hell to do.
November 28th, 2011 at 1:45 pm
Agree with Meh ^.
LB play outside of Foster has been terrible. I’m not sure why watson isn’t starting because the other two are soft.
Get rid of Hayes and Black and fill it with thumpers. Hayward can stay – good ST and descent backup.
Raheem can give the “No excuses, no explanations” mantra to the media, but be damn sure he has to give one to the owners.
November 28th, 2011 at 1:54 pm
Work ethic-or lack thereof. [Sorry, Joe has no way of verifying that the Bucs head coach was inebriated. It’s one thing to say you saw the coach was having cocktails. Anything more than that is a rumor Joe can’t have on this site, sorry. — Joe] Could you see Gruden or Dungy doing that? No, they would be in the film room. It all starts with the coach, the players see it, and they feed off of it. Change the leadership, and you will change the team.
November 28th, 2011 at 1:58 pm
bucfanjeff:
Watson has been hurt for quite some time. He was just now healthy enough to be active Sunday.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:00 pm
play hard, fast , consistent, smart……….Bull s..t i am sick of talk. This team needs leaders and real coaches, we have the players and talent.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:03 pm
looking more and more like a linebacker will be our first pick in the draft. Never thought i would be talking about that after week 11 of the season thought we would be better than this
November 28th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
No excuses? That’s all you do, Raheem!
Get out of town, you idiot.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:06 pm
Joe- No problem, I understand.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:07 pm
Our LB corps are all mid to late round draft picks, all of them replaceable.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:11 pm
BucFan South Tampa:
Thanks.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:12 pm
thibs, I still think our first pick will be corner. While the LB play is worse as I said above, Talib is probably facing a suspension next year and Ronde will be gone soon (maybe even next year). That leaves Biggers as our best corner. Talk about a catastrophe.
Plus there are some really, really good corners early in the draft this year.
I’m obviously not denying that we need linebackers badly too.
If I was picking I’d be targetting:
R1: Claiborne or Kirpatrick if he’s gone
R2: Travis Lewis
R3: Lamichael James
Then add some FAs for once. Dwayne Bowe, Jarrett Johnson, Carlos Rogers, and Carl Nicks would be a heck of a haul at positions of need. I doubt we could get such a big list, but we should be trying to score some of them.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:28 pm
We might consider drafting a QB in the 2nd round with a 1st round grade. This will likely happen, too; as many teams invested in a franchise QB in the 2011 draft. Also, the need is there b/c Josh Johnson will leave in FA and b/c Freeman isn’t worth a @%$&.
Freeman shouldn’t have the guarantee to be the face of this franchise.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:28 pm
I’d give Raheem another year or 2 but add a speed WR, a speed RB, 2 more LBs, and a CB.
I’d also renew Raheem’s option under a condition: bring a Defensive Coordinator and let him focus on being HC only.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:30 pm
Piss poor offensive play is on Freeman as much as it is on Olsen’s playcalling.
Someone beg to differ?
November 28th, 2011 at 2:31 pm
He should have been out of excuses afrer the loss to detroit. Excuse don’t cut it
November 28th, 2011 at 2:35 pm
Way too early to be talking about replacing Freeman. If next year looks like this year then ya, let’s talk.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
You’re right buddhaboy….every week “play hard, play fast, play smart, play consistent”. He’s got the same tired cliches every week, and so do the players “we need to execute, we know what we did wrong and will get better” then they do the same dumb penalties and mistakes the next game. I expect the Glazers to hold on to Rah for next season, but hopefully they will make him hire a DC to improve the 31st ranked defense in the NFL if he wants to save his job for one more year. If he pulls a Dungy, then help him pack his things in a box and wait for the next rainy day to send him to the parking lot.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
It’s not too early when nobody is available behind him. You’d prefer we signed a veteran. How about another QB with promise likely the same age?
November 28th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Joe,
Remember when you argued that the Rams were further along in rebuilding than the Buccaneers, despite the fact that they had been rebuilding for 2 – 3 years prior to the Morris/Dominik phase??
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/28/spagnuolo-hits-a-new-low-in-st-louis/
November 28th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
A veteran isn’t in the long term plan of this team. Another QB needs to be developed behind Freeman. Carpenter isn’t a safety net.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:46 pm
@BKNYfootballhead – agreed. I know it was rainy and wet, but for as well as we were running, not once do I recall a go route off play action – shots down the field that is. Not until we were behind and throwing at will. I will disagree with your assement of Freeman however.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:46 pm
I seriously doubt Josh Johnson is leaving anyway. He’s not going to get a starting job anywhere, and we’d probably pay as much as anyone to keep him.
It is too soon to spend a high pick on a QB imo. Too many holes, too good a chance of keeping Johnson, and too early to panic over Freeman’s crappy year.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:46 pm
“I’d give Raheem another year or 2 but add a speed WR, a speed RB, 2 more LBs, and a CB.
I’d also renew Raheem’s option under a condition: bring a Defensive Coordinator and let him focus on being HC only.”
@ Dave:
So you want to watch 1 or 2 years more of this crappy football?
Raheem is 17-26. He’s coached 43 games as HC in Tampa. Can you name ONE game where this team started strong? Nope. That’s pathetic. He’s had almost 3 seasons to prove himself. And he’s failed. Convince yourself otherwise and you’re fooling yourself.
Yes, this team was 10-6 last season but with 6 fourth quarter comebacks. Why did they have to come back? Because they did NOTHING in the first 3 quarters.
Keep Raheem as HC if he hires a DC? He can’t even coach defense! Why should he be a head coach??????
WAKE UP, PEOPLE!!!!
November 28th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
I believe some tender aged competition might help Freeman.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:49 pm
I’m not confident Johnson won’t find a job with a team with less competition for a starting QB. He’s not worth a large contract either.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:49 pm
FGO:
Joe still thinks that in that their roster has a lot more top draft picks than the Bucs, especially on defense.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:50 pm
*better competition
November 28th, 2011 at 2:51 pm
The lb’s need to be replaced and the lb coach fired. Been coaching these guys for 2 years and still couldn’t get off a block if their life depended on it. Still can’t play consistent and still no fire or football instincts. Lb’s are worst in the league by far.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:52 pm
You’re probably right about Freeman needing someone nipping at his heels, and you might be right about Johnson leaving (but I don’t think so on that one, but I could see it).
Still think it is too soon to spend a low pick considering how many holes this team has.
November 28th, 2011 at 2:56 pm
I’m not wild about it investing early either, but i’ve a good feeling QB’s will fall in the 2nd round. I see maybe only Griffin & Luck going in the 1st round.
If Freeman is @#$% next year; what’s the solution for winning in the next 4-5 years?
November 28th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
excuse, blah, blah,blah, insert dumb catch phrase, blah, excuse. There, I just held a Rah Rah presser.
November 28th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
Coming from Rah that Tony Dungy quote just doesn’t cut it.
After this debacle of a season he will have coached for 50% of the time Tony was here. Before Tony was fired after a playoff season and losing to the Eagles on the road.
The only soothing thought is the Glazer Boys have assured us that money is no object, and the opinons of the stockholders/fans is of paramount concern. Rock solid truth tellers those Glazer boys are.
November 28th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
Stick a fork in Raheem…he is DONE!
November 28th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
BKNY, you make some good arguments. I still think it is too soon considering how many starting holes we need to fill, but you’re right (again) that if this year’s Freeman is the real Freeman we’ve got a huge problem.
November 28th, 2011 at 3:26 pm
Oh and at least Barkley is going in the first as well. I actually expect a run on QBs this year, but we’ll see how it shakes out in april.
November 28th, 2011 at 3:34 pm
Anybody that thinks that Raheem is going to give up calling defensive plays and bring in an outside DC while he remains as a Head Coach is delusional. Raheem is going to be a lame duck next season. It would be fanbase suicide if the Glazers give the ok to extend his contract before the end of this season.
November 28th, 2011 at 3:44 pm
Agreed, Meh
Barkley will go in the 1st.
God forbid the Bucs draft that douchebag.
November 28th, 2011 at 4:22 pm
We went from YOUNGRY to SUCKY real quick. I have defended Raheem for a while, but between the lack of discipline, poor leadership and Gruden like excuses I hope he isn’t the coach next year (or even next game). The GM should be gone before him though.
November 28th, 2011 at 4:34 pm
One point, for all you folks still screaming for us to build through FA, just look about 1500 miles to the North and see whats going on up in Philly. “Debacle of Epic Proportions” doesn’t begin to describe whats going on up there. Reid and his entire staff are goners, there is no excuse big enough to cover that abortion. That could have been us, watch what you wish for.
November 28th, 2011 at 4:42 pm
@flmike:
And what’s even more ironic in Philly is that Reid & Co. had all that success the last decade… by building through the draft. Then, they hit free agency and it goes down the toilet.
Go figure.
All you need to do is look at the recent Super Bowl champs… they build through the draft. EXCEPT they also have good coaches. The Bucs do not.
November 28th, 2011 at 5:28 pm
A change may be in order, but I find it funny how if he says no excuses the fans bash him for not having an answer, but if he gave an answer the fans would say he is giving excuses. The only cure is winning, and it sure looks bad from this point.
November 28th, 2011 at 5:54 pm
If I listen to Deumig any longer I think Ill puke. I can’t understand the logic in defending the Bucs. The schedule is tough, Freeman is only in his 2nd full season,receivers are having a bad year, if it wasnt for penalties, the other teams are catching Freemans passes and last year they didn’t, playing against 3-4 defenses, etc etc. This guy rips Joe Maddon on a daily basis but cant be objective enough to say anything negative about Rah.Maddon gets more out of a weak lineup than any manger in baseball. Rah on the other hand can’t correct problems that are happening week in and week out. The defense can’t get any worse. We are at the bottom of the whole freakin NFL. Excuse are like stats, they are for losers.
November 28th, 2011 at 5:58 pm
Duemig doesn’t believe the b.s. he spews on rah, he is an entertainer.
Mcbuc-he says no excuses but proceeds to follow that with a list of excuses as if he doesn’t know what one is.
He uses more excuses than anyone like, assistant coaches, youth, schedule, lockout, refs, players and on and on.he is “coach excuse”
November 28th, 2011 at 6:03 pm
@Snook
Agree whole heartily, Raheem and his staff have to go, I’d keep MIllard and his asst, thats it.
Thankfully were are still early in Freeman’s and the skill guys careers where we can bring in a new OC and not really hinder their progress, as they haven’t shown any.
November 28th, 2011 at 7:02 pm
Morris: blah…blah…blah….
November 28th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
There is no playing better , we are what our talent allows. This team is playing as good as it can. We simply don’t have enough good players thanks to Dom’s crappy draft picks and lack of free agent plan.
November 28th, 2011 at 7:43 pm
@Snook
Just because the Eagles’ free agent signings failed doesn’t mean we should avoid it. That’s just ONE team! Each player is different.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:07 pm
I’ve read 98% of the comments in this article’s thread, and I’m guessing this is a reunion for all the naysayers and bandwagoners.
First…if you are not buying tickets from ticket master, you have no right to complain. I buy the freaking tickets and can’t even go to the games.
Buying off scalpers or second-hand is NOT supporting the team. It doesn’t go toward eliminating a blackout at all.
That said…
…I’m downright embarrassed that some of you call yourself Bucs fans.
Do you want to know why it is so hard to build a dominant offense in Tampa? Because the fans turn on the young players so fast they don’t have time to develop.
Look how fast you turned on GMC. Look how fast you are turning on Freeman.
When Brees hit the market, no one in Tampa wanted him because “he was washed up” and had “a blown arm”. Further evidence of what the fans in Tampa know about football.
Freeman is the man in Tampa. The Bucs WILL NOT draft a quarterback before the 5th round in any draft in the 4 years. So BKNYfootballhead, you can just get off your “I think I know everything” rock and jump down back into reality.
Cornerback will be our first pick in the draft…and likely our second as well.
Linebacker is a need…but the Bucs will not address it before the 3rd round unless they somehow get another pick in rounds 1 or 2.
What you may well see if they do not take a CB with the second pick is a RB or WR.
To fix this team…
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again…we NEED a true defensive coordinator. You people have it all mixed up. Morris is a fine Head Coach…a really good one actually.
He is not a great Defense Coordinator. Not when he can’t just focus on doing the job.
The areas he has addressed? The defensive Line? Anyone can see that it is improving. Foster at MLB is doing well, and might end up being great next year. Clayborn is a beast and it looks like Bowers is starting to come into his own. They said they were going to give him time to heal up properly, and it looks like that was a wise choice.
Williams at WR is in a slump, there is no denying that. It happens to a lot of second year players, and they go on to turn things around in year 3. He is NOT Michael Clayton.
Benn is not a bust either. He’s still developing. His 3rd year has to be better, but he has shown sparks, which is what you expect to see in year two.
The BIGGEST problem on this team is PENALTIES. That’s what cost us this last game. Overall the team played better, but then the penalties completely killed our drives in the 4th quarter. I don’t know what Morris has to do to stop the penalties. Something has to be done. I know he’s been trying different things, but nothing seems to be working.
I will say this though…the teams we play are getting away with a LOT of the same penalties we are not getting away with.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:10 pm
PS –
I know things are looking bad at the moment, but there are areas on the team that have certainly gotten better.
November 28th, 2011 at 8:23 pm
@Pete Dutcher
“but there are areas on the team that have certainly gotten better.”
Let’s see, our O-Line is very good, our running game (Blount only) is good.
Our receivers have gotten worse, Freeman has gotten worse, linebackers are horrible like they’ve always been, our secondary has been worse than expected. Greg Olsen has gotten even worse as a play caller.
And our defensive line is not improving when your rush defense is still among the worst in the league AGAIN. Again, no sacks or pass rush. Yeah they may be young and talented, but our two DT’s can’t ever stay healthy. Bowers, while talented, his knee is a major red flag and was before the draft. Clayborn…….really the only one that’s proven himself. I’m pretty confident in him, and that’s about it. I think he’ll be a great player at the very least. Albert Haynesworth looks like a very good midseason signing.
I HOPE and PRAY that our D-line gets better!!!! But when it’s been the same porous run defense and lack of pass rush for three straight years now, it’s really hard to be confident and think it’ll improve anytime soon.
November 28th, 2011 at 9:17 pm
@PD….I have season tickets….
Raheem Morris : blah…blah…blah…
the only one listening to him are the collective media…
get down off your high horse…
November 28th, 2011 at 9:32 pm
Pete your just wrong, I agree with you that Freeman is not going anywhere and I do not believe he is the problem although he definitely has regressed this year. The are several issues with this team but Head Coach is absolutely one of them. Lets see….1)Lack of effort in both the San Fran game and Texan game which I attended. Lack of effort is usually seen by a team late in the year not capable of making the playoffs and just mailing it in or a team trying to get their head coach fired. It directly reflects on the Head Coach because its up to him to motivate his people day in and day out. This year he obviously has failed miserably in motivation. He praises them when they play like trash, when they fall out of line instead of giving them tough love that a father would do he babies them (i.e. Aqib Talib). 2) Penalties this year have been killing us. Stupid penalties, undisciplined penalties and whats worse is the same players are committing the same game killing penalties and not sitting the bench or even drawing criticism from the Head Coach (i.e. Kellen Winslow) Frequent stupid penalties are not a lack of talent but a direct reflection of poor coaching and a lack of disciipline. 3) Game planning has been abysmal. The reason the Bucs never start out strong is that they are always caught off guard by the opposition and rarely have strategies with outsmart opponents out of the gate. All of theses issues the Head Coach directly effects and in Raheems case he is completely ineffective,
November 28th, 2011 at 10:10 pm
@Pete Doucher
“Freeman is the man in Tampa. The Bucs WILL NOT draft a quarterback before the 5th round in any draft in the 4 years. So BKNYfootballhead, you can just get off your “I think I know everything” rock and jump down back into reality.”
First: Why are you quoting me for something I never said? That’s a bit obtuse of you, is it not?
Second: Calm down, don’t take a fair assessment of Freeman so personal.
Third: Name me a worse Qb than Freeman in the NFL this year that’s started every game.
Last: Get back to me on the 3rd.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:37 pm
““We don’t make excuses. No excuses. No explanations.” I will remember that, when I ask for a refund for my seasons tickets.
Honestly, IMHO unless a head coaching change is made, I don’t see Tampa selling a lot of them.
November 28th, 2011 at 11:43 pm
@Apple
Tampa won’t be seeing another home game for a couple of years. Sorry, that’s just what it seems like.
November 29th, 2011 at 9:20 am
@pete dutcher- “Morris is a fine Head Coach…a really good one actually.”
If Raheem is such a good head coach, why is it that he cannot coach his supposed Defense, or DB’s above 31st in the NFL? While we all know he does not have the experience to be HC, what make you think that he is “a really good one”? Besides hanging out with his players, what makes Raheem a HC? Have you seen ‘any’ evidence of his “developing” or actually ‘training” these kids at their positions? By bringing in a real DC all the Bucs would be doing is hiding the real problem. And that is that Raheem Morris is nother more than an amateur playing at being a Head Coach. Show me Raheem’s defensive schemes. Show us ignorant fans evidence of his Mid Game or Half time adjustments. Raheem rode the back of Olsen & Freeman’s success last year against the bottom dwellers of the NFL, but the better teams were ready for them this year. So what has Morris shown us to make you say he is a Good Coach? He needs to go, period! And you need to lay off the kool-aid.