Bucs Defense Opened With Three 3-And-Outs
August 18th, 2012
Now the Bucs’ defense played sloppy ball last night. “Extremely sloppy” was how Eric Wright described the Bucs’ defensive peformance after the game to Joe.
But as Joe steps away from the game a bit, Joe sees a silver lining in that the first-team Bucs defense had three 3-and-outs in their first three series.
First, Michael Bennett and Adrian Clayborn stuffed Chris Johnson for no gain up the gut on 3rd-and-1. Then Ahmad Black had his big interception. And on the third series, Jake Locker threw on first down, which was defended well by Aqib Talib, and the Bucs got off the field after a five-yard run and another incompletion.
“We had three, 3-and-outs early, which is excellent. That’s hard to do in this league,” Wright said. “We felt pretty good, but they got a long drive on us and that type of stuff happens. We’ve got to clean up our mistakes and make sure it doesn’t happen that often.”
Yeah, Locker hadn’t started a game since college, but at least that sharp start to the defense is something to hold on to after a 30-7 drubbing.
August 18th, 2012 at 3:31 am
The Bucs first team defense looked very solid, they would have put up a shutout in my opinon had it not been for that pathetic pass interference call. I’m seriously not worried one bit after this game; afterall, it is the preseason and Schiano himself said it’s all about evaluation and experimentation. The team does not gameplan for these peaseason games. Green Bay is a perfect example, they got annihilated by the Browns and they are now 0-2 on the preseason, does that mean they are a bad team? Take it with a grain of salt, Bucs fans.
August 18th, 2012 at 3:56 am
The Saints got pasted by the Jaguars starters as well. Not saying we should be happy, but the sky is not falling because we played like doo doo in the preseason. Compared to half our games last year, we played wonderful.
August 18th, 2012 at 6:14 am
Umm I’m pretty sure the team does gameplan during preseason games. Its practice for everyone, including the coaching staff.
Does anyone know if our D had three 3 n outs in a row all last year?
August 18th, 2012 at 7:43 am
@Espo no the Bucs did not gameplan for this game. Schiano says he doesn’t wasn’t to because he wants to use the pre season as a evaluation period of all ..i believe we will see no gameplaning at all this pre season..
August 18th, 2012 at 7:47 am
@espo…. Do you know what gameplan means??? No…NO…they do NOT gameplan for preseason games. Cheez…..
August 18th, 2012 at 8:24 am
Schiano has already stated they do not gameplan for these pre-season games. It’s all about evaluation. The schemes are vanilla so the players will be able to play and not have to think to much.
August 18th, 2012 at 8:46 am
The problem is not our 1st team or our starters – it’s the lack of depth. There is a sharp drop-off when the 2nd or 3rd team comes in. Nicks and Joseph were pulled after the first 15 plays, the O-Line struggled after that. Zuttah and Trueblood took a beating. No need to explain what happened to our 2nd team defense, but in their defense (no pun intended), the Titans played their 1st team for most of the 1st half.
August 18th, 2012 at 9:32 am
I am sure you fanatics attribute this all to the “invisible disruption” but no big plays from Gerald!
August 18th, 2012 at 9:43 am
I’m sure you, Thomas, contribute the horrible run defense to the Raheem Hangover Effect. Get over it, he’s gone, this team belongs to Schiano, and if they get their butts whooped, it’s not Rah’s fault anymore.
August 18th, 2012 at 10:35 am
I didn’t get to see the game, did Mark Barron play?
August 18th, 2012 at 10:57 am
So………..THIS is what we here in the Tampa Bay Area refer to as “Imposing Our Will” on our opponents? I’m afraid once again, we’re staring 4-12 in the face, or as some pundits have suggested…….even worse than that! I see very little positive to take away from this, other than Doug Martin, and he’ll be worn out behind this offensive line “IMPOSING IT’S WILL” by week 8!
August 18th, 2012 at 11:04 am
Panicky Bucs fans make me laugh. Like a bunch of hens all stirred up and clucking away with fear. Go away.
August 18th, 2012 at 11:06 am
As for Thomas 2.2, it’s impossible to take him seriously as a fan since all he does is set up straw men and knock them down. He’s like a carnival sideshow…amusing at times but weird and disturbing at the same time.
August 18th, 2012 at 11:12 am
FlBoy, Who the **** is panicking? I read here after last weeks game how our offensive line will be “IMPOSING THEIR WILL” on opposing defenses. I’m simply saying………REALLY? Funny how it sure looked like the old knife through butter play of last season. On BOTH sides of the ball. You disagree?
August 18th, 2012 at 11:19 am
It is just a preseason game guys. It is all about evaluation and getting the kinks out. It will get better, calm down.
August 18th, 2012 at 11:20 am
@jb
Plenty of “fans” are panicking. It’s in the nature of Bucs fans to do so, unfortunately, which reveals what an immature fan base we really have compared to other cities with stronger more knowledgeable fan bases who know it takes patience to build something the right way.
As for “imposing their will”, that’s a goal they are driving towards. It’s NOT a promise of something having already been completed by the second preseason game. It you can’t see that I can’t help you.
August 18th, 2012 at 11:41 am
FlBoy, I believe fans were expecting at least something a little more like a REAL football team than what we saw last night! I’ve been going to see the BUCS for 36 seasons, and realize an undertaking such as this takes time, but after all the offseason moves, I along with most BUC fans thought the embarrassment of last season was nothing more than history. Unless last night was a complete mirage, I can see just how BAD this team was and that it may take another 4 or 5 seasons just to get back to a .500 ballclub! I hope like hell I’m wrong, but at this point, all my enthusiasm of the new regime flew right out the window, with me wondering WHO in Hell let Raheem Morris back in Raymond James Stadium? Last night was another reminder of just how BAD this team can look! There are NO MORE excuses! Morris is gone! I’m too ******* old to have to witness another season like last season!
August 18th, 2012 at 11:47 am
But I saw McCoy have a tackle for a loss and a QB knock down that caused an incomplete. He also reset the line of scrimmage repeatedly.
August 18th, 2012 at 11:48 am
@jb….of course you’re panicking or you wouldn’t have made that post. It is preseason. If they play like that consistently over 4 quarters in the regular season then I’d be concerned but I’m not concerned over anything that happens in 1 quarter with our 1st string since we can wear a team down over 4 quarters and start to get the running game going. We saw it in 2010 with Blount and I’m sure we’ll see it this year with Doug Martin helping.
Having said that, I am a little concerned with depth but not as concerned as a lot of people. You have to remember that when we run preseason we substitute the entire defense and offense. When someone goes down in the regular season it’s one person not the entire team. It wasn’t a good performance but I’m sure it will be addressed and once we start game planning it will give us a little bit of an advantage since we will be trying to exploit weaknesses. Not a lot of tape for other teams to watch on us since we’re running plain vanilla in pre-season. We’ll see how it pans out but I saw the Panthers look like we did last week and this week they looked much better. It’s only one game.
August 18th, 2012 at 11:50 am
@JB
All you need do is look at Macabee’s post above. When our 1s were facing there 1s we looked fine. The only other to be gleaned from last night’s game was that the Titans future beer truck drivers and insurance salesmen are better than our future beer truck drivers and insurance salesmen.
August 18th, 2012 at 11:51 am
Most of what you’re talking about happened with the Titans first team playing against our backups. Our first team defense on the other hand actually did well, forcing three-and-outs on three consecutive drives and also getting an INT to set up our only TD. McCoy, Barron, David, Talib and Wright looked great and most of the other defensive starters looked decent.
Our OL looked inadequate, yes, but I believe they’ll shore that up by the start of the regular season. The Titans have a very effective front four and the secondary was dropping into zone coverage on every single play, taking away the middle and deep passes and getting pressure with their front four. It’s exactly the way the Bucs of old played. If our OL can up their play, which I believe they will, then that sort of defense will be ineffective against us.
Not sure you’re reasoning clearly here, which sort of confirms the point I was making above. If you’re ready to hang up your hat after the second preseason game then nothing reasonable will change your mind.
August 18th, 2012 at 11:56 am
I see what you all are saying, I guess I need to be talked down a bit! I just feel like crap imagining we have to witness another season of the GARBAGE we witnessed last season!
August 18th, 2012 at 12:48 pm
jb , I can certainly understand how you feel . I of course would have liked to seen our reserves play better even against their starters. Our starters only lasted a few series and their firsts to the half.
Coach DID have a plan. You have to know by now how detailed and organized he is. He stated several times the game was scripted in as WHO was going to play when and for what reason. I noticed the frequent rotations. Like Blount coming back in with the 2nd & 3rds and unfortunately, getting hurt.
My hope is that they DO get it right and choose the right 53.
August 18th, 2012 at 7:17 pm
Did anyone notice that the first players to be taken out were our 2 all pro guards? That’s why they were able to get to freeman. And you seem to be forgetting that our pro bowl left tackle hasn’t played a single snap. Take a second and breathe
August 18th, 2012 at 8:57 pm
JB and Thomas – you guys are seriously the most annoying a$$ho#es i’ve ever came into discussion with. Seriously, you two ruin this website. I used to enjoy these discussions, but you two simply just complain and whine because you have nothing better to do. This team has come a long way, without question and will get better every day. I’m an honest fan and the day Vincent Jackson was signed I knew this team was ready to turn it around. 2010’s 10-6 record was fluky, but Freeman’s play was not. The guy’s a stud and is still developing. Polian even said, Peyton was the same pic-friendly quarterback this far into his career. This team is growing, and it’s obvious. McCoy has looked solid all preaseason and camp. I liked what i saw last week, this week only our first team defense shined. Big deal, we’ll be fine this year and anyone who believes we’re going 4-12 is moronic and needs to find a new site to trash their OWN team. My god, let us real Buc fans and non-mentally-challenged fans enjoy the fact that this team is on the rise. And i don’t wanna hear “did you see last night’s game? We were awful.” ITS PREASEASON – if McCoy makes a pro bowl and lollygags during it like everyone else are you gonna complain about that, too?. Also Mark Barron’s a star in the making.
August 18th, 2012 at 11:32 pm
whoa there broy…
there seems to be plenty of trolls and haters here.
have you not met miquel pequeno, architek, nor bucrealist yet? we like to call them our hen peckers club with thomas as the head pecker. 😉
August 19th, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Bobby, sensible and Flboy very well said.
JB we may go 4 – 12 but I believe it will be a better product than last year. It will probably take a year or two for this to turn around. I believe we are headed in the right direction.
From the draft alone, no more 2 players in consecutive rounds to get 1 player. We know the GMC / BP b2b picks didn’t work. So far we don’t know how the Clayborn / Bowers and the Benn / Williams picks are going to work out. I know Dom did skip a round between Benn and Williams.