No Excuses From Joe Vitt
December 13th, 2012
Saints interim coach Joe Vitt suggests his team look to the Bucs as a model team that has adjusted in the face of adversity.
Even with all the drama of bountygate, which bored Joe about three hours after the furor started last offseason, Joe was certain the Saints would make a run at the Super Bowl.
With all the weapons Drew Brees has, how could they not be a contender? Well, they have become a has-been, out of the playoffs even as December approached.
Saints interim coach Joe Vitt won’t put up with any excuse-making for his Saints and gave the Tampa Bay pen and mic club an earful yesterday when it was suggested all the bountygate nonsense doomed the club.
Vitt went on a wonderful rant and invoked the Bucs as a standard for his team to look up to in adversity.
“You are right; I’m not going to make excuses. We have to play the hand we are dealt. We have known since April exactly what the hand is, hey listen, we had a tough offseason. Drew’s not in training camp, Sean is not here. The early suspension of myself and Mickey [Loomis], it was one of those years.
“You guys know this as much as I do; you have been around a while. If you lean on excuses for failure, you are not long for this league. This league is what you have done for me lately. The fact of the matter is we are not protecting the ball like we need to protect the ball. We are not taking away big plays on defense like we need to take big plays away on defense right now.
“Instead of worrying about the things that you can’t control, you better start worrying about the things you can control and you better protect the football and better stop giving up big plays on defense. And we better start doing a better job on our coverage units. At the end of the day, listen, these excuses will not come into effect but we will be held accountable. No one is getting a mulligan around here including myself. I have to do a better job and I will be held accountable.
“Hey, we are getting ready to play an improved football team this week in Tampa Bay. They run the ball well. They play great run defense. They are doing a great job of protecting their young quarterback. Nobody is giving Tampa Bay a mulligan for losing a couple of starters on their offensive line. Listen, it is what it is.”
The way Joe sees this game, the Bucs must run the ball at the Saints. Given the Saints less than stout rush defense, this is tailor-made for a big game from the Muscle Hamster. Huge day.
And when the Bucs run the ball, that means Drew Brees isn’t slicing up the Bucs’ embattled secondary.
December 13th, 2012 at 4:23 pm
I wonder why he didn’t compliment our secondary.
December 13th, 2012 at 4:27 pm
“Drew’s not in training camp, Sean is not here. The early suspension of myself and Mickey [Loomis], it was one of those years.”
lmao I don’t think the bounty scandal should be considered just “one of those years”.
December 13th, 2012 at 4:31 pm
@hawaiian – thinking the same exact thing. I mean, they’re so stellar it’s like a slap in the face.
If the Saints don’t come out throwing all game, I’ll be shocked.
December 13th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
Division games are such a crap shoot. It wouldn’t surprise me if Martin didn’t have a big day.
December 13th, 2012 at 4:42 pm
Yeah I think the one person guaranteed to have a great day is drew breese. Honesty can we get to the off season and sign and draft some stellar CBs and get everyone healthy. If we can do that and keep doing what we have done well this year next year will be stellar.
December 13th, 2012 at 4:57 pm
The Bucs future is very bright.. consider how many key players we have lost to injury this year. I hope they are working hard at getting back to full strength, get those studs back then IMO sign the best CB in free agency then draft the best available CB with our first round pick, maybe Dominik will really like one of them and make a trade to move up. Even though we are not eliminated from the playoffs we have to beat the saints, rams, falcons and get help from other teams, very unlikely. Looking forward to next seasons
December 13th, 2012 at 6:36 pm
This guy should not try to operate heavy machinery.
The Saints have good backs and will run the ball at least 20 times.
There isn’t one thing I like about the Saints’ organization. They all lie so well, they have redefined much of the English language. Don’t believe anything the film showed during the Williams’ era. The late hits on Farve and his black and blue body from head to toe is a figment of your imagination.
Kareem Huggins having his career ended by them was purely coincidence.
I don’t care if we lose by 50 points but I relish the thought of seeing Drew Bree’s rolling around on his back writhing in pain.
It’s time for payback. I hate the Saints and everything those cheaters stand for.
They Suck. There will be blood
December 13th, 2012 at 8:21 pm
Actually Joe I would LOVE to see heavy doses of LeGarret Blount in the second half.
December 13th, 2012 at 9:23 pm
Have we ever sacked brees?..Its hard to remember they come so far and few. For once can I see the defense pressure drew ALL GAME..He just tap dance in the pocket and carve us up like a turkey in the hood.lol. We should be prepared for all of the quick throw, 3 step drops & drag routes. Colston/Lance Moore in the slot, now stop that shhh coaches!
December 13th, 2012 at 9:42 pm
Bree’s is about 4′-9″ tall and hopefully the linemen can get their hands up, a very unusual concept for them.
December 13th, 2012 at 10:41 pm
I’m watching the Beagles vs Bengals and it hit me! If the Bucs wasn’t so into team captains or character guys our secondary could’ve been stellar. Does the rockstar have something against veterans?
Imagine this..
San fran- release Nate Clements did we even work him out? I doubt it!
San fran- release Taylor Mays who has 4.3 speed did we work him out? I doubt it!
Dallas-release Newman another vet.
We sign eric wright haha..not to mention Laron Laundry he could’ve got double moved on like barron all season. He also could’ve showed barron how to play safety or allowed us to draft a corner. The tandem of Laundry and Barron is scary. Better then ronde getting tossed around on the run plays!
Pacman has got his act together plus he returns punts.
The undrafted rookie LB for the bengals is playing better then our back ups.
My point, all those players could have been added to the secondary for a low price.
Cheap contracts to add depth..
All those DBs are better then any db we have had in years. So fans we would never have a secondary problem if we knew what talent looked like defensively. Who’s to blame huh?
December 13th, 2012 at 11:25 pm
Talib started his first year, and that same year all the big plays happen on either…Ronde Mack..biggers was hurt. Every year since then its been Biggers Lewis & all the other db’s. Talib stood out when he had real safety help like Jones.. The dictator got rid of him and our fb. He blocking for Green Ellis his name is Pressely..Cody Johnson & Preston would habe help up this year.
The rockstar need to ask Harbaugh how to be a GM or whoever is responsible for getting:
Moss-Jacobs-Manningham signed to a one year contract. If the Bucs do that pick up Dallas Clark & Plaxico. We had teachers for all our kids on offense. We would have the same attack we have now with vjax with Moss/Plax. Jacobs can show blount how to hit holes. We run the Giants stuff anyway! Think about it fans Sully got us looking like the lil giamt like Gru made us the lil raiders..Remember Tim Brown, Dudely&Gardner!
Just a thought don’t stake me in the heart.
December 14th, 2012 at 12:13 am
Pressley is not any better than Lorig.
December 14th, 2012 at 12:55 am
Lorig is a dlinemen converted & Pressley is a fullback. Cody was a tailback with fullback potential.
December 14th, 2012 at 12:55 am
Again, Pressely is not any better than Lorig.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:29 pm
What struck me about the Eggles’ game last night was them getting called for holding and illegal blocks left and right, yet they I don’t think they got called for it once against the Bucs. There is a double standard with Officials calling Bucs’ games. All refs suck big green ones.