Bucs On A Super Bowl Push?
November 26th, 2012
In one of the rare times Matty Ice felt the breath of a Bucs defender, it came from a blitzing corner. The Bucs must have better results from the defensive line for any postseason dreams to come true.
The Bucs are in a battle for their playoff lives after giving a game away yesterday to the Dixie Chicks. Joe wondered if Bucs coach Greg Schiano did his best Dennis Green impersonation inside the walls of the Bucs locker room prior to the doors being flung open for the pen and mic club?
Well, this morning, college football-ignorant, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, beer-chugging Peter King of Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports fame, seemed to have conflicting thoughts in his must-read “Monday Morning Quarterback.”
In one element of his column, King believes the Bucs will be squeezed out of a Wild Card berth by the Packers and Redskins, and on the very same page he writes how he senses the Bucs are on the cusp of beginning a roll that may just end in New Orleans in February as he ranked the Bucs the ninth-best team in the NFL.
9. Tampa Bay (6-5). The more I see the Bucs, the more I think they might do what the Giants of 2007 or 2011 did — get hot late and get on a January run that could take them very far. Not saying I think this will happen. Just saying it wouldn’t surprise me if the Bucs were the NFC’s sixth seed and made some big noise.
Joe sort of gets where King is coming from, but there’s a big difference.
Sure, in recent history, teams have gone to the Super Bowl with woeful secondaries. While the Bucs are average to solid with safeties (Mark Barron still struggles in pass defense and Ronde Barber is playing at a Pro Bowl-level in his first year as a safety), without Eric Wright the cornerback position is frightful (though E.J. Biggers may have had his best game yesterday).
Also, said teams which have gone far in the postseason with weak secondaries usually had a scary front line. The Bucs do not have that. There were only a few times yesterday where Matty Ice, not fleet of foot, heard footsteps from the Bucs and one of those few times those footsteps came from a blitzing corner (Biggers).
That’s borderline unacceptable.
If the Bucs are going to make a postseason run to the French Quarter, the Bucs’ defensive line is going to have to transform, and transform in a hurry.
There’s just no way to believe the Bucs will make a January run for the ages if the defensive line lets the Bucs’ depleted corners hang out to dry like yesterday.
November 26th, 2012 at 3:12 pm
I can see it. Next week, if Bucs beat Denver and Chicago beats Seattle, Bucs are the 6th seed. WOuld be awesome just to say we were in position at least once.
On another note, Myron Lewis did not play a snap yesterday. How is he still on the team? Isn’t there someone, anyone else that has more value to the team over him?
November 26th, 2012 at 3:17 pm
Day:
Joe finds it amusing that a guy with a name of a gynaecologist who nobody heard of before is getting more playing time than Myron Lewis.
Since Myron Lewis is clearly on the very lowest rung of the roster, no need to sweat why he is on the roster or not playing. Just be thankful he hasn’t seen the field in a few weeks.
November 26th, 2012 at 3:18 pm
One part of me asks why cant the bucs do it, even with the holes we have? Too many mistakes finding who we are THIS season but ever since the beginning of this season Ive had a thought that stuck with me: Next year is our year. With the returning starters and whatwill be a very deep depth chart I will expect nothing less thsn being at the top of thedivision and a long playoff run. One thing the Bucs have that a lot of winnrrs in this league don’t is TIME. Were gonnabe round for a while. But who knows, this yr would be nicetoo……
November 26th, 2012 at 3:19 pm
I am indeed thankful for that.
It just seems that his roster spot could be better filled. But, you are right. No need to sweat it.
November 26th, 2012 at 3:25 pm
Day:
LOL With what, a fire hydrant? Mark Dominik is already pulling in short-line cooks to play corner. There’s no magic bullet out there. The secondary is what it is through the end of the season. For better or for worse.
November 26th, 2012 at 3:36 pm
I hate hearing that we are not ready to make it to make a push for the playoffs just because we lost a close game to a division leading team. The Saints got handled by the 49ers with a QB who has only two career starts and the Seahawks loss to the Dolphins but we these sports networks are still praising them and talking about how they are ready. I believe we are ready now. I know that we need better corners and pass rushers but offensively we are pretty sound. And although we might be last in yards given up we are like third in interceptions.
I hope we make it to the playoffs this year just to show everyone we are a very good and capable team. Go Bucs!!
November 26th, 2012 at 4:02 pm
Any coach in this league that rushes 2 or 3 DL’s in today’s game should be fired. Even a mediocre QB can complete a pass under those circumstances. On critical 3 downs yesterday that’s what the Buc’s did, giving Matty Ice all the time he wanted to throw a ball between two defenders. Wow, great defensive call there coach!
November 26th, 2012 at 4:08 pm
If u look at the remainder of the schedule for the Saints its brutal..The Seahawks got beat by the Dolphins..The Vikings have 4 division games left..We could slip in but we have to WIN OUT! Have all these sport guy’s realized the Bucs has went toe 2 toe with most the of playoff hunters.
November 26th, 2012 at 4:28 pm
Biggers played surprisingly well. The rest of the corners could be replaced by scarecrows for all I care.
November 26th, 2012 at 4:36 pm
I’d be all for it …. but…… not a chance. They need Clayborn back and another pass rusher. They need CB’s and more CB’s.
When that happens and they get a pass rush… THEN they are a SB team.
(plus the O-Line will be even better next year as will the entire offense being a year into Sullivan’s scheme).
November 26th, 2012 at 4:49 pm
@Joe – With another position. Clearly he isn’t good enough to play CB so why bother using him as a back up if he is never gonna see the field? Just get someone else at a different position.
November 26th, 2012 at 4:54 pm
Notice how clean Ryan’s uniform was after the game? Not good
November 26th, 2012 at 4:59 pm
Packers went 15-1 with the worst defense and worst secondary in the NFL last season. Patriots were second worst for both and they went to the SB.
November 26th, 2012 at 6:10 pm
Day:
Breathe! 🙂 The Bucs are not going to make/lose out on the playoffs because of the worst guy on the roster. And replacing Myron Lewis in the final days of November isn’t going to amount to a hill of beans, positive or negative.
Perhaps — perhaps! — Lewis is decent on special teams? Joe agrees a lawn chair can play better defense but there’s no use in wringing your hands over Myron Lewis right now. He’s not seeing the field — that’s a good thing.
If it makes you rest easier, Anthony Gaitor is scheduled to be activated from the IR shortly. That’s about as close to a magic bullet to fix the secondary as there will be until the offseason.
November 26th, 2012 at 6:15 pm
Danny:
Yeah, and Joe has clothes in his closet that match the colors worn by Bucs cheerleaders but that doesn’t mean Joe is Rachel Watson.
The Packers and Patriots have two Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Joe thinks it would be premature to suggest Josh Freeman is Canton-bound thus far.
November 26th, 2012 at 8:38 pm
People around here don’t like Super Bowl runs. Only causes arguments as to who was responsible.
Winning the Division is also frowned upon.
On the other hand, surprising everyone and running slightly above the middle of the pack is euphoric.
November 26th, 2012 at 9:30 pm
Superbowl?!? Are we really talking about the Bucs going to the Superbowl? We had a 10 game losing streak last year and start 1-3 this year. I am just so happy we are competitive in the 4th quarter now. To be even in the conversation of the playoffs at stage of the development is awesome. Super bowl teams are not made in one season, but IMO the Bucs are heading in the right direction.
November 26th, 2012 at 9:32 pm
I have never been a fan of Biggers. He’s been burned on too many plays and opposing defenses like to pick on him for that reason. However, yesterday I must say, he had a good game. The sack was probably the best play I ve ever seen him make. It killed me to have to say that. Who knows, maybe he’s turned the corner.
November 27th, 2012 at 1:37 am
5 games lost by a total of 23 points. 6 won by a total of 79 points. Buccaneers, if Peter King is right, we have to consider it is not enough that Freeman doesn’t commit mistakes. It is necessary that he has more TDs thrown. With Martin’s fearsome presence, and two wide receivers, Josh has it easy, I think he has to risk the ball a little bit more. I mean, if they are kicking FGs from inside the 10, they might as well not leave all the work to Martin there. What’s Clark there for? Underwood? I mean… this is gonna sound crazy now, but is it Blount they are looking for?