Thank You, Ron Rivera
January 1st, 2017
Wise man
Joe is not being sarcastic or trying to be a smart aleck in any way here.
The leader of the Stinking Panthers made one of the smartest moves Joe has seen in weeks. When Kelvin Benjamin caught a five-yard pass from pouty Cam Newton with 17 seconds left to cut the Bucs’ lead to 17-16, there was dread throughout the Den of Depression. More so than usual.
Not only did it appear the Bucs may have victory snatched from their hands, but this dreaded game was going to overtime.
Props to Riverboat Ron. Instead of tying the game, all but sending it to overtime, he went for the win on a two-point conversion. Tight end Greg Olsen slipped on the goal line and Newton’s would-be-winning touchdown fell incomplete.
Thank you, Ron.
By the time Carolina attempted the two-pointer, it was already established that the Bucs’ playoff dreams had died. There is nothing worse than going to overtime in the final game of the season and subjecting players to more punishment and wear and tear than needed.
Go for the win and get out of here. Let the chips fall where they may. If you lose, hey, you indirectly helped yourself in the long run with a better draft slot.
“We didn’t come to do anything but win,” Rivera said after the game.
Smart move coach. Very smart move. Thank you.
January 1st, 2017 at 6:20 pm
Agree completely. I knew Rivera was going to decide the game then and there.
As you suggest Joe no need to see how much more damage could be done to Cam’s already beaten body.
In addition we got lucky. Given the TD completion..the momentum the Panthers had..I thought going for two probably was less risky than letting Gano try an extra point. 9 times out of ten the Panthers get the two there.
January 1st, 2017 at 6:21 pm
It will be nice when Bucs’ can beat teams instead of other teams beating themselves. Defense once again folded and couldn’t come up with a stop.
January 1st, 2017 at 6:27 pm
Well wasn’t it apparent that Ron just wanted the Panther’s awful season to come to an end????
Cam didn’t look interested in player…….you can tell my his emotions on the field.
Next year, if Ron corrects the errors…..the Panthers will be a dominant force again in the NFL………watch out NFC SOUTH!!!!!
January 1st, 2017 at 6:31 pm
I just want to say…beating the Panthers this year has been such an uplifting experience. For years they have owned us.
True, they’ve had a down year…but we’re on the verge of a breakout year next year. It won’t matter if they return to form.
January 1st, 2017 at 6:33 pm
The defense carried this team all year so quit complaining about them
January 1st, 2017 at 6:34 pm
No Surprise Says
“It will be nice when Bucs’ can beat teams instead of other teams beating themselves. ”
What the hell is wrong with Tampa fans????!!!!!
This team fought tooth and nail for every win this year. They never gave up, even when decimated by injuries.
Fans like you need to go root for teams like the Browns. Tampa needs fans that recognize effort.
This team won games. Maybe not soundly, but they won, and it wasn’t always because teams beat themselves. It was because this team never quit.
January 1st, 2017 at 6:35 pm
I beg to differ about the Panthers. They played to win, they just made a lot of mistakes and could not get it done. I don’t believe they quit.
January 1st, 2017 at 6:37 pm
Bucs had one of the hardest schedules in the NFL this year, maybe the hardest…and they still pulled out a winning season. It wasn’t luck. It wasn’t because teams beat themselves. It was because the Bucs did not beat themselves for once.
January 1st, 2017 at 6:43 pm
Nobody on the field or in the stands wanted overtime. Going for 2 is what we all would have done. Win or lose, ust get off the field and start thinking about the next season.
January 1st, 2017 at 6:46 pm
Well said, BB.
January 1st, 2017 at 6:57 pm
If they went to OT then Winston would have had a chance to break Luck’s record for most passing yards after two season – I think Winston was what, 45 yards short or so? Evans getting an OT game winner would also have helped a lot of people in the 2nd round of the two round finals in ESPN FF… Just saying not everyone is happy with Ron.
January 1st, 2017 at 7:19 pm
I agree well said BB
Allmost all of Bucs best players are not just young but very young and the Bucs have the most cap space in the NFL.
This team needs to go all in during this offseason
Go after
Dantari Poe
Alshon Jeffrey
Kenny Stills
Kenny Britt
JPP
Steven Gilmore
Calais Campbell
Jamie Collins
Ronald Leary
January 1st, 2017 at 7:48 pm
4 turnovers and we won by 1 point? Offense needs to do a better job of converting.
January 1st, 2017 at 7:58 pm
The Bucs went out today an turned in a terrible offense performance but won, because of the defense. And we have defeatists like Buc Bonzai say the Panthers beat themselves. Who sacked Cam? Who did INT on the passes three times? Who stuffed Jon Stewart? Was the same Russians who won the election by hurting Hillary? The Bucs won ugly today. It’s how they got the Super Bowl. Stop between support systems for feminine products and be a fan…for a change.
January 1st, 2017 at 8:17 pm
Give me a break.. Olsen doesn’t slip on that $hitty field that in the good ol’ days used to be the best in the NFL we are most likely singing a different tune. All this win did was drop us all the way to the 20th pick. All you Dalvin Cook fans can wave goodbye to him.
January 1st, 2017 at 8:19 pm
Panthers were 15-1, won the division, and were the 2nd best team in the NFL last season. Cupcakes, they ain’t!! Ron Rivera is an excellent veteran HC and a fierce competitor, and his team reflects it. Here are the Bucs with their rookie HC, a fierce dose (again) of Buc Luck aka the Walking Wounded, and all these young guys, UDFAs and guys who were playing hotel lounges suiting up. I don’t know about the rest of you, but THIS Bucs fan is very proud of 9-7. Tampa Bay ended up with one of the hardest schedules of the 32 teams, has been the bottom feeder the last few years, but DK and FameisJ did not quit!! And neither did the rest of the team. It’s a great day to be a Bucs fan and proudly write: GO MIGHTY BUCS IN 2017!!
January 1st, 2017 at 9:07 pm
Live ole Riverboat Ron!! HE decided we either win it here or lose. HE could have played it safe and tied the game possibly sending it into OT. But he went for it. We did get lucky Olsen fell. Because Cam was on target. 9-7 is better
than many of us imagined. Lets bring in some power on the O line and another receiver next year. And pay easy Sweezy off. He’s never going to rehab with that bad back. Send him to the..stud farm. Get well Doug Martin. Come back next yr and show us why you are a great running back.
January 1st, 2017 at 10:05 pm
Agreed, Ron is a class act, cant wait to pound the saint the coming seasons, they will be at the bottom for a long time.
January 1st, 2017 at 11:32 pm
EA..I thought he was a class act until I read what he said about the cheap shot from Davis on Shep..