“He Is Not Going To Make It”

November 24th, 2017

Four Bucs are out Sunday. One absence could make a difference.

There may just be a silver lining in the bad news the Buccaneers got today.

Think about it. The Tampa Bay edge rush (what edge rush?) is anchored by Robert Ayers, the 32-year-old who isn’t having a great year.

Well, the Bucs announced today that Ayers won’t clear the NFL concussion protocol and can’t play Sunday in Atlanta.

That means everyone in the stadium should have little hope for the Bucs’ pass rush against a stout offensive line. Therefore, it’s likely defensive coordinator Mike Smith blitzes more and takes more chances. And Joe thinks that’s a great thing. Smith has been too conservative for Joe’s taste — and it hasn’t been working that well.

Let the dogs loose on Matt Ryan. The Bucs surely will need a couple of turnovers to derail the Falcons on the road.

Joe is fine with getting burned a couple of times, if it happens. It’s worth the gamble — and it’s less of a gamble than little or no rush whatsoever.

Also declared out are Evan Smith (concussion), Vernon Hargreaves (hamstring) and America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston (shoulder).

19 Responses to ““He Is Not Going To Make It””

  1. Roy T. Buford Says:

    If it takes a concussion and non-clearance for a professional coach to do the obvious, something we ALL see, even my 90 year old mom, that’s not a silver lining. It is stubborn arrogance against the clear solution…

    I may have missed it, but why the he11 doesn’t someone hit Smitty with this question point blank? Don’t get me wrong…I like the guy…but am baffled about what he’s done this year.

  2. not there yet Says:

    Lol really Joe!!! What kind of logic is that? They don’t blitz as much because it doesn’t help. This only assured they’ll get beat by 30 points. It’s like saying the bucs are better without Mike Evans because they can spread the ball around more.

  3. Lamarcus Says:

    Ur right Joe

    They have no pressure while dropping 7 guys in coverge and still have huge holes in the zone. I’m shock to see we use the Mustang and some 4 2 5 without blitzing a db.

    Idk if that’s even in the season installments to get pressure. I mean msmith can’t draw up plays on the fly in the press box. If he does how does this info gets to the mike? By fax? Or text? So this tell me this is who we are.

  4. StPeteBucsFan Says:

    Agree Joe. Bring it. Yes it’s a gamble but no real choice.

    If we gamble with blitzes it means our DB’s are going to be on an island…on their own…let’s hope Ryan Smith is ready to ball out, I know Grimes is!!!! His second former team in two weeks!

    I hope our safeties come to play as well and the dang TE doesn’t go nucking futs on us.

  5. BucEmUp Says:

    It’s worth the gamble. Been saying this crap for years so much I get dizzy and vomit just thinking about it. Blitz more, play tighter coverage on the line….you may get burned a couple times but you won’t lose time of possession and get burned on 3rd and long all day.

    I said two weeks ago Mike Smith would go back to his old ways against Miami….he played his guys aggressively the entire game against the Jets, and after one half against the dolphins he practically served the dolphins a win on a silver platter.

    Mike Smith sucks, he’s never been a good DC (Jacksonville doesn’t count it was all influenced by the HC) and in Atlanta he couldn’t save his own job by stepping in a changing the defense on a team that had a top scoring offense year in year out and all he had to do was make it better than below average to get over the hump. When Smith was HC in Atlanta the Bucs and the Falcons had the worst secondaries in the league.

    I feel bad for anyone who expected good results from this guy. It was never going to happen and I highly doubt it will. He is stubborn and stuck in his ways .

    Lovie Smith 2.0. Falcons win with a ridiculous 40:00 – 20:00 time of possession and win by three scores. (More if they don’t let us come back in garbage time. )

    Fire Mike Smith

  6. Lou. Says:

    @

  7. StPeteBucsFan Says:

    Off topic but Gator Fans I’ve just witnessed your future. SCOTT FROST!!!

    The game is far from over and USF is playing tough…they have Quinton Flowers who deserves a long look at QB from the NFL…but man Frost’s offense is just what the Gators need!!! And does he have the freaking credentials.

    Turn a sorry UCF program from winless to undefeated in just two years!

    First coached at Northern IA as a LB coach and then Co-Defensive Coordinator.
    He gets defense as well as offense.

    But man…after that on to Oregon and Chip Kelly and Mark Helfrich…WR coach and then OC helping Mariotta win his Heisman.

    I LOVE his style. Chip Kelly got all the glory but Frost played a major role in creating and perfecting that offense. His theory is recruit WR’s that block as well as receive. Then they BETTER block or else.

    The sign in the WR meeting room…no block no rock!

    He had his own distinguished playing career including a cup of coffee for a few years in the NFL ending up a safety instead of QB.

    Look at the coaches Frost played for…Bill Walsh…Tom Osborne…Bill Parcells…Bill Belichek..and of course with Chucky here for a year.

    Gators….back up the truck to Orlando and start shoveling the $$$$$. This guy is your next Steve Spurrier!!!!

  8. Lou. Says:

    “Let the dogs loose.”

    That is delusional.

    What dogs? Maybe we could go to a 3-man line and blitz, but is that going to flush out Ryan? And do we have the dogs to run a 3-man front?

    The team’s problems can be found in the GM suite and not the DC office. Licht is responsible for putting the people together. Right now we might be best advised to run an 11-backer defense.

    Does anyone really think the Bucs have a great defense that is being held back by a bad coordinator? If someone thinks that they should explain why the great defense is below average — or terrible — in league statistics for more than a decade.

    Personnel matter. Schemes can help but schemes cannot overcome a bad front office.

    Or maybe Joe wants a team of 53 Aguayos. . .

  9. StPeteBucsFan Says:

    Brent Grimes missed three games this year due to injury. When he played the Bucs were 4-3…when he sat 0-3.

    Kwon was our defensive star and missed how many games at the start of the season.

    Noah Spence was our promising edge rusher who went down early in the year.

    Even LVD missed a game…VHG has missed several….all of those injuries are not Licht’s fault.

  10. America's Groper Says:

    I have a fealing that this years defense coaching has taken Smith out of the front contenders for a head coaching spot. Damn we are stuck with him next year

  11. TheBucsAnthem Says:

    Who’s gives a crap what the bucs do now….cause the season is over now

    Hell….if I was coach Koetter and Smith, I’d be dialing plays I would never call or experimental plays with different personnel packages.

    Go for broke is what I say or do you think they are coaching this way for forward thinking to their next job interviews once they get canned at the end of the season????

    I for one hopes that they kept the same coaches for next season to see if it was really coaching or players not executing.

  12. America's Groper Says:

    I have feeling that this years defense coaching has taken Smith out of the front contenders for a head coaching spot. Damn we are stuck with him next year

  13. cmurda Says:

    The Bucs rarely blitz and we see them get burned all day, every day especially on 3rd and long. So, if you are Mike Smith how in the world do you not bring the blitz? At worst, you get burned and it’s just one of many big plays against our defense, but you trust your defense to tackle and make Matty get the ball out of his hand quickly. Being too scared to blitz because of big play potential is laughable considering we could have 15 men in the secondary but consistently get no pressure and one of their receivers will streak open. Heck, I’m not even talking about the miscommunications on defense while dropping seven.

  14. Hodad Says:

    Blitz, don’t blitz, it won’t make a difference this week. It won’t be McCown, or Cutler back there Sunday, it’ll be Matty Ice. He’ll dice, and slice this D. He’ll get plenty of help from our own offense. This is the week the Fitz wheels fall off. Claibourne will have a field day against D. Smith. Look out behind you Fitz!!

  15. tmaxcon Says:

    in order to the bucs to let the dogs out the team must first find dogs. currently all they have is soft arse doll playing pansy arse quitters.

  16. orlbucfan Says:

    Got 3 dogs playing tomorrow: GMC, LVD and Kwonster with Beckwith learning. Smith stinks. Atlanta fired him cos of it. Hopefully, he suffers a cerebral stroke and lets these 3 blitz. C’mon Tampa Bay!!!

  17. Mike Johnson Says:

    The absolute HORROR….of being a Bucs fan..year end and Year Out! Makes one want to be become an….Alcoholic?

  18. Captain Big Stick Says:

    Matt Ryan will beat the blitz more often then not.. fact

  19. BigMacAttack Says:

    With all of these clowns out they may have a shot. If GMC goes down the Bucs will win for sure.