Today’s Comedy In Saints’ New Sackmaster
December 31st, 2017
Thriving with Saints.
Of course, the concept of the Bucs having a great edge rusher is a common joke/nightmare from Lakeland to Largo.
The Bucs had an excellent young edge rusher, versatile too, but they let him walk out of the building after the 2012 season. Since then, Michael Bennett has earned 39 1/2 sacks, a Super Bowl ring and two Pro Bowl visits in five season with the Seattle Seahawks.
Enter general manager Jason Licht to replace rockstar GM Mark Dominik.
In four years, Licht has built what appears to be the NFL’s worst pass rush. Yes, Licht had bad luck with injuries to Jacquies Smith and Noah Spence, but that’s only a small fraction of the problem.
We all know of overall failures. But we don’t quite know why?
Today the Bucs will face new Saints defensive end George Johnson, who has 2 1/2 sacks in his last two games. And he’s getting a lot of playing time on a strong defense. That’s the same DE who was sackless with Tampa Bay after arriving in 2015 via a trade with the Lions. Johnson, after recovering from a hip injury last year, was with the Bucs through training camp this year and cut after the preseason.
He bounced to the Lions and landed with New Orleans a few weeks ago.
His success there is documented in this interesting NOLA.com story that Joe recommends. Here’s an excerpt:
” …perhaps the more striking thing about his two games with the Saints is how much he’s played. He signed the Tuesday before the Jets game and played 30 defensive snaps. He contributed on 38 snaps against the Falcons.
Clearly, Johnson earned the trust of the coaches quickly, and he’s already rewarding them.“He’s at 2.5 on the season, that’s rolling,” fellow defensive end Cameron Jordan said. “In two games? That’s a hot pace. We’ll just keep that going on to the playoffs.”
Johnson had two stints with the Lions earlier this year. He also worked out for the Saints twice. Between the workouts and what he showed on film in four games with Detroit, he said teams told him he looked slow.
For the Saints, though, Johnson has already provided a significant impact. Oddly enough, since entering the NFL in 2010, Johnson has accumulated sacks in just two seasons, and both have been with playoff teams, the Saints this year and the Lions in 2014.Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins praised Johnson for quickly learning the Saints’ defensive system and said that Johnson’s ability has helped free the other defensive linemen to make more plays.
Johnson’s new success just adds to the mystery of the Bucs’ edge-rush failures. No, Joe doesn’t think Johnson is a blossoming NFL stud; he’s just another defensive lineman whose best wasn’t found during his Tampa days.
Why couldn’t the Bucs coaching staff either motivate Johnson and/or recognize his ability? The dude is thriving on a good defense.
The free agency dinner bell rings in 10 short weeks. We know what the Bucs must find and sign. Do they know how to do it?
December 31st, 2017 at 8:40 am
@Joe
These are the results of a coaching staff you want to keep!
December 31st, 2017 at 8:51 am
Joe…why don’t you run an article about our “sackmasters”?
Oh yeah, we have none…zero…nada…zilch…. Guess we will have to wait some years for that article. Get the “typewriter” warmed up Joe…that guy is out there… playing with his wubbie in his crib.
December 31st, 2017 at 8:52 am
The answer is simple, with a 4 man rush, you have to 3 rushers that can beat 1 on 1’s to make an impact!!!!!!! you cannot take a guys numbers and just plug it onto other teams!!!!!!! Its the C Campbell situation, where he is very success full in Jax, who for 4-5 years have been building a defense and his number are great, But he would not have half of those numbers in Tampa as he would have been isolated and doubled teamed!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!
December 31st, 2017 at 8:59 am
It has nothing to do with coaching staff. Johnson was injured most of the time he was here.
Just as he won’t make it through the playoffs without injury. If he even makes it through today.
December 31st, 2017 at 9:01 am
mark2001 Says:
December 31st, 2017 at 8:51 am
Joe…why don’t you run an article about our “sackmasters”?
If 2.5 is the milestone, we’ve got that covered
December 31st, 2017 at 9:05 am
As Realist said, it’s quite simple. In Cam Jordan they already have a very effective edge rusher and now they’ve upgraded their interior line. Very difficult to apply double teams.
December 31st, 2017 at 9:07 am
Ah yes…Buccaneer BrownEye doing the Buc Brass biding. Keeps getting better! Looking forward to all those “predictions” that come true after the fact. What a joke this franchise has become. “Insiders” who write about dwarfs and sound coaching decisions.
December 31st, 2017 at 9:12 am
So the guy only gets sacks in a 4 man rush? That’s why we cut him? Oh thats why were going to turn this thing around! Go Clueless Buccaneers! Go win that championship next year!
December 31st, 2017 at 9:20 am
I thought that Jay Hayes was supposed to be this great dline coach that was known for developing talent. WTF
December 31st, 2017 at 9:20 am
Johnson was not consistent. He fooled us initially too.
December 31st, 2017 at 9:21 am
Its like the bucs torpedoed their own season with sh!ty personnel moves, specifically the defensive line. It is almost comical that they could be this incompetent. But Gruden isn’t an upgrade?
December 31st, 2017 at 9:30 am
Looks like DE, CB, OL, RB as Top 4 draft picks I’d bet. So many holes. Wonder if they can trade DJax for 3rd rounder. Maybe even trade GMC for another one. I’m not a GMC hater, but think he’s ready to find a shot at playoffs and Bucs could definitely use the pick.
December 31st, 2017 at 9:43 am
Maybe he now has a coach that can get something out of him. Of course, coaching has nothing to do with anything, does it?
Look at UW Madison, for example. Coaching had nothing to do with the victory over Miami last night…it was all won purely based upon player talent. Right?
December 31st, 2017 at 9:46 am
The greatest mystery of them all is Mark Dominik electing to draft DE Adrian Clayborn #20 overall, with a known physical issue, and passing on Cam Jordan, the son of a pro bowler. I am sorry, I’m just a football fanatic and if I were GM, I would use applied logic when building a roster thus picking the son of a pro bowler, and definitely drafting offensive linemen. Dominik was terribad.
SMDH, please explain the logo, Joe? Happy New Year!
December 31st, 2017 at 9:46 am
The logic* sorry Joe.
December 31st, 2017 at 9:49 am
Has anyone (Joe?) had a look at the pending free agents at DE or OLB? There is no saviour coming from that group.
December 31st, 2017 at 10:05 am
I’m sure Koetter in his 3rd year as head coach will finally figure out how to evaluate staff and players. The great news for Koetter is that after a 4-12 season, next season, 5-11 is progress. Yippee! Who knows, he might even be able to squeeze out a 6-10 record with another last place schedule. Oh joy! Rapture! The sun is shining on Tampa Bay. Just think, by 2022 we may actually be 9-7 again. Now there’s something to look forward to.
December 31st, 2017 at 10:08 am
JonBuc Says
“Ah yes…Buccaneer BrownEye doing the Buc Brass biding. Keeps getting better! Looking forward to all those “predictions” that come true after the fact. ”
Well, look at you, little man. Trying to stir things up. Think trolling me will make your mark here? Get you a little popularity?
Have at it. If that’s the only way you can justify your miserable existence, more power to you.
December 31st, 2017 at 10:09 am
If you have to overpay a free agent to come here date I say that’s the guy you don’t want to sign and this team will have to overpay to play for this coach and what’s worse is having a new scheme unless they are crazy enough to keep Mike Smith too but at this point I wouldn’t be surprised
December 31st, 2017 at 10:11 am
Really? The dude had one decent season in Tampa. While he was a good story, he didn’t do anything in Detroit and isn’t doing anything in New Orleans
December 31st, 2017 at 10:41 am
That’s the spirit, Buccaneer BrownEye! Put some of that passion towards your Elf Erotica and Dwarf Dominatrix. Your ”hot” link to the P. Doucher Jr. website ( Sr. was no doubt proud of his Lil’ pedophille) is great comedy relief in an otherwise depressing time in Buc history. That tough guy/thinker pose is priceless. Well done, Softy!
December 31st, 2017 at 11:19 am
Bonzai is correct – Johnson was injured the majority of his 2nd stint here.
Nothing to see here – just more bemoaning of the lack of DL effectiveness that has been going on for about a dozen years now. Maybe one day we’ll get some pass rushers up in here.
Licht needs to go all in on fixing both lines. Bring in about 5 new DL players via FA and the draft and at least 2 new (good) Oline players.
If the Bucs lose today and Chubb falls to us – then that’s a no brainer. But if he’s off the board (likely) and a stud OT is available – then that HAS to be a serious consideration. D. Smith will never be a top LT and Winston deserves that. Smith might be a pretty good RT though or maybe even a guard. Dotson won’t be around much longer and will likely be injury prone from here on out.
Fix the lines and this team will be hard to beat.
December 31st, 2017 at 11:25 am
Sad to say Ace…but if anyone over 65 wants to enjoy watching winning football during their remaining years, the Bucs aren’t the team to watch. No sense in tarnishing the golden years watching the substandard product the Glazer’s have continually put on the field since Malcolm suffered his medical collapse.
December 31st, 2017 at 11:26 am
Pick… that is a big “if”, isn’t it? As you said, haven’t seemed to make progress in how many years?
December 31st, 2017 at 11:38 am
The answer to why Johnson was unsuccessful here is simple…..just ask Tmax, he’ll “splain” it to you.
December 31st, 2017 at 11:44 am
What we need is a new advertising campaign…..you know…for you old timers…like the one on I-275 years ago…. A huge billboard of Dirk in a safari hat…but instead of the one like Wyche had saying “Let the Adventure Begin”…kind of tying into the Busch Gardens theme… Dirks would say “Let the chit show begin”…you know…the swirling down the toilet bowl into the Septic tank theme.
December 31st, 2017 at 11:51 am
George Johnson played in 20 games with the Bucs and zero sacks.
December 31st, 2017 at 11:53 am
I could care less bout any of this. I jsut want the Bucs to lose to the Saints to give us a shot at CHUBB.
December 31st, 2017 at 12:32 pm
Look no further than the leader of the basement years. Men don’t follow people who cry on the sideline. Men don’t play for a lil beach who takes 90% of the game off. Ain’t nobody scared of getting called out by a tutti frutti jolly green giant. Not Johnson, not Baker, not ghost Johnson. No one!
It’s almost like captain cupcakes has a meeting with the dline and says -hey guys let’s just get out of here healthy, go home to our family and let’s have fun. Best part is some of you don’t even realize the problem with that. Smh.
December 31st, 2017 at 12:47 pm
boycott the games starting today, do not attend the games
December 31st, 2017 at 1:11 pm
@Joe … “The dude is thriving on a good defense.” ‘Nuff said.
December 31st, 2017 at 1:20 pm
First post said it all, our coaching and scouting for the defensive line stinks period. I’m starting to belive it’s an organizational issue
December 31st, 2017 at 2:58 pm
I didn’t see his 2.5 sacks but were they legit or just tagging a down player? I don’t blame the Bucs for cutting him, when he played he really didn’t do anything of note.
December 31st, 2017 at 3:22 pm
Maybe the other guys in the defensive line just aren’t that good! We have a (once considered) very good coaching staff between Joe Hayes and Mike Smith. You see Johnson able to be plugged in and succeed, I don’t think it’s the magical scouting or coaching on a defense that a year ago was worst in the league. But playing alongside guys like Cam Jordan and Rankins make a plug and play guy better.
Being honest here Joe, but this speaks a lot to Gerald. Never in his career has he made anybody around him better. But those guys go elsewhere and magically succeed? Come on man
December 31st, 2017 at 4:05 pm
George Johnson also had 6.0 sacks in 16 games with Detroit.
December 31st, 2017 at 4:36 pm
What….playing next to 93 with his lets just have fun fellas pre game speech didn’t make him any better, but Sheldon Rankins his helping him elevate his game.