“We Haven’t Lost Faith In Him”
August 30th, 2018
The Noah Spence mystery.
What may be more stunning than second-round pick Ronald Jones being completely invisible but for one play this preseason is how far defensive end Noah Spence has fallen off the cliff.
It raised Joe’s eyebrows recently when Spence’s position coach Brentson Buckner told Joe last week, “You’ve got to have a chess mindset” and added that Spence had to be more mature and “grow mentally.”
But tonight’s use of Spence sent off all sorts of alarm bells for Joe. When just about every Bucs player worth a bucket full of unwashed jock straps had the night off, Spence played virtually the full game, even deep into the fourth quarter when he was facing guys that likely would be backups in the AAF unless they find a job as a beer truck driver or hotel night manager.
And this is a guy, Spence, who Bucs coach Dirk Koetter said at the NFL Owners Meetings in March he had penciled in to be on the field during passing downs.
Now, that appears to be an afterthought.
What the hell has happened with Spence, who made but one play that Joe saw tonight and that was a quarterback pressure — when he was left completely unblocked!
“Noah, you are never going to knock him for his effort and his hunger to be out there to make plays,” Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht said as he made an appearance in the TV booth during the WFLA-TV Channel 8 telecast of tonight’s game. “He just needs to continue to develop as a rusher. Use his arsenal. Use a variety of his bag of tricks, not run by the quarterback and not set up with the same moves all the time. He is getting better at that. He is getting better.
“We haven’t lost faith him.”
Good grief!
The last thing the Bucs need to do — a team that had a slap-a-priest garbage 22 sacks last year — is to lose a talented young pass rushing specialist.
Reading Buckner’s words and now hearing Licht and seeing how the Bucs risked Spence being injured for the third of his three NFL seasons by playing against a bunch of high school guidance counselors and bouncers was an eye-opener.
All of this suggests to Joe that Spence has a much longer road to becoming a starter than anyone outside of One Buc Palace imagined.
August 30th, 2018 at 10:59 pm
Khalil Mack trade ?
Can’t count on Spence anymore. Either injured or ghosting …
Cmon licht. Send 1st and 3rd next year for him. Why not. JPP and McCoy getting up there
August 30th, 2018 at 11:01 pm
During regular season he won’t be starting and will likely be in a more 3-4 LB type look right next to Curry. That’s the way he plays best.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:03 pm
Slap a priest?
August 30th, 2018 at 11:08 pm
Nowhere Spence… if he makes the team will he even be active on game days?
August 30th, 2018 at 11:11 pm
“They’re on the four yard line and see some of the DBs rushing Mike Smith needs to press those receivers on the outside.”-Ronde Barber. TOUCHDOWN JACKSONVILLE!
RONDE FOR DC 2019!!! How awesome would that be if he could come in here and make this a shut down defense. 🙂 And bring Tiki to be RB coach but you’ll have to constantly be telling who is who in meetings and practice.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:14 pm
It’s Preseason folks
hint
August 30th, 2018 at 11:14 pm
^^Can both wear shirts with their names on them every day.^^
August 30th, 2018 at 11:16 pm
He only has one move ! Try to speed rush, and get pushed right past the QB.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:18 pm
Joe isn’t angry enough (yet) to type “punch a nun.”
August 30th, 2018 at 11:18 pm
Too much overreaction to a preseason game
Buckner and licht are saying the exact same thing, it is a chest match and you do have to learn to set up your opponents and when to use certain moves. If he was an every down starter maybe you would worry but as of now he’s a situational pass rusher and our hopes don’t ride on how many sacks he’ll get.
August 30th, 2018 at 11:27 pm
It’s not overly surprising considering the weight gain he had this offseason. Takes a while to adjust and turn it into football muscle
August 30th, 2018 at 11:40 pm
when we drafted this guy as high as we did I fell off my chair as there was soooooooooooooo much talent on the board.
He was a 230 pound defensive end who ran a 4.88 forty.
He’d had one speed move if you want to call it that to the outside.
Now he added all this muscle and its slowed him down from the slow speed he had.
Jason what is up with you in the 2nd round…….
August 30th, 2018 at 11:49 pm
I only got to watch most of the 1st half and what I saw from Spence was garbage. I’m not giving up on him but it was a poor showing against guys that probably will never play a regular season game in the NFL.
August 31st, 2018 at 1:08 am
I’m saying it now…when you have a guy like Mack out there for the taking you take it! I would give a 1st and 2nd…..I bet they bite. This is the move we have to make to get a guy with that type of caliber and still young. It’s not often these situations present themselves. Think about how many picks already we have vested in guys like Noah, Adrian, Bower, and Adams just to still turn up with nothing. A 1st and 2nd ain’t nothin but a chicken wang! Go Bucs!
August 31st, 2018 at 1:12 am
Cut him and move on and don’t look back, not able to get a sack or even close–not worth keeping, he is not a defensive tackle either–Gholston is better than this dude. We could use the roster space for what will soon be on the open market.
August 31st, 2018 at 1:13 am
Mack would be MACKNIFICENT. GO GET HIM, LICHT. DON’T BE A B!TCH
August 31st, 2018 at 5:44 am
Noah’s misfortune was being selected in the SECOND ROUND by the Bucs. If he’s been selected in the 1st round he’d be OK now, although he’d probably be playing nickel CB by this point.
August 31st, 2018 at 6:46 am
He’s done with those labels injuries he’s had.
August 31st, 2018 at 7:18 am
Bust.
August 31st, 2018 at 7:29 am
The fee players playing last night who will be on future NFL rosters were dominating – look at Fowler for Jax in the 1st quarter- but Spence was invisible all game. Maybe he needs more time bc of injuries or weight gain, but I don’t think he brings anything special at this point.
August 31st, 2018 at 7:37 am
this is easily the most disappointing story of camp.
August 31st, 2018 at 7:46 am
S-P-E-N-C-E = bust
August 31st, 2018 at 7:58 am
If you ignore that he was a second round draft pick, there is nobody that can make a compelling argument as to why Noah Spence deserves to be on this team.
August 31st, 2018 at 8:04 am
Spence is still on the roster? Where?
August 31st, 2018 at 8:09 am
Noah is playing like a dime a dozen player…I said last Saturated he might be “the surprise cut” and replaced with a proven released veteran…..
August 31st, 2018 at 8:10 am
I’m curious how the criticisms of Spence are an “overreaction”? He’s not a rookie. He’s playing against future UPS drivers. He looks like he belongs with the UPS drivers.
Spence can be replaced and should if he can’t step it up. Injuries aside, he’s had a hard time making a difference.
August 31st, 2018 at 8:34 am
It’s just bizarre. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a player with so much promise…considered better than Bosa as a freshman at OSU…getting rave reviews this time last year from these same Jax Jaguars during that combined practice before their preseason game.
[Sorry, that’s a total throw-crap-on-the-wall accusation and unfair. But it is fair to wonder when ASJ (a documented drunk) said two years ago he was hanging out watching Monday Night Football with Doug Martin (a known drug cheat) and Spence. — Joe]
Perhaps there is a personal problem in his life that we are unaware…did he just get dumped by a woman…perhaps one of his parents developed a horrible illness?
[Again, not fair. — Joe]
Given his history I do not know whether the Bucs are allowed [all NFL players go through rounds of tests which is why guys get popped for PEDs, etc., all the time. — Joe].
August 31st, 2018 at 9:13 am
Spence saving himself for when the games count…if only that were true.
August 31st, 2018 at 9:25 am
yet another defensive player regressing under this staff!!!!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
August 31st, 2018 at 9:48 am
Joe
Certainly accept your criticism for speculation…but that’s where we are right now…But I’m sufficiently chastised. I’ll let it go. 🙂
August 31st, 2018 at 10:18 am
Can’t wait for crying articles about the Bucs letting Patriots All-Pro LB Noah Spence being let go for no good reason, I got your reason, our coaches suck
August 31st, 2018 at 10:29 am
maybe we can package Ryan Griffin with RoJo, and Spence to the Raiders for DE Khalil Mack
August 31st, 2018 at 11:08 am
Spence just doesn’t have it. At this size or smaller. Invisible last night against scrubs He’s definitely in danger of getting cut.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:03 pm
Spence will probably make the team. Here again high draft pick will save his ass.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:33 pm
Cobraboy
Spence is still on the roster? Where?
————————————-
Hangin’ with Vita Vea
August 31st, 2018 at 1:14 pm
I dont know about this guy he has had a lot of time now..