One-score Narrative
November 10th, 2018
Losing one-score games not trivial.
Is bragging about or excusing being in so many one-score games a good thing?
A new column from jet-flyin’, kiss–stealin‘, data-analyzin’, Bucs-film-studyin’, limousine-ridin’ Thomas Bassinger of the Tampa Bay Times noted how many times the Bucs have been involved in one-score games the past two years.
They’ve played in 16 one-score games since the start of the 2017 season, an NFL high. They’ve lost 10, also an NFL high.
This got Joe to thinking.
Now Joe is a big-time coach’s guy. That’s both good and bad. Joe learned first-hand how much better a good coach can make a player — and also knows first-hand how a rotten coach can drag a team down.
Joe’s good friend, the creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com, the great Mike Florio, often rails against teams that use one-score games as an excuse for either losing or for an excuse that the team is on the cusp of winning.
These teams boast they are “right there” as far as improving their records when citing one-score losses.
Florio — and Joe is fully on board with this — argues a good coach should account for at least one play a game. So losing by one score (in effect, one play) really should be pinned on coaching decisions and not shrugged away as bad luck.
Joe thinks this premise demonstrates just how badly the Bucs defense, and Bit-O-Honey-snacking coach Dirk Koetter’s decision to bring back Mike Smith this year, likely has killed this season and maybe in turn doomed Koetter’s coaching days in Tampa.
Joe has long pointed out that last year, America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, gave the Bucs leads in the fourth quarter only to helplessly watch from the sidelines the gutless Bucs defense roll over and vomited up the leads.
If the Bucs defense could have only held those leads, there wouldn’t even be a debate (outside of drunken barrooms) about whether Jameis would return next year.
This year the Bucs defense is so bad, Joe just wants to throw rocks at moving traffic on U.S. 19. The Bucs are barreling towards setting several 99-year NFL records for a pathetic defense. Some folks who snap on chin straps for the defense at the Den of Depression need to be jailed for stealing Team Glazer loot.
If the Bucs had just an average defense — Joe isn’t talking about good, just average — you could argue the Bucs right now would be 6-2.
Losing one-score games is no excuse or something to point to as a positive. Rather, it’s an indictment.
November 10th, 2018 at 4:23 pm
I know Winston has his faults, and Dirk has his faults. But 16 one score games with the defense they have had here. I’m guessing a minimum 3 or more are on the defense. 6-10 in one score game suddenly becomes 9-7.
November 10th, 2018 at 4:51 pm
Agree , Joe
But don’t overlook turnover difference- Bucs are -16 this year , and that is indictment of both Lines and coaching
November 10th, 2018 at 4:53 pm
I feel sorry for Winston and Koetter, our defense is the only reason I want them fired
November 10th, 2018 at 5:04 pm
Why don’t you just throw rocks down on 301 from Selmon Xpressway while ya at it Joe?????????………..atleast it correlates in some manner to the pathetic bucs defense….
It’s simply pathetic how bad this defense is……….and JPP is keeping his mouth shut because he doesn’t want to call out 93 overrated azz too.
Our biggest problem is still the secondary……..they can’t stop sheit…..
You know, I used to be Pro Jason Licht……I defended our GM….NOT ANYMORE…..
This draft may go down as one of the worst drafts in Bucs history!!!!!!!!!!
There’s so many holes in the dike, there ain’t enough plugs to stop it from bursting
Koetter and Licht are “Toast” and they know it…….I bet they’re looking forward to their next jobs next year.
I really, really, really hope the Glazers actually hire a coach that actually has alot of NFL experience as well as a GM.
November 10th, 2018 at 5:09 pm
How many games have they been trailing by 3-4 scores?
November 10th, 2018 at 5:09 pm
Did Joe just discover that Dirk likes bit o honey?? Joe is like a steel trap about certain things. When he decides to put a moniker on someone or something it gets referenced in every post. Sheesh Joe how about some creativity!
November 10th, 2018 at 6:12 pm
I feel like all the good players Licht has drafted has been a lucky accident. The dude just has too many crazy ideas and no one to tell him that he is wrong.
2014: Nobody could go wrong with Evan’s. Rest of the class isnt on the team.
2015: Drafting Winston was above Licht. He gets credit for Marpet, Smith, and Kwon. Marpet was a huge risk and Licht got overconfident with himself
2016: Not going to beat that dead horse
2017: Lucky accident that O.J. fell that far. The rest haven’t exactly played lights out but leaving Kareem Hunt or Kamara on the board and settling for Snoop Dogg McPlaybook is almost enough to classify 2017 as “bad”
2018: Too early to tell but it looks bad as of now. Evaluating M.J. Stewart so high on the board is perplexing. Carlton Davis looks like a lucky accident and that’s it from this class so far. This draft in particular and 2016 with Roberto Aguayo you can tell Licht was too overconfident with his “out of the box” thinking. Getting lucky with Marpet shouldn’t let you draft so recklessly as Licht has done.
That is how I would classify his drafting, reckless and when it catches up a year or two later he panicks and doubles or triples up in the draft and Free Agency.
This team is 2 years away from the playoffs AT LEAST that is how bad Licht has allowed the secondary to get. Who is replacing Grimes next year? VH3 or M.J. Stewart giving you guys a lot of confidence? Dont worry we got Ryan Smith!
November 10th, 2018 at 6:16 pm
It’s a shame to to give any credence to a defense that’s lame, tame and has no game—nearly insane.
The offense is competitive, but watching the defense requires a sedative.
November 10th, 2018 at 6:20 pm
I agree Petty Officer
That’s the reason why they have to overpay for free agent bums every year
If they knew how to draft
They wouldn’t have to reach for these bums
11 years without a playoff appearance
This team should be “Loaded” with talent
They get ” Premium” draft picks every year
November 10th, 2018 at 6:41 pm
Yes I agree with Petty Officer and Lakeland’s free agent Bums take. Dump LIcht and his free agent Bums.
November 10th, 2018 at 6:56 pm
Just fix it already. Jeez
November 10th, 2018 at 6:56 pm
Licht sucks
November 10th, 2018 at 7:44 pm
I think you can find quotes from the Glazers, Licht and even Dirk himself touting all the one score losses…….I agree with Joe. One score losses are an indictment.
November 10th, 2018 at 8:02 pm
Every year media starts sentences with “what if” to explain what the bucs can be instead of realizing what they are. They are what the record says they are. Losers on the cusp of firing the coach and front office and complete defensive rebuild.
People brag about the offensive weapons and e have so much. There’s no offensive coordinator around that can’t succeed with that squad so we don’t need dirk for that especially if he’s not winning games
November 10th, 2018 at 8:29 pm
It’s gotten to the point that I absolutely expect the Bucs to lose close games. The Saints win ( who haven’t lost since ) was a minor miracle. If Fitz doesn’t run for that final 1st down…Saints likely tie it and win. The Browns game? Who that Chris Chandler-Contazaro was going to hit that bomb? Not me. Cincy gag at end was business as usual. But put the one score bullet point on your resumè, Dirk.
November 10th, 2018 at 8:50 pm
This is what I use as bragging rights in sports bars.
I tell the other patrons that MY team only loses by one score. Then I pump my chest out, stick up my chin and walk brazingly by them on my way to go pick up the waitress!!
November 10th, 2018 at 8:55 pm
Simply means Koetter and the D in particular choke in the clutch. Guy is grabbing at straws to buy time before the axe drops. I say fire him on Monday if they do not beat the Redskins.
November 10th, 2018 at 9:03 pm
Fire Dirk and hire a player coach…….I want a player coach because it’s a NFL rule that the HC has to wear a neck tie and I wanna see Fitzpatrick slinging the ball out their while sporting a tie.
November 10th, 2018 at 9:33 pm
@Joe … “If the Bucs had just an average defense — Joe isn’t talking about good, just average — you could argue the Bucs right now would be 6-2.”
That’s an interesting argument Joe. Of course, one could also argue the other side: IF the Bucs had paid more attention to the defense over these last few years, it might’ve become an AVERAGE defense … and IF that’d happened, the offense wouldn’t have all the weapons that it now does & thus probably wouldn’t be as productive as you obviously feel that it is.
Then again, prancing up & down the field (#2 offense in YARDS GAINED) isn’t QUITE as good as actually putting the ball in the end zone and winning games because you OUTSCORED your opponent (#8 offense in POINTS SCORED).
By the way, looking at the offensive stats this season, there are a LOT of real puzzlers in there. Bucs are #2 in total yardage, but #30 in rushing yardage. We’re #1 in 1st downs, yet #32 in turnovers (and in INTs). We’re also #32 in terms of our average drive starting position (our own 25 yard line … probably there because the other teams score so often then kick it off deep with no returns). A true puzzle … but the perfect illustration of inconsistency.
November 10th, 2018 at 9:50 pm
The Glazers already did that……they hired Raheem Morris who was best buds wit da homies………….that experiment failed horribly………..sooooooooo your theory of hiring a players coach falls short.
You probably want a coach that’s like a players coach but will still instill discipline and those coaches are few and far between.
The rams coach seems to fit that mold.
November 10th, 2018 at 10:25 pm
BucAntem you misread. I did not say I wanted a players coach. I want a player coach. My fault….I should have written player/coach.
Just for the rest of this season. The team is going no where so they should do something to entertain me. No matter how hard I try I smile Everytime I envision Ryan Fitzpatrick playing QB while wearing a neck tie………JPP coming off the edge with a neck tie flapping in the breeze would also be pretty awesome.
November 10th, 2018 at 11:03 pm
Neck ties??????
Jigga what?
Jigga Who?
November 11th, 2018 at 12:07 am
It’s easy to rag on Raheem, but they gave him nothing to work with, spent zero on free agents and poor bites that team to death. He still did better than every coach they’ve had since. I liked Raheem. He would have this team playing much better than they are now……. Between Bar and strip club meetings.
November 11th, 2018 at 12:44 am
If you lose one score game after one score game, here’s an idea, don’t punt from the opponents 36.
November 11th, 2018 at 8:36 am
What Defense said…
November 11th, 2018 at 9:04 am
I totally agree with Petty Officer’s take
Good Job Sir
November 11th, 2018 at 9:58 am
This one score game crap is just that….CRAP!!!!! YOU KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE “ONE SCORE GAMESS” WOULD HAVE BEEN WORSE HAD THE OPPOSING TEAM NOT LET US COME BACK.IN GARBAGE TIME??!!!!!!!
The Bucs are a porky coached football team in all phases. ACCEPT IT!!!!!