The Rotten Defense
October 14th, 2014
A thing that irks Joe is that the Bucs are led by someone and built by the same fellow who is believed to be a defensive wizard. The man’s name is Lovie Smith.
Make no mistake: Lovie oversees all football transactions. A player is not signed; a player is not traded for without Lovie’s stamp of approval.
So watching teams march up and down the field on the Bucs defense as if the Bucs are 11 glorified tackling dummies is jarring to the system. How bad it is? Let’s let the “Custodian of Canton,” eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune, explain.
The Bucs are on pace to give up 544 points this season, which would be the most in the 95-year history of the National Football League
— Ira Kaufman (@IKaufmanTBO) October 13, 2014
Let that sink in for a moment: The Bucs are on pace to have the worst defense in the 95-year history of the NFL — not just Bucs history, but the history of the NFL.
Nope. Nothing broken here. Stay the course.
October 14th, 2014 at 12:02 pm
IT TAKES TIME!
October 14th, 2014 at 12:06 pm
Yes, about 10 more games and that should be enough time to make history! Sadly, last thing we can do is change again, tired of coaches getting fired too quickly here. Honestly, I would have been happy to see Gruden, Raheem and Schiano all have one more year than this constant turnover.
October 14th, 2014 at 12:14 pm
My god how awful are we?! This team is so bad it is purely infuriating. I have never been happier for a bye week so I don’t have to watch the crap they put on the field.
Please don’t give me the “It takes time” crap either. This team is WORSE than last year and on pace to be the WORST OF ALL TIME. For as much that has been invested in the secondary and to have multiple pro bowl players on defense with a supposed defensive coach, this should take very little time to at least be NFL caliber. This is plain awful with no hope of getting better any time soon. Terrible team, terrible players, terrible organization and this is coming from a lifelong Bucs fan.
October 14th, 2014 at 12:23 pm
“Make no mistake: Lovie oversees all football transactions. A player is not signed; a player is not traded for without Lovie’s stamp of approval.”
Good…glad to have that defined….
It’ll make the firing that much easier…
October 14th, 2014 at 12:25 pm
Yes it does take time…..A LOT of time working to earn the money that I pay for my family’s tickets. Sure doesn’t seem worth it.
October 14th, 2014 at 12:26 pm
Lovie has already jumped to the head of the line for worst coach in the history of the Bucs. He must be very proud. Everybody is just on stand by waiting for the pain and misery to end. The way we are playing now we couldn’t even beat Old Miss. This team is the laughing stock of the league. The good news is we won’t lose this week. Does anyone see any games coming up on our schedule that they think we can win? I don’t.
October 14th, 2014 at 12:29 pm
The NFL is a results business. You don’t “get” time you EARN it. Lovie has earned nothing so far.
October 14th, 2014 at 12:32 pm
I suggest we make every effort to draft Nebraska Cornhuskers DE Randy Gregory. This guy is a beast. He plays with tenacity on every down. He’s great with the swim move, spin move, jumps over players to get after the ball/passer or runner. He’s no Clowney because he never gives up on a play and he’s no Michael Johnson cause again he never gives up on a play and he uses his height 6’6 long arms and strength to his advantage. Has great instincts and knows who and when to bull rush. Reminds me of Lavonte David and Ndamukong Suh also former cornhuskers. It’s a must that we do all to get this guy in the 2015 draft. He has a high motor for hustling n getting after the QB with sacks, pressure n disruption…just what we r missing. I watched the tape on Clowney n this years top DE’s in the 2015 draft and none could match this guy Gregory. He’s a JJ Watts in the making. Below is the link. Watch the tape for yourself.
http://youtu.be/uhHv8L6cp-E
October 14th, 2014 at 12:39 pm
Joe
If we play this bad and break the record for the worst ever do we two first round picks? If not we should ease up and maybe only in the bottom 10 which I think we have the coaching and team to do, again I am really concerned that GMC and LVD would bail to winners instead of resigning with the Bucs.
October 14th, 2014 at 12:39 pm
Should I jump ship? I ask myself that ever since the lost to Atlanta…. Pittsburgh gave me hope but then we got our butts kicked again.. high school football has more fight. The only reason i am like this Lovie said lets not be patient and compete for the playoff.
October 14th, 2014 at 12:40 pm
Just be patient! It will come!
October 14th, 2014 at 12:42 pm
Here’s Lovie’s chance to show us all he can adapt. Surely he realizes either the scheme is too complicated or the talent no up to par to run it. So adjust Lovie, it’s not hard, every good co-ordinator does it.
October 14th, 2014 at 12:43 pm
We have seen some embarrassing defensive Buccaneer football since Monte Kiffin announced his leaving with 4 games left in 2008 season. Lovie Smith defense so far is the worst of the terrible defenses we have endured. Shame.
October 14th, 2014 at 12:44 pm
Scrap the T2, fire Leslie Frazier and hire Rex Ryan if he’s available next year. At least his team plays defense.
October 14th, 2014 at 12:44 pm
At least we have a Simeon Rice clone rushing from RDE!!!
October 14th, 2014 at 12:50 pm
They can beat the Vikings, I’m not saying they will but they can.
October 14th, 2014 at 12:58 pm
Joe
“led by someone”
Does that imply a leader?
October 14th, 2014 at 1:01 pm
You people lay off Lovie. He can do no wrong so stop acting like he should be responsible for this terrible defense. Don’t try putting this on Licht either because he is just that lovable doggie in the window that Lovie picked out personally to sit on his lap!
October 14th, 2014 at 1:03 pm
With that being said about Lovie’s personnel decisions, can it also be said to a certain extent he is stuck with certain players acquired by different regimes who may just be to lazy or intelligent to play this disciplined scheme.
I can think of a few players who fit either one of these varibles.
October 14th, 2014 at 1:03 pm
He wasn’t any kind of defensive mastermind without Urlacher. Let me inherit Urlacher and Briggs and even with a pop warner scheme I could be considered a defensive wizard.
How can he complain about lack of talent when they let go an elite corner in exchange for the likes of McCown, Johnson, McDonald, Collins and Myers.
I didn’t like the offseason moves, but I felt like he had to be given a chance. Well we gave that to him, and he was dead wrong on just about every decision.
I still fully expect his passing on a quarterback in the draft to blow up in his face.
October 14th, 2014 at 1:03 pm
You can be patient when a team shows heart.
You can be patient when a team begins to improve week on week.
You can be patient when coaching corrects previous mistakes and adapts to what is working.
Lovie is completely committed to his system and will not deviate from it one iota while most of the league will continue to innovate on a weekly basis.
The basement sessions did very little.
October 14th, 2014 at 1:03 pm
Rotten Coach!
October 14th, 2014 at 1:04 pm
I don’t follow college football (not even a little), is there a monster of a defensive end that is worth and can be had with the first overall pick?
To be honest, I will be happy if we can just look competitive on the field. I actually enjoyed watching the Steelers and Saints game, despite that loss. These blowouts though, are just unbearable.
October 14th, 2014 at 1:24 pm
I new lovie would make history!
October 14th, 2014 at 1:27 pm
Zero defensive adjustments during the game. Flacco in 3 step drops and we do nothing to.press and disrupt the receivers. That’s great coaching! And we’re supposed to wait…..for what? This has all the smell of a 1 – 15 season, after the Vikes it gets brutal
October 14th, 2014 at 1:29 pm
It takes time, ask the kansas city chiefs.
Remember when all were comparing our turnover to them.
October 14th, 2014 at 1:31 pm
“Make no mistake: Lovie oversees all football transactions. A player is not signed; a player is not traded for without Lovie’s stamp of approval.”
I love it Joe. Keep reminding fans about this. Don’t ever let us forget how it works at One Buc these days. Lovie has TOTAL control over this team. Everything that happens with the team is a result of Lovie Smith. Don’t let up with it Joe, because some fans might try and find a scapegoat for Lovie. I can already see it coming. Some of them are already on these pages….
October 14th, 2014 at 1:38 pm
Lovie has a five year contract.
Demote him to clip board holder.
he is detrimental to the success of the team.
he will fire leslie frazer and call defensive plays in order to look like a leader.
October 14th, 2014 at 1:40 pm
Bridgewater is licking his chops for “Stat Day” against the YUCS!!!
October 14th, 2014 at 1:44 pm
We’ve had historically bad defenses under Lovie, Schiano and Raheem Morris.
Have we just had three of the worst NFL coaches ever, or has there been just a large black cloud hanging over this franchise for a long time?
October 14th, 2014 at 1:51 pm
How about them Bolts? What a change. Watch a dominating blowout and instead of OUR guys getting their butts kicked it’s our guys doing the kicking.
GO BOLTS
October 14th, 2014 at 2:11 pm
Bridgewater can lick his lips all he wants he isn’t anything special.
October 14th, 2014 at 2:48 pm
Waiting!
October 14th, 2014 at 3:06 pm
Sounds like SOMEONE is in WAY over his head. Correct me if I am wrong but is this the first time he has had this much power?
October 14th, 2014 at 3:58 pm
@ Joe, don’t the Bucs get a compensatory pick in next year’s draft for Freeman? I seem to remember talk about that when Freeman was released, but heard nothing on it since.
October 14th, 2014 at 4:18 pm
The compensatory pick would have been for this year. But then the Bucs spent a boatload in free agency, which goes into the formula for compensatory picks. The Bucs got a bunch of bust FAs instead of the pick. Think most of us would rather have the pick with hindsight.
October 14th, 2014 at 4:33 pm
When do the Fire Lovie billboards go up? Most everyone believed the defense was set, top ten or better. How could everyone be wrong? On track for most points given up ever. This is total BS. This bye is the time to dump him, just a horrible rotten coach.
October 14th, 2014 at 5:57 pm
Westcoast- Long time no see. Check out the guy out of Nebraska Randy Gregory someone posted a link. Dude looks legit if they don’t go QB pick 1.
October 15th, 2014 at 3:22 am
Lovey is and has always been a looser. Frazer is a serial looser. Play caller doesn’t know his ass from a hole in the ground. Guess what? We’re Fuc_ed!