Panthers 19, Buccaneers 17
December 14th, 2014
Another carving at the hands of Derek Anderson
The Bucs were dominated for the second consecutive week, this time at the hands of a 4-8-1 football team that now has five wins.
Simple as that, as Lovie Smith likes to say.
Despite starting two rookie guards, a backup quarterback, and a 2013 Buccaneers practice squad guy at right tackle, the Panthers offense marched up and down the field.
The Bucs defense that progressed significantly after the bye week has taken steps backwards in consecutive weeks, yielding 28 first downs and 391 yards today.
The Tampa Bay offense? Joe doesn’t have the stomach to type at this moment about that hot mess.
Josh McCown is the sixth best quarterback in the NFC South, behind Derek Anderson and Mike Glennon.
One thing, though, McCown really needs to sit down with Glennon and learn how to cover up and take a sack. McCown’s three fumbles today were at least two too many. Protect the ball, man, you’re a veteran QB.
Kudos to second-year Bucs safety Bradley McDougald for 11 solo tackles and 15 overall. Danny Lansanah racked up 1 1/2 sacks in place of Mason Foster.
Stick with Joe through the afternoon and evening for so much more on this game.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:13 pm
Stench
December 14th, 2014 at 5:14 pm
I know how the Packers game will go…… so now we just need to worry about the aints….
#1 overall, here we come.
…and like I said last week, SIT MCCOY, wth man!!!
December 14th, 2014 at 5:14 pm
Smdh
December 14th, 2014 at 5:17 pm
Whew! Mariota still to be a Buc. Lol we really really really do deserve the overall first pick. Go Bucs
December 14th, 2014 at 5:17 pm
I feel like slapping McCown in the face. Dam! A veteran QB? $$$$hit!
December 14th, 2014 at 5:18 pm
Whew….that was WAY too close. We almost won that game.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:18 pm
Fire Lovie. Losing to Derek Anderson twice is pathetic, and he can’t be picking our QB. Give him his money and show him the door.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:18 pm
Hey honestly at least we didn’t win. I always root for them to win while I watch, but the best thing that could happen is landing the 1st pick.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:18 pm
thank you baby jebus!
December 14th, 2014 at 5:18 pm
Glad we didn’t draft Johnny Pop Fly, how’s that crow taste Joe? I remember this time last year you were thinking Manziel was going to win a second Heisman!
December 14th, 2014 at 5:19 pm
jets and titans are 2 win teams playing against each other, so one of them will be eliminated from the #1 overall hunt.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:19 pm
Thanks for thee early Christmas Mr Andersen!
December 14th, 2014 at 5:20 pm
Nothing will change with Lovie in charge
Maybe win 6, games maybe 8
but nothing changes
We have gotten to the point here in Tampa that no one wants to coach here.
Until someone, a builder, comes along and starts coaching and teaching nothing changes
December 14th, 2014 at 5:20 pm
Woo hoo were still in contention for our first round franchise qb!!! Way to go Bucs keep doing what you do best LOSE!!!
December 14th, 2014 at 5:21 pm
Joe let’s not focus on the short term losing – let’s focus on the long ball –
JUST LOSE BABY!!!
December 14th, 2014 at 5:21 pm
Lovie wants to trade our first round pick for D. Anderson.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:21 pm
Liar Smith’s continued playing of Josh McClown is proof that they are tanking. As if the 12 men on the field, sitting starters, and broken record offense wasn’t enough.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:22 pm
After whetting our chops with the pregame post about the two rookie guards I watch the game thinking we might actually get a rush.
Silly me. Derek Anderson had literally as much time as he wanted to survey the field. Give ANY NFL QB that much time and he’ll shred a secondary.
Yeah I agree we need a QB and OLineman but we need a pass rusher just as badly whether it’s a DE, most likely since Lovie runs a 4-3 and probably wouldn’t feel comfortable rushing an LB most plays.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:23 pm
Oneil Cousins is possibly the most pathetic NFL player, regardless of position, I have ever seen. Gilkey is the second worst.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:23 pm
“We were a 4-12 football team” Oh the good old days. McClown stinks and Lovie is a complete moron.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:23 pm
Curse of Gruden
Not Anderson but his old boy Kyle Orton who just managed to beat Green Bay!
December 14th, 2014 at 5:23 pm
I hate the 2014 Bucs!!!
December 14th, 2014 at 5:24 pm
17pts
December 14th, 2014 at 5:24 pm
IT TAKES TIME!
December 14th, 2014 at 5:24 pm
As bad as McCown played today, he did play better than 1 QB in the NFL. Job’s crush. Think everyone knows who I’m talking about.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:25 pm
It’s got to be pretty tricky looking like you are trying to win, when you’re really trying to lose. Licht, Lovie and the Bucs have it down to a science.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:26 pm
Great defensive effort, great special teams, good running game, and the offense only puts up 17pts!!!!! Yeah the Bucs don’t need a QB just build the o-line, clueless!
December 14th, 2014 at 5:27 pm
Welcome aboard Mr. Mariota.
Let me show you to your luxury suite here
on the SS Titanic.
Enjoy your stay.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:27 pm
Newbucs…newsflash…Warren said that 17 points is all we need to win….right Mr. Sapp? Right now, that SB year seems like a dream.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:27 pm
And so if we don’t draft a starting QB who is available in FA?
Well…there’s Jake Locker? Christian Ponder FSU fans? Hey and Dan Orlovsky is available!!!!
December 14th, 2014 at 5:28 pm
What the hell more do you whant the defense to do? Once again they were on the field ALL DAY! If they were that bad they would have given up TD after TD not Field Goals. They gave up 19 points. Our Offense with their unwritten Golden Rule of never score more than 12 points did it again! If it was not for Murry this team would never see more than 12 points with McClown at QB.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:28 pm
This thread and all others still dominated by hate Glennon, shoulda gotten Manziel(how’s that little shit working out), Lovie is a great guy, bad draft(s), fans choice of adult beverage is now absinthe and eternal pessimists about this fabulous organization from top to bottom. Trouble is, this team is so bad the pessimists now actually sound like sweet talkers.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:32 pm
Get Mauled for Mariota next week
December 14th, 2014 at 5:33 pm
The Bucs will be better once warhop is gone, certain o-lineman are replaced, and a Qb is found?
December 14th, 2014 at 5:34 pm
I think it’s pretty clear that the Bucs offensive line is not equal to NFL talent, that’s not a knock on all of the offensive line, as a couple are playing our of position…but the critical skill position of LOT is a ZERO.
Again, I am amazed that Josh McCown was able to score 17 points – and once again, the defense held the other team under 20 points (even if it was assisted by the ineptitude of Derek Anderson)…if we had a line that would have been at least the 6th win this season.
We’re either going to bolster the defense with a premium edge rusher – or we’re going to go LOT (…but a kick returner wouldn’t surprise me) in the draft.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:34 pm
Two losses to go. Hang in there. Lol… all kidding aside, I’m worried about the decision making going on with this team. Why, with a sorry Oline and skiddish QB would you throw the ball on first down when you’re on your on 4 yd line? Hmmm….I can’t wait for a new OC
December 14th, 2014 at 5:34 pm
“this fabulous organization from top to bottom”
This organization sucks from the top down in order of suckitude.
The worst parts of the Bucs are..
Their OWNERS!!!
The HC
The QB
Forget drafting the QB…we need to draft Jeff Vinik to own the Bucs.
Does anybody really think this organization is going to turn it around under the Glazer boys?
I noticed one just liquidate his ManU stock perhaps they’ll sell the Bucs and restore some hope in Tampa Bay.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:36 pm
I’m satisfied with the outcome and for a minute there to start the game I thought the Bucs were going to ruin everything. I just got caught up in the game and wanted them to win but leave enough time for carolina to score at the end. I know, crazy right?
December 14th, 2014 at 5:41 pm
Everybody knew the Bucs were losing.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:44 pm
“Everybody knew the Bucs were losing.”
Can’t really argue that point Bucsfan but Carolina sucks too. There was a time during the first half when I wondered if they might choke and be even bigger losers than us.
Turns out it’s hard to find bigger losers than us this year. Maybe we could schedule a tournament to determine the worst teams in the 2014 NFL.
Just selecting, not determined on the field I go with a three way tie between the Jags- Raiders and Bucs. I don’t know which of these three is the worst.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:55 pm
St pete
Lmao. Raiders and jags start rookie QBs vs our 12 year red shirt qb.
December 14th, 2014 at 5:55 pm
Great Loss for Draft Position but I think it must be said that this team is a lot worse than we initially thought. The decision making continues to be bad by the owners, HC and players. Starting to feel like I’m not so sure that the game hasn’t passed Lovie by and possibly the owners once again are trying to ensue the Apathy about the team from the local market so they can move it. The stadium is not the spectacular money maker it once was and they can’t even get a look to host a Super Bowl anymore. Sounds like they may be trying devalue the team so much that they can try to wiggle some deal out of the stadium lease through demanding a new one or major upgrades. Not sure how they might be able to do it as Joe has written about how locked in the Glazers/Bucs are to the lease. I’m still optimistic about the draft and next year. Anxious to see how Lovie and the Bucs Org try to put it back together in the off season.
December 14th, 2014 at 6:07 pm
They lost by 2 points. Kinda hard to see how they were dominated.
December 14th, 2014 at 6:09 pm
Still could’ve won if Verner squeezes the ball that was thrown right at him. Cost us those final 3 points.
December 14th, 2014 at 6:16 pm
This season would’ve been much less of a disaster if the team had an offensive coordinator and a halfway decent offensive line. The coordinator situation isnt the current regime’s fault, but they blew up the offensive line and basically hand picked the replacements. That’s squarely on their shoulders.
December 14th, 2014 at 6:45 pm
Watched the game with a buddy of mine who is a Panthers fan (we had our twice a year lunch+drinks bet) and the worst thing wasn’t that the Bucs lost or that I plunked down $75 cash…nope, the worst part was I really didn’t care either way what the Bucs did. Never thought it would happen to me, I’ve been a fan since the expansion team in creamsickle Orange, but today I was apathetic and have obviously checked out. Very sad season, Lovie and Licht have taken a 4-12 team and made it far, far worse 🙁
December 14th, 2014 at 8:52 pm
@Toes
We feel your pain!
December 14th, 2014 at 10:04 pm
@Bee – I just hope they GET a new OC!
December 14th, 2014 at 10:31 pm
When u have people making the right decisions at the right time that is a good thing The plan was to see which players can really play since we are rebuilding if ur lucky it can only take one year to be great.. since we suck like we should we are lucky to be able to draft mr unbeatable winston.. two guards that have potential to be dominate can massively upgrade the oline keep dotson at left tackle keep martin and jackson!!! Draft speedy wide receiver i prefer a white dude!! Lol draft another cornerback draft defensive ends for both sides… we also need two coverage linebackers trade goldson he dont belong in a bucs uniform in sign two more safetys. with winston as quaterback guards thats can passblock and runblock and lovie Smith as headcoach. Tampabay will shine in shock the football word. Its not like it hasnt happend before. ..
December 14th, 2014 at 11:26 pm
@toes – I agree with you. The team has destroyed it’s following. They broke trust with us (and right about.NOW, I’d LOVE to hear it from the morons that wanted Gruden fired!). It doesn’t make them bad owners, the young owners simply learned some lessons about who to listen to…after Malcom was incapacitated.
They didn’t understand what effort it took Gruden to win with a team whose talent window had already begun closing – for the reason of not being able to WIN a playoff game.
They HIRED Rahaeem even though he’d only ever been a position coach in the NFL, and who only had a year of coordinator’s experience at a college who never competed for a national championship. They fired Raheem after 3 years of losing more games than he won – even though they really didn’t invest or improve the talent he was coaching.
Then they HIRED a moron who took the team in a complete WRONG direction, he acquired talent, but didn’t know how to coach it – but THAT took 2 years to figure out. They FINALLY fired the moron – but only after he trashed the #1 QB the owners had invested in. Before he was fresh off a year where he threw for 4,000 yds, 27 TD’s and 17 INT’s…
When they fired Gruden, I figured it would take 10 years to once again become competitive. Hiring Lovie was not the sexy move, but for this fanbase it’s probably the wise choice. The Glazer boys now (ALL) understand the value of winning, understand how important talent is to coaching, how important it is to match talent to the coaches scheme, and how long you can put your fans through your learning experiences.
So, hiring Lovie has not been sexy (and not the move I wanted), but clearly has been the best move they could have made.
There’s no way around this. The owners put their trust in guys that were unproven and untested, and those guys trashed their team. They’re good owners, but this is what happens when you make BAD decisions & your fanbase feels alienated. This is also what happens when your fans get used to winning without understanding what it means to lose.
I just hope the owners HAVE learned, and they intend to play out rope to a competent coach/GM that who are temporarily struggling through the rebuilding of a proud franchise. You kinda have to cut the ownership group some slack. They lost the guy who guided them to hiring a couple of coaches who put this franchise on the track to winning a Superbowl…you don’t replace that kind of experience driven intuition. Even if you stood next to the guy who made those decisions, you don’t know what he knows until YOU are the one who MAKES those decisions.
I knew when they hired Lovie they wanted a return to a competent hand on the wheel. Maybe THEY thought it could turn quickly, but when they hired Lovie, they weren’t banking on it turning quickly….
The trolls and wanna be journalists can stoke the fires of going QB in the 1st round and generate interest THAT way if you want…but if you all don’t come to grips with where we’re at, who we hired to coach, and what it means to be a team with a strong defensive history…you’re just setting yourself up for disappointment.
December 15th, 2014 at 12:18 am
@White Tiger,
I agree with some of your statements but claiming Lovie is the answer based on the current results is premature and ill-advised.
The players they brought in and the schemes in all 3 phases have been ineffective. Teams turnover rosters and schemes annually so this is not an excuse for 2 wins.
This is a bottom line failure and poor evaluation of talent to match the schemes that are currently deployed.
Listen the damning thing for the pro-Lovie supporters is nullified by his repeated clock management gaffs and poor in game adjustments.
Also allowing a backup qb to beat you twice is inexcusable – tanking or not there is no way around this failure and who should/will take accountability for it as he should. If this is what a year in your basement will get is he will know next time take 2 years.