Glaring Bucs Defensive Problem Already Solved
February 18th, 2010
The absymal Bucs defense for the first 10 games of last season so turned Joe’s stomach, he couldn’t drink a Caybrew.
This is also part of the reason the Bucs need to load up on defense in April’s draft.
Tampa Tribune scribe eye-RAH! Kaufman emphasized this point when he posted a disturbing defensive statistic on the TBO.com Bucs Twitter feed.
The Bucs were outscored by a combined 182-72 margin in the 1st and 3rd quarters — not a ringing endorsement for the coaching staff.
While there’s no question Kaufman’s numbers are accurate, like playing with many forms of stats, they can be misleading.
Consider that the first 10 games the Bucs defense was led by Jim Bates. Joe is confident the Bucs’ defense in the first and third quarters was cooked worse that the brats on the grills at the tailgate parties. “Horrid” doesn’t quite properly describe how the Bucs’ defense was ravaged in the first and third quarters, which to Joe spoke volumes about either the lack of preparation or simply miserable game-plans if not a glaring inability to adjust on the fly.
Remember that when Bates was defrocked by Raheem the Dream, the team had set a futile franchise record of allowing an opponent to score at least 25 points in six consecutive games.
Again, Kaufman’s numbers are correct and speak to the need to load up on defensive players in the draft. But Joe beleives the main culprit for those heinous numbers was taken care of last season.
February 18th, 2010 at 9:32 am
It’s also a pretty silly statistic. Games aren’t played in just the 1st and 3rd quarter, they’re also played in the 2nd and 4th quarter.
February 18th, 2010 at 9:47 am
What were the stats from the first 10 games vs the last 6?
February 18th, 2010 at 9:58 am
BucWonder:
I can do the research. Might take a while.
Joe’s bed was calling his name when he wrote this post last night. No, sadly, Rachel Watson was not waiting for him.
February 18th, 2010 at 10:02 am
I think that the defensive stats will show that the run D stayed pretty poor, but the pass D improved a fair amount down the stretch. Some of this was due to simply a little seasoning of the young guys, including Sabby.
February 18th, 2010 at 10:20 am
OK, here we go:
First 10 games:
First quarter
Opponents 78, Bucs 31
Third quarter
Opponents 71, Bucs 7
February 18th, 2010 at 10:47 am
doesn’t say much for Olson either, does it?
February 18th, 2010 at 10:54 am
up the gut:
Joe was thinking the same thing: Only seven points in the third quarter through 10 games?
Honestly, that’s pretty miserable.
February 18th, 2010 at 1:46 pm
I just don’t understand why Raheem is just given a pass for those first ten games. This man had been on the defensive coaching staff for the bucs for years. Of all people he should have understood the best defensive scheme for the Bucs. Yet, he allowed the Bates sytem to be implimented and even sang his praises. Was he unaware of the defense Bates intended? How can that be? Was he not there during the training camp? Since when do Head Coaches get away with offloading blame because “my coordinator sucked”.
February 18th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
That means under Bates, the Bucs were outscored 149-38, but under Raheem the Bucs actually scored 1 more pint, 33-34 in the 1st and 3rd quarters. That’s quite a difference. Still not great, but quite a difference.
February 18th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Sorry, Point, not Pint. I’m thinking caybrew.
February 18th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
LOL!!!
February 18th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
Joe wrote: “The Bucs were outscored by a combined 182-72 margin in the 1st and 3rd quarters — not a ringing endorsement for the coaching staff.”
Yeah well Joe, did you know that they lost 4 games by 7 points or less? In fact did you know that if you added up all the points they lost by in those 4 games you would only come up with 15 points, basically an average of a little over a field goal?
But you’re ragging on the coaching staff? Just admit it Joe you’re a Raheem hater right? 😉
February 18th, 2010 at 11:06 pm
Be nice to Steve White Mr. Lucky. 🙂
February 19th, 2010 at 9:38 am
Very nice jab Mr. Lucky.