Sad Performance By D-Line

August 30th, 2015
Isaiah Crowell and the Browns had little difficulty running against the Bucs last night.

Isaiah Crowell and the Browns had little difficulty running against the Bucs last night.

Joe is not going to start a firestorm, you can look at the defensive numbers for yourself. It’s not pretty.

With the exception of Clinton McDonald and Larry English, the starting defensive front didn’t show up on the stat sheet last night.

McDonald (three tackles) and English combined for five tackles through the first half. The rest of the defensive line? (Shrugs.)

OK, this happens from time to time. But what rankles Joe is that if you listen to the words of Henry Melton, the Bucs were expecting the Brownies to pound the ball at them on the ground, and still the defensive line, for the most part, was owned.

“We knew they were going to try and come run the ball,” Melton said. “You know, Josh [McCown] did a great job commanding the line, so I thought they did good.”

Joe really doesn’t know what to suggest here. If a unit knows before a game what an offense is going to do, and still gets abused, what does that tell you?

It tells Joe there was a valid reason Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht was concerned about the interior rush defense early in training camp.

42 Responses to “Sad Performance By D-Line”

  1. DallasBuc Says:

    They were completely abused and humiliated by men that imposed their will without respect or consent. Someone please send the whole Incompetent Lovie Smith defense (sans Kwon) to battered women’s shelter. It’s unconscionable what they did to that defense last night.

  2. thunderchunkyPA Says:

    GMC was NOWHERE to be found again, just like the Vikings game. All the talk of the BEST DT in the game, he better get it going.

  3. Buc1987 Says:

    Josh McClown had Ray Perkins defense for dinner last night. Scrambling away, running all around.

    Mariota is going to kick the crap out of Ray Perkins defense.

    Lovie Smith = Ray Perkins II

  4. Carl's toe Says:

    What will Brees do to this defense? Bears fans said Lovie sucks! Everyone’s realizing they are right!

  5. StPeteBucsFan Says:

    87!!!

    Say in ain’t true!!! We’ve lost you too. Ray Perkins? McCown made some spectacular plays. That toss to Hartlne in the end zone is a BSPN highlight in ANY GAME…his escape from the trap…running by Johnson was masterful…the head first dive for first down was just stooopid in a pre season game. He came to play we clearly did not.

    Again the special teams have sucked for a long time and so I do not understand why O’Dea is getting even more crap than Warhop.

    But THE PLAY that disturbed me most was the TE being wide open in the end zone!!! McCown didn’t make a great play then!!! AGAIN the Bucs leave a TE so open that ANY NFL QB could have completed that pass…well JFro in his prime might have found a way to short arm it.

    I cannot argue with Dallas or Tmax or any of the Lovie bashers when they ask why do TE’s run roughshod over Lovie’s defense. I have NO answer to that.

  6. Buc1987 Says:

    SPBF…until I see otherwise I’m calling him Perkins the rest of the season. That’s his new nickname for me.

    First overall Heisman winning QB draft choice out of the state of Florida with a defensive minded coach. Only Perkins had never coached in the NFL. This looks too familiar to me.

  7. Buc1987 Says:

    “I cannot argue with Dallas or Tmax or any of the Lovie bashers when they ask why do TE’s run roughshod over Lovie’s defense. I have NO answer to that.”

    Guess what? Neither does Lovie.

  8. Hawaiian Buc Says:

    As I knew it would, the sky is falling because of a bad preseason game. Yes, it was bad. Horrible. But it was preseason. The same people that were jumping for joy last week are jumping off the bridge now. Calm down. We are going to have games like this, and hopefully games like the Bengals. It’s what happens when a team isn’t a great team. I’m not saying don’t be concerned. I sure am. But don’t be concerned one week, then thinking playoffs the next, then back to 0-16 the next. Hell, if our backups play great and win on Thursday everyone will be screaming how great our depth is. It’s going to be an up and down season. We’ll have games that will tease us that we are a playoff team, and we’ll have others that make us feel like we need to draft another QB at #1. It’s just part of the struggle. Some of you seriously may need to take anti-anxiety pills, because you may not be able to handle this season.

  9. Buc1987 Says:

    Hawaiian Buc …no one on this particular thread thinks the sky is falling. Certainly not me. I’m not wavering from my prediction of 4-6 wins tops. Even after Monday, I said 4-6 wins tops. This team has a ways to go and I realize that. Whether that happens with or without Lovie remains the question. I’m not complaining or panicking. I know what we have in our team and it’s got a ways to go. Even when we were all debating Winston or Mariota, Lovie didn’t have my support for coaching this team.

    I’m not worried about a thing for this season as I never had high hopes to begin with.

  10. DefenseRules Says:

    Allowing your opponent to keep the ball for 37 mins in a game is never a good sign. No takeaways isn’t a good sign either. Browns 3rd down efficiency (46%) is reminiscent of too many of last year’s games. Against the run the Bucs really didn’t do that poorly (119 yds, 34 rushes, 3.5 average). But against the pass they stunk it up (74% completion rate doesn’t cut it). Will give the Browns credit though … their OLine did a pretty good job of protecting McCown, and allowed him to make plays.

    They’ll bounce back. Short week took a toll I think. Don’t have much confidence in our DEs or Safeties (yet) but our interior DLine, LBs and CBs look fairly solid at this point in preseason.

  11. tmaxcon Says:

    I guess Lovie did not raise the ante for this game.

  12. passthebuc Says:

    It all starts with coaching. the offensive line coach and Leslie Frazier need to go. if lovie cannot hire good coaches because of his ego, then he needs to also go.

  13. Buccfan37 Says:

    I was waiting to hear GMC’s name mentioned also. The Bucs were just flat out outplayed. Why? Who knows? Because they are not that good, close enough.

  14. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    I agree with Hawiian…..we will definately have ups and downs with this team….hell, we beat Pittsburgh last year at their house….we broke a streak of them winning 65 games while having an 8 point lead or more.

    Somehow, it seems to me that the team (especially both lines) didn’t really care that much…..they had proven against the Bengals that they could play…..

  15. Buc1987 Says:

    Buccfan37….”Why? Who knows?”

    Lovie doesn’t even know either…

    “There is not much we did well tonight, so Jameis, any other position you bring up – coaching, all of it – it just wasn’t good enough tonight. As far as what the reason is, it happened.” – Love Freaking Smith Head Coach of OUR team

    “As far as what the reason is, it happened.”

    How much money did they give this guy???

    I’m signed up for the Animosity Amigo’s. Give me one of those membership cards Nole on Saturday.

    It happened or s*** happens. It happened? Is that going to be Lovie’s response to blowouts and being unprepared to play all season long?

  16. Kalind Says:

    Reason: Lovie likes DTs who weigh in at 280.

  17. Supersam Says:

    I just read that Winston has had the worst preseason by a first round quarterback in the last 15 years. Wow.

  18. Buc1987 Says:

    How did Josh McCown and the Browns beat your defense Lovie?

    It happened.

  19. Dave Says:

    Not sure what everyone is talking about here. They were owned on one drive of 80 yards. After that, the starting defense held the Browns to a total of less than 40 yards in the first half.
    Maybe the line didn’t play great and didn’t get the sacks like last week but they stepped up and stopped getting beat after that 80 yard drive. The LBs played great.
    Point is, I am not concerned about the defense, except DE pass rush.
    I am concerned about the O- Line

  20. Tampa Tony Says:

    Joe should revive the “Ghost” nickname for GMC. Or maybe thief as he’s robbing the glazers

  21. Destro44 Says:

    No on the defensive line has beaten the man across from them all pre-season. A couple stunts or slants have gotten through but straight up none of them has one a 1 on 1 and that is frightening. If GMC is as good as everyone says they need to create ways to get him 1 on 1 situations, its called putting players in a position to succeed and its the sign of good coaching.

  22. OneLove Says:

    Joseph, I think you should be happy the Bucs played so sh!tty because it brings all the HATERS out on this site!! LOL I mean look at all these comments!! I hope Lovie doesn’t end up having a classified email scandal cuz that might bring your website down!!!

    87.. I believe Lovie explained why. He said our guys lost 1v1 battles!!(Including Jonathan BANKS!!!!!) YES, thats the reason we got beat!! It’s that simple!! I mean if YOU of all people don’t understand this by now then you need to take DallasBuc’s WANG out of your mouth and wake the F!@$ UP!!

    “Its as simple as that” – Lovie Smith “My seat is as COLD AS ALASKA!!”

  23. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    The D also had the stop after the turnover……they played pretty well after that first drive…..

  24. Buc1987 Says:

    OneLove…lol yikes a lil riled up are ya?

    We’ll see if this season doesn’t look like last season.

  25. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Actually, the first team D did give up a drive in the 2nd half….so, maybe they weren’t that good….

  26. Fsuking Says:

    Just rewatched each play at least 3 times… Melton had a good game too. Other than that, yea they sucked.

  27. DefenseRules Says:

    @SuperSam … “I just read that Winston has had the worst preseason by a first round quarterback in the last 15 years. Wow.”

    Would be interested to find out where you read that. Seems pretty harsh.

  28. Tampa Tony Says:

    I forgot GMC is triple and quadrupled teamed on every play

  29. Lakeland Buc Says:

    I mean we gotta be realistic here, the Browns has the best O-Line in the NFL. I know people be on the Cowboys bandwagon, but the Browns are the best. Look at their O-Line: They were ranked 6th last season at PFF and Alex Mack missed 10 games and Joel Bitonio was a rookie. And they added the most versatile rookie O-Lineman in the draft ( Cam Ervings) . The Bucs D-Line will never win a matchup against this unit, not with a 4 man rush. You will never beat this O-Line with a 4 man rush, if you think you can, then you need your head examined. You can only get pressure against this line with some complicated blitz packages. But it’s the preseason, and our starting defense actually played flawless against the Browns. We didn’t get much pressure up front, but our Linebackers and secondary played lights out. And they only had success on that one drive, running the ball against our starters. I still say that we win the NFC South, we have the right team for it.

  30. mac Says:

    @ tampa tony

    Agreed… Let’s hope McCoy earns at least some of the gigantic paychecks he will be cashing this year… I am going to wait until the real season starts before I will say anymore about this guy…

  31. Tampa Tony Says:

    If Lovie loses more than first year head coaches in ATL, NY, then he’s out of excuses to why this team still sucks

  32. Scotty in Fat Antonio Says:

    For just once, I would like “Gawd Almighty” Gerald McCoy or LVD for that matter to take over a game just once…JUST ONCE. LVD has shwon flashes but not consistency. Reminds me alot of Barrett “Clown Shoes”. Lots of stats but not alot of consistent flash.

    McCoy. I am just not sure what his problem is. He appears for a few quarters and disappears for other quarters of games.

  33. Tampa Tony Says:

    Scotty- didn’t you know GMC is so good it takes 3 or 4 linemen to block him? As well as a TE chipping him?

  34. Tampa Tony Says:

    LVD was at his best under Schiano. The media and the Joes are too scared to admit that though cus he was mean to the media

  35. StPeteBucsFan Says:

    @LakelandBuc

    Thanks. I was beginning to feel like the Lone Ranger here. LMAO

    Lot’s of guys are expressing very valid concerns and I do not dismiss them. Some are just negative nellies who will ALWAYS see a half full glass half empty.
    I’ve seen this throughout my life in every area of endeavor. Sad for those.

    There are plenty here though who I totally get…the TBBF’s and Buc Bonzais and tickdrs who are just exercising what is honestly common sense. Yes we are loaded with rookies and so we’re going to be up and down all year. Get used to it! We are going to win some amazing games this year and lose with some real stinking efforts.

    We just have to hope that the great efforts are more frequent than the horrid ones. I just really like this team.

  36. Tampa Tony Says:

    St Pete- if we were at a bar watching games ur optimism would get me to buy u a few cold ones. The teams performance reflects my view on them. But come Sunday’s I’ll be as optimistic as you.

  37. Bucs Fan Since '76 Says:

    This organization lacks any coherent strategy to get back to the Super Bowl. This is Culverhouse Redux except the Glazers are liberals and Hugh was a racist. We cannot win without talent and we do not have good players, or at least enough of them. We had the best CB in football and we gave that away for no good reason and nothing in return. We have no OL, no safeties, and no DE’s. We don’t even have an indoor practice facility for cripes sake.

    BTW – where are we relative to the salary cap, anyone know? I don’t know if the Glazers are defrauding us or if they are incompetent. But either way this franchise needs a serious enema, otherwise we are going to be drafting top 10 for many years to come. I’m sick of it.

  38. StPeteBucsFan Says:

    @TampaTony

    Thanks! I might disappoint though. I drink girlie man beer Mich Ultra. My in laws and buds are all into “craft beers” and think I’m a tasteless wuss. LOL

  39. BuccoDav Says:

    “Joe really doesn’t know what to suggest here.”

    Whatever will the professionals do if the reporters don’t have good advice for them?
    Oh well, I guess they’ll just have to wing it…

  40. BucfanBF Says:

    GMC being the supposed leader needs to step his game up. Very dissapointed with his play thus far.

  41. Jason McLaurin Says:

    It’s not their fault. I lay blame to the secondary again. I think guys like Mcdougald and Lansannah should be the second string. Swearinger is a beast and should definitely start but I like Keith Tandy over Mcdougald right now. Hes fast and can lay a hard lick as well. They’re also putting too much into running nickel formation as well. I say when they move to nickel then let Verner get in the nickel position and let Jenkins play on the outside with Banks that way we have two physical corners on the outside and crafty Verner making calls on the inside. Bruce Carter should start over Danny Lansannah because of the athletic talent alone but also because he has that fresh contract. I dont think it could hurt much to start him though because Carter has injury history and if it happens here then we will have a capable backup in Lansannah as well with the safety position in McDougald. Melton looks the part at defensive end to me which is why I think Jaquies Smith should hit the pine as well because hes only replacement level at best. Conte should be cut as well. They better cut all those bad vets and take advantage of the opportunity to influx the youth that they worked hard to scout diligently.

  42. Desanova Says:

    I saw Simeon’s movie but that was intended to be a horror show.