Red Zone Defense = Green Light
September 29th, 2015
Having a 1-2 record with losses to sad teams frustrates Bucs fans.
It is not quite as bad as last year, so there is growth.
One area worse than sad is red zone defense.
Right now, the red zone defense is a green light for opponents to score. Per something called “TeamRankings.com,” the Bucs are dead-last in the NFL in allowing touchdowns in the red zone. Opponents are boasting an 88 percent touchdown ratio when getting into the red zone.
Yesterday, during his day-after presser, Lovie dismissed the red zone defensive numbers as distortion.
“Our defense has given up 19 points the last couple of weeks as I see it,” Lovie said. “There has been a lot of improvement. When you group everything together, you can get it distorted a little bit. Our defense has given up 19 points the last couple of weeks and I think that’s pretty good. You look around the league, I think that’s a pretty good stat.”
Joe won’t go that far. Of course, points allowed is the ultimate stat next to wins. And who cares if a team marches up and down the field on your defense if they can’t convert drives into points, so long as the main objective (winning) is accomplished?
Problem is, winning isn’t happening, and teams are converting red zone visits into touchdowns. Imagine how much better this defense — and record — would be if the Bucs didn’t tear down stop signs when teams entered the red zone.
September 29th, 2015 at 5:34 am
Let me guess our offense is also last in scoring from the red zone. No they can’t be! They never get close enough to be in the red zone to begin with. They are stuck kicking (attempting to) 50 yard field goals every game!
September 29th, 2015 at 6:05 am
If you take out th TN game it makes a huge difference, which is what he is saying…who cares if your defense only allow a 19 points if your offense does not 20.
September 29th, 2015 at 6:26 am
It is disheartening to watch other games from around the NFL and then go watch the product we (The Bucs) put out on the field. I know we are in full 10 year rebuild mode, but how in today’s NFL are you not even really competitive. It takes so many stupid personnel moves to put yourself in this position that it is mind boggling. Looking really hard to find one franchise that is in worse shape than ours and sorry do not see any. Only teams that have had some success and are now totally dismantled like the 49ers have any excuses to play this bad.
September 29th, 2015 at 6:43 am
Seriously? Who cares if a team marches up and down the field on your defense if they can’t convert drives into points?
The DC should care for one thing. Teams ‘marching up and down the field’ equals time-of-possession … for the other guys. Too much time on the field for the defense equals a defense that’s pooped out at the end of each long drive and pooped out by the 4th quarter.
The Bucs problem defensively thus far this year (and last year) is that they can’t get off the field because … they can’t stop folks on 3rd down. Penalties, missed assignments, poor tackling, you name it … they can’t stop people when it counts.
And they haven’t even played the tough teams yet. Our defense needs to toughen up, get off the field, and give the offense more of a chance to score if the Bucs expect to do better than 2-14 this year.
September 29th, 2015 at 6:45 am
Love is terrible coach. The should have gotten rid of him at the end of last year but instead we have suffer through another season of this crap. And when fans can see what a real coach can do like Dan Quinn in Atlanta who has already won as many games as Lovie has I would think it would be hard for the Glazers to bring Lovie back. I just hope we don’t have to suffer another season of Lovie.
September 29th, 2015 at 6:50 am
It starts at the top. Ever since Malcolm Glazer gave the decision making over to his sons there has been a string of incompetent hires. Yes, there is finally some talented staff on the pro personnel side of things and Licht and his guys need to keep their jobs. But the head coaching position continues to be failure after failure. At this point I’m not sure what can be done about it. Unless ownership changes I don’t know how we end up with the right head coach unless it happens purely by accident.
September 29th, 2015 at 6:53 am
Relax. It’s only 3 games. Real football doesn’t start until November.
September 29th, 2015 at 6:59 am
Except they don’t get to face a half armed Drew Brees and the 36th best QB in the NFL (Mallett) every week. That’s the scary part, it’s 88% and they haven’t even played a top half of the league QB yet. Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady would easily drop 7TDs on these defense.
September 29th, 2015 at 7:10 am
The sad part is if the Bucs had won last Sunday the sheep (lovie loyalist) would be on here trying to tell us what a great team this is. Never mind that the bucs are one of the most unwatchable, sloppy, and undisciplined teams in the NFL!!!
Some Sheep will tell you to wait, and wait and wait on it! Some Sheep will tell you that Lovie needs 2-3 good drafts and then will be competitive!! I have no doubt that If the right head coach and coaching staff were in Tampa right now that this would be a competitive team right now!!!
And that is the point, Why are we waiting???
September 29th, 2015 at 7:13 am
Lovie is calling defensive plays during games. He ISN’T the Defensive Coordinator. Blame it on Frazier for not getting these boys ready. From the day he was hired, I said Frazier was a bad hire. From the day Tedford was hired, I said it was a bad hire. They have now fixed OC…now fix DC and replace Frazier.
September 29th, 2015 at 7:35 am
^ Lovie was a bad hire, as evidence by all the bad hires and signings he subsequently made. The sooner that is rectified, the sooner we cant start thinking of the future. It’ll be nice to have an offensive minded head coach next for our franchise QB.
September 29th, 2015 at 7:38 am
Replace Frazier with Schiano. He is still under contract
September 29th, 2015 at 7:38 am
@Realist
I think you’re overstating the whole “sheep” thing. Personally I count more people on this site that are against Lovie than for him. But maybe you need to feel all alone in your angst. Maybe that makes you feel like you’re right and everyone else is wrong. Problem is it seems like you’re fighting your own shadow and these imaginary “sheep” you yell about.
September 29th, 2015 at 7:39 am
FLBoyInDallas Says
“…Licht and his guys need to keep their jobs.”
Being in Dallas must have fried your brains. Licht is a horrible General Manager. He can’t make good trades, and he blows free agency EVERY YEAR.
This off season, he admitted that last year’s FA signings were more his fault than Lovie. Said it during a radio interview. Even said it on NFLN a couple times. Yet people here give him a pass and blame Lovie…who has nothing to do with signing players, working contracts and doing trades.
Lovie gets his picks in the draft. Those are the players that are working out. He tells Licht what he needs outside the draft and Licht is supposed to find players to fir those roles. Licht is failing in EVERY regard.
Freaking Mark Dominic did a better job. Mark. Freaking. Dominic. Who couldn’t spot talent for the life of him, but could make deals better than anyone when he set his mind to it.
Licht constantly goes after injury prone castoffs. And it has cost this team everything.
The offense DOES need time to develop. You can’t expect rookies to play great out of the gate. Maybe two players per year do that out of all the draft. The rest need time.
The only his we’ve had on defense is the one player that Lovie picked in the draft. That alone should show you we need to keep him for next year’s draft.
And, say, you bring in a new coach? Do you really thing a new coach will want to keep our current OC? You really want to stunt Winston’s growth?
And don’t even suggest he be made HC. That would do just as much damage since it’s our defense that needs the most work now.
KEEP LOVIE.
And stop listening to guys like The Real Racist.
All he’s done since cursing this website with his presence is sew negativity. He has NEVER had a positive thing to say. He is intentionally making a concerted effort to demoralize the fans, and you people are letting him get away with it. Meanwhile, he attacks anyone who IS positive. Tries to manipulate you all into thinking they are stupid. He calls them sheep…but really he is hoping you all are the sheep and will listen to him.
How anyone here can let a non-fan of the team (an obvious troll) get away with such things is beyond me. He doesn’t want the fans to believe in the team, because if fans do that, it might filter to the players. They’ll pick up on it through radio, television and the web, and maybe they’ll play better because of it.
Think about it…has The Real Racist EVER said anything positive about a Bucs head coach while they were working for the Bucs? NO! He claims now that Gruden was good, but when Gruden was here all he wanted was to fire him. He trolled the Bucs forum when Dungy was here, wanting him fired.
He has made it his lifes goal (sadly) to spread his negativity toward the team. There was a time when people saw through it. Now so many drones have appeared he gets undeserved respect.
Shake it off people. It is only the third game for 6 starting rookies. You HAVE to give them time.
And as long as Licht is handling free agency, you have to wait on Lovie to fix the team through the draft.
September 29th, 2015 at 7:59 am
The common theme on this team is quit!!! Ever since marinelli left there has been zero fire on this team. I know it is hard to motivate grown men and spoiled athletes, but Gruden knew how to do it. Many other head coaches seem to be able to get the most out of players. Less talented teams are getting way more out of less. Look at the skill positions we have in place and compare them to other teams.
September 29th, 2015 at 8:04 am
The only reason that “red zone defense” is not higher is because the Texans settled for a 19 yard FG that made the score 19-9 after burning about 7 or 8 minutes and Tampa’s three timeouts in the 4th quarter sunday…. Lovie is proud of this D??? Geez man; he should really go into informercial land sales like has beens eric Estrada and Chuck Woolery did a few years back in backwater dumps like Hot Springs Village Arkansas and other obscure, overvalued planned communities as he is obviously past his prime as a DC or head footbal coach….
September 29th, 2015 at 8:06 am
Bonzi
So Lovie can not be held accountable for anything in your little mind. He bares no responsibility being 0-9 at home or 3 of the most embarrassing losses in NFL history or 2-14 last yesr or for wasting million in cap space he does have final say but not final responsibility regardless of you saying otherwise. You continue to attack those who point obvious facts…. yet you can not just face the facts the lovie smith expweiment has FAILED. Lovie is the biggest problem in Tampa simple as thst.
September 29th, 2015 at 8:06 am
@Buccaneer Bozo
Lies, lies and more lies!!! Normally like most, I just ignore your babbling posts. I have said a couple of good things and on rare occasion even linked it for you and you begrudgingly agreed with!!! Since Joe’s website has started, there just has not been much to positively to post about unless you are out of touch with reality!!!
What you don’t understand is that I am one of the Biggest fans of the Bucs, And it must hurt me more to be able to see clearly that glaring mistakes that are being made!!!
September 29th, 2015 at 8:18 am
Major problem here. The defense has to step up. I thought the defense would be strong part of the team.
September 29th, 2015 at 8:32 am
Thank you Bonzi.
A time saving tip for the more enlightened fan.
If you scan a post that uses the words: incompetent, fire, obviously or Tampa 2.
Also lookout for the commits ending in “Just sayin” or “Simple as that” I don’t believe I’ve ever read anything insightful before those phrases.
September 29th, 2015 at 8:59 am
When did Bonzai become such a Lovie nut rider? Man it’s embarrassing how much the Lovie defenders actually want to defend being the worst coached and run franchise in the league. Literally everyone else in every other fan base thinks he’s a total joke of a coach. The Lovie defenders need to find some lepers, because that’s about the only thing rarer than people who think Lovie is a good coach is people with leprosy.
September 29th, 2015 at 10:24 am
This is incompetent Lovie Smith’s version of “bend don’t break” cover 12 defense!
Glazers, wipe up this mess you foisted on us, again.
September 29th, 2015 at 10:30 am
Lovie knows how to polish a turd 19 ways to Monday, I’ll give him that.
September 29th, 2015 at 12:42 pm
I take this as him staying positive and give his defense something to hang their hate on even while being an open buffet in the red zone and struggling to stop quick passes.
When you make Ryan Mallet look like a young Drew Bledsoe.. You know you arent playing good defense.