Defense Puzzled
December 20th, 2015
Lovie’s defense makes garbage quarterbacks look great.
With only two games left in his two-year (and counting) tenure with the Bucs, Lovie Smith’s defense is known for letting crap quarterbacks look like Johnny Unitas, including Austin Davis, Derek Anderson, Marcus Mariota, Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallet, Kirk Cousins, Matt Hasselbeck and now Case Keenum.
Either these quarterbacks had never taken an NFL snap, or were on the bench or at some point out of the league, only to revive their careers against Lovie’s defense.
But Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dipatch seemed to pity Lovie after Keenum damned near pitched a perfect game Thursday against the Bucs defense, Lovie’s defense. Gordon claims the Bucs had no film from which to study Keenum.
The Buccaneers didn’t seem to have much tape on accurate Rams deep throws, so the element of surprise caught them looking.
To add salt to the wound, Gordon graded out Keenum as having an “A-game.” That’s a dog manure quarterback nearly throwing a perfect game on the Bucs — on Lovie.
This gets Joe so upset he could just drop kick a baseball bat to his Bucs replica helmet.
December 20th, 2015 at 12:10 pm
This is one of my biggest problems with Lovie’s defense, (there are many, many more.)
That if by some chance the team drags lovie to a playoff game, All the other team has to do is give a different look and lovie will fold like a lawn chair!!!!
and when no one is surprised by that, we will not be surprised in the press conference afterwards and hearing ” they did thing that we did not see on film”!!!
December 20th, 2015 at 12:15 pm
Any bets that Casey Kasem gets his a$$ handed to him the next 2 week?
December 20th, 2015 at 12:15 pm
Lovie needs to take his BS defense an put it back in his basement. Hire a real D coordinator. If he doesn’t he will most likely be gone after next year. Better yet. Licht should just do it for him. Then Lovie can thank him later after he gets over his butt hurt and realizes Licht may have saved his job.
December 20th, 2015 at 12:23 pm
Joe says
“This gets Joe so upset he could just drop kick a baseball bat to his Bucs replica helmet.”
Not to get you even more riled up and moving furniture, But did you see the Bucs vs Rams was the worst ratings of any primetime game this year!!!!!!
Personally this might be a good thing, The less people saw that beatdown the better for the Bucs!!!!
December 20th, 2015 at 12:46 pm
A head Coach can only work with the talent he has. If he had drafted a bunch of defensive players, I would feel he is more accountable for the defense. But he had to settle with injury prone scrubs through free agency.
So this draft will define his tenure.
December 20th, 2015 at 12:52 pm
I am not defending Lovie or the d at all here, but he did make at least two really tough throws in that game so the kid does deserve a little credit. The problem is he had all day to do it.
December 20th, 2015 at 12:53 pm
#1)Lets put the CB (Johnthan banks) that led our team last year in int’s on the bench for 1 of my guys, Jude.
-Lovie smith
I know alot of people may not be high on Banks but he’s an upgrade to Jude. He’s a tall, long CB that has showed he can make a play on the ball but at this point he would be rusty b/c he doesn’t get any playing time, Lovie just wasted his year.
#2) Bucs need to bring in Simone Rice to teach these DE’s some moves, all they have is the speed rush but any good OL just pushes them up the field so their QB can step up in a clean pocket b/c of no interior DL pressure.
#3)Bring in a returner with some speed, Dri Archer maybe? Nothing against Rainey but he’s not aggressive enough. I know most of the kicks are 7-8-9yrds deep in the end-zone and im not saying take them all out but at least take 2 out a game to try and give a spark to the offense. All i see is touchback, touchback, touchback, touchback b’c he’s not aggressive enough
December 20th, 2015 at 1:08 pm
So we didn’t have tape on the guy because he was out of football. He looked like a hall of fame qb because we couldnt come close to pressuring him with the exception of 2 bad sacks he took. Look at the tape on the rare occasion we managed pressure he looked like a bum of the street. The same goes for the list of “franchise” QBs that tourched us. Now look at guy like Lebeu’s record againt rookies and back ups. He tortures them with complex pressure schemes. ANY QB WITH A CLEAN JERSEY WILL TORCH ANY DEFENSE IN THE LEAGUE!.
December 20th, 2015 at 1:15 pm
It is amazing how these backup QB’s have their best games against the Bucs. It’s way past getting old. It’s downright repulsive.
December 20th, 2015 at 1:19 pm
Who let Revis go?
Who turned Alterraun Verner, a Pro Bowler, into a flunkie?
Who benched the guy with the most picks last year (Banks)?
It wasn’t Licht. It wasn’t a Glazer.
December 20th, 2015 at 1:34 pm
@BuccaneerBonzai
If Lovie is here next year, How many Hall of Famer players and pro-bowlers does he need to run his defense???
December 20th, 2015 at 1:39 pm
When you are getting man handled by teams that are just as untalented as you are, the problem is coaching…
“It’s as simple as that.” – Great ole nice guy Lovie
December 20th, 2015 at 1:39 pm
My vow to not call for Lovies firing for the rest of the season times out in two weeks. It’s as simple as that.
December 20th, 2015 at 2:07 pm
Joe Says:
December 20th, 2015 at 1:19 pm
Who let Revis go?
Who turned Alterraun Verner, a Pro Bowler, into a flunkie?
Who benched the guy with the most picks last year (Banks)?
It wasn’t Licht. It wasn’t a Glazer.
It’s Schiano and Dominik’s fault, clearly!
December 20th, 2015 at 2:10 pm
I believe the reason why Frazier was relieved of his play calling duties because of the dismal completion % the defense was giving. This year, Lovie’s defense has the same issue.
I think Lovie’s immediate future is tied to what Koetter does this offseason. Koetter can’t leave the building under any circumstances. If he wants to be a head coach, well the Bucs have a QB who I’m pretty sure Dirk likes.
December 20th, 2015 at 2:18 pm
Well said Joe, problem is Lovie brought in his scrubs to run an obsolete defense and got rid of some good players or made good players bad. Good coaches adapt to their talent. Lovie is setting back this franchise and the players are tuning him out.
December 20th, 2015 at 2:47 pm
Where’s One Lovie when you need’em?
Joe you’re going to get blasted by OneLovie for even posting something as negative about Lovie as this article.
I just hope he leaves his wang in his pants…
December 20th, 2015 at 2:54 pm
dirk koetter as head coach….fire lovie. Otherwise we will remain the broken record bucs in 2016
December 20th, 2015 at 3:10 pm
Jameis says: “Realist, were did all the sheep go???”
The Buc Realist says: ” Oh, most will be back, some will change their screen names, But some are so embarrassed that they will never come back!!!”
December 20th, 2015 at 3:38 pm
I think two-thirds of it has to do with the immaturity of the defense and how it plays down to the level of its competition. Not a top flight QB? This defense relaxes in both its preparation and execution. Classic sign of a mentally weak, young group.
December 20th, 2015 at 3:47 pm
Every team knows how to beat ” Lovie’s Defense “.. That is the problem.
December 20th, 2015 at 4:12 pm
I dont agree with Lovies decision to let Revis go. It was stupid. But lets not let Verner off the hook. Wether lined up in zone or man, Verner has not looked good. If he dosent look good in either, then how is that the coaches fault? And dont bring up scheme, because like I just said, I have seen our defense run both zone and man, and he gets burnt in both.
Now as far as benching Banks…wtf Lovie! Stupid stupid stupid. Moore and Banks should br our two starting corners period.
And that excuse about no film on Keenum, give me a freaking break. What kind of garbage bs is that!?!
December 20th, 2015 at 4:18 pm
Bonzai, you’re way off base my man.
December 20th, 2015 at 4:32 pm
Joe Says:
December 20th, 2015 at 1:19 pm
A head Coach can only work with the talent he has. If he had drafted a bunch of defensive players, I would feel he is more accountable for the defense. But he had to settle with injury prone scrubs through free agency.
Who let Revis go?
Who turned Alterraun Verner, a Pro Bowler, into a flunkie?
Who benched the guy with the most picks last year (Banks)?
It wasn’t Licht. It wasn’t a Glazer.
Are you serious? You pay Revis 16 million dollars to be somewhere he did not want to be. Revis was not a savior when he played for Schiano. You should never mention Schiano as being relevant; he was a ringmaster-never a coach. Lovie is building a team. The problem is Gerald McCoy Joe, and you know it. I know your only excuse it that McCoy is hurt, but he has been hurt his entire career. Aaron Donald did not sack Jameis Winston once, but he pressured jameis all game. All of the QB’s you mention look great because the defense is built around Gerald McCoy. He has not pressured one QB all year Joe. If he did, the defense would be excellent. You put all the problems on defense on Lovie and the DB’s. What has Gerald McCoy done all year. By the way Banks sucked big cocks when he did play this year.
December 20th, 2015 at 4:39 pm
I was not excited when I heard Lovie was our new coach, but I wasn’t worried either. I thought that at the least, he would bring stability and a good defense back to Tampa.
But, he came in and gutted the offensive line with no plan to replace them, let a great defensive player walk for nothing, started to bring in the Chicago retreads, and he let us go an entire season without a qualified offensive coordinator.
Meanwhile, he did draft Evans and Winston, which were the right picks, but he neglected to address the lack of talent on defense. He has failed to put a prepared team on the field. In fact, the only game they came out and looked really good from the start was the Washington game, and we all know how that turned out. He has captained a team that could break the record for penalties in a single season. How much more are we supposed to endure as fans? How many more games like Thursday again the Rams are we supposed to watch? How many more Panthers/Giants/Titans/Saints/ are we supposed to take schit from on pur way out of the stadium? When will we be relevant again? When will we be respected again?
I’m tired of the Bucs being the NFL’s slump buster. Lovie has to go!!!
December 20th, 2015 at 4:40 pm
Well, the Giants lost to the stinking Panthers. I have never seen a receiver get under Josh Norman’s skin like Odell Beckham Jr did. Jaguars lost and the Bills too. There is still a chance the Buccaneers will break into the top ten in the draft. Best case scenario looks like we would have the 9th pick. More than likely it will be 10th thru 13th pick.
December 20th, 2015 at 4:43 pm
Kwon must be damn good to make this defense look respectable
December 20th, 2015 at 5:16 pm
To all the Lovie Apologists, blaming our shtty D on “lack of talent”:
Lovie took the HC job, along with being the HEAD OF PERSONNEL…
So not only is Lovie responsible for his outdated Defensive scheme, he’s responsible for hand-picking that dog-sht group of defensive players and coaches… And being the OVERLORD of personnel, he didnt have ENOUGH BALLS to take control of the last 2 drafts, and pick more defensive players!
He’s too soft to coach his squad… And he’s either a pushover, or just incompetent in the F.O., that we didnt draft more defensive players…
Fcuk You Lovie.
December 20th, 2015 at 5:20 pm
“A head Coach can only work with the talent he has. If he had drafted a bunch of defensive players, I would feel he is more accountable for the defense. But he had to settle with injury prone scrubs through free agency.
So this draft will define his tenure.”
But he DIDNT draft defensive players. And I hold him accountable for THAT.
Fcuk You Lovie.
December 20th, 2015 at 6:16 pm
I like some of our defensive talent. ( Kwon, David, moore, Melton, gohlston, McDonald, banks) but we need to get Emanuel Ogbah in the first or Ramsey. Then pick up Carl Nassib in the second. Bring in Josh Norman If Car let’s him walk and olivier Vernon from Miami because they don’t have the $ to resign him. Sign one of the cinnci recovers ( muhammad Sannu or Marvin Jones) Ohh and most important of all FIRE LOVIE. maybe replace him with the d-cordinator from Carolina. Then we are set. Maybe see if we can package Mcoy and Glennon for pass rusher or safty/ corner or picks (need at least a 1 and a 3
December 20th, 2015 at 6:18 pm
If you are a journey man QB and you want to resurrect your career your already dead career you don’t need no QB guru or whisperer come to One Buc Place and see Lovie’s defence he’s your man!
Get it today while last!
December 20th, 2015 at 6:42 pm
Lovie will be here next season, like it or not.
If he can field a competent defense, he will be back the year after, assuming our offense becomes consistent and is better than this year (which I expect)
So year 3 will be judgement year. If the defense still sucks, he has to be gone.
December 20th, 2015 at 7:06 pm
He is not competent. So how can he field a decent defence? We have decent talent. No good talent but not bad either. A few pieces and a good coach could make this a GOOD defence. Look at carolina. They don’t have great talent. 2 good linebackers (we have that) a decent De ( we need) and a really good corner (we need) they don’t have that good of safty (and neither do we) I think our d lines are a wash. And we can fill those needs this offseason. But it won’t matter if loser lovie is still running the circus. I love my team and I don’t want to change coaches every 2 years. But if u see that he is not the right person for the job y waste time and talent on another year. Don’t wait fire lovie sooner rather than later. WE CAN WIN NOW. Y WAIT. FIRE LOVIE
December 20th, 2015 at 7:34 pm
This Guy Right Here Says:
December 20th, 2015 at 5:20 pm
“A head Coach can only work with the talent he has. If he had drafted a bunch of defensive players, I would feel he is more accountable for the defense. But he had to settle with injury prone scrubs through free agency.
So this draft will define his tenure.”
But he DIDNT draft defensive players. And I hold him accountable for THAT.
Fcuk You Lovie.
Some morning you will wake up, realize that you are an idiot, and there is not help for you; then you will shoot yourself.
December 20th, 2015 at 8:45 pm
@loggedontosay,
Gotta say, the way you quoted that, and wrote that, made you sound like a crazy person telling Lovie Smith to shoot himself.. fckin hilarious.
December 20th, 2015 at 10:17 pm
Attitude reflects leadership. Have a coach that is competent and not confused himself, have a team that is not confused and knows the assignments.
December 20th, 2015 at 11:46 pm
Piss Poor Coaching. Period
December 21st, 2015 at 4:04 am
Lol Mariota is not a crap QB. You’re an idiot.
December 21st, 2015 at 7:32 am
Crap quaterbacks > Lovie