December Football
December 1st, 2015
Lovie seems fired up for December football.
Welcome to December. Joe isn’t a big fan of December. Even in Florida it means, often, wearing a jacket.
That’s not factoring in having to spend all sorts of money just because of the month on the calendar.
Locally, December often means dreadful Bucs football. Only twice since Chucky was jettisoned (2010 and 2012) have the Bucs played meaningful football games in December.
Well, to be fair, the Bucs played meaningful games last December. Meaningful in that the Bucs needed to lose to win the Chase for Jameis. Thank you, Bucs!
This December is different. The Bucs still have a chance of grabbing a wild card berth. With two homes games the next two Sundays, winning is imperative.
Even Lovie Smith could sense the urgency yesterday in his weekly day-after presser.
“There’s no margin for error as we see it now,” Lovie said. “Yes, this is the final stage of our growth, rebirth, whatever you want to call it is to finish on this back stretch. Right now, as you look at our season we went 1-3 the first quarter, 2-2 the second, we have an opportunity – no, it’s a must – that we go 3-1 this third quarter finishing up with 4-0 in the last. Yes, the final phase is that. We are in position.
“In November you want to get in position and now it’s who gets hot at the end. We think we’re going to be one of those teams. There’s not a whole lot of doom and gloom around here. The last thing we need to see is that when you don’t take care of business late this is what can happen. I’m of the school of thought that we are going to be one of those teams that’s going to do this now, right when we need to.”
The Bucs need three wins to have a prayer of a wild card berth. There are five games left.
If the Bucs cannot come away with a winning record in December, then they don’t deserve a wild card berth.
To hear more from Lovie, click the arrow below. Audio courtesy of Joe’s friends at WDAE-AM 620.
December 1st, 2015 at 9:32 am
There’s some good things about December too. I mean, it’s “girls in boots” weather which is a pretty damn good time of the year in my opinion
December 1st, 2015 at 10:17 am
@creamsicle
Especially girls in nothing but boots. 😉
December 1st, 2015 at 10:38 am
i agree with both Joe and Lovie. This December is going to be a good barometer as to how far we’ve come and how far we have to go.
We did some stupid things against the Colts on Sunday. The Colts were a team on a roll with a hot QB. You can’t make those mistakes.
Still we were in this contest trailing by only six points late into the game. I believe by this time next year Fameis will have reached the level where he would have brought us back in that contest. This was a game that “future Fameis” will win..even with the defensive lapses, penalites and dropped balls.
Let’s see how this team finishes and in particular #3. I have faith in #3. Everybody talked about how he was a rookie and we should have patience with him. I have that patience and in fact he’s already ahead of schedule IMHO.
I can’t wait to watch #3 this month. You gotta give the kid credit…he’s a gamer and I’m happy to have him behind center.
Go Bucs
December 1st, 2015 at 11:32 am
I think we can go 5-0 or 4-1 from here on out but we must play with the same type of energy and urgency that we displayed vs. philly…the team that im a little worried about is actually Chicago…they are playing good ball right now…GO BUCS!!!
December 1st, 2015 at 11:58 am
Ditto. 4-1 depending on CHI and/or if CAR rests their starters.
December 1st, 2015 at 12:33 pm
The sense of urgency is beginning to rise for Lovie Smith but they really need to focus more on the run at this point ib the season and start grooming Sims behind Martin. I say they should get Martin involved the passing game as well with a healthy dose of screens to open up the long ball for Vjax and Evans and also Brate because I dont see ASJ returning until later if at all this season. This offense needs to become more creative with endarounds for the receivers like MIKE EVANS and Dye and Humphries. They along with Martin and Sims have speed and power to their games that has to be maximized by the playcalling of Koetter. Instead of coming out basic lets run some counter plays with Sims and Martin and take full advantage of the strength of the offensive line as well. The next two games will be won if we can force the run and get ahead early and hold the lead by not committing turnovers and undisciplined penalties like the false starts. Holding happens but false start man we’ve got to know the snap counts which is the first step in becoming disciplined up front and in sync. I believe and know that we will finish 10-6 with five straight to close the season if Koetter and Lovie Smith can become more creative with the weapons on offense by calling for some screens, reads, counters, and endarounds for the offense so Winston doesn’t have the weight of the world on him and he can pass for big plays more often on first or third downs. The big plays have to start coming through patience with the running game and feed Martin and Sims on creative running plays.###play4WINStonfight4LOViE
December 1st, 2015 at 4:01 pm
I have a couple of issues with counting on Charles Sims as a #1 rb in case Martin isn’t here next year, which would be a shame.
He doesn’t hit the holes explosively, he runs too upright, he has a hesitation move that doesn’t shake off defenders. He is Michael Pittman II, give him a hole or a good screen in space and he has the speed to break it but he doesn’t do the dirty work and pick up the tough yards after contact.
He is what he is, a top third down back, a rb that once he get in the open field he shows speed and power. He catches well. I think he’s good but not good enough to make a couple of tacklers miss him and turn a 2 yard loss
into a 2 yard gain like Martin does.
Not a #1 back but a great specialty back and depth guy.