Licht Talks Playoffs (Again)

January 3rd, 2016
Talkin' playoff run (in 2016).

Talkin’ playoff run (in 2016).

Bucs fans are unnerved.

America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, led the Bucs to a 6-6 record and in the thick of a playoff chase, the Bucs’ pass defense completely crumbled and Tampa Bay has lost three straight games to garbage teams.

Facing the Stinking Panthers today ion the road in Charlotte, with the Stinking Panthers needing a win to lock up home field advantage through the playoffs, it is reasonable to expect the Bucs to drop their final four games of the season.

Talk about crapping in the bed.

You want to know who else is peeved about this? That would be Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht.

In a story about how the Bucs want to build a lasting contender like Carolina, Woody Cummings of The Tampa Tribune noted how Licht “bristles” because  the Bucs blew a golden opportunity to make a playoff run.

And for the second time in a week, Licht openly is talked about playoff expectations in 2016.

“We should be a contender for the playoffs next year,’’ Licht said flatly. “We have some great young talent on this team and the year of experience has been great for us. It’s invaluable the year these guys got under their belt this season, the number of snaps they got, the number of starts they got.

“So, yeah, I feel comfortable saying we should contend for the playoffs next year. We should. And I believe we will. I do.’’

Whoa. Well, first, Joe loves that Licht is irked by the team dropping the ball this year, when the NFC seemed pave a path in the snow for the Bucs to run through, only for the team to run square into a snowdrift.

You know what else this means? If Licht is publicly talking playoff run and there’s another losing season in 2016, then Joe is willing to place his chips on the table and say it won’t be Licht who Team Glazer will demand answers from this time next year, especially if Licht’s draft savvy continues this spring.

35 Responses to “Licht Talks Playoffs (Again)”

  1. Tampa Tony Says:

    2016 the no excuse year for Loser Lovie, time to win or go back to the basement.

  2. The Buc Realist Says:

    hmmm, Seems like Licht is drawing a line in the sand when it comes to lovie, something the sheep seem unable to do!!!!!!

  3. Bucs Believer Says:

    Too bad the line is Being drawn for 2016. After we stink up the year then get a new coach it could be years added to our wait for relevancy. Lets hope Jameis will be able to stay healthy that long.

  4. BucTrooper Says:

    2015 was here for the taking. But Stubborn Lovie had to stick by his kicker for 2 games (2 losses) and the defensive guru can’t defend a 21 point lead…. not to mention the fear of scoring before halftime.

  5. SteveK Says:

    BRING BACK SCHIANO

    SCHIANO GOT BILBOARDS CALLING FOR HIS HEAD, AND HE’S DONE BETTER/MORE THAN LOVIE

    THIS TEAM WAS SO MUCH MORE MENTALLY TOUGH UNDER SCHIANO, IT’S NOT EVEN CLOSE!

  6. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Yes…our pass defense was weak the last three games…..but so was our offense….we also weren’t able to cause any turnovers.

    Wasn’t it Licht that said from the get-go that Buc fans shouldn’t be patient…..that the time for winning was now…(2 years ago)

    I like Licht’s positive attitude but we need much better FA acquisitions to get the job done.

  7. The Buc Realist Says:

    @Stevek

    Why are the two treated so differently??? I have been doing a little investigating and found out that there is tremendous pressure on the media to not talk bad about lovie!!! There are tons of old star players and work associates of lovie from the old days and some Tampa-2-ites in the area that have insulated lovie from criticism!!! I have named this group the Tampa2-mafia!!! While they can influence the local media, they will not be able to stop the real fans!!!!!

  8. Luther Says:

    I’m ok with losing this year. We did way more than I thought we would and we need a few more pieces on defense. High draft picks will help us do that but no excuses next year.

  9. I know why Says:

    Joe for years you have wrote the Bucs have the worst QB in the division. That still hasn’t change and we just played the AFC South and still managed only 6 wins this year. Licht talks playoffs then he and lovie should be on same path either way! Extensions after 2016 or executions.

  10. ndog Says:

    Realist why can’t you just state your opinion? Why so you have to so be such an antagonist jerk EVERYDAY? You know most people on this site wants what’s best for the team, you just seem to want what’s best for you. Look Schiano had the kneel down thing, the temperature thing, the Freeman thing, the blitz every play and play one on one thing and that is why he was fired. Not to mention he had players all over the place talking against him publicly so get over it dude! Don’t try to rewrite history like he was some genius, he was just a guy that didn’t get it done so move on and GET A CLUE!

  11. BFFL Says:

    Just think, this defense should have Bennett, Talib and Kuechly on it. Now if it did, then chances are Glennon would be the QB, but at least we be winning games like the Jets. It’s time to accept the fact that defense wins games.

  12. JonBuc Says:

    Licht will be disappointed again then….5-6 wins, mostly playing scared, sqeeking out those wins by a FG or so. Lovie loves BucBall ( minus the defensive stalwarts of course ). Perhaps signing an over the hill D. Hester as well.

  13. JaMarcus Leafwhich Says:

    Very true we still have the 4th best qb in the league. Most people want to live in fantasy world but facts are facts….maybe next year

  14. 911bucs Says:

    “Licht talks playoffs then he and lovie should be on same path either way! Extensions after 2016 or executions”.

    —————————————————————————————–
    So true, anyone with a pulse would have probably selected Jameis with the #1 pick yet some on here idolize L&L as if they accomplished some unrealistic feat. If Licht wants to gain more respect stop jumping into pools and do the right thing and clean house, Jameis will be just fine with the next coach.

  15. Buclife Says:

    Please Realist tell us your plan who should coach the Bucs and don’t give me the Schiano crap he sucked and the team regressed. Lovie may not be the answer but please tell us who would be. We are waiting for your wise words what would be your grand plan. Besides your constant complaining. I am just wondering who the next target for you will be. Rockstar, Clayborn and Lovie.

  16. The Buc Realist Says:

    @ndog

    My opinion on Coach Schaino is this. I don’t know if he is a great head coach or a bad head coach as he had mark dominick as a GM!!!! And i guess if you want to say he only had 2 years, as that seems to be a huge deal with the sheep with lovie, conveniently so!!!!

  17. ndog Says:

    Plus why do you completely ignore what Lovie did in Chicago? He went to the Superbowl with freaking Rex Grossman that has to count for something. I think this locker room is filed with a bunch of weak minded loss accepting mindset. And that was here well before Lovie or Licht was here. Now playing Jenkins /Jennings and cutting Revis etc. ..we’re all stupid moves you have to admit this was a disaster when they got here

  18. BucfaninMi Says:

    In all honesty, I don’t think this team is any better off this year than last. Considering the games Lovie tanked. With Glennon as QB last year, they win 5 to 7 games. Yes we’ve got Winston, but, and hope this does not happen, what if, that all he’s got? Sophomore slump? Or he’s just another D. Mcnabb?. Lovie has not put this team in a position to win. Fire Lovie, keep Glennon ( just in case) Koetter to HC and bring in Jim Schwartz as DC.

  19. The Buc Realist Says:

    Because I do not live in Chicago, I am not a bears fan! I live in Saint Petersburg,Fl and I am a Bucs fan!!!!!

    Also that was a while ago and I do not see the 0-16 Lions and a weak Vikings (during lovie’s tenure) in our division!!!!!

  20. BucfaninMi Says:

    Lovies ego has never put this team in a position to win. Not playing Glennon, getting rid of Revis, among others, they would’ve won 5-7 games anyway, so how are they better now? Ok, Winston gives us hope, but who knows? Could just level off and not be much more? I hope not, but we’ve all seen it before. I really see no real improvement other than getting Licht.

  21. Lovie Is Dog Poo Says:

    ndog Says:
    January 3rd, 2016 at 9:38 am
    Plus why do you completely ignore what Lovie did in Chicago? He went to the Superbowl with freaking Rex Grossman that has to count for something.

    Ken Whisenhunt went to the Super Bowl…
    Jeff Fisher went to the Super Bowl….
    Jim Caldwell went to the Super Bowl…
    Bill Callahan went to the Super Bowl….

    They are all considered below average coaches. So is Lovie Smith. Lovie has been in 3 playoff games in the last 3650 days. That is a bad coach by any measure.

  22. ndog Says:

    Whisenhut had Warner, Callahan used Gruden system an offensive MVP Rich Gannon, Caldwell had Manning and Fischer did a hell of a job what’s your point? What Lovie have in Chicago when he got there? He built that from the ground up and I hate the Bears but to ignore history is idiotic.

  23. orlbucfan Says:

    This board is always a hoot when the Bucs (accidentally) win a ballgame. Might just happen today. I hope no one suffers a stroke as a result. Go Bucs!!

  24. Lovie Is Dog Poo Says:

    ndog Says:
    January 3rd, 2016 at 10:27 am
    Whisenhut had Warner, Callahan used Gruden system an offensive MVP Rich Gannon, Caldwell had Manning and Fischer did a hell of a job what’s your point? What Lovie have in Chicago when he got there? He built that from the ground up and I hate the Bears but to ignore history is idiotic

    Lovie had 3 HOFers on defense in Urlacher, Briggs and Tillman, and all were drafted PRIOR to Lovie being there. Lol at him having nothing. Unfortunately we’re going to be a below average defense until he falls into some more HOFers.

    My point is those are all very mediocre coaches. Seriously, bottom third of the league at their best. We will always be at a coaching disadvantage with Lovie. 3 playoff years out of 9 is not good. That’s Lovie in Chicago. He’s now at 3 in 11 seasons. Check out his record without Rivera or Marinelli running his defense (hint: not good). Simply put, this guy has coached far longer than the quality of his abilities dictates. We have a below average coach, a fact some want to ignore but a fact nonetheless.

  25. ndog Says:

    Ok let’s just fire a coach who has been to a super bowl and has got the chance to draft one whole player on his side of the ball and replace him with a unproven coach who we can cross our fingers and hope he knows how to set the temperature so we can win. You people have zero patience and is the reason we are a crappy fan base. Can’t you see have zero talent on defense and talent comes from the draft not free agency plus the guys we do have on defense (McCoy and David) are either hurt or admittedly mental weak. You exoect our defense to be good with George Johnson, J Smith, Jude, Tandy, McDonald, and Conte. And yes Lovie picked some odd those guys up but that’s what you have to do when you don’t draft players.

  26. Patrickbucs Says:

    Because everyone was beating down Schiano’s doors after he was fired. Shut up

  27. Patrickbucs Says:

    This was the war to make the playoffs with the easy schedule and multiple backups that we played. Next year we have the NFC and AFC West with 3-4 games on the West Coast. We might be better next year but an 8-8 record against that schedule would be like a 10-6 record this hear against this schedule. We shall see and hope.

  28. ndog Says:

    That being said if we are going to lose Koetter then we have to promote him and fire Lovie as Jameis is the most important thing right now.

  29. orlbucfan Says:

    Koetter isn’t going anywhere. In fact, this game today will show what kind of Offense we’ve got. I’ll pick Koetter over Mike Shula any day of the week. Go Mighty Bucs!!

  30. StPeteBucsFan Says:

    The Lovie hate has grown weary. It’s not that I do not understand the dissatisfaction with the record…it’s merited disgust.

    But the hyperbole and simplification of everything is just growing old. NO coach can lose that many games nor win that many games. If this team returns to the SB with Lovie as HC it won’t be because of him or in spite of him…it will simply be what it is…if he doesn’t perform well next year…as in win ten and compete for the playoffs…then fire him.

    Either way the Bucs are still improving…either they’re winning with Lovie…or he’ll lose and get fired and they’ll have yet one more great draft to add to an impressive list of young talent including a franchise QB!!!!

  31. Ray Rice Says:

    FUK waiting for after 2016. Fire Love Master on Monday. Hire Koetter as HC. Let Licht hire a DC.

  32. Fowlball Says:

    I really like Licht a lot, and I almost like Lovie a little.

    But after two fruitless seasons, don’t tell me what you’re going to do. Tell me what you did!

  33. Johnny "America's Commenter" Dejay Says:

    The Koetter/Winston duo is the cornerstone for the future and absolutely must be kept together at any cost, including firing Lovie, which would be very unpopular with many current and former players. As Realist pointed out, Lovie has deep connections all throughout the community so that will not be an easy decision for the Glazers.

    Do you remember the outrage when Dungy was fired? The only saving grace was that Gruden had immediate success and won the Super Bowl. Many people still claim that Gruden won with Dungy’s team, even though Gruden overhauled the offensive roster in one offseason. There would be similar outrage if Lovie was fired after just two seasons, even though there appears to be adequate justification for moving on.

  34. pelbuc Says:

    Keep on serving us fans the coolaid, Licht! Just shut up and draft well.

  35. Buccfan37 Says:

    I too think Schiano had more upside than does Lovie. I have no doubt the team would be better now had he remained the HC. Lovie instills little confidence. The past two season’s play proved that out. Bungling Bucs paraded out clueless from the top down over and over, appearing mostly disinterested and unable to compete. The Lovie disgust is warranted.