Top Deer Down
January 2nd, 2016
Joe has written many times that opposing teams’ receivers run through the Bucs’ secondary like proud, strong deer through an Illinois cornfield.
On Sunday, it seems the Panthers will be down their top deer.
Wide receiver Ted Ginn, Jr. (44 catches, 739 yards, 10 touchdowns) hasn’t practiced in three days because of a knee injury and is listed as “doubtful” on the Friday injury report.
Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said Ginn’s knee “didn’t come around” like he had hoped.
Ginn also is the Panthers’ punt returner, one of the best in the NFL with a 10.3-yards-per-return average.
The Panthers also will be without their leading rusher, Jonathan Stewart, who has a bad foot. The veteran will fall just short of his first 1,000-yard rushing season since 2009. This year, Stewart has 989 yards on 242 carries. He’s missed the last two games.
Joe has no sympathy for the Panthers. Every team has significant injuries this time of year.
January 2nd, 2016 at 4:02 am
oh i am sure that lovie’s defense will allow others to step up.
January 2nd, 2016 at 7:20 am
Thats ok Joe. I am sure that they have a fawn waiting that will torch us like an experienced deer.
January 2nd, 2016 at 7:34 am
Watching lovie trying to catch the “deer” is likewatching Elmer Fudd trying to catch that “rabbit”!!!!!!!!
January 2nd, 2016 at 8:12 am
@buc realist
All you do is complain and bit ch like a woman.
Cry cry cry.
Your life must be miserable.
This just in: LOVIE is the coach for 2016 hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
Keep crying. Isn’t gonna change that hahaha.
Go watch soccer you cry baby.
January 2nd, 2016 at 8:37 am
Wow
January 2nd, 2016 at 8:45 am
The Kevin,
Good morning to you! Thank you for informing us that Lovie will be back next year. Can we expect our defensive guru of a coach, Lovie, to have a serviceable defense by next year? Or will it take another 3 years to build?
Schiano > Lovie
Schiano was much more deserving of a third year, why does Lovie deserve another season?
January 2nd, 2016 at 8:52 am
@all kevin versions 1 thru 6
lovie says, shhhhh be very very quite, its Wabbit season!!!!!!
January 2nd, 2016 at 8:55 am
newton has just been so great this year. it would help him with ginn and stewart but he has carved up the nfl this year. i love my bucs but unless we get the 2002 defense out there, good luck stopping newton
January 2nd, 2016 at 9:01 am
Puck the fanthers!
January 2nd, 2016 at 9:16 am
Dude that white guy put up decent numbers against us. Hopefully he tries new stuff on defense and gets results
January 2nd, 2016 at 9:24 am
That just means Greg Olson will have twice as many catches and touchdowns now.
January 2nd, 2016 at 9:40 am
Panthers will also be without their #2 RB Fozzy Whittaker
January 2nd, 2016 at 9:41 am
THE KEVIN; SAY:: YOUR A BROWN TURD THAT SHOULD BE FLUSH !!!
January 2nd, 2016 at 9:41 am
Realist
Great analogy, well played sir.
January 2nd, 2016 at 9:49 am
@stevek
Yes the defense will be much improved after a solid draft.
The drafted all offense for 2 years because it was devoid of talent. And we see the positive results.
Now they will focus on defense and I’m sure we will see improvement.
You see you small minded idiot morons this is how you BUILD a team.
I know it’s hard to understand for half brains that think they should be in the super bowl by now but it takes time. And you idiots will all see in due time.
You see you are all part of the entitlement generation that thin everything should easily obtained but that’s not real life. It will all change. You’ll see.
But in the meantime keep crying like little bitc hes that you are.
It’s so entertaining to us grown ups.
January 2nd, 2016 at 9:53 am
This is not relevant to the game tomorrow. It could be theyre third string qb with all backup recievers and they would still post a hall of fame qb passer rating. Faxe it if lovie was able to coach a good defense in todays nfl….at least he would have them playing competetive. and with heart. Lovie is Spongebob soft. He van get his tram to play someone tough on his best day….but he will never get a hard fought full season out of his team. His softness is contagious. Makes everyone just want to sit on the bench until they are playing for a real coach like koetter.
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:01 am
Yea….Realist…that’s really talking football…..such an astute analysis….I’m so impressed.
As for the injuries…..that certainly helps…but I think us without Vjax cancels out the advantage….
January 2nd, 2016 at 10:18 am
It honestly doesn’t matter who’s coaching, i gust want improvement. Overall it looks good whenever all the starers are in. Kwan is the main man. Spence has gotten better game after game. The draft + coaching up veterans= success. Auful Free agents and the inability to find a stable, decent secondary – these things put the onas on the coaches to show me that they can truly “build a team”.
January 2nd, 2016 at 11:03 am
I like how people think 1 draft is going to change this defense. Do you really think 3-4 rookies coming into “this system” will walk right in and get it done? I don’t think so.
January 2nd, 2016 at 11:06 am
The lack of any consistent pass rush makes for a weak secondary that looks even worse – besides the lack of ANYtype of reroute at the line, none of our secondary have decent ball skills/awareness like Barber,Kelly,Abraham had
I like Gholdson, if he can stop making boneheaded mistakes, we miss McDonald immensely – Melton/McDaniel have been serviceable against the run but really nothing in the way of pas rush…expected more from a GMC Melton combo on 3rd down, but nothing really, just some flash sacks that are very infrequent from young ends
We need 3 new DE’s next year and 2 corners at least- the safety play is even worse, bradleyMcD has disappeared, conte is so so, wright plain sucks…
Can we get 6 new starters on D…and Danny L has really fallen off too, maybe 7
Our D is just a hot mess
January 2nd, 2016 at 11:55 am
@bucfan951
Lmao you’re an idiot.
Ok so 3-4 rookies on defense can’t help the defense just like adding 3 starters to the offense didn’t help right? Winston, marpet,and smith did nothing to help right?
That may be the dumbest post I’ve ever read. Lmao wow the intellect of bucs fans lmao. I’m choking from laughing so hard at your stupid as s lmao.
January 2nd, 2016 at 12:31 pm
“The Kevin”,
The rookies helped but the biggest difference was the OC and Winston. Stick Koetter and Winston on last years team and we are much improved. Thinking rookies will turn our horrible defense around while the defensive leadership remains unchanged is a stretch.
January 2nd, 2016 at 1:22 pm
@robert
Pretty sure Kwon was a rookie right?
Yea he was and made an immediate impact didn’t he. I understand that most of the time they don’t make an immediate impact but to say no defensive players drafted are gonna make a difference is plain stupid.
One good pass rusher can make a world of difference. Fact!!!!!
January 2nd, 2016 at 2:52 pm
Tomorrow’s game features Dirk Koetter versus Mike Shula. Koetter is smarter than Shula so who knows? Offense has everyone pretty healthy ‘cept V-Jax. Well, on any given Sunday……..sure hope Bucs win (somehow).
January 2nd, 2016 at 8:55 pm
I like how people think 1 draft is going to change this defense. Do you really think 3-4 rookies coming into “this system” will walk right in and get it done?
Nope we’re not simply counting on 3-4 rookies. We are looking for the return of Clinton McDonald one of the most underated DL we have. His injury really hurt us big time. We hoping that GMC regains his health for next year. We are hoping that Jack Smith stays healthy and we’re hoping that Gholston and Spence continue their growth.
We’re counting on a MLB who won rookie of the week honors and may now be the heart and soul of this defense who will come back after his 4 week suspension.
As for the draft…we’d like ONE stud DE and a Stud DB…and I personally am lobbying for FSU’s Aguayo because a kicker like him only comes along so often and an elite FG kicker is a game changer who becomes even more important as the playoffs begin.
There is every reason for this team and it’s fans to be optimistic. I stand by my take at the start of the year. This team had 8-8 talent…I thought they might win 10…they won six…maybe seven. This team is full of potential but this year’s team were definitely underachievers including #3. Did he have a great rookie season..absolutely! Did he have a great season for any Bucs QB period?
Absolutely. Can he play better? Absolutely. #3 will become a much better passer next year. He’ll bust his butt in the off season and he will not have the inconsistent stretches throwing it. No baseball to interfere!
Our running backs are a great pair…we have plenty of targets for #3…the OL is just getting better and deeper…