Shaming Lovie Smith
November 28th, 2016
Proof is in the data, and in Lovie Smith’s nonsense.
The Bucs are now a top-10 NFL team in the one statistical category that destroyed Lovie Smith’s NFL career.
Of course, Joe’s talking about completion percentage.
After yesterdays’ humiliation and beat down of Russell Wilson, the Bucs’ defense is allowing a 61.7 completion rate to opposing quarterbacks. That’s 10th-best in the NFL. And of those nine teams better than the Bucs, eight of them have a winning record. (Arizona is the lone exception.)
Think that’s a coincidence? Lovie Smith sure does.
Last year, opposing quarterbacks throttled the Bucs with a 70 percent completion rate. During the final four games of the season it was running at a 77 percent clip.
Lovie was in denial and so condescending with media on the subject. Completion percentage doesn’t matter, Lovie said. That might have been reasonable if his defense wasn’t giving up the scoreboard booty like an Amsterdam prostitute.
In 2014, Lovie’s defense was nearly was as dreadful against the pass (68.7 percent), worst in the NFL. Now, Lovie’s Illinois squad has the worst pass defense in the Big 10.
Joe’s really enjoying the Mike Smith adjustments and aggression. It’s been quite a turnaround through just 11 games. Even Warren Sapp said he’s never seen a Bucs defense like this.
Sadly, Joe expects Smith to be an NFL head coach again next year. Hopefully, the Bucs have a firm transition plan in place.
November 28th, 2016 at 12:03 pm
Maybe they convince him to stick around?
November 28th, 2016 at 12:03 pm
Pay the man! Let’s keep this going!!!
November 28th, 2016 at 12:04 pm
LOL scoreboard booty…I just spit out my coffee.
November 28th, 2016 at 12:06 pm
LOVIE 3-8 at Illinois
November 28th, 2016 at 12:07 pm
Definitely could see him taking Jaguars job
November 28th, 2016 at 12:10 pm
They have to find a way to keep him around
November 28th, 2016 at 12:11 pm
I doubt smith will get a head coaching job after this season , with the media reporting Jamie’s and others taking control and motiving each other , let also not forget the first few weeks that def was horribLe , imagine if they played this lights out since the beginning , we would have a few more wins and either playoffs or division for sure
November 28th, 2016 at 12:13 pm
Jameis had a 75% completion percentage yesterday. So much for the accuracy arguement.
November 28th, 2016 at 12:14 pm
I think that is why DL coach Jay Hayes came over here from Cincinatti. With him being under defensive mastermind, Zimmer, and now having a year under Smith with his players and terminology. the transition will be seamless and perhaps even better.
November 28th, 2016 at 12:15 pm
813bucboi- do you now see it? Do you see man!? I tried pointing this out and you acted like i was crazy
A month ago I was telling you how much better we are on 3rd down and a bunch of other key stats on defense; and that we give up big plays on mental errors which we needed to fix and need more depth on the D-line; but when healthy the D-line gets pressure and in general the defense was a much better product than what Lovie trotted out.
You said it all looked the same to you. That there was no improvement. That dirk koetter = jim tomsula. That we would finish the year with no more wins and I tried to bet you on that and you wouldn’t take it.
I think you can officially eat crow on everything now. No opinion or forecast you made was accurate. Tomsula never got to 6 wins or had nearly the impressive performances we have had throughout the year. We are officially in the playoff race in December.
The last 3 weeks we’ve held teams to an average of 10 PPG. I don’t think Lovie did that in a 2 week stretch in all the time he was here. The best performance his defense had was against a Dallas team with Matt Cassel; and we just did better than that against Russel f*cking Wilson.
November 28th, 2016 at 12:15 pm
I’m hopeful that, if coach Smith gets another position, that we promote from within and that the new coach adopts an approach that builds upon what is already in place and doesn’t try to put his own stamp on it. The last thing we need is to learn a new defense, yet again, in the off season.
November 28th, 2016 at 12:16 pm
That was so painful to watch for 2 years!!!!! and some still were asking for more time!!!!! It just made no sense at all!!!!
The one good thing is that coach my scheme was so terrible and held the roster back so much, that NFL GM Licht was able to draft incredible high!!!!!
The coaching improvement is so evident that even the very last sheep has changed their screen name and can no longer deny the TRUTH!!!!!
Some have fought so hard to this team to be able to be what it is today!!!!! And I thank each and every one of the “REAL” Buc Fans!!!!!!!
Good times are here and more are coming!!!!!!!!
Go America!!!!!!!!!!!!
And GO BUCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 28th, 2016 at 12:28 pm
Jay Hayes would not have come to Tampa without being told he had opportunity to move up in the ranks…cant wait. His line made last night possible. That and allowing the corners to run with the recievera downfield rather than having the safties roll over coverage
November 28th, 2016 at 12:30 pm
Think defensively and offensively now having “REAL” NFL and experienced coaches is really helping on all facets of the game. Lovie is stuck in the bucs glory days and dungy ball and will always struggle at the D-1 or college level, multiple coaches go from NFL to cllege and are able to adapt build prominent programs quickly even at schools that are down trodden for years, look at western michigan and compare them to illinois, what a joke
November 28th, 2016 at 12:30 pm
At Joe, i completely agree. Mike Smith to either Jacksonville or cincy.
November 28th, 2016 at 12:32 pm
Lovie Smith’s defense was horrible no doubt about it… However we should also praise the play of Brent Grimes and rookie V. Hargraves… Noah Spence has also adddd a legitimate edge rusher which was non existent last year…
November 28th, 2016 at 12:40 pm
The Amsterdam prostitute analogy is way off. They are treated less roughly than Lovie’s defense and getting the booty from the lady in Amsterdam requires more energy
November 28th, 2016 at 12:48 pm
Mike Smith is a defensive guy.. I doubt he goes to either Cincy or Jags. Unless he has a magic OC in his back pocket. (Monken?)
November 28th, 2016 at 12:50 pm
I think talk of Mike Smith going anywhere is seriously premature. Yes, they’re improving – but there are still 5 games to go. Lets see how they finish before assuming he’s out the door.
There’s also the fact that Jax might not go with a DC even though Smith did well with the offense in Atlanta (of course Ryan, Jones and Gonzalez and Koetter helped with that). Kyle Shanahan and Josh McDaniels are better fits since Bortles needs fixing and the 2017 QB draft class is extremely weak. Khan wants to win now, and getting their offense humming is where that work needs to start.
Cincy isn’t firing their HC. Period.
November 28th, 2016 at 12:55 pm
Mike smith chose to take time off from coaching after Atlanta… he his here because of dirk koetter…. if we do well he will most likely stay… I just wish “fans” actually researched anything that they voice opinions on.. GO BUCS!!! That is all
November 28th, 2016 at 1:05 pm
Hmmm, holding other teams to 61.7 completion percentage is awesome, yet the Bucs’ franchise QB can only muster 61.3 completion percentage — including yesterday’s 75% scorching hot streak. Winston ranks #24 in completion percentage among QB’s who have attempted at least 125 passes. Perspective.
November 28th, 2016 at 1:10 pm
Americas Commentator- we don’t run an offense built for high completion %. Koetter said this himself in the offseason. 60-65% in this system is great. 93+ QB rating 7 of the last 8 weeks. Perspective
November 28th, 2016 at 1:13 pm
America
I think that has to do with how much time he’s given to throw. Yesterday he had time, last week too. Previous weeks, not so much against the Rams and Denver he was assualted. Perspective.
November 28th, 2016 at 1:13 pm
I could never figure out how DBs would just watch WRs run slant after slant and NOT adjust.
Great tidbit Joe. I would also like to point out that we have someone at DB that’s better than a milk carton this year!
November 28th, 2016 at 1:13 pm
Smith isn’t going anywhere. NFL GM’s are smarter than Joe (except Dominik) and they aren’t fooled by 2 good performances
November 28th, 2016 at 1:16 pm
Speaking of smart, you outsmarted yourself. Smith has a solid resume of years of winning as an NFL head coach. Not just two “good performances.” #Whoops #Dummy
November 28th, 2016 at 1:17 pm
To add to “perspective” I think the legit threat of a run-game, a.k.a. Doug Martin, contributed as well.
It’s hard to pull yourself back and think of him as a 2nd year guy. He CAN get better. That’s the scary part!
November 28th, 2016 at 1:27 pm
Wow, how embarrassing for the “thekevin, kevin” and allt he other 6 kevin names he uses!!! to be calling Coach Smitty not the answer, and to see this kind of turn around in such a short time!!!! To see this defense play so well against the best and look OH so dominate!!!! Despite the holes still in the roster and to dictate to teams like they have been!!!!! I just don’t see how “all forms of kevin” can post around here without being laughed at and felling totally embarrassed!!!!
Improvement Indeed!!!!!!
Great Coaching by Coach SMITTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 28th, 2016 at 1:32 pm
@Joe- $100 donation to the charity of your choice if Smith gets a HC job this off season. If he stays you guys do the same
November 28th, 2016 at 1:35 pm
Jay Hayes has to be that plan if M Smith gets a HC offer. Honestly Jay has done a fabulous job rotating DE’s and working with what he has. Now that some of our starters have gotten healthy, it’s been a joy seeing us getting consistent pressure.
November 28th, 2016 at 1:36 pm
Let it go already. Lovie is already setting up his next multi million $ contract buy out up in Illinois. Ancient History.
We just beat the F’ing Seahawks and the Defense was smothering. Kudos to Mike Smith for orchestrating this legit and visible defensive turnaround.
November 28th, 2016 at 1:55 pm
Maybe with a fat pay raise we can convince him to stick around until he has a Lombardi on his resume.
November 28th, 2016 at 2:00 pm
One point to make is that Smith has really cleaned up the penalties on the defensive side……I can only recall a PI yesterday…..we haven’t gone off sides and I can’t recall a personal foul in some time….we didn’t hold or have illegal contacts.
Now…the offense is another matter all together….
November 28th, 2016 at 2:04 pm
Bucs’ starters being back close to 100% healthy is a huge plus. We’ve caught these last 3 teams (Bears, Chiefs, Seahawks) when they were each pretty well beaten up … just like several teams had caught us beaten up earlier in the season. Interestingly, San Diego is pretty well beaten up too (15 guys on IR is unbelievable). Still, they’ve put up a ton of yardage (over 4,000) and scored a lot of points (over 300) so Bucs defense will have to stand tall yet again next Sunday. If Bucs defense plays like it has been in last 3 games, we can win in San Diego too.
November 28th, 2016 at 3:50 pm
How about this: If Joe loses — and Mike Smith bolts for a head coaching gig — Joe donates a C-note to the Family Resource Center of Tampa Bay. If Joe wins this bet, he will match your $100 donation so long as you provide documentation that you donated $100 to the Family Resource Center.
Deal? After all, there are a helluva lot of folks named “Tony” who live in Tampa. So you have to provide evidence you donated.
You down for that?
November 28th, 2016 at 4:57 pm
As we should, we beat a depleted team, I like the way the defence got after it, I like the way Jameis lead his team, but I must say SEA didn’t look like the SEA of old! Was that because of our defence or an off offensive game by SEA? I’ll go along with whatever the Realist thinks, but this is where we are 5 games to play with 3 games to win to show improvement over last year’s team! GET THERE IF YOU CAN! STAY HYPED UP! SAN DIEGO WE COMING!
November 28th, 2016 at 5:06 pm
As we should – we beat a depleted team”
Lol ok
Don’t recall you giving us excuses when we played multiple games early in the year with 2x to 3x the injuries Seattle had.
Most of their starters were playing. They weren’t THAT banged up and still had like 90% of their best players. It’s not like their entire d line was out like ours was for a few weeks. They were missing a good DE and S, and an o lineman. We’ve been down o lineman, RBs, WRs, d line all year.
Even yesterday we were missing a few RBs, our nickle corner, DE jack smith, WR Vjax, an o lineman , etc.. Just stop man
November 28th, 2016 at 5:42 pm
@Joe-Deal, I’m always around so I’ll drop you an email.
November 28th, 2016 at 6:35 pm
The Big Dog was 100% on the money, it was all about the pass rush. Yes, Seattle started 3 rookie linemen, and 2 played all game. They were exposed badly, and w/o any protection to speak of, Wilson and the mighty Seahawks were humbled.
Any time a team can bring the heat with only 4 guys, it is hard to throw against them.
November 28th, 2016 at 7:31 pm
While the rest of the football world is clicking a Zippo, Lovie has chosen to rub two sticks together.
November 28th, 2016 at 7:41 pm
One week Joe says that Mike Smith won’t be getting another NFL HC job. A few weeks later, Joe is on the bandwagon and now Smith is a hot HC prospect. Rollercoaster. One loss and everybody will be calling Smith a bum and saying the “culture change” was just an illusion. I get it – everyone’s excited and wants to believe, but let’s give it a rest with the speculation and the “family” talk and the “culture” talk and turnaround talk. There are 5 more games to play. Play them, then let’s talk. I find it especially nauseating to hear the press corps pounding Koetter with all this talk – these are media narratives over which he has no control. He’s a football coach, and doesn’t want to start foaming over what’s changed. If you start focusing on that, you lose. Simple as that. There are 5 games left. Save the bullsh!t until they’ve played them.
November 28th, 2016 at 8:12 pm
I seem to recall a previous article describing the plan for Noah Spence to be a situational pass rusher. I thought that was odd considering how high they drafted him. I am glad that the coaching staff moved on from that and feature him on just about every down.
November 28th, 2016 at 10:49 pm
@Joe- $100 donation to the charity of your choice if Smith gets a HC job this off season. If he stays you guys do the same
“Gambling is illegal at Joebucsfan sir…… and I NEVER slice!” – Judge Smails
November 29th, 2016 at 9:50 am
@lord….the biggest difference is the pass rush….n.spence has had a big impact these last few weeks….things have turned around….dirk seems like he has things under control….very happy to see us winning….GO BUCS!!!!