Derrick Brooks: “No. No. No. Last Year Was Your Learning Lesson.”
December 8th, 2016
Real talk on the media
Joe loves how Mr. Derrick Brooks has high expectations for the 2016 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Brooks appears to see the maturation of the current Bucs beginning at the start of the Jameis Winston era, when America’s Quarterback arrived on the scene in the 2015 NFL Draft.
All the struggles of last year under the Lovie Smith, all the failed finishes to games, all the coming out “flat” when it should have been the opposite, all the resilient winning that led to a 6-6 record, all the success of rookies and further maturation of young players, that all should mean something right now.
Not next year, says Brooks.
Right now.
There was no slate wiped clean when Dirk Koetter was promoted to head coach and blew up the defensive staff. This was the point Brooks made on his Tampa-2 show on WDAE-AM 620 yesterday with the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig.
Brooks spoke about how the team needs to be able to handle its media coverage and attention, and the buzz that’s created.
“You’ve earned the right to get the attention that your getting. I mean, I saw O-linemen getting interviewed this week. And again,[ they] deserved that if they’re mature enough to handle that. But you can’t let that pull away from the core of what the mission is,” Brooks said. “That can’t be a distraction. It has to be a part of the fabric in the change of culture, that now it’s part of the expectation and you know how to handle it. It can’t be the excuse. ‘Oh, we didn’t know how to handle it. So now it’s a learning lesson.’ No. No. No. Last year was your learning lesson. Now it’s a matter of putting those things into practice.”
And this is why Joe has stated a 2-2 finish to the season by the Bucs is, right now, unacceptable.
No excuses. With three losing teams on the schedule, the Bucs have to keep beating the teams they should beat, starting Sunday at the Den of Depression.
If you’re good enough to hammer out a 4-0 record against the Bears, Chiefs, Seahawks and Chargers, then you can pull out 3-1 against the Saints (twice), Dallas and Carolina at home to end the season.
On managing the media attention, as Brooks referenced, Joe’s not concerned about that for this Sunday. But it could be absolutely wild and eye-opening for the young Bucs heading into the Cowboys game on Sunday Night Football on Dec. 18.
Thankfully, Dirk Koetter firmly told players to speak softly and “carry a big mother f$%#’n stick.”
Great advice.
December 8th, 2016 at 12:42 pm
Why not man. Of the years I’ve learned that if you get into the dance any team can win.
Giants both Superbowls / Ravens superbowl / Packers superbowl were all about hot playoff teams that went on a run when it mattered.
What’s funny is the 2008 Giants finished with a 1-3 record down the stretch before winning the SB against an undefeated Pats team… Funny how we emphasize a strong finish so much and then that sh1t happened.
December 8th, 2016 at 12:48 pm
Let’s finish the season out strong and get the march started to meeting Oakland again in SB LI!!!!
December 8th, 2016 at 12:50 pm
9-7 is still a possible playoff spot
And exceeds my expectations but would definitely be a disappointment after getting to 7-5
December 8th, 2016 at 12:55 pm
9-7 disappointment? Maybe.
But would be a successful season. Beating the Saints twice in 3 weeks will be tough. I think we have a real shot against the Cowboys, but beating the Saints twice will be tough. I say we will go 3-1.
Saints: Win
Cowboys: Win
Saints: Loss
Panthers: Win
December 8th, 2016 at 12:55 pm
Btw…we’re going to beat the Cowboys! Last to First!
December 8th, 2016 at 1:05 pm
As long as they play well in all 4 games – finishing 9-7 would certainly not be “unacceptable”. A bit disappointing perhaps after the 4 game win streak. But honestly Joe – EXPECTING that this young team will finish the 2016 season winning 7 out of the last 8 games and saying it’s “unacceptable” if they don’t – is setting your expectations too high IMO.
This is still a young and growing team and the season would have to be looked at as a whole when it ends. 9-7 with a top 5 difficulty of schedule when its all said and done would be a pretty darn good accomplishment for this team IMO.
That said – Here’s hoping the Bucs go 4-0 down the stretch and thus become the red hot team no one wants to face in the playoffs…
December 8th, 2016 at 1:10 pm
Patrick I really enjoy your insight bro but if the raiders end up in the Superbowl wit 29th rank defense I’ll be dumbfounded. The reason I am totally confident in going into dallas an winning is becuase of they’re 21st rank defense and they’re inability to rush the passer. If you can’t hurry Fameis (who as Joe pointed out the other day is 87.1% under pressure) you don’t stand a legitimate chance of beating us. Add in Huff’s 4.45 speed I think this offense is about to explode.
December 8th, 2016 at 1:11 pm
Just so it’s out there, since the Chiefs game I’ve been watching the games with the new girl I’ve been seeing. If we win the game this week then I think we can officially credit her with being the impetus for the Bucs run of late. The Bears game doesn’t count because we pretty much won that one because the team found their way to the stadium. The rest, I think, is on her.
December 8th, 2016 at 1:13 pm
We can’t stop a good running game. Cowboys is a loss. Can’t win @ New Orleans. It’s 2-2, acceptable or not.
December 8th, 2016 at 1:14 pm
NoSBoS – Sounds pretty similar to SB 37. They got there on the strength of their offense as well and our defense ate them alive. If our defense continues to be strong, which they weren’t when we played before and the game was still pretty close, then we’d get them.
Now, whether they actually make it to the SB might be questionable, unless someone else knocks Denver off before they get to Oakland.
December 8th, 2016 at 1:17 pm
I actually like KC to come out the afc Pat.
December 8th, 2016 at 1:18 pm
Let me hit that brion.
December 8th, 2016 at 1:19 pm
That’s not a bad call. KC seems to know just what to do to win games. They aren’t crushing people, but they’re figuring out what they need to do to get out of most games with a win. It’ll be interesting to see how they do tonight. The fact that they needed a late push and a miracle play to pull out a win over Carolina has me skeptical about them, but they played the Atlanta offense really, really well on Sunday.
December 8th, 2016 at 1:21 pm
All I know is we beat cboys last season. I haven’t seen anything from them to make me feel otherwise now. Fameis beat N.O. in the Nolia last season so how is it you come to your assertion??? Keep telling y’all shiny regular season records don’t mean squat. See 2015 carolina panthers.
December 8th, 2016 at 1:22 pm
Patrick in VA:
If we end up going all the way and win the Super Bowl, you’d better marry her ASAP! Lol
December 8th, 2016 at 1:25 pm
“Can’t win @ New Orleans.”
That’s what everyone said last year before we beat them. I think 99.9% of all sports predictions had the Saints winning that game.
December 8th, 2016 at 1:25 pm
2-2 unacceptable? its football dude, games can be won or loss.. If we do go 2-2 I bet the local fans and media starts freaking out. smh
December 8th, 2016 at 1:26 pm
@Jason – If we go to the Super Bowl and win, I’ll have a destination wedding on the beach down there and Abe’s Place can host the ceremony. We’ll have a reception line where all the JBF readers can come thank her for her services.
December 8th, 2016 at 1:27 pm
Records can be deceiving. Going 5-0 to start a season is awesome. But if you end up 8-8, then that 8-8 looks sucky. Start the season 0-5, and you think it would take a miracle to finish 8-8. Expectations change as the season goe on.
For me, early in the preseason I though 9-7 would be doable if the team performed to it’s potential. After week 4 I thought 6 wins would be the max we could get. They were playing sloppy at the time and I couldn’t picture that team winning very many games. But after the run we just had going 4-0, I expect this team to finish out the season going 8-0. This team can do it. no it won’t be easy. All 4 games will take everything the buc have.
December 8th, 2016 at 1:29 pm
How is it that everyone is so down on us beating New Orleans? Am I taking crazy pills? When did they become a team that we’re scared of? We just finished beating 3 high quality teams in convincing fashion. Now all of a sudden it’s just assumed that we’ll drop a game to a team with a really bad defense and an offense that falls apart when you get a pass rush on him, which we’re doing now. Get out of here. I’m not saying it’s a fait accompli that we’ll win, but assuming that we’re going to lose just says that you’re taking all of this winning very begrudgingly.
December 8th, 2016 at 1:30 pm
Lmao.
December 8th, 2016 at 1:31 pm
I wanna add one more thing I don’t think folks are really grasping 87.1 completion percentage under pressure. Bro’s and any sistas viewing that’s all time great ishh right there. That’s like D qtrs not being able to put blitzes in their gameplan when preparing to face Fameis. ARE YOU KIDDING ME😮.
December 8th, 2016 at 1:33 pm
They’ll soon come around Pat.
December 8th, 2016 at 1:44 pm
3 wins playoffs are all but guaranteed
2 wins playoffs still possible slightly
1 win would be unacceptable
December 8th, 2016 at 1:45 pm
Oh and 4 wins and I’d be in some weird fantasy land where the Bucs are awesome
December 8th, 2016 at 1:56 pm
While I agree with this I do not think anyone will lose their jobs if the Bucs finish 2-2.
December 8th, 2016 at 2:03 pm
The home Field advantage will become evident this Sunday.
December 8th, 2016 at 2:03 pm
Patrick –
Sounds good! I’ll fly out from Utah and kneel/kiss her ring if we win the big one this year!
December 8th, 2016 at 2:17 pm
Dream big baby!
December 8th, 2016 at 2:22 pm
I don’t think it’s that we’re so down on beating them but history shows they have regularly smacked us up (30-17).
That’s not to say that this isn’t a different team (on both fronts), but history shows that we haven’t beaten them consistently over our time playing them.
That being said, I’m anticipating a win vs them, at worst, splitting the series.
Dallas gives me the biggest worry only due to their highly impressive O-line and running game. Even though we squeezed out a win vs the Chargers, Melvin Gordon was still eating us up all day. I think it’s safe to say that the Cowboys have a stronger O-line and RB than the Chargers.
Either way, I’ll be at Twin Peaks Restaurant here in Atlanta (Buckhead) watching the game…
GoBucs.
December 8th, 2016 at 2:33 pm
Celly
At one point it took 3 guys to tackle Gordon so that’s a very valid point.
December 8th, 2016 at 2:43 pm
4 – 0. That’s the goal and only acceptable finish. Last year we went 0 – 4. This year 4 – 0.
December 8th, 2016 at 3:06 pm
Four winnable and four losable games. Nothing is a given. One at a time, please.
December 8th, 2016 at 3:54 pm
All I know is that I was wearing one of my Black Bucs T-shirts while watching the game last week. Since we were not playing very well to start the game, I changed into a red long sleeve Bucs shirt and lo and behold we did a 180 and began to play very well. Now that is the lucky shirt and I will wear it every game from here on out. Hey, a little bit of superstition never hurt anyone, right? In all seriousness though, this run has been great and I do think the corner has been turned. Playoffs baby!!!! First playoff game is this Sunday at Den of destruction as we destroy the Saints. Bring it on Wooooh!!!! Go Bucs!!!
December 8th, 2016 at 4:14 pm
Melvin Gordon was way bigger and much better at shedding tackles than I realized going into that game.
He’s been putting up great #s all year but I hadn’t seen him play much. Dude is legit and proving he was worth the 1st rounder as a complete back that can break tackles, catch passes, and explode for big gains.
I’m sure he’d have similar #s to Zeke behind their line
December 8th, 2016 at 4:28 pm
If you want to look at history. The bucs have lost a lot to every team in the NFL. The bucs have a whole lot more bad years than good. You can not look at history when discussing this season. History suggests it will be a tough divisional matchup. But the winning team is far from pre determined.
December 8th, 2016 at 5:22 pm
I got a GAME-DAY BROOKS JERSEY: so I go along with all he had to say!!
December 8th, 2016 at 9:55 pm
How bout they just win all four and then keep winning.