“We Have Enough Talent”

October 29th, 2017

Dirk Koetter speaks

All offseason, on the heels of a 9-7 season, Dirk Koetter stressed that the Bucs had more talent on the roster than he’s ever experienced.

Joe hasn’t yet asked Koetter for a reassessment, but the head coach gave one on Friday.

He jumped on the Buccaneers Radio Network and declared the answers — and the bodies — to repair the Bucs’ 2-4 record are in-house.

“Most of our issues are issues that we have to fix; all of our issues are issues that we have to fix,” Koetter said. “And, you know, of course your confidence is not going to be quite as high when you’re on a losing streak. But it only takes that one victory to get it back going the other way. And there’s thousands of examples of that in all sports. And we have enough talent. We’re gonna get it back on track. It’s just, just a matter of when. You know, confidence usually comes from success, guys making plays, guys feeling good about themselves and then other players feeding off good plays of other players. That’s just the way it’s always worked. We gotta stop beating ourselves. We gotta just make the plays we can make. It starts off with everybody doing their job, not trying to do too much, just making the plays they should make.”

So Koetter says the Bucs “have enough talent.”

Do they? That’s the multi-million dollar question right now.

The Bucs certainly have enough talent to be like the Saints of 2014 to 2016, bad defensive teams that went 7-9 each season outscoring opponents out of necessity.

41 Responses to ““We Have Enough Talent””

  1. Roy T. Buford Says:

    I agree they do have enough talent, as they demonstrated last year at 9-7 that they could have done much better. And of course, guys like DJax and Baker and Ward add to that talent. The problem is the attitude, the chemistry, the the x factor–the “want to” as Derrick Brooks said in “Playing FOR each other.” You can have a Cadillac Escalade sitting right there, but if there’s not gas in the tank, it’s nothing more than target practice for sea gulls.

    I have ZERO confidence in this team right now. I expect a beat down today, and worst one next week with Drew Brees. And with all my tix, each home game costs me a grand apiece. Ouch! C’mon Bucs…show us your talent…as a TEAM.

  2. Kobe Faker Says:

    Defense is…tackling

    If we tackle liked we did last week….we will be embarassed

    If our linebackers keep on wiffing and allow to break initial tacles like the past 2 weeks, scheme wont mean squat

    Im talking to you kwonie

  3. Bob in Valrico Says:

    Seems like our bridge players philosophy, that seemed like it was brilliat a couple of years ago is failing us.Both Ayers and grimes are either slipping or trying to stay on the field. I believe Smith is one of the more intelligent coaches in the
    league ,but the 3-4 experiment was disastrous. I thought there was effort with the four man line,but they have to finish. What we should be working on is an effective blitz package to help the 4 man rush.

  4. Bob in Valrico Says:

    Not sure if our linebackers, except for LVD adapted well to the 3-4 defense either.
    Have to think they are throwing both Kwan ans Beckwith into the fire and expecting them to be comfortable in this scheme.IMO a four man front has a better chance of stopping a runner or slowing down a runner ,making it easier for our LB’s to finish the deal.

  5. Bob in Valrico Says:

    you gotta have the right personnel for 3-4. We should stick with what they know till we have the right personnel and this defense is properly installed.

  6. Harry in Costa Rica Says:

    I think they have enough talent, with the exception of the frigging DE and RB positions – which everyone on the darn planet recognized as well from last year, except apparently Mr. Licht.

    We have had our share of injuries, especially on D, and all at the same time. So I can get where Kotter is coming from. But again, when your GM ignores needs on the team that are obvious to everyone (we haven’t had a DE with 10 sacks in a season since, what, 2005?), it reminds me of the Lovie days of giving players away and bringing in trash and makes me wonder WTF?!!

  7. Destinjohnny Says:

    So when an 70
    Year old Sim Rice would be your best end….
    You don’t have talent.
    Take away 93 and Our d line and secondary talent is close
    To if not the worse in the nfl.

  8. Buccaneer scotty Says:

    Start even panther you have on ur fantasy football league lol

  9. Buccaneer scotty Says:

    Every

  10. Clw JB Says:

    What bothers me the most, it’s Halloween and I am already reading mock drafts – no confidence at all in this team right now

    Hope today is the day it turns for the better

  11. Hodad Says:

    We do have some talent. We’d have better talent if Licht did a better job of drafting. Case in point, moving up in the draft for a kicker. Where we need better talent would be at the top, G.M., and head coach.

  12. Tampa Bay Tailgater Says:

    Tackling like kobefaker said.

    Put your grill in every play. Gang tackling needs a comeback tour starting today.

    I don’t know how, but you better smother Newton and get him moving around early. Can’t leave this DB core on an island.

  13. Buc believer Says:

    To Roy T Buford,
    You said my tickets cost me a grand a piece. Last I checked unless your paying crazy secondary market prices NO Buc ticket in the stadium cost that. MY tickets of which I have two are on the 30 yard line visitor side Row A and those are $120 each. The club level is only around $400 or so each on the 50 yard line. I know that the luxury boxes are crazy expensive and only companies can afford those prices which are well over $1000 per game. So please tell us where you are sitting Roy because brother your getting ripped off.

  14. Mikadeemas Says:

    Believer……key words “all my tix”.

  15. Reach87 Says:

    Agree with kobe and bob on the 34 piece. You play fast, make your fits and secure tackles when you are comfortable in the scheme. Not alot of time to get comfortable in the 34 for the front 7, especially with a rookie and young part time players over the past weeks (i got it, they are good players and beckwith has an especially bright future). Way ahead… play some limited 34 today (very limited) but run a base 43 with controlled rush lanes, lock down mcCafferty on his releases and wheel routes, and press on the back end (be handsy early). On offense, focus on setting protections at the LOS and make the plays carolina will definitely allow us to make with no turnovers. We win. Go Bucs!

  16. 3-4 SILVABAC Says:

    The 34 alignment isn’t the problem… Our LBs played it in college. While I’m torn about the TRUE effectiveness of GMC, I agree he shouldn’t be stunting. 34 gives us the best chance at getting to the QB with blitzes… You know, since we don’t have any DEs left

  17. Guzzie Says:

    Bucs will win today, defense plays better at home, only 2 of 6 games were uncompetitive, easily could be 4-2, probably should be the Bucs beat themselves in Pats and Bills games

  18. tmaxcon Says:

    They have enough talent but the soft cancerous career losing DT with a smile and no heart is dragging this team down to his comfort level the basement bat cave

  19. tmaxcon Says:

    The stunting excuses were used heavily when schiano was here. Nice to see gmc fanboys recycling excuses. Never ending cycle of excuses to justify captain blowouts career in the basement

  20. orlbucfan Says:

    This team is better than 2-4. Hope they show up today. C’mon Tampa Bay!!

  21. Destinjohnny Says:

    Just curious who is our talented defensive ends dirk talks about ?

  22. StPeteBucsFan Says:

    We’re getting close….we have enough “stars” at critical positions…our DT has more sacks than any other NFL DT over the past three years…our QB has already set records for yardage and he’s improving…ME13 is one of the top receivers in the league and our TE tandem is now the best in the league.

    Where we are hurting is trying to find “complementary” players for our stars.
    Swaggy and the rest simply suck. We don’t have enough secondary no name players to carry their share of the load!

    Again look at the Lightning…yeah Stammer…Kooch…Hedman and Vasy are among the best in the league but the Lightning’s complementary players have been OUTSTANDING. Players like Girardi…the Lightning’s FA version of Swaggy have been excellent. Girardi doesn’t have goals or assists..he’s not flashy but he’s thrown his body in front of more blistering shots than any other player in the league making Vasy that much better in goal. In short Girardi excels at the job he was brought here to do.

    WTF does Swaggy exel at? What was he brought here to do?

  23. Issic Haggins Says:

    From a total number of talented players he is right , however our cb’s are are the worst in football, our starting rb is bottom 10 and our d line scheme is just terrible !! Opposing coaches have thrived off what the Bucs are bad at and they are really really bad !!!

    Weak links have broke every game this year , so from a positional stand pointe Koetter is off his rocker !! This is 100 percent Jason Licht , he was dead wrong and plenty of people’s called the DB problem before the first snap, throw in the running game and the DLine mess and you won’t win many games no matter how much talent is elsewhere on the roster.

    Reassign Mike Smith ( no def contact)
    Start Peyton Barber
    Let DLine play , not all this checkers, chess bull sht

  24. Lamarcus Says:

    THE LIFE OF A GMC LOVER

    Gmc lovers: “we want 3-4 defense. Are defense is bad”

    Gmc: “I don’t want 3-4”

    Gmc lovers: “FIRE THE COACHES AGAIN”

    5 COACHES SAME STORY
    I myself believe we are way more talented and we do have enough talent period

  25. Tiredoflosing Says:

    If you have the talent and are still losing games, then I guess coaching is the only thing to point a finger at, huh?

  26. StPeteBucsFan Says:

    Lamarcus….that is gross exaggeration. GMC clearly prefers to play in a 4-3…Sapp agrees with him. They are entitled to their opinions.

    Meanwhile maybe we need a JBF poll! How many here are advocating firing…
    Koetter? Smitty? Licht?

    I’ll cast the first vote….that’s freaking insane. This has been a knee jerk franchise for far too long…it’s time to give plans a time to work out.

    I remember before the start of the season stating my expectations with the qualifier…depends on injuries.

    Have we had any serious injury. Our QB is banged up and has missed time.
    Two starting CB’s are out including our star who has already missed time.

    Our stud MLB has been invisible this year due to injury. Our stud OLB has missed time due to injury.

    Have there been mistakes made. Of course….that’s true for EVERY NFL team.
    Swaggy was a HUGE mistake….I’ll wait on Ward but he’s been smoked deep enough already that I’m beginning to see a rerun here….a safety who is a great hitter but simply not good in coverage.

    There are MANY reasons for our current woes. Dumping it all on the coaching and the GM is beyond premature.

  27. Lamarcus Says:

    Yes. I’m vouchin for this coaching staff to stay. Baker, ward, gmc ( media complainers) and the rest of the defense just needs some motivation. I think today will be a start

    But what ur saying. Signing gholston back and picking up a 34 gut like baker was the writing on wall. But one guy doesn’t want to change for it….. we just need guys who are willing to adapt not coaches.

  28. darin Says:

    Every team could use more talent. Anyway if Smith doesnt have a better game plan today it could be ugly. Without grimes and mcclain he had better find a way to get to Scam before he turns into Montana too. Go Bucs

  29. Lamarcus Says:

    Tired of losing

    I been a fan along time and I can ttell u this defense been like this for 5 years

  30. Lamarcus Says:

    We gonna win today

  31. LakeLand Says:

    They have enough Tampa Bay Bucs talent. But they are lacking NFL talent.

  32. Lamarcus Says:

    Lakeland

    Look arounf the nfl. We have enough talent. This same team dominated a 5 game stretch last year against better opponents. No one was complaining then. Our mojo sucks once again and consistently FLAT for years

  33. tmaxcon Says:

    Lakeland

    very, very valid point your make there…

    no fan base falls in love with feel good stories and mediocre talent quit like the bucs fan base.

    Lamarcus

    i appreciate you optimism today. I am not quit there yet. Of course I want a win but these are exactly the games the “Flat Bucs” appear.

  34. Lamarcus Says:

    That damn flat word scares means. Gmc flat is different from any other flatness I seen before.

    So Im optimistic for our offense to carry us and if koetter is smart he call a game where he keeps those crybabies(defense and media complainers) off the field.

  35. Lamarcus Says:

    That damn flat word scares means. Gmc flat is different from any other flatness I seen before.

    So Im optimistic for our offense to carry us and if koetter is smart he call a game where he keeps those crybabies(defense and media complainers) off the field!!!!

  36. Nutterbuccer Says:

    Why doesnt Siligia play? Our dline has been so bad ans now we dabble with 3-4, wouldnt he be the guy to play. The whole inactive thing is bogus to begin with. If 53 guys can be on the team theb 53 shouod be able to dress.

  37. Lamarcus Says:

    Agree. Nutbucer

    Why ask for the best 53 but cant play them all?

  38. NFLNut Says:

    Pass defense is the only glaring weakness on the team … the offensive line is better than average, the passing game is elite and the running game is slightly below average … the run defense is average and the special teams seems average (at least now that Aguayo and Folk are gone) … it’s really only the pass defense that has been killing us … and it’s been killing us since last year (remember Carr and Keenum shredding us? We should have won those two games against the Rams and Raiders and gone 11-5 … but the pass defense sucked … and still does).

    However, if we sign Malcolm Butler or Trumaine Johnson and add a talented DB in the draft, we could turn that team weakness into a strength quite quickly …

  39. Nutterbuccer Says:

    Also how has justin evans played, i see him out there but curuous if he has given up some of these touchdowns. And where is gholdson, he is suppose to stop the run and got paid to do so.

  40. Ed Says:

    Not enough talent to score a touchdown today. This is a 10-11 loss team. Morris-Shiano-Smith-Koetter, all the same.

  41. Getaclue Says:

    It’s a coaching problem now. Need to bring Gruden in and Rex Ryan as DC