“If They Can Get The Coaching To Step Up”

May 11th, 2018

In the spotlight.

Bucs coaches, specifically Bucs defensive coach Mike Smith, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington has his eyes on you.

In a recent airing of NFL Live on the four-letter, Darlington, the pride of Seminole High School, suggested the Bucs have the pieces in place to turn around their woes. However, while discussing the Bucs with Adam Schefter, Darlington said Smith must raise his game for the Bucs to escape Buccaneers Cove (last place in the NFC South).

Jeff Darlington: I am going to add four wins.

Adam Schefter: Whoa!

Darlington: This is a nine-win team. I say that because they had the players last year. They’ve added to that with JPP. The defense is a question mark but if they can get the coaching to step up — Mike Smith as the defensive coordinator and Dirk Koetter — and get them some wins, they’ve got the players. They had the players this past year to do it and they were an extreme disappointment. That is the team to watch.

Schefter: They may have been the most disappointing team last year.

Joe doesn’t think there is anything wrong with what Darlington said when he called out Smith, who is damn lucky to still have his job after overseeing the worst defense in the NFL last year.

Several coordinators who lost their jobs across the NFL were in charge of better units, and in some cases, they were on playoff teams yet were canned for what were considered was subpar results. Todd Haley and Mike Shula spring to mind.

If the Bucs are bottom of the barrel again this year on defense, it is a safe bet Smith won’t be so lucky again.

72 Responses to ““If They Can Get The Coaching To Step Up””

  1. Phil Says:

    I would agree that they were the most disappointing team last year. I do think we have they players to turn this around but as a Bucs fan I’m tried of waiting. We need to see some wins this year.

  2. Guzzie Says:

    #JIMSWARTZ2019 hopefully Jim can bring Jameis a Philly type multiple offense, RPOs, creative aggressive offense with Swartz attacking defense, the game passed Koetter and Smitty by, they both play with 2008 schemes

  3. Casual Observer Says:

    Agree with Darlington and Joe. This is those coaches last chance. They have the horses. Have a plan – then do it.

  4. Guzzie Says:

    Sorry guess I should at least spell his name right lol #JIMSCHWARTZ2019

  5. DB55 Says:

    Haley is a great comparison, outside of 1 game he’s been garbage the last 3 years. He has been on the hot seat when they lost to the Bucs at home. Garbage. Koetter is not too far off.

    We can only pray that Monken and Jameis get on the same page. Or Jameis just takes over the offense completely like he did at the end of the giants and saints games last yr. if you know what I mean.

  6. Jason Says:

    @Guzzie Schwartz has proven he is a better coordinator. If this particular coach has the year that I think he will I would rather have John Deflippo.

  7. DB55 Says:

    Joe

    I think if they have another miserable losing season the media should start a campaign to get the Glazers to sell the team to Debartalo.

    You know that can erect billboards like they did for Schiano. That worked better than it should have.

  8. DBAG56 Says:

    blah blah blah…

  9. Kobe Faker Says:

    At least the 2018 playoffs will be interesting

    our future HC Deflippo or Schwartz will probably be facing each other to go to the Superbowel again

    Minn off vs Philly def

    Kobe would love to have Joe Douglas as GM but I think Licht bulb stays lit for alittle longer

  10. Guzzie Says:

    Jason, Schwartz didn’t embarrass himself as Detroit’s coach, his GM sucked, this was the year to replace Koetter, lot of promising young head coaches, oh well

  11. Blake_Bucsfan Says:

    @DB55

    Steelers offense’s the last 3 years under Todd Haley
    2015 4th best scoring offense, 3rd overall yards gained
    2016 10th best scoring offense, 7th overall yards gained
    2017 8th best scoring offense, 3rd overall yards gained

    Actually since 2014, Haley fielded a top 10 offense in points scored and yards gained. Yet you say he’s been garbage except for 1 season. Yet another example of you pretending like you know what you’re talking about when in reality you have no clue.

  12. Duke Says:

    Guzzie,Kobe…

    You guys are aware that phillys offense was Frank Reich’s. Not Defillipo.

  13. M.b.f.g Says:

    No excuses!

  14. AlteredEgo Says:

    OH ! …BS….it has been the talent….

  15. Marine Buc Says:

    It’s all on #3. If our offensive line and Winston can play more consistently and he stays healthy the whole season we have a chance to be a playoff team.

  16. 813bucboi Says:

    @rhealist

    you hear that?….or are you still searching for a new tmaxi?…..lol….

    the pieces were in place last year, but this staff failed miserably!!!!!!….

    “This is a nine-win team. I say that because they had the players last year. They had the players this past year to do it and they were an extreme disappointment.”

    now we have added more depth and talent…..what will be the excuse this year?…..what will be the reason you give dirk a pass this year?….because he ran over a squirrel in his drive way……GTFOH

    #NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!…GO BUCS!!!!

  17. Ptwalk Says:

    It’s not on Winston, defense wins championships. 32nd ranked defense but it’s on Winston, lmao.

  18. Jason Says:

    @Duke his most important job was to develop Carson Wentz. The reason why I said wait to see what he does this season with the Vikings because he was only a coordinator for one season with the Cleveland Browns. It was the most productive offense since I think 1986 but again it was for the Browns which is the equivalent of arranging deck chairs on the Titanic and was doomed to fail.

  19. Ptwalk Says:

    I have never seen a good DC rank 32nd in defense regardless of talent.

  20. Waterboy Says:

    I agree with Darlington. It’s the coaches job to put the players in the best situations to be successful. I didn’t feel like that was being done last season and in addition to that they took too long to adjust to things that weren’t working.

  21. Marine Buc Says:

    @pwalk – I’m not impressed with Mike Smith or his defense. However you need to consider the talent/players he has to work with. I hope our defense can improve this year with the players we added but our defensive backs will still be below average. That being said – if Winston isn’t a top 10 QB this year we don’t have a snowballs chance in hell. Our defense will still be average to slightly below average.

  22. Mike Johnson Says:

    I’m not high nor have I ever been high on our DC Smith. Atlanta dumped him for a reason. Sometimes, like in boxing..your time has come and gone. I just never see a fire in him. But how can there be? When..you are sitting upstairs in an air conditioned booth watching the game! Smitty’s gotta know this is his last Hoo-rahh. He’s got all the tools now. I cannot wait to see how He uses or discards them. We..are..Watching…

  23. Kobe Faker Says:

    Duke

    Philly playcalling and offense belongs to Doug pederson

    I spend half my time near philly (im there presently)

    Defilippo as QB coach is widely known here as the main reason of Wentz 2nd year jump in development

    When Wentz went down, Defillippo was also praised for getting Nick Foles ready and in position to succeed

    philly philly

  24. Tampa Bay Demon Says:

    Lots of good comments on this. — As fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, we grew accustomed to a hellacious kick ass DEFENSE around here for a very long time, and it’s just hard as hell to watch what we did last year. — Let’s all hope that the huge improvements in personnel will bring the best out of Mike Smith, and that this D can destroy again, and get us into the playoffs.

  25. BucEmUp Says:

    Yaaaawn….I CALLED IT!!!! DUDE CAN’T COACH!!!!

    OH but some will make excuses for him over and over and over and….

  26. I’m a Tandyman Bucs Fan Says:

    If Smith don’t start Tandy and goes 5 & 11 again Smith better not be fired, he better quit!!!! There is no damn excuse to lose all those games this year with the talent the Bucs have. Hell they had it last year and Koetter and Smith watched and pissed the season away! No excuses this year! I ain’t scared of no Lions or Bengals or Bears oh my!!! LETS GO BUCS!

  27. DB55 Says:

    Blake

    Yet you say he’s been garbage except for 1 season.
    ————–
    One game, not a whole season. Geez. Idk about your sources but I get my info from the professionals

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=N9Z31QadN9s

  28. Joe Says:

    I think if they have another miserable losing season the media should start a campaign to get the Glazers to sell the team to Debartalo.

    Can’t think of a bigger waste of time and effort. No one short of the IRS is going to “force” the Glazers to sell. If they ever do, it will only be when they want to.

  29. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    The only area of doubt I have is Kicker.

    Seems silly, but last year, Folk cost us multiple games. I remember the stress of not feeling like we had a chance to make a kick. Heck, the entire fanbase and the players and coaches remember that feeling.

    But here’s my issue. As much as certain people try to sell us on Chandler Catanzaro being an upgrade over Murray, he was only 1% better than Patrick on field goals. Now, people might say ‘but he’s 100% on extra points!’

    I’ll take field goals over extra points every day of the week. But even so…Murray only missed ONE extra point. Still not a big difference.

    The only area that Catanzaro really outshines Murray in is touchbacks…which is certainly a good thing, but its the field goals that matter most…since they can win games or cost us games.

    And the biggest issue I have with Catanzaro is this: Of his 5 missed FGs last year, most of them were at pressure moments and he choked.

    In contrast, Murray only missed 4 FGs (Catanzaro has a higher percentage because he played more games), Murray only missed one pressure situation FG last year.

    Either way, for them being so close in skill sets, I think it is a huge mistake to give Catanzaro the roster spot without winning it. It should have been a fair competition, and unless they find a way to keep both guys, I have an awful feeling Catanzaro will be another Folk situation.

  30. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Give Jameis a running game and just a halfway decent defense……just average & adequate….

    I think we have those….we should be able to add 4 wins….maybe not good enough for a wild card….but good enough.

  31. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    DB55 Says:
    “I think if they have another miserable losing season the media should start a campaign to get the Glazers to sell the team to Debartalo.”

    Correct me if I’m wrong, because in my old age my memory is obviously a little fuzzy, but didn’t Debartalo have some sort of ethics situation years ago that makes the NFL approving him as an owner questionable?

    In fact…and I might be off base on this one…wasn’t he rejected by the NFL once already?

  32. Joe Says:

    He has been on the hot seat when they lost to the Bucs at home. Garbage.

    LOL How did Haley’s “garbage” offense do against the NFL’s best defense in the playoffs last year?

  33. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Ah, here it is:

    In 1992, DeBartolo was accused of sexual assault at his Menlo Park condo by a cocktail waitress he met at a local bar. The married DeBartolo, who denied any wrongdoing, was never charged but reportedly paid $200,000 to settle the case out of court.[9]

    DeBartolo was involved in the 1998 corruption case of former Louisiana governor Edwin Edwards. DeBartolo pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to report a felony, and received a $1,000,000 fine and 2 years of probation in return for his testimony against Edwards. Edwards was on trial for extortion and other charges, among which were the $400,000 he demanded from DeBartolo to gain a river boat casino license.[10] DeBartolo never received the license, was fined by the NFL…

  34. Blake_Bucsfan Says:

    @DB55

    Ohhh, they’ve been garbage except for 1 game, then the statement you made is even effing dumber than what I thought you said.

    Did you just unironically post a link to Snoop Dogg ranting? As if he has any clue wtf he’s talking about? Snoop is the most bandwagon, casual, know nothing sports fan there is.

    I get my info from the facts, not washed up rappers who make cookies with Martha Stewart.

  35. Joe Says:

    Bonzai:

    DeBartolo got popped for bribing a Louisiana pol in order to secure a gambling license. He was suspended by the NFL. DeBartolo later decided to divest from the 49ers and turned the team over to his sister and later walked away. Jerry Jones and Dan Snyder, among others, have tried to talk him back into buying a team.

  36. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    Ahh. That makes sense.

  37. Dusthty Rhothdes Says:

    Schwartz as HC and Haley as the OC, come on down to tampa, heck bring them down now…..Haley would have some weapons and schwartz has pieces that he can use for his defense that will be something, hope those 2 know each other or on a good level do

  38. Lord Cornelius Says:

    Yep #NOEXCUSES.

    The defense – per Realist’s posts – will need time to gel – but in no way shape or form should have any excuse to be the garbage sh1t pile it was last year.

    There is plenty of turnover year to year where we see teams gel immediately with the right coaching and implementation. You can’t use the turnover excuse when most teams in the league face that same issue with a super high turnover rate. We have the horses. Put them in position to succeed.

    I expect the D to be adequate off the bat and not getting blown the f*ck out. Just be average to very solid by mid season. Completely fair expectations.

    The offense I expect to come out firing right away. Everyone has been in this system for years. It’s on Koetter to put them in position to score more points and call better red zone sequences with more aggression.

    For how well we moved the ball and passed for first downs it’s a crime we had so many low scoring games last year. There were tons of games we should have dropped 30+ but settled for 3-4 FGs throughout the game due to terrible sequences/execution in the red zone.

    We need to be a top 5-10 scoring offense next year. That’s the key to the season. Score 27+ PPG.

  39. DB55 Says:

    So good in fact that he contract was not renewed and is now working with the Browns.

  40. DB55 Says:

    Alright you got me I’m not expert of the pitt Steelers.

  41. Ptwalk Says:

    @Marine I feelya brother and this yr we will see.

  42. Rodney Says:

    Does anyone else think it’s possible that Buckner was brought in with a verbal promise if Smith doesn’t get it right this year he will be the new DC. He did take a lateral move to Tampa. Just a thought

  43. unbelievable Says:

    Schefter: They may have been the most disappointing team last year.

    100%

  44. 813bucboi Says:

    Rodney Says:
    May 11th, 2018 at 12:51 pm
    Does anyone else think it’s possible that Buckner was brought in with a verbal promise if Smith doesn’t get it right this year he will be the new DC. He did take a lateral move to Tampa. Just a thought

    we thought that last year regarding jay hayes…..if anything buckner will be made a scapegoat….or maybe the DB coach this time around….

    #NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSUREONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!

  45. Pickgrin Says:

    What’s going to be funny is if/when the chatter about Mike Smith early next offseason shifts back to fear and loathing over the idea of losing him to a HC vacancy.

    Its pretty amazing how everyone just kind of forgot about the very recent time (last year) when many were worried the Bucs would lose Smith coming into 2017 and then later proclaimed Smith’s large new contract as “the best signing of the offseason”…

    Here’s a little history reminder for all the “pressbox Smitty” dislikers out there:

    Mike Smith has coached football for 35 years – including the last 20 years in the NFL.

    Smith initially worked directly with Rex Ryan coaching DL in Baltimore as part of the historic defense that won SB XXXV.

    He then became the LB coach for the Ravens guiding Ray Lewis and co. to a stellar season before landing his first DC position under HC Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville. Smith oversaw a very good Jaguars Defense for 5 years – which resulted in a HC offer from Atlanta in 2008.

    Mike Smith proceeded to quickly mold the hapless Falcons into a good team by immediately improving the defense and installing young Matt Ryan as the starting QB. Resulting in an 11-5 season as a “rookie” HC and going on to 5 straight winning seasons – posting a 56-24 W/L record from 2008>2012, Winning 3 “NFL coach of the year” awards in 5 years and coming just a couple plays away from the Super Bowl losing a close NFC Championship game to the 49ers in January of 2013.

    For perspective on that achievement – the Falcons had never posted back to back winning seasons in 40+ years prior to Mike Smith’s arrival.

    The wheels fell off for Smith in 2013 due at least partially to the large price paid for 1 player (Julio Jones in 2011) combined with otherwise bad drafting for 3 straight years (’11>’13). He was fired following the 2014 season after presiding over back to back losing seasons – yet still finished his 7 years as an NFL head coach with a VERY respectable 66-46 overall record.

    The stench of the 5-11 2017 season has caused most Bucs fans to forget how well the Buccaneers played Defense for a 5 game stretch following the bye week in 2016. THAT defense (while short lived) was literally smothering and generating turnovers at an astonishing rate. Hell – Chris Conte and Kieth Tandy BOTH looked like pro bowlers the 2nd half of 2016 – LOL

    What caused that astonishing Defensive turnaround coming out of the bye week? There was talk of improved “communication” and whatnot at the time – but the simplest explanation according to my eyes was that the DL of the Buccaneers SHOWED UP and played HARD for those 5 games. McCoy, Ayers, Spence, McDonald and Gholston were all relatively healthy together for the 1st time all season and Bucs fans saw something for a string of games that they had NOT seen for at least 8 years. Very solid DLine play. Real pressure on QBs. Play in and play out. For 5 straight games.

    Then Gholston got hurt and was out. Dallas ran it down our throats. McCoy played on a hurt foot. Spence who had been succeeding playing hurt hit the rookie wall – a couple quick losses to the Cowboys and Saints – and the Bucs win streak along with their playoff hopes were over.

    So what is the point of recounting all that? A couple things:

    1. Mike Smith is a VERY experienced and successful NFL coach. He didn’t suddenly”forget” how to coach or lead a defense last year.

    2. The span of 5 games during Smith’s 2 year tenure here where he actually had good play from his DLine – his defensive scheme seemed to “work” just fine – yes?

    Now that Jason Licht has finally gotten around to addressing the trenches for reals – DLine in particular – it seems logical to expect much better defensive results in 2018.

    Just sayin…

  46. Eric Says:

    This is where we fantasize about having a good team if we only had the coaching.

    Where have I heard this before.

    Groundhog day.

  47. Blake_Bucsfan Says:

    @Pickgrin

    We were all blinded by the fluky 5 game win streak.

    Apart from those games, a game against the Patriots, and a few games against Carolina, Mike Smith has been awful during his tenure here.

    Coaches get worse. That’s a thing that happens. Lovie Smith coached a team into the SB with Rex Grossman at QB. Just because you’re a competent coach at one point in your career doesn’t mean you can’t regress.

    There has been a big Ol’ Fat ? on Mike Smith’s resume ever since he was outed in ATL for having a soft team, last year we were incredibly soft on D. You can blame it on the players, but i’m not sure that Mike Smith is blameless.

    We’ll see.

  48. Joe Says:

    I have never seen a good DC rank 32nd in defense regardless of talent.

    THANK YOU!

  49. BucEmUp Says:

    Pickgrin the only fans afraid of.losing Mike.smith were the ones who bought into a mirage of a five game fluke.performance due to really bad qb play and.offensive injuries. Do.you remember how they played against new Orleans and Dallas weeks 15 and 16? I do!!!! It was an embarrassment.

    In Atlanta they had a top tier offense and an embarrassing defense, a defense that Mike Smith couldn’t step.in and.improve to.save the jobs of him and his staff.

    In Jacksonville he was running Del Rios defense. Go ahead and post a link to some jags tape when he was the dc that shows the corners Always playing 10 to 12 yards off the line.

    Ray lewis.was Ray Lewis because of Ray lewis….NOT Mike Smith.

    I will bet anyone a phat stack of greenbacks that as long as the coverage is continued to be played this soft, despite Smith claiming the players have the freedom to line up where they please (LIES!!!) they will continue to get burned, last.un the league embarrassing.

    Excuses have bought this guy more time than warranted. A good coach will get SOMETHING out of.a.bad roster. He gets the last placed defense with a good roster.

    At what point after bringing in new players does.it.becomr.his fault? Dead last is.on coaching in this league!!

  50. Joe Says:

    What’s going to be funny is if/when the chatter about Mike Smith early next offseason shifts back to fear and loathing over the idea of losing him to a HC vacancy.

    Unlikely.

  51. BucEmUp Says:

    Sorry for bad typing small buttons on my phone.

  52. Joe Says:

    Does anyone else think it’s possible that Buckner was brought in with a verbal promise if Smith doesn’t get it right this year he will be the new DC. He did take a lateral move to Tampa. Just a thought

    No because he was unemployed and Bucs fired Jay Hayes way late. Not many NFL gigs left at the time. If Bucs hire a DC from within, it will be Mark Duffner.

  53. Bnomo Says:

    Hey, pay me a couple of million a year to do very sub par work…..😂

  54. BucEmUp Says:

    Rodney that’s exactly what I thought happened with Jay Hayes. I figured when not if but when Mike Smith failed as a defensive coordinator J Hayes would get the promotion why else would he leave Cincinnati after over a decade of being one of the most solid d-line coaches in the league just to come here for a d-line coaching gig? But what happened, they fire the guy that knows how to coach and keep the guy that doesn’t. I can’t wait for week 4 when Buckner has his press conference and just looks dazed and confused because his line that he knows has talent and his coaching that he knows works is not working, none of it. I would really hope that they gave Buckner a shot and retained Jason light and Dirk. Looking forward to the good old Tampa Bay Buccaneer 12 yard cushion coverage coming soon

  55. BucEmUp Says:

    I will agree with a realist on the kicker position, based on who they brought in so far I would rather just keep me around and try to keep the field goals within 50 yards if at all possible. I’ve already heard enough to say no to the other guys maybe Patrick did some extra squats this offseason

  56. Frank Pillow Says:

    Put Bruce Arians in a personalized air conditioned bubble. The guy is a winner.

  57. Pickgrin Says:

    BucEmUp Says:
    “five game fluke performance”

    Go back and watch those games. That was no fluke. Just solid and very stifling defensive line play – which allowed our excellent LBers to do what they do and suddenly transformed our very average Safeties into turnover creating machines.

  58. Blake_Bucsfan Says:

    @Pickgrin

    Conte and Tandy playing that good, and us getting that many turnovers in a 5 game stretch. Was a complete a total fluke when compared to the Defenses baseline performance level under Mike Smith.

  59. Buxfan Says:

    It’s truly not Mike Smith fault for the failure of the defense. We had NO pass rush. We had a lot of injuries to key players. Kwon, Spence, Jac Smith(later cut), McCoy, Grimes, David, Baker and Gholston(hefty wallets).

    It’s not his fault that Jason didn’t get him the pass rushers to compete. They warned us before the start of the season last year on the lack of pass rush. They had to use Beckwith and Bond as third down emergency pass rushers. Oh how we forget how this defense played the last half of the 2016 season with a little pressure. 2018 season should be a lot different.

  60. I’m a Tandyman Bucs Fan Says:

    Pickering if Smith is the MacDaddy of Defense then tell me why he benched Tandy and played Weed Whacker Ward and rode him the whole season and went 5 & 11 and never went back to Tandy? Oh yeah that 5 game stretch you refer to Tandy had more tackles and interceptions than any Safety in the NFL!!!! If it happens again in 2018 his ass needs to resign on his own. He is a far cry from a great defensive Coach!!! I may be wrong but I may not…….

  61. Blake_Bucsfan Says:

    @Tandyman

    Why attach all your hopes and dreams to a career back-up just because he had a measly flash in the pan stretch of good play?

  62. Chris Says:

    I am adding 5-6 wins. Last year as porous as this defense was they had chances to win six other games. With a better defense unit this year those close games should be easier to win. Yes they were disappointing last year but this defense was won and lost in the DL. Outside of McCoy and Spence this DL was not talented. Like Scott Reynolds said this DL went from having a bare cupboard to a stocked and overflowing cupboard.

  63. Eric Says:

    Loserville is overflowing with folks who coached close games in the NFL.

  64. 813bucboi Says:

    pickgrin

    so bro but that was a fluke…..we won 5straight in 2016….then came back and had 2 5game losing streaks in the same season…..that’s a fluke at its fineness!!!!!…..

    #NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!

  65. Duke Says:

    Kobe,

    You’re absolutely right. I couldn’t for the life of me remember Pederson . I agree
    Flip is great. I’ve met him a couple times and I think He get’ s too little credit for last season. I’ve mentioned this before in posts , the NFL is in at interesting crossroads. Innovative schemes that are transitioning from college to the pro’s are kinda at a bottleneck due to the nfl established old guard. Flip is the perfect guy to bridge the gap between the two sides. I don’t believe that flip is ready for a hc , I know he’s not. But He’s a great example of the direction the team should go.

  66. Bucsfanman Says:

    There’s the Tandyman!!! Yea, what he was doing wasn’t working. Stevie Wonder could’ve seen that! That’s not an indication of good coaching, quite the opposite really. It’s about adjusting, not just game to game, but play to play. Smith did none of that.
    Ward was an abomination at safety here. They say Tandy was injured but I would’ve put an injured Tandy in there over the #43 matador.
    Fluke, no fluke, doesn’t matter. LAST in the league, dead last!

  67. Bob in Valrico Says:

    Agree with Pickgren ,Only fair to evaluate Mike smith when he has the tools to work with. There has been a lot of focus to draft offense in previous years by Light.
    The free agents to supplement the defense with the exception of grimes did
    not fit in or play up to expectations. Basically Smitty was stuck with Baker and ward
    who were no better than the players they replaced.
    Gotta give Licht credit for putting the effort to make this defense better this
    year. This is an evaluation year for the coaches and possibly GM. I expect them all to step up to the challenge.

  68. I’m a Tandyman Bucs Fan Says:

    Bucsfanman my man. Don’t know about you but I’m getting pretty excited about upcoming season with what has happened in the offseason with the draft and free agency. I’m like others on here….No Excuses!!! We have the talent so if we lose again this season it has to be all on the leadership!!!! ie Smith and Koetter gotta lead!!!! Or be lead out of One Buc Place and replaced with someone that can make these Buccaneers relevant in the NFL!!! GO BUCS!!!! I may be wrong but I may not!!!!

  69. Bob in Valrico Says:

    Don’t think either TJ ward or Justin Evans should have been gifted the starting jobs. In only 5 games as a starter in 2016 had one more INT, 3 more passes defensed and one more fumble recovery than Evans accomplished in 9 games as a starter in 2017. Half of the battle is being in the right place at the right time
    and Evans can improve in this area through study and preparation.

  70. Bob in Valrico Says:

    omission : Tandy had in five games.

  71. I’m a Tandyman Bucs Fan Says:

    Bob…Glad you noticed Keiths talent. That’s ok stuff like that motivates him. He will earn it again and be a beast in 2018.

  72. I’m a Tandyman Bucs Fan Says:

    Evans is great in coverage but can’t tackle Mam Mae!!!!!