NFL.com: “Hard To Believe” Koetter Stays

December 24th, 2018

Yesterday morning, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network suggested because there are no sexy coaching candidates out on the market, it may be premature to start shoveling dirt in the face of embattled Bucs coach Dirk Koetter.

Not all of his colleagues are on board.

Austin Knolbauch of NFL.com typed last night that a guaranteed double-digit loss season makes it is difficult to figure out a way Koetter can keep his job.

It’s hard to believe Dirk Koetter will keep his job even if the Bucs’ front office hasn’t made a decision on his 2019 status yet. Koetter was hired to develop Winston into a franchise quarterback, and the No. 1 overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft hasn’t lived up to long-ago hype. Against the Cowboys, Winston tallied decent numbers, completing 34 of 48 passes for 336 yards and a touchdown while being sacked three times, but the Buccaneers once again struggled to translate yards into points as they went four for 13 on third downs. With the running game dormant and holding penalties stymying drives, the Buccaneers were doomed to their fifth 10-loss season in six years. Whether that will jump-start a bevy of offseason changes in Tampa remains to be seen.

The math doesn’t add up for Koetter. True, the wins and losses are bad. In Koetter’s three seasons as head coach he’s had seven, nine and at least 10 losses, respectively. That’s heading in the wrong direction.

Add to that is the no-doubter that Koetter was hired specifically to develop America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, who has in some ways regressed. It looks to Joe as if not only is Jameis struggling on the field to win games, his confidence is completely shot.

Jameis’ greatest traits were his confidence and swag. Now? Both are gone and he’s little more than a famous Blaine Gabbert.

Sad!

60 Responses to “NFL.com: “Hard To Believe” Koetter Stays”

  1. AlteredEgo Says:

    Might as well dump this here….
    Merry Christmas Joes !
    and a Happy Buccaneer New Year !

  2. Dre Says:

    Sad is when jameis says I have to play smarter …. cmon man it’s a broken record every single freaking week … I honestly feel sorry for koetter because the only reason he is a coach is because of hard headed jameis … and that’s a bit disrespectful to koetter

  3. FortMyersDave Says:

    This may sound a bit mean spirited but Ian Rapoport is basically the Pierre Gammons of the football media world. Like his baseball colleague Pierre he has his favorite teams as well as biases (Tampa is not one of his likes) and tends to throw a thousand things on the wall and then pat himself on the back when 10 or 12 of them turn out to be fact….. I would likely bet against his advice and probably hit more than 55% of the time and make coin if I were to follow his NFL picks….

  4. Mickman Says:

    He was wrong last year when the bucs kept Dirk. He was saying Dirk was out. Maybe he is just covering himself this year. I do think it is possible GM goes and Koeter stays. Never know. I just don’t see a replacement without a significent rebuild and hiring a rookie coach. Don’t like our odds of a rookie HC

  5. Bosch Says:

    What happens to attendance next year if Koetter returns? Maybe, just maybe the Glazers finally get what they have earned. An empty stadium

  6. Ndog Says:

    Joe there is nothing wrong with Jameis other than he is just giving all these cry babies what they want. They want no forced throws, they got it, they wanted no more pregame speeches or pumping up his team, they got it. This is the main issue on this town no matter what he does it’s wrong. He’s himself and people say he’s fake and corney, now when he gives them what they want he’s “little more than a famous Blaine Gabbert.”? See this is why I say this is the worst and most clueless fan base in the world. WHAT DO YOU PEOPLE WANT CAUSE NO MATTER WHAT YOU GET YOU ARE NOT HAPPY!

    This guy is going to leave have a great career while we listen to you morons and continue to suck out loud.

  7. Bucs Fan #7423 Says:

    The emotional abuse this buccaneer organization gives its fans should be criminalized

  8. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    The Glazers have nothing to gain by keeping Koetter…..at least with a change the fans will have hope of a turnaround. Buc fans have lost all confidence in Koetter and many have lost faith in JW.
    The hopes are that a new coach & staff can turn the mediocre Buc talent into winners.

    We desperately need to improve our Oline. No running back we bring in can overcome the poor run blocking.

    I think our secondary can be improved in FA.

    We need to give Hump much of the Djax money and bring in a FA CB with Grimes money.

    Draft Oline 1 & 2…..but in order to do that we need to get rid of Licht because he likes to go cheap with his Oline picks…..getting cute with projects.

  9. Bucs Fan #7423 Says:

    Ndog-

    If Jamies can’t throw 4 touchdowns without turning the ball over then we need to get rid of him

    He’s not elite

  10. Etzel Says:

    It was “hard to believe he stays” 5 games ago for me….

  11. snookman Says:

    I watch a lot of football. While there are times I am down on Winston, I feel he is delt a short deck. The guy Is constantly running for his life, He has no running game, and has to deal with 1st and 20 because of stupid penalties. I watch Dak, Mariota, Turbisky, Cousins, and Lamar Jackson run offenses that are much better balanced. Those above mentioned qbs are inferior but they are going to the playoffs. They have good OL’s and beast running backs who can balance the offense. This is on Jason Licht who could not set the team up around him. Too many wasted draft picks on positions that are not as critical. He had 5 years to get a running back

  12. Bucs Fan #7423 Says:

    Ndog-

    The guys in his fourth year and still can’t read a play clock

    Talking about some “I need to play smarter” LOL

    Come on man, have some standards

  13. Bucsfanman Says:

    Ndog- Were fans asking him to ignore the playclock? Asking for a friend.

  14. AlteredEgo Says:

    Ndog….MOST of Jameis completions are to stationary receivers…because he is HORRIBLE hitting a WR on time in stride…he simply does not have the skillset to play WITH the elite NFL QB’s….all the comparisons to other successful NFL QB’s are superficial,silly and repeatedly shown to be wishful thinking….hope is for dopes

  15. Etzel Says:

    “still can’t read a play clock” literally one game where that was an issue. Revisionist history like, “Mexico will pay for it” right???

  16. JJV Says:

    Stunned disbelief when the three amigos return for 2019. Licht, Koetter, and Winston. Team Glazer will still make plenty of money even with some unhappy fans. Expect the unexpected.

  17. Ndog Says:

    I have standards but they are for more than just one player. How many delay of games as he gotten prior to today? And did you really just say your expectations are 4 TDs with no TOs and if he does that he’s elite? Well I guess you forgot the game against the Eagles when he had 5 TDs with no TOs so he can and did so according to your own words he’s elite. Dude do you even watch the games or do you just hate to hate. Get a clue bro.

  18. AlteredEgo Says:

    Ndog… allow Koetter to draft his own QB next April and you’ll be a very satisfied Buc fan post game discussion here on JBF…

  19. Troy Says:

    Ndog – I agree with you on some of your points. I think Jameis has regressed under Dirk, and Dirk wants him to play that way. All of the instinctual play is being suppressed. He’s playing like a freaking robot. Way too mechanical. That’s not on Jameis, that’s on Dirk. The kid wants to play, so he’s trying to do what his coach wants. The problem is that it’s not winning football in this league at the QB position. Koetter is essentially assuring Jameis’ destruction.

    With that said, he’s making some really poor plays at times; and he’s in his 4th year. I’d like to think it’s because of this neutering his received from Dirk, but frankly, some of the plays are inexcusable.

    He needs next year with a new coach to see what he really is. I fear the Bucs may have ruined him. I really hope not.

  20. Jawo75 Says:

    If Jamoist is let go, I can give Koetter one more chance. Unless Mike McCarthy wants to be our coach. Then I say goodbye to Dirk. Either way, crab leg boy must be shown the door. 21-32 does not justify paying $21 million dollars. Go draft a QB and throw him in there or let Griffin show him the ropes to start the season. We need a new direction and it starts with QB1.

  21. Ndog Says:

    AlteredEgo Says:
    December 24th, 2018 at 9:27 am
    Ndog….MOST of Jameis completions are to stationary receivers…because he is HORRIBLE hitting a WR on time in stride…he simply does not have the skillset to play WITH the elite NFL QB’s….all the comparisons to other successful NFL QB’s are superficial,silly and repeatedly shown to be wishful thinking….hope is for dopes

    You guys bold face lie don’t you? So last week when he hit Godwin in stride was he not moving? How about yesterday when he hit Hump in stride about 6 times or when he hit Evans in stride or when he hit Djax in stride?

    Dude you people either don’t watch the games or are so blinded by hate you can’t see the truth.

    The truth is this team can’t run the ball, it commits a crazy amount of penalties, it can’t make FGs and the defense is below average at it’s very best. Yet you people want to make crap up like the QB can’t hit people in stride. If you haven’t noticed this team would literally not score if we didn’t have a QB like Jameis. He and the WRs are the only thing this team does well that is what you joker’s complain about.

  22. D-Rome Says:

    His last two seasons have been worse than Lovie’s last season, and he had superior players to work with.

  23. Aceofaerospace Says:

    I don’t care who our quarterback is as long as we win. If the Bucs dump Winston and he does great elsewhere, good for him, as long as our replacement wins for us. Either way, I’m not going to freak out over what might happen. 5-10 sucks. Somethings got to change, starting with Dirk. The new coach should decide his quarterback, whoever that is.

  24. DB55 Says:

    Bucs Fan #7423 Says:
    December 24th, 2018 at 9:21 am
    Ndog-

    If Jamies can’t throw 4 touchdowns without turning the ball over then we need to get rid of him

    He’s not elite
    ————————
    From weeks 11-13 he went 6/0 TD/int

    Also he seems to mike Evans in stride quite often including yesterday.

  25. Cobraboy Says:

    At some point you have to start blaming the player after four years of little improvement.

  26. Ndog Says:

    Jawo75 Says:
    December 24th, 2018 at 9:48 am
    If Jamoist is let go, I can give Koetter one more chance. Unless Mike McCarthy wants to be our coach. Then I say goodbye to Dirk. Either way, crab leg boy must be shown the door. 21-32 does not justify paying $21 million dollars. Go draft a QB and throw him in there or let Griffin show him the ropes to start the season. We need a new direction and it starts with QB1.

    Let me get this straight you want to keep a coach that can’t pick a QB, can’t pick a RG, sticks with his buddy d coordinator instead of replacing him with someone that had a clue, or can’t develop any player over a #1 overall pick that has soyof the best numbers in the history of the leayon his first four years with no running game, horrible offensive line play, no defense and no kicking game?

  27. Stevbobucsfan Says:

    I still say the new HC will be Arians and he will bring 2 good assistants at OC and DC in who will take over when he retire. See Pete Carroll. Older coach but at least brought and have kept respect for the Seattle organization..

  28. Ndog Says:

    Cobraboy Says:
    December 24th, 2018 at 9:57 am
    At some point you have to start blaming the player after four years of little improvement.

    Uh this just in he has improved every year until this year where he is being screwed up by this clueless coach, and we still don’t win. Every year of his career his comp% improved, his yards per game improved, his int % improved, his QB rating improved but we still lost. Answer this has our running game improved, had our defense improved, has our kicking game improved over that same time span? #clueless

  29. Etzel Says:

    I believe the biggest indictment of “Turd” Koetter is his outdated scheme and preference for outdated players. Quizz and Grimes?? Desean Jackson?? Is it 2007???

  30. DB55 Says:

    #3 in scoring
    #1 in pass yards
    #28 in def
    #28 in rushing
    #28 in kicking
    ——————
    Definitely Winston’s fault.

    #RunJameisRun

  31. AlteredEgo Says:

    Ndog…Jamyth’s stats are meaningless at this point of his career……he is the offensive opposite of Dungy’s bend don’t break defense that let teams up and down the field between the 20’s….but kept them out of the End Zone….

  32. tmaxcon Says:

    The entire franchise is subpar only ones deserving of blame are the incompetent owners who have ZERO intentions of fielding a respectable product…. so who is the actual dumbarse that would be those of us who follow this embarrassment of a sports team…

  33. Bucs Fan #7423 Says:

    Etzel Says:
    December 24th, 2018 at 9:34 am
    “still can’t read a play clock” literally one game where that was an issue. Revisionist history like, “Mexico will pay for it” right???
    ———-

    It’s the principle of the thing. He’s in his fourth year making stupid rookie mistakes

    We gotta raise the bar for him or he will continue to embarrass us

  34. Defense Rules Says:

    Tampabaybucfan … Your 9:20 AM outline of what’s needed to ‘fix the Bucs’ is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. None of that happens IMO UNLESS the Glazers get rid of Jason Licht (and preferably hire a REAL football professional to provide a vision and direction for this team). Licht has proven to me that not only doesn’t he have a clue how to build a winning team, but that he’s perfectly willing to let others take the hit for his incompetence. Night night Licht.

  35. Greg Says:

    Ndog, you’re pissing into the wind at this point trying to convince the haters it’s not all on Jameis. I’m with you, you don’t get rid of the best QB this franchise has had, especially when the alternative to replace him are QB dregs off other teams, or one of the crappy rookie QBs coming out in the draft.

  36. Bucs Fan #7423 Says:

    Db55
    ———

    That’s only 2 TD per game with no turnovers. Do you even math bro???

  37. Bucs3 Says:

    “he’s had seven, nine and at least 10 losses”

    Where is the nine losses coming from? It’s been seven, eleven, and now at least ten… Probably be eleven, again.

  38. Ndog Says:

    Bucs Fan #7423 Says:
    December 24th, 2018 at 10:29 am
    Etzel Says:
    December 24th, 2018 at 9:34 am
    “still can’t read a play clock” literally one game where that was an issue. Revisionist history like, “Mexico will pay for it” right???
    ———-

    It’s the principle of the thing. He’s in his fourth year making stupid rookie mistakes

    We gotta raise the bar for him or he will continue to embarrass us

    How is he embarrassing us? What you should be embarrassed about is how we can’t get 1 freaking yard for a 1st last week or a TD this week or that the defense let the Ravens run the ball 13 straight times last week to run out the clock or your ridiculous opinions.

    Wjat was embarrassing yesterday was after the fumble happened the ONLY guy going full effort to prevent the TD was Jameis. How can that guy be the one that is embarrassing?

  39. Bucs Fan #7423 Says:

    We need to get Jamies a stable coach like McCarthy

    Respectable defense

    And reliable kicker

    Before we can fully evaluate him

    Having Mike and Lovie Smith defenses that you had to score 48 points to win a game, and kickers that miss easy field goals makes it unfair to judge Jamies based on wins and losses

  40. Bucsfanman Says:

    There’s no need to continually place players in situations that do not benefit their skillets. Jameis throwing the ball 40 times is a recipe for disaster. There is no commitment to running the football at all. For instance, why are we in shotgun on 3rd and 1 with an empty backfield? Drew Brees is 200 lbs soaking wet and 4 feet tall! (I know, I know!) Yet, somehow, the Saints can QB sneak without a problem! Jameis is like 230 lbs and 6 foot something! SNEAK THE BALL!
    To make matters worse, he lost concentration and moved us back 5 yards. Still, why do we complicate a simple game?!
    Run the football. Hit the OPEN WRs. Kick make-able FGs. Play defense. And most importantly, get your head out of your a$$ and into the game!
    THIS is why Koetter will be looking for a new gig.

  41. Kobe Faker Says:

    “Can the Monken/Klueless the offensive Guru apoligists tell Kobe what happen to Cam Brate and what the hell they are doing with

    After OJ injury, Cam is back to #1 TE. What happen to the seam routes and JW to Cam connection?

    All Kobe seen yesterday was Cam doing a Alan Cross personation with a 7 million dollar price tag?

    Are we overpraising Monken just like we did to Koetter 3 years ago?”

    Kobe Faker

  42. Bucs Fan #7423 Says:

    Ndog-

    He embarrassed us by not being able to read the play clock TWICE IN THE SAME GAME!

    He embarrassed us by that stupid fumble return for a TD, he showed no situational awareness or internal clock of when to just tuck the ball and run

    He embarrassed us by not being able to complete a deep pass to djax who was wide open

    He embarrassed us by throwing to Godwin outside the numbers when he had humphries wide open in front of his face (which led to the missed field goal)

    -The team is tired of Jamies turning the ball over, so don’t blame them if they don’t give a full effort trying to run the guy down every time especially if it’s a stupid mistake Jamies did, I wouldn’t blame them if they wanted to see Jamies get benched again

  43. Jason S. Mclaurin Says:

    They need to keep this guy and the GM and put some more guys around them. I can’t say it enough. Structure is the key to this offseason. Establishing a Structure to Establish a Culture

  44. Ndog Says:

    He embarrassed us by that stupid fumble return for a TD, he showed no situational awareness or internal clock of when to just tuck the ball and run

    You do understand that last week he did the exact same thing and it resulted in a 64 yard bomb right?

    You do understand that when you throw the ball 45 times not every throw is going to be perfect right?

    See the problem is you don’t understand that. We’ll news flash smart
    guy no player is going to perfect so if your waiting for that I hope you’re patience is never ending cause it’s never going to happen.

    And on the effort thing since Godwin dropped that first pass last week should whole team want him benched as well and just not give any effort?

    Dude you are grasping at straws here and you look really clueless. Please stop embarrassing yourself daily with your insane drival. See I provide facts while you provide useless opinions like yours.

  45. DB55 Says:

    Oh so you want 4td game with no ints?

  46. BucsFanSince1976 Says:

    Donovan Smith is horrific , he thinks the DE is offsides so he starts looking at ref and quits blocking and JW gets pummeled. Smith thinks he has finished the play and lets his DE go and JW gets pummeled and fumbles , when Smith sees the fumble he actually starts running for 3 steps. Good NFL teams start with competent lines , our Dline is actually playing their arses off , but the Oline has been very shaky (including the penalty machine Jensen). Bring back Tony Dungy as President of Football Operations with total control of everything.

  47. tmaxcon Says:

    BucsFanSince1976

    Bring back Tony Dungy as President of Football Operations with total control of everything.

    WHY SO THE BUM CAN FAIL YET AGAIN!!!!!!! Dungy the clown failed in Tampa why do you fools want to bring an ignorant one-dimensional failure back… it’s a buc life!

    you freaking people have some really horrible memories…. dungy the clown coached a bad team with a great defense. dungy is freaking bum loser just because he attends your cult aka church does not make him a savior nor does it change the fact the clown has a career losing record when it matters most in the postseason. no one rewrites history like a dungy nuthugger.

  48. rich Says:

    Can someone explain why Joe keeps referring to 9 losses last year and suggesting this year’s loss total will exceed last year’s? I seem to distinctly remember a 5-11 team in 2017. Is this one of those Mandela Effect kind of things?

  49. LakeLand Says:

    I believe hiring a competent GM is more important than hiring a Head Coach. The Bucs need a GM with knowledge of building a NFL franchise.

  50. BrianBucs Says:

    Winston has regressed. He now looks like Alex Smith. He hasn’t lived up to his overhyped potential and all of his red flags from college have followed him here. His numbers are very misleading except for his wins and loss record. Right now he looks confused and timid. Just maybe he has found out that playing QB in the NFL is a little more difficult than playing QB in the Pudd – Filled ACC
    If Koetter was hired as head coach just to develope Winston then he has failed miserably

  51. ChipBuc Says:

    Ndog Stop trying to defend Winston to the haters out there. They will hate just to hate, pure and simple. No matter what he does they find something to bitch about. This team will never win until the Bucs find a #1 running back, a OLine, a Kicker, a Defense, a GM, a Head coach. See the problem here? This team has at least 6 problems, but QB is the least of their worries.

  52. jay adams Says:

    What puzzles me is why so many T.Bay fans are satisfied with a Mediocre QB. With the exception of perhaps D. Prescott the teams going to the playoffs every year have an Elite QB.

    Look at the top QBs by Rating

    1-D.Brees QB Rating 115.7 Playoffs
    2-P. Mahomes QB Rating 114.0 Playoffs
    3-R. Wilson QB Rating 112.7 Playoffs
    4-M. Ryan QB Rating 108.5 No Playoffs this year, but he has been to a S.Bowl
    5-P. Rivers QB Rating 107.7 Playoffs
    6-D. Watson QB Rating 104.1 Playoffs
    7-C. Wentz QB Rating 102.2 In Contention and last year S. Bowl, but injured
    8-K. Cousins QB Rating 100.9 In Contention for the Playoffs
    9-J. Goff QB Rating 99.5 Playoffs
    10-A. Luck QB Rating 98.0 In Contention for the Playoffs
    11-A. Rodgers QB Rating 97.8 Been in Playoffs most of His Career
    12-B. Rothlisberger- QB Rating 97.3 In Contention, Won a S. Bowl
    13-D. Carr – QB Rating 96.4 No Playoffs, but went 12-4 just 2 yrs ago
    14-M. Trubisky- QB Rating 96.0 Playoffs
    15- T. Brady- QB Rating 95.4 Playoffs, 5 time S. Bowl winner

    Out of the top 15, 12 are either in or contending for the Playoffs
    The others have been to the Playoffs

    And for those who whine about Pressure, 7 out of those 15 QBs have had 33 or more Sacks this year (2 or more per game).

  53. Buc4evr Says:

    I could see keeping koetter and maybe even Jameis until a replacement can be found, but Jason has to go. We need an o-line, a LB or two and secondary help and there is no way we can trust Jason Gump to evaluate talent.
    The whole team needs to be retooled and Jason isn’t the man to do it..

  54. Alvin Scissors Harper Says:

    Please get rid of:
    1) Head Coach
    2) General Manager
    3) Jay Miss

  55. ben Says:

    ndog .. you know Winston is married right? ok, that was mean but its seems you could care less about the bucs and only make excuses for Winston..no matter how bad he plays….

  56. Pitt of misery Says:

    When a head coach says I don’t know so many times I believe him and he such a great guy I hope he stays and gets to play dress up and coach again and his best friend Jason .

  57. Dan Says:

    Our owners are terrible at their jobs. And should hire someone to evaluate coaching and Gms. Otherwise it will be 5-11 forever folks.

  58. Buccfan37 Says:

    With Licht possibly staying I don’t expect much to change. More whiffs and what ifs.

  59. RustyRhinos Says:

    NDog where was his pro ready self 3 times this last game at the goalline when he has 3 not 1 not 2 but 3 delay of game penalties? How much of that is on the QB, as a NFL Hall of Fame QB you know him Troy Aikman said during the game those three penalties in a row are all on Jamis Winston. I will take Troy’s knowledge about how QB’s should be playing by the end of their 4th season. I agree with Coach Kotter, “I didn’t ask for any of this” in reference to the Winston suspension and his ultimate benching due to bad QB mistakes. You can coach and coach a guy up but if the results are the same, who is a fault? Yes everyone here says Jamise Winston needs better coaching. But if you do not listen and apply what you are being instructed to do by coaches then what are you as Head Coach supposed to do?

  60. FortMyersDave Says:

    Rich, maybe the Joe’s are discounting the games in which Fitz was the qb so that he feels that JW is only responsible for the 9 losses, not all 11 but if I recall Fitz was the starter for one of the L’s (@ATL?), and the wins vs the Jets and Fins but I may be suffering from the Mandela effect as well. This year Fitz started out 2-1 and then proceeded to implode vs the Skins and G-men so that we can hang a 2 dash 3 on him leaving Winston accountable for the remaining 3 wins and 7 losses this season. 30%, wow, very below average he is basically in Blake Bortles territory…….