“Not Today”
December 7th, 2018
Warren Sapp offers a path to victory Sunday.
Joe wonders whether Buccaneers players really believe/understand Dirk Koetter’s job is on the line Sunday against the Saints.
Also, do they realize many of their own jobs are tied to Koetter?
What’s clear to Joe is that the Bucs will have to play a 60-minute game to beat the mighty Saints. That relentless effort will have to be there, especially on defense.
Warren Sapp talked this week about what could make the Bucs winners against New Orleans. And for Sapp, it’s not just about Tampa Bay, it’s about any NFL defense that collectively decides “not today.”
Sapp’s meaning of “not today” is all 11 defenders refusing to concede anything. A true “not-today” mindset by any defense, Sapp said on his Route 99 podcast, can take down an all-star team of offensive players.
Sure, it’s hyperbole from Sapp. But not much.
In many ways a “not today” approach is the key to victory Sunday for the Bucs. Their defense can’t give an inch mentally.
In the new TAMPA TWO video below, Buccaneers legend Derrick Brooks sort of pushes the Bucs to keep maximum intensity. The Bucs may give up the yards, “but you can still play great defense inside the red zone,” Brooks implored.
Back to the head coach, Joe believes it’s got to be obvious to everyone watching Sunday’s game that every Buccaneer wants this game as much as life itself for Koetter to maintain a prayer of sticking around.
Derrick Brooks’ Keys To Beating The Saints
Derrick Brooks is all over the Buccaneers-Saints match-up and all things Bucs in this fantastic preview episode of TAMPA TWO, presented by Caldeco Air Conditioning & Heating. TAMPA TWO is a presentation of The Identity Tampa Bay and JoeBucsFan.com.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:15 pm
only way we can beat the saints is if Jamies Winston throws 400 yards for 5 TD’s and no turnovers.
NOT HAPPENING!!!
We’re done
December 7th, 2018 at 1:15 pm
I think they know. The questions is do they actually care. I have witnessed a lot of tanking during the games this season.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:30 pm
I don’t care if Koetter loses to the saints he’s still my choice for captain of the ship next year and who knows, perhaps even going forward into a dynastic period. Okay, that may be a tad over the top but hey, I’m a buc fan and I can hold some unrealistically high expectations. I can also run people out of town if I don’t like em. I’ll give em the old tar and feather treatment and really effum up. F the effen effers I say! Where’s the yard arm? I’ll burn the whole goddamn ship down if I have to.
Seriously guys, the head coach of a team that leads the league in offense and did it without a running game! A culture has been changed in the last few years, and if I look back, there have been a few losses in which Koetter “may” have been responsible but overall he has continued on his steady way in building a pretty darn exciting team and I, for one, would like to see him continue to grow with the players he and this staff have meticulously crafted.
December 7th, 2018 at 1:40 pm
It doesn’t really matter……
He’s had a great coaching career and will get another great opportunity…..
Unlike the common man who is wondering when his next paycheck will be
December 7th, 2018 at 1:44 pm
on 01/01/19 dirk opens an email from the glazers that reads: NOT TODAY!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
December 7th, 2018 at 1:45 pm
Does it really matter?
He’s a great coach and will get another job in no time…. Unlike the common man who is wondering when his next paycheck will come from
December 7th, 2018 at 1:58 pm
Fred Gage no disrespect but why continue with a coach that may go 6-10 this year at best 7-9; i understand that koetter has done a good job it seems with the offense but the team still does not win, most of the non winning goes into the GM who cannot build a winning franchise to save his life, licht has to be the first one out the door regardless of the record
December 7th, 2018 at 2:04 pm
Luv my man Sapp. But he got it all twisted. This ain’t the feared, Kick-a..,take no prisoners Defense he played with. It was said, teams actually put on extra padding when they played us back then. Lynch and Books use to knock mouth pieces of opponents out of their mouths! I don’t think this Defense can play the kind of game Sapp and them played for 48 min. JPP can. But not the rest of them. This will be a tough game for us if Brees is on.
December 7th, 2018 at 2:12 pm
I don’t see the Saints game being a shoot out at all. Going to be crappy weather forecated. I see a low scoring slug fest. We have to run the ball effectively, stop the run and take care of the football to win on Sunday. The conditions could actually favor us.
December 7th, 2018 at 2:13 pm
Short passes and rushing are going to be most effective.
December 7th, 2018 at 2:23 pm
“every Buccaneer wants this game as much as life itself for Koetter to maintain a prayer of sticking around”
Yeah.No.
December 7th, 2018 at 2:30 pm
@813- LMAO! Not that far from a reality!
December 7th, 2018 at 2:31 pm
We need to get hits/pressure on Brees early and often.
No turnovers while we get a few from them
We have beat them before and can do it again if we play a “clean” game
December 7th, 2018 at 2:42 pm
A sloppy field doesn’t help us but it certainly helps the Saints who can actually run the ball.
If it turns out that the field is sloppy the Bucs will Lose.
December 7th, 2018 at 3:39 pm
bucfanbf sure it helps us, the bad weather i mean, saints play at least 8 controlled environment games a year, perfect conditions, how many spring and regular season practices have the bucs done in the rain? remember they just opened their indoor training facility this year if i’m not correct, do the saints practice inside or out i think a little of both, so i think the edge goes to tampa
December 7th, 2018 at 4:10 pm
If we can outscore them, we will beat them.
December 7th, 2018 at 5:51 pm
Bring it on! We won our last game and we won the game before that! Let’s keep it up. Bring it ON! 10-3 sounds good to me. Not Today! On SUNDAY!!!
Go Bucs!
December 8th, 2018 at 5:25 am
Duthsty Rhothdes
bingo, it starts with Licht.
You cant make chicken salad with a bunch of turkeys,its just not right
December 8th, 2018 at 12:10 pm
Imo , I feel as Dirk actually is a decent coach. The assistant coaches have hurt, Mike Smith and the secondary coaches are issues. Dufner seems to be doing good replacing Smith, now in off-season hire new secondary coaches could lead to a breakthrough with all the young players. Obviously we need a few more impact players in the secondary , but our front 7 when healthy should be well above average. But Dirk imo gets the team overall to battle week in and week out. I see several other teams with similar records being blown out, but past 2 years , Bucs seem to be a play or 2 away from victory most weeks. So why fire a coach who has the team playing hard even when they are of no relevance record wise? Nowadays people wanna fire coach, n trade 3/4 of the team after 1-2 seasons. Mostly due to lack of real understanding of what it REALLY takes to build a solid team \ culture. I blame the fire \ trade everyone mindset on fantasy football lol.
December 8th, 2018 at 2:14 pm
We have the material right now to do the job. We have Duff to elevate our Defense to at least average defensive play. A great reliable kicker. If we had the right OL Coach right now we could run the table this year! We certainly have the best WRs in the NFL and an experienced young QB who can play turnover free Offense. Get behind these rag tag Bucs and cheer them on to victory!
December 8th, 2018 at 2:20 pm
Well said by Sapp, and I think this is the perfect time for that message, because right now the defense is believing in itself, that it can hang with these teams. Wet and sloppy conditions favor the defense. It’s not gonna be a vertical day tomorrow. A sweep against the Aints could lead to us winning our to finish the season.