Spotlight: Alvin Kamara
December 9th, 2018
New look to face Saints RB.
Alvin Kamara, in less than two NFL seasons, has had many of his best games against the Bucs. Imagine.
Only three times Kamara has broken 100 yards receiving in a game, one of those games came against the Bucs. In his top-five games for receiving, his second- (101 yards), fourth- (84), and fifth-best (84) games came against the Bucs.
Kamara averages 140 yards from scrimmage against the Bucs. That’s a weapon.
Film junkie Andy Benoit of theMMQB.com has seen enough tape of Kamara against the Bucs and Benoit has seen enough tape of the Bucs defense with and without Mike Smith running it.
In short, Kamara is going to be up against a different cat today, Benoit writes.
Under new defensive coordinator Mark Duffner, the Bucs have been more matchup-oriented in their coverages. Greater schematic aggression was needed, and the results have been more positive than negative. Typically when the Bucs have gone matchup, the Saints have spread into empty formations and gone after whichever unfortunate linebacker is on Alvin Kamara. But Duffner has also scrapped some of Tampa Bay’s nickel packages for dime packages, which means one fewer linebacker and one more safety (Andrew Adams). Against dime, Kamara will almost certainly face defensive backs instead of linebackers this time.
What a concept! You mean someone with the Bucs finally figured out it’s a bad matchup to perhaps hang a linebacker out to dry by expecting him to cover one of the best running backs in the league? Say it isn’t so!
That right there is the biggest hole Bucs Bit-O-Honey-snacking, Ozark-watching, yams-eating coach Dirk Koetter dug for himself. If fans can see what the problem was, if guys typing for a living from Koetter’s home state of Idaho can see it on a computer (Benoit is from Idaho), then why did Koetter hang on to Smith for so long?
If the Bucs don’t make the playoffs (yeah, yeah, Joe knows — playoffs?) and Koetter has to sit in front of Team Glazer and answer why did he bring Mike Smith back after he stunk up the joint so badly last year, Joe doesn’t know how Koetter can answer that and not hang himself.
Yes, of course, Koetter (Joe thinks but isn’t sure) eventually got rid of Smith. But as we stand here today on Dec. 9, that move appears to have been about 10 months too late.
(Fun/sad fact, Bears RB Tarik Cohen, who is used a lot like Kamara in the passing game, had his second biggest receiving day of the season against Mike Smith and the Bucs, 7 catches for 121 yards and a touchdown.)
December 9th, 2018 at 8:23 am
Hopefully the pressure upfront keeps doing what they been doing and today another CB/LB/S becomes Brees’ daddy.lol.
#GO BUCS!
December 9th, 2018 at 8:32 am
Bucs not only have a new DC, they also have a KICKER. They didn’t have either in the first game. No reason why the weather can’t be the Bucs ally. Tampa Bay practices and plays outdoors. Saints don’t. Kamara…big deal. Which one is hurt? Ingram or Thomas? Weather won’t be their friend. ME13 on one side of Fameis, ungodly Godwin on the other side. I’ll take it. Watch out for the refs. They will be on the Bucs like stink on poop. Count on at least one bogus/bad call against us. C’mon Tampa Bay!! Bring your A+ game today, mini-hurricane weather and all! 🙂
December 9th, 2018 at 8:53 am
You know…if you are going to hold the Smith Defensive Scheme against Koetter, then you have to give him credit for the Duffner scheme too.
You cannot say he has nothing to do with one and not the other.
So, that means Koetter fixed the defense, according to those rules.
Otherwise, don’t blame him for Smith. He let his DC control the defense and call plays, just like he lets Monken do it on offense.
December 9th, 2018 at 8:55 am
@orlbucfan
You hit the nail on the head about the kicker. Consider the one score games we lost. If our kicker had made just one of his missed kicks in those games, we would have won (or OT)…even with a bad defense.
December 9th, 2018 at 8:59 am
Yah. Mike smith has s still coaching like its 1999
What is name of bucs ticket exchange website ?
December 9th, 2018 at 9:26 am
Realist will never admit that Mike Smith is a bum.
December 9th, 2018 at 9:28 am
Great article on the times site for a change. It was about Winston and Jackson. I especially liked this part:
“Okay, so this is only one game, but look at the last game Jackson played — the Bucs 27-9 victory against the 49ers. Winston targeted Jackson eight times and only connected on three for a mere 19 yards. [three of eight]
Look at his other favorite receivers that day: Evans (six of eight), Humphries (six of six), Godwin (four of four) and Brate (three of four).”
To say that Winston is not accurate is wrong. If he wasn’t, he would not connect so well with the other pass catchers.
Obviously, Jackson is the problem…as I predicted when we signed him.
https://www.joebucsfan.com/2017/03/espn-desean-jackson-will-buccaneer-barring-last-minute-breakdown/#comment-3787010
December 9th, 2018 at 9:38 am
@SchwiftyBuc
You act like Realist is a homer like me. He isn’t. If you had been around for as long as we have, you would know how often Realist and I argued in the past. It got downright harsh.
Your problem, as I understand it, is that you seem to not take execution into consideration. Every bad play seems to be the fault of the coaches.
It just doesn’t work that way. Yes, certain coaches are responsible for part of it, but most of the time, it is the players not executing the plays as they are supposed to. Desean Jackson, for example, has been incredibly bad at play execution, with the exception of a couple games.
And then, you have to consider how injuries forced rookies to play before they were ready, so obviously they would struggle with execution.
That isn’t to say that Mike Smith did not need to go. He most certainly did. However, I believe what Realist said back then (me too I think) is that firing him would not immediately make a difference because the personnel would remain the same and Duffner would follow the same playbook…Mike Smith’s playbook.
And he has. How many games ago was Smith fired? It took Duffner this long to implement moving the pass coverage up 2.5 yards? That should have been the first thing he did.
I was sold on Smith needing to be replaced. He had his shot and blew it. I just did not agree with the timing.
That said, Duffner is the man right now, and today’s game (and if we win today, the rest of the games) should determine if he remains the man past the end of the season.
December 9th, 2018 at 9:43 am
Bonzai, I usually agree with most of your posts but I completely disagree with your logic on this one. Smitty would still be here if the Glazers or Licht didn’t step in. He is the SINGLE reason why Mike Smith wasn’t fired last year and certainly he is the reason he wasn’t fired at the Bye week. Duffner runs a similar scheme but clearly has a different philosophy. He would rather be aggressive and suffer the consequences of a potential big play instead of watching teams kill us by “1000 cuts” as Koetter put it. Also, Koetter is directly responsible for George Warhop still being here. He may be too blinded by his friendships to see the results they are producing. Also not a fan of the way he treats reporters, he speaks to them like he is Belichick without the winning and Championships. He hasn’t earned the right to be a D Bag, Belichick has, LOL. However, as I said if he wins out and we make the playoffs, bring him back, I’m not a hater (I’m a disliker). If he wins out and we don’t make the playoffs, he has to go. It will be difficult to forgive him for waiting so long to fire his boy and also starting and not replacing Fitz when he had 2 crappy games after Jameis crappy game against Cincy. JMO- looking forward to the game today (but not the rains-we will be all ponchoed up) Go Bucs!!
December 9th, 2018 at 9:45 am
^^response you your first post^^
December 9th, 2018 at 10:02 am
@jjbucfan
I agree with you about Koetter wanting Smith here, and he is responsible to a point. However, just as they stepped in when he was finally fired, they could have done the same at anytime, including during last off season.
Certainly, Koetter’s loyalty has been a problem, as I’ve mentioned in the past. It;s a good thing at times, a bad thing at others.
I also agree with you about George Warhop. I wanted him gone last year.
As to the reporter thing, I’ve noticed his handling of them has changed in recent weeks/months. I took that as a sign that he knows he is on the hot seat and is feeling it burn under his butt.
To me, benching Winston for more than a game was a huge mistake on his part. We can look at how Jameis is playing now and say it worked out, but how do we know Jameis would not have won some of the other games Fits lost as well?
And Jameis prepared to play the Bears for 3 weeks. He was ready. He should have started that game as well.
Dirk Koetter is not perfect. He’s a first time head coach, and he is growing into the role a little more each year. I think he will continue to do better over time. That said, here’s what I think needs to happen for him to keep his job:
• Don’t lose the players confidence
• Go at absolute minimum 2-2 (7-9) to close the season (Obviously, a better record is preferred, but if other things are accomplished, I can see 7-9 buying him a year)
• The Defense has to play very well in all the remaining games (even if it doesn’t Koetter might stay and Licht could restructure the defensive staff)
• Offense has to continue to play well.
December 9th, 2018 at 10:07 am
You’re incorrect Bonzai. I do not attribute 100 percent of credit and blame to coaches. I do however think that the system that the Coaches design for the players to execute, if flawed, will make the players look much, much worse than they actually are.
You know, like calling for your Dlineman to 2 gap and not rush. Or calling for your Corners to play 10 yards off the receiver. And despite a mountain of evidence that asking your players to do these things will result in the QB having all day long to survey the field and carver you up, game after game; Mike Smith refused to adjust his scheme.
This was going on here for a full season and a half. How you and Realist who absolutely is a Smitty Sycophant refuse to acknowledge this.
Also you should that I put plenty of blame on the players, I am constantly calling out the bums that either cant play well or choose not to play well. Guys like Ol’ Slowpoke MJ Stewart, Brent “why would I retire when I could get another 8 Mil for free” Grimes, MeJax, Caleb ICan’tBlock, Slow-Joe Dirt.
I fully acknowledge that you have to have both coaching and players executing on the field to achieve success. But I feel that you fail to realize that Bad coaching can ruin otherwise good players, and Good coaching can mask a not great players deficiencies. And in no other league is that statement more true than in the NFL. Case and Point. Jeff Fishers 2016 Rams vs Sean McVays 2017 Rams.
December 9th, 2018 at 10:08 am
*carve* *How do you*
December 9th, 2018 at 10:14 am
I can’t think of any of the Buc DB’s that can check Kamara either. To think Kamara was chosen after the Bucs picked, although I can’t remember who they took ahead of him, even though we could’ve used a back like him. Just another reason why Licht’s drafts have disappointed, and he needs to be fired.
December 9th, 2018 at 10:35 am
Bonzai
Ummmm Fitz connected with Evans Godwin (except the two drops by him)
Brate Howard Humphries Oh And. DJax
Don’t try to spin Jamies into something he is Not
Jamies CANNOT HIT THE LONG PASS
DJAX IS AT FAULT BECAUSE THE BALL IS SHORT
This is what I Mean Defending a PLAYER to the end
Call it what it is
Jamies has a very strong arm
Is making better decisions
But he struggles with accuracy on the long ball
Also DJax is a on the move receiver the other stop and catch the ball
Jamies as trouble with leading the receiver that’s why are YAC are low
December 9th, 2018 at 10:40 am
This fan base beats up every player with Joes approval
Vita who I think will end up being a Beast
Fitz
DJax
Conte
Anyone who is not Jamies or GMC
I predict JPP has two sacks
Nassib one
Vita and GMC will stuff Kamara
GO BUCS
December 9th, 2018 at 10:46 am
Why didn’t Licht step in at the end of last year and fire Smitty?
Why wasn’t this mandated by the GM/Ownership at the bye week?
December 9th, 2018 at 11:09 am
ATrain Says
“Jamies CANNOT HIT THE LONG PASS ”
Jameis has hit several WRs this year with the ‘long pass’, including Jackson.
December 9th, 2018 at 11:21 am
Koetter is too late replacing OLine and RB coaches too