“Cursed”
September 23rd, 2019
Joe sat there and watched in total disbelief.
Joe thought finally, maybe the Bucs’ three-ring circus of having kickers kill games and torpedo seasons might just be over.
Finally.
No more Nick Folk. No more Chandler Cantanzaro. No more Roberto Aguayo. No more directionally-challenged Kyle Brindza.
Man, was Joe taken for a sap.
Rookie kicker Matt Gay took a huge step toward joining that gnarly list of failures Joe listed above when he missed two extra points (which would have won the game alone) and a potential game-winning field goal to end the loss to the lowly Giants.
Gary Gramling of theMMQB.com wrote yestereday that the Bucs apparently are “forever cursed” when it comes to kickers.
Joe is at the point now where the Bucs should just go full-blown Mike Tomlin. Not long ago, Tomlin, the Steelers head coach, grew so frustrated with bad kickers he started going for two-point conversions instead. Joe recalls the Steelers still making the playoffs that year.
Trick here is, while Joe thought Bucco Bruce Arians to be a coach who would love to do such a thing, Joe can’t go there any long after watching Arians purposely throw his offense into reverse after getting down to the Giants-9 with 13 seconds left. Yes, Joe believes he misdiagnosed Arians.
No, it’s not just the Bucs that struggle with kickers (though the Bucs have turned this malady into an art form). However, other teams with bad kickers find their way to the playoffs. But no, not the Bucs. Bad kicking is just added salt rubbed in the wound of awful football. Year after agonizing year.
Is this just a nightmare, or a Simpsons Halloween Special?
Please make it stop.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:02 am
Matt Gay in college never made a game winning kick
Matt Gay in the NFL is 0-1 in game winning kicks
Curses are for stories and to scare children this team just sucks at evaluating talent
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:03 am
BA is full of BS
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:03 am
Relying on kickers is not a recipe for a winning formula.
The actions by the coaching staff show that relying on Jameis Winston is not a recipe for a winning formula either, at least they don’t think so.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:04 am
How did we not sign Matt Bryant in the off season?
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:04 am
This team just su¢k$ period. This team, this coaching staff, this town all $u¢k.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:07 am
Falls on the owners
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:08 am
Old washed up coaches playing terrified worked in 1988. It’s 2019 and (good) coaches are looking at the percentages. Check out the Ravens yesterday going for it on almost every 4th and short. Yet, we hired grandpa Bruce trying to resurrect his old glory days.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:09 am
The ghost of Miro Roder lives LOL…
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:09 am
bucs are not cursed they are exactly what the glazers want them to be. you can’t be this bad for this long without trying to be this bad. anyone who supports or buys into the glazers are simply clueless.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:10 am
Put him on practice squad or flat out release him. There has to be a kicker walking this earth better. Gay sucks.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:11 am
We have some mentally weak players on this team
With game on the line /when it counts the pressure gets to them
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:11 am
Can we also find a new punt returner? Bobo looked like he was so amazed that he was able to catch the punt that he didn’t know what to do next. Absolutely brutal.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:12 am
It looks like the largest most diverse coaching staff was the wrong choice by Glazers.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:13 am
Joe,
I think I can solve the Bucs kicking problem. Please here me out and ask the question to Licht.
Find a kicker that is at least 95% inside of 35 yards and has at least a three year NFL track record. Missed extra points and give me field goals are crushing this franchise. Any kicker that can‘t consistently hit the easy ones will turn into a basket case quick as the weight of expectations overwhelm him.
I don’t care and no-one else should care about his percentage on kicks longer than 35 yards because of what I mentioned above. We can simply go for it on 4th or play the field position game outside of 35 yard kicks.
This kicker will probably exist on the open market because he does not have a strong leg. This is precisely how we will target and sign said kicker.
Again, missing kicks inside of 35 yards is crushing the team and fan base and has done so the last decade. We are usually competitive early in the season, get soul crushed because of choking kicker like Matt Gay and the team collapses by mid October.
No longer. We need to fix it.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:19 am
You can blame Arians or whoever you want, Joe. But the fact of the matter is, he missed two XPs earlier in the game. That makes it 33-25 and would’ve forced NY to score and convert 2 point conversion just to tie near the end of the game.
I’ve said we should be going for awhile now after every TD. All you need is 50%. Practice it. Get good at it.
Its helluva lot better than trusting the outcome of a football game with a weak minded soccer player.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:19 am
This also won’t be the only game winner this idiot misses this season. He’ll miss at least 2 more.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:21 am
at least we are undefeated on the road so far…..lol
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:24 am
It looks like that kick would have been good if Gay was say – 7 yards closer. Delay of game penalty ON PURPOSE, then a 2 yard loss to set the ball between the hash marks. That’s 2 games in a row that coaching f’d up at the end of the game!!
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:25 am
Looked like Gays kneesbuckled on the sidelines while realizing its time to foot the bill. Or the football! Not hear making jokes, cause im not in the mood. Refs should of flagged him for those cleats. Missed the first extra point, change the dang shoes!
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:29 am
I see a lot of improvement in the team.
Came down to one play really. which is the way things are in the NFL.
Keep fighting , still 1-0 in the NFC South, we can bounce back.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:31 am
I said it before good wedding organizations start with ownership a GM a head coach in a quarterback. How many do we have?
All you have to do is it talent evaluator is watch about a dozen college teams a weekend it’s very simple stop drafting from Hobart and Humbolt State and taking kickers in the draft it’s ridiculous. This organization ruined JW and he needs to move on as do the Bucs. Should of built a better line during these last several years. Dont let JL ruin… Jake Fromm???
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:31 am
Two words Jason Licht. We need someone that can bring in talent consistently at all levels. Easy to draft 1st round and hit on something. It’s all the other areas kicker, ST, backups etc. JL has no talent or skills in this area. Be gone JL. I’m done with this team. I’ve given them 13 years to get better or show me a fun season. I just wanted fun. No more wasted Time.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:33 am
Why do the N.F.L have field goals. They should change the rules on field goals, the only way you can try a field goal would be 50 yards plus. This would make the game more challenging. When the Buc’s learn how to continue to pound a team when they are a head, it will always come down to a kicker. The Buc’s should have kickers in town today, to replace this young man.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:34 am
Time to move on from Gay. After the last few years we should have zero tolerance on this crap. Keep changing kickers like underwear until we find a good one.
Now we have a kicker with past mental problems in a slump. Next!
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:36 am
Not 1…not 2….but 3…lol…
Only the Bucs, sadly…
GO BUCS
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:37 am
Screw it! Lets trade a 1st round pick for a proven kicker! That honestly doesnt seem to far out of our wheelhouse!
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:40 am
Hey Joe: can the players have Arians “Baker-Acted”? He reminds me of sleepy Joe. Time has passed him by
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:42 am
I would rather just blame Jameis. Where did he go in the second half? Three whole points in the second half and an interception. It was a slow motion give away.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:48 am
Last night did it for me. Fan for nearly 25 years, (even stuck with them after the move to Ohio) but I’m done with this team. Why are we wasting draft picks on kickers? Why are we taking a delay of game penalty while we have a timeout? Why is our “best” corner leaving 20 yards of cushion on Sterling all night? BA said he “tried” to lose the game last week with b2b timeouts. Well this week he tried and succeeded playing turtle football. This organization stinks at all level, owners management AND coaches.
Clearly winning isn’t how I pick my teams, so I guess I’m a Bengals fan now (only because the Browns are still 3 hours away).
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:52 am
We went into Prevent Offense. Meaning, Arians did not want to risk JW turning the ball over.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:53 am
Gay ain’t Straight. Although, he is a little arrogant bastard.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:54 am
Hey, what do you know?!
Perriman CAN catch a pass!!
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:54 am
The curse is Dom then Licht…. did not resign Bryant and have sucked since
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:55 am
NFL teams or the Bucs should come up with something to practice kicks in the sideline …. I get kicking the net but isn’t kicking aiming and accuracy ? So where’s the aiming and accuracy warming up with just kicking to a net?
In baseball … pitchers warm up with catchers.
In nfl kickers kick to a net ? They should have a mini field goal poles or something to practice aiming, accuracy.
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:57 am
that is what happens when you rely on a kicker to win games. Alabama has the worst field goals kickers in the SEC and it doesn’t hurt them. They were out coached PERIOD!!!
September 23rd, 2019 at 10:59 am
We were at the Giants 9 with 13 seconds left only because BA refused to burn his final timeout. We could have had a first and goal with 25 seconds left had we called timeout right after Evans catch. A team with a trustworthy QB and kicker run three shotgun formation pass plays into the end zone without a chance of a sack or interception. If they don’t score, no problem, they trot out their kicker to kick the 26 yard chip shot for the win as time expires. Bucs don’t have that. JW played good yesterday but he does have a history of bad decisions in the red zone and obviously, we have an awful kicker.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:05 am
I’m disgusted as well, but I think this kids going to get it together as I still believe in BA. It’s 1 more in the loss column. I’m hoping we get the offense and defense both firing. Lots of season left. Go Bucs!!!
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:09 am
Holy Crap. Where did our “ press “ coverage disappear to? This game should NEVER have come down to to a kicker. Any kicker! How many non contested catches were made by Giants future Hall of Famers last night? We were chasing behind receivers nearly the entire game. Is that “ press “ coverage? Shouldn’t a defender at least be in the same tv frame with a receiver catching a pass? Blame the kicker all you want. Our D line played a good game. Our O played a good game. Our secondary hung us out to dry as well as our coaching and play calls. We should have NEVER have had to rely on a kicker. Bad coaching decisions and bad secondary killed us. So close to being 3-0. So lucky to be 1-2. It ain’t over yet but this team has to show a lot more to keep me in my seat. A man can only take so much.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:14 am
Howard and a 1. For Ramsey.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:15 am
If there is enough time on the clock that NY could have scored after our score….yes, you try for the TD then kick the FG…….but, we were at the end of the game…..I think most any NFL coach would kick the FG….
Only Joe freaks out about not putting the ball in “America’s QB” hands…..no f…ing way!!!
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:19 am
Man….another kick in the gut….this one really hurt
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:19 am
Jameis played a good game…….we had a running game….we had very few penalties, especially on the Offense…..
So here is the question……why only 3 points in the 2nd half?
The answer is in the game plan & play-calling?
How many passes were attempted after the interception (not counting the final drive)?
How many times does our run game fail us in the red zone.
The answer to the game plan and play calling is patently obvious….and this has been with both Koetter & Arians……..there is little trust in Jameis.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:22 am
When Evans caught that final pass the Bucs had a timeout and there was 22 seconds left.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:27 am
If the coaches didn’t trust Jameis. Why allow him to throw a lot of deep passes ??? Especially the last one ??
Simple as this. … Leftwich choke. He didn’t know what to call period. Bruce was debating with himself to risk it for a biscuit or a win … lol. Coaches are underperforming. And are not taking accountability to themselves.
Why did we have one timeout only ???
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:35 am
Bad teams find a way to lose.
The bucs continue to basement dwell now have solidified the reputation as the team to give your rookie untested QB a win.
We can blame the kicker, sure fine. The bucs were just out played the entire second half in all three phases.
NYG 22 points in the second half the Bucs 3….
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:37 am
To me you have an old man who’s never won anything himself coaching after he already quit, mostly because he couldn’t take care of himself. He’s so old and checked out the only reason he said he came back was if a semi-failure rookie OC called the plays instead of him. That OC even admitted the coach basically watches tv instead of actual gameplanning, and the only reason the checked out (now scared) old man is here is because the kids who inherited the team are so scared of their lack of acumen they keep around a general manager who can’t scout for athletic movement (if you can’t about a running back, the most “jazz” position in football, you shouldn’t be scouting athletes) and who runs whole drafts based on “toughness”.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:37 am
I agree they don’t trust Jameis. I’ve seen it in every game so far. He came out a little flat to start the third quarter and as soon as he threw the INT they took the ball out of his hands. Other than that, he played really well. I mean look the drive they scored the field goal on. 2nd and 2 Jones got stuffed. Instead of a short pass, Leftwich ran again. If we scored 7 on that drive, game over. That doesn’t seem to be Leftwich’s mindset. Put the nail in the coffin!!
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:39 am
At this point this is all I believe about this stupid f*cking franchise.
It’s seriously unhealthy and dumb that I have allowed this team to actually make me upset like they did Sunday.
I don’t even fault Arians for that decision. Going for a TD would be playing scared because you don’t think your kicker can make something that should be automatic. You just need to make the freaking kick man.
I was suprirsed by the delay of game / not trying to get as close as possible. Thank god we drafted a kicker with a history of depression I’m sure this will be easy for him to recover from.
I really almost believe it does not matter which coach we hire or who we draft. This whole franchise is simply cursed more than any other in the NFL and it isn’t close. We are destined to destroy fans hearts and souls year after year.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:40 am
Uh-oh!!!!!! The sheep are just starting to finally “realize” that they have been hoodwinked!!!! That they have been bamboozled!!!!!!!!!
That is not even the bad new yet!!!!!!!!!!!! That was the incredibly soft schedule they played this year!!!!!!!!!!!!! And after a few more games of the bucs getting exposed and manhandled, and the “realization” that this is another wasted year, They higher ups will tell the sheep that they have to roll the same way next year, because of the big contracts to ole stale biscuit and light weight!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Team is against the cap and cannot compete against average teams, and battles and looks sloppy against the worst teams!!!!!!!!!
Look for licht weight to overpay on an extension to shaq barrett, which means they will have to “save money” in other areas of the roster, then Barrett will be injured and never will be the same player afterwards!!!!!!!!!!
Some of the sheep, were saying to trust ole stale biscuit to evaluate the inaccurate qb manager!!!!!!!! Well The “real” fans do not!!!!!!!!!! Ole stale biscuit was brought in to make the inaccurate to look good!!!!!! The light weight GM, ole stale biscuit, and the inaccurate QB are all in this together and will do anything but evaluate each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its a pyramid scheme that the Glazer’s heavily invested in!!!!!!!!!!!
2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:40 am
Matt Gay is a good kicker. It’s his first season and he’s bound to have growing pains. The Bucs need to be smart and keep him.
Yes, he missed a couple extra points and a game winning FG, but let’s be honest here: The defense lost that game, whether fans want to admit it or not.
It wasn’t a kicker curse. It was a Ring of Honor curse.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:40 am
BOBO SUCKS
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:44 am
There was probably a sixty year old dude in the stands that could make that kick ! WTF
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:46 am
“Tale of two halves
It was the best of times, It was the worst of times
Didnt trust JW? They had him throw deep and for close to 3oo yards in the !st half? If they were so scared wouldnt they run run pass after 10pt lead
what happened?
Seems like there was two playcallers
indeed most of the 1st half was scripted
JW was decisive and the plays were quick and proficient
With the big lead, BA once again gave the reigns to My Leftfoot
You can see on the sideline, Leftfoot flipping the play sheet like it had mustard covered on the Steak & Shake menu
and back to JW holding the ball looking deep and doing the cha cha while Cappa and Smith was floundering on his feet
BA needs to demote Leftfoot or we wont win another game”
Son of Kobe Faker
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:56 am
The offense also Did carp . We had a QB that could score in the first half or the second but not both. The red zone garbage continues. If you want to look at it like Gay left the points out there so did the offense. The entire team Fell apart in the second half. It also shows these coaches can’t make adjustments on the fly. They got out coached.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:56 am
If Matt gay makes the FG. All you fake Bucs fans will be saying different stuff about the team and kicker.
We won the game in different way and we lost the game on different ways. One thing I can’t understand is why not call a time out after the Evans catch. Why take the delay of game. Why move the ball to the middle for the kick.
Dude Arians stop overthinking and like you say. Play on. Call a time out. Make a decision and done.
September 23rd, 2019 at 11:58 am
kinda agree with faker. coaching was horrific.
they adjusted we didnt
they knew their season was on the line, we ignored that fact
they fought tooth and nail, we danced in the corner
had a chance to put the game away in Q3.
Defense did not adjust to mobile QB
Offense did not go for the jugular
backed up a rookie kicker 6 yards to a distance he had already missed 2 from.
that one has to sit on the coaches.
September 23rd, 2019 at 12:00 pm
“Relying on kickers is not a recipe for a winning formula.”
Say it aloud with me people. Touchdowns are your friend. That game should not have come down to that kick.
Still………You have ONE job!
September 23rd, 2019 at 12:00 pm
Football is a team sport, so one person or one part of the team did not lose the game. The whole team and staff lost the game
September 23rd, 2019 at 12:02 pm
This is sort of like golf…..you miss the last putt & you lose…..but what about that double-bogey earlier……the missed putt earlier…..you would have won if you played better earlier….
Sure, he should have made the kick….
But the D should have gotten off the field on several 3rd downs…..the O should have converted on the 3rd and 6 or so to Brate……
We failed on many occasions but to assert that we should have gone for a TD in the end instead of the short FG is more than absurd, it’s asinine.
September 23rd, 2019 at 12:11 pm
CHECK THIS GAY GUY’S BANKING ACCOUNT , SOMEONE PAYED HIS ASS OFF TO MISS THESE KICK’S , AND MAYBE IT WAS THE GLAZER BOY’S IN THE HOOD… YOU KNOW THE GLAZERS ARE OUT TO MAKE MONEY ANYWAY THEY CAN…….
WAKE UP BUCKOROOOS………..LOL
September 23rd, 2019 at 12:12 pm
It is painfully obvious that the fish stinks from the head down , that would be the Glazer boys and then Licht Brain. You do not hand out 5 year extensions to underperforming players or coaches( oh that is right , Bucs do that , see Demar Dotson) and you gave and I do mean gave a 5 year extension to a GM that is the dumpster fire of the NFL.
You NEVER draft a FREAKING KICKER , and this moron has done it twice. If you touch the fire and get burned on your right hand , for Gods’ sake do not stick your left hand in there and expect a different result. Should have drafted Hunter Renfrow with that 5th rounder and he would have been in the slot , not Camel Brate and we would have gotten the first down we so desperately needed to win the game.
September 23rd, 2019 at 1:29 pm
Well Joe, I have had enough. 16 years of misery. Can’t watch this team anymore. Along with it goes Joe bucs fan. Loved all your articles, and your insight. Cancelled Sunday ticket this morning also. Maybe someday I will be back. Good luck to you in all your endeavors!
September 23rd, 2019 at 1:34 pm
How f-ing stupid can you be to let the rookie kicker where bright neon sneakers? Can’t totally blame them but he saw those on out of the corner of his eye all day.
Not a sheep. Still got your back Gay (for now) through three games in your rookie season. Make it up by booting a 65-yarder for the win to get us in the playoffs and sh!t on all these sheep that already want you cut.
September 23rd, 2019 at 2:04 pm
Joe,
Come on. Find one recent game where a team had a healthy kicker – were in short FG range down by only one with under 10 seconds to play – and took shots at the end zone.
99.9% of teams with the above situation play for the FG there.
September 23rd, 2019 at 2:45 pm
Are there any Rowdies available? Never should have let Matt Bryant go.
September 23rd, 2019 at 2:54 pm
A-MEN and pass the pudding while you’re at it!
September 23rd, 2019 at 3:13 pm
Joe..I’m kinda surprised at you thinkin we really had a good team this year. Early on when I heard Arians runnin his head telling fans, we are in the Win now mode..I knew he was wrong. Not with our D and O lines. So I never ate the yellow snow Arians was selling. Not for one minute.And I knew we were gonna make this rookie look all world. And we did. I still think we got a shot at 8-8..faintly.I do think Arians will do some key house cleaning after this season and bring in 2 fresh O and D linemen. You guys give the fans to much hope. I’m a pragmatist. I believe in what works.
September 23rd, 2019 at 3:29 pm
.For “experienced” Buc fans this was extremely predictable. Jameis has the best half game of his pro career and then lays an egg in the second half. For those of you who want the truth go back and watch his passes in the second half. Almost all are high, wide or underthrown. Even the long Evans pass was underthrown or he would have scored a TD and jameis would be a hero. BUT, no, he throws the worse pass of his pro career on the INT. Evens, I think, was running to the left about 10-15 yard away and jameis missed high and behind. After that, you are crazy if you think the coaching staff was not afraid to let Jameis continue passing most downs. So they got close and were scared to trust Famous Jameis to put it in the end zone. So they putz around and eventually miss the FG. I felt like Nostradamus the last few minutes when I pointed out that the Giant QB would run it in – -and he did. Then I said, “No, no, no – -not a FG! They will miss it!” And, they did. How did I know? Because I have been a Buc fan since 1978.
This is a star-crossed franchise that has suffered the Curse of Culverhouse since its inception.
Someday, I predict, Gay will kick a 60+ yarder to win a game. Maybe that is what it will take. Else, it will take new owners, and that will not happen in my lifetime.
September 23rd, 2019 at 3:43 pm
BA coaches scared. 2 weeks in a row now.
So much for the “no risk it no biscuit”.
More like “no balls, just bullchit”
September 23rd, 2019 at 5:00 pm
We have been cursed every since we dropped that Monday Night game against the colts 16 years ago.
September 23rd, 2019 at 5:15 pm
Kobe
You dumb as hell….
BL called a great game and a great play to mike when the game was on the line….
That lost was on the kicker….point blank period….
GO BUCS
September 24th, 2019 at 1:00 am
It’s early yet, but it’s looking like a complete redo may be needed. Is there any way that you could do a poll asking fans whether or not they would like the Glazers to sell the team without catching too much heat? With all the bad hires by ownership over the last 10 years, you would think folks would be protesting in the streets trying to get these buffoons to sell the team. There are worse owners, but these dudes are near the bottom and should be held accountable. Maybe Hugh Culverhouse is haunting them and influencing them to do dumb $h!t?