Keeping It Together
November 28th, 2019
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
The 2017 Jaguars thought they had a good thing going, the start of something big.
It turns out they were wrong, which should make Buc fans appreciate even more what they were treated to during the glory days of this franchise.
Give thanks to the players and the front office for the sustained success on defense that made Raymond James Stadium the place to be on fall Sundays.
“When you have that success and the stage gets big, you have to manage personalities,” says Derrick Brooks. “I’m so grateful that we were able to. Guys decided to stay here and be a part of it. The stage is big and we all stand on it together.”
By keeping their core players for most of the stretch from 1996-2005, the Bucs ran off a glorious span that featured a Top 10 scoring defense for 10 consecutive seasons. Brooks, Warren Sapp, John Lynch and Rondé Barber led the way, but there were other key pieces like Simeon Rice, Shelton Quarles, Brian Kelly, Greg Spires and Booger McFarland.
Tom Coughlin and Jason Licht during happier football times for both
There were opportunities to leave and test free agency, but there was also a common mission and an allegiance to each other that is rare in the modern era.
Just ask Jacksonvile coach Doug Marrone.
Crumbled Foundation
He was named interim coach late in the 2016 season after Gus Bradley was fired and Marrone took over the following year as Tom Coughlin arrived as overseer of football operations. Together, they built a stellar defense that led to a 10-6 record and two playoff wins before a 24-20 setback at New England.
The league’s No. 2 defense posted 55 sacks, 21 interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries. In half of the 16 regular-season games, Jacksonville opponents scored 10 points or fewer.
The Jags led 20-10 early in the fourth quarter in Foxborough, less than 15 minutes away from an improbable Super Bowl berth, before Tom Brady found Danny Amendola for a pair of scoring passes. Marrone was quickly awarded a contract extension that runs through 2021.
Two years later, all those pretty dreams are torn.
The 4-7 Jaguars have dropped three in a row heading into Sunday’s matchup against the Bucs, looking worse with each loss. They can’t stop the run — and it’s doubtful they can stop the bleeding.
What happened?
Unlike the Bucs, Jacksonville’s swarming defense scattered like the wind coming off the St. Johns River.
Jalen Ramsey is a shutdown corner for the Rams, Malik Jackson is clogging the middle for the Eagles, Dante Fowler is coming off the edge for the Rams, Telvin Smith left the NFL, Paul Posluszny retired, Aaron Colvin is on the Redskins, Tashaun Gipson is dropping back into coverage for the Texans and Barry Church is out of football.
That’s a lot of attrition, leaving Calais Campbell, Yannick Ngakoue, Myles Jack and A.J. Bouye to hold the fort.
Will the Bucs lose their big young gun?
The fort’s crumbling.
“This league is so transient,” Marrone told me on a conference call this week. “Guys are coming and going. You try to keep the guys here who are laying the foundation, not just on the field but in the locker room. A lot of people keep going back to that year (2017), but the NFL is a league that changes.
“With the exception of one team in the AFC East, everyone else goes through some tough changes. You want to keep those guys, but it all comes down to business at times, financial decisions. It’s difficult to keep everyone together for a long period of time. If players play well and hit the open market, then they should get what they deserve.”
Unlike the 1985 Bears and the 2017 Jaguars, the Bucs were able to sustain their defensive dominance. It helps to have two Hall of Famers and three other players knocking on Canton’s door.
Continuity is the key and the Jaguars are Exhibit A.
“It really is,” says Bruce Arians. “They were there, within a quarter (of the Super Bowl], and you lose a player or two, some injuries happen, you switch quarterbacks and you’re starting over. The chemistry is not the same. I don’t call it chemistry – I call it accountability. You bring in new guys that might not fit the culture and it’s a big change.”
Looking back, Brooks says it’s all about sacrificing for the greater good.
“We knew our roles and we played it to the best of our ability,” he says. “We had that chemistry and that connection.”
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Ira Kaufman launched his professional NFL coverage in 1979, back when Earl Campbell was the toast of the league and Lee Roy Selmon was defensive player of the year. After a lifetime at The Tampa Tribune, “The Sage of Tampa Bay Sports” joined JoeBucsFan.com in July of 2016. His twice-weekly podcast and three columns per week appear here year-round and are presented by Bill Currie Ford. Tampa Bay’s only Hall of Fame voter is a regular on SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio and a part of the FOX-13 Tailgate Sunday show, in addition to his other appearances. You can hang out with Ira during every Bucs road games at Buffalo Wild Wings. His schedule is linked here.
November 28th, 2019 at 12:00 pm
**Test**
November 28th, 2019 at 12:10 pm
TUA TAGOVAILOA selected at #12 BY BUCCANEERS in CBS SPORTS MOCK DRAFT
November 28th, 2019 at 12:11 pm
Get ready to feast on JayMiss gifts this Sunday Jaguars!
If your DBs and LBs can hold on to the several off-target throws by the Soiled Messiah you will have quite a day.
JayMiss sucks.
Don’t be fooled!
November 28th, 2019 at 12:36 pm
Speaking of sucking…Dooosh!
November 28th, 2019 at 1:06 pm
Wow, I’m watching Blough….. his first start right?
He’s composed, has great footwork and hasn’t made a stupid throw.
I guess he must not have a high football IQ and obviously he’s not Pro-ready!
🤣🤣🤣🤣
November 28th, 2019 at 1:25 pm
Yeah I thought same Sh!t Doosh
Joe BLOUGH
I mean JOE BLOW is putting up HISTORICAL NUMBERS!
According to JBF and JBF IDIOT posters group.
If he throws for 300+ yards today and 4 TD then he is “America’s QB”
Lions should release Stafford because Joe Blow is a future HOFer
November 28th, 2019 at 1:27 pm
RG4 will be able to play football today with his family before Thanksgiving!
November 28th, 2019 at 1:36 pm
Awesome article Ira! Puts the spotlight squarely on the challenges the Bucs will be facing just a couple of months from now. We’re building something special on defense IMO, and that ‘chemistry’ that DB mentioned takes time to build. But the odds are stacked against us being able to keep ‘the band’ together. We’ve got 4 guys on just the defense who’ve played big roles this year: Barrett, JPP, Suh & Nassib. Several others like Allen, Nunez-Roches, Minter, Adams & Ryan Smith will also be UFAs. That’s 9 players just right there who we’ll have to make decisions on, plus 3 others on the defense that I didn’t mention. That’s HALF our defense. And NONE OF THEM are included in the salary Cap as of right now. Wow.
Doug Marrone hit the nail squarely on the head when he said … “You want to keep those guys, but it all comes down to business at times, financial decisions. “
November 28th, 2019 at 2:15 pm
David Blough first NFL pass….
TD
JayMiss Winston first NFL pass
TD….. for the other team.
JayMiss sucks.
Don’t be fooled!
November 28th, 2019 at 3:57 pm
Licht and BA are still riding the Winston love train holding out for the possible? The fans just follow along on the pogo stick like apparatus of high and low freakouts.
November 28th, 2019 at 4:10 pm
Let’s just cut Jameis and go get David Blough!!! Am I right guys??? Right Doosh & ElBajito43
November 28th, 2019 at 4:12 pm
I thought the realist was not too sharp, but doosh and shorty might have a spot for troll #1 & troll #2. honorable mention to blahak
November 28th, 2019 at 4:55 pm
Bough had 1 pick today at the very end … right?
I think it was the WRs fault anyway.
Maybe he just needs 4-5 more years to prove himself?
I’ll take a QB like bough over JayMiss ANY DAY.
November 28th, 2019 at 5:29 pm
You would, sounds about right.
November 28th, 2019 at 6:33 pm
NDog
JAyMiss WinsTON OF TURNOVER
Is not even in the top 12-15 QB in the league. He is average, and his skill set is not the NEW NFL.
His footwork has always been sloppy, his pass angles are always one way, fastballs from a windup delivery that takes too long, he freezes and holds the ball, his passes are wobbly because he has small hands designed for grabbing women not holding NFL sized footballs and he has very little touch or finesse to loft passes between defenders.
Last but not least he should easily have the 25 INT this yr. And that’s because for all the INTS u say are ME13’s fault or Perriman etc.
I blame incompetent DBs for the Saints and other teams for dropping the easy Interceptions that Winnie-Pooh has thrown right to their chest.
November 28th, 2019 at 7:38 pm
Great article I started watching the Bucs in 98 so I got watch that defense. Man what a great defense. John Lynch is still my favorite player. That’s prob why I’m starting to like the n9ners now. Their defense is nasty. PLEASE CAN WE BRING BACK A NASTY DEFENSE PLEASE. Yes I loved the way our defense played against the falcons that’s what gets me going. I’m hoping that game was a turning point an we can start a new era for our defense cuz before the falcons game the past several years our defense has bin a joke an not the hood kind either
November 28th, 2019 at 8:13 pm
Wow Ira great article. I’m sure it’s the wine talking but you’re going to make me cry.