Gutless Defense
November 14th, 2021
Needed Shaq today.
Joe will write about this more later, but the Bucs are not playing like a playoff team right now.
In the past two games they’ve gotten shamed and embarrassed by a never-been third-stringer from Northwestern and today a guy who was recycled from the AAF.
Today’s loss stings worse than the Siemian debacle for Joe. Here is why.
At least you could make the excuse two weeks ago that the Bucs defense was fully focused on Mr. Entertainment, America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, and Jameis getting hurt and replaced by Siemian totally shocked the Bucs defense and the defensive gameplan was then worthless.
Weak excuse, yes, but Joe can buy it to a degree.
Today? No way.
The Bucs damn near got tripped up in the same stadium by the same lousy quarterback in the playoffs last year. If anything, the Bucs should have been loaded for bear to shut him down, if for no other reason than for a sense of pride that this stiff would not embarrass them again.
Nope. They got embarrassed again.
Nothing worse than the Bucs needing one stop to have a chance to get the ball back to win the game. Instead, Heinicke engineered a 19-play (19!!!), 10:26 drive to put the game away.
What in the ever-living-hell was the defense doing? Joe doesn’t care if there were fourth-stringers in the secondary, with a defensive front-seven like the Bucs have, they should have taken over. This is beyond irresponsible.
How the freak could the Bucs defense not be prepared for Heinicke after what he did to them in the playoffs??? Totally inexcusable! He completed 81 percent of his passes!
Joe will write this once again, the way the Bucs have played the past two games, they are not playing like any playoff team Joe has seen.
November 14th, 2021 at 4:55 pm
This defense needs to see that 10 minute drive every single day of practice, cause that was a horrific defensive performance at the end.
November 14th, 2021 at 4:57 pm
Also Joe every single team has had an upset the last two weeks. Upset bug catches everyone this season.
November 14th, 2021 at 4:58 pm
They will win the division, but after that it is a crap shoot right now. Their head was not in the game and got dominated on both sides of the line of scrimmage.
To give up a 10+ minute drive to get finished off, just plain whooped physically and the O line got beat and turned TB12 into Rinky Dinky Dunk Junk Offense
Wow what a beatdown just not fun to watch.
GO BUCS!!!!!
November 14th, 2021 at 4:58 pm
Sometimes I believe the run defense is so good because other teams know they can have a field day on our pass defense.
November 14th, 2021 at 4:59 pm
The real crappy part was White actually had a pretty good game, he was making some splash plays and David did what David does. JPP needs some time to heal and the rookie needs some time in. Shaq was still in Tampa and the D can’t tackle anyone. Horrible D showing today. Didn’t they say at the beginning of the year the D was going to do something special?!?!
November 14th, 2021 at 4:59 pm
Devin White had 2 sacks & 18 tackles….where was everybody else?
November 14th, 2021 at 5:00 pm
It’s coaching pure and simple…defense is overrated… no team fears this defense… as bad as this whole team played it was still winnable until that last drive
November 14th, 2021 at 5:00 pm
Shaq 0 tackles and 0 assists. Did not even show up on the score sheet. Dude is cash checks and laughing all the way.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:00 pm
Honestly, I don’t think JPP should be on the field with one arm. The older players are really starting to LOOK like old players. Not a good thing.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:01 pm
Last weeks upsets – Bills, Saints, Rams, and Cowboys
This weeks upsets – Bucs, Ravens, Steelers, and potentially Cardinals
This NFL season is weird man.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:01 pm
Seems to Ben like the bucs have a bunch of posers on defense, that still think it’s last year. This team isn’t winning jack, unless bowels is suddenly struck by lightning, and consequently he learns how to coach.
Do you yucks fans still believe in your coaching staff? They have an embarrassment of riches, on both sides of the ball. Either the coaches can’t motivate these guys, or winning just isn’t that important. Ben fully expects the bucs to get bounced in the divisional round
November 14th, 2021 at 5:02 pm
Hey Garv, don’t you mean one hand?
November 14th, 2021 at 5:03 pm
This loos can be diagnosed simply: this team got their butts handed to them on both sides of the LoS.
“Simple as that.”
November 14th, 2021 at 5:03 pm
Washington only punted twice the whole game. Wow. For a team that’s not known for their offense. Horrible performance by this defense. They ain’t seen nothing yet.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:05 pm
Watching Shaq live He runs himself out of plays he Musta did that today at least 10 times.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:05 pm
Gave away another one – first half was pathetic and
The D was gassed by the 4qtr – WFT imposed their will and whipped our butt today
November 14th, 2021 at 5:07 pm
19 play 10 minute drive tells us all we need to know about this defense
November 14th, 2021 at 5:07 pm
Giants aren’t no gimme game. That D can play. Better make adjustments and quick
November 14th, 2021 at 5:08 pm
I agree Joe’s and I am beyond pissed. I’m going to vent today and bury this loss deep in what’s left of my mind with all of the other horrible Bucs losses.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:08 pm
A very bitter way to watch this one end. Neither Desense or offense came ready to play today. We did get beat on both ends.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:11 pm
Theu gave up 6 points after 2 turnovers inside the 40. That’s great. Dee Delaney gave up essentially 2 TDs, so that’s on him. We got 5 sacks. Only thing I can knock is stopping on 3rd down and that ELEVEN MINUTE DRIVE
November 14th, 2021 at 5:12 pm
To two of the worst QBs in the league in consecutive games? Don’t think so.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:19 pm
Today, the Defense quit. They are all quitters.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:19 pm
This is the biggest wake up call we could of had, I think we needed it and it’ll help us in the end.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:25 pm
Boy they sure love to celebrate the 2 plays out of 70 that they do make tho don’t they
November 14th, 2021 at 5:26 pm
Austin i thought the saints game would be it. Idk this defense has been disappointing and losing vea is gonna sting. We need brown and Gronk back.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:31 pm
Go look at pass rushers that get paid. It almost never works out. They should’ve let Shaq walk, and used that money to sure up the secondary. You can scheme pressure, you can’t scheme coverage in the same way. The stupid coaches cant figure it out
November 14th, 2021 at 5:41 pm
I hate to say this, because I love the guy and he means a lot to this team and in a lot of different ways. Also, I know why and understand the reasons and the injuries, but as far as pure PLAY goes (minus 1 good game vs the Bears) JPP has been largely ineffective this year…at least compared to his normal level of play. His toughness could be hurting this team at this point. I’m not even saying he’s the problem on defense, as there’s a plethora of reasons to that, but talking just his play alone as 1/11th of our Defense.
And I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Anthony Nelson do anything other than a bull rush as far as pass rush moves.
And I don’t mind being aggressive and blitzing, but if you are going to, you need to plaster the receivers. You can’t blitz and bring pressure AND then play soft coverage or give cushions on top of it. That just compounds ineffectiveness. When blitzing you accept that you might give up a big yardage play (that’s the risk/reward part of it). It’s not like we are giving up huge yardage or big chunk plays often, it’s mostly short to intermediate stuff…that’s clearly a sign that the DB’s giving way too much cushion. So when you blitz as much as we do, there’s no reason that should be the case. I’d rather give up a long gain of TD by getting burned on the blitz every once in a while w/ tight coverage rather than blitz or bring pressure constantly and still give up 5-15 yard passes all day.
Tackling has been an issue ALL season long and I’m not even gonna get started on that. Nor, the fact that we looked disinterested to even begin the game. Guess that Saints loss wasn’t enough to come out interested. That’s inexcusable.
Also when the receivers catch the ball, we are waiting on them to come to us yo make the tackle rather than attacking the ball carrier. Even on the play LVD forced the fumble. He sat on his spot 5 yards away from the receiver catching it and let him run 5 yards to the first down marker to eventually attempt yo tackle the guy. Now thank goodness we fit rd the fumble, but that’s not always gonna happen. You had to attack to tackle the recurved down sit there and be indecisive. The best example of this was Jordan Whitehead’s forced fumble on Aaron Jones of the Packers last year in the Playoff’s. We aren’t doing that this year. We are doing the exact opposite a good majority of the time because we are afraid to miss the tackle and get juked, but in doing so we are constantly giving up 5+ extra yards to the receiver/ball carrier.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:47 pm
“Boy they sure love to celebrate the 2 plays out of 70 that they do make tho don’t they”
If they could find the opposing QB or WR half as well as they can find that camera, they’d be the ’85 Bears.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:52 pm
The 2 questions I have:
1) Why are guys STILL jumping offsides?
2) Where are Bucs defenders on 4th and Goal when Gibson got the ball? David is the only guy on that whole side, from what I saw, anyway?
A lot more problems than just these, just things that stuck out in my mind during today’s game.
November 14th, 2021 at 5:59 pm
Shaquille shows up against backup tackles and starters playing out of position period. That’s why he had huge numbers last year against Green Bay and KC
November 14th, 2021 at 6:00 pm
Once we get AB and Carlton Davis back we’ll be fine. Everyone has ugly games. Saints have always been our kryptonite, the rams were on fire… this was our ugly game to lose, the bills lost to the jags, titans lost to the jets. Plenty of good teams been losing. We are one of the most injured teams In the league.
That being said, we definitely need to light the fire, someone said we are only a 6 win team right now and 6 wins doesn’t get you the playoffs. We need to win more, even if it’s ugly due to our injuries. In the end, I think this loss will help us. And getting players back will only help also. It’s only up from here
November 14th, 2021 at 6:18 pm
Can’t get off the field on 3rd down. In most cases 3rd and long. That’s the ballgame and that sucks!!!
November 14th, 2021 at 6:18 pm
Black Mike Smith sucked and so did his offensive counterpart, Black Mike Shula.
November 14th, 2021 at 6:29 pm
VERY true Mr. B, very true
November 14th, 2021 at 6:35 pm
It feels like the Bucs missed being the Pre-Brady bucs. Frankly speaking, if it wasn’t for Brady this season, we are the bottom feeders of this division and maybe fighting for our furst win against the Lions.
November 14th, 2021 at 6:43 pm
They won’t do it but Shaq should be on the bench for the first half against the Giants. Where was his head? He will be skewered on the film review.
November 14th, 2021 at 7:10 pm
Gutless is the right word, especially during that last drive. Also, I am sick of the defensive celebrations. Devin White is missing tackles and is out if position so often because he is off balance. His head is as big as Kazoo’s!
November 14th, 2021 at 7:56 pm
The loss of AB and Gronk has made the offense impotent. 9 targets to Fournette and only 3 to Evans? That’s not a winning recipe.
The loss of Davis and SMB has been devastating to D and I blame last year’s draft for the lack of quality depth. the 2nd round pick is inactive every week and the 3rd round pick is on the bench every week and rarely plays.
Delaney has been ok, Desir looks like he’s going to receive a punt instead of covering a WR.
I don’t care if Heinicke stinks against the entire NFL – today he engineered a great game- converted 3rd downs and didn’t turn it over. WFT won Time of Possession 39 min – 21 min.
November 14th, 2021 at 9:20 pm
We need a come to Jesus, need a fire lit. This season is far from over. Either Tom needs to light the fire, or someone needs to light Tom’s fire. We can’t pack it up and give up. That is the old bucs, and idk about you but I’m not going back to the old bucs. We are better off now than we were last year. If we stay healthy, our only loss is to the Ram’s. I’m a very firm believer in injuries throwing wrenches in our game plans. Once we get healthy, we’ll be set. We caught fire before the playoffs last year and I’m confident it’ll be a repeat this year. But we absolutely CANNOT play the blame game and give up. Our team is far too good for that we’ve came too far. 2 years ago we’d kill for 6-3, now we’re bitching about it? With massive injuries?? Come on now
November 16th, 2021 at 9:12 am
The secondary stinks and I wonder if TB12 is playing injured ?