This loss helps long run

[BucBalla85]

I just think they will learn a lot from what they did wrong in that game. I think they come out fired up next game. Win or lose this sunday, they wont look even close to what they did on Sunday. I dont think this team is doing anything special this year but they will get valuable experience and that will help them in the long run. All my expectations are that they show me at the end of the season that they are heading in the right direction. Of course they need to add talent and they will this offseason through the draft. The Lions were a bad team for a while and then a few drafts and now they are a legit team. This Bucs team will get there. It just requires patience from the fans.

[jerseybucsfan]

Sorry. We were ahead of the Lions in the pecking order a year ago. What happened? We're already behind the Saints, Packers, Niners, etc. in the NFC. I didn't expect to win 11 or 12 games this year. But everything points to 6-10 now. Hope is good. But from what we see, this isn't growing pains. It's poor coaching, oblivious personnel decisions, cheap ownership, players without a direction.

[CBWx2]

Mason Foster really got exposed in that game.  Other than getting rid of Barrett Ruud being a mistake, what did they learn?

They learned that the sentiment that Ruud leaving would be addition through subtraction was a bunch of nonsense. Tennesee is ranked 10th against the run. We're 22nd. Who's fault is it now?

Well first, since you're using YPA, the Bucs are 20th not 22nd.  Now let's look at this addition by subtraction "bunch of nonsense" for both Tampa and Tennessee.


Bucs

With Ruud in 2010:  31st in rush defense (YPA)
W/O Ruud in 2011:  20th in rush defense (YPA)


Titans

W/O Ruud in 2010:  7th in rush defense (YPA)
With Ruud in 2011:  10th in rush defense (YPA)


Imagine that.  Tampa's getting better and Tennessee's getting worse.

Actually I was using total yards, not YPA. But you're right. I had it wrong. The Bucs are ranked 23rd, not 22nd, and the Titans are ranked 11th.

As far as your analysis. Re-check. The Titans are in a 3 way tie for 9th in YPA, not 10th, and even though they dropped 2 spots in the ranking from 2010, they are actually allowing .1 YPA less this year than they did last year.

But the point is, how come they are virtually unaffected in run defense having changed from Tulloch to Ruud, which all of you swear is a huge downgrade, meanwhile, we are virtually unaffected in run defense from Ruud to Foster, which all of you swear is a huge upgrade? Who's fault is it? I'm just curious.

[Feel Real Good]

But the point is, how come they are virtually unaffected in run defense having changed from Tulloch to Ruud, which all of you swear is a huge downgrade, meanwhile, we are virtually unaffected in run defense from Ruud to Foster, which all of you swear is a huge upgrade? Who's fault is it? I'm just curious.

I have no idea if Foster is the solution, but we didn't draft him to do better than Ruud weeks 1-5 of the 2011 season. We drafted him for what he may be able to do the next 10 years.

[CBWx2]

But the point is, how come they are virtually unaffected in run defense having changed from Tulloch to Ruud, which all of you swear is a huge downgrade, meanwhile, we are virtually unaffected in run defense from Ruud to Foster, which all of you swear is a huge upgrade? Who's fault is it? I'm just curious.

I have no idea if Foster is the solution, but we didn't draft him to do better than Ruud weeks 1-5 of the 2011 season. We drafted him for what he may be able to do the next 10 years.

No doubt about that. But again, that's not the point. Foster is everything all of you said we needed in a MLB. He plays downhill. He is a thumper. He attacks the gap. He's got the "wow" factor. Yet, it hasn't helped. Teams still break big runs on us. We are a meager .2 YPA better this year than we were a season ago. Meanwhile, the Titans run defense has not missed a beat from last year to this one. Why?

Here's a hint, it's not because we've had more attempts than them. We are tied at 137 a piece. Here's another hint, it's not as though they have more studs on their line than we do. If anything, we have the better line. Theirs is very pedestrian. Here's yet another hint, it's not as though they haven't faced any good backs. They've had MJD, Ray Rice, and Peyton Hillis on the schedule, and just played the Steelers on Sunday.

What I'm looking for here is for somebody with the courage and honesty to admit that it has been the OLB play all along. That Quincy Black and Geno Hayes are a bigger problem than Ruud ever was.

If you aren't ready yet, it's okay. Without Gerald McCoy, the d-line is going to take a step backwards, and whatever solid run play you've seen thus far is going to evaporate. Then you will have no choice in the matter. So, no worries. I can wait.

[BucNY]

Ruud was one problem in the run defense. Was he the main problem? No, I don't think he was, but Foster is an upgrade or will be in the near future. The most important part is our defensive line. Everyone here knows it yet we all argue about who is better. Who cares really? We have Foster he looks promising, lets go with it.

Ruud is not a big hitter, period. Doesn't matter how good our tackles are. That was peoples main problem. He wasn't a thumper. He was a decent tackler but he took the blame for our woeful run defense rather than blaming the whole defense.

[BucBalla85]

Who cares about Ruud he's gone and thank god too.

[meekerbeastman]

im just glad it wasnt a divisional game, we are still 1-0 in teh div and still ahead of the falcons so the season isnt doom and gloom. i do want MW19 to start making some plays though

[Biggs3535]

Who cares about Ruud he's gone and thank god too.

Honestly I'm floored anyone can watch both Foster and Ruud play and not have the difference slap them silly.  But the Ruud-lovers are dedicated bunch.

[jerseybucsfan]

Black and Hayes are definitely problems. An LB in the first round looks like a great option more and more each week. That is if we don't go CB or RB or Oline.... Ugh.

[NotDeadYet]

    Looks like they were focused on the Saints game a week too early. After this whoopin', they should be ready and waiting for the Saints this Sunday...

[CBWx2]

Who cares about Ruud he's gone and thank god too.

Honestly I'm floored anyone can watch both Foster and Ruud play and not have the difference slap them silly.  But the Ruud-lovers are dedicated bunch.

I actually do see the difference, and I've said as much. What I've also said is that that difference hasn't mattered much, because the problem wasn't Ruud to begin with. You and the Ruud haters continue to live in this world of "Ruud or Foster" when the best thing for our defense would have been Ruud AND Foster. Foster should have taken Hayes job, not Ruud's. His aggressiveness and gap play would have been an asset at WILL, and his coverage limitations and lack of experience in the scheme would have been less of a negative there.

No McCoy means no safety blanket for the LB's. Geno will be Geno, Black will be Black, and Watson will be Watson, and all of them will be exposed now that the best run defender on our line is going to miss some time. You are having difficulty admitting it now. That's cool. Like I said, I can wait.

[BucBalla85]

The Ruud lovers need to move on since he's gone and isn't coming back

[filmfreeman5]

Foster will be ok, he just had a rookie game. the secondary i'm worried about, but hopefully Tanard can give them a jolt of life.

as for McCoy, at least he hurt his ankle playing. and not like this:

[Biggs3535]

I actually do see the difference, and I've said as much. What I've also said is that that difference hasn't mattered much

It's mattered a whole helluva lot.  Why is that you didn't want to talk about the run defense after the first four weeks?  You're letting the piss poor performance by the entire team in the last game effect the overall picture.  Get back to me after 16 games.

You and the Ruud haters continue to live in this world of "Ruud or Foster" when the best thing for our defense would have been Ruud AND Foster. Foster should have taken Hayes job, not Ruud's. His aggressiveness and gap play would have been an asset at WILL, and his coverage limitations and lack of experience in the scheme would have been less of a negative there.

Ruud is yet again playing like one of the worst MLB's in the league.  His supposed biggest strength is pass defense, and he's flat-out sucked in that department.  The best thing for the Bucs defense would have been Stephen Tulloch or those brilliant Bills' fans Paul Posluszny.  Both of those guys are at the top of their game right now.