Feeling a bit low right now....

[JasonOfthetower]

You know...Its hard to be a Bucs fan, sometimes.

Last night was one of those nights...where your team is the butt of national jokes, they come out, play their butts off for a half and then just give the game away in the 3rd quarter.

I'm searching...searching for a glimmer of hope. For signs that this team can get off the mat, make a nice run at the end of the year and get some momentum for 07.

But...its not there. Its just not there.

I knew we were struggling. I knew we were banged up. But last night it finally hit me that this team is not just bit by bad luck. Its not that they're decimated by injuries and that's why they are struggling....

Its evident that this team is horrible. Terrible. Frightfully bad. This is Richard Williamson bad. This is Leeman Bennett bad. This is wear a paperbag to the next home game bad.

I've stood behind Gruden through a lot. I've always believed in him and I will always support him until the day the Glazers say he doesn't belong as our coach...but the numbers don't lie, man.

They just don't. The Bucs should not be this bad. Every team has cap problems....but we're not the Niners. We're not the Titans. We weren't 40 million dollars over the cap and we had to cut half the team.

As I watched Monday night, I felt a feeling I hadn't felt in quite awhile. Hopelessness. I had no hope of the Bucs winning the game. Even as we took the lead...and the defense was playing well...I waited because I knew the other shoe would drop. I knew, somehow, someway this team would find a way to frak it up.

Just like the Ray Perkins Bucs....or even Sam Wyche's teams....but hell, at least Wyche's teams teased you with success (4-dash-2 anyone?).  This team doesn't even give you hope.

I don't want to see this anymore. I thought these days were over.

Something needs to change....be it a massive overhaul of the team or the coaching staff and administration or all of the above.

I am disgusted with this team today. Just disgusted.

I'll be there Sunday, as I am every Sunday...looking for that glimmer...but I find the Bucs performance last night and this entire season unacceptable. I am sick of the excuses and I want results.

I hope the Glazers feel the same way...

The Panthers got lucky that we pissed the game away.

trust me we all feel ya! especially me... it is just tough, damn tough!

[alldaway]

You know...Its hard to be a Bucs fan, sometimes.

Last night was one of those nights...where your team is the butt of national jokes, they come out, play their butts off for a half and then just give the game away in the 3rd quarter.

I'm searching...searching for a glimmer of hope. For signs that this team can get off the mat, make a nice run at the end of the year and get some momentum for 07.

But...its not there. Its just not there.

I knew we were struggling. I knew we were banged up. But last night it finally hit me that this team is not just bit by bad luck. Its not that they're decimated by injuries and that's why they are struggling....

Its evident that this team is horrible. Terrible. Frightfully bad. This is Richard Williamson bad. This is Leeman Bennett bad. This is wear a paperbag to the next home game bad.

I've stood behind Gruden through a lot. I've always believed in him and I will always support him until the day the Glazers say he doesn't belong as our coach...but the numbers don't lie, man.

They just don't. The Bucs should not be this bad. Every team has cap problems....but we're not the Niners. We're not the Titans. We weren't 40 million dollars over the cap and we had to cut half the team.

As I watched Monday night, I felt a feeling I hadn't felt in quite awhile. Hopelessness. I had no hope of the Bucs winning the game. Even as we took the lead...and the defense was playing well...I waited because I knew the other shoe would drop. I knew, somehow, someway this team would find a way to frak it up.

Just like the Ray Perkins Bucs....or even Sam Wyche's teams....but hell, at least Wyche's teams teased you with success (4-dash-2 anyone?).  This team doesn't even give you hope.

I don't want to see this anymore. I thought these days were over.

Something needs to change....be it a massive overhaul of the team or the coaching staff and administration or all of the above.

I am disgusted with this team today. Just disgusted.

I'll be there Sunday, as I am every Sunday...looking for that glimmer...but I find the Bucs performance last night and this entire season unacceptable. I am sick of the excuses and I want results.

I hope the Glazers feel the same way...

I am feeling the same thing Jason.  Even if this was to be a losing season I want to see improvement and building momentum for next year.  I am not seeing it either.

I do not think changing all the parts on the offense again is the answer.  The Bucs have been down this road one too many times the last few years.

[OpTiOnMaStA]

I'm with you Jason. I got criticized after the Giants game for feeling that very same way.

We need a change here. I'm not saying a coaching change. I think Gruden gets one more year, but we need an attitude adjustment, and if that doesn't work we need a coaching change. I'm sorry but Gruden and the team are just not getting it done. This team is the worst in the league. That is just unacceptable.

[alldaway]

I do not think changing all the parts on the offense again is the answer.  The Bucs have been down this road one too many times the last few years.

Actually we've been pretty stable at offense other than QB for awhile - or at least as stable as this NFL is anymore. Problem is what we've got, not so good.

Stable?  I will have to disagree entirely.  Deese, AD, Steussie,Trueblood  and Oben have been starting OT's on this team.  Mahan, Stinky, Buenning, Joseph, Jenkins, Whittle,  have been starters on this team.  The only players that have been stable have been Kenyatta Walker  and Wade(IR).  So we are left with Wade?  That is considered "stable"

Wide reciever the Bucs had were JJ, McCardell, and Keyahwn.  Now we have Galloway, Hilliard, and Clayton.  Now you have to throw in Stovall into the mix. That is stable?

Instability at QB is a big reason for the poor play over the years but this points back to Gruden.

With that said I disagree with you on the offense lacking talent.  This offense has enough talent to be average.  How does the rookie of the year last in Carnell have such a drop off?

[cvillebucfan]

Same sentiments shared here as well. We have made some bad player evaluations, not kept up with the competition in terms of FA, etc. We have a bad Oline, a rookie QB, one speed WR and a defense that possesses 2 safeties that have no idea what is going on in front or behind them, a defensive line that is a mess and we don't even know what we have at CB (zematis). Its not a good spot to be in as you all said.

We just have to be active in FA and have a great draft. We need to make a move here or there that will rustle the feathers of us fans, such as dumping Rice or letting Kelly walk. In order to get back to snuff these things must be done. This year is one of if not THE most important year to be on ytheir player evals for the FO. We miss here and we have in the past 3 years not had a impact player besides Caddy drafted on this team and he cannot be utilized. Clayton looks more and more like he just can't get seperation, Joseph will be a solid for years but he is a guard. We really need to 1. bring in some bigtime help on either side of the ball 2. have a great draft that can fill in holes and play immediately, and play well. I know that is a lot to ask bu that is what it is going to take.

This team played hard last night, showed some character but we just cannot get it done. When you are up 7-0 and you have your safety (phillips) covering the flat and the QB (delhomme) throws one right to you for a touchdown, you have to catch it and be opportunistic. We miss tackles, we miss ints, we miss opportunities and we loose. Our offense won't be good until we can playaction or just simply throw the ball effectively. When you are hitting around 50% of your throws, its not a good thing considering the coverages you are getting. Its not all the QB's fault but he has to make better decisions.

[alldaway]

The Bucs can spend 30+ million in free agency and draft an offensive player in the first round and the offense will still look bad. Folks it is not the lack of talent on offense.

Here let me evalaute the great Saints offense:

QB:  Brees is an all pro.  But he is not exactly tall nor does he posses great arm strenght.
RB: Deuce looked poor the last two years.  With new coaching and some motivation he looks good.  Bush has been a non factor on the ground.
WR:  Colston is producing as a rook from the seventh round, Horn has looked decent, but Devery Henderson (I can not catch a cold) looks much improved.  Probably the shipping out of Stallworth had to do it.
TE: Not spectacular production here.
LT: rookie LT from the seventh round starting right now.  Brown was playing here before he went down with an injury and played RT last year.
LG: Nesbit is simply average.
C: Faine was shipped out of Cleveland and is doing a serviceable job.  But nothing special.
RG: Evans is a fourth round rookie.  Nothing special he just does his job.
RT: Stinchcomb is seeing significant playing time this year as a young player.

Where is this great talent on the Saints offense other than Reggie Bush?

I can do this with the Jets offense as well.

[cvillebucfan]

ADW, colston I think leads the league in TD recs. He is not playing like a 7th round draft pick. Brees is as you said, an all pro. Brown was a 1st round pick (maybe a 2nd).

The great talent is in Marques Colston who is either leading or in the top 3 in TD catches for the season, the all pro QB that we don't have and the threat of Bush alone creates def. adjustments. They are much better than you think. Henderson is now a guy that can be a deep threat, they don't even need joe horn...

[WILLBLEE]

I was at the Tarpon sponge docks yesterday,
had my Bucs hat on and a guy asked me if we might win monday night.
I said we just might, he laughed and said no way. No problem,
but what really pissed me off, he was wearing a Bucs t-shirt. Even the
fans have turned on the team, I mean bandwagoners.

[ABuccs Fan]

5 dash 2

[alldaway]

ADW, colston I think leads the league in TD recs. He is not playing like a 7th round draft pick. Brees is as you said, an all pro. Brown was a 1st round pick (maybe a 2nd).

The great talent is in Marques Colston who is either leading or in the top 3 in TD catches for the season, the all pro QB that we don't have and the threat of Bush alone creates def. adjustments. They are much better than you think. Henderson is now a guy that can be a deep threat, they don't even need joe horn...

The Saints offense does not posses great talent overall.

But according to some people Alex Smith, Carnell Williams, Dan Buenning, AD (did not give up a sack to Ruckers btw) have to replaced and Stovall is no good.

It is coaching not the players.  We have seen poor offense with Brad or Griese leading the way. With Deese or Oben at LT,  With Keyshawn and McCardell. With Pittman being the feature back. Nothing has changed when the Bucs have changed the players.

Enough with the excuses.  Mike Martz does not have a lot of talent to work with either.  Rogers was cut, Mike Williams is benched.  Only Roy Williams and Kevin Jones are the talented players on offense.

[cvillebucfan]

Yeah its a bad situation but we can turn things around, unfortunately not this year. We have so many problems is not even funny. I could write a book about our problems. We better be active in FA and we better nail our 1st 4 picks in the draft and we better make some moves to get some more picks because what we have now is not working and what we have will be a year older and worse next year.

[ABuccs Fan]

I was at the Tarpon sponge docks yesterday,
had my Bucs hat on and a guy asked me if we might win monday night.
I said we just might, he laughed and said no way. No problem,
but what really pissed me off, he was wearing a Bucs t-shirt. Even the
fans have turned on the team, I mean bandwagoners.

There is a difference between hoping your team wins, and thinking they will. Any intelligent person with any football knowledge, knew we probably wouldn't win last night. Doesn't mean they are a bandwagon fan.

[Goober]

We are paying the price for the lack of high draft picks over that last few years - the cost of getting Gruden.  Couple that with questionable evaluation of talent of the high draft picks we DID have, and you've got a team that's lacking in talent.

Think of the players we could have with those #1s and #2s we gave away.  We sold our soul for a Super Bowl (which most of us said we would have done at the time, me included) and now it's time to pay the piper.