Kiffin offered a new contract

[yuccaneers]

 Allen stated the team had offered new contracts to all of its coordinators. Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin has yet to sign the new deal as of today, but Allen told the media that Kiffin was in the team facility on Thursday, evaluating players for coming season.

He (Kiffin) and his agent will talk about that,� Allen said during a near-30 minute meeting with the Tampa media corps. “He has said he wants to come back. We’ll let them work this out on their own timetable.�

[Morgan]

I keep hearing how Monte is the guru of defenses. But this seasons defense allowed backup to backups embarrass our team. What ELI did to the Bucs makes me doubt if Monte should continue to coach - I'm sure I'm very wrong, but this season's defense couldn't make stops when we absolutely needed them.  Their stats were great, but stats don't win games.  I'm starting to doubt our genius DC.  Fellow Buc fans, I know that's sacreligious, but just had to get that out.

[DanTurksGhost]

Clearly Monte's unit had some areas of failure, in particular the worst red zone defense in the league and the awful third down percentage. Third and long was NOT a problem for our opponents this year, as it has been in the past. Finally, in the Giants game, the lack of creativity in devising ways to get pressure on Eli Manning (the most intercepted QB in the league, BTW) was extremely disappointing and certainly affected the outcome.

We'll see what happens going forward, but your doubt is not unwarranted.

[ABuccs Fan]

I keep hearing how Monte is the guru of defenses. But this seasons defense allowed backup to backups embarrass our team. What ELI did to the Bucs makes me doubt if Monte should continue to coach - I'm sure I'm very wrong, but this season's defense couldn't make stops when we absolutely needed them.  Their stats were great, but stats don't win games.  I'm starting to doubt our genius DC.  Fellow Buc fans, I know that's sacreligious, but just had to get that out.

Defense gets tired being on the field all day, when your offensive Guru can't keep drives going and continually running the defense out ther after only 3 plays.

[ufojoe]

It's tough to listen to NY fans (on WFAN) saying that Eli had so much time because Tampa
didn't blitz much.

[escobar]

I keep hearing how Monte is the guru of defenses. But this seasons defense allowed backup to backups embarrass our team. What ELI did to the Bucs makes me doubt if Monte should continue to coach - I'm sure I'm very wrong, but this season's defense couldn't make stops when we absolutely needed them. Their stats were great, but stats don't win games. I'm starting to doubt our genius DC. Fellow Buc fans, I know that's sacreligious, but just had to get that out.

Defense gets tired being on the field all day, when your offensive Guru can't keep drives going and continually running the defense out ther after only 3 plays.

Wow that's strange, an anti twisting things around in order to bash Gruden even more, that's new. I'll be sure to let the defensive players know that fatigue is a perfectly acceptable excuse as to why human beings making obscene amounts of money don't have to worry about performing their job up to par.

[Morgan]

ELI looked like a HoF QB against the Bucs. It was pitiful.  I wanted to throw a brick at the TV - it was so frustrating. Got to blame our DC for not being able to adapt his defense to what the NYG were doing. It will be tough for the organization to dump ol' Monte, but the time will come.

[Uncle Stan]

It isn't what Eli did as much as what we didn't do.

The loss of June, Jackson and Pearson didn't help.

Plus what Jon has referred to all year-NO PASS RUSH.  We just have to get a 3 technique UT.
Right now that's the most important need. Will probably have to come as a FA as I don't believe a rookie can do it-at the point where we draft. Haynesworth isn't it either. But that kid from the JETS just might be.

[sammy8887]

It's tough to listen to NY fans (on WFAN) saying that Eli had so much time because Tampa
didn't blitz much.

Seemed like Monte, DB and Ronde got together in a room to go over the blitzing schemes b/c those two were normally the only ones coming on a blitz -- normally uneffectively, except for the Gaines sack when DB came up the middle...

Eli's performance should make D-line came back to the forefront of everyone's thoughts again...

[DanTurksGhost]

Defense gets tired being on the field all day, when your offensive Guru can't keep drives going and continually running the defense out ther after only 3 plays.

That's a bogus argument. The Bucs controlled the clock during the first half, yet they let the Giants move down the field with ease. The second scoring drive the Giants averaged over 9 yards per play -- 7 plays, 65 yards -- to go up 14-7.

[bradentonian]

ELI looked like a HoF QB against the Bucs. It was pitiful. I wanted to throw a brick at the TV - it was so frustrating. Got to blame our DC for not being able to adapt his defense to what the NYG were doing. It will be tough for the organization to dump ol' Monte, but the time will come.

And our offense looked like the Yuccaneers of old...  are you blaming the OC for that?

[escobar]

It isn't what Eli did as much as what we didn't do.

The loss of June, Jackson and Pearson didn't help.

Plus what Jon has referred to all year-NO PASS RUSH. We just have to get a 3 technique UT.
Right now that's the most important need. Will probably have to come as a FA as I don't believe a rookie can do it-at the point where we draft. Haynesworth isn't it either. But that kid from the JETS just might be.

I agree completely. I said in a separate thread that if we can't find that 3 then we need to scrap this Tampa 2, it just isn't working correctly with our current personnel. It's either get rid of the Tampa 2, find a dominant UT, or keep the T2 but incorporate a flurry of blitz packages.

[DanTurksGhost]

A dominant three technique makes the whole defense a lot better. But there was still no excuse for not being creative on defense against the Giants -- particularly when you know that you don't have a dominant three technique.

[Morgan]

ELI looked like a HoF QB against the Bucs. It was pitiful. I wanted to throw a brick at the TV - it was so frustrating. Got to blame our DC for not being able to adapt his defense to what the NYG were doing. It will be tough for the organization to dump ol' Monte, but the time will come.

And our offense looked like the Yuccaneers of old...  are you blaming the OC for that?

We depend more on our defense to be able to make stops.  I'm sure there are other threads about our crappy offense and Paul Hackett's inability to adjust.

[BuccinTex]

I agree with all the replies.  I didn't understand why after not getting pressure with the front four we didn't blitz more against the Giants.  Third down was bad last year and I saw no improvements this year.  Time to get that defense younger and get even more free agents on that side of the ball.  I'm also losing faith in the Tampa 2 and would like to see our corners play up closer and be more physical in the first 5 yards.  Abuccs, you are right on point though no defense is going to be able to keep teams out of the endzone if they are always on the field.