Defending My Right to an Opinion

I know I had another thread, "Total Embarrassment" and some of you smacked me pretty hard.  No biggie, because you allso are entitled to your own opinions.

I usually like to wait until after a game is over, I've digested it, and avoid a knee-jerk reaction.

After sleeping on things, I've decided that I did in fact, respond sooner than I should have.....NOT.

The Bucs went into Kansas City to face a very inferior team.  And while I get it that there IS a fine line between winning and losing in this league, the Chiefs are truly in the lower echelon of the NFL at present.  And if the Bucs are truly "all that", road game or not, hostile environment or not, they should have gone into Arrowhead and delivered a slobber-knocker.  And just how hostile can the environment be in Arrowhead nowadays?  The Chiefs have lost 9 of their last 12 home games.  Can't be too hostile.  Even the lowly Raiders knocked the crap out of them earlier this year in their own back yard.

And how bad are the Chiefs?  When you take the ball away like they did on their own turf, yet still lose, you are not a good football team.  And, as mentioned, if the Bucs are what some want to think they are, these are games where you go out and make a statement.  The only statement Tampa Bay can make this morning is that, "Whew, we got away with one there...."

And don't ever question my loyalty as a Buc fan.  I've been a Buc fan for more years than a lot of you folks have been on God's earth.

Now, Tampa Bay might well make the playoffs and win a postseason game or two.  I'm no soothsayer here any more than any of you are.  But my opinion for this week's game doesn't change one iota.  The Buccaneers were embarrassing yesterday.  And they darn near let a team that has just one win in their last 17 games beat them.

[Balls Out]

You do realize that they just overcame the biggest defecit in team history right? And you're embarrassed by that?

Yes it was ugly for 3/4 of the game, but you have to give KC credit, throw their record out the window because they played like they had nothing to lose (which they don't) and would have given any team walking into Arrow Head yesterday a run for their money. This was a huge caracter win in one of the leagues toughest stadiums, there is nothing to be embarrassed about this morning.

Tell me this Mr. / Mrs. McCaddy......if the 2-point conversion fails and we lose, how big of a difference of opinion would you have this morning?

[alldaway]

You do realize that they just overcame the biggest defecit in team history right? And you're embarrassed by that?

Yes it was ugly for 3/4 of the game, but you have to give KC credit, throw their record out the window because they played like they had nothing to lose (which they don't) and would have given any team walking into Arrow Head yesterday a run for their money. This was a huge caracter win in one of the leagues toughest stadiums, there is nothing to be embarrassed about this morning.

I am proud of the defense and special teams.

The offense?  Bring back Les Steckel!

Proud of the defense ADW??  They got it handed to them yesterday.  They got the ball run down their throats, Ronde Barber got toasted for the umpteenth time this season, and they allowed a 3rd-string QB from.....gulp....Coastal Carolina come within a 2-point conversion of beating them.

I apologize if I am not as impressed with them as you are.

[SnookAU]

Prefer - Ignore the haters.  Funny how there's so many people who just knew the Bucs would pull it out yesterday....  Give me a break.  You and I, along with COUNTLESS others were completely disgusted by what took place yesterday afternoon in the 1st half.  Digging a 24-3 hole to the Chiefs is inexcusable, in my opinion.  Yeah, they came back to win, but for ANYONE to question someone's level of "fan" for thinking the Bucs were dead in the water yesterday is RIDICULOUS.  

And what a difference a 2 point conversion makes, huh?  Instead of all the "I knew we'd win" fans on here today we'd have the "Fire Gruden Immediately" crowd -- which would probably be made up of mostly the same people.  

A lot of people, including myself, respect you here.  Regardless of what people say, your post yesterday is nothing to be ashamed of.  NO ONE expected the Bucs to rise from the dead yesterday... except maybe Clifton Smith.

[Snake Pliskin]

"Expected" might be too strong a word Snook but some of us never gave up "hope" that we could.

[alldaway]

As anyone is aware of my opinion this team needed to add more talent this off season.  More specificially the D-line sorely lacks it and the Bucs are missing a third pass rushing DE.

Given the lack of resources allocated to the defense the last few years I am proud of what the defense has been able to accomplish even in yesterdays game they rallied to set up the offense in favorable situations.

The offense though has to show it can match the intensity of the defense and special teams.  So far they haven't done so IMVHO.

[SnookAU]

Let's look at Prefer's original post:


A team not near ready to play was embarrassed by a 2nd-rate team.

Still true.  Giving up that many points and yards to a CHIEFS team is embarrassing.  And the Bucs DID NOT come out ready to play.


The 2008 Buccaneers are not a playoff-quality squad after the last 2 weeks IMO.

Changes need to be made somewhere.  Enough is enough.

Still true.  If anyone here thinks the Bucs can make any kind of run in the playoffs without SERIOUS changes (Red Zone Offense for starters?), then you're in serious denial. 

I guess a lot of people are blinded by the win, but the fact remains that this team needs to address A LOT of things on both sides of the ball.  Our defensive line got SLAPPED around yesterday... by a 1-6 team. 

A Monte Kiffin defense was not prepared yesterday.  The D got totally fooled with the "Wildcat" or whatever you wanna call it.  They were out of position in covering gaps in the KC run game and were gouged a few times.

For years the team spent millions on the D and folks complained that no $$$ were spent on the O.  Now it is vice-versa.

IMO, Tampa Bay overlooked a KC team and nearly got zapped in a trap game.  That means they were not fully prepared, which falls squarely on the coaching staff.

True statement regarding FG's vs. TD's.  This has been an issue for some time now.  I think I saw the stat yesterday that the red-zone offense ranks somewhere around 29th?  I know it was pretty far down the list of the 32 teams.

[alldaway]

Well there are two views to how much "damage" this team can do in the playoffs when they make it (it is highly likely the Bucs are poised to make the playoffs at this point).  Some of you feel that this team can make the proper changes by improving red zone efficiency/blitzing more while I believe this team simply doesn't have the horses to make a deep post season run.

Monte can scheme around the lack of pressure from the D-line to an extent, but in the end I firmly believe they need more talent along the D-line.  And the offense needs more talent as well (Antonio Bryant is a start).

[Snake Pliskin]

You said it best Prefer. It was a trap game. But we escaped the trap and won. Yes there are issues with the team that need to be addressed.
Do you think the coaching staff is going to try to do that? I do.

Snake

They damn well better try and do something about it.  Teams like the Giants will be in the playoffs, not the KC Chiefs. 

[biffbeaumont]

Let's look at Prefer's original post:


A team not near ready to play was embarrassed by a 2nd-rate team.

Still true.  Giving up that many points and yards to a CHIEFS team is embarrassing.  And the Bucs DID NOT come out ready to play.


The 2008 Buccaneers are not a playoff-quality squad after the last 2 weeks IMO.

Changes need to be made somewhere.  Enough is enough.

Still true.  If anyone here thinks the Bucs can make any kind of run in the playoffs without SERIOUS changes (Red Zone Offense for starters?), then you're in serious denial. 

I guess a lot of people are blinded by the win, but the fact remains that this team needs to address A LOT of things on both sides of the ball.  Our defensive line got SLAPPED around yesterday... by a 1-6 team. 

Agreed. I too, was called out for 'giving up"....I didn't stop watching the game and hoping, but for crying out loud, how many chances are you going to get when you put yourself in a 21-3 hole? I'm glad they won, whoopdee doo, but let's look at how they had to win and like a previous poster said, if that 2 point conversion fails, it's over.

It's one thing to be a fan and always root for the Bucs, which we always do, but to continue to have to close your eyes every time we attempt to get a first down or especially a TD? Come on. It was one game, but coming on the heels of that Dallas farce, not a great outing, I don't care if it was the biggest comeback in Bucs history, what difference will it make if we are one and done in the playoffs??