Defending My Right to an Opinion

[alldaway]

I believe this coaching staff can do a good job, but they have yet to do so when the playoffs come around.  Coaching can do only so much if you lack talent.

This is a blue collar team that has shown it can grind out wins, but looking down the road (playoffs) they are looking at the reality they may not go far.  If the coaching staff can coach them up even in the playoffs I will tip my hat to them, but as of right now they are 0-2 in the playoffs in recent memory post Super Bowl win.

[keeponbucn]

KC is terrible.

You give up a TD on the opening drive, fumble on your first play on O, then let a horrid KC offense drive right down your throat to go up 14-0. That was disgusting.

The positive thing is both sides turned it around and together they pulled it out. It would have never happened without one or the other, props to the team for not giving up.

Clifton Smith is the game MVP, the KO return helped the team score 10 points before the half in span of about 2 minutes.

[richbucsfan]

Prefer, I do agree with your premise.  Yes, you can criticize the team and still be a loyal fan.  Our defense was terrible yesterday, the offense about what we have come to expect.  The special teams with the TD on kickoff was the high point.  I posted what I thought was true, and yes, it was during the game.  But, during or after, it was true.  I believed that if the Bucs lost this game it would have been Gruden's last.  Was I wrong?  Sure, because we won.  However, I do believe the Glazers have seen enough of this pop gun offense.  By the way, I am not part of a Gruden bashing group.  What I say, I say because of what I see.  And, by way of asking the obvious, who on the offensive coaching staff could call a game besides Gruden?  Ah, yes... no one.  And that is by design.  It's called job security.  But, if things don't change in a drastic way, this may be Gruden's last hoorah here in Tampa.  I like the guy, but things have gotten into a predictable rut.  And, for me as a fan, that is sad.

[yuccaneers]

While the win was great, there are issues abound with this team from a coaching stand point all the way to a personnel stand point. After nine games the issues have not changed one bit. I for one have no confidence that the issues will get corrected this season some of the issues are scheme based, some are personnel based, some are coaching based and some are execution  based.

The bottom line is the team is what they are a slightly above average team at home and a below average team on the road what you get when mixing the two different teams is an average team at best with many things needing to happen if they are to be a serious contender.

[Uncle Stan]

I agree with the embarrassed comment.

The Bucs went into this game at 5-3 against a KC team that was 1-6.

The Bucs were favored by anywhere from 7.5 to 8.5 points by the money people who make their living off the spread.

To be down by 21 points is an embarrassment anyway you look at it.

The defense played one their worst games in some time. The defense has been averaging 15 points a game. To give up 30 is an embarrassment.

To not see the QB is on the line of scrimmage is an embarrassment.

To allow a 3rd string QB to throw for over 200 yards is an embarrassment.

To allow a 3rd string RB to run over 100 yards and score a rushing TD is an embarrassment- when no player has done that all year, including a couple of good ones from Carolina.

To have 2 fumbles in the red zone is an embarrassment-no matter who we played.

The fact that it took a 97yard return for a TD and a 2 point conversion to tie the game made us look good in winning the the game. But it says nothing about the rest of the game.

Yes, I very happy we won.

But we sure didn't show up to play on offense or especially defense.

It took a herculean effort and a lotta luck to help alleviate the bad taste in my mouth from this one.

Hell yes I was embarrassed!  (And, IMO, so should you be)

[RideInMyChevy]

I was at the game and I really didn't think we were going to come back at all. At halftime I thought we might but the 3rd quarter was awful for both teams and I didn't really believe we were going to win until Smith caught that 2 point conversion. Kansas City might be a 1-7 team, but they are not the Lions, they don't quit.

[BuckEmUp]

Bottom line is that the coaching staff can not force the players to make plays or hold onto the ball.  The O marched up and down the field only to spoil their chances quite a few times.  The fact of the matter is that many people are tired of posters and fans that jump off the cliff so quickly.  I admit that I thought we were in big trouble early and di not expect us to win the game. 

Gruden managed the O well and stuck with his game plan as well as could be expected and pushed the right buttons to keep the Bucs in the game.  Kiffin made the proper adjustments and got his D to turn things around late in the game when it counted. 

I for one am tired of posters and fans that think the world has ended when we loose and only jump back on the wagon when the ship is sailing smoothly.  It could have been the words you used when stating your displesure of what was happening.  In the end, the Bucs managed to win a game in which the players played like crap.  That is a credit to their determination and the coaching staff.  One of the knocks on Gruden was his inability to right the ship mid stream.  Well yesterday he did that and did it well.

[alldaway]

  In the end, the Bucs managed to win a game in which the players played like crap.  That is a credit to their determination and the coaching staff.  One of the knocks on Gruden was his inability to right the ship mid stream.  Well yesterday he did that and did it well.

1.  This is a blue collar team and I have to tip my hat to them for their valiant effort.
2.  Gruden is growing as a head coach and we have seen another come back win under a large deficit this year.   Very encouraging sign IMVHO.

[ktownbuc47]

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

This is going to hurt but I agree with Snake, you can have concerns and criticize your team but you never, ever give up on them until it's over. That's what we expect from our team and thats we should expect of ourselves as fans.

[Uncle Stan]

For the record.

I am not a bandwagon fan. I've been thru a helluva lot worse since 1976 when we bought our season tickets.

I lived thru those double digit loss seasons and still supported them, as I do today.

Do I have hope? Sure do.

But yesterday was just plain horrible.

Yes we won and I'm very happy about that. It took a lotta luck and the refs to allow us to win.

[BucsGuru]

I've learned to go back and watch the game a second time before I post anything.  I did this yesterday to realize why our defense was bad; RONDE BARBER!
This guy hurt us so much yesterday it wasn't even funny.  He is being targeted by every team we play and the pity of it is that they are winning the battle against him. 
BUT, in his defense, maybe on the Thigpen TD he thought he had backside help when he moved up to attempt to cover the receiver throwing the ball.  By the time he realized it was a pass, it was way too late.  Again, only he knows if there was supposed to be a safety behind him.

[biffbeaumont]

For the record.

I am not a bandwagon fan. I've been thru a helluva lot worse since 1976 when we bought our season tickets.

I lived thru those double digit loss seasons and still supported them, as I do today.

Do I have hope? Sure do.

But yesterday was just plain horrible.

Yes we won and I'm very happy about that. It took a lotta luck and the refs to allow us to win.

Well said Unc and I totally agree with you!! I also lived thru those years and years and YEARS of disappointment. I guess that's what makes losing the way that  we do so incredibly frustrating. Yes, we won yesterday, but I can't believe I'm alone in not being that happy about it.

[SnookAU]

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

This is going to hurt but I agree with Snake, you can have concerns and criticize your team but you never, ever give up on them until it's over. That's what we expect from our team and thats we should expect of ourselves as fans.

That's fine but this thread is about Prefer's post from yesterday.  He didn't say anywhere that he gave up hope.  He just made some statements (that I re-posted) that are STILL accurate whether the Bucs won or lost yesterday.  

This team did NOT come out prepared yesterday and changes NEED to be made.  Don't you agree?

[BuccanAy]

You're not alone, biff.

[SnookAU]

Well said Unc and I totally agree with you!! I also lived thru those years and years and YEARS of disappointment. I guess that's what makes losing the way that  we do so incredibly frustrating. Yes, we won yesterday, but I can't believe I'm alone in not being that happy about it.

You're not alone -- you're just in the HUGE minority.  Yesterday's win was great.  But there is some BIG adjustments needed.