It certainly doesn't seem like it. :(
No idea how they keep Schiano next year. It's tough to even answer this question because there isn't a single strength on this team. Maybe turnovers?Middle of the pack in every rush and pass defense except in turnovers (3rd) and Red Zone TD Scoring % (6th). Which seems incredibly odd given the high play of McCoy and David, the improvement of Foster and Barron, the addition of Goldson and Revis (and upgrade of Banks over L. Johnson).The offense is putrid, dead last in total yards and passing yards, 22nd in rushing yards and 28th in pts/game. Unbelievably the Bucs have a worse offense than the Jets (a bad Geno Smith and not a single receiving option) and the Jags. You start looking at that and it's also hard to see how you keep Dominik. Investments in Joseph and Nicks haven't panned out - although you could write those off because of the injury bug. The Ogletree fiasco, lack of TE (and getting lucky with Wright but TE's still a weakness), letting Bennett go... I mean, how is this team this bad?
The offense is missing a true mauling right guard and a light footed LT. In addition the offense doesn't have a true slot WR and a TE to pair up with Wright. Defensively the Bucs need a high twitch pass rushing end, a corner back that play in the slot, and a cover free safety that can play centerfield.Coaching staff's inability to make adjustments is also well documented.
No idea how they keep Schiano next year. It's tough to even answer this question because there isn't a single strength on this team. Maybe turnovers?Middle of the pack in every rush and pass defense except in turnovers (3rd) and Red Zone TD Scoring % (6th). Which seems incredibly odd given the high play of McCoy and David, the improvement of Foster and Barron, the addition of Goldson and Revis (and upgrade of Banks over L. Johnson).
I am not sure either, but you sort of answered your own question. There is a strength, the defense is a strength, as evidenced in part by the turnovers. Its not a great strength, but the defense has improved over last year. It is not what it could be and, more importantly, the offense stinks . . . so the team doesn't do anything with the turnovers . . . and some of that is just the style of game Schiano wants and some is just an absence of talent.
I think the defense is going backwards and the final game will show why that is the case.
I think the defense is going backwards and the final game will show why that is the case.
you mean you want to keep the reason a secret?
No idea how they keep Schiano next year. It's tough to even answer this question because there isn't a single strength on this team. Maybe turnovers?Middle of the pack in every rush and pass defense except in turnovers (3rd) and Red Zone TD Scoring % (6th). Which seems incredibly odd given the high play of McCoy and David, the improvement of Foster and Barron, the addition of Goldson and Revis (and upgrade of Banks over L. Johnson).
I am not sure either, but you sort of answered your own question. There is a strength, the defense is a strength, as evidenced in part by the turnovers. Its not a great strength, but the defense has improved over last year. It is not what it could be and, more importantly, the offense stinks . . . so the team doesn't do anything with the turnovers . . . and some of that is just the style of game Schiano wants and some is just an absence of talent.
The defense is a strength relatively to the offence, and has the potential to be great, but it should be a lot better than it is. With the players we have, I struggle to undestand why the defence is so middling. It's not helped by a pathetic offence, but still... There's just so much I don't undestand about this team. From the Freeman saga to a middling defence with so much talent, I'm perplexed.
I think the defense is going backwards and the final game will show why that is the case.
I think I agree, but at the same time the offence has been so bad that ANY defence will look less than efficient.
I a not sure what the confusion would be about the Freeman saga, but I agree that its tough to get a read on the team. The team has talent, but not so much that it would be a world beater with any coach. Schiano's systems and philosophy certainly play a big part in the struggles, but also in the limited success (i.e., changing culture etc). I respect Schiano and what he stands for, but I just find it hard to imagine the team under Schiano being at its bets much different than the early Dungy teams
Defense is improving. Gholston is improving. McCoy has never been better. David has improved over a good rookie season. Revis' presense helped the secondary to improve, but he's still got one leg smaller than the other. Offense. The offense will not improve without the running game leading the way. Has to come with a healthy and more talented Oline + Doug Martin, Mike James. Rainey has had some big runs, but I see opportunities missed. Mike Glennon must have a running game. So, I do think it will improve dramatically next year.
Defense is not improving. I don't get where you think you see that. It is better than last year, but that ain't saying much. Offense is horrible. OL is a hot mess. Glennon isn't cute enough. Nobody plays up to their talent level. Coach continues to make stupid decisions in game.
I a not sure what the confusion would be about the Freeman saga
I meant what happened to Freeman (not the Freeman vs. Bucs debacle, it's now very clear what happened there). As inconsistent as he was last year, he still played well enough to set franchise records and had a stretch of games where he looked like a top 5 QB in the league (of course followed by a stretch of games where he looked very bad). I don't understand how you go from that to 2013 - 3 bad games and then benched for a 3rd round pick. To have that fast and far a falloff at the QB position boggle my mind. Maybe it's just me?
Defense is improving. Gholston is improving. McCoy has never been better. David has improved over a good rookie season. Revis' presense helped the secondary to improve, but he's still got one leg smaller than the other. Offense. The offense will not improve without the running game leading the way. Has to come with a healthy and more talented Oline + Doug Martin, Mike James. Rainey has had some big runs, but I see opportunities missed. Mike Glennon must have a running game. So, I do think it will improve dramatically next year.
How is the defence improving? We've had nice individual performances, but it's not at all clear to me that the defence is better now than it was say 7 or 8 weeks ago. That's what is weird about the defence - there are a lot of great pieces yet the defence doesn't apppear to be anything beyond above-average.Offensively, I'm a lot more skeptical of our future. Does this offence really have the pieces to compete in today's NFL?
The defense isn't playing like a unit and there is a lot of free lancing going on. The closest to unit discipline happened during the first Saints game in my honest opinion. The offense is going backwards because the team is going in a shell instead of allowing them to play loose. What do they have to lose? They have a losing record...let them play all out...smh.
Is the team improving? No.
For a while it looked like the team was improving, albeit incrementally. But as alldaway pointed out there are several missing pieces - the scheme doesn't seem to fit the pieces either or an unwillingness to change or adapt the scheme to take advantage of the personnel's strengths by the coaching staff shows a stubbornness . Having said that looking at this whole thing objectively. I think the biggest questions the Glazer's have to ask themselves is:1. How much did the Freeman ordeal hurt this team?2. Did injuries play a part? (Now I know injuries are not an excuse. But when you have three pro-bowl caliber players missing for a large chunk of the season it hurts an offense and highlighted the lack of depth)3. Did Schiano lose the team (Did they quit)Finally, I mentioned this initially during the first few weeks of the season but I still feel not having Jimmy Raye around hurt offensively.
Nobody plays up to their talent level. Coach continues to make stupid decisions in game.
I think that is the key thing for me - when is the last time you watched a Bucs game and said, "that was a really well run series or really good play call?"Forget about my feelings for Glennon or injuries or Freeman or anything else. I just don't have confidence enough in the coaching staff to think that even if we were healthy we would be winning games. It just seems like we are consistently outcoached
