Bucs' good vibes are gone Tom Jones, Times Sports Columnist? ? December 15, 2013 10:44pm Good vibes gone Bucs coach Greg Schiano was in a sour mood Sunday, more irritated than normal after a loss. He called the 33-14 thumping by the 49ers "disappointing." A better word, perhaps: discouraging. All the good vibes built up over the recent 4-1 streak were erased in the three hours it took for the 49ers to manhandle the Bucs. The offense was abysmal again. The defense couldn't stop the 49ers when it mattered most. Even the special teams goofed up and cost the Bucs a touchdown. And I don't want to hear how the Bucs were playing a good team. We're not grading on a curve. This is life in the NFL. The 49ers are the type of team you have to play and beat when you're a good team. After Sunday, it's hard to say this team is making progress, especially on offense and especially at quarterback. Biggest play Down only 20-14 early in the fourth quarter, the Bucs forced the 49ers into third and 12 from the San Francisco 29-yard line. QB Colin Kaepernick scrambled around, found receiver Michael Crabtree for a 14-yard gain, and the 49ers went on to ice the game with a gut-punching 17-play drive that chewed up more than 10 minutes and ended with a Phil Dawson field goal to make it 23-14. Number of the day 22 Ten-loss seasons the Bucs now have after dropping to 4-10 on Sunday. Forget moral victories. Forget injuries. Forget opponents. Forget how they got here. Bottom line: a double-digit loss season. Again. Those don't do much for job security, whether it be for players, coaches or executives. Not the worst call If there was a lowlight that epitomized the loss — and just maybe the Bucs' season — it was the bumbling fumble that turned into a 49ers touchdown when the Bucs botched a reverse on a kickoff return late in the fourth quarter. The execution was horrible, but the call was not a bad idea. With the Bucs down nine points with fewer than five minutes left and needing two scores, trying a little razzle-dazzle is worth the risk, particularly when an offense is struggling to score. Three things that popped into my head 1. An ominous tone was set when the Bucs' Brian Leonard dropped what would have been a first-down catch on the first series of the day. When an offense is struggling, you can't just gift a three-and-out on the first series. 2. If you paid to see Kaepernick, you got your money's worth. He threw for 203 yards, ran for 39 and generally looked like what an elite NFL quarterback is supposed to look. 3. Bucs LB Lavonte David is the best player on the team right now. Final thought Does this not feel like the longest season in the history of the NFL? And two games are still left.
Yeah the old Schiano came back this weekend. He even tried to blame the bone headed reverse on Eric Page. Coaches call plays not players. Schiano has regressed back into his natural dickish self again. I am seriously going to party on the day this man is fired. WE NEED REAL LEADERSHIP! Not some schmuck who blames the players who he is paid to prepare for the game. News flash Schiano: When you are a leader you are responsible for everything that happens. This guy hasn't changed at all.
I wasn't surprised by the game. I pretty much called it. We would be close but ultimately lose it based on our own self inflicted wounds (David's TD return nullified by McCoy, Special teams fumble) We also gave up several huge 3rd and long conversions on the drive after we made it 20-13. We missed sacks, we lost track of the only receiver in the zone Kaep could throw to and we missed tackles allowing Boldin to run for 10 yards after the catch for the 1st down. We had them where wanted them and let them off the hook several times.It just played out as usual. Glennon carries the team down the field and hits the blown coverage, instead of missing it, for a nice TD pass. Our defense comes back out and forces a 3rd and 10 or longer 3 times believe on that drive and couldn't get off the field. Made assignment mistakes, made execution mistakes and allowed the 49ers a devistating FG after draining 10 minutes off the clock. We get the ball back and immediately fumble it into our own endzone. It was just so typical. We get just a glimmer of hope and what could be then make not one, not two but numerous huge mistakes back to back to back to back until the game is firmly out of reach.You just can't help but to wonder what this season could have been. The talent is there everything else is not. Most penalties, most yards by penatlies, most personal fouls and to my guess we kill 2-3 drives every game with a holding penalty of 1st down followed by a run for 1 yard making it 2nd and 18+. I know you want to play it safe but in those spots, you need to throw the ball and you need to put it on your QB.Back to the game. We put together two long drives for TDs and instead of just getting the ball back to our offense at 23-13 we run a trick play and blow it. Trick plays on ST are huge gambles and one that did not need to be taken as our offense was finally showing some life.Disappointing? No, unfortunately it was 100% typical for this year.
