FAB 5. SR’s BUC SHOTS
• As much as Tampa Bay fans would like to see it, Dirk Koetter probably isn’t going to win NFL Coach of the Year honors this year. That distinction will likely go to Oakland head coach Jack Del Rio, who has the Raiders off to a 10-3 start this season. Koetter’s Bucs are 7-5 heading into a big game against New Orleans, and Tampa Bay would likely have to win out to finish 11-5 with an NFC South title with Oakland losing the rest of the way and finishing 10-6 for Koetter to have any chance.

Keep in mind that in the head-to-head match-up earlier this year in Tampa Bay, Del Rio’s Raiders prevailed in overtime, 30-24. Should the Raiders and Bucs end in a tie record-wise, that loss could sway the opinion towards Del Rio and away from Koetter. As evidenced by this week’s Fab 1 section, I’m highly in favor of Koetter getting plenty of credit for the turnaround he’s engineering in Tampa Bay, I just don’t think the NFL Coach of the Year award is in his future this season.

• Speaking of coaching, I saw a “report” on the For The Win website, which is part of USA Today, that listed all of the general manager-head coach combos in the league. The author, whom I won’t shame publicly, had the Bucs’ duo of Jason Licht and Dirk Koetter ranked 28th in the NFL.

Bucs GM Jason Licht and head coach Dirk Koetter – Photo courtesy of the Buccaneers

That’s right –28th. Here was the paragraph summary of Tampa Bay’s duo:

“It’s hard ranking these first-year coaches, which is really the only reason Koetter is this low. He’s done a nice job in 2016. Licht has made some poor choices as Bucs GM, but now the team is winning, so maybe he’s done something right.”

So the author claims that “Licht has made some poor choices” and “maybe he’s done something right” now that the Bucs are winning, huh? Was drafting Pro Bowl franchise QB Jameis Winston a poor choice? Was drafting Pro Bowl-bound receiver Mike Evans a poor choice? Was finding tight end Cameron Brate, who leads all NFL tight ends with touchdown catches a poor choice? Was re-signing Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who leads the league in sacks at his position, a poor choice? Was re-signing Pro Bowl linebacker Lavonte David a poor choice?

I’m just asking, because I happen to think Licht has done a remarkable job in Tampa Bay over the last three years in building a winning roster – and for hiring Koetter to coach that talent. I’m not an NFL expert. I have tunnel vision on Tampa Bay and would only consider myself a Buccaneers expert.

But I know that Licht and Koetter is a better tandem than some of the ones listed above Tampa Bay, such as Tennessee (26), San Francisco (25), Cleveland (24), Detroit (23), Miami (21) and San Diego (20). How in the world could the winless Browns and the one-win 49ers, whom the Bucs destroyed earlier this year, be ranked higher than Tampa Bay?

Sorry, but this article is a huge credibility hit for For The Win and USA Today.

• It’s crazy to think, but if Dirk Koetter averaged eight wins in his first three seasons as the Bucs’ head coach he’ll have the third-most win total in Tampa Bay history with 24. That would make him the third-winningest coach in Bucs history ahead of Sam Wyche (23) and behind only Tony Dungy (54) and Jon Gruden (57).

• Tampa Bay punter Bryan Anger is having a career year in his first season with the Bucs and he’s been the team’s secret weapon and unsung hero. Anger is averaging 45.9 yards per punt with a career-high 42.1-yard net average.

He’s had 26 punts downed inside the 20-yard line with just four touchbacks. What’s even more impressive is that Anger’s inside the 20 percentage is a career-high 48.1 percent – 14 percentage points higher than his previous best.

Bucs P Bryan Anger – Photo by: Mark Lomoglio/PR

Often criticized as a reach by Jacksonville, who took him in the third round in 2012, which is awfully high for a punter, Anger is now living up to that draft hype.

“Bryan has been amazing for the team – a great addition,” said Bucs wide receiver and special teams captain Russell Shepard. “I’ve played with some pretty talented punters going back from LSU to when I was here with Michael [Koennen]. Just to see this guy with the mixture of power, and to see his directional is unheard of. You don’t get too many guys who can do both. You get a power guy and he doesn’t really have direction. You get a direction guy he doesn’t really have power. So somebody like him, it explains why he went in the third round over Russell Wilson.”

Anger had a punt downed inside the 5-yard line against Chicago that resulted in a sack for a safety by defensive end Robert Ayers. Last week at San Diego, Anger’s punt was downed at the 10-yard line in the third quarter and that led to a pick-six by Lavonte David.

Of all the free agent acquisitions by Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht this year, Anger might be the best.

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