Give Lovie Smith Credit, He Won’t Rest Until the 53 Count!

Solomon Patton was one of the unfortunate ones on the final cutdown, getting that dreaded phone call from the Turk, just like Larry English. Now both players have been given an opportunity to help out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their head coach, Lovie Smith, who deserves some credit for not settling.

Patton had an instrumental part in the Bucs attempted comeback vs the Panthers, you can watch the video in full HD with this link.

Steven Means and Scott Solomon were on the Bucs Defensive Line Sunday against the Panthers, part of a unit Lovie Smith called out for not getting adequate pressure on Panthers QB. Unlike his predecessors who talked each week about “We must get better”, Lovie deserves credit for going out and doing it.

Only one week into the season, the Bucs have already let go of 5 players from the starting 53 settled on after the last preseason game. Means and Solomon were let go, and English was brought

on with DE Jacquies Smith from Buffalo. When a player is put on a teams practice squad, every NFL team has the option to claim that player off waivers. Essentially the Practice squad is a big 320 man reserve group for the NFL.

In the past we would hear coaches either take the blame for lack of pressure, or offer up excuses, either way the result was the same; no change. Lovie is making sure players are accountable and the message should be clear.

DB Mike Jenkins, former USF standout who has yet to make an impact in the NFL, was placed on injured reserve. Jenkins was called out by coach Smith for his poor coverage that resulted in a Touchdown by Panthers rookie WR Kelvin Benjamin. Jenkins did not even turn around to see the ball headed right for him, and could have intercepted the ball easily simply by turning around.

While I’m sure Jenkins injury is serious, it’s season ending nature could be questioned; would he have gone on IR had he played well? We will never know, but Johnathan Banks is the starter at corner which is actually not new, he started Sunday vs Panthers too.

So while another injured player, Michael Johnson, is injured too, his lack of production during the preseason and week one should serve him notice; Lovie Smith will not just stand by and watch players perform at a mediocre level.