The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will win under Lovie Smith. No, Smith did not coach his best game yesterday. Tony Dungy was wiped out in his opening game in 1996 yet things turned positive that year; albeit too late.
Which seems to be the theme for these Buccaneers this season; too late.
You can get on Luke McCown for his best McClown impersonation, I sure did. In the end, it does not matter, because he redeemed himself. The offensive line redeemed itself yesterday too, the defense did not.
If you are an excuse maker, you can try your best to come up with excuses for the Bucs offense; No time for Logan Mankins to practice, Mankins hurt himself, Jerry Lewis type play of McCown, Bucs dropping like flies. In the end, the reason the Bucs loss is simple; the Bucs defense which looked so dominant in preseason could not get off the field early in the game, and could not make plays when it needed to, unlike the Bucs defense.
Gerald McCoy did warn us that Bucs fans were getting too
Lets be honest, ten to fifteen years from now when were looking back at the Lovie Smith regime, we won’t be thinking of these players. This is Lovie trying to run a defense with Greg Schiano’s players. Just like Tony Dungy tried to run his defense with Sam Wyches. When you look back, you don’t think about Eric Curry as the answer on the D line, perhaps just like we won’t think about Adriane Clayborn? Martin Meyhew was at corner back then, I don’t think about him when I think about Tony’s defense.
The point is, when this team wins, some of these players will be gone. Dashon Goldson may be one of those, or he may be part of the solution. Remember, Lavonte David blew a play exactly this time last year when the Bucs lost to the Jets because of his bonehead play. The rest of the season didn’t feel the same way.
The scary thing is game one is such a Chapter Label for the season…looking back into history, game one tends to be such a reminder for how the whole season went. Its not always that way. In 2002 the Bucs offense looked pathetic the first 3 quarters, then came back to tie the game before losing it in overtime. But in 2006, Chris Simms looked terrible the whole game, as did the defense, and that stayed the course for a horrible season for the Bucs. Many such examples are available (see Below).
Bottom line is there is no reason to panic just yet. Mankins is not lost for the year, no one is. McCown redeemed himself enough to be given another chance. Next week the Bucs play a Rams team who looked worse than the Bucs, if thats possible.
THE OPENER SETS THE PACE?
- 2006 L 0-27 4-12
- 2013 L17-18 4-12
- 2005 W24-13 11-5
- 1979 W31-16 10-6
- 1986 L7-31 2-14
- 2009 L21-24 3-13
- 2010 W17-14 10-6
DOES IT?
- 1987 W48-10 4-11
- 1998 L7-31 8-8
- 1999 L13-17 11-5
- 2002 L20-26 12-4
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
