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http://www.pewterreport.com/forum/index.php/topic,1329203.0.html
Bucs go from facing the worst defense to facing the worst offense
Deja vu: In Rams, Bucs face one of NFL's worst offenses
Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
If it's Case Keenum the Bucs face at quarterback, he has just 48 pass attempts this season and a single passing touchdown.
Getty Images
You may remember that in the days leading up to Sunday's Bucs-Saints game, we pointed out that the Saints defense was easily the worst in the NFL statistically, ranking last in points and yards allowed, worst in rushing yards allowed and second-worst in passing yards.
And yes, that Saints defense held the Bucs to 17 points and 291 yards, both the lowest against the Saints all season, in a 24-17 win over Tampa Bay at Raymond James Stadium.
Thursday night's game in St. Louis presents much the same opportunity for the Bucs, only on the other side of the ball, as the Rams are statistically one of the worst offenses in the NFL, despite the presence of promising rookie running back Todd Gurley.
The Rams are 31st out of 32 teams in both scoring (16.2 points per game) and total offense (297.9 yards per game), and dead last in passing offense (173.1 yards per game), passing touchdowns 8, passer rating (69.2) and third-down conversions (25.3 percent).
St. Louis bounced back nicely Sunday with a 21-14 win over the Lions, ending a five-game losing streak, with Gurley rushing for 140 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns. In his previous four games, Gurley had totaled 171 yards on 55 carries with the same two touchdowns.
In more than half their games -- seven out of 13 -- the Rams have been held to 13 points or less, matching the most of any team in the NFL -- the Rams, 49ers and Titans are all 0-7 in such games this season. NFL teams scoring 13 or less are 7-72 this season -- that's a 1-in-11 shot at winning, with the Bucs claiming one of those wins in their 10-6 victory over the Cowboys.
If it's Case Keenum the Bucs face at quarterback, he has just 48 pass attempts this season and a single passing touchdown. One thing working in Keenum's favor -- the Rams have allowed an NFL-low 16 sacks this season, though oddly, also the fourth-highest number of quarterback hits at 89 on the season.
All this is to say the Bucs have a similar opportunity this week against a unit that ranks among the league's worst -- whether they can take advantage of that more than they did against the Saints defense remains to be seen.
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Well, if lovie has the cornerbacks covering the parking lot attendants again..
Last game, I was wondering why verner ran past my car...
---------
I am expecting another huge letdown by our Bucs. Case Keenum is a decent QB. I am expecting him to have a career day against the 20-yard cushion defensive scheme.
Our corners have already proven they can perform at a high level this year. But with Lovie calling the defense, you never know if he is going to let them play like he did in the Dallas game, or if he is going to call for the huge cushions as he did vs. Washington.
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Yup. Keenum is definitely capable of getting the W.
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im predicting a loss here
our defense will make Keenum look like an all timer. something they do every single time we play a backup QB
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Gurley ain't no slouch either...
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http://www.pewterreport.com/forum/index.php/topic,1329206.0.html
Bucs forced to cram for Thursday game at Rams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith during a post game news conference following the team's 24-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
By Roy Cummings | Tribune Staff
TAMPA — Monday is typically a day of reflection at One Buc Place, a day for coaches to review tape of the game played the day before, grade player performances and correct mistakes.
There was nothing typical about the Monday the Bucs experienced this week.
With their next game coming on Thursday, when they take on the Rams in St. Louis in their only scheduled prime-time game of the season, Monday turned into a mix of days fused into one.
“Everything gets moved up,’’ Bucs coach Lovie Smith said of the schedule teams take on when playing a Thursday night game.
For the coaches, Monday felt a lot like Tuesday. That’s the day usually devoted to game-planning for the next opponent. But on their accelerated schedule, coaches began that process long before the Monday sun came up.
For the players, Monday had more of a Wednesday feel to it. Their first real work day of the week, Wednesday is normally a dawn-to-well-past-dusk day made up early-morning and late-afternoon team and positional meetings and the one padded practice of the week.
In this case, the day started a little later than usual, around noon, and the padded practice was changed out for a much lighter late-afternoon walk-through of plays. But the meetings were all conducted, and some players spent extra time privately watching game film.
The accelerated schedule was a welcomed change. Rather than dwell on their 24-17 loss to the Saints on Sunday, a loss that severely diminished their playoff hopes, players and coaches were forced to move ahead and concentrate on the Rams.
“That’s exactly how you want to do it,’’ Smith said. “That was disappointing (Sunday). There’s no other way around it. And when you’re disappointed, you want to make it right and have a chance to come back quick. So, to be able to play that (next) game a little earlier, that’s a good thing.’’
Tampa Bay is 19-24 overall in primetime appearances, including 1-2 in Thursday games since the NFL started playing regularly on Thursdays in 2006. All three Thursday games were lopsided: a 36-17 win at Minnesota in 2012, a 31-13 loss against Carolina in 2013 and a 56-14 loss at Atlanta in 2014.
Since the beginning of the 2013 season, 19 of the 37 games played on Thursday were blowouts decided by at least two scores.
Injuries are one reason Thursday games tend to get a little lopsided. As Smith pointed out Monday, there just isn’t enough time for some players, depending on their injury, to physically recover for a Thursday game.
The Bucs, for example, could be without several players, including wide receiver Vincent Jackson (knee), middle linebacker Bruce Carter (ankle), defensive tackle Akeem Spence (ankle) and left guard Logan Mankins (unspecified injury) against the Rams.
None of those players would have been able to participate on Monday in a regular weekday practice, Smith said, and several others whom he did not name would have been limited. That hasn’t dampened Smith’s enthusiasm for Thursday games, though.
“In an ideal world, you’d rather play them at home,’’ said Smith, whose team will wear a new, all-red uniform against the Rams, who will wear all yellow. “But we like playing a Thursday night game. We’re excited about the new uniforms and all of that. And, again, we need to play quickly, and Thursday night allows us to do that.”
It also allows the Bucs a chance to show the rest of the football world how far they’ve come since they last played in prime time against the Falcons. Even in the wake of their error-plagued loss to the Saints, the Bucs are eager to take advantage of that opportunity.
“We’re (in) the only (game) that’s playing at the time, and we want to show people we’ve improved, that we’re not the same old Bucs or any of that,” Smith said. “And as we go to that next stage, which we will eventually get to, we’re going to have a lot of these primetime games.
“So, yeah, this is a big deal to us.’’
rcummings@tampatrib.com
Twitter: @RCummingsTBO
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Lovie better have them MOTIVATED and ready to play!! New flash "Barron" moves to LB and now has 90 plus tackles 66 solo and 30 something assist for the season with the rams! This just shows when players are not allowed to play to their strengths they don't do well. Barron was always frustrated and Lovie for not fitting into his nonaggressive soft Zone Coverage scheme! That's on Lovie!!
Bucs go from facing the worst defense to facing the worst offense
Deja vu: In Rams, Bucs face one of NFL's worst offenses
Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
If it's Case Keenum the Bucs face at quarterback, he has just 48 pass attempts this season and a single passing touchdown.
Getty Images
You may remember that in the days leading up to Sunday's Bucs-Saints game, we pointed out that the Saints defense was easily the worst in the NFL statistically, ranking last in points and yards allowed, worst in rushing yards allowed and second-worst in passing yards.
And yes, that Saints defense held the Bucs to 17 points and 291 yards, both the lowest against the Saints all season, in a 24-17 win over Tampa Bay at Raymond James Stadium.
Thursday night's game in St. Louis presents much the same opportunity for the Bucs, only on the other side of the ball, as the Rams are statistically one of the worst offenses in the NFL, despite the presence of promising rookie running back Todd Gurley.
The Rams are 31st out of 32 teams in both scoring (16.2 points per game) and total offense (297.9 yards per game), and dead last in passing offense (173.1 yards per game), passing touchdowns 8, passer rating (69.2) and third-down conversions (25.3 percent).
St. Louis bounced back nicely Sunday with a 21-14 win over the Lions, ending a five-game losing streak, with Gurley rushing for 140 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns. In his previous four games, Gurley had totaled 171 yards on 55 carries with the same two touchdowns.
In more than half their games -- seven out of 13 -- the Rams have been held to 13 points or less, matching the most of any team in the NFL -- the Rams, 49ers and Titans are all 0-7 in such games this season. NFL teams scoring 13 or less are 7-72 this season -- that's a 1-in-11 shot at winning, with the Bucs claiming one of those wins in their 10-6 victory over the Cowboys.
If it's Case Keenum the Bucs face at quarterback, he has just 48 pass attempts this season and a single passing touchdown. One thing working in Keenum's favor -- the Rams have allowed an NFL-low 16 sacks this season, though oddly, also the fourth-highest number of quarterback hits at 89 on the season.
All this is to say the Bucs have a similar opportunity this week against a unit that ranks among the league's worst -- whether they can take advantage of that more than they did against the Saints defense remains to be seen.
---------
Well, if lovie has the cornerbacks covering the parking lot attendants again..
Last game, I was wondering why verner ran past my car...
---------
I am expecting another huge letdown by our Bucs. Case Keenum is a decent QB. I am expecting him to have a career day against the 20-yard cushion defensive scheme.
Our corners have already proven they can perform at a high level this year. But with Lovie calling the defense, you never know if he is going to let them play like he did in the Dallas game, or if he is going to call for the huge cushions as he did vs. Washington.
----------
Yup. Keenum is definitely capable of getting the W.
---------
im predicting a loss here
our defense will make Keenum look like an all timer. something they do every single time we play a backup QB
-------
Gurley ain't no slouch either...
--------
http://www.pewterreport.com/forum/index.php/topic,1329206.0.html
Bucs forced to cram for Thursday game at Rams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith during a post game news conference following the team's 24-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
By Roy Cummings | Tribune Staff
TAMPA — Monday is typically a day of reflection at One Buc Place, a day for coaches to review tape of the game played the day before, grade player performances and correct mistakes.
There was nothing typical about the Monday the Bucs experienced this week.
With their next game coming on Thursday, when they take on the Rams in St. Louis in their only scheduled prime-time game of the season, Monday turned into a mix of days fused into one.
“Everything gets moved up,’’ Bucs coach Lovie Smith said of the schedule teams take on when playing a Thursday night game.
For the coaches, Monday felt a lot like Tuesday. That’s the day usually devoted to game-planning for the next opponent. But on their accelerated schedule, coaches began that process long before the Monday sun came up.
For the players, Monday had more of a Wednesday feel to it. Their first real work day of the week, Wednesday is normally a dawn-to-well-past-dusk day made up early-morning and late-afternoon team and positional meetings and the one padded practice of the week.
In this case, the day started a little later than usual, around noon, and the padded practice was changed out for a much lighter late-afternoon walk-through of plays. But the meetings were all conducted, and some players spent extra time privately watching game film.
The accelerated schedule was a welcomed change. Rather than dwell on their 24-17 loss to the Saints on Sunday, a loss that severely diminished their playoff hopes, players and coaches were forced to move ahead and concentrate on the Rams.
“That’s exactly how you want to do it,’’ Smith said. “That was disappointing (Sunday). There’s no other way around it. And when you’re disappointed, you want to make it right and have a chance to come back quick. So, to be able to play that (next) game a little earlier, that’s a good thing.’’
Tampa Bay is 19-24 overall in primetime appearances, including 1-2 in Thursday games since the NFL started playing regularly on Thursdays in 2006. All three Thursday games were lopsided: a 36-17 win at Minnesota in 2012, a 31-13 loss against Carolina in 2013 and a 56-14 loss at Atlanta in 2014.
Since the beginning of the 2013 season, 19 of the 37 games played on Thursday were blowouts decided by at least two scores.
Injuries are one reason Thursday games tend to get a little lopsided. As Smith pointed out Monday, there just isn’t enough time for some players, depending on their injury, to physically recover for a Thursday game.
The Bucs, for example, could be without several players, including wide receiver Vincent Jackson (knee), middle linebacker Bruce Carter (ankle), defensive tackle Akeem Spence (ankle) and left guard Logan Mankins (unspecified injury) against the Rams.
None of those players would have been able to participate on Monday in a regular weekday practice, Smith said, and several others whom he did not name would have been limited. That hasn’t dampened Smith’s enthusiasm for Thursday games, though.
“In an ideal world, you’d rather play them at home,’’ said Smith, whose team will wear a new, all-red uniform against the Rams, who will wear all yellow. “But we like playing a Thursday night game. We’re excited about the new uniforms and all of that. And, again, we need to play quickly, and Thursday night allows us to do that.”
It also allows the Bucs a chance to show the rest of the football world how far they’ve come since they last played in prime time against the Falcons. Even in the wake of their error-plagued loss to the Saints, the Bucs are eager to take advantage of that opportunity.
“We’re (in) the only (game) that’s playing at the time, and we want to show people we’ve improved, that we’re not the same old Bucs or any of that,” Smith said. “And as we go to that next stage, which we will eventually get to, we’re going to have a lot of these primetime games.
“So, yeah, this is a big deal to us.’’
rcummings@tampatrib.com
Twitter: @RCummingsTBO
---------
Lovie better have them MOTIVATED and ready to play!! New flash "Barron" moves to LB and now has 90 plus tackles 66 solo and 30 something assist for the season with the rams! This just shows when players are not allowed to play to their strengths they don't do well. Barron was always frustrated and Lovie for not fitting into his nonaggressive soft Zone Coverage scheme! That's on Lovie!!
by Scott Reynolds