Should the Bucs Fire Dirk Koetter?
The Bucs are 2-6 halfway through the season in what has been a very disappointing season so far. The Bucs have lost five in a row and with a very good Jets team coming to town on Sunday, that steak could go to six.
Lots to consider if Koetter is going to get the axe. The Glazers have no problem firing coaches as they given the boot to two Hall of Fame coaches in Jon Gruden and Tony Dungy. However the Glazers usually wait till the end of the season instead of making a move in season.
If the Bucs were to get rid of Koetter, that means someone would need to be the interim coach. You want Mike Smith running this team? All the problems on defense you really think Smitty would get things going in the right direction? How about Todd Monken? Sure let’s promote a guy whose offense can’t seem to score until they’re behind by two TD‘S.
If Koetter were fired and Smith or Monken promoted to interim HC, every one on the staff is a lame duck at that point. I think more time would be spent trying to line up that next gig then game planning and coaching football. Unless the Bucs would go 8-0 and somehow get a playoff berth, no one has a chance of returning should Koetter be fired.
The first thing to consider, Is the losing streak just a string of bad luck for the Bucs and if so can Koetter get it turned around and headed in the right direction like they did last year? The Bucs have had their share of injuries the first half of the season. Brent Grimes the best DB has missed four games. Jameis Winston has not been healthy the last three games. Chris Baker has missed time, Noah Spence is out for the season. Lavonte David and Kwon Alexander have missed time.
The Bucs were really never healthy after the first game and the team has never really developed any kind of chemistry offensively or defensively.
Can Koetter keep this team from coming apart from within? Already TJ Ward has expressed his frustration over playing tIme and how he has been used. Chris Baker has voiced his displeasure. These two guys were both brought in to make plays, and when your number is called you need to show up and make plays. Ward and Baker have underachieved in my opinion.
Will the team quit on Koetter? A loss to the Jets and the Bucs would be 2-7 and realistically have no chance of making the playoffs. With seven games to go and four on the road Koetter would have to guard against the team just showing up and going through the motions.
At this point there is no good to come out of firing Koetter mid-season. If the Bucs continue to flounder and only win one or two more games the rest of the way absolutely. Every thing should be on the table and reviewed at seasons end.
Let’s hope the Bucs get it turned around and start putting some W’s together or we will be looking at the fifth Bucs HC in the last nine years. Hard to win when you keep changing coaches every two years. To win in the NFL you need consistency. That has not been the case at One Bucs Place sine the Gruden days.
