Grüße und Vorstellung » ose seasons all came befor

Despite winning just five games and missing the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season Cheap Terrell Edmunds Jersey , the Tampa Bay Buccaneers feel they’re progressing under Dirk Koetter.

Koetter is the coach the Bucs are betting on to help quarterback Jameis Winston realize his potential in 2018. That’s a bit of a surprise considering ownership’s lack of patience with predecessors hired to change the team’s fortunes.

The Bucs have made four coaching changes during a decade-long playoff drought. Raheem Morris was fired after three seasons, while Greg Schiano and Lovie Smith exited with losing records after two years.

The Glazer family met last week with general manager Jason Licht, who informed Koetter two days before a 31-24 season-ending victory over New Orleans that the coach would retain his job despite the Bucs (5-11) taking a step back after going 9-7 in 2016.

”Again, I am very appreciative of the Glazer family. They are going to give me and my staff the opportunity to come back and fix the things that we didn’t do good enough this year … and I do think it took courage,” Koetter said.

”Just look around the league. There are (situations) that surprise you the way they went, and there are other ones that surprise you the way they didn’t go,” Koetter added.

”I’m sure plenty of people are surprised by this, but I appreciate the opportunity, and we are going to do our best to fix it.”

The Glazers are sticking with Koetter despite rumors about of a possible rift between the coach and Winston, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft.

The 23-year-old quarterback missed three games with a shoulder sprain that also hampered Winston during a four-week stretch in which he tried to play through the injury.

Winston returned to the lineup in December and played well down the stretch.

The third-year pro denied his relationship with Koetter had deteriorated and that he’s happy the coach will get a chance to build on the progress the Bucs have made.

”He truly deserves that. You could just see this locker room and how we kept fighting for him,” Winston said. ”Our coach comes to work every single day, and he is so consistent. His message is always the same. He expects a lot from us and he holds us accountable.”

Takeaways from a disappointing season:

INCONSISTENCY: In addition to stopping a five-game losing streak, the Bucs avoided going winless in the NFC South by beating the division champion Saints to close the season. The team lost 10 of 13 after a 2-1 start, including five of six down the stretch. They went 3-7 in games decided by a touchdown or less.

While injuries were a factor, red zone scoring difficulties Quenton Nelson Jersey Elite , as well as the absence of a consistent pass rush and productive running game, held them back, too.

”Score more points – that is one issue,” Koetter said. ”The No. 2 biggest issue is we can’t get pressure with a four-man rush. I’m not telling anybody any big secrets here. Those were our two biggest things that need to be addressed.”

WINSTON’S GROWTH: With 11,636 passing yards, Winston has thrown for more yards than any player in his first three NFL seasons except Andrew Luck (12,957) and Peyton Manning (12,287). He remains a turnover machine, though. He threw for 19 TDs this season, giving him 69 in his career, but he also had 11 interceptions and lost 10 fumbles in 13 games.

”Turnovers are the No. 1 thing that get you beat. … Jameis knows that,” Koetter said. ”It’s definitely something that has to be corrected.”

WE BELIEVE: The Bucs set club records for pass attempts (605), completions (378), yards per attempt (7.61), net passing yards (4 http://www.lionsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-sylvester-williams-jersey ,366), total first downs (352) and passing first downs (243).

”Let me tell you something: When we’re healthy, we can beat the heck out of anybody. … This offense works,” Winston said.

QUITE A START: With five catches for 55 yards in the finale, WR Mike Evans joined A.J. Green and Randy Moss as the only players in league history to begin their careers with four consecutive seasons with 1,000 yards receiving. He finished with 71 receptions for 1,001 yards and five TDs.

MOVING FORWARD: Change is inevitable, however don’t anticipate a massive overhaul for next season. Koetter stands by his assertion during training camp that the Bucs are talented enough to win consistently. He has no intentions to stop calling offensive plays, and there’s no indication that defensive coordinator Mike Smith is on his way out.

”I’ll stand by my comment that it is the most talent that we have had,” Koetter said. ”Getting that talent to score enough points and rush the passer enough is what we didn’t do.”

—

Mitch Marner led the charge on a night full of milestones for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Marner had a goal and an assist to extend his point streak to 10 games and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Florida Panthers 4-3 on Wednesday night to set a franchise record with their 46th win.

Toronto also set a high-water mark with its 27th home win. The Philadelphia Flyers held off the Colorado Avalanche 2-1 later Wednesday, keeping the Leafs from clinching a playoff spot for at least one more night.

”Those things are all nice to get,” Toronto coach Mike Babcock said of the records. ”But we’ve got bigger plans. We’re just moving along and trying to get better. This is a good win, it gives you confidence.

James van Riemsdyk added his 35th goal – and the 200th career – for Toronto, while Auston Matthews and Patrick Marleau added their 30th and 25th goals, respectively.

Frederik Andersen made 30 saves and set a career high with his 36th victory.

Jonathan Huberdeau scored twice Cheap Chad Thomas Jersey , and Evgenii Dadonov also scored for Florida, which got 31 stops from Roberto Luongo, including a couple of big ones early.

Both Huberdeau and Dadonov hit the 25-goal mark.

Florida, meanwhile, remains three points back of New Jersey for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, with one game in hand.

”These are the games you’re judged on,” Florida coach Bob Boughner said. ”This team’s been pretty consistent for the second half of the season, and tonight for 20 minutes we weren’t.”

Toronto came out flying after having its club-record home winning streak snapped at 13 by last-place Buffalo on Monday. Luongo stopped van Riemsdyk on a breakaway, then robbed Tyler Bozak of what looked like a sure goal with a blocker save.

The Leafs broke through at 3:05, when Marner was quickest to his own rebound off the end boards to get his 21st.

Luongo thwarted another chance by Bozak from the slot later in the period, but could do nothing when Matthews beat him five-hole on what turned into a 4-on-2 rush with the Panthers caught gambling at 9:24.

”Wanted to shoot it high and then at the last moment he was kind of standing up, so at the last second I let up a little bit and was able to sneak it in five-hole,” Matthews said. ”I think he was guessing glove, and that’s where I thought I was going.”

Matthews scored 40 goals last season as a rookie but has missed 20 games this season with various injuries. He joins van Riemsdyk and Nazem Kadri (30) in the Leafs’ 30-goal club this season.

Toronto made it 3-0 at 13:55 when Marner wheeled off the boards and found a wide-open Marleau for a tap-in.

Marner has four goals and nine assists in his point streak and 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in his last 20 games.

”It’s been fun Clay Matthews Jersey ,” Marner said. ”This team is feeling confident.”

Marleau, meanwhile, tied Frank Mahovlich for 33rd on the NHL’s career list with the 533rd goal.

Florida cut the deficit to 3-1 at 17:49 of the first when Huberdeau took advantage of Zach Hyman’s miscue in the Leafs zone and zipped in his 24th.

Desperate for points in their playoff chase, the Panthers couldn’t capitalize on a 37-second 5-on-3 early in the second before Andersen robbed Huberdeau with a diving glove save after one of the penalized Leafs had returned.

Huberdeau scored at 15:08 when he picked the top corner on Andersen after Aaron Eklad hit the post midway through the period for Florida, which was 13-3-1 over its previous 17 coming into Wednesday.

In the third, Luongo shot out his pad to rob van Riemsdyk again, but the big forward found his own rebound while getting slammed to the ice at 11:48.

Van Riemsdyk has nine goals and three assists in his last eight games.

Dadonov poked goal past Andersen on a rebound with 1:26 left.

NOTES: Andersen won 35 games with Anaheim in 2014-15. … Tomas Plekanec assisted on Marner’s opener for his first point in 13 games since coming over in a trade with Montreal. … The Leafs won 45 games in 1998-99, 1999-00 and 2003-04, and secured 44 victories in both 1992-93 and 2002-03, but those seasons all came before the NHL instituted the shootout to break ties. Toronto leads the NHL with seven shootout victories this season. … The Leafs’ previous high of 26 home wins came in 2005-06. …

UP NEXT

Panthers: Visit Ottawa on Thursday night.

Maple Leafs: Play at the New York Islanders on Friday night before coming home to host Winnipeg on Saturday night.

—

.