Down On Da’Quan Bowers
February 7th, 2014
Joe is running out of angry analogies to describe his disgust with the Bucs’ rank inability to dirty the jersey of an opposing quarterback. Of course, it didn’t help that the Bucs virtually employed a square dance on passing downs. Defensive linemen did so many stunts it’s a wonder empty-headed Nicole Zaloumis and the crew of that insipid “NFL AM” schlock didn’t slobber over themselves the way they have such a dancing fetish.
ESPN’s Pat Yasinskas was a witness to this drek as well (the Bucs’ putrid pass rush, not the “NFL AM” show) and in writing about how badly the Bucs need a pass rush, indirectly pointed a finger at Da’Quan Bowers as one reason the Bucs couldn’t breathe on opposing signal-callers.
This defense is at least pretty good everywhere else, but there’s a dire need for a pass-rusher on the edge. No one can argue that the Bucs made a huge mistake last year by letting defensive end Michael Bennett walk away as a free agent. The thinking was that Da’Quan Bowers was ready for a breakout season. But Bowers couldn’t even grab a starting job when it was handed to him.
The new coaching staff has said it still has high hopes for Bowers. But the reality is that if this team gets anything out of Bowers going forward, it will be a bonus. The Bucs can’t afford to sit back and expect Bowers to emerge.
A defensive end – and we’re talking one with top-notch pass-rush skills – needs to be targeted in free agency or the draft. Adrian Clayborn is solid at one defensive end spot and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy is a force in the middle. Add a strong pass-rusher and this defensive line could be excellent.
Joe is of the mind that this season may be a make or break for Bowers’s career. He’s a really nice guy but damnit, the Bucs aren’t paying him to be pleasant (though it helps). Bowers is now on his third coaching staff and new general manager Jason Licht has zero ties to him. It’s high time for Bowers to fish or cut bait.
If he is seen kneeling on the sidelines of training camp practices sucking air like he was this past summer, Joe’s going to guess his job security is flimsy.
If a third coaching staff, one that has proven it can generate heat on quarterbacks, can’t raise Bowers’ level of play, then Joe wouldn’t be shocked if Bowers is home for the opening day. No one calling the shots now at One Buc Palace is beholden to Bowers in any way.
February 7th, 2014 at 8:09 am
If Cullen can’t make it, it will never happen. I hope he’d training like hell
But they’re right, we can’t rely on him at the moment
February 7th, 2014 at 8:23 am
I don’t think there is a single human being in earth advocating that a job is given to Bowers. However, considering the missed camps, injuries, and sub par coaching, I’m willing to wait and see.
February 7th, 2014 at 8:27 am
The long and the short of it, Joe, is that (among other detractions) he came in out of shape last year. As a Bears fan as well, Lovey will tell the guys to come in at less weight (better shape) than the year before- he always has in Chicago, unless the guy in question is always in shape.
If he does not come into camp in good shape, he will be changing your oil or bagging your groceries at Publix in short order.
Lovey’s teams are well coached, well looked after and disciplined. Those who do not or cannot comply will be gone.
February 7th, 2014 at 8:52 am
I saw more effort out of gholston than I saw out of Bowers. If we could get Peppers or Allen in FA let all of them compete for the starting position opposite Claiborne. Hoping Spence improves and then I think we will see tremendous improvement. GO BUCS!
February 7th, 2014 at 9:03 am
I am surprised that people are still calling Clayborn a solid DE. To me he has just as much to prove and should have to earn his job. As Gm i would feel around and see if I could get some draft picks, ( hopefully second round but more likely a third.) Were talking 13 sacks out of 35 nfl games. And people around here are calling him a beast??? We need upgrades all along the DE position.
Joe’s written about Clayborn suspect production for many months.–Joe
February 7th, 2014 at 9:10 am
Don’t waste time with him – cut bait or trade for late pick – Dallas is even more desperate for linemen than we are.
February 7th, 2014 at 9:10 am
@Realist – He was pretty solid his rookie year. Adrian Peterson is the exception, not the rule, when it comes to recovering from serious knee injuries. I’m not saying that he’ll turn into reggie white this offseason but I think we’ll see more out of him than we did last year when he was still recovering/dancing at the line
February 7th, 2014 at 9:16 am
We saw some dominance from Bowers early on….so he can definately play well at times….we need to see that again early or cut him.
“Dominance?” That’s quite a stretch. Joe doesn’t recall more than one or two strong games. –Joe
February 7th, 2014 at 9:25 am
There are plenty of options to upgrade the defensive line this off-season. I am a bit more worried about our offensive questions, the qb, wr, te, and most of all the Oline. I hope they get healthy and return to consistently good play.
Very excited to see what changes are made this season, I have faith in the new staff. Go BUCS!
February 7th, 2014 at 9:27 am
@Thomas, I didnt know Publix offered oil changing service…when did that start, and also, would love to have Da’Quan do it. I just hope he is better at it than pass rushing.
February 7th, 2014 at 9:31 am
ACL is one thing – we have seen a few players make a dramatic comeback one year removed from recovery. Now recovery from a torn achilles tendon is a whole nother ballgame. We may never see what DaQuan was supposed to be coming from Clemson and it is a damn shame, but to show up at camp out of shape is inexcusable. It is no secret that DaQuan was being relied upon, and he shat the bed in thanks to the Bucs. Expect an extremely short leash for our unreliable bust of what could have been a top 5 pick.
February 7th, 2014 at 9:33 am
Bowers only dominates the All U Can Eat buffet.
February 7th, 2014 at 9:35 am
There is no doubt that the coaching scheme these guys were forced to run did their sack numbers any favors. Not only were they running stunts, they were running 4-gap stunts where a DE would run all the way to the opposite DE side and be taken completely out of the play. However, something was not right with Bowers last year. He couldn’t be Teo-noname for a spot, wasn’t in football shape at the beginning of the year (which was ridiculous) and seemed to be more concerned about connecting with Twitter follows than with an opposing team’s QB.
Things will have to change for him and really everyone this year. You have a coaching staff coming in that doesn’t have previous loyalty or ties to any of these guys that played last year. They will have to PROVE IT on the field to stay on the team. I am expecting Lovie/Licht to bring as much competition in as possible in order to see who’s legit and who’s not.
For all you guys poo-pooing a Vick signing, what are you afraid of? If Glennon is better that Vick… Here’s a novel idea… let him PROVE IT! If Vick is as sorry as some of you are stating than you have nothing to worry about. Glennon will be the starter and Vick will be a good backup/teammate to Glennon. Vick has been nothing but a good teammate in Philly. He didn’t gripe at all when Chip decided to go with Foles. He wouldn’t do it here either. All I’m saying is let’s make our “favorites” on this team prove they can win their starting jobs with some actual competition behind them. The problem the Bucs organization has had for years now is that they crown guys starters without them actually having to win the job. It’s been ridiculous.
Freeman was called the franchise before he took a snap. Where was his competition. Stocker was going to be our next Kellen Winslow. Who did he have to compete against? Mike Williams is our starting WR. What WR’s were brought in to put some pressure on him? Quincy Black as GIVEN his LB position before his injury (along with a fat contract). I can go on and on. Hopefully with this new regime, players are actually going to have to prove themselves at their position before being crowned starters. If your “favorite” for a position wins the job… good for you. If not. tough luck!
February 7th, 2014 at 9:38 am
Agree that the NFL Net is mostly unwatchable, but it wasn’t long ago you were saying “you weren’t a man” unless you had the “shlock” as you called it. Havent heard that since its been made available to all. In fact, id say its more geared to women.
February 7th, 2014 at 9:43 am
BTW, and interesting read on incoming coordinators.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20140206/gregg-williams-ray-horton-nfl-coordinator-hires/
February 7th, 2014 at 9:46 am
@buccanAy – I agree. They talk about football enough to make it passable as a football network but it’s not something that gets me excited about football or is even really enjoyable to listen to. There are plenty of serious female sports reporters who could take the job of whatever the name of the vapid, bimbo host is and do a much more respectable job. Instead, we have to watch her looking annoyed when the conversation turns from her nonsense to talk of actual football.
February 7th, 2014 at 9:51 am
be mad at YOUR boy the jock star…..
February 7th, 2014 at 9:53 am
bowers and clayborn look like pitbulls (thick with not much wingspan or size)
we need Dobermans like Rice was.
look at when the Giants were mean, look at the rookies NE brought in and how they played. Our guys can’t break the corner. they stand there engaged and tackle at the line most of the time.
bowers and clayborn might be rotational guys, but their not who you want in there on 3rd and long.
February 7th, 2014 at 10:02 am
When this guy fell to the Bucs in the middle of the second round, EVERYONE said that it was a good value pick. So I don’t blame Rockstar for acquiring him. Just another example of there are no sure things in the NFL. When you team whiffs on high picks (Gaines Adams, Freeman, Bowers, B Price) it sets your franchise back years. With better picks, the Bucs would have a TON of good players in their prime right now.
February 7th, 2014 at 10:28 am
NFL AM…with Garcia talking tough, is harder to watch/stomach than the 2012 Bucs pass defense.
February 7th, 2014 at 10:34 am
If we get anything from Bowers, it’s a bonus. I’d really like to see the guy rise to the occasion. We’ll see. It still won’t hurt to bring in a FA anyway.
This D-line is the most intriguing part of this coaching transition to me. Will this new mentality awaken the beast in some of these underachievers or will they all be flushed away? I’m anxious to see how it shakes out.
February 7th, 2014 at 10:45 am
I would love to have seen what these guys had w/o all the stunts.
that right there may have been their downfall.
February 7th, 2014 at 11:16 am
What we need is Robert Quinn clone? Speed, size, tenacity, heck we need to find that combo some way, some how.
February 7th, 2014 at 11:52 am
I agree with this. Chris Landry even went farther last month before Schiano got fired …that Bowers was so bad that he may be released in offseason with Schiano still there or if we get a new HC
February 7th, 2014 at 1:28 pm
While I agree Bowers hasn’t done much of anything to this point, to say he was handed the starting gig is just shy of outrageous. Was he talked up in pre-season? Yeah, coach predicted a 10 sack season even. But when it came down to it, the brilliance that was Schiano chose to start Teo-Nesheim instead of Bowers. Most anyone would say the limited amount we saw Bowers he played better than Teo and should have started ahead of him. Most would even say Gholston played better than Teo and should have started ahead of him. Even Means flashed more than Teo did. So if anyone was “handed” the job it was Teo, not Bowers. Is Bowers job security flimsy at best? Yeah it is, but I’d like to see what he can do in camp with this staff, fewer stunts, maybe even more healthy than he’s been in the past. If he fails, so what, he was a good risk in the 2nd round. We cut bait and move on. But I’m not interested in cutting bait just when we finally are getting to clearer waters where we can actually see the fish…
February 7th, 2014 at 2:35 pm
Bowers is done for. Unless he completely heals from the waste down and puts some serious work into the waste-up. I don’t see any athleticism or power from DaQuan, nor do I see the drive.
I don’t care about the stunts they were running. They were running them because the coaching staff couldn’t trust this front four enough to let them rush freely. AC is in the same boat as Bowers. Two guys whom Dominik and zschiano hung their hats on. If we would have had ANY sort of consistent pass rush from our front four this defense could have made a lot more plays, and maybe won a few more games. I look at our DEs right now and honestly must say that Gholston has the highest ceiling, and even he is far from ready to lead the charge.
Need number ONE this season, Lovie: get as many pass rushers into One Buc as you possibly can.
February 7th, 2014 at 9:03 pm
Great point poppabuc concerning our pash-rush…thank god we have McCoy (could you imagine if we didn’t, we may’ve not won a freakin game)…
looking at the bigger picture; we flat out got dominated in the trenches on both sides of the ball last season period…That has to change if we wanna be any good next year no matter who the QB is week 1…Personally I’d like to see us go Pass-Rusher and OL early in this coming draft…A guy like Khalil Mack in the 1st rd and a big nasty Guard in the 2nd would be nice…
February 8th, 2014 at 10:51 am
I for one won’t be surprised to see Bowers a serious contributor next year. Why? This is a far better coaching staff.
We will know right off the bat though. Won’t be later rather than sooner.
February 8th, 2014 at 12:45 pm
Clayborne is a more natural fit in a 3-4 defense.
February 9th, 2014 at 3:51 am
Most of the doubters here, are the same clueless Zombies calling McCoy a bust a couple years ago.
Shiano was running his wretched lil Rutgers defense. No one could shine on the D-line- unless it was being judged as square dancing.
And to futher the case. Just like McCoy, Bowers had injuries his first two years. He couldn’t even participate in his first two camps. He came here with a knee injury, recovered- then tore his Achilles. The slowest leg injury to recover from.
And, he was coached by Schiano.
Nuff said.
I realize some of you thing we should just cut him.
Of course, you are the same ones that thought McCoy should have been cut.
You know- McCoy! Considered by most to be the best defensive Tackle in football! If we ever find a coach and GM to play the talent around him properly
( and I think we did!), and supply some NFL grade depth- McCoy will be an unstoppable force.
Just proves that some of you are ready of the Zombie apocalypse. To star as the Zombies, of course!!
Bowers and Clayborn are both basically 2nd year players- coming off leg injuries. Both are high character guys. Think we haven’t seen anything close to their ceiling yet. But one thing that would help them, is to have a great vet De here to learn from.
But giving up on them now?? I think only the really stupid zombies believe that’s a good idea!! And they would have cut the best DT in the league last preseason!!