Take That, Wade Phillips!
September 29th, 2019
Playcaller power
Joe is so damn tickled by what the Bucs offense accomplished on the road against a stout Rams defense and their legendary defensive coordinator.
What a job Byron Leftwich did today and it bodes extremely well for the future. Six offensive touchdowns and two field goals against a Wade Phillips defense and Aaron Donald.
“The situational calls were on point,” former Bucs tight end John Gilmore said of Leftwich on the team’s radio postgame show.
Joe would nitpick some of Lefwich’s red zone decisions. Joe would love to see even more aggression. But the scoreboard tells the story; Leftwich was in command and anyone who doubted him as a full-time coordinator might want to put that thought in the toilet and think of him in a different light after the first quarter of this season.
Joe can’t stop wondering what Leftwich might have really called on the key red-zone 3rd-and-2 last week against the Giants if Bucco Bruce Arians hadn’t stripped him of that one call. Damn, the Bucs should be 3-1.
Regardless, Joe likes how Leftwich hasn’t forced the deep ball and the way he uses the backs out of the backfield, even if they’re not the most talented catch-and-run guys. His staff has the run game improved and the offensive line has been much more good than bad.
It was interesting during the TV broadcast hearing the announcers talking about how impressed legendary QB guru Tom Moore has been with Leftwich. Per Chris Myers and Moose Johnston, Moore believes Leftwich is definitely head coach material.
It should be important to note that playcaller confidence can be very important, sometimes it can be important as a players’ confidence. Leftwich has to be feelin’ it right now.
September 29th, 2019 at 8:47 pm
Finally a joyful Sunday. Wins do have a unique way of brightening spirits and generating optimism.
September 29th, 2019 at 8:51 pm
Called it all week. A rat backed in to a corner… FRIKKEN ATTACKS!!
Bucs Win! Bucs Win!
September 29th, 2019 at 8:52 pm
Yup indeed Pruritus. Leftwich called a great game today!
September 29th, 2019 at 8:53 pm
It’s good to see him getting better, because week 1 and week 2, he was awful and incredibly predictable. But last week they came out strong – then he tried to sit on a lead (although in fairness the offense more than did it’s job). This week however was the complete game, they didn’t sit on the lead at halftime.
We’ll see how he continues to adjust to things, but the offense looked really sharp and really quick today. Winston is clearly a lot more comfortable now than he was in week 1 and 2, and is playing with swagger.
Great job today.
September 29th, 2019 at 8:54 pm
Impressive win.
Hope?
September 29th, 2019 at 8:55 pm
Put up 50 points a week and were in the playoffs. Seriously, yayyyyy
September 29th, 2019 at 8:56 pm
Another observation.
Had the feeling that the NFL (refereeing) wanted the Bucs to lose that game. Quite a few very questionable calls.
September 29th, 2019 at 8:56 pm
Throwing on early downs and kept trying to score all game!!! More Rojo carries!!
September 29th, 2019 at 8:58 pm
here are the facts:
1-We are 2-2.
2-Godwin
3-Shaq
4-I’m stoked
September 29th, 2019 at 9:02 pm
Ricordo – That’s literally been the case my entire life, pretty much all small market teams except the Packers seem to always get screwed by the calls against big market teams.
September 29th, 2019 at 9:03 pm
I’ve been down on Leftwich since he was hired but he called a great game
September 29th, 2019 at 9:07 pm
Very impressive game by our offense and great pass rushing for a full 60mins by our DL. Now for are back field, they need some work. They were giving up a lot of pass plays up the middle all game . It shouldn’t have been a close game like this if they would just play better pass D . That’s one area they need to work on in practice and better tackling by the DBs, they gave up a lot of yards after the catch . Let’s celebrate this Win today the BUCS earned it ! Go BUCS!!
September 29th, 2019 at 9:13 pm
I agree with those upset at the officiating but it was bad for both sides of the ball.
In fact I would say NFL officiating is uniformly bad right now and not biased…just calling the game with tight collars.
The two calls on the ROJO runs were the most disappointing but they made some calls against the RAms too including one that either Myers or Moose wrote off as a make up call.
September 29th, 2019 at 9:16 pm
Wade’s late father, Bum Phillips, would have had his 96th birthday today. He woulda took his’n and beat your’n, then take your’n and beat his’n. But we beat his son’s’n.
September 29th, 2019 at 9:17 pm
RIP and happy birthday Bum, sorry bout whoopin your boy today
September 29th, 2019 at 9:30 pm
Alex Cappa was great today against Aaron Donald.
RoJo really belongs to the NFL.
Vita Vea is a manbeast.
Whitehead and Edwards, despite some mistakes, are solid
Carlton Davis had a good day. I think he is improving every week
Add Evans, Marpet, Godwin, Howard and hopefully Devin White to the mix and it seems that we have a lot of young talent.
Winston had a superstar day and if he can keep playing like the last three games, BA deserves a statue at RayJay for giving us a legit franchise QB out of a former TO machine.
Matt Gay is still a question mark, but made his job today.
Jensen, David, Suh, Nassib and even Donovan Smith played well, too.
Shaq is a monster, Licht must make him millionaire ASAP.
On the other hand, VH3 is a nickel, nothing more.
Stewart is garbage, no hopes here
Minter simply cannot be a starter
SMB looks like a bust so far, but it’s still to soon, I hope that he improves thru the season.
Bottom line, fix the secondary and we can beat any team in this league
September 29th, 2019 at 9:32 pm
Kobe
Where you at
GO BUCS
September 29th, 2019 at 10:05 pm
A plus to the offensive line
September 29th, 2019 at 10:20 pm
Bojim Says:
“Put up 50 points a week and were in the playoffs. Seriously, yayyyyy”
You’re right and why not?
September 29th, 2019 at 10:31 pm
I am amazed at how good the play calling was today. Leftwich is going to be in very high demand if the offense keeps performing like this.
September 29th, 2019 at 10:31 pm
It was so awesome to watch us convert drives into touchdowns rather than stalling out and kicking field goals most of the day.
September 29th, 2019 at 10:38 pm
Kobe Sucker, MAGAdouche, Buttsore, and el Buco Estupido, suck it! Y’all don’t know spit about football. Stop embarrassing yourselves with your lame Gaytors Jameis takes.
September 29th, 2019 at 11:14 pm
“I dropped my Dad off at OBT
He lost big again and owes money to his bookie
4 months of foodstamps down the drain
He will have to walk the streets for a month.
So sad
He is the one with the blond wig and daisy dukes”
Son of Kobe Faker
September 30th, 2019 at 12:52 am
Put up 50pts a week and you’re winning out all the way to the SB and everyone on offense is going into the HOF.
September 30th, 2019 at 12:56 am
Bruce Arians RETIRES after the 2021 season and a Super Bowl win (and assures himself of a HOF selection) and then Leftwich takes over for the next decade and makes sweet music with Jameis … THAT can be the future!
September 30th, 2019 at 5:33 am
Lets pump the brakes on leftwich shall we? I’ll give credit where its due….and he is due credit for ONE GAME. ONE! And I’m willing to bet that Arians had somr input durimg the week on how to attack, but he had one good game as an oc through 4.
September 30th, 2019 at 8:17 am
@Tmaxcon
“4-I’m stoked”
Are you feeling ok, Tmax? That response may just be the single most positive thing I’ve seen you say on this website since I started coming here a few years ago.
September 30th, 2019 at 8:56 am
Tmax, is that really you?
Kobe, at least you have the balls to show up… and be funny!
September 30th, 2019 at 9:04 am
Agree we should be 3-1 right now with a showdown game coming up in NOLA. I think anyone would have taken 2-2 after 4, just don’t think many would have picked the 2 wins. Go Bucs!