Applauding Todd Bowles
February 20th, 2020
Disrespected, says analyst.
One numbers guy and gambling expert doesn’t believe Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is getting enough props.
Warren Sharp, who you may remember appeared often on local radio airwaves with Joe’s good friend, “The Big Dog,” Steve Duemig, traffics in football numbers largely for wagering purposes. But he recently ran the numbers on defenses and was blown away by the job Bowles did last season.
TB DC Todd Bowles didn’t get near the credit he deserved in yr 1:
In 2018, the Bucs D:
• ranked #32 overall & #31 vs the run
• w the #6 DEF cap hit ($89M)In 2019 w Bowles, TB:
• ranked #5 overall & #1 vs the run
• w the #21 DEF cap hit ($69M)
• against a tougher schedule— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) February 18, 2020
Not only did Bowles transform and mold a bunch of guys he never worked with before into the NFL’s top rush defense, but he also groomed the young defensive backs who got better and better as the season progressed.
Oh, and he took a largely unknown backup and built him into the NFL’s leading sacker, Shaq Barrett.
With results like that, a guy can find himself as a head coach down the road. Again.
February 20th, 2020 at 5:28 am
Bowles has made a difference.
February 20th, 2020 at 5:32 am
Well Joe….. to be honest I would say that the Passing defens was horrible for the first half of the season….. then it was say better.
But sure was un upgrade compared to 2018’s
February 20th, 2020 at 5:55 am
Wait. Our defense was ranked FIFTH overall in the entire league?!
I’ve never seen that before.
Are we sure?
Fact check!
February 20th, 2020 at 6:05 am
No Ice Cream Man.
February 20th, 2020 at 6:10 am
Another profound take by Zzbuc.
February 20th, 2020 at 6:21 am
It was light-years better compared to the steaming hot dung dropped on unsuspecting fans in 2018.
Yeah, it struggled early. But, it was aggressive and fun to watch, comparatively speaking.
February 20th, 2020 at 6:25 am
Todd … I think that Warren Sharp might have left out a few words. The only place I find the Bucs’ defense ranking #5 in any category is TAKEAWAYS (with 28) and in 3rd Down Percentage Allowed (34%) … BOTH critical categories IMO. We actually ranked above that in several other categories such as defensive plays (1,073 for a #4 ranking) and pretty close to that ranking in several others such as Opposition Yards on Average Drive (27.6 yards for a #6 ranking).
Actually in Total Yardage Allowed the Bucs’ defense came in middle of the pack at #15 (5503 yards), although in Total Points Allowed they came in #29 (449 points). But take away the 7 Pick-6s, safety & short-field scores allowed and our defense would have ranked in the middle of the pack someplace. That’s quite an accomplishment, and Todd Bowles deserves the lion’s share of the credit IMO.
February 20th, 2020 at 6:25 am
When Todd Bowles players have a chance to absorb and understand their roles in his system, is when his defense come into their own and become one of the most formative defenses in the league. Every OC’s worst nightmare. TB is a fantastic DC who hands down is better at DC than at HC. He tried it with the Jets but his forte is definitely defense.
February 20th, 2020 at 6:30 am
I agree that it is questionable we ranked #5 in overall defense…..and I also agree that Bowles didn’t receive enough credit…..and give him credit for FAs Shaq & Suh….and the great young defensive picks in the draft…..
February 20th, 2020 at 6:58 am
They need to hang on to Bowles. I knew he would make the defense a lot better and exceeded my expectations. Bowles should takeover the team after BA retires again.
February 20th, 2020 at 7:13 am
Like many said, it seemed odd to me also that he referenced the Bucs as the #5 overall defense.
February 20th, 2020 at 7:34 am
It seemed after VHIII the pass D really improved. Same goes from day 1 with GMC gone.
February 20th, 2020 at 7:57 am
Not only is he a great coach but players love playing for him. Makes Tampa an attractive spot for free agents.
February 20th, 2020 at 8:52 am
Bucs defense “gave up” 449 points but 121 of those points were off of Winston turnovers. Would love to see where they would rank at 328 points (121 subtracted from 449). I mean, 24 of winstons ints were thrown within bucs territory.
February 20th, 2020 at 8:52 am
If anything you could BLAME Bowles for it taking so long.
The defense didn’t improve as much as it got better by subtraction. BA cut McIceCream but give Bowles credit if you wish and the secondary got better once VH3 got cut in week f’n 10. Took him 3 months to realize the prettiest little buccaroo was losing game after game.
Seems like everybody in this town is sloooooow af. But but interceptions!!!! JW could have thrown 11 ints all season and the Bucs would have still lost 11 games.
February 20th, 2020 at 9:03 am
I’m thinking that Warren may be referring to the second half of the season when the pass defense improved but either way his main point is that the defense improved significantly year over year.
February 20th, 2020 at 9:11 am
I saw where the Bucs were #15 in total defense.
February 20th, 2020 at 9:14 am
Don’t forget his defenses also had to consistently start on their heels when America’s QB gave the other team the ball in great field position.
Oh man maybe the defense had such good numbers because they weren’t on the field, the offense kept giving up the touchdown directly….
February 20th, 2020 at 9:39 am
I hope he can progress some more next season. First is the advocate for Shaq to get a decent three year contract. The other thing is to find a backfield general who can make calls for the secondary to make switches during plays.
A pre-snap switch from ma coverage to zone, or vice versa, can really mess with a QB.
My idea is to trade down in round 1 to take either Delpit or McKinney. That would define the defense, there are only these two really good safeties out there.
With a second round two pick, take a QB and RB.
Round three and on are for O-line depth.
That is, if Bowles gets his D-line back.
February 20th, 2020 at 10:06 am
By far, the best and smartest thing Arians has done so far as Bucs head coach was to hire Todd Bowles.
February 20th, 2020 at 10:23 am
Wonder where we would be with a decent QB, a solid RT, and a good safety. Would have said RB, but I think Ronald Jones will do something if featured.
February 20th, 2020 at 6:32 pm
It also helped that he stopped the incessant blitzes that were getting no where except for leaving the struggling secondary unprotected. Then of course the laughing hyena was released and almost instantaneously the defense got better.
As for JWs interceptions yeah they were bad but the defensive players are paid millions of dollars to keep the other team from scoring no matter where on the field they were and too many times we saw this defense give up 1,2 3 play scores. How many times did we watch the offense score and the defense turned right around and give up a touchdown? So please the defense was more it’s own enemy than Winstons turnovers.