Legacy Time For Byron Leftwich
June 4th, 2022
Whether Bucco Bruce Arians used a literal or figurative red pen on the gameplans crafted by Byron Leftwich and Tom Brady is irrelevant at this point.
Millions of people believe it’s true.
Legendary receiver Torry Holt buys it, as does former NFL quarterback David Carr. They went there very calmly on NFL Network this week and it was not any form of a hot-take segment.
Holt believes this season, with Arians out of the picture, is a chance for Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator Leftwich to build on his legacy. Carr said it’s natural and appropriate for someone to be in charge (Arians) and make firm calls on pregame game plans, so it’s logical for Arians to do that.
Both maintained the show now belongs to Leftwich but Brady can build on his already stellar legacy via the offense getting better without Arians.
That latter point is an interesting one. If somehow the Bucs offense takes a big step backwards this season, Joe has no doubt the national spin will be that Leftwich and Brady were missing Arians’ wisdom and guidance.
Yes, Joe knows Arians is employed as a Bucs consultant. But everything sure points to him happy to be working very part-time.
June 4th, 2022 at 6:26 pm
Has Arians even been around the office?
June 4th, 2022 at 6:30 pm
Wisdom and guidance? GOB can’t think of enough antonyms. If the offense takes a step back this year, it’s because of the Godwin injury and the loss of AB. Add on the fact that Gronk is a walking blue tent, even if he returns. The passing stats will come back to earth this season, by design or otherwise. This team will go as far as the defense and running game takes them.
June 4th, 2022 at 6:35 pm
The speculations goes on and on
June 4th, 2022 at 6:48 pm
^^^ I know because nobody cares anymore. Smdh.
Is it September yet?
June 4th, 2022 at 6:50 pm
The Loss of both AB and Godwin can not be overstated. Mike Evans can not do it alone, even with Brady.
Our other receivers must pick up the slack, or we ain’t going nowhere this year.
June 4th, 2022 at 6:56 pm
I cant speak for national medias but for the Bucs fans who think Brady ran off Bruce these are the same people who told us Byron wasnt really the playcaller in 2019. According to their conspiracy it was all Arians and Byron was just an installed figure head that made no decisions. It was all for show.
The conspiracy for 2020 was that it was all Brady. According to the conspiracy Brady threw out our playbook during halftime against the Chiefs and installed an entire foriegn system.
Either these fans have brain damage or they they have a personal vendetta against Byron. Or option 3, they are right.
I just hope these fans have been wrong because if their conspiracies are true that means we dont even have an OC right now. We just got some useless dude that Arians propped up and sold to us as an OC, but in reality Byron wasnt doing anything. Except holding us back of course.
June 4th, 2022 at 7:06 pm
Who cares BA is gone for whatever reason. BL can audition for his future head coaching job or be back with the bucs in 2023.
June 4th, 2022 at 7:07 pm
Jimmy Jack, if you didn’t notice a marked difference between BAs offense and the one the bucs run now, you’re the conspiracy theorist my friend
June 4th, 2022 at 7:25 pm
Let’s see what he can do
June 4th, 2022 at 7:40 pm
GOB. I do notice the difference. But lets not pretend there are not also similarities………Godwin working the slot for 15-20 yatd gash plays says hi.
Call me crazy but when we started running new concepts starting in the 2nd half of that Chiefs game it makes more sense to me that we were actually using play designs we actully worked on in practice and were prepared to use.
If you are one of the fans who think we tossed out our entire playbook and installed a foriegn system during halftime I think you need to be fitted for a tinfoil hat. And belive me that was a narritive for some on this site.
If you wanna say Brady added some of the concepts he is familiar with and worked with the coaches(with not against) to add new plays to the playbook Id say thats pretty rational and agree. Heck just the fact he brought in Gronk at a position Bruce didnt ever use much in the passing game shows that Brady had a decent amount of pull.
June 4th, 2022 at 8:07 pm
There are other variables. Godwin recovery. Gronk? New O-linemen plugged in? It remains to be seen. Lotsa people are hanging out, waiting for an excuse to support their belief that Leftwich wasn’t really responsible for the offense the last 3 years. We call them haters.
June 4th, 2022 at 8:26 pm
Jimmy Jack, that’s a fair, rational assessment of the situation. No, I don’t think Brady completely demolished the playbook. That’s just silly. But, its much closer to the system Brady ran in NE for years, ask Bill. What I do believe is that Brady introduced concepts and plays completely foreign to BAs offense. Motioning recievers, option routes, the abolishment of the 7 step drop, just to name a few. The terminology probably mostly stayed the same. But let’s be clear, this Tom Brady’s offense, not BAs, not BLs
June 4th, 2022 at 9:28 pm
And there were other similarities too. Both systems also had a Center, Guards, Tackles, Outside Receivers, Tight Ends, and Running Backs.
June 5th, 2022 at 12:38 am
“Hey do not red line that”
Say what you want, but the Head Coach still has final say.
Wether Bruce was actually red lining or not, Uhh it comes with the territory of being an actual Head Coach.
Thankful for BA, best Head Coach the Bucs have had.
But now, it is the TB &TB12 Traveling Football Show in TB
Super Bowl or Bust.
GO BUCS!!!!!
June 5th, 2022 at 12:48 am
Do not care about the BS national media speculation.
I do think the offense gets better because BL and Brady are another year in with a great O line and great weapons. Another big reason is because I think Bowles will have one major input- run more. That opens up the play action better and rests the D more.
To me the season comes down to the d line, can they get consistent pressure?
June 5th, 2022 at 4:52 am
@GOB good point… Belichick said in a press conference before that pats game last year that he recognized all the checks and reads that Brady was using with the Bucs the past 2 seasons…. He said what the Bucs are running with Tom was exactly the same as they do it here (here being New England).
June 5th, 2022 at 6:38 am
Red-Sparrow@, Belichick said that because he wants the credit for the Bucs SB win. To say the Bucs offense mirrors the Patriots is ludicrous. The Pat’s are far more balanced and the FB is a vital part if the O. The Buc’s don’t use a FB and very little play action & motion. Sure there are.some reads to Gronk that mirror the Pat’s mostly through osmosis. The Pat’s use very few flare passes more crossing patterns when throwing to the backs and Belichick would NEVER let Brady throw as many low percentage passes as Arians did. Gronk is one hit away from the blue tent states GOB, yet he played the entire season & post season in 2020 and it took 5 fractured ribs and a punctured lung for him to miss games in 2021. That sounds reasonable for ANY player.
June 5th, 2022 at 7:20 am
I, for one…..miss BA…..I miss his sense of humor, his wide open pressers…his cocky responses to questions….
Will I miss his on the field management…..I hope not.
June 5th, 2022 at 10:58 am
Go away Pats fans….we don’t care about NE or Billichick.
Good grief I thought Mass-holes were supposed to be smart.
June 5th, 2022 at 3:17 pm
Leftwich should already be a head coach. How many times have we seen lesser coaches, who have accomplished far less get head coaching jobs? Kliff Kingsbury immediately springs to mind. F man, Lovie has had failure after failure yet still got a head coaching job. There are other examples as well. I am curious to see how he does, but he’s already proven himself to me.
I know that there are a few folks that make fun of the way that Byron talks and think that he isn’t head coaching material because of it. That argument is utter nonesense. Since when is being an impeccable speaker a job requirement to be a head coach? Go google Bum Phillips and you’ll see for yourself that it definitely is not.
June 5th, 2022 at 3:34 pm
Those high-arc passes present a more catchable ball to the receivers.
June 5th, 2022 at 5:43 pm
Imo, Brady has had “veto power” on offensive play-calling. The rest is conversation.
For example, if Brady perceives the optimal “Gronk play” set-up developing, the ball’s going to Gronk.
June 6th, 2022 at 7:37 am
Ed, I he didn’t, he wouldn’t be a Buc. Bucs1987, congratulations your lack luster post is 15 words long over the normal 7 or 8 words you struggle to come up with.
June 9th, 2022 at 5:02 pm
Hey man, leave 1987 alone.
He’s not even supposed to be here.
……he quit this site late one night several years ago.
🙄