Did Todd Bowles Have His Poker Face On Last Night?
August 21st, 2022
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
If Joe was Todd Bowles, Joe would have been all up in the grill of whoever pulled that stunt last night to leave a potential starter at the team’s thinnest position in a sh!t game with three minutes left in the third quarter against a bunch of USFL wannabes.
That’s what happened in a totally reckless if not irresponsible move that saw Bucs guard Aaron Stinnie go down with a bum knee.
The severity of Stinnie’s knee injury isn’t public yet, maybe later today. But damn if that didn’t look awful last night. Prior to the game, the Bucs didn’t know who would start at left guard come Week 1. Rookie Luke Goedeke struggled with two holding calls and a sack allowed in the second quarter alone.
And it wasn’t like Goedeke was facing Pro Bowler Jeffery Simmons.
Now, it seems Nick Leverett may be the starter by default.
Last night Bowles seemed to be wearing his poker face, saying he would have to see tape and learn of Stinnie’s diagnosis before taking additional blood pressure pills.
“We won’t know until we get x-rays,” Bowles said. “But (Luke) Goedeke, I’ve got to see the tape and looked like we couldn’t move the ball at all, regardless of who was in there.
“We’ll look at the tape. My concern isn’t as great right now. I’ll see the tape and I’ll go from there.”
This much Joe knows: The Bucs have to get another guard. The position was thin and now it is damn near transparent. Serviceable guards will flood the sidewalks in the coming days, or there should be deals to be had.
Background: Back in 2014 Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht traded for Pro Bowl left guard Logan Mankins and only gave up a reserve tight end and a fourth-round pick on Aug. 26. Today is Aug. 21. A year later, Licht found his starting center on the street, Joe Hawley, after picking up starting right guard Gosder Cherilus in mid-August following Demar Dotson’s injury.
So good players can still be had this late in the preseason.
August 21st, 2022 at 8:32 am
Exactly. Suh.
No time to panic.
August 21st, 2022 at 8:42 am
Get rid of Kyle Rudolph ASAP, he looks awful! I guess we just assumed Licht couldn’t miss on a division 2 Olineman. It’s early, but Goedeke looks lost
August 21st, 2022 at 8:43 am
#8, I’m guessing you want Suh to play Guard, right?
August 21st, 2022 at 8:47 am
He was unsteady in his speech.
Preseason sucks! The risk doesn’t match the rewards and the HC is feeling the pressure, understandably
August 21st, 2022 at 8:51 am
I agree, Kyle Rudolph looks awful and slow, and Godeke looks lost.
August 21st, 2022 at 8:52 am
Bruce will un-retire by week 4.
August 21st, 2022 at 8:57 am
We are so screwed. What a train wreck this has become and I’m angry as hell about all of it
August 21st, 2022 at 8:58 am
Baltimore has pretty amazing Guard depth and need a WR. We are loaded at receiver and need an IOL. Gotta give up something to get something and right now the most value is Scotty or Tyler. I’d rather get a great Guard from a good OL team in the Ravens than hold onto a WR6 (at this point)
….who tbh, didn’t offer much of anything last year (injury or post injury) and hasn’t done what 3 undersized UDFA WR’s have done thus far versus backup DB’s in the first 2 weeks of preseason.
If Scotty doesn’t have the Green Bay catch and the corresponding affinity, we aren’t even second-guessing picking up a possible starting Guard or quality backup (where we are “transparent” as you say) for a WR who is WR6 at best right now.
Is it ideal, no and I’d hate to Scotty go….I really would, but af this point it makes sense for a much needed IOL if we can work something out. Tyler has outplayed Scooter thus far, but Scotty still perceivably has more value and is behind on the Depth Chart.
If we didn’t need a guard or IOL so badly, I wouldn’t even say this, but I kinda started thinking prior to Stinnie going down w/ injury and by the limited offensive performances so far this preseason….and essentially against the same level of future grocery-baggers and Insurance Sales people.
Gotta give something up valuable to get something valuable in return. A starting Guard or backup IOL from a great OL team like the Ravens (that treated us kind w/ Jensen) is far more valuable to us than a WR6 or 7. That’s just the truth, Scotty homer or not….GB catch or not!
Go Bucs 🙏
August 21st, 2022 at 8:59 am
He got hurt on an Up The Gut play. Our line is a shambles and we do not have a viable back up QB. He has to look at the film. Good Grief.The only bright spots are on the D. If this continues Brady will not last long in our meatgrinder passing pocket. Two weeks to start from scratch. Brady will have to practice taking a sack w/o getting hurt. Maybe the ‘slide’ in the face of the onslaught.
August 21st, 2022 at 9:05 am
TB12 sends his best wishes….
August 21st, 2022 at 9:09 am
Whether you like Trask or not if Brady goes Ismay would it kill you to support the kid till we know what we have?
August 21st, 2022 at 9:10 am
Hopefully Donovan Smith won’t get hurt.
August 21st, 2022 at 9:13 am
HC Grover,
Agreed, defense is looking pretty good. Delaney made a few real good plays. I feel good about our DBs. The injury bug has officially moved to the offensive side of the ball. Stinnie, Ali, Jensen, Cappa. The turnover on the O line is the greatest in many years. Leftwich is going to have to be super creative this year with his play calling. Can we actually try more sweeps and tosses, instead of running up the A gap every single run play. At least White I’d a patient runner, he really could make a difference, as long as he stops the fumbles!
August 21st, 2022 at 9:16 am
Rudolph was completely washed after the Vikings…and proved it last season with his clunker of a season with The Giants. Didn’t Licht & Co. trade up for Godeke? Hitting on Marpet & Cappa may have given Licht a bit much bravado drafting these “hidden gems”. Time will tell…and Bowles is a heck of a defensive coach and loyal lieutenant…probably not head coach material. Very few coaches are after all.
August 21st, 2022 at 9:18 am
Horrific mistake drafting Goedeke and asking him to play out of position in his first year. Ingram was available at that pick and was All-Sec and a TRUE LG that was ready to start on Day 1. I warned the Bucs about this before and after the draft and now the chickens have come home to roost. Just unforgiveable to have Stinnie in the game at that juncture considering you KNEW you were super thin at Oline. Disgusted I am. I would not blame Brady if he goes back into retirement after the complete and utter mismanagement of the Oline.
August 21st, 2022 at 9:35 am
#2
Pooh
August 21st, 2022 at 9:39 am
Always panic on this website. This is preseason. Goedeke is learning. Last night was good learning by bad play. Not everyone is ready Day 1 after the draft.
Bowles want playing poker. He is just experienced enough to know this is how preparation goes.
August 21st, 2022 at 9:44 am
Cappa sat on the bench to develop……looks the same for Goedeke…
Trade Scotty if you can because you may have to cut him…….
August 21st, 2022 at 9:55 am
Dline was awesome/ pressure was great. Need to finish more sacks but their qb is pretty elusive so they will come
Running backs solid
Rachaad White should be getting playing time in regular season and he should be return guy immediately. Sorry. Maybe darden makes it as receiver since second year. Dude is not a return specialist…to slow and goes down to easily
Fatukashi needs to get spot over big hair dont care stuard
Feel better about punter. Succop will win fg. Tops out at around 52 yards which is fine with brady at qb.
Britt had a horrible game and that makes me real nervous. Inside linebacker needs to be 1st or 2nd round pick next year
Bucs need 2 new olineman before start of this year. Titans were right calling leverette that name. Sorry. Him and walton and stinnie are not starter material. Very average at best
JTS needs to slow down like devin white. They dont realize how fast they are sometimes and overrun the play. JTS had good game though and will be fine. Made some nice plays in run game too
August 21st, 2022 at 9:56 am
ModHairKen,
We’ll be have O lineman going down like dominos, and Brady MIA with BS explanations coming out of One Buc, what else should we be doing. Name me a time a starting QB took a 2week hiatus during training camp?
August 21st, 2022 at 10:01 am
Tretter also. You don’t have to trade anyone for him, just cut Rudolph unless he’s fully guaranteed (probably is, crap). Rudolph can’t block but at least he’s slow and doesn’t know what he’s doing.
One bright spot on O in the second half of the horror show was Sneak. That line couldn’t have made a hole in soft Swiss cheese but Sneak found a way to get over 5 yards a carry, including a nice bounce when there was nothing there in Byron’s hole.
August 21st, 2022 at 10:05 am
Agree that there was no reason to play so late in the 3rd quarter, he is a potential starter and now is probably lost.
Goedeke sure looks like he needs time. Constantly beaten yesterday and a few times really bad.
We need a pkayer now to help inside, not enough depth and the quality is dropping
August 21st, 2022 at 10:14 am
Is Brady back yet???? The titans game is over! Let’s see how much BS gets spewed this week
August 21st, 2022 at 10:20 am
But Joe we already did the whole trade for a good guard that belicheat didn’t want…..if we didn’t do that already we would be deep in it.
August 21st, 2022 at 10:27 am
Todd Bowles is great. His track record as a HC speaks for itself. Just championship caliber all the way around. We are truly blessed.
August 21st, 2022 at 10:32 am
ErikTheViking,
I see what you did there, lol. We could lose D Smith and Wirfs for the seasons, and people on this website would say relax.
August 21st, 2022 at 11:00 am
NCBucFan…. you are NOT allowed to question ANY explanations out of OBP! Everything is fine. Is Brady back tomorrow? If so, great. No harm. But if he’s not, and Bucs say “I don’t know” to questions of where he is…. DON’T YOU DARE question it. Remain calm. All is well.
August 21st, 2022 at 11:04 am
Rob in Land,
I know right, all hail Brady, all hail Bowles, Lol!
August 21st, 2022 at 11:05 am
My PTSD is coming back from the lost +decade. At least our defense will be better than it was then.
August 21st, 2022 at 11:10 am
Im thinking the Bucs have been planning to pick up a vet LG when the time is right (NOW) and more options become available over this next week. If that was the plan all along then it makes sense for Stinnie, fighting for the LG2 position to be in the game.i just can’t phathom stinnie or goedeke as the options for LG1. Just, no.
If that wasn’t the plan, then having him in there was meant to get him more snaps prior to game 1. After all, the dude needs all the work he can get against as many different players as possible prior to getting turnstilednin game 1 @Dallas.
Total cluster, but at least now it is clear what JL has to do. Get some veteran uglies in the payroll
August 21st, 2022 at 11:23 am
See me in December. This team is fine. Every team has issues. None is perfect. Look at the playing talent. The coaching talent. The front office talent. Compare it to any year since 1976. This is a superior team on multiple levels.
Panicking does not change anything.
August 21st, 2022 at 11:26 am
ModHair,
I really hope so!!!
August 21st, 2022 at 11:32 am
Great point, Joe. They tried to get cute. No reason to pull Luke in a trash game. This was his game to play.
I’ve always been a big fan of Nick Leverett. I thought Nick played really good against the Rams and von Miller last year in Tristan’s absence. I’d say he is the best pass blocker of the the group competition and is better suited for guard anyway.
August 21st, 2022 at 11:32 am
It’s after Tennessee now … Where’s Tom??
August 21st, 2022 at 11:38 am
Breaking!!!!! Bowles just said Tom will return after the Colts
game!
August 21st, 2022 at 11:42 am
Has anyone bothered to ask why Stennie was in the game when he was hurt?
August 21st, 2022 at 12:01 pm
Is there anything more useless than a semi-informed fan with an opinion? Injuries suck. EVERY team has to deal them. We have two weeks to get ready for the Dallas game. I will judge the teams decisions and choices after that game. And more over after the first several games.
August 21st, 2022 at 12:15 pm
NCBucsFan says: “My PTSD is coming back from the lost +decade. At least our defense will be better than it was then.”
Exactly! LOL
August 21st, 2022 at 12:28 pm
Tried to tell you that Bowles is NOT Head Coach material after Brady forced BA upstairs. Got reemed for it. Whatcha think now? 🙄. Go Bucs
August 21st, 2022 at 12:55 pm
The thing about leadership is the top is responsible for all the mistakes and miscues going down the chain of command.
Todd is at fault and Todd is in over his head.
If we didn’t have the possibility of Tom coming back and running the show this team would be screwed. Not because there is a lack of talent but because there is a lack of leadership.
August 21st, 2022 at 2:19 pm
Erik must be a slimy aints fan…..
August 21st, 2022 at 2:40 pm
MonkeyMan Says:
August 21st, 2022 at 8:57 am
Overreact much? It’s frickin’ preseason and we’re playing a bunch of backups and pizza delivery professionals.
August 21st, 2022 at 7:48 pm
Joe, you hit the freaking nail on the head. Why was a guy who started three playoff games including the Super Bowl at guard playing in the 2’nd half with a bunch of guys who will be wanting to know if you want fries with that cheeseburger this time next week. I’m not sure what the coaches thought they could possibly see or get out of him being in the game. I mean it wasn’t like we were missing four starters from last years offensive line, oh that’s right we are. So put in a guy you already know can play at an NFL level with a bunch of slugs and lose him for the season. Who made that bonehead decision?