Todd Bowles Defends Starting Luke Goedeke
September 9th, 2022
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
Until Luke Goedeke demonstrates on an NFL field that he is just as good as most other left guards, Bucs fans are going to hound him. Joe gets it.
It’s an all-or-nothing season with an immobile 45-year old quarterback who is your meal ticket. Goedeke is a rookie at a new position and no one has seen him play in the NFL yet (preseason is not real football, sorry folks). So of course there is going to be apprehension about Goedeke if not fear.
Most fans simply don’t trust a player they don’t know, never heard of prior to the draft or haven’t seen play. Especially when the stakes are so high. This afternoon, Bucs coach Todd Bowles tried to calm Bucs fans down about Goedeke.
Long story short, Bowles noted that the Bucs aren’t scared to start rookies they believe can handle the job.
“I don’t think any rookie is going to be polished the first time starting,” Bowles confessed. “But [Antoine] Winfield has started. [Sean Murphy-]Bunting and [Jamel] Dean have played quite a bit [as rookies] and Devin [White] has started from Day 1.
“We’ve played rookies here before. We understand the things he has to learn in the pass game. But he has done a lot of good things for us and we don’t think he has that much to learn.”
Joe is confident if Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht or (most importantly) Tom Brady or Bowles thought Goedeke was not up to the task then he wouldn’t be starting. If Goedeke demonstrates the NFL lights are a bit too bright for him, they will adjust.
Last week on his podcast “GM Shuffle,” former NFL suit Michael Lombardi was talking about the Cowboys’ offensive line and how they seem to want to go outside the organization for help rather than turning to guys inside the organization they drafted and groomed to someday play.
You drafted and trained these guys for a reason, Lombardi said, so go ahead and put them in there.
That’s basically what Licht and Bowles are doing. They drafted Goedeke (and Robert Hainsey) for a reason. Those reasons are now upon us. Let’s see if they can swim.
September 9th, 2022 at 1:36 pm
He’s been practicing against some of the best (and definitely the biggest) since July. If they say he’s ready, he’s ready.
September 9th, 2022 at 1:42 pm
How do you become experienced if you don’t do it? I said before camp the LG job was Goedeke’s the day they drafted him. Hainsey was always going to be the back up center. Like Marpet was drafted to start, so was Luke. You can say Goedeke is our new Marpet. Sunday starts what we can hope is a 10 year pro bowl career for Luke.
September 9th, 2022 at 1:44 pm
Wirfs also started as a rookie. Calm down people, everything is going to be fine.
September 9th, 2022 at 1:49 pm
Tom trusts him so I will. I doubt he’d have someone blocking for him and he didn’t think he could get the job done.
September 9th, 2022 at 1:50 pm
At some point you have to play…….I mean, what other options do we really have?
I am a bit surprised we didn’t bring anyone in….even for depth….
September 9th, 2022 at 2:03 pm
I think it was a Bucs coach who once said “you don’t draft Offensive linemen high just to train them to play for someone else later on.”
September 9th, 2022 at 2:04 pm
There will be some growing pains, but the hope is he improves from now til the playoffs. That’s when it will really matter. Just don’t get our QB killed in the meantime please!
September 9th, 2022 at 2:08 pm
More concerned with the issue of depth than the starters…surprising no moves were made for depth in the interior if no starters hit the wire.
September 9th, 2022 at 2:11 pm
“But [Antoine] Winfield has started. [Sean Murphy-]Bunting and [Jamel] Dean have played quite a bit [as rookies] and Devin [White] has started from Day 1.”
My Momma say’s: “But they weren’t protecting a 45 y/o immobile QB.”
“If Goedeke demonstrates the NFL lights are a bit too bright for him, they will adjust.”
My Momma say’s: ” I think Goedeke will work out just fine in the long haul, but this is playing Russian Roulette right now. It might be too late for ol’Tommy Boy by the time Goedeke starts adjusting to th NFL. It only takes one hit.”
September 9th, 2022 at 2:14 pm
Like I said before: You can’t teach experience. They gotta play, and when they do, I hope we don’t pick apart their first soiree.
September 9th, 2022 at 2:20 pm
My Momma say’s: “Marpet also wasn’t protecting a 45 y/o immobile QB. when he started.”
September 9th, 2022 at 2:24 pm
OJT
He’ll figure things out, he’ll be tested early and often.
September 9th, 2022 at 2:24 pm
Goedeke and Hainsey are the future.
September 9th, 2022 at 2:30 pm
Those players listed weren’t making position changes! People seem to forget that fact when discussing Hainsey and Goedeke. Joe and Bowles are trying to gaslight us.
September 9th, 2022 at 2:30 pm
The inexperience is not likely to get Brady injured, because when all is said and done, you grab the defender and take him to the ground before you let him touch the 45 yo qb. The inexperience will cause penalties, which will stall drives. This can still be mitigated by keeping the other team from scoring as frequently. I am expecting full team efforts this season versus the offense carrying the team so often like they did last year.
September 9th, 2022 at 2:31 pm
“But [Antoine] Winfield has started. [Sean Murphy-]Bunting and [Jamel] Dean have played quite a bit [as rookies] and Devin [White] has started from Day 1.
My Momma say’s: ” They weren’t protecting a 45 y/o immobile QB either.”
September 9th, 2022 at 2:41 pm
It’s all about the DEFENSE. Let’s go. Healthy starters for the first time since the Super Bowl.
September 9th, 2022 at 3:13 pm
“Most fans” comments with that draft pick said there is our starting left guard when they watched his tape. Don’t freak out, he can’t be worse than Caleb Benenoch and we survived it just fine
September 9th, 2022 at 3:23 pm
When looking at the Bucs record with Benenoch, there weren’t many wins happening.
September 9th, 2022 at 3:34 pm
So many Joebucs posters acting like Brady will get hurt this year.
I just don’t see it.
September 9th, 2022 at 3:41 pm
Look for 85% of snaps from the shotgun 😂
September 9th, 2022 at 3:44 pm
TBBF … You nailed it; ‘what other options do we really have?’
Like you & others, I’m more concerned with DEPTH in certain position groups than I am worried about our starters.
With these first games especially, I agree with Goatfarmer: ‘It’s all about the DEFENSE’. Oh we’ll score points no doubt, but victory or defeat against teams like the Cowboys, Saints, Packers & Chiefs will depend on how our defense performs. Watching Buffalo last night, they’ll be really tough to beat over in the AFC (31-10 win is impressive when your offense turns it over 4 times). Bills defense kicked ass; I’d love to see our defense play at a similar level here early in the season.
September 9th, 2022 at 3:45 pm
Pound the Rock!!!
September 9th, 2022 at 3:46 pm
@My Momma Says:
You’re missing the point. No matter if the rookie is an olineman protecting Tom Brady or playing on defense, the only way to get experience is to play them, yes there will be mistakes, but hopefully that is mitigated to a point. Drew Brees, Payton Manning all had rookie linemen at some point.
September 9th, 2022 at 3:49 pm
My momma says I don’t know when to capitalize or when to use apostrophes.
September 9th, 2022 at 3:52 pm
Defense Rules, the scariest thing from that game, was Allen’s passer rating with two picks. One was totally on the reciever, but a 112 rating with two picks is unheard of. The AFC is in big trouble. Unless they get the injury bug, they will be incredibly hard to beat. They have a tremendous defense to boot.
September 9th, 2022 at 3:55 pm
The bills did look good but I really couldn’t judge how good because the rams looked like a mess of a team. Matt Gay looked good 🤣
September 9th, 2022 at 3:56 pm
Yeah, the Bills looked good but I the Rams looked equally as bad.
I think Cincy and the Colts will have something to say about who is the best in the AFC.
KC is gonna realize McHomeboy was a splash in the pan.
I am pulling for Matty Ice getting his rematch against the GOAT!
September 9th, 2022 at 4:24 pm
Matty ice against the Goat … I like it!
September 9th, 2022 at 4:25 pm
Use the force Luke…
Forget #90 for Indy – Grover Stewart – rag-dolling you on our own 10 yard line three plays in a row.
LOL…
I had no doubt the Bills were going to trample the Rams and I’m so glad they did.
September 9th, 2022 at 5:45 pm
Luke is going to be completely manhandled . Brady will likely get knocked out of the game.
This whole offensive line imbroglio is the ultimate sign of management incompetence . Here the Bucs are with The Goat who is in prime form as evidenced by being rated number one by his peers . However are management is too cheap, naive or ,mostly likely , has to be an ego to admit they have screwed up
September 9th, 2022 at 6:30 pm
If it fails, I’ll say again, Luke is a RT (he was in college)…put Wirfs at LG…i know it sounds silly, but trust me on this!
September 9th, 2022 at 6:35 pm
You can support him with double teams, rb’s chipping, TE motion, etc
We have 3 BLUE CHIP OL and a guy that looks the part at C
And everyone agrees one thing he CAN do is run block
Establish the run game and he is instantly a better pass protector
September 9th, 2022 at 6:35 pm
Luke will be fine, and of course he will make a few mistakes. He is a rookie.
I have learned to trust Jason Licht, when it comes to finding offensive linemen.
I understand everyone’s concerns, but I think we will be ok.
The Cowboys are basically a one receiver team. We all saw what happens to a one receiver team on Thursday Night. The Rams are now a one receiver team, since Odell Beckham left. All the Cowboys really have is Cee Dee Lamb.
No way the Cowboys can match our firepower.
September 9th, 2022 at 7:08 pm
I’m sure that Gisele signed off on Luke starting.
September 9th, 2022 at 7:26 pm
BigMac – Geezie is signing her buyout clause if she’s signing anything.
Dump the dud, Tommy! LFG!
September 9th, 2022 at 9:14 pm
Bills look like a solid contender. Tough defense and impressive qb. Talent at every position really. Sputtered in the second quarter but just totally dominated the second half. Rams did not look like the defending superbowl champs except for Cooper.
September 9th, 2022 at 9:15 pm
If this were a young expansion team with a long term time horizon, you go ahead and test unproven rookies and new guys, and expect nothing but progress and long-term development. You can hedge the bets and GRADUALLY transition in new guys to get their reps alongside veterans.
But this is supposed to be all-in “this is it” for TB12, finale. Supposed to be one final opportunity for old man at 45 riding a veteran team to one last SB. Elway got that luxury twice. Peyton Manning, once.
Instead Brady gets difficulties for his last run.
September 9th, 2022 at 9:15 pm
At this point, arguing with $150 million in smart coaches, players and execs, smart fans and talented writers is not a productive use of what little brainpower I have. So, best of luck, Luke. I do think you will be good in time. Just keep tom etc safe. If you have to tackle your guy. Whatever. Prove me wrong, in that I think you need time. Prove you are the right choice today. Please.. I want to be wrong.
September 9th, 2022 at 9:50 pm
hainsey can pass block,,,,he’s not jensen in the run game…goedeke gets his hands outside the frame….expect some holding calls
September 9th, 2022 at 10:15 pm
“Most fans simply don’t trust a player they don’t know, never heard of prior to the draft or haven’t seen play.”
——————
Who cares? Most fans are morons.
Fact: Licht knows more about offensive lineman than you do.
In fact if most the idiots in here were listened to, we’d have ran off Smith years ago and Cappa would have been cut in the preseason of the year that he started, because that preseason, he looked way worse than Goedeke. Yet, once the season began, he was perfectly fine – didn’t stand out at all, which is great for an offensive lineman.
September 10th, 2022 at 5:49 am
@Steele. I agree this is an all in season, but Brady isn’t riding anything. This is nowhere near Manning’s final season not even close. This is a QB driven offense and a lot has already been placed on his shoulders his enter time with us. This season is also not even comparably to Elway’s last season.Yes, Brady needs some parts around him like most aging stars, but Let’s not pretend like Tom is some passenger in the car. This offense did put up record numbers with him under center. It’s not like Manning riding his defense to a title or TD pushing Elway over the hump. To compare him to Manning and Elway’s final seasons is absurd. They were booth cooked, and offered basically nothing to their team, but We do agree that the line is a liability until proven otherwise.