An Unhealthy Step Backwards
October 16th, 2022
Seven days and five hours ago, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht was very bullish on rookie left guard Luke Goedeke and first-time-starter center Robert Hainsey.
Hainsey played very well against the Falcons immediately following Licht’s comments and Goedeke was decent against Atlanta’s Pro Bowl DT Grady Jarrett.
Today? Well, both were overmatched against Pittsburgh.
Joe expected these kinds of days from Goedeke and Hainsey, but it’s painful to see them have them simultaneously and to know they took a small step backwards in their development.
Again, it’s the Steelers, and Goedeke and Hainsey have young fresh legs.
Joe’s not questioning the effort of the two young O-linemen, and perhaps that’s what’s most troubling of all.
Protecting Tom Brady is Priority 1 for the offense. It’s an all-in season. Yeah, they’re young players but they have to keep progressing. And if they show too much weakness, defensive coordinators will take advantage.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:53 pm
LICHT IS A HUGE FAILURE
He would’ve have been fired had Brady not chose to play here
October 16th, 2022 at 5:54 pm
Stop sticking up for Brady !! He’s checked out understandably and would rather have Bruce back then seeing a 45 year old with a torn labrum. Still no one can comment about how he dealt with Bill, but couldn’t deal with Bruce for 2 years ?? Lmao
October 16th, 2022 at 5:59 pm
Brady has no confidence in his pass protection. He could be audibling out of these first down Leftwich run left atrocities but isn’t because he can’t plant and survey the field. The Steelers tremches were much better than the Bucs trenches, Plain and simple.
And on defense, more busted assignments. Even Winfield got into the act. This backs up what I’ve thought about Bowels trying to be smarter than everyone, leaving his own players in doubt of what they are doing.
Trade, FA, whatever. Something needs to change now.
We can’t pick up a 3rd or 4th and short, but at least we give up 3rd and 15 to Mirch Trubicky over and over.
Glazers — are you watching what we are watching? There’s no excuse for it.
And, Suh.
October 16th, 2022 at 6:01 pm
Bowles and Leftwich — totally out-coached;
Horrible loss to a team that came into the game with one win…
3-3: An overachievement for Todd Bowles…
October 16th, 2022 at 6:01 pm
Can we finally stop talking about the Super Bowl and realize we’re going to struggle to win our division? The sooner the better.
October 16th, 2022 at 6:02 pm
The Glazers must be embarrassed by the way this team has fallen apart and gone soft
October 16th, 2022 at 6:02 pm
Aikeem Hicks
Julio Jones
Cole Beasley
Russell Gage
Kyle Rudolph
Patrick Laird
Gio Bernard
So far, the retread FA signees haven’t worked out
October 16th, 2022 at 6:03 pm
we are 3-3 and our coaches sux. but at least we has an nfl team. it looks bad for the stupor bowl chances now. but we got a team in tampa still. we will have a lot of new coaches and players next year. this coach team is heading for the bottom.
October 16th, 2022 at 6:08 pm
I’ll have what Grover’s having!
October 16th, 2022 at 6:08 pm
Godwin looks like a shell of himself.
Gage is a bust.
Who knows if Julio even traveled today
We only have 1 good receiver right now in ME.
This is a average football team. Not bad, not good but completely mediocre. 8-9 here we come!
October 16th, 2022 at 6:09 pm
IT DOESNT MATTER!!! WWF style.
This NEW NFL is a joke. Mine as well give these players open mics and let them start talking up the games cause NO ONE believes this crap is for real anymore.
GAMBLING HAS RUINED THE NFL.
If I was a gambler I would be HAPPY like the majority of the population. This is the No-longer Fun League
October 16th, 2022 at 6:11 pm
Again, why would u think Leftwitch and Bowles are any good when they got fired from NY.
October 16th, 2022 at 6:12 pm
Did the entire Bucs organization get BORED recently?
October 16th, 2022 at 6:12 pm
@CrackWise
You could be exactly right.
Always always always follow the money.
Howard regrets spending 3 hours of his life watching the game today
October 16th, 2022 at 6:16 pm
Joe loves to blast the OLine – and they were beaten today, but that last defensive stand by Bucs was a disgrace – started off with an 8 yard run off right tackle and 2 3rd and long conversions- didn’t even give Brady and offense a chance. The front 4 could provide no pressure on their own – except Nassib and Nelson – and they don’t play but 25% of plays
October 16th, 2022 at 6:16 pm
Sorry guys – this team is toast.
It’s sad to see Brady clearly prioritizing things off the field and not be willing or able to provide all those ‘leadership’ intangibles he had praised through his entire career.
It’s interesting how so many of the other greats overstayed their welcome as evidenced by their diminished physical abilities, while Brady has clearly overstayed by being completely emotionally drained. He physically is still near peak levels.
But the magic is gone…
October 16th, 2022 at 6:17 pm
If Bowles were a leader he would have stepped in.
October 16th, 2022 at 6:17 pm
The Rams and Bucs look like they’re paying back the league for those Super Bowl wins.. NFL is rigged
October 16th, 2022 at 6:18 pm
Can just fire Leftwich and make Brady OC
October 16th, 2022 at 6:19 pm
I think Brady does not care anymore. I feel like his attitude is I’ll do
my part and you do yours and whatever happens whether it works or not, i dont care. It’s no longer my job to motivate these bunch of overpaid players if they cant motivate themselves. …. jmho
October 16th, 2022 at 6:19 pm
Howard Cosell
I was already starting to withdraw from the game after the Cowgirl cried about getting put on his butt and everyone called Lenny dirty.
Then the Roughing the QB calls that seemingly justified the call against DW today. WHICH oh by the way allowed Pitt to score a TD.
I am 100 percent confident now. To many retired players have said it and now I see it. This game is 100% rigged.
Even on the official NFL site. They give credit to the “SCRIPT WRITERS” after some of these close and UNPREDICTABLE games.
NFL is a LESS entertaining WWF!!!
October 16th, 2022 at 6:20 pm
iTs so funny that Brady is being blasted for not providing leadership intangibles… WHY CANT THE COACHES provide tangible leadership? Huh./.. WT ever-loving F
October 16th, 2022 at 6:21 pm
And your right Jack Sparrow. He sees the writing on the TBowles and BLeft wall and its done with propping them up. Get BA back in there to scream at folks..
October 16th, 2022 at 6:22 pm
Joe… put as many articles out about that left guard. Defensive tackle are probably on the sidelines fighting each other to get a chance to line up in front of him. He is truly that bad. He is not Marpet, but they are forcing him out there. He needs a year or two to get stronger. And it’s affecting the LT and center. If Jensen wasn’t hurt he could help, but the center is trying to find his way. I promise you it’s the left side. Brady knows he has to throw it quickly, if not pressure is coming quickly from either the LT or LG getting beat.
October 16th, 2022 at 6:22 pm
Guzzie Says:
October 16th, 2022 at 6:18 pm
Can just fire Leftwich and make Brady OC
Yes please
October 16th, 2022 at 6:24 pm
To me the most telling play of the entire game was the attempted quarterback sneak and the offensive line was blown so far in the backfield it looked like Brady’s legs were going to be sawed in half. I’ve watched Brady a long time, he is one of the best QB sneakers of all time. Never have I seen what happened on that play. Mind boggling!
October 16th, 2022 at 6:31 pm
The O Line FAILED . Brady was nervous the entire game-worried about being hit ..We had Evans , Godwin & Gage–the 1st string.. yet Brady had 25 completions for 243 yrds===10yrds/pass !! that tells you a lot about the O-Line failures..
Licht has had 2 1/2 months to get proven O-Line guys & did Nothing .Now he has 2 wks !!!!!
Why we still have Bernard, Hicks , Rudolf & darden on the roster is a mystery to me ??
October 16th, 2022 at 6:31 pm
@Goatfarmer is correct.
Now the blueprint is out on the Bucs. Do whatever you have to do to pressure Brady early, rattle him, overload the inexperienced offensive line and takeaway the Bucs run game. Then play zone and make them dink and dunk up the turf only to settle for field goals.
Gotta fix it ASAP. Secret is out.
October 16th, 2022 at 6:32 pm
I’m calling out ian Beckles… come out of retirement and fix that left side. And you get to be in Donovan’s ear…. all game..
October 16th, 2022 at 6:33 pm
LG pre-season competition: Stinnie, Hainsey and Goedeke. Jensen gets hurt on day 2 so Hainsey becomes the C. Skinnier gets hurt and is out for the year during pre-season. Goedeke is handed the job as a rookie trying to convert from T in college to G in the NFL.
No wonder he is struggling. Good for at least one penalty and one QB hit each game — on a good day.
October 16th, 2022 at 6:36 pm
“Aikeem Hicks
Julio Jones
Cole Beasley
Russell Gage
Kyle Rudolph
Patrick Laird
Gio Bernard“
YES, Mr. “BuxfaninTX!” I ‘thought’ the whole reasoning for moving off of ‘JPP & Suh,’ was to get MUCH “Younger!?” That’s all I heard towards the end of last season & all off-season… From literally, EVERYONE. And, then they go out & sign a BUNCHA ‘old’ guys… Like, WTF!?
October 16th, 2022 at 6:37 pm
LakelandSteve – To me the most telling play of the entire game was the attempted quarterback sneak and the offensive line was blown so far in the backfield it looked like Brady’s legs were going to be sawed in half. I’ve watched Brady a long time, he is one of the best QB sneakers of all time. Never have I seen what happened on that play. Mind boggling!
Exactly this.
Brady will not stand there and get hurt. He isn’t playing bad, he’s playing smart for his health. Licht and the coaches are trying to get him killed with the play calls and OL bunk. It will go down as his worst season ever, but it has NOTHING to do with skill or buy-in… It has to do with GM and coaching incompetence in a must-win year.
October 16th, 2022 at 6:40 pm
Now the NFL is rigged lol 😂😂😂 ok so next week if Brady throws for 350 and 4 touchdowns and we win will it be rigged if that happens?? Man shut up it’s time to move on from Brady next year!!
October 16th, 2022 at 6:43 pm
When is it Brady fault?? Remember he makes every one good remember??
October 16th, 2022 at 6:45 pm
When he retires.
October 16th, 2022 at 6:45 pm
I agree with you guys that BL and TB are not great coaches. Bowles is good but not great. Leftovers is a good high school OC. But in their defense… the GM picked up, how many contributors in the offseason? How many people to come in to make us better that are actually doing just that? Remember we picked up Shaq, remember we picked up JPP, and Suh and Brady and Jensen… difference makers. This year, Julio, Gage, Rudolph, Hicks, ryan… those are major problems people… compounded by really shaky play calling, bad o line play (c, LG, LT), and not football intelligent, hurt, and undermanned defense.
October 16th, 2022 at 6:50 pm
Here is to people getting healthy and playing better… if not, here’s to another 15 years of really really bad football. Remember when other team got going on the bucs… have won a good all year, here comes the bucs. Have gotten a TD all year, here comes the bucs. Never return a kick off in the history of your team, here comes the bucs. Hey, we picked up a HB off the streets, he rushes for 200 yards against the bucs… crazy
October 16th, 2022 at 6:58 pm
W.T.F!?
I am Disgusted! Nobody did their part! I hate to say it but Brady also SUCKED! And honestly I can’t blame it all on him. Someone commented above commented about Godwin being a shell of himself. BUDDY, YOU COULDN’T BE MORE RIGHT+ He has lost ALL of his mojo! Then again Brady continued to throw it by his ANKLES all day. No Connection There and THAT’S FOR SURE!
Godickie? FORGET ABOUT IT! WHAT A JOKE! What I witnessed today was the TRUE definition of a HUMAN TURNSTILE! That dude couldn’t stop a little girl!
WHERE IS THE LEADER OF THIS TEAM? You people better damn well JUMP QUICKLY TO YOUR KNEES AND BEG BRUCE ARIANS TO COME BACK AND SAVE THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION! I suggest throwing a a brand new golf cart with IT’S very own towel boy to keep it clean 24/7!
What in the same hell has Bowles and leftnut done to this ENTIRE TEAM?
WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!???? How can the ENTIRE TEAM lose it like this, this kinda fast? IT MUST HAVE STARTED AND WILL END WITH TODD BOWLES! HE HAS DONE THIS TO THE ENTIRE FREAKING TEAM! Who else would have the capability to collapse an ENTIRE TEAM other than the head coach? A d the answer is THE HEAD COACH!
And Byron Leftnut, this guy, this guy is NOT NOT NOT capable! He will NEVER BE A HEAD COACH! It is clear to the ENTIRE LEAGUE THAT HE IS IN CAPABLE OF BEING CREATIVE AND THINKING ON HIS FEET! IN CAPABLE! ZERO CREATIVITY! I AM SO SICK OF WATCHING THIS LOSER RUN IT UP THE GUT FOR NEGATIVE YARDS OR BLATANTLY SENDING THE RUN PLAYS TO THE WEAK SIDE OF THE LINE, OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN TO INFINITY!
I AM SICK OF THE OWNERS CONTINUING TO LET THIS ORGANIZATION GO STRAIGHT BACK TO THE WORST PARTS OF HELL! I AND I KNOW 99.99% ARE SICK OF BEING CONSTANT LOSERS!
Does ANYBODY in their right minds even sort of believe that Brady is going to stick around for this? HELL NO HE’S NOT! HELL NO! AND YOU WOULDN’T EITHER! If something isn’t done JIFFY QUICK then it’s more than good bye for Brady! It’s goodbye for ALL OF any Quality players in the ENTIRE LEAGUE! AND THAT WON’T CHANGE UNTIL MINIMUM NEW OWNERSHIP TAKES OVER!
You think I’m wrong? You BETTER think about that SERIOUSLY!
Somebody do something or this organization will lose far more than half of the ENTIRE fan base if the owners and GM don’t step in and STEP ON SOME NECKS! QUICK!
I DON’T CARE IF I’VE OFFENDED ANYBODY WITH MY YELLING! I WILL SCREAM AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS IF I THOUGHT IT WOULD SAVE US AND I’M SCREAMING!
Go Bucs. GO GET A HANDLE ON THIS NOW!
October 16th, 2022 at 7:38 pm
Brady is playing fine, Bucs got to be better and not stupid.
O’Neil, lol my friend bc you know darn well your preferred QB is a complete, 100% bust!
October 16th, 2022 at 7:49 pm
10-7 told yaal!! Maybe 9-8
October 16th, 2022 at 7:50 pm
A collective EPIC failure across the board. I like very little of the 2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
October 16th, 2022 at 8:14 pm
They look like a very middling team that may miss the playoffs or may get in and go out quickly. Meh.
October 16th, 2022 at 8:30 pm
Ok, enough of the Brady hating. If he threw for 400 yds and the Bucs won today, everybody would be writing that he’s the greatest acquisition the Bucs ever made! Well, he is in fact. Let’s all take a breath and remember in 2020 about this time of the season they looked as if they were going bad then too and BA was being called on to be fired! It’s game 6 and yes it looks bleak at the moment but have faith and watch them turn it around. I would also love BA back because Bowles has the personality of a stump and leftwich is absolutely horrid! Hang in there Bucs fans it will work itself out!!! Just sayin….
October 16th, 2022 at 8:53 pm
Joe . Lol 😂😂 that’s why you never could fool me like you did the others on here. I new you was pushing a narrative just to help the Glazers sale tickets. You knew just like I knew Brady had a all star team around him and that’s what hid his decline because they made up for his bad passes a lot of times. You know if we had the same players from 2020 it would be different. Time for the future!!
October 16th, 2022 at 8:54 pm
Joe and others, this was not really a “step backwards”. None of what we saw today was new or unexpected.
This is exactly what this team is, and specifically what this OL is. Hainsey has been and remains a mixed bag of average, some decent, and quite a bit of bad (beaten, pushed around). Goedeke, a rookie completely thrown out there raw. One of the big sacks came from left edge=LT.DSmith?
Let’s get real. When Hall and Stinnie took out Jensen, that was it. Without Jensen, Marpet and Cappa, the talent drop off is huge. The killer instinct drop off is even bigger.
Another problem is that it seems that standards for performance on both O and D is too relaxed and oh so patient—for what should an all-in season and a team on SB level (a joke at this point). Instead of a tough “heads will roll” standards and short leashes, “everyone is great”, everyone defends their own subpar work, and the subpar work of teammates. This is on Bowles, who doesn’t seem to be setting the right tone or galvanizing these guys.
For you optimists, okay, it’s still early. The teams that get to the p-p-playoffs are the ones that peak at season’s end healthy. And looking around, Bucs had company: Chiefs, Packers, 49ers, all went down sucking. But the schedule is relentless, no room for muddling.
October 16th, 2022 at 9:02 pm
Brady kept throwing the underneath stuff because no-one getting open, and he couldn’t wait until they did. He was pressured a LOT
October 16th, 2022 at 9:37 pm
OneilBuc get real, Brady is the problem, no sorry he is not the problem, the Bucs as I stated in another post have taken a big step back on the O line. Has Brady played great, no, but the O line has been a very up and down work in progress.
Football is based on who wins the line of scrimmage, and the Bucs ARE NOT winning the line of scrimmage.
And there is no quick fix for that. It takes time and talent.
So even if the Bucs somehow win the Division, it will be a very short post season, unless there is a drastic improvement on the O line.
BTW the D line has been mediocre at best and sometimes terrible also.
Win the trenches or you will play mediocre football at best or down right terrible football, and that is what is happening every week so far.
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 16th, 2022 at 9:43 pm
@Steele. Great points. You and I were the only ones sounding the alarm on this OL before the season., but Licht was too damn stubborn to admit Goedeke isn’t ready. People wanted to give Hainsey and Goedeke a chance. Haven’t you seen enough?
Brady hasn’t called out Goedeke by name, but he said on his podcast that Jarrett was in the backfield all game and that he had nightmares about him. Read between the lines?!
October 16th, 2022 at 10:19 pm
76 . I do agree with you about the D line they have been mediocre this year. However Brady is 45 years old without AB and Gronk that he had in 2020 . They need to run the ball more and work off the play action and the bucs will be good.
October 16th, 2022 at 10:38 pm
Oneilbuc, how many games did Gronk and AB miss in total last year? It was a ton of games, and yet Brady led the league in passing. The issue the Bucs have now, started with Marpet retiring and the Jensen getting injured and on IR, the O line is still the main issue. How can you say just run the ball more and play action off of that when they average 2.9 yards a carry. This all about a O line that is not yet ready for prime time. And this is no quick fix, it takes time and talent. Football is about phsyicality and winning the line of scrimmage, and right now the Bucs are not strong at the point of attack, and team after team is going exploit this until the Bucs man up.
GO BUCS!!!!
October 16th, 2022 at 10:38 pm
SPOT ON! One question for you Joe. How many players are allowed against the Bucs? Because every time we throw there are three defensive players around the ball. Everytime we run, there are three defensive players in the backfield. I’ll guessing 18.
October 17th, 2022 at 1:31 am
with 4 more losses; Ravens , Rams, Bengals Saints & maybe a 5th to Niners;; we will not make any playoffs….
shame to see Brady end his career this way + going thru divorce to play on this team .
October 17th, 2022 at 5:13 am
This game is still won in the trenches and we have too many holes right now. If it is a technique thing they better figure it out! If it’s a talent thing… well here we go again!!
October 17th, 2022 at 8:25 am
captivajim, I would not worry about Rams, Saints and Niners: they suck as bad as the Bucs right now. Worry about the other teams that can beat them.
October 17th, 2022 at 10:36 am
3.0 ypa falls squarely on OL.
October 17th, 2022 at 7:07 pm
This last hurrah season for Bady with the Bucs is starting to look pathetic. Kinda like Unitas with the Chargers, Namath with the Rams, or Mays with the Mets. One sportswriter called Brady and Rodgers “old, creaky, and cranky.” I agree. I hope it turns around, but it may not. It may turn really ugly really fast.
October 17th, 2022 at 9:05 pm
I can stomach 10-7. We win the division at 10-7 and make the “tournament”. Our Super Bowl year the defense STUNK and was an inconsistent hot mess until the last week of the season. Then caught fire, carried us through the playoffs and we took home the Lombardi as a WILDCARD. This year it’s the offense that is not meeting expectations. NO freaking way am I counting out Brady, Evans and Godwin. Also Jenson might be back for the playoffs and we can catch lightening in a bottle twice. They will have the playcalling figured out by then. Easily.
October 18th, 2022 at 11:36 pm
I think the young guys are trying. I believe there’s going to be fans like this. But I think giving help when there are days like this is crucial. I’m ore upset with Brady. Ya I know Leftwich is not creative and sucks on personal
And calling games. But Brady was to be the constant and he is not. Sat. He looked hung over not dating he was just looked like it. He was lethargic and his body language sucked. I watched Mike Evans have an coverage and Brady never seemed to pick up on it and audible. I know the steelers picked Evans up wit a safety also but still he could have beat the first guy and then challenged the safety. Even Bradys sneak was bad. Ya I know there wasn’t alot of push but I’ve seen him audible out or keep it and make it. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but at the game he’s missing reads and at times throwing poorly. He should have gotten his personal life in order before playing. He’s not committed or focused I’ve been a fan of his since Michigan. I’ve always defended him and rooted for him. But I don’t believe he has the mental capacity so far. Just listen to what he said about football and going to war. Really. Not good. Ya and the screaming and swearing at his offense getting old real quick. He needs a Arians to put him in his place cause no one else seems to have the balls. Maybe Gronk new something we are just seeing. I hope Brady snaps out of it if not it will be a bad year for Tampa and a big black mark on his legacy
.
October 23rd, 2022 at 3:12 pm
Fire these coaches now!!!! Bring back BA!!!! This is insane