Another Colossal #Fail
October 17th, 2022
Bucs OC Byron Leftwich.
Joe is glad to speak to intelligent people.
Joe was chatting with his good friend Sean Sullivan this morning, the general manager of Bill Currie Ford. As regular readers of this here website know, Sean is not just the ultimate guy to deal with when buying a Ford product, but he’s a top-shelf, hardcore Bucs fan.
Sean is fit to be tied he is so angry about how Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich fully botched yesterday’s effort in Pittsburgh. Sean should be angry. Any Bucs fan watching that should be not just angry, but outraged.
One thing Sean told Joe is that he cannot understand why Leftwich didn’t have Tom Brady just launch balls near the sidelines at Mike Evans. With the Steelers having practice squad dudes playing in the secondary due to injuries, surely the Bucs could have drawn a couple of interference calls to keep a drive alive (or completed the passes).
Joe actually wrote about that in his “Gameday Tampa Bay” column Sunday morning. Shawn Smith’s crew officiated the game and they tend to be flag-happy when it comes to pass interference calls. Here is exactly what Joe wrote.
Smith’s gang doesn’t like offensive holding calls (fewest in 2021) but does like pass interference calls (fifth-most in 2021). With the Steelers playing three backups in its defensive backfield going against Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, it just screams guys grabbing Evans and Godwin out of frustration.
You just know that guys happy to be collecting a check in the NFL would eventually get overwhelmed by Chris Godwin and Evans; they’d resort to grabbing, which would result in Bucs first downs. Well, except a guy on the Bucs’ sideline in charge of the offense didn’t seem to understand this.
Coaches — correctly — like to remind folks that it is the little things that add up to big things in football. And it is little things like this that apparently Leftwich ignored in his hare-brained gameplan hatched to help set up the Bucs to lose.
That loss was such a colossal failure by Leftwich it almost blows Joe’s mind.
Thanks, Sean, for reminding Joe of this very important element.
October 17th, 2022 at 11:20 am
Chalk up another one on your impressive resume. This guy is absolute garbage
October 17th, 2022 at 11:22 am
It is becoming more and more apparent that Leftwich is NOT a good OC…
The difference between this team and the past 2 years is so different that Arians had to be the one calling the plays…
Maybe other teams knew the truth and dodged a bullet not hiring him as HC!
October 17th, 2022 at 11:22 am
BL is a horrible OC. always has been. also looks like TB may be in over his head as well…again. TB taking time off? take the rest of the season off if this is the outsome. TB needs to be on top of this team like previous years….he has taken his eye off the ball and put his trust in BL….which we all know is a colassal failure.
October 17th, 2022 at 11:25 am
It looks like Leftie is channeling his days as a QB. He was pretty bad at that too.
October 17th, 2022 at 11:26 am
One of three things is going to happen …
1. BA takes a bigger role and revitalizes the offense.
2. BA doesn’t return and BL gets fired. This would wake the team up.
3. Nothing changes and the Bucs start their descent back to the Den of Depression.
October 17th, 2022 at 11:26 am
We played to the Steeler’s strengths and ignored ours. The worst offensive game plan possible against a depleted bunch. Offensive is the word of the day. Totally disgusted. The big question is, will there be any changes made? Surely JL and the Glazer boys must man up and demand changes.
October 17th, 2022 at 11:27 am
I understand and agree on being mad with coaches, But please Joe answer me this…Don´t you think Brady is absolutely involved on game planning, I am not trying to save coaches for this, because they are the coaches, but I simply refuse not to criticize TB 12 because he is the goat and he was big part of the reason we became relevant again.
Everybody knows TB12 is deeply involved on game plan but we are afraid to blame the goat simply becasue is the goat.
I love TB12 to death, but he has a quote of responsabilty here, and he is not playing well either…
And I don´t like him yelling at rookies on the sidelines in front of the cameras!!!
October 17th, 2022 at 11:27 am
He was a terrible QB and even worse as a coach, but you can’t blame all of the bad passes and horrible play of Carlton Davis on him.
October 17th, 2022 at 11:28 am
I just don’t understand how an OC can’t scheme open guys like Evans, Godwin, Gage and Brate/Otton. It’s a top receiving corps they always seem to be tightly covered. Yet receivers like Cupp, Kelce, Jefferson seem to consistently get open, no matter the other teams’ focus.
October 17th, 2022 at 11:28 am
Everyone is screaming BL, but it may be Bowles. I remember an interview where he said he wanted his hand everywhere with this team. Maybe Bowles has done away with the no risk it, no biscuit philosophy and BL is doing what he’s told. I don’t know.
October 17th, 2022 at 11:30 am
I think they thought they’d have an easy win, and wanted to avoid any opportunity for Brady to get hit. So run run run.
But it backfired. Overconfidence killed ’em.
October 17th, 2022 at 11:31 am
the loss to the steelers was fitting..
PAPER CHAMPS
October 17th, 2022 at 11:31 am
And AMI- How did a huge/slow guy like Gronk get open always and Evans and Godwin can’t…
October 17th, 2022 at 11:33 am
Dear Lord, please make Sean Payton OC 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
October 17th, 2022 at 11:34 am
Its amazing that he was even considered as a potential HC. Much like in KC, the HC was the brains behind the offense, the guy who did what he was told was in a position to benefit from the blind push for diversity.
Without BA, old Bryon is worthless.
October 17th, 2022 at 11:35 am
We stopped hiring competent coaches because people’s feelings were getting hurt, and now we have this ret@rd calling the dumbest game of the year. FIRE LEFTWICH NOW!!!!
October 17th, 2022 at 11:37 am
Goedeke needs to be benched. Now.
Per Pro Football Focus grades, Goedeke has been the worst pass blocking guard in the league. Maybe he’ll be decent one day but it won’t be anytime soon. He’s a huge liability and it’s getting ridiculous. Put in Walton or Leverett.
October 17th, 2022 at 11:40 am
Trade for Brandin Cooks!!!
October 17th, 2022 at 11:41 am
Trade for Andrew Norwell !!
October 17th, 2022 at 11:48 am
I’d say go out and steal McCaffery, but we’ll just waste more good talent by not knowing how to use them in the first place. Just goes to show you how good a coach Arians was. We have pro bowlers and future hall if famers out there and these Pop Warner a$$holes can’t figure out how to use them.
October 17th, 2022 at 11:48 am
It feels like BL never schemes guys open. The offense relies on guys just being faster or taller.
October 17th, 2022 at 11:50 am
1 more thing I think Leftwich just calls plays but never schemes guys open. Our WR’s can’t separate scheming gets guys open. When is the last time we seen or heard about a great play design?
October 17th, 2022 at 11:50 am
“ It looks like Leftie is channeling his days as a QB. He was pretty bad at that too.” -Craig Says
LoL. Look, definitely NOT ‘defending’ the guy here, & I am PISSED too, but come-on now, dude… “Pretty Bad” at being a QB!? PLEASE. Ummmm… Wasn’t ‘HE’ like a Top-10 PICK (was at least first-rounder, minimum) in The NFL DRAFT, & didn’t ‘HE’ have like at 10-YEAR Career, in THE NFL??? Annnndd, I remember him well when at “Marshall” – will never forget that game where literally, the whole entire team (o-line/wr’s/rb’s and ALL) had to CARRY HIM back up to the line of scrimmage after every single completion/play during that 4th-qtr, while he literally, played the game on ONE-Leg, etc. Soooo, Enough Of THAT BS… ‘The-Kid’ Could PLAY. Again, I’m VERY pissed at the play-calling myself, & have been now, for quite awhile… But, just how ‘good’ (at the position) were YOU!?
October 17th, 2022 at 11:50 am
The problem with the O is the game plan.
Here I will tell you what next weeks game plan is.
1st Down (run 90% of the time, mix in screens)
Nobody will expect this
2nd Down (pass)
3rd Down (because we are always in 3rd down)
Force the ball to ME and hope he makes a play or give it to Lenny and hope that on will power alone we get a 1st
Then Repeat, except mix in a bad throw to CG or RG
October 17th, 2022 at 11:51 am
But we had the Patriots fans in here all off season telling us what a terrible coach Arians is/was.
Idiots.
October 17th, 2022 at 11:52 am
i dont remember tb-12 even looking at evans for 3 hrs??? 4 catches?? you cant figure out a way to move mike around and get him open???? all day, other well coached teams are hitting 6 to 8 yard slants for 1st downs… or to just get ahead of the sticks…why are we unable to run the simple slant? i dont believe it takes a 4 to 5 step drop??? its a quick pass right?
October 17th, 2022 at 11:52 am
Everyone that is pissed off about the coaching needs to be reminded that we have 3 brand new starters in the middle of our offensive line… EVERY issue we have starts with both side of the trenches.
October 17th, 2022 at 11:55 am
zoo, thanks genius… never thought about that…
October 17th, 2022 at 11:55 am
Joe, you seem to be in full Tom Brady defense mode both with your articles and on social media…..
BL’s playcalling has been vanilla, but Brady so far this season has been a complete off field distraction and his play has not made up for it.
While everyone continues to attack Bowels and Leftwhich (well deserved)….Brady cannot escape any of the blame. He has flat out not been good this season.
October 17th, 2022 at 11:57 am
Disagree. I think this is probably the only game where I thought Brady didn’t play fairly well
October 17th, 2022 at 12:01 pm
You can game plan all you want . When you call said play is what matters. Might as well give the opposing D coordinator one of your headsets.
October 17th, 2022 at 12:08 pm
It is officially hitting me that Brady’s little vaca’s are also depleting this offense.
He is telling everyone to earn it to the highest potential, yet he’s the team leader no where in practice and f#cking walk throughs and doesn’t travel with the team. That’s BS. Throwing ducks in the dirt to Godwin all day. That’s either a hangover, or not to get everyone stirred up, but there is something wrong with that hand, or both.
October 17th, 2022 at 12:09 pm
It’s time for a meeting of the minds, at Bucs HQ.
Uncle BA carries the title of Senior Advisor, (I think?)
I’d say today is a good time to start advising, but it’s prolly already happening, I would imagine.
Getting some of those plays that ain’t working off the play sheet, seems like a great place to start?
I’m no expert, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express, last night, lol
October 17th, 2022 at 12:11 pm
Which means he’s doing OK.
Joe has yet to find anyone who works in the NFL to say those clowns know what they are talking about *especially* when it comes to offensive line play.
Hell, Belicheat even called them out a couple of years ago for being clueless.
October 17th, 2022 at 12:15 pm
3 plays really define this game to me.
#1) 1 yard from the GL Fournette loses yards.
#2) Next play Brady sacked.
#3) QB sneak gets NOTHING.
Unless the 3 guys in the middle of the offense line get better or they trade for decent OL players this team is going no where.
Tom Brady needs to be protected and needs a running game. Gee imagine that.
October 17th, 2022 at 12:15 pm
Interesting that the fact that Licht isn’t being called out just a whole lot more in this huge “blame game”. It’s not like he was unaware that we needed better linemen once we lost 3 starters on the O line alone. “2” first year guys (one of which was completely raw) AND a rookie to protect our QB. No trades, didn’t even sniff Tretter. He’s left us with our pants down before the season even started.
Not to mention the D line. It was CLEAR that Hicks was going to go down. I don’t think ANYBODY that was beating the drum for Suh is surprised about Hicks going down after 1 and 1/2 games. NOT MENTION the “now CLEAR” and DESPERATE need for his leadership.
So why haven’t we brought up Lichts LACK OF LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY?
October 17th, 2022 at 12:18 pm
I agree with admin, PFF has never passed the eye test for me.
I don’t even look at it….. but what do I know?
October 17th, 2022 at 12:23 pm
figure out what we can do do we need an email campaign? emails to Team Glazer? emails to Todd Bowles?–he is complicit–he went along with it with no questions asked.
perhaps jason Licht could clear through the fog and answer some direct questions?
October 17th, 2022 at 12:24 pm
@Joe is a Goedeke truther and defends him to a fault even when it shows he is always bull rushed into Brady’s lap. He is a rookie and I give him credit he is always against premier guys.
October 17th, 2022 at 12:24 pm
@buccamania
You nailed it.
Goedeke is the worst starting guard in the NFL.
Licht tried to be cute with Benenoch. (Failed)
Licht fired Donald Penn (who still had 4 years left in the tank)
Licht tried to be cute by turning Hainsey into a center. (He was a RT)
Licht tried to be cute and make Marpet a center. (A wasted season for him)
We need a legit starting OG or this season will be a total wash!!
Engram is doing great for the Vikings.
He played LG for LSU.
Goedeke has never played guard before.
Hainsey and Goedeke are both starting at positions that they have never played before in their entire life!
No wonder we are getting destroyed at the line of scrimmage!
I hope Marpet has been putting weight back on.
If Ali Marpet and Gronk don’t come back, we have no chance this year.
October 17th, 2022 at 12:31 pm
I pulled my hammy, again yesterday. Jumping up too quickly off the couch, to get another beer.
I put myself on the injury report, here at the house. I’m gonna marinate in the hot-tub for a few days. The wife will bring my beers, and fix me a sammich.
October 17th, 2022 at 12:34 pm
This team collectively sucks. The coaches, the players and the GM.
October 17th, 2022 at 12:41 pm
Friggin Brady almost as much to blame. 45 year old star walking all over the franchise, two week vacation, friday night wedding leading to missing part of team activity in PGH. A QB of this stature should have called out this Leftwich gameplan. How does he bend over like a biotch and just exectute all these plays rather then tell BL we need to pass more. He calls so many other shots.
October 17th, 2022 at 12:41 pm
The ship has a few canon ball size holes in it and unless the bucs fix the holes the ship is going down and fast and we will be bottom dwellers… CMON BUCS FIX IT UP AND FAST……
October 17th, 2022 at 12:47 pm
He should’ve been gone he’s holding this offense back
October 17th, 2022 at 1:13 pm
BL is terrible….if he were as good as his offenses rank, he would be a HC by now. He’s a known product for a coaching staff of good ole boys that hire their friends. Our special teams has underperformed for yrs now….nobody gets fired.
October 17th, 2022 at 1:20 pm
My #1 question is…..with the “goat” of QB’S at the position…WHT aren’t they backing out of these futile short yardage plays? An audible should adjust the play to properly attack the D….seems like it would make sense, especially when we have TB at QB….
Also, I’ll briefly discuss the coaching situation….why is it that Tomlin was on the ball and CALLED A TIMEOUT and our coach was not when the 12th man on the field happened….this was a colossal mess up by Bowles as it way a very costly play….Bowles is being out coached every game…this one was really BAD
October 17th, 2022 at 1:24 pm
Belichick found another quarterback in Zapp a young quarterback and the bucs still trying to hang on to a 45 year old quarterback. That’s the difference between a good organization and a bad one.
October 17th, 2022 at 1:27 pm
Yeah don’t we hear ya. Not that I care much about fantasy but theres a lot of reasons I played Evans yesterday. 4 big absences I can think of. Disgusting game plan. That’s a get-the-hell-out offense in my book. If only the glazers canned guys in season he might be being who he be elsewhere today
October 17th, 2022 at 1:34 pm
It’s the same crappy game plan every week…just awful
October 17th, 2022 at 1:36 pm
Evans could use more targets, but not even the GOAT can win with 3.o ypa rushing. I see the Carolina fire sale has begun, do they have an experienced OL available?
October 17th, 2022 at 1:39 pm
I believe the “red pen” thing was and have always been Brady not Arians. Since he’s taking Wednesday off he hasn’t being there to correct Leftoversandwich “game plan” .Then on Thursdays it has been kind of late to relay the game plan to the guys in the field of practice or some times in hurry for a Sunday game. Last Saturday TB was not there at all, so no chance to redpen the sh!t out of it, hence the worst showing so far this season. Think about it.
October 17th, 2022 at 1:46 pm
The coaching staff should be REQUIRED to read all these posts!!!!!!!!!!!
October 17th, 2022 at 1:52 pm
he is just following bowles prevent game plans. i do not give bowles a pass and blame everything and everybody but bowles. he is the root of the problem and it all stems from bowles.
October 17th, 2022 at 1:53 pm
Not only do I not see Byron ever getting a HC job(duh), I don’t think he will ever get another NFL job higher than a QB coach. However, I’d be willing to see how Todd B. does on offense and how Byron does on defense for the rest of the year. it cant be any worse.
October 17th, 2022 at 1:54 pm
I truly hope that the Joes or Ira will out Leftwich this week in his once a week presser!!!!
October 17th, 2022 at 2:01 pm
BL should have taken the jags job, doubt he gets any looks now.
October 17th, 2022 at 2:01 pm
This boring, run first offense has Todd Bowles’ fingerprints all over it.
October 17th, 2022 at 2:13 pm
Equal blame needs to be put on Bowles for signing off on the idiotic game plan. I believe that my days of defending Leftwich may be coming to an end.
October 17th, 2022 at 2:19 pm
Oneilsuckyall, it’s Zappe and Belichick manages them like puppets, Bucs do NOT have the coaching staff to win with the Best that ever played the position how can they do it with a rookie. If you all recall in a earlier presser Bowles completely discounted Brady running the O, he said it is BL’s offense, my guess is Brady threw his hands up and said have at it. 100% these guys are living off their SB high. Roger’s said it in his presser the young guys don’t get it like they did in the past. My guess is Brady is experiencing the same.
#bowles3timeloser
October 17th, 2022 at 2:23 pm
With so many Steeler DBs out due to injury, the logical play-calling considering Bucs QB and WRs would be to go to the air. Not hand the ball off for 2 yards and a cloud of dust. I have no idea what Leftwich was thinking. That was as sad and inept an example of game-planning as I’ve seen since Dungy-ball, except the defense additionally collapsed when Trubinsky came in. I rate it F for effect and F for execution.
October 17th, 2022 at 2:23 pm
Leftwich never saw a stacked box he didn’t like to try to run up the gut on. What a joke at offensive coordinator
October 17th, 2022 at 2:28 pm
If the Glazers don’t change anything in Mgmt or coaching ; then nothing will change on the field-NOTHING . Licht is complicit along with Bowles and leftwich in all this mess ; thats why ,unless the Glazers shake things up -nothing will change on the field..
October 17th, 2022 at 3:03 pm
This is one time the coaches Need to watch their own tape. Kudos to Leftowich and Brady for taking the air out the Offense. Porous O line was left to fail ,no help from the backs in pass protection. If they weren’t constantly running dump off
routes, then they were struggling to maintain their three yard average. No adjustments to help the O line, no chip blocks, Fullback or H-back.
October 17th, 2022 at 3:05 pm
I think Byron is a bad offensive coordinator. He runs the same game plan every week. He seems incapable of scheming any relievers open. Predictable play calling. He either doesn’t recognize a weakness to exploit or is too stubborn to change his game plan and make adjustments in the game.
Having said that there is also the possibility that Brady may have seriously injured his shoulder. Can’t remember which play but he definitely got up after being hit walked to the sideline holding his shoulder. There is a possibility his shoulder is injured and the team or even Brady himself is keeping it secret. This offense isn’t taking strikes down field often. When they do Brady isn’t throwing down the sideline to the outside shoulder. I mean Scotty Miller on those two DPI noncalls had to slow down to try and make the catch. He was mugged because he had to slow down. Maybe Brady is injured and can’t make certain throws?
October 17th, 2022 at 5:22 pm
I’m glad everyone is finally seeing the light with regards to Leftwich.
Unfortunately for us, we don’t have enough pro bowlers / all-pros / future HOFs to overcome him this season, like we did the last 2 years.
October 17th, 2022 at 5:44 pm
Lol 😂😂 the scapegoat!!!
October 17th, 2022 at 5:47 pm
So if we go to the super bowl this year it won’t be because of his play calling it will be because of Brady right lol ??
October 17th, 2022 at 7:04 pm
Bowles coach of the year…lol
October 17th, 2022 at 8:37 pm
I don’t understand the run play called on the goal line because Brady could’ve snapped the ball and reached over Hainsey and would’ve been a TD. The play calling on offense has been utterly horrendous…
October 17th, 2022 at 9:07 pm
Never been a fan of BL since the first time I heard one of his pressers. And no doubt a LOT of this horrible offensive (both meanings of the word) start is on him. But I’m really wondering if that plan was because Brady is injured more than we think. I know there are off-field distractions, but his throws don’t have that zip, and so many of them are short, end-of-career-Brees dinks. Wouldn’t be surprised to hear that news at some point…
October 17th, 2022 at 9:11 pm
Keep It Simple Stupid. I think Leftwich is overthinking this and is his own worst enemy. Go with what works. Do it over and over again until they stop it. He needs to know that you don’t always have to run on 1’st down. Mike Evans is money in the corner of the end zone. He can sky for the ball over the best defenders and yesterday their best was out. I really hope Leftwich is reading JBF or someone at 1BP is. It’s about time for Jason Licht to get called into the office and intervene with what’s going on here in LaLa Land.
October 17th, 2022 at 10:49 pm
Would like to see Godwin and Evans line up together alot more
October 18th, 2022 at 6:45 am
This is a total TEAM collapse. Not just Brady or Geodeke or Leftwich. The defense gave up a half a dozen 3rd and long with the game on the line.
This team is a bunch of underachievers .
Uninspired. Undisciplined. There’s precious little to like about this 2022 team.