Thursday Night Could Be Very Ugly
October 24th, 2022
Thursday night may be nasty.
Joe is almost feeling sorry for failing Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich. Almost.
Because Joe can see what’s coming.
Joe doesn’t know if Leftwich will be fired. Oh, he absolutely should be if the Bucs hope to save their season. Seeing everything that has gone wrong, Joe doesn’t believe reason fully will overcome loyalty at this point at One Buc Palace.
The timing of the Thursday night game couldn’t be better for Leftwich. He may have had his office already cleaned out by now if the Bucs instead hosted the Crows on a Sunday or if the Bucs were entering their bye week.
But here is why Joe sort of feels bad for Leftwich: Bucs fans will be out for blood Thursday.
Thursday night will be the first home game following perhaps the worst two-week stretch for the Bucs since Sam Wyche coached the team. Losing the way the Bucs have the past two weeks, against trash opponents with a fully irresponsible gameplan against Pittsburgh, Bucs fans, well-lubricated Thursday night, will be waiting for Leftwich to step onto the field.
And they will let him have it.
Joe remembers the Bucs hosting the Dolphins on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2013, a Monday night game. The Bucs entered the game winless. It was pretty clear that then-Bucs commander Greg Schiano was doomed, barring a miracle finish to the season. He was a dead man walking.
(The Bucs won that Monday night game with a one-yard pass in the first quarter from Mike Glennon to … Donald Penn!)
Leaky, sleepy Josh Freeman went mental about six weeks prior. And this came after One Buc Palace had to be deloused due to the MRSA. The Bucs lost guard Carl Nicks and kicker Lawrence Tynes because of the staph. The team was a mess.
Some jackass working local radio decided to launch a billboard campaign to run Schiano. The crowd was whipped into a drunken frenzy.
The game was actually a distraction to the wild goings-on in the stands, folks protesting Schiano and his continued employment. Anti-Schiano banners and signs were all over the place. People dressed in hazmat suits like it was Halloween.
The fans were unloading their frustration on Schiano.
Joe remembers getting to walk on the Bucs sideline in the final minutes and never has Joe seen a Bucs home crowd that ugly. The place was nearly out of control.
That will be the atmosphere Leftwich will step into Thursday night. Bucs fans are angry and understandably so. This team had so much promise and Leftwich’s offense, or lack thereof, has been the key culprit in the NFL’s Hindenburg.
Leftwich has earned Bucs fans’ wrath.
But man, the Bucs offense better put up touchdowns Thursday night. If the Crows are pitching a shutout into the second half, the scene at The Licht House may get out of hand.
Joe can see what’s coming. It will be ugly unless Leftwich finds a way to snap the offense out of its trance.
It may be Leftwich’s final appearance on the Bucs’ sideline.
October 24th, 2022 at 12:14 pm
WILL BE !
I won’t be watching
October 24th, 2022 at 12:15 pm
41- 23 Ravens. Bucs score a TD & 2-point with 30 secs left in the game
October 24th, 2022 at 12:18 pm
I am glad I am boycotting the whole streaming thing. I was contemplating watching it, but have decided against it.
October 24th, 2022 at 12:19 pm
Can you post these stories without the coaches photos!
Please
October 24th, 2022 at 12:20 pm
Leftwich is not a good OC, and definitely shouldn’t be a HC candidate. He was never the reason for any of Tampa’s success over the last 2 seasons. He’s nothing more than a QB coach. That’s his ceiling for being “good at his job”.
October 24th, 2022 at 12:22 pm
Joe – we were 0-8 going into that game. i remember watching and it was the first win of the season and i was so happy/relieved. we started 0-8 and went 4-4 rest of the year. i even saw the win in detroit live.
October 24th, 2022 at 12:23 pm
At least we won’t see another loss next Sunday!
October 24th, 2022 at 12:23 pm
only 3 points against a 1-5 team that just FIRED their HC, playing their 4th string qb, having just traded away their top receiver AND RB….
YES! The Ravens will likely embarrass this team to no end!
October 24th, 2022 at 12:24 pm
Wasn’t Leftwich a good OC under a different head coach? One who was not 29-45?
October 24th, 2022 at 12:24 pm
If it’s more of the same, that’ll be it for me for the season. Only get so many trips around the sun. Can’t keep spending that time watching this stuff if they’re putting that level of effort out there. I’ve sat through a lot of bad teams where they were awful but they were trying. It was a mess, but they were doing all they could. I can’t watch this team with all the talent they have playing like they have no desire to be there. The fire is gone. The passion is gone. Blame the coaches if you want or the owners or individual players, but that’s from the whole team. I don’t see anyone on that field playing their hearts out. That’s what won us a super bowl.
October 24th, 2022 at 12:27 pm
Leftwich is the only offensive coordinator in NFL history who had two different quarterbacks throw for 5,000 yards in a season. All that good work is going up in smoke this season.
October 24th, 2022 at 12:29 pm
I have been a prime member for years. The Thursday night games have been a bonus. Prime offers free movies and books for Kindles, free shipping every month if you buy anything and just added the games. So to me, it’s worth it (they offer a discount if you are on Medicaid). I do not know if this game will be worth watching, though, anyway. The other Buc’s games have not been, really. I hope these players are looking in the mirror and motivating themselves!
October 24th, 2022 at 12:29 pm
It will be broadcast on over-the-air TV locally because it is the Bucs.
October 24th, 2022 at 12:32 pm
BUCS 24, Ravens 20
October 24th, 2022 at 12:33 pm
It promises to be a total sh!tshow. I can’t see this team getting themselves pulled together in 3 days after the turds they’ve laid the last 2 weeks especially. I predict an embarrassment. I predict it gets so bad that they pull Brady by the middle of the 3rd quarter because the game will be so out of hand.
October 24th, 2022 at 12:38 pm
Bowles needs to forbid running on 1st down, as one of his mentors finally learned with the Giants, sometimes you need short passes on 1st down to set up the run. Byron is too damn predictable……..
October 24th, 2022 at 12:40 pm
This will probably be the lowest rated Thursday night game ever. I doubt even Brady can save this one unless people are really that desperate to see even a bad team play.
October 24th, 2022 at 12:40 pm
What the owners better be prepared for – a national audience staring at 60,000 empty seats by the 3 rd qtr
It looks and smells like the players want change and they will lay down again, intentionally or not
This isn’t going to be fixed by swapping the LG out
October 24th, 2022 at 12:41 pm
FIRE BOWLES AND LEFTWICH NOW
BRING BACK BA
COACHING PROBLEM SOLVED
October 24th, 2022 at 12:42 pm
I wish the Falcons took him as their HC last year. Training wheels are off without Arians and we look like a bunch of individuals just collecting paychecks. No team here.
October 24th, 2022 at 12:50 pm
Funny thing is I remember the hazmat suits lol
October 24th, 2022 at 12:50 pm
The Ravens are a smash mouth kick your azz team, fighting for their playoff hopes. Plus, they just signed DeSean Jackson.
Even when we were still a good team, they would have been a real problem.
But if we play them the way we have been playing, we do not have a prayer of winning.
I see Bowles as a fair weather coach, not an inspirational coach who can pull a team out of a bad slide.
I hate to say this, but our Team does not seem to be responding to him.
A Bad Loss to the Ravens on National TV will return our Stadium to the Den Of Depression it was for so long. And no amount of Prozac will help us either.
October 24th, 2022 at 12:54 pm
Just playing devils advocate here but WHAT IF the bucs came out and just absolutely slapped the ravens silly and destroy them – what will the narrative be then? How many wins would it take to get people believing again? While I do expect the ravens to handle their business because we are still a total $hit$how right now – im just curious what you guys think? I enjoy reading all the different takes from everybody here – whether we are awesome or terrible JBF is still my favorite place to enjoy all things buccaneers! Hope everyone is having a good Monday and as always GO BUCS!
October 24th, 2022 at 12:58 pm
dead man walking indeed — dead offense walking
hard to imagine a different outcome after a month of progressively worse performance each week
October 24th, 2022 at 12:59 pm
I have plenty of opinions about the roster and coaching staff, but as a hardened Bucs fan, the outcome of yesterday’s game had no real emotional effect on me.
I’m fully primed to go back to being an apathetic fan on game day’s. Been there, done that. The ride was fun, but it appears to be over. I’m well versed in reading draft prognostications for the next offseason in October and November. I’ll be way ahead of the curve by January.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:02 pm
Nicky666:
After the last two weeks, enough is enough.
Thanks for the kind words and your support!
October 24th, 2022 at 1:02 pm
One of two things will happen Thursday. The Bucs will beat the Ravens or the Ravens will blow them out. And if that is the case we can say farewell to Lefty & hello to Clyde. Lefty should have been gone a long time ago. Does not belong coaching in the NFL.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:04 pm
The Ravens tend to play down to the level of their opponents, so I really wouldn’t expect an ugly game.
Also, if I recall correctly, Brady has never lost 3 in a row. Ever.
Now Brady has never had coaching this bad either, so this is new to him. We will see if he can overcome it.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:07 pm
I’m almost never in favor of in season coaching changes. Almost never. It’s pretty clear the players don’t believe in the gameplan. They continue to try and run the ball, when everyone can see they can’t. Is this BL on his own, or orders from Bowles? I’d rather go down with Brady throwing 60 times. Axe BL, and promote Clyde. At this point, what can it hurt. If they somehow manage to beat Baltimore, I’m afraid BL will have bought himself a couple more games.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:13 pm
But who is going to fire Leftwich? Bowels? I dont think so. Somehow, I think they are in this together. The Glazers will have to do it. Same as the Mike Smith firing. Leftwich gone mid-season with the Bowel movement coming at the end of season.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:14 pm
gotbbucs I agree !
I am used to this style of play from the Bucs.
Just surprised with TB12, however, with 7 games in the bank watching TB12 suckit as well, I have now re-entered the bucs losing mindset.
Most unfortunate part , I doubt my tickets will keep having huge resale value. Who cares about seeing a team put 3 points on the board.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:17 pm
I normally try not to get to down and negative, but after the Pitt and Carolina game…I have no idea how we are going to score – we get to the 30yrd line and its like an invisible wall is there…no real 3rd option at WR or TE…
Now we are going against a team with a good coach that normally puts together good game plans. Ravens D is struggling, but are they any worse than Pitt or Carolina?
What changes will we make to help our D stop the run?
October 24th, 2022 at 1:21 pm
“Stubborn and dumb.”
October 24th, 2022 at 1:22 pm
Joe imagine what happens if he runs Fournette up the middle on the first play…….
October 24th, 2022 at 1:25 pm
both coaches are still here as of noon today…
so the g-men (the glazers) are letting it ride due to the ultra short week…
bowles and lefty are gonna have to huddle up and “get err dun” or be out of a job friday morning…
the ultra short week creates mayhem if they change coaches…
yet after turds-day night, they have a 10 day window to let the guillotine drop and get those rolling heads into a duffel bag
October 24th, 2022 at 1:26 pm
The Bucs are the worst team in the league. The potential of this team is completely meaningless. The Bucs are what they are(the worst) until we are better. the sooner people realize that–the better. Basically sell your tickets and start the draft process–we are looking at a top 5 pick.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:26 pm
I am happy people have jumped on the fire Leftwich bandwagon with me. Of course I was saying that 3 years ago, when, after just a handful of games, I could sit and home and tell you what plays Leftwich would call in what order.
Arians, publically, had to come out and call on Leftwich to open up the offense and stop being so conservative around that same thing. Combine that with his terrible production in Arizona his one year without Arians, and I saw a guy who was way in over his head.
The worst part of all of this is that the Leftwich has always been a drain on the team, they’ve won in spite of him. What we if started over, and the Glazers didn’t give Arians what he wanted, and said you’re the head coach AND you’re calling the plays. If we go back to 2020 or 2021, instead of just being a top 3 offense, is that one of the greatest offenses in the history of football? If you just had a more competent OC who wasn’t always putting you in 2nd and long, that didn’t just waste nearly ever 1st down, how much better could things have been?
October 24th, 2022 at 1:30 pm
brady is going to have to stop mopeing around like a sad sack because of his shambled home life…
time to rally the troops tommy b…….you are the leader!
there is always better around the corner…get yourself a bimbo…or better yet, a bimbette…
keep that sack on empty, a smile on your face, a get back to work like a stone cold killer – because he is you – and you are him
now lets fuggin’ go !
#LFG
October 24th, 2022 at 1:34 pm
The Bucs will not right the ship in three days. If Carolina was too much for the Bucs, the Ravens will steamroll them.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:35 pm
So sadf.
I was truly hoping for the best for Bowles and Leftwich.
I do not think the players believe in either anymore.
And once you lose the players, the team is screwed.
I expect the Crows to chew the Bucs up and spit them out Thursday night, 38-3.
I have a question: Who can the Glazers turn to inside this staff for the rest of the season?
(Might I add Rich Bissacia to the list of possible HC candidates? He is currently on the Packer’s staff.)
October 24th, 2022 at 1:35 pm
This will be a pre-Halloween sh*t show by the BUCS. Bucs fan, be scared, be very scared, you might even have a nightmare after all is said and done. Bucs 3 (if they are lucky) and Ravens 32 (if Ravens got bored early).
October 24th, 2022 at 1:42 pm
Adam, just my opinion, but I think Brady’s marriage was already doomed, and that’s why he went back to football. He’s moping around because his team sucks. If they were 5-2, I doubt he’d be acting like this. It isn’t Brady’s job to motivate the team, that’s a coaches job. Is Brady supposed to be doing handsprings because they suck?
October 24th, 2022 at 1:44 pm
I will not pay to see the Calamity Bucs on Thursday.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:47 pm
I’ll wager a guess and the team will want to “change things up”, and Leftwich will be calling plays from the booth, while Goodwin or Christensen will be on the field for the Offense. This will allow the team to say “we’re trying something different”, while keeping Leftwich off the field.
He’ll still get booed for poor playing calling, but won’t have to hear anyone from crowd directly behind him.
October 24th, 2022 at 1:53 pm
If they lose this one Publix will have a run on paper sacks for fans to wear as head bags. It is not head bagging time yet but the time draws near.
October 24th, 2022 at 2:00 pm
I’m pulling up this week for the game all the way from Birmingham AL we will WIN this week #LFG
October 24th, 2022 at 2:04 pm
Can’t disagree with anything already said..
BUT, I must say, the most surprising thing to me is Brady’s willingness to just seemingly mail it in…maybe after the tablet smashing/sideline yelling got no results and only negative press he is thinking ‘F it, time for the coaches to do their jobs’ – and they just can’t
October 24th, 2022 at 2:05 pm
I’ve been corrected on JBF comment boards on over and over that BB, BL and JL had nothing to do with the winning. It was all because of Tom Brady. If that was true while they were winning why did it all suddenly change. Now it’s all because the Rooney Rule, BL play calling, players quit and Todd Bowles preparation & leadership.
I’m as frustrated as anybody but if you’re going to give T. Brady all the credit when it’s going well he needs to get some of the blame too. Brady seems to be playing scared, not reading the formations like he usually does. He’s also Missing a LOT of throws. He seems distracted and not really into it this year. The divorce is a factor. It’s unfortunate for Bucs fans but understandable.
October 24th, 2022 at 2:10 pm
It’s not just the offense- that 2nd half defensive performance was terrible- can’t get set on 3rd and 1, out of position, not getting off blocks, can’t defend the edge, overrunning plays, misreads- who is this team?
October 24th, 2022 at 2:14 pm
I’d love nothing more than to see Brady line up for the first play of the game and check out of that run play and throw a pass over the middle. Then pretend his helmet speaker isn’t working and call the plays himself for whatever personnel are on the field. Let BlairWitch try to dress down the GOAT down on national TV.
October 24th, 2022 at 2:24 pm
Neither Leftwich or Bowles will be fired this yr. we are stuck with them .. the Ravens will clean our clock.. JPP will be Motivated — his shoulder is healed & he has a message to deliver .. Going to be a long nite for Brady ..
Raven 35-17
October 24th, 2022 at 2:29 pm
I have my “Yucks” brown paper bag ready…will be rocking it in Ray Jay if it gets UGLY.
October 24th, 2022 at 2:38 pm
First in the South baby! Real Bucs fans understand this type of season, bandwagon and Boston wannabes will try and defend Brady til death. Fact of the matter is he is playing god awful and we are a below average team in the worst division in the league. A massive reason for Brady’s reign was the afc East sucking for 20 years. Time for a new era!
October 24th, 2022 at 2:51 pm
The excuses for this team. Brady does not play defense. Other teams lose their starters and play scrubs . They win or at least put up a fight. Not this team. Our backups always look like scrubs. The bottle of cologne is not even here to blame.
But Brady and the offense are garbage too. This entire team looks like scrubs and not just because of Suh and JPP. They could be here and it would still look like this. This mess starts from the top.
October 24th, 2022 at 3:18 pm
BA.
October 24th, 2022 at 3:28 pm
This is one reason why Bowles will not be turned loose in the season (unless the Bucs have been eliminated from the playoffs). No team is going to hand over a coach before the end of the season unless the guy was going to get fired in January.
October 24th, 2022 at 3:50 pm
I seriously doubt this, because Brady isn’t one to quit on a team. If I’m Licht, I consider trading Brady to the 49ers, or dolphins. I’m sure either team would send Tampa a first rounder at least. He isn’t playing here next year anyway, and they’re not a Superbowl contender. Sad thing is, they’ll probably win the division. Would they hang onto Brady just to be one and done? Like I said, it’s very doubtful, but in the conversation.
October 24th, 2022 at 4:15 pm
This is an offense with major input from Brady .No Biscuit and built around the short passes Brady likes to throw to backs, etc. So leftwich deserves the hits for his terrible playcalling. But Brady deserves his share of the blame for not realizing
that he isn’t running the offense he wanted very well either. Every player on the
team needs to take ownership of their mistakes and move forward.
October 24th, 2022 at 4:46 pm
This will be a slaughter of epic proportions by the Ravens Thursday night. It will be very ugly for us Bucs fans.
October 24th, 2022 at 4:56 pm
Yupp I will personally be there letting him hear it all night long. It’s sad that I’m not even looking forward to going, just berating the idiots calling plays. I have zero hope we will win and am falling expecting a blowout. If the ravens are smart they will run options all game long because the bucs ha e shown zero discipline to keep the edge and contain QBs. The moment they do contain they’ll run it right down their throat for 7 ypc+. Gonna be a bad night for the whole team. Mrady may even retire after what he experiences Thursday.
October 24th, 2022 at 5:17 pm
I’m taking a break from this team. I have better things to do with my time. If I wanted to be disappointed every week I would just call my kids.
October 24th, 2022 at 5:27 pm
Todd and Byron have earned their way to this. It’s not going to get better. Time for Jason and ownership to set ego aside and do what needs to be done.
October 24th, 2022 at 5:40 pm
If you are at the game, bring a sign that reads UP THE GUT and everytime you predict that run, hold the sign up
October 24th, 2022 at 5:46 pm
The question I want answered is, did Brady do this to us by getting rid of Arians ?
October 24th, 2022 at 6:01 pm
I will be waiting
October 24th, 2022 at 6:38 pm
Not his fault
Jason missing picks is the problem
October 24th, 2022 at 6:45 pm
What’s the point of BA even being in the building if he’s not going to give Byron some pointers?
October 24th, 2022 at 8:24 pm
Hammer the over.
Hammer the Ravens to cover. If there’s a bet for the Bucs to score fewer than 20, hammer that. If there’s a bet for the Bucs to score less than 10, hammer that.
October 24th, 2022 at 8:52 pm
38-10 Ravens
October 24th, 2022 at 10:07 pm
Leftwich is a serviceable OC when the HC is also the OC….when Leftwich has to actually scheme, he’s terrible. For all our offensive production these past few yrs, it’s telling that nobody wanted to hire a young OC in a pass happy league that’s constantly seeking the next offensive guru. The Cardinals got a good look at him….passed for a college coach. Bucs could have promoted him….opted for Bowles. Jags interviewed him….passed. He’s a known commodity for a coaching staff but that’s about it.
October 25th, 2022 at 8:19 am
I feel “0” sympathy for BL.
His middle finger to Bucs fans (who ultimately pay his salary) last Sunday with yet another run up the middle on the 1st play of the game says it all.
October 25th, 2022 at 3:35 pm
I SAY BRING BACK THE CREAMSICLE UNIFORMS…CAUSE THEY ARE SURE PLAYING LIKE THOSE AWFUL TEAMS!