“I Was Going Berserk”
November 9th, 2022
Indirectly called out.
One former NFL suit who has a popular national voice by way of various radio shows and podcasts has no use for Bucs failing offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich.
Former coffee fetcher for Bill Walsh, Al Davis and Bill Belicheat and former general manager of the Cleveland Browns, Michael Lombardi, took to his podcast “GM Shuffle” and admitted watching Leftwich call plays drives him mental.
Lombardi smartly explained the myth of “third-and-manageable,” which seems to be Leftwich’s goal each series (more so than scoring).
Lombardi watched the Bucs beat the Rams and confessed he was pained. “That was an ugly game,” Lombardi said. “The Rams are bad.
“I thought the second down playcalling by the Bucs was atrocious. They would get in second and six… ” Then, Lombardi explained how the term “third and manageable” is a loser mentality.
“‘So how is being in third and manageable an advantage?” Lombardi began. “If you are a great third-down offense, you are converting less than 50 percent. You are converting [third downs] around 48 percent.
“That’s the best offense in football. So if you are in third down and manageable, you are still giving the ball back at least 52 percent of the time. It makes no sense. Maybe you should play Canadian football?”
Lombardi has long said the best offenses play as if they are in the CFL and convert on second downs more than third downs. This is something handicapper turned stathead Warren Sharp has regularly preached for years using data to back up his contention.
(For those unaware, the CFL plays with three downs, not four like normal football.)
It drives Lombardi wild that the Bucs lean so much on a non-existent run game when they have great passing weapons.
“They were in more second-and-sixes and running the ball and I was going berserk,” Lombardi said.
Joe is a huge believer in using what works. Joe just doesn’t understand the mentality to run just to run, with production being a non-factor. What’s the point? Why waste downs? You only get so many in a game. Use what works!
Lombardi is right. It’s nuts.
November 9th, 2022 at 10:03 am
Forrest’s mama said it best. Stupid is as stupid does.
November 9th, 2022 at 10:10 am
If only Leftwich could learn. Times a wasting
November 9th, 2022 at 10:23 am
Once Arians bailed, it is as if our coaches forgot some fundamentals of football.
November 9th, 2022 at 10:25 am
I’ve never been this dumbfounded by play calling in 50 years of playing, coaching and observing this game. My WTF count on Gameday is at an extremely unhealthy level.
November 9th, 2022 at 10:26 am
Has to be by design…..nothing else explains it. A 10 year old could call better plays. Thats why i gave up on this season.
Keep running up the gut….whatever!
November 9th, 2022 at 10:34 am
being a OC or DC does take a bit of creativity…
lefty is a by the book type, kinda in over his head as issues compound…
he’s not creatively coming up with solutions for a multitude of games and issues…
honestly it makes me wonder who called plays the past few years…
might as well pull out the freaky deeky sh!t in munich to wow the crowd and stump the seagulls
November 9th, 2022 at 10:34 am
#FreeBruce
November 9th, 2022 at 10:36 am
Bucs need to run their 3rd down offense on second down. Its not rocket science.
November 9th, 2022 at 10:38 am
This is the Todd Bowles way. Lefty just doing what he wants. Todd probably thinks the game played out perfectly. Dude is stuck in some old ways.
November 9th, 2022 at 10:39 am
Trade him to the jags for a sack of footballs
November 9th, 2022 at 10:40 am
The second and short play calling drives my dad and me crazy. Why act like it’s 3rd and 1? Why not act like you’re confident that you’ll pick up the first down should you fail with a very aggressive play? Throw deep. Throw medium. Throw anything that can turn into a chunk play, just stop treating 2nd and short like 3rd and short.
And rush the damn punter too!!! The return game is average so they can spare a couple of rushers off the edge.
November 9th, 2022 at 10:44 am
Trade him to the Jags for a sack.
November 9th, 2022 at 10:48 am
A little off topic but I was wondering just why the HE!! the team hasn’t landed in Germany yet.
Trying to acclimate to the time difference will directly impact play.
This makes no sense.
November 9th, 2022 at 10:48 am
Burn the Wich!
November 9th, 2022 at 11:16 am
@GP
They fly out tomorrow after practice and will have 2 full days in Germany before gameday, relax
November 9th, 2022 at 11:29 am
Leftdork has proven over 9 games that he’s clueless so Bowles is gonna give him 8 more games to destroy the season. On top of that Lenny has gone full diva. Bowles’ arrogance and incompetency is making Lovie look like Belichek.
November 9th, 2022 at 11:39 am
Play calling last week was openly just being defiant trying to throw it back in peoples faces who are criticizing him
There was no other reason to run the ball that many times on first down following up with the second downplay selection. Total FU move!
November 9th, 2022 at 11:44 am
You can’t call running on 2nd and 6 a waste of a down. First of all, plenty of teams can run 6 whole yards in one play. Second, it leans on Aaron Donald and is another play he’s not trying to kill Brady.
LeftoverSandwich is not a great coordinator but some of this commentary forgets there is more to it than just chuck it down the field.
November 9th, 2022 at 11:44 am
Todd Balless is the mastermind behind this 3 yards and a cloud of dust old school football.
November 9th, 2022 at 11:48 am
I don’t exactly go berserk…but I do shake my head a lot.
Yell on occasion.
Go Bucs!!!
November 9th, 2022 at 11:52 am
Oh please everyone knows there is more to it then chuck it down the field it’s more fans want them to be less predictable. You trying to simplify fans frustrations to seem superior is gross do better.
November 9th, 2022 at 11:53 am
We all know what this offense is going to do on Sunday don’t we? NOTHING will change.
We’ll see the same calls. The same absolutely atrocious red zone calls. This guy has one template imprinted on his brain and can not adjust.
He will be the main reason the dissapointments and embarrassments will continue. And because he can’t and won’t change that’s on Bowles.
Leftwich needs to be gone now.
November 9th, 2022 at 12:00 pm
Brady saved the Sluggo and Leftie from the fans Head Bagging Protests.
November 9th, 2022 at 12:08 pm
He’s right. If you are constantly facing third downs and just doing enough to move the sticks you’re gonna be punting most of your drives. Keep flipping a coin every 10 yards isn’t a good method
November 9th, 2022 at 12:10 pm
Amen to that.
I predict that if Todd Bowles fails to fire BA, it will become an almost impossible hurdle for him to find success here.
Indecision may be the key to flexibility, but leaders make the hard decisions and live with the consequences. Bowles is very close to permanently losing the fans now, continuing on as is….is betting the farm on Brady and company bailing out and succeeding in spite of BL.
Good luck with that strategy!!
November 9th, 2022 at 12:19 pm
It’s clear the Bucs can’t run the football but they keep banging their heads against the wall hoping for a different result. The play calling is just run on first, screen on 2nd and hopefully 3rd down passes work, rinse and repeat. Most of the blame falls on BL but Todd Bowles is allowing this to happen.
November 9th, 2022 at 12:26 pm
Man I have never seen so much crying about coaching EVER. Lol. Everyone has a nice grip on Tom Bradys Manhoood and they aren’t letting go. I’m convinced that guys on here would rather go on a date with Tom Brady than Gisele. Leftwich and bowles will be here long after Brady leaves for another team next year. Bowles, leftwich, darden, fournette, devin white have all been the center of blame. Brady, scotty miller, arians have been the only guys anyone has had positive things to say lol. What a joke.. No ring if it wasnt for bowles, devin white and fournette, regardless of brady. Stop Cashew Hugging
November 9th, 2022 at 12:41 pm
Coach Balless gets no ring without Brady and Arians
November 9th, 2022 at 12:42 pm
Coach Balless get no head coaching gig without Bruce
November 9th, 2022 at 12:51 pm
Cchead Says:
November 9th, 2022 at 12:41 pm
Coach Balless gets no ring without Brady and Arians
AND Brady and Arians don’t win that Superbowl without the excellence of the defense at the end of the year and during the Superbowl.
November 9th, 2022 at 1:14 pm
geno, my comment was in response to 941. But do you think if Bucs had a different DC they would not have won the SB?
November 9th, 2022 at 2:40 pm
agreed…also stop going for it on 4th in the red zone, you’re not that good. kick the darn field goals and take the points.
November 9th, 2022 at 2:40 pm
Lombardi has an elite football mind I always learn something
November 9th, 2022 at 3:05 pm
He’s a bad coach. And the HC is a bad coach for letting the incompetent play calling to continue.
November 9th, 2022 at 3:51 pm
That was a really astute analysis by him.
November 9th, 2022 at 6:13 pm
So Joe’s suggestion is to have the 45 yr old Brady throw MORE than the almost 50 times did sunday?!! With half a season left? Sounds reasonable
November 9th, 2022 at 6:15 pm
941-Your on drugs if you think you are winning a Super Bowl without Brady he elevated this franchise every play around him It’s easy to play great defense in the playoffs when you scored 30 points in every playoff game. Nice troll
November 9th, 2022 at 7:40 pm
@941 are you projecting h o m o fantasies or something? lol, whatever dude. Thats what happens when intelligent people try to discuss and debate with people who disagree and cant handle it….they change the subject. oh well carry on…
November 10th, 2022 at 12:08 am
SufferingSince76: ” Forrest’s mama said it best. Stupid is as stupid does.”
Yes, My Momma has been saying that. She said it long ago. But, sadly, no one has been paying attention except for SufferingSince76.
November 10th, 2022 at 12:22 am
Leftwich is scared of Harold Goodwin. Goodwin complained Loudly about not calling more runs. Leftwich being the alpha male O.C. obliged with a bowed head and a red mark on his butt.
November 10th, 2022 at 9:57 am
Goodwin needs to get Leftwurst in a room and do some splainin.