The Tug Of War In Coaching Styles
November 10th, 2022
Throwing the deep ball.
Just by watching their personalities, you know that Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians and Todd Bowles are different cats even though they are close, tight friends.
Whereas Arians would often run afoul of referees for hollering at them and periodically get in the faces of players, Bowles is more measured. Arians didn’t care who was watching or who the player was. Bowles prefers to bark behind the scenes.
Either way, Joe doesn’t give a damn. Joe has seen horrible coaches who were human versions of the Tasmanian Devil and seen legendary coaches have the personality of a palm tree.
Another difference, and perhaps why the Bucs offense is a failure (think of how awful this offense truly would be with just about any other quarterback than Tom Brady) is the way these two men approach offense.
Arians was famous for “no risk it, no-biscuit.” Keep firing downfield. Bowles? Let’s be careful.
This jumped out at Joe yesterday when Bowles was asked about throwing downfield more as the Bucs offense seems to have morphed into a dink-and-dunk offense.
“You’d like to see more [downfield shots] but if they have it covered and they’ve got it blanketed, it’s hard to just throw the ball up when you know it’s going to get picked-off back there,” Bowles said. “We’ve got to be smart, too. We’ve been smart with the football – one of the good things we have done on offense is not turn the ball over.
“If the deep ball is not there, we know how to check it down and get it out of there. If the running game clicked a little better, we’d probably get more shots downfield to suck people up some. Other than that, I’m happy with the shots we’re trying to take – we just haven’t had the opportunity to take them.”
The are several ways to look at this. First, when has Brady ever been a turnover machine? Do we really believe Brady is going to be blind all of a sudden and throw into triple coverage just to throw deep? That’s almost insulting to Brady.
It’s very difficult to believe after watching the Bucs move the ball (and score!) the past three seasons that all of a sudden some NFL defensive coordinator got the bright idea to limit deep routes and every other team decided to play copycat.
What Joe will buy is that defensive coordinators aren’t as scared of Bucs receivers (no foot-rubbing Rob Gronkowski, no headcase Antonio Brown, a not yet 100 percent Chris Godwin) and they snicker behind closed doors at the Bucs’ running game. So they decided, “You know, the only way the Bucs can beat us is passing deep, so we will take that away.”
Again, to think Brady would all of a sudden turn into an interception machine just by throwing deep seems disrespectful. He’s no second-year guy who has only dressed for one game in his career. Brady has seven rings and has seen more than his fair share of exotic defenses.
November 10th, 2022 at 9:16 am
Mr butthole toilet bowl.
November 10th, 2022 at 9:17 am
The coach’s attitude rubs off on the players. The difference is wildly obvious. Bowles inspires nap time.
November 10th, 2022 at 9:22 am
Until they take more vertical shots the O will continue to struggle. With current offense the D’s only need to cover 15-20yds of turf knowing they will not throw over the top. It’s like starting every drive at the 10 yd line with the endone being the 12th defender.
November 10th, 2022 at 9:24 am
The Bucs will be lucky to win another game with Toad and ByeMoron. Licht is in a tough spot because BA himself handpicked the succession plan.
Licht needs to force change now or his own job is in jeopardy.
November 10th, 2022 at 9:25 am
Nobody wants to see picks but, well you know, never risk it never biscuit.
November 10th, 2022 at 9:37 am
The more I hear, the more I’m certain Bowles is the one putting the clamps on this offense. He’s not allowing us to use the offense to it’s strengths. It’s super disgusting.
November 10th, 2022 at 9:38 am
Were teams constantly playing two high safeties on us last year?
November 10th, 2022 at 9:40 am
All the fans were blaming Brady for not pushing the ball downfield and taking underneath throws that are available. Bowles wants it that way. He’s risk adverse. In a sense, I do think we should YOLO balls. Who wants to go back to the days of Winston? Big plays are down across the league. Offensive production as a whole is down. Defenses are taking away the big play and daring offenses to dink and dunk down the field. They’re hoping a team makes a mistakes. It’s hard for teams to extend drives.
November 10th, 2022 at 9:40 am
We average 18 ppg thru 9 games which ranks 25 in all the NFL in regards to scoring point what exactly is there to fear if you’re an opposing DC?
November 10th, 2022 at 9:43 am
I beg to differ on whether another QB could do better with this offense…
Any of the mobile QBs….even Taylor Heinicke could make a huge difference….how many times have we seen Brady throw the ball away…
The option to run isn’t there for Brady….
No….I’m not saying I’d rather have another QB….just that when you have no running game & your receivers can’t get open….it helps to be able to run.
November 10th, 2022 at 9:43 am
I think going deep frequently helps a lot even if every deep ball is incomplete. Think about it. A corner has to run full speed to cover Miller. A safety will probably have to run full speed to join him. Next play, Miller is on the sidelines resting but the corner and safety are a bit gassed and that helps Evans and Godwin. Go deep often enough and the DBs will be loading like White.
November 10th, 2022 at 9:44 am
Loafing not loading. Damn stealth spell check.
November 10th, 2022 at 9:53 am
This coach is a joke. He has a QB that has been to 10 superbowls yet he has the nerve to contradict what his superbowl qb says Mr. Bowles was solely responsible for losing the final game last year with his genius blitz play call against a seasoned qb and opposing coach that knew what was coming. Simpleton!!!
November 10th, 2022 at 9:55 am
My biggest disappointment on this site is the misunderstanding of No Risk It – No Biscuit. Someone describes it as Arians want to take deep shots all the time, and as happens on the internet, all the posters agree with that portrayal.
It is funny. You would think the only thing that Bruce Arians said in all of his 45 years of coaching football is no risk-it no-biscuit.
If you read Arian’s book, he does like arm strength and really does likes a pocket passer over a running quarterback.
He also has said (besides no risk-it, no-biscuit):
Throwing accuracy is the most important physical attribute. He thinks it’s easily identifiable on college tape and difficult to teach thereafter.
Tom Brady and Peyton Manning would never be described as fleet-of-foot speedsters, But they can move a step or two and then be extremely accurate with their throws even if they aren’t perfectly balanced.
To show my quarterbacks how much I believe in them, I let them pick their favorite plays that we’ll run in the game. On the nights before a game we’ll sit down in a hotel conference room and we’ll have six third-down calls for certain distances.
The most important relationship a head coach has on his team isn’t with the other coaches, the owner or the general manager. It’s with the quarterback. He’s the one who runs the show on the field; He’s the ultimate extension of his coach. If there isn’t a high level of mutual trust between them, both coach and quarterback will be doomed.
Then some fun ones:
At 30 I thought I knew everything, and 30 years later I didn’t know anything.
You learn a lot about human nature in a bar.
When you get in coaching, you realize there are only two kinds of coaches – those that are fired and those who are going to get fired.
I work hard, but I also play hard. Everyone needs balance in life.
Miss the coach. IMO the best head coach the Bucs ever had.
November 10th, 2022 at 9:58 am
From CBS Sports’ updated QB Rankings Brady at #8
“The Bucs’ ugly win over the Rams was proof that, while Tampa Bay may not have it, TB12 still does. Amid waves of dropped passes and elementary play-calling, Brady kept hitting throws on time, and when it mattered most. If only his supporting cast and staff could step up.”
The part that stands out the most “elementary play-calling” is a refrain heard everywhere from folks here to every single talking head out there on every network, newspaper, etc. How does the Bucs leadership (owners, GM, HC) allow this to continue without making a change? Is it blind loyalty to Lefty or are they just fooling themselves that things will get better by maintaining the status quo?
Our offense is like a boxer telegraphing his punches or a pitcher tipping his pitches. It’s lunacy. Lefty knows more about running an NFL offense than any of us here would ever know. I wish he’d throw out his “Offense For Dummies” playbook (or maybe it’s a coloring book?) and show us what he can come up with. Otherwise, we need a new play caller asap. The entire NFL sees what we see. Wasted talent leading to a lost season. Sure we can make the playoffs but that’s not the goal. Too many good NFC teams to beat to reach our ultimate goal and a 1st round bye is out of the question.
November 10th, 2022 at 10:00 am
Can you imagine the local and national blame game right now on Brady, if he had thrown say 10 picks during the first 8 weeks instead of 1?
I can almost promise you the blame would be 80-90% Brady and 10-20% coaches.
Brady aint that stupid and he knows throwing picks, or risky balls, is a huge no-no. Coupled with other factors, like not trusting O-Line and throwing (maybe too) quickly, is why he’s been throwing balls in the dirt.
I just think Brady is smarter for being risk-averse. A punt is WAY better than a pick. Just my thoughts.
November 10th, 2022 at 10:02 am
It’s Bowles. This is what he wants. Ultra conservative. He’s handcuffing the O.
November 10th, 2022 at 10:05 am
Bucsfan13 … ‘Big plays are down across the league. Offensive production as a whole is down. Defenses are taking away the big play and daring offenses to dink and dunk down the field. They’re hoping a team makes a mistakes. It’s hard for teams to extend drives.’
Kudos. That’s probably the best analysis I’ve read about what’s going on in the NFL this season. It seems to be a lot harder than most realize for any team to dink-and-dunk its way down the field AND score. And when that team is the Bucs with its very predictable attack, it gets immeasurably harder apparently.
November 10th, 2022 at 10:22 am
D-Rok … ‘I just think Brady is smarter for being risk-averse. A punt is WAY better than a pick. Just my thoughts.’
I agree with you D-Rok. I think Bowles trusts Brady totally. At the same time, I don’t think that Brady trusts his Oline at all, and that’s driven his premature releases (rather than let the receiver routes develop as in 2020 & 2021). I also think that it’s Tom Brady who’s driving this risk-averse train, not Bowles. That’d be like Jon Gruden telling Monte Kiffin to play prevent defense when Monte wanted to attack; Gruden knew better. And so does Bowles.
Brady doesn’t like to get sacked. Don’t blame him one bit for that; it’s VERY counter-productive. He’s already been sacked 14 times in 9 games; not nearly as bad as the beating Joe Burrow has been taking (30 sacks in 9 games) but then again Burrow isn’t 45 years old. Brady also detests turnovers. He’s only thrown 1 pick & he’s fumbled 3 times (lost 2). That’s very low, even for him, telling me that he’s playing it safe. It all comes down to not trusting his OLine IMO.
November 10th, 2022 at 10:24 am
@Tampabaybucsfan. You keep taking digs at Brady and his lack of mobility. There’s also different types of mobility. He can still maneuver around the pocket. You do know it’s more to being a QB than mobility? To say that Heineke would do well in this offense is insulting. Kyler Murray is struggling with a bad OL and he’s the best mobile QB in the league outside of Lamar Jackson. Remember our SB win? Mahomes had a bad OL and he was running for his life. He did absolutely nothing against us as a result. Aaron Rodgers has a bad OL and he can move around. He’s really struggling right now. Stop being so reductive.
November 10th, 2022 at 10:31 am
@DefenseRules. I do think Bowles is directing the offense to be more conservative. He was on the broadcast last week and told the sideline reporter he wanted to keep running the ball and throwing screens. That’s coming straight from the HC, and you see it implemented in the offense. Bowles is a defensive minded coach. He believes in running the ball and not taking risks to put your defense in bad situation. I think Brady takes selective hits at this point in his career. He’ll stand in there if we need a big throw. He has no trust in his OL. Goedeke gave me PSTD. I blame Licht for not acquiring any veterans on the line. Licht has skated criticism for our current situation.
November 10th, 2022 at 10:40 am
Agree, DR. My eyes tell me the biggest problem on O right now is Brady’s lack of trust in the O-Line.
Regain Brady’s trust (and just how do we quanitfy THAT?) and watch this offense score at least 10 more points per game.
November 10th, 2022 at 10:47 am
Also, as a side-note, it’s important to assess whether Brady’s lack of trust and resultant premature releases are actually appropriate given the line play, or whether he’s prematurely skittish without merit.
Personally, I think a few plays a game he might be skittish, but overall, I trust that he knows how to read how his pocket is setting up.
Good thoughts from you, DR, as always.
November 10th, 2022 at 11:01 am
Brady shouldn’t trust this oline…let’s break it down…
Lt who is a loafer..idc what anyone says put your fast guy on him he has horrid footwork..
Lg has been a rookie who was Terrible yes horrible he’s all the ibles….
Not a 3rd string lg but he’s looking better then the rookie..
A center who gets lost every time he snaps the ball he goes up to fast n has no one to block or double teams a guy when it’s not needed leaving a free defender up the middle.
Shaq Mason has been decent but could be better at the run blocking like he was advertised to be but he’s been a good addition for the most part.
Wirf pro bowl caliber but I find it interesting we never run to his side almost questionable at this point that the coordinator or gamelan has not been to run to the right side.
Brady should be afraid for his life I know I would be.
November 10th, 2022 at 11:12 am
What’s curious about Bowles style is that he is not risk adverse when calling his defense. The Bucs have one of the highest blitz rates in the league and has for his entire tenure. Yet when it comes to his offense he does what so many other defensive minded coaches do and that’s push for conservative game plans. Do these guys not see that the best teams in the league have high octane offenses? The rules are slanted to help offenses and yet we don’t endeavor to take advantage of that. Makes no sense to me but I’m not a coach either.
November 10th, 2022 at 11:33 am
I don’t expect much change this week. I can only imagine the amount of time Brady is going to have to give the German media. He will be making the NFL another unknown millions of dollars. But after this week, win or lose I expect a big change after the bye week. Anyone who has watched Brady his whole career knows he jumps his game way up starting December. He will start holding the ball longer in the pocket, giving guys more time to get open, and going to his 2nd and 3rd reads more often. He has always made sure not to get hurt in the first half of the season, hence the quick throws and throws in the dirt. You will start to see him stand in the pocket and take more hits, and more shots down field.
November 10th, 2022 at 11:55 am
Brady has thrown plenty of interceptions in any year but this one. It hasn’t stopped him from winning when we had a defense that got the ball back (remember Green Bay last year). IDK. I used to look so forward to Bruce’s press conferences and radio interviews. He has such a personality. Now I watch Todd’s but I sometimes can hardly listen all the way through. Surely some on the team feel like I do. He is quite boring and so is the playcalling. Everyone around the league seems to see it.
November 10th, 2022 at 12:49 pm
I agree crickett…it’s like when Trump was in office compare to Biden it’s just boring TV now
November 10th, 2022 at 12:52 pm
Sluggo is tiptoeing through the turf.
November 10th, 2022 at 1:09 pm
This boring, safe offense is a direct reflection of the head coach.
November 10th, 2022 at 2:34 pm
Bowles is a lost cause…..he was bad with the Jets and underperforming with the Bucs. He’s not going to change….good DC, mediocre HC.
November 10th, 2022 at 3:41 pm
Bowles is clueless, and the fact that the team hasn’t left for Germany yet is inexcusable.
November 10th, 2022 at 11:18 pm
Bowelswich. Still collecting a Glazer paycheck.
Glazers?