Todd Bowles Plans To Play Starters
January 2nd, 2023
Lavonte David
Time to line up the Buccaneers’ old and wounded starters on the phony turf inside the Falcons’ dome.
Once upon a time, Bucs top edge rusher Jacquies Smith tore up his knee there covering a kick.
Joe is a little down this afternoon after head coach Todd Bowles announced plans to play his starters in Atlanta. That’s the goal as of today, Bowles said. He didn’t say how much starters would play, but he noted the Bucs have a lot of things big and small to work on and Sunday will be a great time to do it.
Joe is no doctor, but it seems obvious that left tackle Donovan Smith would be better off resting his healing foot. And the same goes for All-Pro right tackle Tristan Wirfs’ bad ankle.
Would Bowles dare put Brady on the field without his two starting tackles, against an angry and physical Falcons team that thinks it got hosed by the refs early this season against the Bucs?
Hopefully, the smart plays (whatever they may be) win out over egos this week.
Going further on why starters will play Sunday in Atlanta, Bowles said, “You worry about injuries, you probably don’t need to be playing the sport.”
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:13 pm
After watching his press conference I thought he explained his reasoning behind it and I agree with his rationale. That might be the one and only time I’ve agreed with him all year.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:14 pm
Why would we start any starters next week… they’ve had 16 games to get a groove together, a 17th is unnecessary. And starting some but not all, to rest the people who need it most, isn’t going to help build congruency. Start the backups and 3rd string, let them get some quality reps before the postseason. Would love to see Trask out there just to know if he’s a capable backup for future
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:17 pm
They won’t play the whole game
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:17 pm
Trask sucks a$$. Gabbert would be the one that needs work hes the backup
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:17 pm
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh boy……hopefully they only play for a quarter just like a preseason game.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:18 pm
I remember Gruden resting Garcia last two games of regular season-and Garcia laid an egg in first round of the playoffs.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:18 pm
great todd, I’m so glad we aren’t giving the banged up QB and banged up linemen some rest.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:23 pm
This guy doesn’t know if hes afoot or horseback hes been saying run the ball more White and Lenny 50 yards total. If Wirfs, Smith or Brady get knocked before playoffs we are done. Hopefully they will play just the first quarter.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:29 pm
This time I agree with todd they do need to work on alot of things if they want a chance to go to the big game. Hopefully yesterday wasn’t a fluke and they can continue to gel well together still look inconsistent too many times against a banged up Panthers defense without their best cornerback.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:32 pm
I agree with him for once too. Poop and injuries happen. Don’t fear either you can clean and heal. Let’s not play the ones that are already injured tho.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:33 pm
Bowles is right. They hit three long passes yesterday. Ran for about 60 yards. Got torched by Sam Darnold, working with one good receiver. The are not “in a groove” as far as I can see.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:35 pm
Possible Blunder upcoming. It was too good to be true.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:36 pm
A player can get hurt in the 1st qtr. Any qtr.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:36 pm
Joe, I have been very critical of Bowles this season, but this is the correct decision. Teams that just rest their starters often come out extremely flat in their first playoff game and lose the game by halftime. It’s cost plenty of #1 seeds a one and done in the playoffs.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:39 pm
They can’t rest everyone. Only 46 guys can dress. But there’s no need to play banged up starters, or guys with injury history. If they want to treat it like the preseason dress rehearsal, I guess I can go along. After 16 games, you are what you are. The time for “working on things” has come and gone. Sit as many key guys as possible, and get out of dodge.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:41 pm
If Brady wants to play to make his NFL records even harder to break then then I say let him ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:42 pm
Hopefully our FG kicker Ryan Succop will get his confidence back against Atlanta!
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:43 pm
You don’t rest starters you try and get this offense going. I don’t like Bowles but he’s doing the right thing here. Usually when you rest starters they come out flat in the playoffs.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:43 pm
I wouldn’t normally agree, but if we can build off last week and get some consistency on offense then we really should try to keep it going. Last thing we want is to have a little success, take two weeks off and come out flat until the fourth. I agree with playing them. If they look good in the first half take them out at halftime. This really needs to be treated same as the last game of preseason imo.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:44 pm
BucsFan i believe the packers did it last year and paid the price.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:44 pm
tampabuscsbro … Brady has already said that he intends to play. No way Bowles would let him on the field without his starting OLine to protect him.
I agree with Bowles that this offense in particular has some stuff to work on. The difference in the game yesterday was the TD scored after the Bucs’ defense forced a fumble & recovered it on the Panthers’ 6-yard line. The other fumble recovery on the Panthers’ 13-yard line only led to a FG, but still, that’s 10 points off of short fields from turnovers … the difference between winning & losing in a 30-24 game. That doesn’t happen every game.
Connecting with Evans on the same play 3 times for TDs was also critical to the win, but that’s not the norm either (ME13 only had 3 TDs all season prior to those 3 yesterday). This offense has a lot to work on if we expect to get past Rnd 1 of the playoffs.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:44 pm
Bucs all set to host 3 home playoff games:
Beat the Cowboys at home
Beat the Giants at home after the Giants beat Vikings
Beat the Packers at home after the Packers beat 49ers and Eagles
Beat the Bills in SuperBowl
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:45 pm
Sean Peyton is talking about this very thing currently on cowherd’s show. His point was it’s a no win situation. Momentum is real, but at what cost. This is a bigger issue for teams that have things locked up early. Great interview.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:47 pm
The playoffs started for us on Sunday. We secured our division, now we need to get a winning record and sweep of the Falcons. We also need to work on our offense and sharpen up our defense. They gave up to much yardage and passing TD’s
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:48 pm
I think Brady feels they’re finally on a roll offensively and wants to keep it going. First string is probably going to start. For how long I don’t know
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:52 pm
Sitting players at the end of the year doesn’t work. At least from memory it seems that teams that do struggle in the playoffs. I’m not sure if the numbers bear that out but right off the top of my head it hasn’t worked. If you can play play.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:55 pm
I think Maybe this will further help us find our O stride. Finishing 9-8 means we had a winning record. And let’s face it guys, this is not a Championship team anyways. But we just might be able to steal the 1st game. All hands-on deck. I like the call coach Bowles. Let ‘um ball. And let the chips fall where they may. And it just looks better when you roll into the playoffs with a winning record..period.
January 2nd, 2023 at 1:58 pm
I think I remember the Bucs already had a bye week to rest everybody before taking on a crappy Browns team. How’d that work out?
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:02 pm
At this point how they won the division and the w-l record is irrelevant. It is a 4 game season and they must win 4 in a row, Brady has the edge, he knows how to do it.
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:05 pm
First of all he and any other HC this week will be questioned and criticized this week on this decision. 2nd based on the Wild Card round of the playoffs. If we lose it will because we rested player or kept them engaged. If we lose its because we rested players and didnt keep them engaged. If we win its because we rested players or we played them and kept them engaged. Its a no win and people always want to complain if the team does what “you” dont they should. Stop wasting your breath.
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:05 pm
This team is winning despite Todd Bowles as the shot caller
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:09 pm
They can start, they just shouldn’t play as many snaps. They can spend the rest of the time stretching and riding the bike. Would like to see Brady with the headset on while Trask plays the 2nd half.
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:11 pm
If you are starting the starters, sit the OC. Let Brady call the offense and see how it works out.
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:11 pm
The key words are…..”we have some things to work on”…..yep…..16 games under your belt and work left to do….
How about run blocking
How about Succop on 50 plus yards…..(well, maybe not)
How about D Smith not holding
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:26 pm
They should play. Got to keep momentum going into playoffs.
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:28 pm
Dumb coach, that’s what we have.
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:38 pm
I agree start them but no more than a half. I’m not so sure the Atlanta rivalry is as prominent now that the game means nothing to either team. It wasn’t the players that called the roughing the passer penalty. I just hope guys like Jarret do come head hunting. To get.thrown out of that game for roughing means nothing.
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:56 pm
This is the classic rest vs rust, not sure anyone has figured out the perfect formula, probably a case by case situation … hope you got it right coach.
January 2nd, 2023 at 2:57 pm
Call 1-800- Traskaholic for a free evaluation.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:00 pm
Totally expected and not surprising at all from the Toadster. Took you 16 games to figure out what the rest of the world knew all along.
Congratulations. Now get on the short bus out of town.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:06 pm
Bowles is right. The J03s are being dumb. This team has been sh!t all year and needs every bit of work it can get. If we were sitting at 13-3 and had been beating up on opponents, I might consider resting guys. But this team sucks and giving guys a rest is almost like saying they’ve done a great job and deserve a rest. They do not deserve anything. They backed into the playoffs by sucking a little less than the rest of the NFCS. Not really something to be proud of.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:09 pm
Huge risk, with little upside. Nothing positive to be learned from winning or losing to the dirty birds. Just giving the Cowboys and Eagles more tape. This team is OLD, and we just had a 17 game season. Rest is a better premium than rust. Someone needs to let Bowles know you work out kinks, timing, and chemistry in PRACTICE. You live with the results if a man goes down or your veteran team comes out flat in round one.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:23 pm
Pick a side… brady said he wants to play.. if u dont play him, people will say they are treating tommy bad.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:23 pm
Playing the starters? OK, I just lost all respect for Bowles. Sorry, I just can’t defend someone that is that stupid.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:43 pm
I just called Miss Cleo and, amazingly enough, she remained silent.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:50 pm
Just get Godwin his 100 and 1,000 and maybe some incentives if anyone is close to making extra money then yank the starters.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:53 pm
Hahaha Miss Cleo can’t be smelling too good these days.
January 2nd, 2023 at 3:57 pm
Definitely a lot to work on. The Bucs being able to execute their offense and control a game from beginning to end would be super valuable to them headed into the playoffs.
Also, not super important in this context but anytime that roughing the passer call is discussed, it should always be qualified by the non-call on the blatant PI against Scotty Miller. Game should’ve already been over before that roughing the passer.
January 2nd, 2023 at 4:08 pm
I’d Sit:
Smith, Wirfs, TB12, Evans, Godwin
Vea, Hicks, Winfield
January 2nd, 2023 at 6:06 pm
Slypirate has the answer……sit those injured to insure top possible condition for when you need them……good chance for others to get some field time for consideration for next year….
January 2nd, 2023 at 6:15 pm
I’ll be honest, I’d feel better going into the playoffs 9-8 rather than 8-9.
January 2nd, 2023 at 7:07 pm
Please rest Durable Dependable Donnie until the off-season so he’s healthy to trade.
January 2nd, 2023 at 7:09 pm
Everyone will play Sunday and guess what?
We’ll look like dookie.
This past Sunday was an anomaly.
January 2nd, 2023 at 7:20 pm
I agree with OPPOSITE of whatever bowels does
He is completely inept
January 3rd, 2023 at 9:43 am
Of course this would be Turd Bowelmovement’s decision. Has he ever made the right one?
January 3rd, 2023 at 9:46 am
Hey Doooshbag. Just curious. Who is your favorite team? Favorite player?
January 3rd, 2023 at 10:25 am
Smart to play them. This team needs all the work it can get. Play the game, cement a winning record and a win streak heading into the playoffs.
January 3rd, 2023 at 10:31 am
Bosch,
Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 1976 (hence, the doubt)
Chris Godwin/Tristan Wirfs it’s a toss up.