Todd Bowles Plans To Be No More Or Less Involved In Offense Than He Was Last Year
March 31st, 2023
Talkin’ offense.
Joe has mentioned this before, and it may be nothing since during the regular season the pen and mic club is banned from Bucs practices except when dudes are warming up.
So just on gamedays and during training camp, Joe witnessed little if any interaction between Bucs coach Todd Bowles and quarterback Tom Brady.
Yeah, it could be nothing at all. Still, Joe thought it was odd for a head coach to appear fully detached from his quarterback who also happened to be the greatest of all time.
It sure appeared Bowles was detached from the offense. (Yes, appearances can be deceiving.)
So this afternoon, NFL Network aired a sitdown that NFL.com reporter Judy Battista (friend of Ira) had with Bowles. The segment was recorded the same day Joe had a sitdown with Bowles in Arizona.
Battista asked Bowles since Brady is gone, will he be more hands-on with the offense? Bowles said no, same as it ever was.
“No, not more,” Bowles said. “It’s more or less making sure everyone is on the same page.”
Bowles then repeated what he had told Joe and other reporters: the Bucs lost an international superstar when Brady retired so there is no more “aura.” No more Bucs mentioned in the Hollywood syndicated shows. No more Bucs mentions on TMZ. No more dealing with the European paparazzi. Much, much less Bucs chatter on national NFL TV and radio shows. Fewer primetime games.
And Bowles noted Brady retiring doesn’t mean the Bucs will turn into the 1976 Bucs or the 2014 Bucs.
“When you lose a player of the magnitude, first of all you don’t replace him,” Bowles said of Brady. “You lose the expectation of being great. That doesn’t mean you can’t be great. You just have to do it as a team.
“[Brady] was such a great player and a great person you focus all on that. Now that is all gone, the perception is that everything else is gone with him. It really isn’t.
“We have a lot of good players on both sides of the ball. We have some pieces to fill in. But we have a lot of good football players on our team. We just have to understand that and not go with the so-called outside narrative.”
Bowles isn’t wrong. The Bucs had a top-10 defense last year and most defensive players are returning. The Bucs’ wide receivers are the envy of all but a couple of teams. And having Tristan Wirfs and Ryan Jensen is a helluva nucleus for an offensive line.
The key, as it is in the NFL, is the quarterback.
Apparently, Bowles has faith that new offensive coordinator Dave Canales can handle the offense.
March 31st, 2023 at 3:54 pm
Good, let Canales cook
March 31st, 2023 at 4:08 pm
The less he is involved the better. Work with the OC during the week but not gameday. He really should consider giving up his playcaller duties also he has his hands full enough
March 31st, 2023 at 4:14 pm
Queue up the haters…
March 31st, 2023 at 4:17 pm
Excellent because t,hints went swimmingly last year
March 31st, 2023 at 4:20 pm
How do we know what that means if we don’t know how involved he was…..no more, no less…..means absolutely nothing. As does “making sure they are on the same page” TBBF is very tired of that catch-all phrase that everybody uses when they either don’t know or chose not to describe something.
Regardless, our offense was pitiful last year and Todd Bowles taking Bruce Arians place was practically the only change.
March 31st, 2023 at 4:27 pm
Going for five in a row, eh. Todd?
March 31st, 2023 at 4:29 pm
That’s encouraging.
March 31st, 2023 at 4:37 pm
Tampabaybucfan Says:
March 31st, 2023 at 4:20 pm
Such short memories on people who are determined to hate Bowles. Let’s take a look..
1) Brady retirement drama and then taking time off during camp.
2) No Arians input on offense.
3) Gronk retired.
4) Marpet retired.
5) Cappa lost in free agency.
6) Jensen down for entire season.
7) Godwin still recovering from knee.
8) Evans spent a good part of TC out of action with hammy.
9) Our new #3 receiver was out for all of TC and slowed most of the year with hamstring.
10) Lenny wasn’t the same.
11) Brady distracted, unfocused due to personal issues.
12) Donovan Smith hurt and struggled all year.
13) Leftwich could not adapt.
So, literally the entire offense was undergoing upheaval that had nothing to do with Bowles.
So, tell me again how the offense’s failure was on Bowles…
March 31st, 2023 at 4:38 pm
I doubt very much that Bowles WANTS to have much involvement with the offense; he wants to focus on the defense and his duties as HC. I’m sure he helped choose an OC that he and JL felt could get the job done so he doesn’t have to concern himself with the offense.
That said, if the Bucs offense does poorly and is sinking the Bucs pirate ship then Bowles will more likely intervene at that point in an effort to save his own job.
March 31st, 2023 at 4:44 pm
And you wonder why people have no faith in this team. The offense was missing direction and leadership from its head coach, and it turned out to be a disaster. So what’s Todd’s decision? Change nothing, let the brand new OC with no play calling experience figure it all out on his own. Bowles couldn’t be less adaptable if he tried.
March 31st, 2023 at 5:10 pm
Worst excuse for a head coach ever
March 31st, 2023 at 5:27 pm
Bowles was/is a great DC. Not so much as an HC. I believe any influence that he may have had on the offense last year was a desire for balance. For whatever reason (pick one).Leftwich could not get it done.
Without a defensive coordinator, Bowles has his hands full. Therein lies the reason for hiring Canales. He is coming from a team that strives for balance, and has a very good running game.
This allows Bowles to concentrate on the defense solely, which I believe he wants and also benefits us greatly.
March 31st, 2023 at 5:29 pm
The Seattle Seahawks have made the decision to withdraw the restricted free agent tender from Ryan Neal, effectively making him an unrestricted free agent who is now free to sign with any team.
It will be interesting to see whether the Bucs pursue Neal, or perhaps shift their focus to the highly-regarded All-Pro Safety, Kevin Byard of the Titans, once he hits the open market.
The outcome of these decisions could have a significant impact on the upcoming season, as both players possess unique skillsets that could bolster our defensive unit.
March 31st, 2023 at 5:35 pm
@ LUVMYBUCS
Yes, and any positions we can fill in free agency frees us up in the draft. There are too many pieces missing to fill all our needs are with the draft as it is.
March 31st, 2023 at 5:36 pm
Of course before we explore the possibility of adding S Ryan Neal or S Kevin Byard to their roster, they must also consider the potential impact of extending the contract of WR Mike Evans.
Such a move would likely have significant financial implications, but could free up an additional $10M or more in salary cap space, enabling the team to pursue other key players in free agency or potentially retain existing talent (Gholston & Hicks).
March 31st, 2023 at 5:37 pm
@ Brandon Jeff
Indeed
March 31st, 2023 at 5:40 pm
Might get lucky, but can’t expect to find starters in rounds five through seven.
March 31st, 2023 at 5:43 pm
Sasquatch, you are right about all the huge changes between the 2021 and 2022 rosters. At the same time, debacles like the mistake(s) by the lake were entirely on bowlzo. Maybe if he just sticks to defence and let Canales call the timeouts on offense we’ll be ok.
March 31st, 2023 at 5:44 pm
Excuses…………
1) Excuse
2) Excuse
3) Excuse
4) Excuse
5) Excuse
6) Excuse
7) Excuse
8) Excuse
9) Excuse
10) Excuse
11) Excuse
12) Excuse
13) Excuse
The head coach of every team is accountable to adapt, adjust and put the next man up in position to succeed. Every team in the NFL has injuries and excuses. The Bengals throttled the Bills with Bartenders and Waitresses on the o-line again.
Bowels is now about to embark on his fifth consecutive losing season. Losers make excuses. You go, Toad.
March 31st, 2023 at 5:45 pm
Sasquach,
A well up argument for the “give him a chance side of things”…
March 31st, 2023 at 5:48 pm
Why am I in moderation again?
Is it because I mentioned Sasquach’s name? GEEZ!
It’s another Come On Man Moment…..
March 31st, 2023 at 5:49 pm
He will blunder at just the right times during…23 Skidoo season.
March 31st, 2023 at 5:50 pm
Sorry, it’s supposed to say ‘well put”
March 31st, 2023 at 5:53 pm
Brandonjeff, we need at least a few of our 5-7 round picks to at least contribute.
March 31st, 2023 at 6:03 pm
Unreasonable… Oh, yeah, just adapt… You’ve lost 3 out of 5 OL starters, and your 4th guy was having personal and physical issues. Only Wirfs was the same. Lost Brady’s buddy and one of the greatest TEs of all time to retirement… your entire WR room is in chaos with various levels of injury… but your defensive HC is now responsible for performing magic and getting the ill-equipped offensive coordinator to get the offense humming. Sure.
Besides, the point I was making was in response to the assertion that Bowles’ ascension to the HC job was the only thing that changed. And that’s clearly ludicrous based on everything I mentioned. Whether you accept the reasons (intolerant bashers call them excuses), the fact remains that there was a ton of upheaval on the offense that was, indisputably, outside of Bowles’ control. That’s just a simple fact.
I’m not even saying Bowles couldn’t have done better with the situation. I’m not sure he could have, but nevertheless, it’s nothing but speculation. Like, is it so certain that replacing Leftwich would have made a difference mid-season? I call that a huge maybe at best.
Again, the list I bothered to type out is a factual account of the various levels of upheaval they underwent to counter the insane delusion that Bowles to HC was the only thing that changed. It’s funking hilarious that anyone would assert that.
Haters gonna hate. And lie to support the hate.
March 31st, 2023 at 6:08 pm
Sasquach
Bowles needs to take you with him during his termination meeting with the Glazers….perhaps you can save him.
Sure, there were some differences with the offense that affected their performance……but Bowles went 8-9 with Tom Brady and got destroyed in the playoffs…..surely you can’t be encouraged by that..
I know, don’t call me Shirley…..
March 31st, 2023 at 6:15 pm
I’d like to see aa few more coaches hired to help out
AQ Shipley offensive line
Cam Brate tight ends
Richard Sherman – defensive backs
March 31st, 2023 at 6:17 pm
Shirley,
I’m not giving Bowles a pass. Some of those losses were inexcusable, and some of the wins were losses disguised as wins. The play was poor. The team has to show more life and more fight for Bowles to survive beyond this year. I’m just trying to be fair and not just pile on. That Bowles bashing is just beyond reasonable.
March 31st, 2023 at 6:18 pm
Well the Bucs could actually return to being a competitive team immediately and still get national games and have jerseys at the top of the sales chart… Just trade for Rodgers or Lamar.
That’s how you stay relevant and have a packed stadium.
But now we’re back to the days where I check the stubhub listings on the morning of the game and see if I can’t get a couple of club seats for under $100 each – which was pretty easy to do for many years. During the Brady era, the idea of paying like $250 a seat to sit in peasant seating with the disgusting masses, no thanks.
March 31st, 2023 at 6:20 pm
80forBrady – dude, this is gonna blow your mind, and I can’t believe no one brings this up, but did you know that Cameron Brate went to Harvard? Not a joke.
March 31st, 2023 at 6:21 pm
Also, one more…
Looking at Cameron Brate’s info… you know how he’s old and washed up and slow and seems like he’s been around forever.
Well, he was born in 1991. What the hell? 1991 – and now he’s sent to the washed up glue factory? Damn.
March 31st, 2023 at 6:23 pm
@80ForBrady,
Well, I think they’re done with the coaching staff for 2023. Beyond that Sherman has stated he’s not interested in coaching. Shipley could probably find a coaching gig if he wanted one. Seems he’s doing alright with his private training business. Brate still hasn’t said he’s retired.
March 31st, 2023 at 6:24 pm
Yeah, most of us knew Brate was a Harvard guy.
March 31st, 2023 at 6:27 pm
sasquatch Says:
March 31st, 2023 at 4:37 pm
Tampabaybucfan Says:
March 31st, 2023 at 4:20 pm
Regardless, our offense was pitiful last year and Todd Bowles taking Bruce Arians place was practically the only change.
Such short memories on people who are determined to hate Bowles. Let’s take a look..
—————————————————————————-
@Sasquatch
Some have Stage 4 Bowles Derangement Syndrome and sadly are beyond help.
The researchers at USF hopefully are working on a remedy.
March 31st, 2023 at 6:33 pm
Canales will have to score 30 plus every game to have a chance for a win. Bowles will give up his normal 25 a game.
March 31st, 2023 at 6:46 pm
HC Grover Says:
March 31st, 2023 at 6:33 pm
Canales will have to score 30 plus every game to have a chance for a win. Bowles will give up his normal 25 a game.
————————————————————————-
The correct figure for last season was 20.8 points per game given up by the defense, better than 17 other teams.
In 2021 it was 19.8 points per game. Only 5 teams in the NFL were better in that regard.
March 31st, 2023 at 7:03 pm
The researchers at USF have suggested an outstanding remedy to Stage 4 Bowels Delusion Syndrome.
Lots of excuses to not right now, and a few more not mentioned.
Fire him after the 2023 season.
March 31st, 2023 at 7:14 pm
@Tampabaybucfan
“Regardless, our offense was pitiful last year and Todd Bowles taking Bruce Arians place was practically the only change.” BA leaving was not the only change. Have you noticed: Marpet retired, Jensen was hurt, Gronkowski retired, AB went awol and Chris Godwin was coming off major injury? All those things including the incompetence of Leftwich, led to the downfall of the offense last year.
They were not able to run the offense like they did 2020 and 2021.
March 31st, 2023 at 7:19 pm
He is not involved as long as they run on first and second down and only throw as a last option.
March 31st, 2023 at 7:34 pm
• Little Confidence
March 31st, 2023 at 7:51 pm
Bowels kept saying that the coaching needed to improve. He said it over and over but NEVER said HOW he intended to improve and never seemed to do so. He kept saying everyone had to be on the same page. They mostly were but it was like the last page from a self-published author in which we knew what was going to happen from the first chapter and about 10 people bought the book. Bowles’s play calling and player evaluation bordered on bad. That all had nothing to do with all of the other excuses that he did have. One thing that I know. He has to do A LOT to improve the team and the coaching this year.
March 31st, 2023 at 7:55 pm
Well, Todd has yet to make it two years in a row with the same OC in 5 years as a HC
Wonder why?, he has no clue what the heck he is doing
March 31st, 2023 at 8:10 pm
Once again, Voice of the Truth voices the truth.
Gruden always said, “It’s hard to win in the NFL.”
Bloweszo is proving that in full clown regalia.
March 31st, 2023 at 8:22 pm
Todd Bowels should NOT be involved AT ALL in ANY offense 🤣🤣
Case in point = Bucs 2022 Season
March 31st, 2023 at 8:24 pm
When Todd Bowels got involved with the Bucs historically, greatest offense of all time last season we had the BIGGEST drop off in NFL history
I’m sure JoeBucsFan can vouch for me
Right Joe?
March 31st, 2023 at 8:25 pm
The clown won’t last the season
March 31st, 2023 at 9:27 pm
Licht won’t let him start 0-8 like Dumbestnik let Schiano do in 2013. If it gets to 0-8, Bloweszo will be starting up a Defensive Football Guru school, for all those intrigued by his reputation and his stellar performance against any team that has two competent starting left tackles and an average offense. That is if you think allowing 31ppg is stellar.
April 1st, 2023 at 5:21 am
Sasquatch … ‘literally the entire offense was undergoing upheaval that had nothing to do with Bowles. So, tell me again how the offense’s failure was on Bowles’.
I’ve come to the conclusion that it does absolutely ZERO good to waste my time attempting to communicate with those like Goatfarmer who have totally closed minds when it comes to Todd Bowles as our head coach. They’re the same ones whose minds are so mired in ‘the good old days’ mentality that they’ve lost all objectivity when it comes to analyzing our current status. Everyone else is either naive, stupid or incompetent in their eyes, and they’d much rather see the Bucs go 0-17 this year so they can say ‘See how right I was’ than for us to win another Super Bowl. JBF has too much to offer to let them suck the life out of it with their incessant negativity.
This year IMO promises to be ‘intriguing’ to say the least. We’ve just started a major transition (apparently we’re not supposed to call it a ‘rebuild’?) because there are so many new moving parts. And by its very nature, it’ll take time for all that to gel. Bucs went through something similar in 2019 and struggled to a 7-9 record. But it formed the foundation for 2020 & a Super Bowl victory, which to me was an incredible ‘transition’ (aided of course by the addition of of several key FAs like Tom Brady, Gronk, Antonio Brown, Lenny Fournette & a couple of rookies named Wirfs and Winfield). Timing is everything as they say.
I see Todd Bowles filling a role very different from how BA was able to operate because he’s dual-hatted. But I think it can still be effective IF he operates similarly to how Tony Dungy managed the Colts when he went there. He allowed the Colts’ offense (from what I’ve read anyways) to operate pretty much independently and focused on improving their defense. I don’t know if Dave Canales will be in the same league as Tom Moore (Indy’s OC) was, but it’ll be intriguing to watch all that play out. I for one do believe that Bowles will be pretty much hands-off the offense, and that’s a good thing. UNLESS Canales turns out to be another Leftwich of course (who I feel was in way over his head last year without BA’s guiding hand).
In any event, it’ll be fun to watch this whole ‘transition’ unfold, HOPEFULLY in a very positive evolution. No guarantees ever on how it’ll all play out, but that’s the fun of NFL football.
April 1st, 2023 at 5:38 am
Rod Munch … ‘Just trade for Rodgers or Lamar. That’s how you stay relevant and have a packed stadium.’
Packed stadium? Probably. Staying relevant? Doubtful.
First off Rod, no matter what we do, we don’t have the $$$ to pay either one of them, and you know that as well as I do. For another, ‘superstars’ like Rodgers & Jackson only do really well (good enough to win it all) IF they have a strong supporting cast. Lamar for instance has gotten the Ravens to the playoffs in 4 of his 5 years as their QB … his record in the playoffs is 1-4. Rodgers has done better in the playoffs (9-9 including 1 Super Bowl championship) in his 15 seasons as Green Bays starting QB, but the Pack hasn’t really be a true contender since Rodgers rookie contract ended.
It’s really really hard to pay superstars QBs the really BIG BUCKS and still be a Super Bowl contender. Very very few are THAT GOOD (like Brady, Manning & Mahomes) that they can raise the level of play of an average team to elite status.
April 1st, 2023 at 6:16 am
LUVMYBUCS … ‘they must also consider the potential impact of extending the contract of WR Mike Evans. Such a move would likely have significant financial implications, but could free up an additional $10M or more in salary cap space, enabling the team to pursue other key players in free agency or potentially retain existing talent (Gholston & Hicks).’
Love the rationale, and agree with it totally. I chuckle every time I read various JBFers contend that ‘the salary CAP isn’t real’ and your analysis is another solid example of WHY the salary CAP limits our options going forward. Negotiating a new contract with ME13 is about the other real option we have right now to free up ENOUGH $$$ to be competitive this year (and his Market Value has risen to a whopping $23 mil). Mike’s got us over a barrel & his agent knows it.
Bucs didn’t eliminate the most of the $55-$60 mil we were over the CAP for this year; we just kicked it further down the road. 2024 & 2025 will be even harder from a salary CAP perspective; much harder. What Licht is doing is buying time. The saving grace will have to be the 2023, 2024 & 2025 drafts … we HAVE TO HIT on at least the Top-3 in EACH of those 3 years or we’re screwed in a long-term perspective. That’s the only way to really get ‘cheaper starters’. Sure do hope that Trask, JTS, Hall, Goedeke, Hainsey, R White, Otton & McCollum all turn into bonafide starters this year. They represent the foundation upon which we have to build a contender over the next 2-3 years.
April 1st, 2023 at 9:47 am
Defense Rules, Cap is going to go up so….. kicking the can down the road a bit might just be the correct move.
April 1st, 2023 at 10:16 am
Mike C … I agree that it will go up, probably more next year than it has traditionally. What I THINK is happening though is that we’ve just about run out of BIG contracts to shed or restructure (kick down the street?) and so it’ll be much harder in 2024 & 2025 to deal with any over-the-cap situations. Plus we’ve got several BIG contracts potentially coming up next year (Wirfs, Winfield, White as well as potentially a larger QB cost if Mayfield wins the job this year because he’s only on a 1-year try-before-buy). Not to mention that we’ll potentially need to re-sign LVD & a few others, and that this year’s restructured contracts (Godwin, Davis, Dean, etc) get MUCH BIGGER next year. But that’s tomorrow’s problem …
It’s all pretty much irrelevant right now IMO because (1) it’s water under the bridge; and (2) we were so far over the CAP we didn’t have any choice but to kick it further down the road. Our only other choice was to REALLY tank and I’m glad that the Glazers obviously decided that was a non-starter.
April 1st, 2023 at 2:09 pm
All u Bowles apologists answer this one question.
How many games last year did we see this team come out flat with no enthusiasm, no confidence, no pride, no sense of urgency, no discipline? So many games we knew by the 2nd or 3rd possession that we were gonna lose that game. For a HC that’s unequivocally unacceptable. You saw what I saw. How is that ok with you?
April 1st, 2023 at 5:52 pm
A head coach who is not deeply and passionately involved in the offense as the defense is not a head coach. He is a coordinator. Bowles’ lack of involvement, leadership and tone setting is a key reason for ugly result from every one of his “head coaching” misadventures.
“It’s more or less making sure everyone is on the same page.” The problem as stated by Brady himself was that no one was on the same page.
I also question whether Bowles is really hands off in any constructive way. More like a passive aggressive version, in which he still pushes for “what he wants”—conservative play calling, smashmouth running, kill clock, let defense dictate—right behind the OC’s back.
As for Rah Rah Canales. It remains to be seen what he’s about, or if he is at all qualified beyond the limited duties he’s had previously. Handing the keys to someone who has never called plays, and giving him independence (allegedly) is a huge risk.
April 1st, 2023 at 7:08 pm
Joe can rattle off the names of all kinds of guys who won multiple championships and are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and had the personality of a telephone pole. If acting like the Tasmanian Devil on the sidelines meant championships, every coach would act like a spoiled child.