Todd Bowles Applauds 1 P.M. Games
May 16th, 2023
Was Tampa Bay an old and tired team last season, or just old?
It’s a fair question after the comments of head coach Todd Bowles yesterday during his visit to The Rich Eisen Show.
Bowles was asked about the Bucs’ 2023 schedule and noted how the Week 5 bye is a little early and not in a preferred spot, but he added that a Week 8 game in Buffalo on a Thursday night sets up a “mini-bye” the following weekend at a good time.
Then Bowles noted how much he likes 1 o’clock games and the Bucs have a whopping 12 scheduled this season, and could get one more in the unscheduled season finale.
“Excited that we have a lot of 1 o’clock games. You know, night games take their toll traveling back, especially for us last year traveling to Germany, Arizona, San Francisco, and Pittsburgh and Cleveland weren’t an easy trip, as well as Dallas. We put in a lot of miles last year, so we don’t have the miles that we had last year. Hopefully that keeps us a little fresher.”
Bowles added that any time a coaching staff can arrive to work fresh on a Monday morning and gameplan the week ahead, it’s a good thing.
Joe gets what Bowles is saying about travel, but Bowles lost Joe when he referenced Pittsburgh and Cleveland not being easy road trips.
May 16th, 2023 at 8:45 am
Idiot
May 16th, 2023 at 9:09 am
Hey Joe, I was at that Clevland game watching them warm up. They looked like zombies out there!!! No fire, no desire and look at the outcome!! Worst performance of the year….
May 16th, 2023 at 9:13 am
I also fail to understand how Cleveland and Pittsburgh are not easy road trips ?
May 16th, 2023 at 9:25 am
I much prefer scheduling get-togethers around Sunday 1pm.
May 16th, 2023 at 9:27 am
No advantage with the HEAT; Bucs practice early and often are inside…..they’re not out there sweltering in the heat of the summer.
May 16th, 2023 at 9:40 am
Well the Steelers game was the same weekend Brady went to Bob Krafts’ wedding and the report then was Brady wasn’t at walkthroughs the day before the game. That could be part of it, but idk what was up with the Cleveland game outside of the field being “vandalized” getting chewed up by a golf cart.
May 16th, 2023 at 10:03 am
Chris – It’s not the trip. It’s having to BE in Cleveland and Pittsburg!
May 16th, 2023 at 10:10 am
I like the time slots. The head coach has one less excuse to use if things go south!
May 16th, 2023 at 10:15 am
If we had beaten Pittsburgh and Cleveland it would be an entirely different story. Losing takes more of a toll on you than travel.
May 16th, 2023 at 10:42 am
Thank Leftwich. Suck the energy out of everything.
May 16th, 2023 at 10:53 am
Always keep your studs failure is not an option 😃😃👍👍
May 16th, 2023 at 10:59 am
What time does the Super Bowles start?
May 16th, 2023 at 11:13 am
“Thank Leftwich. Suck the energy out of everything”
Yes thank you Leftwhich for calling plays during the 2020 Superbowl run?
Look, few if any OCs would’ve had success with the Bucs last season
– A declining quarterback
– 0 running game
– Bad offensive line play
If the Bucs ran a downfield passing attack with Brady last season Brady would’ve gotten killed behind that Oline…Brady should be thanking Leftwhich for how he called plays last season.
May 16th, 2023 at 11:16 am
Wow. The more he talks. Lovie 2.0. Are we doomed?
May 16th, 2023 at 11:59 am
We hate 1pm games your guys melt faster than opponents
May 16th, 2023 at 12:06 pm
Tbbucs3 Says:
May 16th, 2023 at 11:13 am
“Thank Leftwich. Suck the energy out of everything”
Yes thank you Leftwhich for calling plays during the 2020 Superbowl run?
Look, few if any OCs would’ve had success with the Bucs last season
– A declining quarterback
– 0 running game
– Bad offensive line play
If the Bucs ran a downfield passing attack with Brady last season Brady would’ve gotten killed behind that Oline…Brady should be thanking Leftwhich for how he called plays last season.
————————
You could have stopped at “Declining QB”
Our biggest failure as an offense last season was at the QB position where everybody’s favorite savior had his testicles taken in the divorce. His biggest area of decline was in his desire to push the ball down the field. Don’t blame the line… they weren’t great but they were good enough. Brady LED THE LEAGUE in lowest sack percentage. Something he had done only tw0 times in his entire career. 2022, 2021, both years with the Bucs…. as a matter of fact, his sack percent of 2.9% was the second lowest of his entire career. He was sacked 4.8% of his dropbacks in New England, 3.3% in Tampa.
Plain and simple, Tom lost his nerve. He’d rather do anything than get hit and a large majority of his first half throws last season were at or behind the line of scrimmage. Our offense was extremely predictable. It’s no surprise that we couldn’t run the ball because we did absolutely ZERO to back the safeties up off the line of scrimmage. Everybody wants to give Brady 100% of the credit for the good, and ZERO blame for the bad. Sorry, that’s not how it works. He was fairly awful last season. No, the line wasn’t great, the running game, led by Overrated Fournette wasn’t good, but Brady was the worst variable of them all. Who knows what Leftwich was calling when Brady left the huddle pre-determined to throw a smoke screen to a WR most of the time? Arians would have called him out on it… Leftwich and Bowles were being too nice.
May 16th, 2023 at 12:12 pm
Bingo !
Brandon
May 16th, 2023 at 12:34 pm
“W” comment @Brandon, but you know there are some of our fellow fans who will not like what you said at all because it challenges perception even for those who watched every single game in 2022 like most of us did.
May 16th, 2023 at 12:37 pm
Bowles is saying Pittsburg and Cleveland weren’t easy games because they had to travel back with the entire team knowing that the Trio of IneptitudeTM (Bowles, Leftwich, Armstrong) was the reason they lost those easily winnable games.
May 16th, 2023 at 12:41 pm
@Bradon – I gotta disagree a bit.
You can’t laud the o-line for Brady not getting sacked, while then complaining he wouldn’t push the ball downfield. The whole reason he wasn’t sacked much was BECAUSE he wasn’t pushing the ball downfield. Not bc the o-line was playing great. If they were playing well, our running game would not have been worst in the league! (Though a lot of that also has to do with the scheme and playcalling too)
tl;dr: They playcalling, the blocking, and the QB were all parts of the problem last year.
May 16th, 2023 at 12:47 pm
I did think the late games hurt TB last year, the team was old and slow, bed time around 9:00 p.m.
May 16th, 2023 at 1:12 pm
I think that Brady – Leftwich combo was bad last year.
As much as I was sniffing Brady jock for two years, last year he was bad all by himself. He reminded me of Jack Thompson for the Bucs back in the day. The duck and cover quarterbacks.
So, I expect this offense to be better. Mason gone is a good thing IMO based upon the way he played. Personally, hoping that Hainsey is a backup. Hainsey does not seem strong enough for me as an offensive lineman. I prefer Goedeke moving forward and I think the Bucs do as well.
Regarding Leftwich, he was exposed again without Arians. We saw what he did in Arizona without BA, and we saw what he did in Tampa without BA. Arians wasn’t wearing that headset during the games just for style. He was not carrying around a red pen for the end of the week just to make a story a year later. BA was the success behind the play calling.
I expect this offense to be better this year in really every respect.
May 16th, 2023 at 2:01 pm
Does he even listen to the nonsense he spouts? Is he saying he would have trusted the Goat if they didn’t have a 4hr flight? Would he have fired his OC during the season (as he should have) if he would’ve had just a little more rest?
May 16th, 2023 at 2:49 pm
Here we go again. Agenda driven people who didn’t want the washed QB in the first place. The fact is there are people who didn’t like Brady when he signed, and couldn’t wait until he showed some decline. It’s easy to the lay the failures of the offense to the QB. I understand. There are times when the QB gets an inordinate amount of credit and blame. There was confluence of issues with the offense last years
Canales statements of his vision told me everything what he thought about this offense last year. He used phrases such as, “QB friendly.” That tells me that this offense was not QB friendly last year. It put too much pressure on the QB to be Superman. He used that term, too. He also was big on establishing a creative running scheme. It was something we didn’t have last year. Most of it was run right up the gut on first down.
Here’s my evaluation of the offense as an eighteen season ticket older who also attended some training camps last year:
– Brady did decline last year. Anyone with eyes can see it. Only hardcore Brady Stans would disagree. It’s to be expected with his age. He missed some reads and had poor throws. His internal clock was also sped up due to the poor play of the OL. He was a problem last year, but he wasn’t the BIGGEST problem and he damn sure wasn’t the solution.
-The OL was below average last year, and some games they were flat out bad. They were not “good enough.” Analysts pointed out the deficiencies of the line all year. Joe Thomas, who is one the best OL ever, a first ballot HOF, said the OL was bad! I think Thomas carries more sway that any poster on the board. One of the Joes wrote an article on Thomas’ statements. Look it up. People use Brady’s low sack rate as proof of the competency of the OL, and the in the same sentence say that he didn’t push the ball downfield. The cognitive dissonance is crazy! He had a low sack rate because he got the ball out quickly. You can’t get sacked if you get the ball out quickly.
– You know what helps a declining QB? A good run game. Don’t put all of the weight of the success of the offense on his 45 year old shoulders. Bowles mentioned last year that he and Brady saw the game the same way. That same way is having a balanced offense. We had the worse running game in the league and history! It’s totally disingenuous to not mention the anemic running game when evaluating the a problem with the offense. If the OL was “good enough”, why was the run game so bad? You know why we threw so many smoke screens to Godwin? It was because we couldn’t run the ball! Those screens were an extension of the run game. They thought we would get more yards with CG running the ball with screens.
– Leftwich was a problem last year. Leftwich steered those high scoring offense those first two years. I agree he didn’t get enough credit at times, but he also was responsible for the anemic offense last year. Leftwich failed to adapt to the current personnel on the field. He rarely schemed receivers open. Everything was so hard on this offense. The QB was forced to made harder throws because the receivers couldn’t get good separation. Why not move to a more WC quick game where the ball comes out quickly and let the receivers get YAC. His play calling was beyond predictable. Romo called him out on many broadcasts. When Leftwich was OC at AZ, he was bad. He hasn’t always been successful Callie plays. Bowles didn’t want Leftwich. People unfairly blame Brady for getting him fired, but that was a complete Bowles’ call. Leftwich and BA’s aggressive philosophy didn’t match Bowles’ philosophy. BA has said as much.
Yes, this was an essay, but it needed to be said. I’m sick of the revisionist history of the offense from last year. I’m moving on to this year. I’m looking forward to the the QB battle, and I want to see what new concepts that Canales will implement.
May 16th, 2023 at 3:21 pm
An effective OC could scheme around any declining player, including QB.
To my eyes, this team looked utterly uninspired all season, and I pin that purely on coaching.
The fact the new OC…who seems “normal” to me compared to other OC’s around the league…seems enthusiastic and gifted is more an indictment on the current coaches than how great he might be.
Flat-Brim was NEVER the actual HC under Arians. That was Arians job no matter how often Arians tried to shift credit.
We saw what the real Flat-Brim talents were last season.
May 16th, 2023 at 3:32 pm
The NFL screwed over the Bucs with only 1pm game at home in September. You go through all of camp in the heat, and for what? A one game advantage vs Chicago? What’s the point.
1pm games are for losers. Literally. They put teams at 1pm, in a huge block with everyone else, because they know no one cares about the team and that they’re going to stink.
Also Bowles saying the 1pm games are good because it means coaches can get back into the building refreshed on Monday morning. My God, if that doesn’t sound like a loser, what does? I never heard Arians talking about getting to sleep early and not wanting big prime time games because it means an extra hour or two of sleep. My goodness, Bowles just reeks of loserism.
May 16th, 2023 at 3:37 pm
No one actually thinks Brady was bad for the Bucs, they’re just screwing with you to get a reaction. To think Brady was bad for the team, you’d have to literally be like a 40th generation inbred, and I don’t think you can produce offspring that long, nature eventually shuts you down.
Oh wait, I don’t have to guess, I’ll ask the AI…
ChatGPT: “While it is difficult to make definitive statements about the specific consequences of 40 generations of inbreeding, it is generally recognized that prolonged and extensive inbreeding can have serious detrimental effects on a population’s health and reproductive success. In some cases, these effects may include reduced fertility, increased susceptibility to diseases, and decreased overall vitality.
It’s worth mentioning that nature does not have a built-in mechanism to “shut down” the ability of individuals to reproduce after a certain number of generations of inbreeding.”
Oh, well, I stand corrected, maybe these Brady haters are real and not trolling afterall.
May 16th, 2023 at 3:52 pm
The 2020 and 2021 offenses were Arians. Not Leftwich. Anyone with eyes can see it. Even 2022 didn’t go completely into the toilet until Arians was punted from the sidelines.
Leftwich was an awful OC. The fact that he is unemployed now says all you need to hear.
Unimaginative, overmatched and unqualified is the best way to describe Byron Leftwich.
May 16th, 2023 at 3:57 pm
Lol Rod, I use chatGPT a lot.. it is crazy how fast it gives you answers
May 16th, 2023 at 4:06 pm
Will not have Leftwich to blame this year.
May 16th, 2023 at 4:08 pm
Will not have Leftwich to blame this year. (Scapgoat)
May 16th, 2023 at 4:35 pm
@rrsrq
I figured he was applauding because maybe the games at 4 & 8 were passed Todd’s bedtime. I KNEW HE WASN’T THAT SMART! HE JUST GRADUATED, TOO! Well that’s good news now because maybe he can go enter the draft next year & somebody can draft him & they can deal with him.😀 Maybe we’d be able to get a new coach.
May 16th, 2023 at 4:37 pm
I guess Hooked On Phonics didn’t work for Todd either.
May 16th, 2023 at 4:40 pm
Bowles ends up being MR. IRRELEVANT.
May 16th, 2023 at 5:25 pm
Two things
1.
Brady played Lousy last year. Sorry but father time DID WIN after all. Plus he WAS running scared. He only SHINED in one game but what a game. It looked like 2020 and 2021 all over again as he dropped PERFECT bombs to Evens for the BIG WIN! But that was it. For the most part he ranged from “what the” to LOUSY most games! besides that one GREAT game though…… his play was pretty much barf.
2.
There was a guy that at one time that mentioned Leftworst might have sabatoged the plays. The way leftworst OCd the games, it in it’s way made sense. Might have been true but I gotta say, NO MATTER how or why, leftworst blew it! THE GUY BLEW IT IN FOREVER FASHION! He could have used TWO CASES of hooked on phonics! He!!, Leftworst reminded me of the coach from the Water Boy that nobody could understand what he was saying. EXCEPT the coach from Water Boy spoke FAR clearer than Leftworst. Maybe they just couldn’t understand why Leftworst was saying! He SUCKED no matter how you sliced it! From SUCK to SABATOGE THAT GUY SHOULD HAVE BEEN THROWN OVER THE RAILINGS DURING ANY ONE OF THOSE GAMES ON NATIONAL TV! I personally would have stood up and applauded!
May 16th, 2023 at 6:15 pm
We are not in good hands. Our leader failed last year what makes you think he can turn it around? Nice running backs for a team that runs every first down up the middle!
May 16th, 2023 at 6:27 pm
Falcons released germain ifedi OT good insurance for godeke.
May 16th, 2023 at 6:32 pm
Let’s also not let Jason Licht off the hook here who swings and misses at running back more than any GM I’m the league…how come every NFL team besides the Bucs can find RBs off the street meanwhile we kept trotting the like of Ronald Jones, Peyton Barber and slow Lenny out there?
This is why I do not trust Racheed White whos gotten way too much hype for a mediocre season last year (along with Cade Otten and Ko Keif)…his frame is too thin and the power isn’t there to be a lead back.
May 16th, 2023 at 6:36 pm
Rod Munch said: Also Bowles saying the 1pm games are good because it means coaches can get back into the building refreshed on Monday morning. My God, if that doesn’t sound like a loser, what does? I never heard Arians talking about getting to sleep early and not wanting big prime time games because it means an extra hour or two of sleep. My goodness, Bowles just reeks of loserism.
Rod, I think you nailed it!!
Loser coaches say: We need more time to prepare! I’d rather play at 1pm.
Winning coaches say: Great were playing Sunday night! You know the team loves to make big plays during the nationally televised games.As far as playing again on Thursday night, I guarantee you we will be ready! Don’t forget our opponent is playing on a short week to!!
May 16th, 2023 at 7:06 pm
Games at 1 are better than at 4.
May 16th, 2023 at 7:09 pm
Bucfan13
I largely agree with your analysis. It was well thought out and not prejudiced.
I do not mind reading longer posts when they contain cogent opinions or facts.
As for the ad hominem name calling I find that boring even in a one line post.
So a well executed effort Bucfan!
I think where we might disagree if ever so slightly is Brady’s play. I absolutely agree that last season disappointment was a TOTAL team failure. From QB, to coaching and yes the OL. But it wasn’t just Brady’s play on the field which I agree was effected by age. I think he had enough left in the tank IF he had his head clear. The very public divorce, what that meant to his family, his kids and the fact that it cost him and consequently the team a large part of the preseason seemed IMHO to effect his play mentally. Sometimes it was almost as if his heart wasn’t in it, distracted to the max, and I sympathize. My divorce didn’t include kids and it was still beyond distracting. Toss in Brady’s boys and…
In fairness to the OL they were DEVASTATED by injuries!!! We had to play some very, very inexperience players. BOTH OT’s suffered injuries through the season with Donavans apparently enough to make his play drop off significantly.
But if we’re lookng for OL problems look no further than Ryan Jensen’s season ending blown knee. I admire Wirfs as a man and a player. But he’s not a firebrand. There were no truly “mean” players on the OL last season.
The exciting part for me is that Jensen is back and we have another red headed idiot (I say that respectfully) Mauch, who will play fiercely to every whistle. IMHO the OL could be our most improved unit this season.
May 16th, 2023 at 7:37 pm
Do yourself a favor and spend five minutes at the Todd Bowles Wikipedia page
I should not have before dinner in all honesty
Todd’s opinion rarely means anything….
May 16th, 2023 at 9:08 pm
I think when Bowles talk about being road games, he is not talking about the game, but the logistics and what goes into a road trip… and I will tell you.. there is a hell of a lot that goes into road trip.. so lets not get too carried away with those comments..
May 16th, 2023 at 9:56 pm
Bucs kryptonite: backup/rookie QB’s
and
Prime time games.