Can Todd Bowles Oversee The Repair Of The Bucs’ Offense?
July 24th, 2023
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
Depending on who you read or listen to, either Bucs coach Todd Bowles is safe for 2024, his seat is warm or his seat is a five-alarm blaze.
Bobby Kownack of NFL.com suggests that for Bowles to keep his seat cool, he might have to step outside his comfort zone and ensure the flaccid Bucs offense of last season has been given a blue pill.
Joe isn’t worried about the defense, save for an edge rush. Joe really believes the Bucs are an edge rusher away from a damn good defense.
So here is where the road gets dicey. How many times have you seen a defensive-minded head coach oversee his team’s offensive overhaul from blah to dynamic? Usually it is the other way around.
With the exception of Bill Belicheat, Joe cannot think of too many defensive-minded coaches in recent years who oversaw their offense grow into something dangerous.
The only times Joe quickly can think of a defensive-minded coach overseeing the transformation of his offense into a feared unit is when teams drafted a quarterback (Josh Allen or Justin Herbert or Russell Wilson) or the team lucks into one (Tom Brady), or Mike Vrabel riding running back Derrick Henry to averaging 30 points per game.
Is Baker Mayfield that kind of a quarterback?
July 24th, 2023 at 10:09 am
Rex Ryan in his second campaign was able to rebuild the 2010 Jets offense into a Top 10 unit that averaged 23 a game with nothing more than Mark Sanchez at QB , so it can be done.
July 24th, 2023 at 10:16 am
May the competition for all positions, namely QB, bring the best out. I am hopeful for Trask’s development to push Mayfield and lay the best QB win. Feeling hopeful for Kyle that he will be a very solid QB.
July 24th, 2023 at 10:27 am
lol
July 24th, 2023 at 10:29 am
Based on Bowles history as a head coach does anyone with any common sense (Non MAGA cult member) believe Bowles can build an offense or a winning team?
July 24th, 2023 at 10:35 am
Tend to believe that Todd Bowles will give Dave Canales plenty of latitude as our OC, but the key will be ‘growth’ IMO. Bucs have a lot of ‘new’ on the offensive side of the ball, and it’ll more than likely take some time to get it up-to-speed.
Obviously game situations dictate play-calling, but if I had to pick an average rushing-passing ratio percentage for what I think Bowles & Canales want to see, I’d go with 45% runs – 55% passes on the season. That’s over 10% more than what we did last year (of course, we did have the greatest passer of all time behind center). Still we only managed to get 1308 yards rushing (3.4 YPC) to help him (for a #32 finish).
Going with a low side of about 1000 offensive plays, 45% would mean 450 rushes on the season. ASSUMING a 4.0 YPC average for our RB stable, that’d give us 1800 yards rushing & about a #24 ranking. We need to do better than that if we expect to be competitive. A 4.3 YPC average for our RB stable would get us back to what we averaged in 2021, and would give us fairly close to 2000 yards on the season & move us up to around a #18 ranking. That MIGHT be good enough, providing that we can actually do some damage in short yardage situations using the run. We didn’t accomplish that at all last year, but hopefully 2023 will be different.
July 24th, 2023 at 10:44 am
As 5 years as a Head Coach Bowles offense’s average 19.4 points per game. The offense last year IS what he is. Asking a stubborn defensive coach to adapt or change the way they approach the game is like trying to convince someone to change their ideology based on a Facebook discussion.
As a head coach his teams have failed to score 20 points in 41 of his 81 games. An average of 8 games per season.
Asking a unproven play caller to come in here and turn around the 32nd run game and revive Baker’s career or prove Trask wasn’t a wasted pick is just madness. Todd is basically a dead man walking as the offense will not improve in 2023.
July 24th, 2023 at 10:49 am
Yougottabekiddingme.
July 24th, 2023 at 10:56 am
The game is played to score more points than your opponent. Its ruled and officiated to give an edge to the offensive side of the ball. Defense does win championships, but for this franchise, we needed offensive minds to get over the hump. My problems with Defensive minded coaches, ours in particular, is that they tend to play not to lose instead to playing to win. Bowles is going to take all of his chances on his side of the ball, and we have seen his guys give up the big play when the team needed it most. Why would he want any influence over the offense when all he wants it for is it to hold serve?
July 24th, 2023 at 11:01 am
THIS IS FOOTBALL TALK
LEAVE YOUR POLITICS FOR CNN OR FOX SITE
July 24th, 2023 at 11:12 am
It went so great last year. LOL
July 24th, 2023 at 11:18 am
Bowles is what he’s always been…..mediocre. In NY the excuse was he never had a franchise QB, he gets Tom Brady in the weakest division in the league and still manages to have a losing season. Arians overhyped him to get him paid, same as Leftwich. Lots of raving reviews but no results to match. Arians was a great coach but his protégés are terrible.
July 24th, 2023 at 11:36 am
Not sure Arians “overhyped” Todd Bowles. The defense was still good last year. Not great, but good luck having a good defense without an edge rusher. Bowles found a way.
Leftwich? My God, what a sales job Arians did there. Of course, the nonsense you hear about Leftwich being unemployed is that he wants to spend more time with his family (Joe waves at Cole Beasley).
Really? So why did Leftwich reach out to Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame panhandling for work? Didn’t seem to care about family unless he couldn’t find a job. Then all of a sudden he became a family man, right Cole?
July 24th, 2023 at 11:36 am
I was going to say Harbaugh with Lamar Jackson.
Mike Tomlin also seems flexible and adaptable when it comes to major offensive changes and overhauls for a defensive coach. Weren’t they going for 2 a lot before anyone else?
July 24th, 2023 at 11:37 am
Belichick is below average coach without Brady. History proves that. Bowles is a little worse off than below average without Brady Belichick.
July 24th, 2023 at 11:39 am
Good point! There again, Harbaugh drafted Jackson (i.e. Josh Allen, Justin Herbert and Russell Wilson).
Think you are referring to a short period of time when the Steelers’ kicker was so awful, Tomlin just gave up on the guy.
Jury is still out on Tomlin to a degree, who is otherwise an excellent coach. Tomlin has Byron Leftwich II as his offensive coordinator. If Tomlin cans him, that will demonstrate he’s flexible.
July 24th, 2023 at 12:02 pm
Head coaches are only as good as their assistant coaches IMO. HCs who dual-hat themselves rarely succeed it seems unless they have a very strong assistant coach managing the other side of the ball. Andy Reid seems to be a classic example. He went to the Chiefs in 2013 with Bob Sutton as his DC. Sutton stayed as his DC for 6 years (through 2018 when he retired). In came Steve Spagnuolo, another excellent DC IMO, and he’s still there today. Two excellent DCs over a 10-year period; Andy probably didn’t have to pay that much attention to the defensive side of the ball, allowing him to focus on offense (which he’s obviously very good at).
Todd Bowles probably tried to take that approach last year, but it blew up in his face. BL was the wrong OC for him obviously. Can’t wait to see how Dave Canales does because I truly believe that Bowles would much rather tell Canales to just “Handle it, handle it’ than get deeply involved with the offense. (Surely some remember Boss Hogg on Dukes of Hazard).
July 24th, 2023 at 12:04 pm
Defensive minded coach that has no business being a head coach. Of course he can’t transform the Offense. Just hope he doesn’t dictate what Canales tries to put in place. The guy probably thinks 18 points a game is ok as long as the Defense holds. That is not how this game is played anymore, but nobody can tell that to a stubborn Bowles. You have to score 30+ points per game to be successful in this league. Bowles will find out the hard way I’m afraid.
July 24th, 2023 at 12:09 pm
Bowles can’t overhaul the offense that’s why he hired Canales. A head coach can only over see, and influence so much. Bowles needs Canales to be the next hot young OC in the league. He needs him to be the next Shanahan. Bowles needs to stick to defense, and game management.
July 24th, 2023 at 12:14 pm
@ Joe
Any reason why Cody Mauch still has not signed his contract yet?
Two days until camp starts…
What about a new contract for Mike Evans?
I thought these two things would be done by now. It seems kind of strange to me.
July 24th, 2023 at 12:17 pm
Some legal technicality. His salary is slotted by the CBA and nothing he or his agent can do about that.
Really don’t think there is any rush with Evans. They’ve got until next March to get something worked out. Might find out something Wednesday but for Joe, this is a back-burner thing (unless Bucs want to sign Dalvin Cook).
July 24th, 2023 at 12:19 pm
Mauch will sign today at 7.4 over 4 years with about a 2.3 bonus.
July 24th, 2023 at 12:29 pm
srsly?
BWAHAHAHAHA
BWAHAHAHAHA
BWAHAHAHAHA
BWAHAHAHAHA
Thats a hard no.
July 24th, 2023 at 12:32 pm
toilet bowl purposely seperates himself from the offense so he has someone to blame.
He is a DC and has no business being a head coach if he is NOT hands-on on bothe sides of the ball. Even if it is just a red pen. Anyone who could let BL do what he did last year has ZERO interest in offense.
July 24th, 2023 at 12:35 pm
@ Joe
“sign Dalvin Cook”
Yes please.
This is what I was hoping would happen…
Plus – The Bucs only have $1.4M of cap – Licht has usually kept a few million for emergency signings during the season.
July 24th, 2023 at 12:38 pm
“Think you are referring to a short period of time when the Steelers’ kicker was so awful, Tomlin just gave up on the guy.
Jury is still out on Tomlin to a degree, who is otherwise an excellent coach. Tomlin has Byron Leftwich II as his offensive coordinator. If Tomlin cans him, that will demonstrate he’s flexible.”
Oh yeah haha that’s what it really was never mind. I forgot they have been kind of a dumpster offense just the last couple years and had the rookie last year. They seem big on him for year 2 but I’m not drafting him in fantasy lol
July 24th, 2023 at 12:41 pm
Hodad … ‘Bowles needs Canales to be the next hot young OC in the league. Bowles needs to stick to defense, and game management.’
Yea verily Hodad.
July 24th, 2023 at 1:15 pm
Would Canales sign on if he thought there was a chance that Bowles would get canned? Maybe he knows Todd will still be around after this season.
July 24th, 2023 at 1:27 pm
I’ve learned Bowles appreciates complimentary football.
1. He wants long drives from the offense to keep the defense fresh.
2. He wants long punts to make the opposing team have to go the length of the field. 3. He wants 3 and outs and turnovers from the defense to put the offense in the best position.
What he’ll ask of the offense is high-percentage plays that keep the chains moving. I think it’s a good strategy.
July 24th, 2023 at 1:45 pm
LOL.
Cody Mauch just signed his contract with the Bucs today.
Now it’s wait and see about a new contract for Mike Evans…
Then maybe a new contract for Dalvin Cook.
July 24th, 2023 at 2:08 pm
“For Bowles to keep his seat cool, he might have to step outside his comfort zone and ensure the flaccid Bucs offense of last season has been given a blue pill.”
We’re more likely to see Todd Bowels dancing on a stripper pole
July 24th, 2023 at 2:10 pm
Tomlin has won at least five home games in 15 of his 16 seasons. In his 16 seasons, he has never had a losing record. Tomlin has sent a total of 73 selections to the NFL’s annual Pro Bowl, including the three players who received Pro Bowl honors for the 2022 season.
How in the world would you say the jury is still out?
The jury would he retired by now!!!
July 24th, 2023 at 2:10 pm
Marine Buc … ‘Now it’s wait and see about a new contract for Mike Evans. Then maybe a new contract for Dalvin Cook.’
I doubt that JL will sign another RB between now & Game 1. Money is obviously the biggest issue, but I also think they want to see how White & Vaughn do (as well as our other RBs). And as far as Dalvin Cook goes, I think his current legal situation (girlfriend suing him for abuse with trial date in 2024) has all the teams keeping him at a distance because of a possible suspension.
The new contract for ME13 is the one that has me baffled. His current CAP Hit ($23.7 mil) screams ‘Give me a new contract & you’ll be able to do a lot of other neat things’. And yet, not a peep out of anyone. I’m starting to wonder if maybe Mike wants out of Tampa Bay to hit a last really big payday.
July 24th, 2023 at 2:15 pm
@ DR
I agree.
The whole D. Cook thing is just a pipe dream… I know it is a long shot.
I am also a little baffled by the Mike Evans deal. Maybe he does want out of Tampa. Who knows what is going on being the closed doors at One Buc.
Oh well. I guess it’s wait and see time.
July 24th, 2023 at 2:16 pm
* Behind not being…
July 24th, 2023 at 2:29 pm
Lol! No way. Bowles is a solid D coordinator. That’s it. No more, no less.
July 24th, 2023 at 2:30 pm
Why does that photo make Bowles look like he’d weight 500 pounds if you zoomed out more? Very odd look for him.
July 24th, 2023 at 4:06 pm
You mean Jason Licht
July 24th, 2023 at 4:10 pm
Joe Says:
“Of course, the nonsense you hear about Leftwich being unemployed is that he wants to spend more time with his family (Joe waves at Cole Beasley).”
.
.
😂 Made me laugh!
July 24th, 2023 at 4:45 pm
Bowles defensive genius has been grossly exaggerated by having JPP, Suh, Vea, Shaq, White, David apart of his front seven. What defensive coordinator couldn’t make that work?…Especially with the high octane offense we had Brady’s first two years here. We were constantly scoring allowing Bowles to apply perpetual pressure. Last yr we all witnessed the defense break every 4th qtr with teams literally running it down our throats. We couldn’t get off the field to save our life, we got murdered by Brock Purdy….a rookie 3rd string QB. A good DC makes life miserable for a young QB. Bowles is an occasionally above avg DC that chokes in big moments.
July 24th, 2023 at 8:01 pm
@ DR
I either forgot that or wasn’t aware…
Are there any RBs available who haven’t assaulted any females?
To quote the great philosopher Charles Brown – “Good grief”.
July 24th, 2023 at 8:53 pm
Joe, can you please include emojis in the comment section? Maybe an eye roll or a LOL.
July 25th, 2023 at 12:51 am
I’m not sure bowles can oversee building a winning team on defense..Bucs were not great until BA came , followed by Brady
July 25th, 2023 at 3:18 am
Umm NO!
I suspect Bowles had too much input on last years offense with Brady!
Go Bucs!
July 25th, 2023 at 6:45 am
I have lots of optimism for this team until I’m reminded who is the Capt of the ship Todd Bowles.