Game Set Up For Bucs To Strike Fast, But There Is A Problem
October 26th, 2023
Opportunity awaits.
Reading stats last night and after first getting excited, Joe got depressed and almost angry.
Tonight’s game screams for the Bucs to break out and strike quickly because the Bills are soft early. Per Rich Hribar of Sharp Football Analysis, Buffalo has not scored a first half touchdown the past two weeks. They are slow out of the blocks.
Further, the Bills defense coughs up an average of 6.8 yards a play on first downs, second-worst in the NFL. So man, this is the time to start hot, start fast and get a lead quickly.
But… the Bucs are absolutely impotent on first downs, averaging 4.5 yards on first downs, 30th in the NFL.
[Insert “Price is Right” fail horn.]
Tonight’s game is going to be a referendum. The Bills are soft and vulnerable. Dangerous, yes, but not elite. Not the way they have been playing lately. And they are beat to hell on defense.
If the Bucs cannot muster a scoring offense tonight, then either the Bucs better find a running back before the Halloween trade deadline or this team should seriously consider playing for the 2024 draft and loading up on picks.
And Joe is very confident the latter won’t go over well in the locker room or the coaches’ offices at all.
October 26th, 2023 at 9:11 am
HC and OC have no idea how to scheme creative plays other than ran through the gut and throw and pray that our WR’s can catch it. With no running game and the WR’s are too slow, 0% chance Bucs will be able to score against the Bills.
October 26th, 2023 at 9:14 am
@ Jack Sparrow
Is Palmer slow?
October 26th, 2023 at 9:15 am
Ahem .. Kyle Trask
October 26th, 2023 at 9:17 am
Afraid the wheels fall off tonight… Bills 42-Bucs 6 (2 field goals)
October 26th, 2023 at 9:21 am
Lol!
Mike Tyson’s quote says it best
🥊🥊🥊
October 26th, 2023 at 9:22 am
Joe, has Licht ever traded for a player mid-season?
October 26th, 2023 at 9:24 am
Off top of Joe’s head, think he may have but it’s been awhile.
October 26th, 2023 at 9:26 am
The Bucs will fix the Bills’ problems.
October 26th, 2023 at 9:27 am
The Bucs need to play like they have nothing to lose and go deep often. Lots of QB rollouts and bootlegs. Lots of jet sweeps, reverses etc. Use the TE and RB as receivers more. They can’t play the typical stupid score 17 points and let the defense win the game. Our defense isn’t that great.
October 26th, 2023 at 9:33 am
@Kgh4life. Palmer who ? never heard of him…. he may be fast but can he catch ? 🤣
October 26th, 2023 at 9:33 am
Think we traded for the Pats guard, Logan Mankins in year?
October 26th, 2023 at 9:37 am
I used to believe that intentionally tanking could be a good strategy in some cases but not anymore. Pissing off all the players and coaches could backfire on them, making them want to leave for a team that is trying to win. Playing for a losing team or coaching one can damage their career.
Also, tanking to achieve a higher draft pick may not even benefit the team in the long run. Look at what happened with Jameis!
October 26th, 2023 at 10:00 am
Bills haven’t scored a first quarter TD in Two weeks. More telling is that the Bucs have scored 1 TD in the first quarter all season.
What the Bucs need are long, slow, clock eating, and sustained drives. That is but a dream with this team because of both the QB and the running game, or lack of both.
Canales needs to cater his offense to drives in this one. Giving the Bills the majority of the time will allow them to get their game together. The current scheme is not set for the Bucs to get their game together, it is aimed at those damned 3rd and long situations that fail without anything to learn from.
October 26th, 2023 at 10:02 am
Bucs WIN tonight.
I said it.
Write it down.
Deep Slant to Evans connects early, the run game opens up and everyone hails BM and toilet bowl.
but it will only be a one week wonder.
October 26th, 2023 at 10:07 am
If we do well tonight ( or play very well) All I request is – Please for those who have been for days gleefully projecting 40+ to 6 against us (for Trasks’ sake) – spare us the claims later tonight you were rooting or the team all along.
October 26th, 2023 at 10:08 am
Everyone gets well at the Bucs expense.
October 26th, 2023 at 10:11 am
Bowles has a lot of experience coaching against the Bills. Possibly some of that has an impact on tonights game. Nah, sounds like wishful thinking.
October 26th, 2023 at 10:15 am
Im going to the game, going to watch warmups closely!!! see if there is any enthusiasm…. please show up tonight guys!! going to game with 2 Buffalo fans. Time for Godwin to go off!!! lets go Bucs!!!
October 26th, 2023 at 10:16 am
“But… the Bucs are absolutely impotent on first downs, averaging 4.5 yards on first downs, 30th in the NFL.”
If we have finally come to reality about that running game I am not as concerned about that as the fact that our coach just admitted he sees no clear 3rd WR nearly half way into the season. Haven’t watched much all 22s this season but its got to be easy to play a team where you take away two players and the offense has little else to go to.
October 26th, 2023 at 10:21 am
Joe Says:
October 26th, 2023 at 9:24 am
Joe, has Licht ever traded for a player mid-season?
Off top of Joe’s head, think he may have but it’s been awhile.”
This is why I never expect them to happen. I think he has traded away a low level player before, but that might be about it.
October 26th, 2023 at 10:22 am
Upstate NY BUC Says
“Im going to the game, going to watch warmups closely!!! see if there is any enthusiasm…. please show up tonight guys!! going to game with 2 Buffalo fans. Time for Godwin to go off!!! lets go Bucs!!!”
That there breaks my heart. Not gonna be a good result for you…so try to enjoy just being with your friends.
October 26th, 2023 at 10:26 am
Lose this game and the fan base is going to throw in the towel on Todd Bowles. Attendance will drop and management will have a super small window to decide if its time to commit to a rebuild. My gut tells me Licht won’t want to make any moves to gain draft picks because doing so admits failure and if we really dive into Licht’s record, his teams have done absolutely nothing when Brady wasn’t around. Brady was the key variable….Brady got Gronk, Brown and Fournette here. Those guys would never consider us if it weren’t for Brady. Licht is mediocre as a GM…..if we load up on picks, you really think ownership gives the keys to Licht again? This draft is loaded with QB prospects, I just don’t see them giving Licht another 5 yrs of rebuild with another young QB prospect and a merry go round of head coaches.
October 26th, 2023 at 10:28 am
You don’t lose, no matter what the score is , until you quit, tanking is quitting , and that destroys a team.
“ Do your duty in all things , You can never do more, You should never do less”
Robert E Lee
“Resolve to perform what you ought, perform ,without fail, what you resolve”
Thomas” Stonewall” Jackson
“I would not give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed because the very thought of losing is despicable to Americans.”
George S Patton
“Upon the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that, upon other fields, will bear the fruits of victory”
Douglas MacArthur
Like it or not, you are today’s role models for millions of young men and women who will be the future leaders of our country, so what do you want to
show them? Go Bucs!
October 26th, 2023 at 10:29 am
Well, here we are…the even before Baker Mayfield is benched, unless Bowles gives him the night off due to injury.
Tomorrow starts the Trask days…finally. I do not expect him to explode. The kid needs time to develop on field. We’re likely looking at a small losing streak.
What I want to see from Trask is that he learns quickly and he improves his weak areas from game to game.
It would be great if he came out and was instantly a Tom Brady-like player, but since that is only about a 1% chance (if that), I will be satisfied if he just proves over the rest of the season that he should be the starter.
I’m kind of viewing it like the first Dungy year where Trask is concerned. The Bucs started out poorly, and gradually got better that year. If Trask can do that over the remainder of the year, I’m happy.
If he surprises and does a lot better? Well…the off season will be very interesting. I would think Dave C would be our next head couch in that case.
October 26th, 2023 at 10:29 am
JD Still:
Two of the four guys you quoted are losers and a third skedaddled when the going got tough.
So if anything you are making the case to tank for a quarterback. 🙂
October 26th, 2023 at 10:39 am
Bobby M. Says
“Lose this game and the fan base is going to throw in the towel on Todd Bowles. Attendance will drop and management will have a super small window to decide if its time to commit to a rebuild. My gut tells me Licht won’t want to make any moves to gain draft picks because doing so admits failure and if we really dive into Licht’s record, his teams have done absolutely nothing when Brady wasn’t around.”
I agree about Todd Bowles. Fans have pretty much turned on him already. But…if Trask comes in and by some miracle starts winning…the fans will buy in again and forget that he wasn’t Bowles choice.
So far as Jason Licht…it bugs me to no end when people say ‘discount this and”…that’s like saying ‘discount Brady’s first 20 years, and he wasn’t much good”.
Jason Licht doesn’t play or coach the games. What he does is build the teams. For years, certain people said he could not build a good team, then Arians and Brady come in and all those draft picks started paying off.
Licht built a superbowl team. Just consider how many of those SB players were on the team before Brady came along. Most of them were here already.
So your point really doesn’t pan out.
As to recent picks…well…I would not give up on them so quickly. Fans have a habit of doing that.
I remember Mike Evans second off season…Tampa fans wanted him gone because of drops in his second year. Imagine if the fans had gotten their way?
When Ali Marpet was picked, fans said Licht blew it again! Look how that turned out.
There are examples of that all over the place. Yes, there were bad picks…a GM is usually considered good if they hit on 33% of their picks. Anything above that is great.
Considering he didn’t have power until just before Arians was hired (head coaches always got what they wanted), since he got power, he has been great.
October 26th, 2023 at 10:48 am
I actually like Licht but Bobby M. You said it perfectly. We need someone who can find and draft a franchise QB, for once it’s time.
October 26th, 2023 at 10:52 am
Don’t throw the season away start Kyle.
October 26th, 2023 at 10:53 am
Bucs wins tonight,,,, but as we all know, it’s just a pie in the sky.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:07 am
Buccaneer Bonzai Says:
We’re likely looking at a small losing streak. What I want to see from Trask is that he learns quickly and he improves his weak areas from game to game.”
—
See? You just gave yourself away. If Trask clearly beat Baker preseason then he ought to be better than Baker and not have to give into a losing streak at his inaugural run. So you indirectly admit he’s not up to scratch ( or regressed from preseason)
Under your scenario you would have to hope that management demands trask because no head coach wanting a job would go for that result on his own . Ole saying are old for a reason Bonzai – don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Now go get ready to root for your team like a real fan rather than day dream about them losing badly before a national audience. . The name of the team name isn’t Tamba Bay Trasks quite yet. Baker has come close already to being dinged up. You will see Trask this season and without having to root against (allegedly) your own team.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:15 am
Joel, to be fair I think Purdy played for the niners due to injury then they discovered he was a hidden gem.
It still boggles my mind (and makes me laugh to no end) how all the geniuses running teams in the NFL (and here on this site) and not one (ZERO!!) pegged him as worth even a 4th round pick. or a fifth or sixth or early 7th. If they re-ran that draft he would be a first rounder.
So yes, the jury is still out on Trask without a doubt. I’d like to see him play. It seems to me like we see what Mayfield is. Inconsistent and inaccurate at times. Very much reminds me of Fitzpatrick. Capable of some nice plays, runs around well, but ultimately will throw a bunch of passes that are either just off or just wrong.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:42 am
Joe: so two of those men are “losers” and one “skedaddled” ? Interesting, the two men you say are “losers” were born into the cultures they grew up in, they played the hand they were dealt and in the case of Jackson gave his last full measure of devotion, Lee, gave his all on the field and when the fighting was over worked to heal the nation’s wounds, urging his fellow countrymen to reconcile ,becoming President of Washington , ( Later , Washington and Lee University), where he established the nations first liberal studies program, giving the students flexibility in their courses of study , which millions of students , North and South ,and the nation as a whole , has benefitted from, similar to football players who are drafted onto a less than stellar team but still do their best for that team , MacArthur skedaddled? I take it You believe we should get rid of our punter because you don’t believe in trading space for time in order to have a more defensible position while your offense regroups ,finally ,I must assume you disagree with Patton’s not accepting defeat , he took over a defeated army after the battle of Kasserine Pass in North Africa gave it a winning attitude and led it to victory. I guess we just have much different definitions of what role models and winners and losers are.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:57 am
Okay, Bonzai… But, Brady (along with the rest of his ‘buddies’) is now, GONE. I’m not saying you should fire him NOW, and I am also saying, that you would be an IDIOT to believe, or even THINK, that he deserves 5 more YEARS!!!! Now, that is just ridiculous. Let’s say that Trask comes in and plays well (better than Bake), and shows some promise… NOT Future HOF’er. You STILL, have to tear it all down tho, and maybe, bring back most of the entire staff for next season. But, from there… Everything is based solely, on just ‘year-to-year’ basis. Next season if everything looks like, just more of the same, THEN you start over with a brand new Coaching Staff. After that season, IF the overall ‘talent’ level is not producing or improving and looking like a DUD… You have to move-on from Jason Licht. So, that Brady-Super Bowl prob bought him at least TWO more seasons after this one. And, I think that HAS TO BE the Max… No more than 3, especially without any ‘franchise’ QB and a shlt roster, by THEN!!!!
October 26th, 2023 at 12:02 pm
This is a passing league. A running back isn’t going to make much of a difference. Our passing game is almost as impotent as the run. Let’s fix the important part of the offense before the not so important part of the offense. The defense is holding teams points down and we can’t score many. What a waste of good defensive play. This coaching staff is terrible.
October 26th, 2023 at 12:31 pm
crazyhorse1954 Says:
Afraid the wheels fall off tonight…
^^^^^
Yep. The offense continues its ineptitude. The defense gives up. 1-2 starters get injured. Buffalo wins in a blowout and the Bucs get embarrassed on Primetime.
After the game, the coaches lose the locker room. Bowles and Canales realize they’re done. Licht lets the team tank for picks. He might make some trades.
It’s all over tonight.
October 26th, 2023 at 12:57 pm
I think Canales is going to be an awesome OC but it’s going to take some time. Todd Bowles needs more time too, but doubtful he gets it. I thought White would improve at RB but he hasn’t. Keyshawn Vaughn isn’t any better. Lost track of the new guy from Syracuse. First, fire your running backs coach today. He’s useless. Yes, trade for a running back with head up 20-20 running vision. After the loss tonight, trade ME13 to to Phillie or KC, someone ready to win a Superbowl. Trade Devon White if he’s worth anything. He started the season well but disappeared as of late. The Bucs really don’t have a lot of players other teams would want. Under 10 for sure lol
October 26th, 2023 at 1:04 pm
27-24 BUCS WIN
October 26th, 2023 at 1:56 pm
Jeff’s grandpa Says:
October 26th, 2023 at 1:04 pm
27-24 BUCS WIN
————————
Canales and the Offense get on the same page and call creative passing plays, done deal. Go Bucs!!
October 26th, 2023 at 2:02 pm
Bad early Bills defense? Our “D” suuuxxxx on first drives!
October 26th, 2023 at 2:54 pm
Way to go JD!