Ira Kaufman’s 10 Takeaways From Bucs-Titans
November 12th, 2023
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
You either succumb to pressure or you embrace the challenge.
On Sunday, the Bucs gave pressure a big old bear hug en route to a 20-6 victory against punchless Tennessee. What pressure? Glad you asked.
Had the Titans prevailed, the Bucs would have been heading to California trying to avoid their first 6-game losing streak since the 2-14 debacle of 2014.
That’s pressure.
A defense that was ravaged by C.J. Stroud at Houston needed to rebound in a big way against another rookie quarterback, especially since Todd Bowles called on his unit to display professional pride.
That’s pressure.
And speaking of pressure, that’s what spelled the difference against Will Levis, who rarely had an opportunity to feel comfortable in the pocket. Bowles dialed up an ultra-aggressive blitzing scheme that shook, rattled and rolled Levis into a QB rating of 53.3.
Couple that with a swarming defense that never allowed Derrick Henry to find a rhythm and you have the makings of an impressive win.
Mike Evans and Baker Mayfield got the job done on offense as the Bucs improved to 4-5 with their first home win in almost two months. Tampa Bay was dominant in terms of big plays with 10 snaps that gained at least 15 yards, compared to only two for the visitors.
The mood in the post-game locker room was predictable — lots of smiles, laughs and a sense of relief. This was the kind of all-around effort Bowles envisioned when he took the job as head coach.
And while the 2023 Titans shouldn’t be confused with the 49ers, this was a victory that restored confidence between players and the coaching staff. The Titans, 0-5 on the road, are feeling the pressure now and Buc fans feel their pain.
Here’s how Tampa Bay stopped the bleeding long enough to creep within a half-game of the lead in the NFC South:
* Devin White was dynamic from start to finish and Levis has the bruises to prove it. A sack and two QB hits don’t tell the full story about the disruption White caused. He was an active force on the blitz and by the end of the game, Levis kept looking for No. 45.
* Evans more than made up for a couple of drops, finishing with six catches for 143 yards and a touchdown. He seemed to be open the entire afternoon and Mayfield was smart enough to target him 10 times. Evans is on pace for 1,394 yards, which would be the second-highest total of his stellar career.
* Bowles was masterful in confusing Levis with disguised coverages and a variety of blitzes. That’s how you end up with 13 QB hits and 10 tackles for loss.
Rookie Calijah Kancey is opening eyes.
* Calijah Kancey is just starting his pro career, but he’s already shown enough to excite Buc Nation about his future at defensive tackle. The first-round pick was credited with two tackles for loss and two QB hits, knifing in from the interior to blow up plays. When I mentioned Kancey’s name to Devin White after the game, he couldn’t say enough about the ultra-quick No. 94.
“I feel like I’m definitely getting in my groove,” Kancey said.
* Mayfield shook off an ill-advised pick in the opening quarter and made smart decisions the rest of the way. For the season, he has thrown 14 TD passes and only five interceptions. Bowles couldn’t have asked for much more through nine games.
* Rachaad White continues to shine as a target out of the backfield. Dave Canales ordered up a screen and White responded by taking it 43 yards to the end zone for a 7-3 lead the Bucs would not relinquish. He hasn’t allowed his season-long struggles in the run game (3.3 average) to affect his ability to help this offense.
* Mayfield, Chris Godwin and Canales still have some work to do. Godwin has reached the end zone only once this year and that’s a travesty for a player of his caliber.
* Lots of empty seats. No surprise there, but the crowd that showed up was exceedingly loud. Evans said he was appreciative of the die-hards.
* Chase McLaughlin … impressive.
* How big was Sunday’s triumph? The Buc schedule softens quite a bit after San Francisco. Even if Tampa Bay falls to 4-6, a winning record shouldn’t be considered a longshot. And nine wins just might be good enough for a third consecutive division crown.
Ira Kaufman Addresses Team Glazer Perspective On 4-Game Losing Streak, Dissects Two Odd Todd Bowles Comments, Talks Cade Otton, Winning Versus Tanking, And Much More
November 12th, 2023 at 6:40 pm
Fully agree Ira! A lot of work to do but this was a solid victory!
We played well on both sides of the ball! Well done rebounding from the embarrassment of last week!
November 12th, 2023 at 6:55 pm
Great win …. Fire Bowles ! He does not have the mentality to manage a winner !
November 12th, 2023 at 6:56 pm
One thing you missed, Ira….TBBF got his sorry a$$ out of his cigar smoking-scotch drinking chair and flew down from NC to assure the victory.
November 12th, 2023 at 7:01 pm
Solid win. Well done. Probably could have blown their doors off with more picks, and Mike catching that TD.
Yaya needs to replace Just Too Soft. Kancey looked good, and Vita is a beast!
November 12th, 2023 at 7:03 pm
Canales is progressing as a play caller. Still not great but looks like he’s heard the criticism of forcing the on 1st and 2d down. He said it’s a learning lesson everyweek so the lesson this week should be find a way to get Godwin involved.
The healthy scratch of Keyshaun Vaughn is a step in the right direction. I’d be surprised if Vaughn isn’t cut by next week, why even keep him at this point? To collect paychecks?
November 12th, 2023 at 7:06 pm
Kancey doesn’t mess around or mince words. Just dead serious at all times. Love it!
November 12th, 2023 at 7:09 pm
Falcons lost. Bucs still control their destiny in the worst division in football.
November 12th, 2023 at 7:13 pm
BUCS GO TO THE WEST COAST AND BLOW OUT THE OVERRATED 49ERS! PUT IT ALL ON THE BUCS MONEYLINE BET, MORTGAGE YOUR HOUSE, THIS IS A GUARANTEED WIN! TODD BOWLES IS COACH OF THE YEAR! BAKER IS LEAGUE MVP! SUPER BOWL VICTORY IS ON THE WAY!
#TEAMPOSITIVE!
November 12th, 2023 at 7:25 pm
If only Evans would stop dropping the easy catches and Mayfield was a bit more accurate on the deep throws, Evans would already have a 1000 yards and be leading the league in TDs. He’d be in the driver set for his first allpro. Maybe the 2nd half of the season, they can take it up a notch.
November 12th, 2023 at 7:27 pm
rod ya crazy bastid !
i think it can happen 🙂
November 12th, 2023 at 7:29 pm
Let’s not get carried away. Evans drops as many as he catches, Canales and Bowles are still clueless and the Bucs will get bitch slapped next Sunday but they’ll be in contention bc of such a sorry division. Sorry but that’s a very low bar.
November 12th, 2023 at 7:39 pm
That Mayfield pick was almost like a punt on 3rd and long. The titans endedup starting on the 15. I wonder if Mayfield would have thrown that on 2nd and long. But a picks a pick so it’s definitely a gift for the Mayfield Sucks crowd. Tee that one up Mike S.
November 12th, 2023 at 7:52 pm
One of the biggest things you have in your article Ira is the point about Godwin. Godwin and Evans were wide open all day long. For some reason if Baker isn’t throwing the ball to Evans, he throwing it to everyone else except Godwin. Those guys make the lives of the others catching the ball a lot easier. Godwins a stud, and when he’s open you choose to throw the ball to White or someone else doubled makes no sense. Most plays Canales is calling are just bad. You have 2 pro bowl/all pro receivers to throw to, make adjustments and get Godwin the ball! You start throwing him the ball and you might actually score more than 17-20 points a game.
November 12th, 2023 at 8:07 pm
I think it’s pretty obvious why this team has been recently nosediving.
We need to re-sign defensive quality assurance guru, Lori Locust at all costs. Has nobody seen The Marvels?!
November 12th, 2023 at 8:40 pm
Oz is right. If Brady throws that pick, folks call him a genius. “Good as a punt!” Baker has been playing very well.
November 12th, 2023 at 8:44 pm
A bad team beat an even worse team today.
Nothing more, nothing less
November 12th, 2023 at 9:07 pm
Maybe it’s because the announcers said it on the telecast that many like TKraz and Ira are mimicking the comment about the pick being a bad decision. It was 3rd and 15. If he throws it out of bounds we punt and they most likely get it at the 20 at least. Heaving it up and hoping for a lucky catch in the end zone is the better play. It was anything but a bad decision. It was actually a heads up play.
November 12th, 2023 at 9:08 pm
TB 27
SF 13
Go Bucs!!!!!!
November 12th, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Yes Ira, I and Bucsnation are excited about Calijah Kancey. Could be dare I say, the second coming of Warren Sapp. He is that good!! In Bucs history going forward Todd Bowles could be the Sam Wyche of this era just before Tony Dungy came and inherited Sapp, Brooks, Lynch. Rich Mckay was the drafter of those and was the consistent member of Bucs organization between both of those coaches. So fast forward to today, Todd could be the Sam Wyche and Jason could be Rich and the next coach that comes along could maybe the Dungy. However you look at it. Kancey is going to great. Could Winfield be our Lynch and we already have our Brooks in Lavonte David except he is on the back end of his career. So Bucs need the next Derrick Brooks to complete the possibility incredible defensive trio to come. Let’s see what develops in Bucs organization to come.Which hopefully makes a trade for a certain HOF coach that is available at the end of this season. Let’s see
November 12th, 2023 at 9:25 pm
I hope Canales keeps BM spreading that ball around. Godzilla14 will get his touches as long as some DB ahole doesn’t interfere with him. I’m glad to hear White woke up today. Someone must have given him some smelling salts during the D session with Bowles.
November 12th, 2023 at 9:33 pm
Although to be fair in the previous scenario bucs need a second coming of Ronde Barber too. And a Hardy Nickerson, who also should be in HOF consideration as well. But to go back to currently, Bucs need a a Hardy. Devin played well today. But Devin is no great player and struggles to be called even good on a game by game play and stats consideration basis. Devin is a mentally challenged player and therefore shows up with the results of game by game lack of consistency. He is no Hardy Nickerson in the potentially painted comparison I’ve presented. So Bucs need a a Barber and Nickerson still.
November 12th, 2023 at 9:37 pm
Bobby figured it all out. We just need a couple of hall of famers. That’s easy!
November 12th, 2023 at 9:43 pm
Not sure what I’ve said wrong on here in past. But whatever I’ve said has warranted joe bucs fan I.E steve to moderate my almost every comment on this platform now and just tonight it seems like every other comment is being accepted and prior ones are being denied. I’m not saying anything derogatory, not saying anything too blatant and not saying anything that is blastphamy towards thevBucs. I’m true second generation Bucs fan. My father god rest his soul had season tickets and went to every Bucs home game from 1976 – 2009 then I continued that tradition to currently. I feel I’m being punished for no justified reason by the Joe Bucs Fan moderation and removal of several of my comments today on this platform. I’m beginning to get upset about this. Especially considering the Joe Bucs trio always present themselves as the say as it as people when talking about Bucs football. Yet Joe Bucs Fan is now censoring me for no good reason. Why????
November 12th, 2023 at 9:44 pm
Do it next week and I’ll have a little bit of faith in this team.
November 12th, 2023 at 9:46 pm
Yes Shake and Baker, we just need a couple of hall of famers lmao, thats it!! That’s easy lmao!!
November 12th, 2023 at 9:51 pm
Shake and Baker, if you would have seen the previous message I wrote and posted her prior to that message it would have provided context to my hall of famers in second coming conversation. But Joe Bucs fan is now censoring me for no good reason. Well that’s America now censorship. Ok joes. Don’t understand why your censoring comments without hate talk, derogatory comments about the Bucs and etcc…Whatever then, I have been listening to you guys since you came out and maybe I need to reconsider if I’m going to be censored for unknown reasons to me
November 12th, 2023 at 9:59 pm
This was a prior message that Joe Bucs Fan moderation previously removed m,
What’s your opinion folks??, does anything look hateful etc…
Not sure what I’ve said wrong on here in past. But whatever I’ve said has warranted joe bucs fan I.E steve to moderate my almost every comment on this platform now and just tonight it seems like every other comment is being accepted and prior ones are being denied. I’m not saying anything derogatory, not saying anything too blatant and not saying anything that is blastphamy towards thevBucs. I’m true second generation Bucs fan. My father god rest his soul had season tickets and went to every Bucs home game from 1976 – 2009 then I continued that tradition to currently. I feel I’m being punished for no justified reason by the Joe Bucs Fan moderation and removal of several of my comments today on this platform. I’m beginning to get upset about this. Especially considering the Joe Bucs trio always present themselves as the say as it as people when talking about Bucs football. Yet Joe Bucs Fan is now censoring me for no good reason. Why????
November 12th, 2023 at 10:08 pm
So we aren’t going to mention the play where LVD was pushing White to go cover his man in a bunch formation, and White decided he was just going to blitz. Oh yeah his man caught the pass and picked up pretty good yardage because even when White is having a good game, he is still a liability in coverage
November 13th, 2023 at 12:04 am
Conte piscatelli, that is a funny name…acknowledge your comment regarding David saving White on that play. When D-White is playing on his next team that overpays him next season based on he could “potentially” turn into a some star on there team. That team will see the same mental issues Devin White has that will prevent him from ever being a great player in the NFL. Devin White has everything needed to be a great player except fir the mental part. And the mental part of the game is most important. Prime example
, Barber and Brady…by the way can’t believe I’m putting them in the same sentence lol. But both are great players who devoured there opponents based on there mental in game analysis of players and scenes from pre-gane preparation. Great examples of my point. D-White is not that and will dramatically drop off on next team without Lavonte David
November 13th, 2023 at 12:11 am
I was at today’s game, they had SirVocea Dennis’s parents on the pirate ship ajd on the big tron. I found it very positive to his character that both his parents are Army Veterans. Dad is a 10 yr vet, Mom is a 12 yr vet. Character goes along way in any career and Dennus’s film at Pitt looks pretty good. Maybe Dennis could turn out to be a good NFL player and Buccaneer
November 13th, 2023 at 12:32 am
did not read this yet, in fact just watched the game, who is Markees Watts–wow he had a nice game–he got more done than JTS! play him every week! He needs reps! Our defense is fun to watch today and most of the time. Kancy had a good game, where is Cam Gill these days? White looked good most of the day.
November 13th, 2023 at 1:00 am
Conte Piscatelli Says:
November 12th, 2023 at 10:08 pm
So we aren’t going to mention the play where LVD was pushing White to go cover his man in a bunch formation, and White decided he was just going to blitz. Oh yeah his man caught the pass and picked up pretty good yardage because even when White is having a good game, he is still a liability in coverage
———–
Here’s an idea then… don’t play White in coverage.
I know, it’s brilliant! Use your top shelf interior rusher to … rush the passer and blow up the other teams run game. You know, if he did today when they had him rushing.
November 13th, 2023 at 5:45 am
Next week the winning streak ends, and a new losing streak begins. Nice win yesterday, but let’s not forget who our head coach is.
November 13th, 2023 at 9:13 am
“Bowles was masterful in confusing Levis with disguised coverages and a variety of blitzes. That’s how you end up with 13 QB hits and 10 tackles for loss.”
We need more of this – our D plays with so much more energy when we are aggressive. Ditch the zone!
I feel like our coaching staff is starting to get it. More Diaby / Watts and less JTS.
More Edmonds as a between the tackles runner / More White as a receiver and less run up the middle on 1st down. More creativity to gain the tough yards and less run up the middle period. 🙂
We just are not ready to compete with the 49ers especially on the road. Teams with strong lines have handled us pretty good. That doesn’t mean our season is over, as Ira stated our schedule softens and 9 wins is actually achievable. Going to have to win some tough games on the road.
GO Bucs!!!!
November 13th, 2023 at 9:50 am
Don’t overlook that Jamel Dean was one-on-one with Hopkins all game and he shut him down. Screw that soft zone. Take some chances with putting more pressure on QB and let Dean and Davis play man-to-man.
Bowles finally called a good game yesterday by playing less zone and putting more guys on the the defensive line of scrimmage.
If you want to compete with the 49ers you have to stop McCaffrey before he breaks past the linebackers.
Put Dean on Ayouke, Davis/McCollum follow Samuels around and let Lavonte and Winfield try and handle Kittle. If you can take away 3 of his 4 weapons, you have a chance to affect Purdy. He has thrown a lot of interceptions, if only the Bucs secondary could catch an interception!
November 13th, 2023 at 11:32 am
The Bucs schedule doesn’t get that much easier after the 49ers, as games against the Colts and Jaguars are down the road. Bucs will have to sweep the remaining divisional games to win the division, as the Saints and Falcons have cupcakes remaining on schedule. Falcons have no games against teams currently over .500 , and the only tough game for Saints is vs Lions.
November 13th, 2023 at 1:02 pm
I wish it were legal to punch people in the face. Complete idiots on here that say Mike Evans drops as many passes as he catches he’s been in the league for 10 seasons he only had issues with dropping passes his second year and now he’s having trouble with drops this season and it’s not even bad, 6 drops in 9 games. If you talk sh-t about Evans your not a real Bucs fan and your just a troll and probably look like one too 🧌
November 13th, 2023 at 1:13 pm
You got it spot on ED. We have a chance against the 49ers if we play man and keep the Dline rotation that we had this week. Now do I have optimism that we will do that ? Unfortunately I do not, I believe we will come out in that soft zone that’s been played almost all season. I think we lose 30-10, I will gladly eat crow if Todd Bowles game plan makes us a winner.
November 14th, 2023 at 8:49 pm
Good one Ira!
Kancey, Nelson, Ya Ya and JTS only to give them a breather. Air it out to Godwin a bit more! Get Palmer on some deep posts please. Hard to believe he is not even as much of a deep threat as Sotty was. We gotta hit him a few times to achieve that though. Sunday was another one. His big catch was only for 15. We need to bust him Loose for 40 a few times.
Go Bucs!