Roasting Ryan Neal
November 6th, 2023
Target of Bucs fans.
Two weeks ago Joe noted that watching Bucs safety Ryan Neal was giving Joe “Sabby feels.”
The name “Sabby” refers to the notoriously horrid Bucs safety Sabby the Goat, the 2007 second-round pick who became an early icon of The Lost Decade.
Sabby the Goat always seemed to be chasing a wide open receiver. He often either he blew the coverage or took a horrible angle, or he was chasing a receiver who got open due to someone else blowing coverage.
(Anyone remember how former Bucs general manager Bruce Almighty tried to compare Sabby the Goat to John Lynch, which in retrospect was downright slander? Bruce Almighty suggested Sabby the Goat was the next Lynch because, like Lynch, Sabby the Goat was white, came from a wealthy family and played college ball in the [then] PAC-10? Can you imagine!)
Todd Bowles is quick to defend Neal. But there was at least one play yesterday where Joe saw Neal totally butcher a would-be tackle on a pass that went for a long gain.
No way Bowles could scapegoat someone else for that.
Fans have become outraged by Neal. He is the new Donovan Smith. You know, Neal is the guy fully responsible for not just completed passes, but for the Ebola virus, global warming and unrest in the Middle East.
(Bucs fans always have to have at least one guy to hate on.)
So yesterday, Bowles decided to pull Neal off the field on third downs. So what did Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud do? He decided to light up Neal and the Bucs on first downs.
Jenna Laine of ESPN has the details.
… They tried something new with their third-down defense Sunday by inserting Dee Delaney for Ryan Neal, but four of Stroud’s five touchdown passes (14-, 75-, 29- and the 15-yard game winner) came on first down against the Buccaneers.
Per that barometer, Neal may need to be on the pine for most of if not all of the game.
Joe has no plan to pull the plug on this season. The Bucs are 1 1/2 games out of first place in the sorry NFC South. There are nine games left. So it is ridiculous to suggest the season is toast.
Having typed that, the way the Bucs are playing in this four-game losing streak, Joe has vanishing confidence the Bucs can or will turn things around. Way too much weird stuff is happening on the field that good teams don’t do.
November 6th, 2023 at 7:33 am
Tryon is my guy that should be benched. The dude has the cleanest uniform after every game and has zero impact …
November 6th, 2023 at 7:39 am
He’s worse than Sabby. At least Sabby made an interception or two. Ryan gets burned on every single play in his area.
November 6th, 2023 at 7:40 am
Tryon had a (1) tackle!
November 6th, 2023 at 7:45 am
any dude who won’t cut his hair for his job should not have a job
November 6th, 2023 at 7:46 am
Being 1 1/2 games back in this division is like being 5 games back in ANY other division.
November 6th, 2023 at 7:47 am
The game plan from other teams is to target Neal or whoever is opposite Winfield and keep Winfield from making big plays wherever possible. This isn’t going to be solved this season with the personnel we have. We need another top safety, so this is likely something we are going to have to fix in the offseason.
November 6th, 2023 at 7:52 am
Sabatino “Sabby” Piscitelli. Haven’t heard his name in a while. I think he was a WWE wrestler after his NFL days…
November 6th, 2023 at 7:54 am
Sorry Joe but you should give up any hopes of them winning any more games this season. Houston was one of the worst teams we were going to face and they had injuries all over the field.
I will still watch the games and yell at my tv but not expecting any more wins.
November 6th, 2023 at 7:56 am
I dont blame Neal or Davis…..Bowles continues to send Neal out there despite giving up costly big plays every week….that’s a coaches failure. We got TWO CBs being paid $15 million each to play soft as tissue ZONE coverage…..again that’s on Bowles.
We lost yesterday because Bowles plays to “not lose”. 1st half we blitzed Stroud 50% of the time, which held him to 10 pts. 2nd half we went zone trying to burn clock by keeping everything in front of the defense, we stopped blitzing and wouldn’t you know we gave up 29 pts in the half and the secondary got murdered by a rookie. Bowles mentality is constantly geared around preserving his defense but reality of his genius was on full display yesterday. Bowles blitzes, its not hard to figure out and if he’s not hitting on his blitzes, he’s got nothing. The defense has been the focal point in the draft and salary cap…..its absolute trash.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:04 am
Logan Ryan is still out there.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:07 am
Has Bowles been fired yet?
November 6th, 2023 at 8:07 am
Ryan Neil and JTS both need to be riding the pine or relegated to the practice squad. This soft zone BS by Bowles has to be stopped as well, essentially this lame defensive scheme has cost the Bucs 2 games directly: yesterday and the ATL match up. You know the Glazers in all likelihood forced Dirk Koetter to can Mike Smith could they force Bowles to bench players or shelve a failed defensive scheme via Licht or perhaps even directly?
In the other losses a lot of people said the defense did a “decent” or okay job but lets face it: Detroit, Philly and Buffalo did not bring their A game offense, if they did the Bucs would have been blown out by 30 points minimum. Kind of like Washington getting boat raced by the Bills, 38-3 earlier in the season. The culture of losing has spread throughout this team like a cancer. It started with the head coach. Its up to the Glazers to decide when, not if, Bowles should be relieved of duty and given his parting gifts.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:09 am
Sorry now. I get what you’re saying but nothing positive is coming out of this year. They let 2 very winnable games in atlanta n yesterday slip away. Radio is not good enough n that’s what it comes down to. As a long time fan of this team I need him gone!! Throw as much money at harbaugh you csn
November 6th, 2023 at 8:10 am
Bobby M. 100 % true I am not pissed at Neal or anybody on defense. Bowles should and should have made changes as needed this is what good coaches do not sit around talking about missed assignments Sounds like a coaching issue to me. Either the position coach the head coach or both. The big thing is , YOU HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES AS NEEDED
November 6th, 2023 at 8:19 am
“Joe has no plan to pull the plug on this season.”
You don’t play and you’re not a coach. Just what do you intend to do? Nothing. You are clueless in cyberspace.
Bowles is in the class of Lovie and Schiano and Perkins and Williamson and Bennett.
Time of death November 5, 4:27 pm.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:21 am
After a permanence like that what’s wrong with personal changes. Zyon who has getting all this praise was getting picked on my a rookie quarterback. Yea Bowles you embarrassed yourself. This team didn’t look at that confident in you
November 6th, 2023 at 8:25 am
To think we had Edwards and Whitehead – both on top ranked defenses… no coincidence
November 6th, 2023 at 8:26 am
So we might be able to win the south with a 9/7 or 7/9 record, get smoked in the first round of the playoffs, Keep Todd at the helm and draft again at #18 or something. Man, the future just looks better and better. Maybe we could even sign Neal to a 5 year deal and give him the money rather than Winfield, SMH.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:27 am
I think Logan Ryan is not having a good season, that obvious, But is not easy playing his positions when both 2 CB are that bad and with a non excistent pass rush……Just saying……
I repeat, Ryan is far from being good, but his game is bad becasue other players aren´t doing their job.
Even more, I just don´t see any king of effort on Dean and CDII….Yesterday was the confirmation on what I am saying long time ago….CDIII made a good play from time to time, this season, not even that…..
November 6th, 2023 at 8:29 am
Honestly, it’s really funny how the local sports media was shining Sabby Piscatelli’s knob as the second coming of the great John Lynch. I distinctly remember sitting on my back porch with my next door neighbor drinking a beer and talking about the day before’s Bucs game. I said ” why does everybody think this clown is the next John Lynch? Is it because he’s White? He reminds me more of Rod “Toast” Jones.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:30 am
blow it all up
November 6th, 2023 at 8:32 am
BLOW THIS SH&% UP
November 6th, 2023 at 8:35 am
Conte was worse, Guy fittingly had his career ended by being stiff armed
November 6th, 2023 at 8:41 am
He’s always in the frame when you see players running free. It’s not a coincidence. But the defense has bigger problems than Ryan Neal. Todd Bowles’ defense always seems to melt when you need them the most. The exact opposite of Dungy’s teams.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:42 am
Joe Said: “The Bucs are 1 1/2 games out of first place in the sorry NFC South. There are nine games left. So it is ridiculous to suggest the season is toast.” Sorry Joe, the season is toast.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:44 am
Our ENTIRE secondary was AWFUL yesterday! Frankly, the whole defense stunk!
It seems like our DBs are in zone WAY more than they should be, #1.
Secondly, how are WRs almost always open against what are considered “veterans”.
Last, Jamel Dean has to be one of the softest DBs I have ever seen. EVERY game this guy starts he leaves due to an injury.
One more thing, what the heck kind of defensive play-calling leaves WRs wide open along the sidelines and in the endzone in the waning moments of a game?!
Flat out EMBARRASSING!
November 6th, 2023 at 8:44 am
Jimmy J
Beej
FortMyersDave
Here’s my take on JTS :
Bad plays by JTS against CJ Stroud and the Texans:
3rd quarter 12:20- I hope I’m not the only one to take notice but on the JTS int (nothing spectacular on his behalf, a gimme to him right in the bread basket) on the two point conversion attempt, the int shocked JTS to the point that he really didn’t know he could score two points on the int. He was hesitant n about to give up on the play as he anticipated the whistle blown. Had he played heads up ball he could’ve scored 2 points. Watch the tapes.
4th quarter 14:11-On Texans qb run on two point conversion, JTS at 259 lbs could’ve prevented the conversion with a wrap up tackle on the qb, but instead, he tried to make a passive hit on the qb with his shoulder which didn’t have an impact. Why did he do this on a 218 lb qb? Watch the tapes.
4th quarter 5:26-While in the pocket, Shaq knocked the ball outta qb CJ Strouds hand causing a fumble, JTS looked at the qb n it was obvious the ball was not in the qb’s hand, therefore why did JTS tackle the qb instead of going after the fumble at the Texans 8 yr line to give us the turnover but the OT recovered the fumble. OMG, this JTS is short of a screw, he cannot think n has a one track mind.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:44 am
Bowles had the Bucs pay out big bucks for Dean and Davis, two of best man to man cornerbacks in the league. He then plays zone 90% of the time. Stupid is as stupid does.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:50 am
Bench Bowles and Ryan Neal and JTS keep them in the locker room and let’s see what happens.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:52 am
Who signed Neal? Jason Licht! Stop letting Licht off the hook
November 6th, 2023 at 8:52 am
I actually left the tv after our last touchdown thinking it was over so I found out in shocking fashion we lost. Not as bad as you guys who witnessed it
November 6th, 2023 at 8:57 am
Defense has played well most of the year. Yesterday was worse than terrible. This one is more on Bowles then when players get burned cause as most fans saw we played way to much zone it just baffles me that we were getting roasted in zone. Always someone open in zone and wide azz open to and yet he didn’t change it up. Also not very much pressure on on stroud in the 2nd half. Idk if it was cause if less blitz’s or just plain guys couldn’t get to the QB but that will get your defense light up if the QB has all day to throw.
November 6th, 2023 at 9:01 am
F this team. F this entire organization. This will without question be Todd Bowles last year as a HC in this league. Ever.
November 6th, 2023 at 9:05 am
Todd Bowles…You’re Fired
November 6th, 2023 at 9:09 am
That was an amazing game. Yes we lost but maybe we found our franchise QB. Awesome game. Terrible ending. You are definitely not going to find a better rookie in the draft than what Mayfield put on tape yesterday. Our defense shat the bed
November 6th, 2023 at 9:10 am
Funny. I was referring to Neal as the Modern Day Chris Conte.
November 6th, 2023 at 9:12 am
Blow this roster up it’s time we ain’t going nowhere soon
November 6th, 2023 at 9:25 am
Defense has been bad all year. Saved by red zone turnovers. Teams have moved the ball up and down the field at will all season on us. So the only thing we have won is the turnover game, but you have to back it up with something.
November 6th, 2023 at 9:31 am
I think Bowles has lost the locker room.. That defense looks uninspired, bored and out of place.. It’s perfectly clear Bowles is incapable of running a defense and head coach at the same time. I am really starting to believe that he might be the worst head coach since Leeman Bennett , and Richard Williamson. He is really bad. It’s time to put him out of his and our misery!
November 6th, 2023 at 9:43 am
The book is out. When you have a legit All-Pro level safety on one side of the field and a donkey playing safety on the other side of the field, who do you attack? The donkey. Neal is a box safety. He can’t cover half the deep field.
I feel terrible for the guys trying to rush the QB. They know no matter how close they get to the QB there is going to be an easy throw for the QB to complete right before they get home for a sack.
The sad thing is our corners can play press man with most recievers in this league. The scheme right now is asking them to play flat footed nine yards off the ball. Newsflash, you can play zone coverage while still playing close to the ball and redirecting routes.
November 6th, 2023 at 9:46 am
Back to the Winston days, lots of points but terrible defense. I don’t blame Neal specifically, I blame just about the entire defense as well as Todd’s stupid defense strategy. Why even play soft coverage if you can’t get to the QB and give up big plays. Just play press and take your chances. The secondary has not gotten one INT all year. Sad. Todd has to go and Canales needs to quit screwing around with running plays on 2nd and 18.
November 6th, 2023 at 9:52 am
Part of me wonders it Bowles is autistic. He’s terrible with people, can’t read a room and struggles to communicate. He’s also so set in his ways and habits, it’s almost to the point of being a disability.
November 6th, 2023 at 9:53 am
I read a stat before yesterday’s game that Ryan Neal was the only defender in the league that has allowed a perfect passer rating when he’s being targeted.
November 6th, 2023 at 9:57 am
Todd Bowles is proving again and again why he should be a coordinator and not a head coach.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:05 am
he looks like that dude from the video…….hide yo kids, hide yo wife, they rapin erybody up in here tonight
November 6th, 2023 at 10:07 am
Ryan Neal is not replacing Donovan Smith. His replacement for penalties committed to knock out big gains is Goedeke. Also, Davis and Dean do an ok job of tackling after the catch, but why can’t they prevent the catch like Dee Delaney does?
November 6th, 2023 at 10:17 am
‘Well he’s not good on 1st, 2nd and 3rd down but we can still play him on 4th down” John McKay
November 6th, 2023 at 10:17 am
As long as the Bucs continue to not hold players accountable for loafing I see no reason to expect more than a win or two. The only solution is to bench the loafers and the players who keep making mistakes in coverage.
I for one can see that putting Devin White in coverage is almost as bad as putting Neal on the field. With all of that speed, he is never in the right place in these zones.
Bowles is clueless. The Bucs cannot play a zone defense or a prevent defense. They have to keep McCollum and Delaney on the field. Davis and Dean are low motivation guys, the money that the Bucs foolishly paid them has been a terrible investment.
The team is in free fall now. Yesterday was a “must win” to come back to being mediocre. Giving that one away with horrible zone defense and the 14 yards in the 3rd quarter is unforgiveable. I believe there are 31 other coaches in the NFL that are better than Bowles. He is a spectator. He learned nothing from Arians.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:38 am
Bucs put on a football clinic yesterday: “How to lose a game, in less than 1 minute”
November 6th, 2023 at 10:45 am
#Pathetic.
Sorry I keep repeating this, but it’s what we are being shown.
Sorry Joe, this season is toast. Zero confidence this team can turn it around with the current (lack of) leadership and lack of talent.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:46 am
Joe, seems like you have a split personality. On the one hand you think the Bucs have a chance to win the Division and on the other you don’t give them any hope for making the playoffs the way they’re playing now. I love the Bucs, but it’s just hard to watch. With 46 seconds left in the game and Bucs ahead by 4, my wife said, it’s over, the Bucs get a win. I told her to watch what’s about to happen, hoping I was wrong. But, I just knew the D was going to only rush 4, play soft zone, and keep everything in front of them and the Texan’s would drive down the field for a TD. You just know this team will implode if give a chance. Sad, sad, sad!
November 6th, 2023 at 10:53 am
Yep, Bucs ahead by more than a field goal.
“No way they can screw this up”……. oops
November 6th, 2023 at 11:05 am
Might as well bring some USFL/XFL players thst are hungry to get into the XFL
November 6th, 2023 at 11:08 am
On TV they locked in on sideline BEFORE the game and this dude looked like he already gave up the game winner, while his house was on fire and he just got served!!! Body language said everything!
November 6th, 2023 at 11:08 am
gotbbucs … ‘I feel terrible for the guys trying to rush the QB. They know no matter how close they get to the QB there is going to be an easy throw for the QB to complete right before they get home for a sack.’
On the other side of the coin, if the pass rush could CONSISTENTLY pressure the QB, those wouldn’t be such easy throws. Bucs had 3 sacks (White, Kancey & Shaq) & 6 QB Hits (White-2, Kancey, Shaq, Vea, Gaines) on a day when Stroud had 45 pass attempts. On most of the plays that I saw, he could’ve eaten a pizza & drank a beer before our pass rush ever got to him. Our interior couldn’t get CONSISTENT pressure, and our OLBs were getting run out of most plays (ONE sack & ONE QB Hit, both by Shaq, in 176 def snaps by our OLBs doesn’t speak well for our OLBs). Something’s bad wrong.
November 6th, 2023 at 11:18 am
D-Rok … ‘Sorry Joe, this season is toast. Zero confidence this team can turn it around with the current (lack of) leadership and lack of talent.’
I feel the same way D-Rok. I haven’t had much confidence in the offense all season, but did feel like the defense could keep most games reasonably close. Yesterday the balloon burst. That was the worst defensive performance I can remember seeing from a Bucs team in many years.
The lack of talent is obvious (you get what you pay for?), but it’s the lack of leadership … on the sidelines AND on the field … that’s most appalling. I honestly felt after that game that this coaching staff had DESIGNED a defensive scheme bent on losing that game. Some individual players (like LVD & Winfield among others) played their hearts out, but at the professional level even that can’t very often overcome horrible coaching. The offensive scheme BTW wasn’t any better (Houston’s defense tried everything they could to give us the game, but we persevered & wouldn’t take the bait).
November 6th, 2023 at 11:23 am
Seemed like the only ones that were actually playing were Winfield Lavonte & Kancey. Devin is just in his own diva world & he’ll probably be gone after this year & I don’t think Neal Carlton & Dean even care now. They should put Yaya ahead of Tryon because Tryon is an idiot & maybe see what Watts can do, too!
November 6th, 2023 at 12:00 pm
The Bucs may be ‘only’ 1 1/2 games out of the division lead, but where does Joe get the notion that the Bucs will win another game? Well, maybe the Panthers will tank week 18 to get the #1 pick. Otherwise, there is no indication ‘staying the course’ will result in anything but further losses.
November 6th, 2023 at 12:13 pm
Here todd toilet bowl responses for his press conference.. we knw,we r working on it .we gotta coach better,That’s for the room, missed assignments.. repeat over and over.. and our weak press room says thanks Todd nice shirt never a tough follow up question. Or call him out and ask him but Todd it’s been 3 weeks and obviously you are not or maybe it’s not working. Explain to us Todd why would u keep a player in who keeps getting burned.. or maybe your coaching isn’t working..
November 6th, 2023 at 12:29 pm
I think Ryan Neil compares very well to John Lynch both in speed and athleticism. But you have to realize that John Lynch is in his 60s now.
November 6th, 2023 at 1:35 pm
Crack3rK Says:
November 6th, 2023 at 8:42 am
Joe Said: “The Bucs are 1 1/2 games out of first place in the sorry NFC South. There are nine games left. So it is ridiculous to suggest the season is toast.” Sorry Joe, the season is toast.
^^^^^
Pass the butter.
The players are done with these coaches. Only players still trying are up for contract
November 6th, 2023 at 2:14 pm
This defense made CJ Stroud look like Jesus in cleets a week after the Panthers made him look mediocre. Scrap that trash Zone defense. When your front 4 get 0 push ever game and your best Blitzer is a safety your defense is toast on the font end and the back end. Get rid of that trash zone!!!!!!
November 6th, 2023 at 3:19 pm
Which down is ok for a guy that can’t play the pass or the run? 5th down?
November 6th, 2023 at 7:24 pm
And queue up another rookie QB who will likely crush us. God I’m so disappointed.
November 6th, 2023 at 7:37 pm
What about Carlton Davis
Forget Neal. Davis is the second coming of “Toast” Jones
He got lit up more than Whoville at Christmas
November 6th, 2023 at 7:39 pm
Bowles needs to go!!
No emotion. The choices he makes are horrible in every aspect of the game.
Hell. Richard Williamson. Leeman Bennett and Ray Perkins would be better options at this point. Even Schiano Can’t believe I just said that
November 6th, 2023 at 8:17 pm
Hey DR, how about the cheating refs? How long have you been s Bucs fan, seriously? Bucs won the Stupid Bowl in their home crib 3 years ago. The next 2 years, they won the Division. They did not win the Division their SB year. BA’ s record when he drug his butt out of retirement was not noteworthy his first season. So, this is Bowles first year as HC and you know it as well as I do. He and Canales deserve a second year. So, what do you think about how we defeat the refs?
November 6th, 2023 at 8:31 pm
orlbucfan … Sorry, but the refs weren’t out there playing defense Sunday. Besides, both teams had the same number of penalties, but the Texans had even more penalty yards (115 to 90). And this is Bowles 2nd year as HC. I was very much in his corner, until Sunday, because I considered him to be an excellent DC. Our defensive performance Sunday however was just plain ugly, and it was the defensive scheme that really turned me off. Todd Bowles was a man with no answers. Coaching lost that game, plain & simple.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:33 pm
And to answer your question orlbucfan, I’ve been a Bucs’ fan since first moving here in 1982. That’s slightly over 40 years now. Long enough?
November 7th, 2023 at 12:21 am
@Bucs13
Ryan Neal was a package deal when Canales was hired. Ryan Neal is Canales’ daughter’s fiance. No Joke. And that is why Bowles keeps going to bat for Neal. Basically Neal is Bowles’ OC’s son in law.
No one ever mentions it but that’s why he has kept his job up until Sunday when even loyal to his OC, Bowles couldn’t stand it anymore. AND THAT’S SAYING A LOT!
Finally it’s mentioned that play after play Neal gets targeted because he’s a LOCK not to get in the way of 99% of passes coming his way because he is the definition of TERRIBLE. And just Far too tempting to pass up a guaranteed reception when thrown ANYWHERE NEAR HIM.
Bench Neal and put Delaney in permanently and YOU WILL SEE A MAJOR DIFFERENCE in opposing strategy and at least a touch down less in EVERY game!
Addition via Subtraction…..
November 7th, 2023 at 12:50 am
Canales’ oldest daughter might — keyword, “might” — be in high school. As in she’s still a girl. Don’t think Canales is letting her date much less get engaged to 27-year old men. And Joe’s going to guess Neal isn’t cradle robbing.
November 7th, 2023 at 6:24 am
I do not understand the whole Neal thing. He looked fine till the season started then its like the wheels fell off. Little by little he just gets worse!
Is it confidence? Is it coaching? Obviously the Bucs saw something in him worth paying the man for! WTF?
Go Bucs!