More Evidence The Bucs Are Built To Pass
January 7th, 2024
Let him throw (if pain-free).
For much of the year, Joe was so frustrated with the Bucs offense because Joe thought the Bucs were letting some of their best weapons rot on the vine through devotion to running the ball.
Then came the big wins over the Packers and Jags. The Bucs opened it up on offense and looked like a different team. Finally, Joe thought, the Bucs saw the light. Throw to win … run to keep your opponent in the game.
Or just run to lose.
Alas, the Bucs last week against the slimy Saints decided to revert to a ground-and-pound team and they got beat up. The only time the Bucs looked alive offensively was in the fourth quarter when the Bucs decided (ordered?) to throw to get back in the game.
Over at Sharp Football Analysis, Rich Hribar noted how Baker Mayfield was like a different quarterback when the Bucs decided to air it out.
Mayfield was 10-of-17 (58.8%) for 89 yards (5.2 Y/A) and an interception through three quarters on Sunday. In the fourth quarter down 20 points, he went 12-of-16 passing for 220 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
This offense was built to throw.
The Bucs didn’t draft Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and re-sign them for a bunch of Team Glazer loot, to block. Joe maintains Rachaad White is a below-average running back but as a receiver out of the backfield he is elite.
If Joe can see this, and the thousands of Bucs fans last week who booed the Bucs off the field at halftime and into the third quarter for running while down three scores can see this, why can’t Bucs shot-callers see this?
Very few teams have the weapons in the passing game like the Bucs have. Use them. It usually works.
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January 7th, 2024 at 1:08 am
Yeah they’re built to pass… until the coaches see that bakey is having one those games (one of so so many) and they revert back to forcing the run. They don’t trust your precious baker and for good reason. Panicky happy feet or a heroic scramble that gets him busted up. Did touchdown Tom ever need to scramble his way to being considered the goat? No. Not at all. Baker is a one trick pony.
January 7th, 2024 at 1:43 am
Tv bolts: You can’t be serious with those comments! When Baker is set free to pass he really is dangerous – which makes this team dangerous. Were you sleeping when the Bucs FINALLY decided to throw the ball in the 4th quarter? Even though the Saints were in a prevent defense, Baker was throwing 50 yard bombs! If Palmer doesn’t stumble & fumble, we might have won that game even though we stunk up the place for 3 quarters.
Don’t let your hatred for Baker make you blind to the facts!
January 7th, 2024 at 5:20 am
A Baker post PSA: please don’t feed the trolls.
Just don’t do it…
January 7th, 2024 at 6:14 am
Joe … ‘In the fourth quarter down 20 points, he (Mayfield) went 12-of-16 passing for 220 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. This offense was built to throw.’
One could easily derive that conclusion from that singular stat, but I think it’d be ‘jumping’ to a conclusion. Baker actually threw 17 passes that quarter, if you include the 2-point conversion pass attempt. The result:
o 2 passes intercepted & 1 pass caught but fumbled (ie, 3 turnovers).
o Of those 17 pass attempts, 13 were short (8 complete for 62 yds) and 4 were deep (all 4 complete for 158 yds).
o Bucs ran 0 times in the 4th quarter (probably since we were getting our butts kicked 20-0 at the start of the quarter?).
So the end result of this offensive approach focused strictly on passing was 2 TDs, 3 turnovers (2 INT & 1 fumble) & 220 yds of offense in 4 drives consuming 4:39 TOP in just 1 quarter of football. Would that approach work for an entire game? Actually it would I think IF … you could achieve those same results for the full 4 quarters of a game (that’d be 8 TDs, 880 yds of offense, 18:39 TOP and 12 turnovers). I think we know what kind of odds Vegas would give you on achieving those results.
Did we wait too long in the Saints’ game to pass more? Oh heavens yes. Our game plan was flawed from the beginning, but much more importantly our team was flat & ‘loose’ with the football (4 T/Os will lose almost every time). In the first 3 quarters the Bucs had 8 drives, resulting in 5 punts (consuming only 17 plays), an INT, a fumble & a 1-play end-of-half kneeldown. They ran 13 times & passed 18 times in those 3 quarters, plus took 2 sacks & had 1 kneeldown. That’s not gonna win us very many football games.
January 7th, 2024 at 7:02 am
Why does this team suck at home so bad? Glad they’re away today. I’ve had enough home loses for 1 season.
January 7th, 2024 at 7:04 am
I’m just not that big of a Mayfield fan. He create his own sacks. In the pocket, he’s just too happy feet to me. Yes he comes off as a tough guy but he run around scared in the pocket. After watching CJ Stroud,I saw precise passes, good decision making, and poise. I notice on a particular play, he scanned the defense n w/determination n lack of hesitation, he ran the ball up the gut pronto for the first down. He has good peripheral vision. Mayfield is average at best. Too many batted passes. Teams are game planning for Mayfield batted passes n our coaches do nothing to counter.
January 7th, 2024 at 7:42 am
Joe/ Defense Rules: great points and that’s why the thought of Bowels being resigned: really bothers me. He is stubborn to a fault… It is so obvious, not a great trait for a Head Coach.
January 7th, 2024 at 7:48 am
The dirty secret in cleveland is Stefanski let Baker loose in the first half including some no huddle. After they had a big lead they ran out the clock with
those two big backs.
January 7th, 2024 at 7:52 am
Put Trask in if his throwing is any worse with the injury. Too much at stake to play a hurt mediocre QB, when we could play a QB who can see the field and throw better deep passes. The one pass he attempted this season was money and Godwin has bought it more challenging passes than that.
January 7th, 2024 at 7:59 am
We were down 20-0 in the 4th qtr. The NO defense was content to play softer. Obviously, the team down 3 scores is going to pass furiously, and the team up 3 scores is going to play softer defense. Not impressive numbers from the QB. Sorry.
January 7th, 2024 at 8:02 am
Salary cap
Bowles is already signed for next year. Only good thing is no dead cap to cut him. He’ll be back. Too many cap issues still for next year to entice a new coach who isn’t another genius pick gamble a la Schiano. Looking forward to 25 when you can change your handle. Maybe Bowles will shock us next year. Go Bucs. Playoffs yeah.
January 7th, 2024 at 8:42 am
Get ready for more ground and pound. With Baker having a rib injury, the Bucs are going to protect him and run the ball even more.
January 7th, 2024 at 8:53 am
Defense rules..Baker had nothing to do with Palmer and Whyte fumbles. Baker moved the ball when he was allowed to pass from the beginning of the game against Packers and Jags. Just repeat the PaCker game plan.
January 7th, 2024 at 8:54 am
Today with 15 mph winds is not going to be built for passing. Hopefully, they can get White the ball on some screens.
January 7th, 2024 at 9:14 am
If the offense plays to it strength then it is fair to expect a bounce back performance. However, this underachieving Todd Bowles defense can still choke it away. While I still predict a Buccaneer victory, 37-35 Panthers is a real possibility.
#FLUSH THE BOWEL MOVEMENT!
January 7th, 2024 at 9:36 am
By game time it will be 50 partly cloudy with moderate wind. Perfect passing weather.
January 7th, 2024 at 9:45 am
While we do have more success passing, we are still definitely a RUN FIRST TEAM!! Doesn’t matter if White runs up the gut 15 times for 1 yd ea time, Canales will still run even if down 17 points like last week.
January 7th, 2024 at 9:54 am
Lose to the kittys so the Bucs will get a real H/C next year!
January 7th, 2024 at 9:55 am
Very interesting fact pointed out by Aiken’s game last night. Especially for the Bucs. He showed the 5 members of Mike Shanahan’s staff when coaching the Dolphins. Of the five, one is currently and OC and the other four were current Head Coaches! And, they all have potent offenses. When they finally dump Bowels go find ANYBODY from Kyle Shanahan’s staff off the 49rs. Not because I’m from SF area (Hello Gator/Trask fanatics) . Can you imagine a system where they fully use a TE and scheme to get Evans and Godwin open? What a treat that would be.
January 7th, 2024 at 10:01 am
realistic-optimistic Says:
January 7th, 2024 at 7:59 am
We were down 20-0 in the 4th qtr. The NO defense was content to play softer. Obviously, the team down 3 scores is going to pass furiously, and the team up 3 scores is going to play softer defense.
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You are talking out of ypur rear as usual
that being a divisional game the saints did not let up on defense.
January 7th, 2024 at 10:05 am
Tb bolts Says:
January 7th, 2024 at 1:08 am
Yeah they’re built to pass… until the coaches see that bakey is having one those games (one of so so many) and they revert back to forcing the run.
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Most of us watch the games so you are only making a fool of yourself ( only one step up from David in that regard).
OC runs running plays iup the middle wheteher or not the passing game is flowing. Has allll season long.
You lose.
January 7th, 2024 at 10:32 am
Palmer is open alot on deep routes, but Mayfield and Palmer have a trust issue-
so when Godwin and Evans are double covered, Mayfield either checks it down to White or he pumps and gets happy feet instead of throwing it out to space and letting Palmer go get it.
January 7th, 2024 at 10:36 am
If I owned the team, and they don’t win today and have a convincing win in the first round, I would fire Bowles because I think he decided to throttle the offense agains the Saints. How else do you explain such a bad performance, especially considering Evans’ arch nemesis wasn’t playing?
January 7th, 2024 at 10:38 am
Free to pass? First half had 15 passes and 6 runs. Have to count sacks as a pass play because it definitely was not a run play. Plenty of passing just a piss poor job of doing it.
Joe complains when Bucs run when it’s not working. 10 for 17, one pick and 58 yards tells me the passing wasn’t working either but sure just keep plugging away at it.
Stafford got plenty of garbage stats when defense went soft and game was out of hand. Mayfield got to eat in the 4th quarter when it’s a practice type defense.
Bucs lost because Mayfield did not execute in the first three quarters and gets behind the Mic and starts with it was a bunch of little things. The first being Mayfield himself but he wouldn’t admit that until press called him out on his pathetic play.
January 7th, 2024 at 10:38 am
I don’t think it’s just Canales play calling. The man behind center has to own up to bad play. Game was over in the fourth.
January 7th, 2024 at 10:51 am
See what everyone forgets is baker is still the most accurate collage Qb of all time and touchdown to intersection ratio dude has been dogged his whole career THE POOR GUY HAS HAD 8 COACHES AND OFFENSES HE CAN AND WILL END UP IN HOF AND THEY ARE GONNA SHOCK THE WORLD THIS YR ALONE THIS YR EITH A GARBAGE LINE AND ABSOLUTELY NO RUN GAME LIKE THE WIRET BUT ETILL WASTED ALL THEM 1st and second downs for one yard baker leads the league in 3rf and fourth down and still leads in conversation that alone says slot
TAMPA YA BETTER SIGN HIS TO A 5 UR DEAL AND JASON LIGHT KNOES IT CAUSE BA was bringing him here last season and the owners vetod him that’s why he quit
January 7th, 2024 at 11:26 am
Tb bolts Vasy has to go. How many goals did he give up this time? yes you only blame that one person don’t you? He is in in charge of that net so it has to be all his fault. That’s the way it works in every team sport right?
January 7th, 2024 at 12:08 pm
D Cone … ‘Bucs lost because Mayfield did not execute in the first three quarters’.
Used to tell the baseball teams I coached that if you’re behind 20-0 after the 1st inning there’s a good chance you’ll lose the game. Every run or point you give up counts, whether it’s in the 1st inning/quarter or at the very end of the game. Bucs just aren’t a good enough team to spot their opponents 20 points before they decide to get serious about scoring.
Baker’s performance last Sunday didn’t help, but he had lots of help in laying a goose egg by the half. Commenters are making it about running vs passing, but IMO it’s just about crappy play for three quarters of the game.
BTW, if you look at the Top-5 offenses right now (Dolphins, 49ers, Cowboys, Ravens & Lions) here’s how much they run …
o Dolphins (11-5 with #1 offense): 1005 total plays, 436 rushes … run the ball on 43.4% of their plays.
o 49ers (12-4 with #2 offense): 966 total plays, 470 rushes … run the ball on 48.7% of their plays.
o Cowboys (11-5 with #3 offense): 1053 total plays, 439 rushes … run the ball on 41.7% of their plays.
o Ravens (13-4 with #4 offense): 1076 total plays, 541 rushes … run the ball on 50.3% of their plays.
o Lions (11-5 with #5 offense): 1081 total plays, 477 rushes … run the ball on 44.1% of their plays.
All 5 of those teams are doing very well this year. All 5 of those teams run the ball on 40% – 50% of their plays … just like the Bucs do (we run it on 41.7% of our plays). Difference is that they all run the ball MUCH better than we do … Dolphins (5.0 YPC), 49ers (4.8 YPC), Cowboys (4.1 YPC), Ravens (4.9 YPC), Lions (4.7 YPC) … so their running game is a true threat and complements their passing game (and vice versa).
Bucs are running the ball at a 3.4 YPC clip. Our running game is ineffective & doesn’t represent a viable threat to QUALITY opposing defenses (we do much better against poor run defenses … duh). It’s not that Bowles & Canales offensive scheme is bad, just that we suck at implementing it. And yes, some of the play-calling doesn’t help, but it’s more about what our players can or can’t do. I suspect that talent & experience enter into that but who knows.