See What Happens When You Open Up The Offense
January 16th, 2024
Speed kills.
This is why Joe has been harping on this all season long.
The Bucs are built to throw. Joe knows Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales wants to run the ball, make his offense tough and be able to dictate the game late.
That happened some in the fourth quarter Monday night, but it was opening the offense up early that won this playoff game for the Bucs last night. Just like in Green Bay, just like home against Jacksonville, the Bucs were aggressive early and limited wasteful runs up the middle.
Even when Philadelphia double-teamed Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the Bucs had enough talent in the passing game for guys to pick up the slack.
The win now pushes the Bucs’ home playoff record against the Eagles to 3-0.
Hello Trey Palmer and hello David Moore. Both used their wheels to pull away from Eagles defenders for long touchdown catch-and-runs.
Go ahead and try to take out Evans and Godwin. Then, speed kills.
January 16th, 2024 at 12:15 am
Couldn’t agree more. They need to throw to set up the run. That way they’ll still have the balance they so crave.
January 16th, 2024 at 12:16 am
Need similar game plan next week! Defense needs to show up again also. Tonight was great I might enjoy smashing the eagles more than the saints. I had to listen to wip all week talk about how Bucs ain’t good enough
January 16th, 2024 at 12:18 am
I do worry that this game plan was built around the Eagles being the 31st ranked pass defense … but then I looked it up and the Lions are 27th in pass defense.
I did not realize that.
So, just do this again, and hopefully Baker has another great game.
January 16th, 2024 at 12:19 am
Do it again. Simple as that.
Gotta give Bowles and Canales credit for doing the right thing rather than stubbornly running for runnings sake. They were aggressive from the start.
Well done gents. That was a fun game to watch
January 16th, 2024 at 12:21 am
The pass set up the run nicely tonight. Rachaad had some nice runs. Dave called a great game and Baker balled. Eliminate the drops and ooo baby
January 16th, 2024 at 12:25 am
Take Rick Flair to Detroit.
January 16th, 2024 at 12:25 am
Does the game re-air anywhere in the morning hours?
I had a broadcast myself and I couldn’t really watch it other than to check the score. I really want to watch the entire game!
#SoldOnBowles
#SoldOnMayfield
Both earned the right to be here next year.
January 16th, 2024 at 12:26 am
In today’s game, you throw to set up the run. The ground game was solid because of it. It seems every time Canalaes learned this lesson the next game he forgets the next game. Lets hope that trend ends.
January 16th, 2024 at 12:27 am
Sign Baker NOW!
Don’t let him hit FA.
January 16th, 2024 at 12:29 am
“Rod Munch Says:
January 16th, 2024 at 12:18 am
I do worry that this game plan was built around the Eagles being the 31st ranked pass defense … but then I looked it up and the Lions are 27th in pass defense.
I did not realize that.
So, just do this again, and hopefully Baker has another great game.”
””””””””””””””””””””””””””””’
I was assuming Iggles had best defensive line in foosball, and that would decide the game. Don’t know what to think now
January 16th, 2024 at 12:30 am
This! Canales stopped running every 1st down, like he did 6 or 8 times this regular season (or so it seemed), and reaped a plentiful harvest as a result. Everyone WANTS to run the ball, but often you have to do so from the position of strength, or with a lead, and most of all once they’re on their heals.
Run-Run-Pass is dead, long live pass-pass-1st down!
January 16th, 2024 at 12:32 am
beeej – well it is worth remembering the Eagles were in a huge downward spiral, and had played terribly on defense down the stretch, and put a new defensive coordinator in place, etc.
Not taking anything away from the Bucs or Bowles or Baker by saying that, but it’s worth remember since the Lions are the exact opposite. They’re feeling great, they celebrated their wild card playoff game like they won the Super Bowl, and it’s going to be a completely different vibe.
But, if Baker can come out on fire again, and Bowles doesn’t go into a shell — anything is possible.
January 16th, 2024 at 12:36 am
Leighroy Says:
January 16th, 2024 at 12:30 am
This! Canales stopped running every 1st down, like he did 6 or 8 times this regular season (or so it seemed), and reaped a plentiful harvest as a result. Everyone WANTS to run the ball, but often you have to do so from the position of strength, or with a lead, and most of all once they’re on their heals.
———-
There’s also the fact the Lions are 2nd best team in the NFL vs the run, that’s another reason to stay aggressive.
Looking at the numbers, the Lions and Eagles aren’t that different of a defense (just going by stats, not scheme). Shockingly, the Bucs aren’t all that different than the Lions and Eagles as well – except for unlike the Lions and Eagles, the Bucs gave up a lot of yards but didn’t give up a lot of points. However, a lot of those yards given up by the Bucs were before they switched back to laying a lot more man and stopped being so passive, so its hard to take much from the Bucs defensive season yardage numbers.
January 16th, 2024 at 12:37 am
Bucsbeast: lets get Winfield taken care of first and then perhaps get Mayfield and Evans next. The franchise tag is available but that is a lot of coin as well.
January 16th, 2024 at 12:38 am
Joe,
You are getting too excited with such a predicted win. Bucs just defeated a team that was blown out by a lottery team, Giants before they played us. Defeat a good team, Lions next week and I will join you and the Baker fans going forward.
TB/BM combo are the same as TB/Fitzpatrick not a super bowl bound combo.
TB is a great DC not a HC.
Baker is an average journeyman qb not a top qb let alone super bowl qb.
January 16th, 2024 at 12:43 am
@Fort Dave.
Winfield will get a feeler from EVERY SINGLE TEAM needed a safety.
Tag has to be saved for Winfield. Plan and simple.
I’m 100% certain Jason sees it the same way.
January 16th, 2024 at 12:43 am
10 and 19 showed up and made plays. Guys were breaking tackles all over the field it was awesome to see. Pass first league
January 16th, 2024 at 1:03 am
By Joe you’ve cracked the case. Throw the ball all over the yard on the second worse passing defense down both starting safeties.
This game almost gets the stink of the Carolina off their Jersey’s.
Glad to see the team got a chance to smile and will see another check.
No more cupcakes on the dance card and I doubt Mayfield will even come close to
Stafford’s level next Saturday.
January 16th, 2024 at 1:10 am
Replays are readily available but usually the next day, Just google “replay bucs eagles” and a great site comes up.
January 16th, 2024 at 1:20 am
As Baker fans have been saying all season this can happen all the time if you open things up. Baker has matured. He cares about the details of the game more than he did before Carolina and he is very concerned over ints. He will force things to make something happen but if you notice – if there is an actual pick of his passes its almost always just going to be the one.
In fact it could even get better. New weapons like Plamer are beginning to show signs of life and Moore has been a solid addition still being worked in. You might even see a brand new offense if the bucs will utilize the asset they rave about with Baker
Routinely going in and out of hurry up with a smart Qb can be deadly .
January 16th, 2024 at 1:27 am
D Cone Says:
No more cupcakes on the dance card and I doubt Mayfield will even come close to
Stafford’s level next Saturday.
——-
Well of course baker won’t come close to Stafford’s level
Stafford is 0 -1 in the playoffs and Baker is 1 -0
January 16th, 2024 at 1:28 am
Bucs are getting hot at the right time…id love to stick it to the Lions and their trashy fan base
January 16th, 2024 at 1:42 am
I like to say “I told you so” because I rarely get to do it. I predicted in this forum a “pass to set up the run” game plan with 35 passes and a half dozen outside runs. Tonight the Bucs threw 36 passes and ran 29 times, with easily a half dozen outside runs. I frequently wondered if Canales said run run run all season, knowing that he’d run a pass first offense in the postseason. If he does it again in Detroit, we’ll have our answer. Hell, after tonight’s dominant execution, the Bucs actually could surprise the Lions with a power running game next week – not that I’d recommend that. Stick with tonight’s recipe.
Buchead Says:
January 11th, 2024 at 2:05 am
You nailed it at the end. Bowles is going to repeat the “run it” mantra day in and day out, whether it is true or not because if you repeat something enough times, then people tend to believe it.
Hopefully Bowles will let the offense attack like they did in a few winning games this season. I expect the Bucs to run up the middle enough to keep the Eagles front 7 honest, but the game plan will be to throw about 35 passes and get the ball out within 2.7 seconds to Godwin, Evans, Otten, and White, along with a half dozen outside runs.
If the Bucs attempt a 90s style “establish the run to setup the pass” game plan, they will fall behind with too many 3 and outs, which will push Baker to play hero ball in the 4th quarter, which always leads to turnovers and losing.
January 16th, 2024 at 2:45 am
Great article, Joe!!!
January 16th, 2024 at 3:27 am
Joe … ‘the Bucs were aggressive early and limited wasteful runs up the middle.’
Nailed it Joe. Dave Canales did a much better job of play-calling IMO & attacked the Eagles’ weaknesses early-on. Your point about limiting WASTEFUL runs is key I think; Bucs still ran it 29 times in the game (on 42% of the plays), but the play selection kept the Eagles’ defense off-balance & they gave up a BUNCH of big plays.
The Bucs showed up ready to play, on BOTH sides of the ball. The offense moved the ball very effectively early, and our defense literally shut them down all game long. There were NO TURNOVERS in the game from either team, but the Bucs’ defense held the Eagles’ offense to 0-for-9 on 3rd down conversions and 0-for-2 on 4th down conversions. That’s unprecedented.
And a key reason for that I believe was Todd Bowles’ very creative defensive alignments. There was no place for the Eagles to run, and Jalen Hurts & his receivers couldn’t adjust (he was still 25-of-35 (71.4%) for 250 yards, but couldn’t connect when it mattered most.
Most unusual stat of the game? Jamel Dean led all defenders on both teams with TEN tackles … 9 of them solo. That’s twice what LVD had (5) and 5 times what Devin White had (2). Bizarre.
January 16th, 2024 at 3:45 am
Man, I’m envisioning what they can absolutely do next year with a better center and guard. Shore up that part of the offensive line and get a running game that actually averages over 4 yards per carry … They can be back to putting up 30 points game.
They need to keep it opened up with a lot of passing next week because Detroit Lions secondary is not that good.
January 16th, 2024 at 8:51 am
That occurred to me too Rod, was chatting with Eagles fan buddy throughout the game, he pretty much predicted how it was gonna go. Their LB’s sucked before the season started, and he thinks Bradbury should be dragged outside and shot….AND the best thing the Eagles do is run the ball, which they adamantly refused to do
January 16th, 2024 at 10:35 am
Boy, the Eagles tackling was abysmal. On the long TD’s by Palmer and Moore, there were several missed tackles. Had the Eagles tackled better, I still think the Bucs would have won, but way less convincingly.
Still, the Bucs came to play, I loved the gameplan, the play calls, and the energy of the team. Great team win!
January 16th, 2024 at 1:57 pm
Totally agree! A healthy Baker can make any throw. He has a cannon for an arm. I hope Canales keeps opening it up. (And, I hope the receivers stop dropping so many balls.)
January 16th, 2024 at 3:17 pm
I think it is obvious we need a stud TE to complete this offense. Bowers May not be there for us but we need a Gronk type stud so Otton can play the cam brate role. We saw how well our offense looked when we had Gronk to block and catch.
A superior blocking TE would help our line out immensely. Yes Hainsey is a weak spot in the middle and Mauch is a rookie but the offensive line has been very decent at pass blocking.
Canales may not have known it in the beginning but this team is built to pass. I hope he has figured out that he needs to pass first and sneak in the run with efficiency the way Arians did in his time. I love that he went quick pass first play with no results then went right to a play action pass with results. He knew they would be thinking we would run on second down. That’s what I’ve always felt is important; pass when they think you are running and run when they think you are passing and you will get better results.