Chase McLaughlin Knocking On Todd Bowles’ Doghouse Door?

August 18th, 2024

Falling apart?

Last year Bucs kicker Chase McLaughlin was about as automatic as you can get.

And since the Bucs tried to run so much, that led to shorter drives, which meant a field goal kicker was critical as the Bucs too often settled for field goals instead of touchdowns.

So the fact that McLaughlin has missed two very makeable field goals in the first two worthless preseason games, alarm bells are starting to go off.

Now after last night’s loss to the Jags in Jacksonville, Bucs coach Todd Bowles wasn’t throwing McLaughlin under the Bucs. But the fifth-year pro certainly has Bowles’ attention, and not in a good way.

In short, Bowles said that McLaughlin’s “great” season last year is last year. This year it’s 2024 and what McLaughlin did last year means nothing.

“Any time a kicker misses a field goal or an extra point it is bothersome to me,” Bowles said. “He was great last year.

“We have to iron it out. And we’ve got to get it done.”

All of a sudden, what we all thought was a strength of the Bucs — kicking and punting — seems shaky.

McLaughlin suddenly has the yips and to Joe it screams something is going on behind the scenes that the Bucs brought in a punter in the middle of training camp, despite having one of the best punters in the game, Jake Camarda.

With just one more worthless preseason game left until the real bullets begin to fly, it is too early to panic about the Bucs’ kicking game?

30 Responses to “Chase McLaughlin Knocking On Todd Bowles’ Doghouse Door?”

  1. RagingBrisket Says:

    Not too early to panic. This position has been one of the hardest for Licht to reliably solve. Along with inept RBs and no edge rusher the kicker is and has been an issue since he has been here. Bucs fans should be very concerned.

  2. It's Corn Says:

    maybe injury too… Martin Grammatica’s issues back in the day looked like he was a basket case but in reality he was very injured

  3. Alexandre Nascimento Says:

    No it’s not. Especially for Bucs fans. We don’t want that kicker circus back

  4. Mac Says:

    I feel the same way. He seems really shaky. Almost missed an XP last week as well. Hopefully he figures it out cause with the way Bowles runs things if we don’t have a reliable kicker we are going to lose alot of those 1 score games that we often play in.

  5. Harold Says:

    Bobby Bouche is avaiable

  6. unbelievable Says:

    It would be quite the ultimate irony if our special teams somehow got even worse after that schlub Armstrong was let go.

  7. Babygrace Says:

    If these are worthless pre-season games why do you report what is happening in them?

  8. HC Grover Says:

    Weary of the scrub so called games. Went to bed at the half it is so boring.

  9. Dave Pear Says:

    Sign another kicker. Now.

    But more importantly, fix the zone bust pass defenseless that has become Todd’s trademark.

  10. SlyPirate Says:

    DID YOU KNOW?

    #1
    NFL goalposts are 18’ 6” apart. The width of each FG post is 6.6 inches, making the total width 21.8’. The average width of a pole barn is 20’x40’ … So, when a kicker completely misses a FG saying, “They can’t hit the side of a barn,” is 100% accurate.

    #2
    Janikoski made +80% of his FGs drunk.

  11. JD Still Says:

    So, We are supposed to worry about our kickers , who were great last year , but who we have seen struggle in what is called , “worthless “ pre season games , while at the same time , We are not supposed to be worried about our supposed starting defensive and offensive players , sight unseen , who have not played in any , of the “worthless “ preseason games, including a “gifted “ mediocre , middle of the pack , quarterback , who has a history of playing well one out of every three seasons ? Well , We have one “worthless “ preseason game left with which to assuage our concerns ,or , to justify a panic , seeing is still believing .

  12. Dave Pear Says:

    That’s it, give McLaughlin a bottle of scotch 30 minutes before the game and tell him he has to finish it before kickoff.

  13. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    “the Bucs brought in a punter in the middle of training camp, despite having one of the best punters in the game, Jake Camarda on the roster.”

    No starters played, right? Except the kicker?

    McLaughlin will be fixed by the start of the season. A lot more to worry about with camp meat blocking for you.

  14. Ed McSherry Says:

    Oh, another Bowles: “Don’t blame me!”

    Don’t worry, Todd, we’ll wait until the kicker is saving your job again and you can take full credit for all the “Won by a field goal wins.”

    In the mean time, during pre-season, just “set-things-up” for a good “See, I told you so before the season started”
    a$$-covering.

    No, no, don’t give the guy any encouragement; that you support the kicker and know he’ll come-around because he’s proven to thrive under the pressure of a real game or anything that might be helpful, privately; no, just go straight to the media and try to humiliate yet another valuable player into making you look good again. We can always count on you for your innovative PR, and
    coaching-techniques.

    Speakin’ about “last year,” how’s it goin’ about those pesky timeout-management thingys.

  15. Buccaneer Bonzai Says:

    JD Still, I would rather have seen the starters in game two and rested them game three…that would have given more time for any injuries to heal up.

    That said, I agree Baker has a lot to prove. Last year was so up and down that I don’t see how anyone can think the position is stable…but I do believe he earned his contract.

    I’m not worried about the rest of the offense or defense. The rookie starters got work in. I suspect we might lose the first game…but we’ll see. The Redskins (always) rested their starters too…I hope.

  16. Irishmist Says:

    I read somewhere that the Bucs have brought in another long snapper to compete with Triner in hops of saving money. Even a small disruption in timing can throw a kicker off. Do we know who was the long snapper on that kick? My theory is you never mess with a system that’s working well. First corollary of Murphey’s Law.

  17. Dave Pear Says:

    Time to get the red hair tufts and red nose back out.

    Bolweszo is back.

  18. Boss Says:

    Mcsherry nailed it. Todd is a moron.

  19. Dave Pear Says:

    Time for Jason to show the Toadster the Outhouse Door. He might find his zone coverage schemes in there.

  20. Rod Munch Says:

    Calm down you drama queens, he didn’t forget how to kick in the offseason. He’ll be fine.

  21. MadMax Says:

    It should be marcus banks #39….sorry bro, bye

  22. MadMax Says:

    Just putting this out here Joes, but have you ever thought of a dedicated post to just fan views? The day after the game and leave it open….give people time to rewatch the game and break it down….positives and negatives, what did you see…..and please stay on topic, thats the rule…no trolling on each other.

    I think that would be a nice segment to the site.

  23. Larrd Says:

    Kickers can go hot and cold year to year. I never heard of this guy until last year.

  24. Dave Pear Says:

    The next time Ramirez and Watts are out there, they’ll drop into empty zones every time. It’s the way to ensure well roundedness.

    #Todd.InsuranceBusinessExecutive.2025

  25. TampaThom Says:

    Bullets?

  26. Rod Munch Says:

    Larrd Says:
    August 18th, 2024 at 4:03 pm
    Kickers can go hot and cold year to year. I never heard of this guy until last year.

    ———

    He’s been around for a while, but had a very nice year in Indy in 2022.

    He’s a long range kicker, and last year was almost certainly the best he’ll ever had, he’s not the type of guy who is going to make 94% of his kicks again.

    He’s probably more of a low-to-mid 80% type kicker, meaning he’ll miss a few more kicks than last year, like most kickers do.

    Regardless, the reason he has a job is because he’s 24-29 beyond 50 yards. When you get a power kicker like that, you’re trading some accuracy, and last year is almost certainly the exception. But I’d love to be wrong and see him do it again.

  27. Ed McSherry Says:

    With McLaughlin it got to the point where there was this relaxing feeling that he would nail the 50+ yard field goals; that’s pretty much unheard-of. The field goals weren’t juuuust making it through, they were completed with a certain authority in a very consistent way.

    I’d vote for: a 90% chance he’ll continue to be a winner this year vs a 10% chance Todd has anything substantive to freak-out about in pre-season.

    The only real problem.is that Bowles always seems to feel, a100% of the time, he must stockpile excuses (loud & early).

    This “using the media” against his own players business is not good. There’s big difference between saying things like: “We need work in the secondary, especially at the cornerback area,” and singling-out a player, specifically.

  28. Dave Pear Says:

    He clanged a 50 yarder off the uprights indoors at Lions playoff game. Might still be in his head.

    Bring in another kicker to compete.

  29. garro Says:

    Todd aint wrong…Camarda too …

    This is ridiculous!

    Go Bucs!

  30. Buc15 Says:

    what a bunch of fragile cup cakes. RELAX