Todd Bowles: Bucs Need To Toughen Up
August 15th, 2024
Can a team be tough with softer practices?
One one hand Todd Bowles doesn’t want dudes getting tackled in practice and thought one-on-ones between wide receivers and defensive backs shouldn’t have been run yesterday because both the Bucs and the Jags have a bunch of players dinged up.
Also, Bowles has most of his starters sitting out the first two worthless preseason games.
Then on the other hand, Bowles groused yesterday after a joint-practice with the Jags that the Bucs need to toughen up.
“Yeah, we had quite a few drops,” Bowles said about sloppy play from his receivers in practice yesterday in Jacksonville. “That’s what I’m talking about [in terms of] getting more reps and being mentally and physically tougher for opening day.”
Look, Joe’s not taking a shot at Bowles here because Joe doesn’t know if there is a right or wrong answer about how to get players through training camp and worthless preseason games. and ready for Week 1 without being injured.
Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh believes in a grueling August schedule saying, “If we’re going to box we have to spar.” It works for him. But each coach is different.
If there was a consistent answer to this riddle, every team in the NFL would set up their August practices and games the same.
Joe thought it was interesting in the same press conference, Bowles discussed taking it easy on players to avoid injuries and then turned right around and said the Bucs need to toughen up.
Can a team both toughen up and avoid injuries? Joe isn’t sure.
August 15th, 2024 at 5:49 am
Seems to me like some of these guys are injury prone. Like Kancey. Is that what Bowles meant by toughening up?
August 15th, 2024 at 5:50 am
NFL will be flag football in 5 years. The league would have folded a couple of years ago if it were not for fantasy football and online sports books.
August 15th, 2024 at 6:14 am
Toughness is attitude.
Already know with most vets. Now is a time for starters to tweak things (hopefully not hamstrings) and for the rest to show off their wares. The job of coaches is to set the dials and see how all-out the players respond.
Sometime Baker has to turn that nasty tongue of his around on his own teammates. Like warning Palmer, “You get me those balls or I’ll give you none.” (No wisecracks needed). Every Buc — not just the offense — relies on skill positions to make plays, and when they don’t the whole team is let down. Gotta pay the iron price, either coming up with the ball or sitting down on the bench.
If that’s too Brady, then Baker needs some more toughness.
August 15th, 2024 at 6:35 am
“”If that’s too Brady, then Baker needs some more toughness.””
How did this morph into a Baker bashing post?
August 15th, 2024 at 7:26 am
Joe … ‘Can a team both toughen up and avoid injuries? Joe isn’t sure.’
And there-in lies every coach’s dilemma Joe. IF you tighten up & practice hard AND players get hurt, you’re screwed. Not only do you jeopardize the season (example: Vikings’ QB JJ McCarthy now lost for the season as a result of his surgery), but also the media get all over you (nah, they’d never tale a shot at the HC for something like that … cough, cough).
Football’s a violent sport, and guys get hurt. Duh. They can get hurt in regular practices, in joint practices, in preseason games, in regular season games. Even tough guys like Ryan Jensen can get hurt as we’ve seen. It’s the nature of the beast. Personally I agree with Mike Tomlin’s approach. Anyone who lasts 18 years as HC of the same NFL team and posts a 173-100-2 record (over a 63% winning percentage) with ZERO losing seasons is someone I’ll listen to.
August 15th, 2024 at 8:37 am
Players can get seriously injured even without contact…..there is no way to avoid injury……stay in good shape…….play hard and let the chips fall where they may.
August 15th, 2024 at 9:41 am
At least Todd’s secondary still can’t play zone defense. Great that Todd continues to not teach his players their assignments
August 15th, 2024 at 9:49 am
Agree, DR. Tomlin is one the few old-school coaches left. His approach works year in and year out.
I think Bowles is still trying to figure out his niche or what works best for him.
August 15th, 2024 at 9:49 am
I’m guessing it’s mostly mental due to the sloppy start yesterday with the bus late thing. Then he tossed in the physically because while he wants to keep players healthy, he doesn’t want them missing reps for a broken toenail. That’s a lot of speculation on why some guys are on the sideline but fits with the contradictory talk.
August 15th, 2024 at 12:22 pm
Pretty sure he meant toughen up as in conditioning, stamina, heat tolerance….. Not toughen up like some of y’all think.
August 15th, 2024 at 12:36 pm
Let Bowles be the coach & u b the spectator don’t forget to it if Bowles blows that is his problem not u r’s he been in Tampa long enough to know what’s up obviously Licht likes the guy those 2 r all that matters to Glazers not u know it alls
August 16th, 2024 at 11:50 pm
What defense rules said