Todd Bowles Isn’t Worried About Interceptions — Yet
August 3rd, 2024
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
Always remember and never forget Todd Bowles is a defensive guy. And nothing drives defensive guys crazier than turnovers.
At Bucs training camp, there has been an uptick in interceptions. You know there is an uptick in interceptions if Jamel Dean has two (including a pick-six).
Now to be fair, third-string quarterback John Wolford has been getting worse by the day. He’s thrown a lot of picks lately. So has Baker Mayfield thrown a few. And yes, Kyle Trask isn’t immune, either.
While Bowles has acknowledged the rise in picks, he’s not hitting the panic button. Yet.
“Depending on which side of the fence I’m playing that day… If I’m on the defensive side, that’s great,” Bowles said. “If I’m on the offensive side, we never want turnovers.”
Quarterbacks like to push the envelop in training camp to see what they can get away with (see Brock Purdy in San Francisco this summer, for example).
Good quarterbacks will take risks now that they wouldn’t normally in a game. Bowles understands this.
“It’s a time to experiment and try things out and get your reads down, so it’s not a problem at this time,” Bowles said. “But we know we can’t have them in the game.”
While Joe agrees that you don’t want to see interceptions because that’s a bad habit, Joe isn’t sweating it. Hopefully, after the Bucs have a pair of joint practices with the Jags in two weeks, Bucs quarterbacks will have gotten all the interceptions out of their systems.
August 3rd, 2024 at 4:32 am
I want Interceptions. Training camp is there for Interceptions. If there’s no interceptions that tells me either the secondary isn’t doing well or the offense isn’t aggressive enough.
From that point of view and reading the training camp reports, I don’t think either Mayfield or Trask are in any way alarming. Wolford is, but he’s also the 3rd string QB.
August 3rd, 2024 at 5:36 am
Very surprised they didn’t bring in a rookie 4th arm. Could be the are getting arm weary? Both Trask, and Wolford are FAs after this season. I would’ve thought they’d use a late round pick on a QB, or make one a priority right after the draft, but no. Be somethihg if Trask became the first drafted Buc QB to get a second contract. If not, the Bucs could have 3 new QBs vying for 2 backup jobs next season. One maybe being a fairly high pick.
August 3rd, 2024 at 5:47 am
@Hodad They did bring in Zack Annexstead.
August 3rd, 2024 at 6:34 am
I think learning a new offense has ALOT to do with that. Get the INTs out NOW!
August 3rd, 2024 at 7:23 am
In camp, both the QB’s and DB’s are playing very aggressively. The QB’s are forcing the ball down the field and DB’s are jumping routes. The DB’s should be hitting the JUGGS hard, and the LB’s too. I’d love to see LVD get some picks this year, it’s been a while I think.
August 3rd, 2024 at 9:04 am
“You know there is an uptick in interceptions if Jamel Dean has two (including a pick-six).”
LOLOL thanks for the morning laugh I needed that 🙂
August 3rd, 2024 at 9:09 am
It’s also a new offense under Coen, though less so for Mayfield who played a few games under Coen at LA, but Wolford played TWO SEASONS under Coen at LA and he’s been an interception machine this summer.
August 3rd, 2024 at 9:43 am
Just looked at 2023 fantasy totals….Baker was #9 (ahead of Tua, Stroud, Stafford, Carr) Allen was #1, owing to 523 rushing yards, which helped nullify all his picks