“Communication” Nonsense Is Beginning To Reach Absurd Levels
October 31st, 2024
Not a robot.
Joe is convinced this “communication” excuse the Bucs keep using for rotten pass defense just has to be a code word for something else.
Because no one can turn this dumb this quickly.
Let Joe be crystal clear: Joe thinks Zyon McCollum not only is a cool dude but one of the better stories in the league given how he has played this year. He’s been phenomenal.
Joe likes everything about McCollum. Always smiling. Really sharp guy. Oh, yeah, he’s balling out in his first season as a starter. But he said something earlier this week that just floored Joe — provided you take the word “communication” the way it is defined in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary.
Communication noun
1 a: a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behaviorb: personal rapport
a lack of communication between old and young persons2 a: information communicated : information transmitted or conveyed
b: a verbal or written message
McCollum actually said changing lineups due to injuries can make communication dicey.
“Yeah, a different lineup means you’re communicating differently,” McCollum said. “You know, not every person is the same. We’re not robots out there.”
Now McCollum is a smart guy. He doesn’t actually believe that. Joe thinks it’s pretty clear McCollum’s just reciting a rehearsed company line.
Unless Joe is missing something, all Bucs defensive backs went to school in the lower-48. They all speak English. Different dialects, maybe, sure.
How is it that, with pretty much the same lineup as the past two years in the secondary, the Bucs were able to “communicate” with each other but now it’s as if one guy is speaking Swahili and the other Mandarin?
And McCollum said different guys communicate differently due to rotating guys with injuries. Well, McCollum played a lot last year due to injuries at multiple positions.
Communication didn’t seem to be an issue then.
It’s pretty clear this “communication” nonsense is just a cover so Bucs coach Todd Bowles doesn’t have to hang a guy (or guys) out to dry for playing shatty defense.
Of course, if this is really “communication” — like when former Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith parroted that every week to cover for defenders who couldn’t understand what the defensive playcaller was calling so they just freelanced — then why haven’t Bucs coaches given those duties to playes who can actually enunciate?
October 31st, 2024 at 4:12 am
Yeah that’s a red flag for sure. The communication should be universal for everyone. Much like how it works in the real world, when you speak the same language it’s easier for everyone. These guys shouldn’t have to be translating real time during a game. This is ridiculous.
October 31st, 2024 at 4:19 am
My take on this is: If you play with someone for a while you learn how they will
play at any given time. So it makes sense that new substitutions will require more
communication and there will be less knowledge and trust of what the new player will do in any situation. One example that that happened last week, Winfield left his area and man to cover a third receiver on the other half of the field leaving
his man wide ast open.
October 31st, 2024 at 4:21 am
^^^^ situation 1A ^^^^^
October 31st, 2024 at 4:28 am
Apparently some people are more cerebral than others, and within the Bucs secondary, some may be dumber than a box of rocks evidently. Oh no, Say it ain’t so, Joe. Can this be ‘schooled’ into a fix, by a coach? Inquiring minds need to know.
October 31st, 2024 at 4:44 am
Maybe we should start drafting defensive players from the Ivy League because passing off receivers or dropping into the correct zones has clearly become too complicated.
October 31st, 2024 at 4:47 am
We have 3 great man defenders in Zyon, Idzien and Tykee. We have a great safety and a good safety. So why do we play this horrible zone defense??? 😖
October 31st, 2024 at 4:50 am
QBs are getting the ball out quickly on us because we are playing social distancing defense. MAN UP AT THE LINE AND NAKE THEM HAVE TO FIGHT OFF THE LINE. No more clean releases!! If they get away it can’t be worse than what is happening now!!
October 31st, 2024 at 4:55 am
ATLBUC
Could be that they one or more may not be in coverage, because of Bowles exotic blitz package.
October 31st, 2024 at 5:00 am
swahili X mandarin X dutch…
some guys might be speaking dutch joe 🙂
#PassTheDutchieOnTheLeftHandSide
October 31st, 2024 at 5:06 am
Millionaires who can’t communicate.
Tough to take any of these clowns seriously. They are excuse laden and over paid to underperform.
At least their dope accessories match their uniform.
Loser squad.
October 31st, 2024 at 5:23 am
How about, I’ll take this guy, you take that guy? You know how we use to do it on the block. Hey Sal, cover Vinnie, I’ll cover Tommy. Simple communication right there. Everybody knows who they got, no more BS excuses.
October 31st, 2024 at 5:25 am
I mean communication is really a part of it. KJ Britt is at the forefront of it. Along with the bad play from the backups when they are forced to play. On top of that, Bucs are going through the toughest schedule in the nfl. It should smooth out after bye week. They are prepping Grier to take over for Britt since Dennis is out and Russell is just as bad.
October 31st, 2024 at 5:51 am
Off subject a tad Joe, but I think it’d be a great opportunity … Just noticed on the Jaguars site that they might be interested in trading ILB Devin Lloyd (6’3″ & 235 lbs). Was their 1st Rnd pick back in 2022. Only 26 years old, and has had 3 years of good experience with the Jags. Good defender (allows around 70% completions), is reasonably fast (4.66 secs in the 40). Bucs have a need at ILB I believe. FIX IT JASON.
October 31st, 2024 at 5:59 am
Perhaps Todd has confused the noun “communication” with the noun “accountability”, there is definitely a lack of the latter on this defense and on the defensive coaching staff! On a PR podcast I heard one of the hosts actually say that he almost hopes that KC puts up 55 on the Bucs Monday night in a 55 to 40 or so loss with multiple explosive plays by the Chiefs just so that Bowles is forced to make some changes after being embarrassed on National TV for the 3rd straight time. However, Bowles is so stubborn that he probably will not make any adjustments at all until the bye week and then again he could stand pat even then…. Chiefs have been scraping by despite being undefeated, their biggest margin of victory is 13 over the Saints so they are due for a break out game. BTW if you Google “NFL Coach”, “Lack of/No Accountability” and one will find a lot of posts about Dennis Allen, Eberflus and Todd Bowles. Make sense, 3 defensive head coaches who will not admit to their shortcomings.
October 31st, 2024 at 6:18 am
It’s just an excuse for incompetence. If you don’t know what you’re doing by now there is no hope.
October 31st, 2024 at 6:26 am
What a shame…
Zyon McCollum taking a page out of the Coach Swiss Cheese Guide to Media Relations.
Agree with you completely Joe, on who Zyon is as both a player and a person.
We all see how he’s trending up on the field every week. Not perfect, but definitely going in the right direction.
Saw his interview on Bucs Insider and was very impressed with who he is as a person.
Don’t go down this road, Zyon. Please.
October 31st, 2024 at 6:35 am
52 and 24 are really bad and can’t cover anyone
thats why they got a 9yr CB from Carolina’s practice squad this week
JTS and Yaya are not getting it done either= really bad defense
October 31st, 2024 at 6:48 am
Go back to that Rams playoff game where do an all out blitz and everyone involved looks perplexed at the play call…..It’s been going on since Bowles was just the DC. His system simply doesn’t work, blitzing the way we do is like throwing mud against the wall and seeing what sticks. Teams have identified exactly where to to go, they identify the pressure and attack the weak point. That’s the obvious downside to blitzing is someone is open, in our case it’s multiple players. A QB that will stand in there will eat this defense up. That’s what we’re seeing now…..teams have mastered attacking our weaknesses.
October 31st, 2024 at 6:51 am
It’s Mayfield’s fault.
October 31st, 2024 at 7:00 am
Joe, communication doesn’t have to be verbal. It can be hand signals, or even subtle nods of the head signaling who you’re going to cover. I think what McCollum’s talking about is communicating what coverage they should be in. And sometimes bad communication is the absence of any communication at all.
October 31st, 2024 at 7:19 am
Antoine Winfield and LVD are leaving their areas sooner to cover the gaps left by KJ Britt over the middle and it’s creating busted coverages.
October 31st, 2024 at 7:22 am
This lack of DB communication has been going on for years in Bowles system. Rarely, does one see opposing receivers repeatedly so wide open, unless you happen to be watching a college game.
I notice many of you wanting Bowles replaced after a few losses—go with the flow types. In my mind he’s always been over his head as a H.C., and now it’s affecting his defensive coaching abilities as well. He’s coaching schemes have always led to communication breakdowns, but now it’s getting worse.
“I thought you had him.”
“No, I thought you had him.”
Really? In the NFL?? As fans I know it’s maddening to watch such ineptitude.
If Bowles scheme is a new Cover Zero, like nobody, it’s working brilliantly!
October 31st, 2024 at 7:47 am
I think we should keep wearing those ridiculously horrible orange popsicle uniforms with that embarrassing winking pirate that we always lose in. We’re bound to win one eventually. The odds are in our favor. Then burn em.
October 31st, 2024 at 7:52 am
The D has been progressively worse since the SB year
We overloaded with talent at every level – Suh and Vea – JPP and Shaq – Davis/Dean/SMB plus AWIII, whitehead and Edwards – that is why it worked
Once you go back to “normal” personnel distribution Todd has no clue and it clearly has shown Itself on the field the last 3 years in a row
Worse, worser, worst LOL
October 31st, 2024 at 8:06 am
Yea you think the falcons was bad wait until they play the chiefs they have a real quarterback
October 31st, 2024 at 8:10 am
NFL is growing to reach International Markets.
As far as the Bucs Defense? ‘ils sont nuls’ or ‘se chupan’. Eyes are eyes and people see exactly what everyone from Tampa to Trinidad sees. As far as communication / language in Europe, South America or the good old USA the pronunciation may be different but the meaning is still the same. ‘They Suck’
October 31st, 2024 at 8:40 am
Water under the bridge but why didn’t Mike Smith just have Lavonte David call the plays then if nobody could understand Kwon?
October 31st, 2024 at 8:58 am
It is not that complicated. “Communication” is the term Bowles is using to not drag or publicly criticize individual players or groups of players who are not executing as they are being coaches and instructed to.
October 31st, 2024 at 9:02 am
Yes, it’s Week 9. If dudes aren’t on the same page now, they never will be.
October 31st, 2024 at 9:03 am
Of course. But not once have you heard any of the Bucs, not even Bowles, said a guy missed a signal.
October 31st, 2024 at 9:11 am
If you are communicating differently you are doing it wrong. It’s the first thing you have to get right on any team you’re working with.
October 31st, 2024 at 9:52 am
Maybe they should practice coverage as much as they practice their dance routines!
October 31st, 2024 at 10:29 am
All of this communication crap doesn’t matter, at the end of the day it falls on Bowles and Licht’s feet to be responsible for the mess. I think they should be both fired at the same time myself. I hope the Glazers are already looking for both.
October 31st, 2024 at 11:16 am
This really speaks to how p!ss poor their practices must be. Which also speak to how awful this defensive coaching staff is. 132 assistant coaches and none of them can correct these ongoing, fundamental issues. What do they do all week at practice?
October 31st, 2024 at 11:18 am
Its the same issues every year on the defense. I dont know why we waste time blaming everybody but the guy responsible for getting these issues fixed. Its clear Todd has no clue how to fix it. Different players, same results. He has to go….
October 31st, 2024 at 2:49 pm
Let me translate. Garbage scheme and garbage coaches on defense.