“Everything A Coach Wants To Build A Culture Around”
October 22nd, 2024
A former Chris Godwin teammate didn’t mince words this morning with the news of Godwin being lost for the season with a busted ankle.
Retired Bucs defensive back Logan Ryan played with Godwin in 2022 and knows how head coach Todd Bowles built his program.
So when Ryan speaks on Bucs culture, Joe pays attention. He’s no hot-take artist.
Ryan hopped on CBS HQ today and was adamant that Godwin is irreplaceable in many ways.
“Chris Godwin is the heart and soul of that team in terms of the physicality he plays with on offense,” Ryan said. “He can run it. He blocks. He plays every snap. He does all the right things. He shows up. He practices every day. He’s everything a coach wants to build a culture around.”
Amen.
Godwin was there for optional spring workouts, embraced blocking and wasn’t a guy to take a veteran days off in his eighth season.
The Bucs can’t replace him, but that doesn’t mean the offense needs to go into the toilet.
October 22nd, 2024 at 11:32 am
The offense will go into the toilet, unless the find a replacement for Mike and Chris.
They ain’t on the roster. All they have is a washed Sterling Sheppard and a bunch of scrubs.
October 22nd, 2024 at 11:34 am
Bowles keep saying next man up well next man up doesn’t seam to want to play hard for u
October 22nd, 2024 at 11:35 am
Sign him now for next year. Send a message. Lock him up before he hits free agency.
October 22nd, 2024 at 11:35 am
Who are the scrubs? A rookie and a second year guy that have hardly seen the field? Any receiver we can sign right now is gonna be even worse. Would you rather have a young guy that shows flashes or an actual scrub that’s past his best. Replacing Evans/Godwin with someone not on the roster when we have so many other pressing issues just makes no sense. Give the young guys their chance, let the season ride out.
October 22nd, 2024 at 11:39 am
Cmon I thought we were 5 or 6 deep in WR room someone will step up no doubt good teams make adjustments and finds ways to win LFG
October 22nd, 2024 at 11:45 am
Deandre Hopkins….next man up
October 22nd, 2024 at 11:45 am
This injury obviously sucks for everyone. But I think Joe is right that this injury probably increases the likelihood that Godwin will be playing for us again next year.
His price in FA definitely went way down, unfortunately for him… but fortunate for his potential suitors in the offseason (hopefully the Bucs, obviously).
October 22nd, 2024 at 11:50 am
I don’t care about the cost… I’m so bummed for Godwin. Such a great player. Terrible asterisk on the season. Wish it never happened.
October 22nd, 2024 at 11:51 am
He did everything right. While Lamb, Chase, held out, and got big deals Godwin came to work every day on the last year of his deal. The others would not, did not, and got paid. Both teams, Dallas, and Cinn not looking to good. Bucs started hot, with Chris leading the way, until now. Chris should’ve held out. He should’ve demanded, and got a new three year deal that wouldn’t break the bank. Chris was a team guy. The team has left him hung out to dry. Winfield didn’t show up, he got paid. Wirfs was a hold in, he got paid. I saw a ball go over Winfield’s head on Bateman’s TD. I saw a TD to Godwin get called back, holding on Wirfs. I saw Godwin the heart, and soul go down with no future money in sight. I will never complain about any player holding out for a new deal. Even the guys who do right can get screwed.
October 22nd, 2024 at 11:51 am
It’s really not the offense that concerns me. I think we have young talented wide receivers that will step up and our running game is starting to emerge as well. It’s the defense that concerns me. I love LaVonte but he is NOT the same in coverage as he used to be. We need Dennis back and we need to get back to stopping the run and making teams one dimensional. This team is far too undisciplined when it comes to overrunning plays and losing contain on the outside. I think we’re always going to score points but unfortunately we give up a bunch too.
October 22nd, 2024 at 11:56 am
Let’s see what the Rams want for Cooper Kupp.
We will miss you, Chris!!
October 22nd, 2024 at 11:57 am
RUN THE BALL
October 22nd, 2024 at 11:57 am
Jesus Christ let em Bake, can we atleast see how the surgery goes first – what the prognosis is. Full dislocation can impact blood flow and has ended careers, and here you are wanting to spend money Willy nilly for….what exactly. For the memories? For symbolism? For being a good guy? Yeah, no. Not how you run an operation in an industry that is inherently risky. Fair or unfair Bucs need to plan for the future. Not in to legacy moves as some sort of gesture that only does more harm to the team than good. It’s a business
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:02 pm
When I think about this season it seems to me the Offense gets behind the sticks more often than not. And where do they go? Godwin. Occassionally the RB but usually it’s Godwin turning 2 and 15 or 3 and 9 into a first down AND more AND not putting the ball on the ground despite physical hits. And when the RBs spring a run, who is out there blocking…and blocking well? When Mike needs a low key pick on the edge who’s throwing his body around?
Godwin is irreplaceable. Id say easily a huge chunk of our success just left the field this season.
Cohen is going to look different
Baker is going to look different
If the O can’t stay ahead of teams and make comebacks then the D has to snuff teams out…and I am afraid I don’t have confidence in the D. The LBs are a weak spot. A team with 2 average LBs is fine. A team with one good LB and one BAD? it’s a weakness because Lavonte can’t cover up Britts weaknesses. Any team with a accurate passer has seen 2 games where the middle has been exposed and the LBs have been caught out time and again. Books been written now.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:02 pm
Time for Jalen and Trey to step up. What about Devin Culp as WR/TE?? He is Mike’s size and I think faster.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:03 pm
Fire Bowles and resign Chris
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:05 pm
Not sure if Max Crosby would be a fit but we need defensive help. I’m more confident our OC can coach up and scheme the backup WRs than i am Bowles can coach his starters. Bowles system only worked when we had an all-star lineup of JPP, Shaq, Vea, Suh, David, White, Winfield…..honestly who couldn’t win with that? Even with all that, i’m convinced the only reason we had so much defensive success with the Chiefs in the SB was due to the Chiefs losing two starting linemen during their playoff run. It wasn’t defensive genius……it was random luck. The Chiefs beat the doors off of us earlier that season.
Bowles simply isn’t a good HC and frankly wouldn’t have been in consideration had Arians not quit last minute and gifting him the job. He’s a .500 coach at best, his defense looks less capable every year, he makes really bizarre/inconsistent decisions late in games….at the end of the day the results aren’t there.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:14 pm
OK we can and should shed a tear for CG14. This is devastating for him. It’s going to perhaps end and certainly diminish a career he obviously loved.
But can we stop with oh the poor guy, he coulda done like others and refused to play and saved 100 million he woud have earned his next deal if he kept playing at the level of this seasons.
Again I truly feel the pain for CG14 because unlike many here I do not believe CG14 was only about the Benjamins. He received FORTY MILLION guaranteed on his 3 year deal valued at 60 Million. I suspect he’ll get the latter. Whatever he’s smart, married to a smart lady and FORTY MILLION $$$ is generational wealth, enough for he and his kids and grandkids.
“The Bucs can’t replace him, but that doesn’t mean the offense needs to go into the toilet.”
Amen Joe! We do not know yet what comes from this and how Coen will compensate. There is one move that is screaming to be made. R. White to the slot and roll with the Tuck and Buck show. White has a TON of potential for that position, IMHO/and Joe’s White is probably better suited there anyway.
Otton has been underused because he plays on a team that HAD the best WR tandem in the league. Not enough touches to go around. That will change.
Meanwhile out wide, Shep will bring veteran experience, McMillan is “supposed” to be the next great thing, and Trey Palmer runs a freaking 4.33 40!!!
Now we get to see how Coen coaches them all up but it’s not over the top optimistic to believe struggle to the bye and then emerge a really great offense.
Don’t despair grasshoppers. The season is not even half over and after the bye the schedule is loaded with cupcakes and home games. Oh and btw YOUR Bucs are still in first place. Focus on Atlanta. Win that game and with the schedule after the bye the 2 losses to KC and SF won’t matter.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:16 pm
As I walked up my stairs to bed last night, I was reminded of the lyrics of that old song by Roy Orbison, ” you won’t be seeing rainbows any more!”
I’m afraid, in addition to Godwin’s horrible injury” our defense has been exposed to have horrible pass defense. I, and others on this site have ragged on the bend but not break style defense served up to each week. So now it’s “bend and break” defense. My favorite for a bus ticket, JTS, was playing his usual drop back at the edge. Maybe he is so good that no QB wants to pass in his sector OR he never is involved in a break up of attempts. When he does rush he is simply pushed aside of the play. The fact that he is still out there taking up a position that demands effective performance is showcasing our s(p)it defense. No Super Bowl this year for us. Realize that, and you wouldn’t have Chris out there with seconds to go in a long lost game.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:18 pm
Chris’s injury is a GUT PUNCH. Hearing him scream out, you just knew. It reminded me immediately of hearing Cadillac Williams scream out when he got hurt. Seeing Chris get hurt a 2nd time, albeit an ankle so he didn’t reinjure his knee, felt like a Cadillac Williams moment when he got hurt the 2nd time.
Mike’s injury I hope doesn’t keep him off the field for too long. Would love to see Mike get 1,000 yards to keep it going. We need him now more than ever.
Both guys are True Bucs and good guys. I’m praying for them both.
This certainly gives Jalen and Trey an opportunity to shine. Their learning curve is going to be steep to even try to fill the voids.
Go Bucs!!!
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:19 pm
Never thought about it this way, maybe he’s so good Goodell told him he’s not allowed to play at 100% so he doesn’t embarrass anyone else on the field. Maybe JTS is the best edge rusher ever and we’ve just been robbed of the opportunity to watch him.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:21 pm
Hope those points were worth it.
Down goes Frazier and the Bucs season
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:36 pm
I don’t think you see Chris Godwin in a bucs uniform again. What a blow but you don’t sign players with your feelings NFL is pretty cut throat that way cuz at the end of the day it’s about winning. Offensive is going to be drastically different, Godwin was at it’s heart with his slot play. The worries at defensive might be worse with this “defensive guru” that still has Britt starting and plays soft zone while blitzing and rotates his defensive line like a line rotation in hockey and still constantly mismanages the game we are cooked ladies and gentlemen.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:37 pm
Toad Bowels’ decision making last night ended the Evans/Godwin era.
How stupid and seasoned HC can be is stunning.
Evans shouldn’t have played.
Godwin should have been pulled.
Senseless.
Stupid.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:38 pm
Bucs will still win division if Bowles can fix his D
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:45 pm
I seriously disagree with R White to the slot. You don’t see Rachad catching contrsted passes. He runs out, plants his foot, usually no one within 3 to5 yds then runs downhill into the defender juking one guy. That’s not a slot receiver.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:45 pm
But … but … 10-points-in-3-quarters-Bakey sure looked buff against that 4th quarter prevent defense! Let’s build our future around that! At least Bakey ain’t a stinkin’ Gator, right, girls? Right, FSU homeys at One Buc Place?
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:47 pm
I really hope you’re not trying to suggest Trask plays. Baker made 2 boneheaded throws but might’ve been 100-0 if Kyle Trash played
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:52 pm
Bowles is an idiot and anyone thinking he is going to fix anything after being a head coach for the past 3 seasons needs their head examined. The fact is a lot of the offense ran through Godwin and he was having one of his best years. You just don’t make that up with anyone. On top of that Evans is down and both of those guys are physical WR that block. This might also have some bearing on how we run the football because we need the young WR to block and no they are not scrubs but lets remember palmer is only in his second year and McMillan is only a rookie. You are only going to get so much out of young guys still learning. This season is most likely done unless we pull off a trade or Evans can come back and play at an elite level in 2 or 3 weeks. Which lets be honest that hamstring might linger all year and he most likely out until the bye week.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:56 pm
Where’s what the NFL should do.
If the AI determines you’re out of it, and don’t have more than a 7% chance of winning in the final 2 minutes, we revert to flag football rules! That way everything is nice and safe for all the cupcakes in the comment section. What a brilliant solution that will make everyone happen.
Of course, in the name of safety, we should really expand that to the final 5 minutes of the game.
But then what if someone gets injured at the 5:01 mark? You know, I hadn’t considered that, so what we should do is make it the final 10 minutes of the game?
But wait, someone still could get hurt with a non-contact injury, so what we should do is just end the game early. If someone gets more than a 9 point lead, we just call it early.
Safety first, right ladies?
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:57 pm
I hate to see Godwin get hurt, but I don’t have a problem with leaving him in the game. The decision to play Evans in the first place seems more questionable.
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:59 pm
Yup while we are at it we should probably ban practice as well cuz we lost Jenson in a non padded practice lost beckwith in a car wreck should probably not let them drive either. We can just bubble wrap them and make up the outcomes with coin flips.
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:08 pm
Munch
Lol, right on, bruh!
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:18 pm
JustVisiting Says:
October 22nd, 2024 at 12:57 pm
I hate to see Godwin get hurt, but I don’t have a problem with leaving him in the game. The decision to play Evans in the first place seems more questionable.
———-
It’s not like the team told Evans to play and he had no say in it. If they played him, they thought he was ready to go.
Injuries happen, it’s football.
The real villain in all of this is the NFLPA who has demanded softer training camps and softer practices, and in return we’ve seen a huge rise in the number of injuries. Former players, literally every one of them that I’ve heard speak on the issue, has said all these soft practices are what is getting guys hurt. You can’t go 100% in games without doing so in practice, that jump from soft camps and soft practices to full speed is what is getting guys injured. Yet, even as the body count piles up, you hear nothing from the union about how they’ve screwed this up and changes need to be made – and instead they want even softer camps, and shorter practices.
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:20 pm
But we have guardian caps in games now! And they changed the kickoff! The NFLPA cares about nothing more than player safety!
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:26 pm
Or the addition a 17th game with talks about an 18th with players already constantly dodging injuries with 16 regular season games why even have an off-season let’s just 365 this baby straight to the ground
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:29 pm
Agree Tucker, I remember fans blaming Bowels for the Jenson injury too.
So pathetic, easy to criticize in hindsight.
No more practice! No more playing the final 5 minutes if your down by 10! Problem solved!
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:32 pm
The main problem with the NFL is that they are now predicting to care about head injuries and now call targeting anytime a defensive player goes anywhere near the helmet…..
So naturally defensive players are targeting knees and ankles more than ever.
The NFL doesnt care about anything but $
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:35 pm
Welcome back Munch!! Missed your sarcasm.
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:37 pm
The willy nilly of Todd Bowles… All the time he coaches (cough, cough) conservative, no timeouts, no clock management and would rather win 14-13 to go “balls to the walls” in a non-conference game? Please! This was about his ego. 43 games as the Buccaneers head coach and his record? 21-20! He did not want to face the press and answer to another “not ready for primetime or any big game for that matter” another double-digit choke job and the same excuses game in and game out. If this was against an NFC South foe, I could see playing to the gun because points scores can be a tie breaker for playoff time. His “I thought we could win has probably cost him his last head coaching job as this boneheaded decision coupled with Licht’s inability to get some help in here besides washed-out ex practice squad guys will win him a pink slip at seasons end. Good riddance! Why spend all that money to resign players and have this putrid head coach and laughable “defensive guru” trudge this team to .500? Glazers need to make someone an example for this and set Bowles and Licht down and read the riot act. You can’t be the 3rd highest price hike in home game ticket prices since 2013 at 88% (look it up) behind the Raiders and Browns and continue to field mediocrity. It’s bad enough every home game seems to be more opposing team fans than Bucs fans. 2028 is coming and this team could be fighting to keep the team if this continues.
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:41 pm
People acting like Godwin is easily replaced with some next man up nonsense or naming random guys they know from fantasy leagues have no understanding of this sport.
Thank you Godwin. Great effort guy. Fun to watch. Can’t imagine he’ll sign here to return.
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:46 pm
We need a replacement for KJ Britt. He’s always out of position, can’t play coverage and now injures his own teammates. He gets stupid penalties as well. He’s and occasional backup at best. He’s progressively gotten worse.
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:52 pm
I’m with StPete and Joe.
Let’s hope Baker builds a better injection with the replacements of ME13 and CG14. Baker did some lousy decisions yesterday. Baker needs to really show his best stuff now without the top guns.
I’m wishing the best for the Godwin family and a successful recovery for Chris.
Let’s Tuck, Buck, White and Bake!!!
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:52 pm
Connection
October 22nd, 2024 at 1:56 pm
“The real villain in all of this is the NFLPA who has demanded softer training camps and softer practices, and in return we’ve seen a huge rise in the number of injuries”
This is, of course, nonsense.
The reason we have softer practices is guys got hurt in them.
And of course because of CTE.
October 22nd, 2024 at 2:14 pm
Make white a slot receiver..he can be our Deebo Samuel
October 22nd, 2024 at 2:27 pm
BD Says:
October 22nd, 2024 at 2:14 pm
Make white a slot receiver..he can be our Deebo Samuel
———–
Not a bad idea to move White around, he has incredible hands, and if you’re keeping him on the move – literally in motion – and not letting him get jammed at the LOS, I think he’d be pretty good in that role.
October 22nd, 2024 at 3:23 pm
Cooper Kupp is available for trade. Go Bucs.
October 22nd, 2024 at 4:18 pm
Let’s see what Ryan Miller can do. He has decent size and can be a possesion receiver while Trey Palmer can be the home run man. Not sold on McMillan. He always seems confused on his routes. There is nothing very precise the way he runs routes.
Bucs will pick up a receiver from another team. Not all is lost. Could be an opportunity for someone to get established.
October 22nd, 2024 at 4:24 pm
I saw an Evans video way back when. He was saying Godwin was a great player. Godwin has been the ultimate Buccaneer.
A terrible loss!
Get well soon Chris!