Bucs Dodged A Major, Major Bullet
December 1st, 2024
Mulligan of a game.
The Joe typing this here post has been a monster fan of Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen for the job he did this season, sometimes under trying circumstances.
“This Joe” has been impressed to the point of being convinced Coen will be a head coach somewhere next year, college or NFL.
However, Coen needs to find a way for the NFL and/or FOX to destroy any evidence of the Bucs offense today with the exception of their first drive and last drive.
Coen made questionable decisions most of the game, gaffes Joe was not expecting to come from a guy like Coen.
His biggest error damn near cost the Bucs their playoff dreams.
Second half, third-and-one, just over four minutes left in the third quarter. On the previous possession, Baker Mayfield was sacked to end the drive and in the process, had his right foot stomped on by Jadeveon Clowney.
Mayfield could barely get off the field on his own. When he sat on the bench and had to get back up to enter the peep show medical tent, Mayfield had to rock like a mental patient back and forth just to gain steam to stand up.
So on the next Bucs possession, after a solid run by Bucky Irving and a short pass to Irving, it was third-and-one and Coen put Mayfield back in the game. Even with the bum ankle on his plant foot.
Who knows what trainers shot him up with for the pain?
So the smart move would be to feed Irving the ball. Irving was hotter than a firecracker. Instead, Coen called for Mayfield to pass, and the throw ended in a pick by Stinking Panthers safety Xavier Woods. That led to a field goal putting Carolina up by a touchdown 16-10
Why in the world did Coen call for a pass? Your quarterback just got hurt. He hurt his plant foot.
Again, who knows what his ankle was shot up with? And with a running back who was hotter than Rachel Watson, you have your cold, hurt quarterback throw when you only need one measly yard? Why?
That massive brainfart came really, really, really close to Pearl Harboring the Bucs’ season.
(The usage/non-usage of Irving at critical times of the game late and into overtime is another story. But to be fair to Coen, here is video of Irving walking off the field after the game with some sort of bodywrap around his midsection and he hollered, “F’ no!” when asked if he was alright.)
“This Joe” still thinks Coen will be a head coach next year. But now he’s going to have to hatch a convincing dodge of an answer to the question, “What the hell were you doing against the Stinking Panthers, man?”
December 1st, 2024 at 8:55 pm
Also the shirt passes to RBs. Screens. Everything that has been working in recent weeks was just done. We did a lot of over the middle 10+ yard throws. Idk why try something new now. Maybe they wanted Evans to become yards but they seem to switch the whole scheme up today for some reason.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:56 pm
Bowles/Coen were really off with understanding the flow of the game. Coen is usually better than this so I give him a pass. Bowles on the other hand is still sticking with soft/off coverage in the red zone and key third down situations which is baffling. You need to have your defenders playing the sticks but more importantly tighter in coverage in the red zone.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:57 pm
Get off the plane, Todd!!
December 1st, 2024 at 8:59 pm
Tv showed Bucky getting a wrap on his left ribs – and you could earlier see the wrap bunched up under his jersey when on the bench.
Kid ran hard today (again) and should be RB1 when healthy.
Go Bucs!
December 1st, 2024 at 9:00 pm
A win is a win.
December 1st, 2024 at 9:02 pm
I want to know if someone can confirm if it was a hip, psoas, or ribs? Is it a strain, or a hip pointer like someone else posted?
December 1st, 2024 at 9:03 pm
Call Shaq!!! Need some pass rush
December 1st, 2024 at 9:11 pm
Shaq ain’t bringing any pass rush you guys are hilarious.
December 1st, 2024 at 9:11 pm
Perhaps Bowles was calling the shots and told Coen to put him back in. He has admitted to not wanting to pull the starters. He said that he wants to keep his foot on the gas. Why did they call up the #3 and not use the #2 when the #1 was hurt ? Bowles is making $3mil a year and that is at the very low range for head coaches. You get what you pay for. I think I’ll put my cynicism away for the evening and read a book.
December 1st, 2024 at 9:11 pm
Coen is not going to be a head coach next year. You’ve got to have people to recommend you. He left LA. He left Ky. He has no solid recommendations The only reasons he got the job is he worked with the GM in Seattle. Come one…. You’re suppose to be an insider. He’s got no backing.
December 1st, 2024 at 9:11 pm
Pump the brakes on Coen being a hc he had a terrible game plan this week
December 1st, 2024 at 9:12 pm
Why no carries for Tucker??????
Unexcusable. He is our fastest back.
December 1st, 2024 at 9:13 pm
No coordinators will ever have 17 perfect games or game plans. One of the best most consistent offenses in the league. He’s had a couple random games like that but you’re right it was ok against a three win team. Any other average team would have smashed us. No way that coach and band of misfits should have taken Bowles and this veteran team to overtime. Again we’re going to go to the playoffs and do what?
December 1st, 2024 at 9:13 pm
Meaning Canales o Lu got the job because of the GM who was in Seattle with Canales.
December 1st, 2024 at 9:13 pm
Why don’t you call Tucker or White straight ahead on the 1 yd line?
Inexcusable.
December 1st, 2024 at 9:18 pm
This was a bad game for both Baker and Coen. Very questionable play calls, formation usage, and personnel usage. We are beyond lucky to have escaped with the win. Coen and Baker will need to learn from this one and get back to what has been working. I thought the game was blown when Coen put in the super heavy run package at the 1 yard line and predictably ran White right into a defensive fortress. This play didn’t make any sense. Other times we were in predicable passing formations instead of at least threatening the run, which is a strength for us and a weakness for the Panthers. Again, grateful for the win and for the job Baker and Coen have been doing overall, but they will want to forget about this one quickly.
December 1st, 2024 at 9:22 pm
yeah that was crazy 3rd and one and they didn’t run it off tackle. very strange formation also.
December 1st, 2024 at 9:23 pm
POSTPONED is all
December 1st, 2024 at 9:24 pm
get on the plane get out of Carolina and watch the film this week to see how to improve. Too close for comfort.
December 1st, 2024 at 9:36 pm
I wonder if TB doesn’t put more input into some offensive game plans than others. Some weeks the plays and the blocking are so sweet Coen looks like the next great offensive mastermind. Then you have games like today that look like the boring uncreative offense like last year.
December 1st, 2024 at 9:41 pm
Sure let’s not blame Baker who for the most part had a terrible game. He wasn’t playing well before the injury.
December 1st, 2024 at 9:41 pm
By next week will be in first place in the division lol the baby birds have too go too minesota for kirks homecomimg and we host the worst team in the nfl on red out day 😎
December 1st, 2024 at 9:46 pm
Coen has helped make this team go from one of the worst running games to one of the best. Baker has bad games which sometimes causes the offense to struggle. But I didn’t have an issue with most of the pkaycalls
December 1st, 2024 at 9:51 pm
Bucs were so lucky to play Detroit and Philly early in the year. There’s no way this team would match up against them now. They have progressed and we have regressed. That’s coaching and more specifically head coaching and defense. Yes we’ve had injuries. Bucs as they currently stand are not playoffs ready.
December 1st, 2024 at 9:54 pm
A win is a Win. We will take it. But I was not impressed by anybody but Bucky. Caroilina had a much better O and D line than we did.If..And thats a big if..we limp into the playoffs? Some team is gonna have our lunch and make us look real bad with that sorry Defense we have.
December 1st, 2024 at 10:16 pm
And to add to Joes comment. 3rd and goal on the 2 yard line . Bucky has been carving them up easily… you put White in and a HORRIBLE play call on a sweep and we lost 5 yards… resulted in a field goal instead of easy touchdown.
December 1st, 2024 at 10:51 pm
Any Joe would want anyone like Liam Coen to be with the Bucs next year, and the soon to be Temple University Director of Administration to politely resign his responsibilities as Bucs Losong Coixh.
December 2nd, 2024 at 12:24 am
Mayfield brought himself back in, also had the option to hand off or pass. You seem to have a lot of brain farts Joe.
December 2nd, 2024 at 1:36 am
Most objective fans feel really bad about this game.
Jason and the Glazernauts sure as hell must.
A win is not a win. This was a loss. The coaches, players, and staff need to be treated that way by ownership and management. Changes are vital. Hold those who are in charge accountable to make effective, productive change – and let Coich know in no uncertain terms, this is not an optional request.
It’s a directive. No more free 70 yard uncontested drives.
December 2nd, 2024 at 10:21 am
TB gonna win the division and nothing further. Yup that’s all folks.
December 2nd, 2024 at 11:45 am
The brain fart was from the guy throwing the pass. I’m sure the play didn’t call for a bad pass into traffic, that’s on Mayfield. To Baker’s credit, he did check down to Bucky more in the second half with good results.