Panthers Are 1-5 On The Road
December 26th, 2024
People keep telling Joe that the Panthers, with the NFL’s worst defense and a 4-11 record, are a quality football team that poses a lot of danger.
Those folks point to Carolina having a lot of one-score losses recently.
You know what kind of team racks up one-score losses? A bad team. A team that doesn’t know how to win.
Joe survived The Lost Decade of Buccaneers football. So Joe is familiar with one-score losses — and how coaches and management types like to make a case that a team is close to being special because it’s losing tight games.
Dirk Koetter’s Buccaneers were 7-14 in one-score games in his final two seasons (2017-2018). Bucco Bruce Arians then took over in 2019 and went 3-6 in one-score games. All were losing seasons.
Ironically, the Bucs are 2-5 this season in one-score games, but they’re sporting an 8-7 record.
Joe’s message? The tight-games argument is highly flawed.
Carolina is a threat to the Bucs on Sunday for one reason only. Because Bryce Young showed he could carve up the Bucs’ zone defense in their Week 13 matchup, an overtime win for Tampa Bay.
If Todd Bowles adjusts his defense plays less zone, then this game shouldn’t be close. And as Joe noted in the headline, the Panthers are 1-5 on the road this season.
December 26th, 2024 at 5:01 am
If Todd Bowles can figure out the FUNDAMENTALS of time management, maybe the Bucs have a shot.
December 26th, 2024 at 5:47 am
Our zone is the easiest defense to diagnose in the entire league. Receivers are running free all over the place. Yes, we need a better pass rush but pass coverage is a far, far worse problem in my book.
December 26th, 2024 at 6:53 am
Here we go again. Will you never learn??? Joe’s “predictions ” are the worst.
December 26th, 2024 at 7:37 am
The Panthers are trash but the Yucs, lead by Clueless Todd, are mediocrity incarnate. When the season ends, and the Falcons are declared the division winners, Clueless Todd MUST be fired. Dungy Stubborn, Schiano Stupid.
December 26th, 2024 at 7:38 am
“Bryce Young showed he could carve up the Bucs’ zone defense” So does everyone else. Exhibit 1: Soon to be cut Kirk Cousins.
December 26th, 2024 at 7:57 am
We will make short work of the Carolina Shrimp
December 26th, 2024 at 8:37 am
Is there a more mediocre team than this Bucs edition?
Remember hoe Cooper Rush looked like an All Pro vs. Bowles sieve defense?
Young > Rush
Another egg would not surprise this cynical non-Bowles fan.
Even if this team makes the playoffs, they are one and done. If it meant the Glazers would move on to another HC, specifically giving Coen a kick at the cat and a better DC, a loss Sunday would not be disappointing.
IF
December 26th, 2024 at 9:10 am
Every opposing coach knows all you have to do is pass to the middle of the field to beat the Bucs.
December 26th, 2024 at 9:27 am
It doesn’t matter if the Panthers are a bad team. That bad team gave us all we could handle a few short weeks ago. Todd’s teams are going to keep doing all they can to hover around 50%. There is more than enough of his coaching history now to illustrate that point.
December 26th, 2024 at 9:36 am
It just seems to me and my son made a comment also it always feels like we are playing with 10 guys on defense, totally lost the field always seems so wide open. Go Bus
December 26th, 2024 at 10:00 am
If Todd Bowles adjusts his Cover Zero Defense we stand a better chance to win. And maybe if our people could pick off a pass or say we not give the ball away a win would be possible. But I am not going to guarantee a win. A loss is a real possibility the way the Panthers have been playing and Our inconsistent play.
December 26th, 2024 at 10:06 am
The Bucs better take Carolina seriously! This is the start of the playoffs (if there’s going to be playoffs)! A MUST WIN!
The D needs to create pressure. Use less soft zone coverages. Win the turnover battle. Get off the field on 3rd and 4th downs.
The O needs to protect the ball!!!!!!!! Control the clock!!! Get BI7 his 100+ yards, get ME13 his 100+ yards!! Convert on 3rd and 4th downs. Have long extended drives ending with points. Play like it’s the last game of their careers! IMHO.
December 26th, 2024 at 11:00 am
I’m going to put this out here, and I’ve been a consistent supporter of Bowles and his bad defense doing enough to give the offense a chance to win football games, but 2 home games to close the season against “not good” football teams, who are eliminated from the playoffs, who are looking to next season. There is no excuse we can’t finish 10-7. None. The South is still realistically in reach, and/or a wildcard playoff spot. We have everything to play for. But we close at 9-8, no playoffs, it’s hard to convince the fans we need another season with Bowles…I get it.
December 26th, 2024 at 11:14 am
BUT LET ME CAVEAT… we lose these next 2 games, it won’t only be because of Todd Bowles and his defense. 100%, there is no way we lose these games, if our offense is absolutely humming. We lose these 2 games, we will also be looking at Coen and this offense, and I don’t care that we’re averaging a score more with Coen than Canales. If this offense can’t light up these next 2 teams on our home field, we need to seriously question whether Coen is ready to be a HC. I don’t know when being a HC became so simple, but using guys like McVay and even Canales as the benchmark is mismanagement. I like Coen, but similar to Leftwich who was working with some talented weapons here in Tampa, his resume is slightly inflated. He’s getting a lot of help from this re-tooled offensive line and top 5-run game. I think many coordinators would find similar success. Not all of our success is because of Coen’s play calling. IMO, Coen still needs time to grow, and I’m hoping that our GM is smarter than allowing a first year NFL play caller dictate where this franchise is going in the next 2-3 years simply because of a trend and/or knee jerk reaction. You move on from Bowles, Brian Flores is your next HC. He’s a quick turnkey to get this defense playing better football. He’s turned around one of the worst defenses in football in 2022 and it’s played a key role in the Vikings 2024 success. You let Coen go shopping/interview with some sh!thole franchises that are rebuilding, and hopefully he’s smart enough to know where his bread is buttered. With our roster, there is no reason why his resume doesn’t blow up for the 2025 coaching carousel.
December 26th, 2024 at 11:25 am
We should not be in this position, period
At minimum, 3 losses directly hung on Todd’s ineptitude thus far this season
Being a middling 500 ball club again, 3 years in, we are showing no progress at all
The owners always speak to judging on progress, let’s hope they are paying as close attention as we are
December 26th, 2024 at 11:43 am
Hmmmmm, let’s see here:
TB @ ATL: 30-36 L
ATL @ TB: 31-26 L
TB @ KC: 24-30 L
SF @ TB: 23-20 L
TB @ DAL: 24-26 L
5 of our 7 losses by less than 1 score. Guess we’re a bad team too.
December 26th, 2024 at 11:53 am
IF or when Todd Bowles loses to the Panthers? He should be fired Immediately. And the firing announcement should be made at the Press conference by One of the Glazers.
December 26th, 2024 at 12:01 pm
cowboys are playing way better than the panthers, canales is an idiot running up the middle, we better not lose this one bowles will lose his job
December 26th, 2024 at 12:18 pm
A depressing stat: Bucs have not been more than 2 games over .500 during the Todd Bowles regime. They’ll need to finish 3 games over to have a chance at making the playoffs.
December 26th, 2024 at 12:45 pm
maybe another anthony nelson sighting sunday
December 26th, 2024 at 1:55 pm
FUNDAMENTALS…. when the opposing team attempts to pass the ball, TRY TO STOP THEM FROM CATCHING THE BALL! Duh!!
December 26th, 2024 at 4:06 pm
Yea and what’s the chance of the stubborn Bowles changing his defense. About as much of a chance as me elbowing Travis Kelsey out for a tongue kiss from Taylor Swift.
December 26th, 2024 at 4:19 pm
how they are playing lately is what you should be looking at