“Two More Wounded Animals”
December 26th, 2024
Bucco Bruce Arians is quick to say a lot of players on losing teams mentally check out right after Thanksgiving.
Todd Bowles and one of his former Bucs have other ideas.
Tampa Bay has “two more wounded animals” on their schedule in the Panthers (Sunday at The Licht House) and slimy Saints.
Ex-Bucs safety Logan Ryan, who also spent a combined 10 years with the Belicheats, Titans, Giants and 49ers, was adamant that loser teams playing out a schedule are very dangerous.
It doesn’t matter if their minds are also on vacation.
“You don’t know what you’re going to defend when a team’s got Mexico or Cancun coming up,” Ryan said on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
Ryan noted that players playing more freely and coaches taking chances can be a brutal combination. He pointed directly at Carolina as an example.
“When you take pressure and expecations off some of these players and these organizations, look how much better they perform,” Ryan said, naming Bryce Young and the Panthers as a team in that boat, along with the Cowboys club that just beat the Bucs.
Per Ryan, those are likely to be overrated teams coming opening day of the 2025 season.
Ryan later interviewed Bucs head coach Todd Bowles on the same broadcast and Bowles absolutely agreed with Ryan when it comes to the unpredictability of teams already out of playoff contention being a tougher out.
Joe gets it, but damn, reality has to rule the day. Joe is so glad the Bucs (8-7) are playing Carolina (4-11) on Sunday while the Falcons (8-7) head to Washington (10-5) on Sunday night.
December 26th, 2024 at 11:22 am
There are a couple of trends I would like to see the Bucs put behind them:
#1 win at home, it may sound stupid but some of the Bucs efforts and lack of concentration have occured at home where they’ve stumbled against Atlanta and Denver, 2 teams that were there for the taking if the Bucs had played their best ball. Playing at home is a priviledge, its for your own fans, bring it home!
#2 Ball security and tackling. One is on offense and other defense but both are fundimentals that some of the Buc players have seemed for forgotten. Rachad White in particular, holding the ball with one hand before fumbling away a chance to move a hot offense into field goal range. Baker Mayfield, who is often confused in the pocket and in attempts to scramble he isn’t throwing the ball away. As far as tackling, other than Lavonte David, Tykee Smith and YaYa Diably, they all are pretty bad taking angles and hitting hard.
Watching KC and Raven defenses yesterday would be a good learning lesson for the Bucs rather than trying to do with Todd Bowles is doing with dropping pass rushers in coverage. Jim Spagnola, KC D cordinator and Zach Orr, D coordinator both did an amazing job keeping very mobile QB, CJ Stroud and Russell Wilson under pressure and closing up the passing lanes, something Buc HC/D coordinator cannot get these young Buccaneer, especially defensive linemen to do. I think JTS would be on Raven or Chief practice squad if he could make the team and Diaby would be a backup on either team. Just shows the incompetance of the Buc coaching staff to teach those guys how to rush the passer instead of dropping into coverage.
December 26th, 2024 at 11:27 am
Maybe a super aggressive and fast start would help that. Punch the other team in the mouth in the first 10 mins and make them know it’s a long game if they want it. Being on the beach after that is probably where they wanna go mentally.
I didn’t see the first drive on Sunday night but I did not know why the 2nd drive was pass pass pass punt. I was expecting to see the OL try to force their will and have Bucky slamming the ball down their throats.
December 26th, 2024 at 11:29 am
Having two loser weak teams at the end of the year is a dream come true.
If they win, and make the playoffs, great.
If they blow it, they may change the staff. Maybe even the HC.
I like Bowles. The players do, too.
But this is a results oriented business.
2025. Super Bowl year.
December 26th, 2024 at 11:37 am
What I have witnessed is that when teams have a young, ascending QB they tend to play harder. These QBs give a team hope and that increases the effort level. As Jose and others have noted, teams rise and fall on the play of the QB. But also on the perceived future of that QB.
This works in college too. Look at the Gators Lagway. He was not overall that great of a passer but he lifted the team nonetheless (and despite the mediocre coaching) including the defense.
So Carolina is a dangerous team. We know Bowles defense is not hard to diagnose so we are in for another long day.
December 26th, 2024 at 11:57 am
It would not surprise me if Canales outcoaches the overhyped underproductive outdated Bowels….
Hopefully Coen can score enough to get the win and not depend on Bucs defense or it over!
December 26th, 2024 at 12:09 pm
Someone forgot to tell the Cowboys that last Sunday….
December 26th, 2024 at 12:28 pm
Panthers average giving up 160 per game on the ground , so just pound the rock in the immortal words of Jon Gruden. Control the clock and lessen Panthers ability to score simply by not allowing them to possess the ball much. This is the easier of the two remaining. Bucs 31 Panthers 17.
December 26th, 2024 at 12:42 pm
Todd Blows saw in practice and firsthand what Canales liked and doesn’t like to run and if he can’t adapt a gameplan to slow down and limit Carolina he just proves how inept he really is
December 26th, 2024 at 12:48 pm
I wouldn’t bet $5 on the Bucs winning this one.
They are a .500 team and usually play down to the opponent, especially in the Den of Depression.
December 26th, 2024 at 1:53 pm
IDK JOE seems like Bucs are better off than playing a team with a better record than a losing one. Just can’t trust the Bucs
December 26th, 2024 at 2:49 pm
Enjoy your last 2 weeks of being a head coach Todd bowles. Nice guy bad head coach
December 26th, 2024 at 4:31 pm
A true head coach and leader should understand that the beginning of the season is different from the middle or end of the season. He should have a mindset and a plan as to how to coach the team as the team grows and experiences setbacks or unexpected circumstances. Being “consistent” or “always the same” or “steady Eddie” doesn’t, in my view, equate to identity. Some times you need to be gentle and at other times you need to kick some butt.
December 26th, 2024 at 5:28 pm
How ironic is that the opposing coach that is coming to town kinda knows our defense. They took us to OT. If their is a loss in the next two games I wouldn’t be shocked, and if there is, so be it. I am so tired of getting excited and then the excitement gets ripped out right infront of our faces. I guess if we don’t make the playoffs a new coach will be introduced way before the draft. Welcome, coach Coen.
December 26th, 2024 at 5:33 pm
I don’t bet money on games, but if I did, I would think the Bucs -8 would be sure way to make some money. No way the Bucs win by 8 over them. Bucs always play down to the competition.
December 26th, 2024 at 6:59 pm
We have an ascending QB in Baker Mayfield. He has 34 TDs and 15 Ints with a 71% passing average. With another solid draft and good COACHING we will be a legitimate Super Bowl contender in 2025.
Go Bucs,
December 26th, 2024 at 9:41 pm
Bucs will be fortunate to wi on Sunday. Buc fans know all too well that a Bowles’ coached team plays down to the level of competition. One thing, if he loses and the ATL wins, that could be all she wrote for Coach Bowles and he is told to either announce his retirement or get launched…..
December 26th, 2024 at 10:01 pm
If the Bucs allow an inferior team to beat them in a game that should be more important to the more talented team then they collectively lack the heart and fight to win. And that would be a reflection of lack of leadership on the coaches, particularly the head coach. It’s up to him to have these guys fired up for these last two games.