Unimpressed
April 20th, 2019
One BSPNer isn’t buying the hype.
Bucco Bruce Arians is known as an offensive wizard, a quarterback guru.
Mike Clay isn’t buying it.
Clay traffics in numbers and believes America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, is on the upswing based on last year. However, looking at Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and Arians’ recent past, Clay writes the numbers suggest the Bucs this fall will be, well, the Bucs.
If one is willing to fly to Vegas, Hoboken or talk to their local friendly short-term investment broker, take the under on the Bucs’ win total this fall, currently at six wins, he says.
Tampa Bay has reached seven wins once the past six seasons. New head coach Bruce Arians’ offenses have finished below average in touchdowns in eight of his past 10 seasons as a head coach or offensive coordinator. Jameis Winston was suspended and benched last season but completed 65 percent of his passes and was off-target on 16 percent of his attempts, both career-best marks. The Buccaneers’ defense has finished 21st or worse in points allowed seven of the past eight seasons. New DC Todd Bowles’ past three defenses have finished 22nd or worse.
Yes, the Bucs defense should be better than last year. How can it not?
Well, Bowles’ Jets defense allowed 300-plus points over the last 10 games of 2018; the Bucs’ defense allowed 268 points in over its last 10.
But Joe does find it interesting that Jets fans Joe has come across are a whole lot more down on Bowles as a defensive coach than those Joe has spoken to that make a living in the Fourth Estate.
Join Ira Kaufman and Joe at the annual NFL Draft blowout. Everything will get rolling around 5:30 p.m., Buffalo Wild Wings on South Dale Mabry in Tampa.
April 20th, 2019 at 8:10 am
It’s hard to not be skeptical after the last decade. Arians definitely has a bit of a Lovie approach (friends and family/established veteran coach) minus the large free agent haul/roster turnover. But I am trying to remain optimistic. Lovie didn’t seem to communicate well with his players which is BA’s specialty…
April 20th, 2019 at 8:17 am
5-11
April 20th, 2019 at 8:19 am
Anyone know how to get tickets to the London game? I’m definitely going. Seems tickets aren’t yet available for sale. If that’s wrong, I’d appreciate being pointed in the right direction!
April 20th, 2019 at 8:27 am
I really hope the team plays with a chip on their shoulder, shove the negative press right in their f-ing faces! Nice F you from the league too with that schedule. Go JW, GO BUCS!!!
April 20th, 2019 at 8:28 am
Destin Johnny im 4-12 to 6-10…. had bucs at 6-10 before last year too, so maybe they slide in at 4-12
April 20th, 2019 at 8:28 am
I am usually optimistic when it comes to our Bucs but not this year. Not excited about Leftwich and Bowles running the off/def. Our defense has gotten no better and we still have no stud at running back. With our schedule the way it is 6-10 is best I can see them achieving this year. Bruce is really concerning me with some of these corelations to Lovie minus gutting the entire team which still could be done. Hope I am wrong but not excited for the fall at all. First time ever I am not excited for the draft. We will do what Tampa always does screw it up. Its what happens to franchises very few care about .
April 20th, 2019 at 8:38 am
Right now , Bucs starting Offensive line is 2- 2nd round picks and 3 free agents-
That is not a formula for success.
The DLine is in better shape, still needs high pick upgrade.
LB’s need major upgrade- which is why White will probably be the pick.
Draft will determine this season’s improvement
April 20th, 2019 at 8:39 am
Oh boy. Worse than I thought. (Sarcastic?) Thanks Joe.
April 20th, 2019 at 8:41 am
The Bucs don’t need a strong D because their offense is so stong. With DJax running under them and Hump making the clutch plays, I have no worries.
Oh wait….
April 20th, 2019 at 8:42 am
@Mike Clay … “New DC Todd Bowles’ past three defenses have finished 22nd or worse.” Not the whole story by any means. Todd Bowles was the Jets HC … NOT the DC … for the past 4 years. He was not dual-hatted (like Lovie was in 2015). It was Kacy Rodgers defense for all 4 years; yes, the same Kacy Rodgers who’s now our DLine Coach. The quality of defensive talent that the Jets had went downhill from 2015 (Todd’s 1st year & a 10-6 record with a #4 defense) to a 4-12 record & #25 defense in 2018 … sound familiar? SAME COACHING STAFF … many different players. There’s no substitute for TALENT.
April 20th, 2019 at 8:42 am
My best guess for the season is… NOBODY KNOWS!! Let’s play the stinking games before we all freek out!
April 20th, 2019 at 8:46 am
The bright spot about this year’s draft is that Jameis cannot taint the picks with his awful FSU mafia he played with and already bad decisionmaking by Licht.
Heard at One Buc? “I want to trade UP to get a kicker.”
Ouch. Just wanted to set the worst possible decision scenario so that no matter what happens, I will try to take it as positive. I do think they should trade down and get four picks in the first two rounds. Too many needs.
April 20th, 2019 at 9:01 am
DR…. so i keep hearing on here whether its the chicken or the egg? People at one buc & joebuc say the talent is here there was just bad coaching, and you say we have the jets def coaches who couldnt coach because they had no talent? hmm
April 20th, 2019 at 9:03 am
Magadude Says:
“The bright spot about this year’s draft is that Jameis cannot taint the picks with his awful FSU mafia”
~~~~~~~
Maybe I misunderstood your point, Magadude, but the only FSU guys that JW pined for the BUCS to draft….. all appear to be NFL Superstars in the making.
Jalen Ramsey
Derwin James
Dalvin Cook
April 20th, 2019 at 9:06 am
Bucs are goin to dominate !!! JW breakout MVP season coming up 😉
April 20th, 2019 at 9:10 am
So that scathing report there was bad. It’s even scarier that Joe says that Jets fans think he is even worse than reporters. Good God Joe if that is the case Beckles prediction seems spot on. No ties though so maybe 2-14.
April 20th, 2019 at 9:16 am
Seems like Jets fans thinking Bowles is a bad defensive coach is a big deal. Surprised we haven’t seen some articles about that. This is kind of alarming news.
April 20th, 2019 at 9:34 am
Sorry just can’t buy into all the negativity. It’s the freaking NFL not the SEC. Different teams rise to the top each year. With the exception of the Patriots there is nothing close to College Football’s lopsided seasons.
What the hell do Jet’s FANS know. Now we consider them experts?
The bottom line is that it’s ALL just opinion. We can look at history and choose to look at all the losing…or perhaps remember when the team did turn a corner and win a SB in the process. Where do you wish to place your attention?
As for this year..the Carolina Panthers will have major turnovers in their roster as will most NFL teams.
Perhaps LUV or one of our analysts can look at our “projected” starting lineup and tell us the % of change. I suspect it will be substantial.
Again let’s leave it with the Shawshank Redemption. Andy tells Red…. “Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” You’re never a prisoner if you keep hoping for the future.”
Some of you are prisoners to past failure and negative attitudes.
If you’ve lost all hope for the future I genuinely feel pity for you and hope that attitude doesn’t infect other areas of your life.
There is NO DEBATE! The Bucs have sucked recently that’s a fact. NOBODY knows what the Bucs will do this year…that’s also a fact. Given that NOBODY really knows and the history of the NFL is littered with turnarounds I simply cannot comprehend the attitude of a substantial number of posters.
I remain optimistic…some remain pessimistic…NEITHER group is right or wrong the season is still months away. But arguing FOR pessimism just makes no sense.
April 20th, 2019 at 9:36 am
TouchDownTampaBay Says:
“It’s even scarier that Joe says that Jets fans think (Bowles) is even worse than reporters.”
~~~~~~~~~~
The way I look at it, TDTB, is that Jets fans are Jet fans.
Remember… the Chicago Bears, with a Super Bowl caliber Defense, desperately tried to get Todd Bowles as their DC this offseason.
That speaks volumes to me.
April 20th, 2019 at 9:41 am
I just hadn’t hear this. I thought Joe was kind of positive on Bowles. I mean that reporter ripped Bowles and Joe goes on to say that Jets fans think he’s even worse. Local fans do get an up close and personal knowledge of their teams coaches. Hopefully they are wrong in NY, but definitely a bit unsettling.
April 20th, 2019 at 9:42 am
Eh, I mean, it cant get any worse than it did last year. Coaching and talent are both better this year (even if just slightly better), so if absolutely nothing else I’d expect a defensive improvement with Bowles now focusing exclusively on defense.
April 20th, 2019 at 9:52 am
Bowles had the least talented roster in the NFL. He should have won 0 games. Every game the jets won was an achievement. The jets didn’t help him at all. Management ranked 2017 to get a QB. The team is full of no name guys on offense and defense and that’s saying a lot considering they are the largest media market. The Jets had 100 million in cap room this season because they weren’t trying. Taking defensive stats out of context and not considering the players is useless. Someone please show me anyone besides Darnold and Anderson that you can pick out of a lineup.
April 20th, 2019 at 9:56 am
i trust a jets fan over some 4th estate hack who is overwhelmed with self importance…. very fine line between fan and so called professional. the 4th estate has about the same credibility and approval ratings as congress. it used to be a respected profession but now it’s as laughable as our elected officials.
April 20th, 2019 at 9:58 am
WhatTheBuc Says:
April 20th, 2019 at 9:52 am
Bowles had the least talented roster in the NFL.
No sir the honor of least talented roster is the Bucs honor not the jets honor. Bucs are least talented organization from owners to janitors.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:02 am
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000987159/article/jamal-adams-todd-bowles-is-not-the-problem-for
I’ll take the words from an in house player
April 20th, 2019 at 10:02 am
Tanked 2017 ^
April 20th, 2019 at 10:03 am
Duthsty … Chicken or the egg? Nah, in my world it takes BOTH coaching AND talent. Plenty of very experienced coaches have bad years AND good years. Bill Belicheck was 36-44 with the Browns and is now 225-79 with the Patriots. Is the difference attributable to a change in location or a change in talent that was available to him (players AND coaches)? Plenty of other coaches fall into similar veins. Heck, Lovie Smith’s HC record with the Bears was 81-63 but with the Bucs it was 8-24 (and interestingly, Lovie was fired by the Bears after going 10-6 in 2012 and his defense was #5 defense (Yardage Allowed) and #3 (Points Allowed).
Todd Bowles has gotten pretty good results in the past as a DC. At Arizona he inherited a defense that in 2012 was #17 in POINTS ALLOWED, and improved that to a #7 ranking then to a #5 ranking. Did OK as a HC with the Jets first year (2015) but the Jets offense AND defense BOTH stunk after that, as did their W-L records.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:06 am
Head Coach coaxed out of retirement to save a GM’s job
Defensive coordinator fired for poor d
Offensive coordinator who’s never called plays for 16 games
Below average QB coach
Rest of the staff made up of former players and coaches
Inconsistent Turnover Prone QB
Over paid offensive line that can’t run block
No run game
Talentless defense that allows opposing QB’s to break records
What’s their to be hopeful about? Thinking a new staff will come in and fix a qb defense run game and kicking game is borderline moronic
April 20th, 2019 at 10:07 am
Friends and family is good until you ..F up..Then you get a head butt and a whack on the helmet and told to straighten up or hit the highway.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:08 am
The way I see it the key to success this year is communication. BA has stated that he did not want to coach his coaches. When one by one, his past coaches became available, he knew the planets has aligned. Half the job was already done.
All that was needed was a team loaded with talent and a need to become relevant. A burning desire to win. A hungry fan base. A talented QB poised for greatness. A QB whisperer is all that is needed. That’s why he wanted the Browns job but settled for the Bucs
A two time NFL Coach of the Year with two Super Bowl rings was needed.
Was Dirk a bad coach or was it that he was a bad communicator? He ignored the defense and special teams while concentrating on offense. The same reason Tony Dungy failed miserably. Peyton Manning was a great communicator, Peyton put Tony in the Hall of Fame.
Ask a wealthy Wall St investor, when is it the best time to make money and they will all tell you, when there is blood in the streets. When all the short sellers are screaming doom and gloom (2-13-1) and all the novice (fans) investors are running towards the doors. That is the time when legends are created.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:24 am
Nice one @Arian
April 20th, 2019 at 10:27 am
Demon:
Roberto Aguayo. And of course Bobo Wilson who he aked for but wasn’t drafted.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:36 am
Boy the negative nancy’s are out in force today. Do use a favor, lets actually see the complete team after the draft and the second wave of free agency. You know when teams cut veterans after drafting their replacements. It makes no sense to think you know how the team is going to play, with out them playing one game with the new roster. So negative nancy’s STHU until we see what the team will look like. Just saying.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:41 am
One person onion, who cares,what he thinks. That is why you play the games.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:52 am
@ FirstDown – Why do you say the team is more talented this year? I wholeheartedly disagree with that statement. We lost the malcontent WR, but DJax is much better and more productive than Perriman has been. Our best corner, albeit a whiney little beotch, is gone and now we are pinning our hopes on a guy that so far has been a bust on the outside and a 2nd year player that was mediocre at best last year. Kwon is gone and we replaced him with what most consider a backup LB. We lost Hump as well with no real replacement as of right now. How in the world do you think the team is now more talented than last year. I think losing some of these players and replacing them with back ups and or downgrades is why so many fans are saying 4-5 wins. That is just being a realist rather than pie in the sky wishful thinking by guys like StPete.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:55 am
I have a legit question for the delusional optimists who confuse reality with negativity…
so basically what you people are saying is no matter how bad, or how long it has been bad or how many facts point to failure real fans should fake it and act like the core problems do not exist in the name of delusional optimism.
anyone of you calling out anyone being negative or for pointing out facts because it does not meet your happy pill agenda is as clueless as the glazers who own the worst winning percentage in sports.
there is no reason for optimism with this organization. they have been so bad for so long. respect is earned. until they prove they can compete at a NFL level they deserve every once of negativity and criticism they receive. free passes are for losers and the mentally weak afraid of reality…
it’s one thing to be bad but cancer93 and his girls set pretty much every NFL HISTORIC WORST OF RECORD over the last 5 years… that’s reality ladies whether it hurts or not!!!
April 20th, 2019 at 10:57 am
Magadude,
Good one, I forgot about Aguayo, lol.
Although to be fair, I can’t blame JW on thinking highly of him. — I did too, and thought he was going to be great. — Little did any of us know that the “yips” would destroy his career.
Bobo Wilson still shows promise, I think.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:58 am
Peyton put Tony in the Hall of Fame.
no an oversensitive PC media put dungy the clown in the hall of fame in the name of inclusion not accomplishments.
April 20th, 2019 at 11:29 am
This sight is nothing but a downer one bad thing after another whats your upside joe not only do they need to change the culture on the team they need an over haul here too , bucs will surprise everyone this year and you heard it here first.
April 20th, 2019 at 11:40 am
I encourage all the naysayers to put their $ where their keyboards are and pound the Bucs under win total. I’ll be thrilled to see that total dip below six.
April 20th, 2019 at 12:02 pm
TouchDown
Those players (outside of Hump) weren’t doing a thing for us. How good was our defense with Kwon? Is it coincidence that our defense was better without him?
DJax is gone. So what? Can’t recount him doing much for Jameis over the course of his two years here. Major distraction out of the locker room gone and his production can easily be replaced.
And you have to account for the stud we’re gonna draft at #5 (White, Bosa,Williams, Allen, Oliver). In addition to a full season of VHIII and Vita Vea, plus the development of Carlton Davis and Jordan Whitehead.
Optimism might not be the “cool” thing to have in this mostly bleak offseason, but I will withhold it.
Sometimes, subtraction is addition 😉
April 20th, 2019 at 1:29 pm
Arians will jump ship before he tarnished his self
Promoted “legacy”. He’s a phony and Bowles sucks, Licht is an utter incompetent buffoon and a joke, we have girl coaches, a train wreck of a schedule, are over budget and broke, and have prominent local media members who took the under on 14.
Clean House
April 20th, 2019 at 1:57 pm
“we have girl coaches?”
I have coached female sports, never underestimate a “girl coach.”
Ask Geno Auriemma. Who just happens to be the greatest coach of all time.
April 20th, 2019 at 2:15 pm
If the usual Bucs are expected just sit back and wait for your punishment. These are unusual times so carry that over to the Bucs this season. If we all knew the Bucs are gonna suck who would pay any attention? I don’t know, gluttons for punishment.
April 20th, 2019 at 3:16 pm
Todd Bowles defense in Arizona was top 10 while he was DC. He didn’t coach Defense for the Jets. You so called fans should know there’s a difference. Bowles will do good with players we got. Little bit of 3-4 and 4-3 with some press coverage mixed with zone. Very confusing for any offense.
April 20th, 2019 at 4:16 pm
They all had the Browns at 1-4 wins last year too. One year later the Brownies have 4 prime timers. Things change quickly and nobody predicts it. He will either be right or wrong. Either way we wont remember. Next
April 20th, 2019 at 4:28 pm
Weren’t we 9-7 Jameis’s 2nd year here? I guess asking these clowns to know what they’re talking about is asking too much.
I’m way more comfortable going into the season with low expectations than the other way around. I think all this disrespect (schedule too) is going to galvanize this team.
April 20th, 2019 at 5:00 pm
Dude made my case.
At least we don’t have the Raider’s problem!
April 20th, 2019 at 7:01 pm
Bowles couldn’t get lose his job fast enough for most Jet fans. He proved pretty convincingly he wasn’t a HC, and was a dead man walking all of last year. Hope he has a little juice left and can light a fire under this group.
April 20th, 2019 at 7:35 pm
I agree this roster sucks.
April 20th, 2019 at 8:10 pm
JerseyBuc … 3 years with a losing record will get you run out of town pretty fast huh. Very much disagree that Todd Bowles 4 years with the Jets “proved pretty convincingly he wasn’t a HC”. He MAY not be HC material, but when an organization screws the coaching staff as bad as the Jets did, all it proves is that coaches NEED talented players to have a chance to succeed. And guess what … the Jets players were just as bad (and probably worse) than what we’ve seen from the Bucs in the last few years.
Winners are built FROM THE TOP DOWN. During Bowles 4 yrs there, he had 3 different OCs (kinda tells ya something?). The Jets’ drafts were meh (at best). Mediocre depth and after 2015 (his only winning year there) the Jets were hit with the injury bug just as bad as the Bucs have been (maybe worse). Sorry JerseyBuc, but I doubt that Bill Belicheck could post a winning record under conditions like that.
April 20th, 2019 at 8:19 pm
D R
Winners are built FROM THE TOP DOWN
So you agree with me the bucs have ZERO chance with the current leadership at the top… Change all the coaches and staff you like the one constant during this unprecedented basement title run are the glazers the ones at the top of the totem pole… and of course their hand picked face of the basement years and the chairman of the board for the losing culture cancer93 does not get a free pass.
April 20th, 2019 at 9:41 pm
tmaxcon …
I have no earthly idea how good or bad this year will turn out. If I HAD to guess, I’d put our end-of-season record someplace between 4-12 and 8-8. But tmax, neither do you; it’s all just pure speculation at this point. So let’s just let it play out and enjoy the ride. Who knows, we BOTH might be pleasantly surprised.
And I’m confident that you know that GMC isn’t the “chairman of the board for the losing culture”. Jason Licht holds that prestigious position IMO, propped up by the Glazer Boyz. BTW tmax, as one who’s survived 3 different cancer surgeries, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. No need for you to find a new descriptor for GMC now though since odds are pretty decent that he’s as good as gone.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:30 pm
I have no more criticism left in me the i think were all in for a surprise this year bucs finally have a resemblance of a NFL coaching staff , and we will see what happens but i feel good about this team and all these stories joe puts up are childish , more like the view than just mindless quotes from this guy or that guy said we suck ,who cares what some has been says , Bucs have a no no nonsense coach with a bit of swagger and players will run threw a wall for this guy .
April 20th, 2019 at 10:33 pm
wow joe u dont like anyone criticizing you but your way out of line with all this negative crap
April 20th, 2019 at 10:43 pm
I have no more criticism left in me i think were all in for a surprise this year bucs finally have a resemblance of an nfl coaching staff , and we will see what happens but i feel good about this team an all these stories jore puts up are childish , more like the view than just mindless quotes from this guy or that guy that says we suck , who cares what some has been says , Bucs have a no nonsense coach with a bit of swagger and players will run threw a wall for a coach like this so just hold on and enjoy it because its coming.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:50 pm
Cancer93 has lost far more games with bucs than licht has…. no one burns through coaching staffs like cancer93