“‘Shade’ Is Always An Option”
November 27th, 2020
Bucs OC Byron Leftwich.
Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich wasn’t throwing any shade Thursday.
Leftwich seemed to indicate two backup skill position players could be getting more playing time as the Bucs play their 12th game of the season Sunday hosting the Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
Leftwich was asked, given the recent rash of dropsies by his running backs, if he is tempted to use reserve running back Shady McCoy on passing downs. Shady has been in the witness protection program of late, playing only once since the beatdown of the Packers. That was at Carolina where he was a total non-factor with only three snaps.
“‘Shade’ is always an option,” Leftwich said, without saying whether Shady would play or not. “‘Shade’ is always an option. Anybody we have on our team is always an option. It just hasn’t come his way, really. He hasn’t gotten a lot of reps, really. But Shade is an option. We’ll see.”
Another guy Leftwich all but promised would be incorporated the rest of the season is backup wide receiver Scotty Miller.
He “will be more and more involved,” Leftwich said.
Interestingly, Leftwich was asked in a roundabout way if he plans to continue to build into his gameplan several long passes for park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, jet ski-losing, handshake-stiffing Bucs quarterback Tom Brady, who this month has been atrocious with his long-ball accuracy.
Leftwich responded by not responding to the question.
He was asked to respond to some believing he’s not helping his quarterback by allowing Brady to throw long.
“We understand people have opinions,” Leftwich said. “That comes with the job. That comes with the territory. Just a couple of weeks ago it was a completely different conversation. We understand week in and week out, those things are going to come up.
“He’s a veteran guy; I’m a veteran guy. We understand that. Anytime you lose a football game — and that was a good football team we played — we lost by three points. We didn’t make enough plays to win it. Like any other game, we have to move on.”
Yeah, but are you still going to craft a gameplan for Brady to waste valuable snaps not hitting receivers deep? Leftwich wouldn’t commeont or touch that angle.
Joe can only take Leftwich’s non-response response as the gameplan won’t deviate.
November 27th, 2020 at 12:17 am
Joe should’ve taken it as we ain’t giving away shyte to media or anyone, but.
November 27th, 2020 at 12:29 am
Joe, If brady doesn’t work out do you think it would be in the bucs best interest to dump his contract just take the loss and package maybe a 1st and a 3rd for a vet like Matthew Stafford that would fit BA’s offense like a glove or Draft a Qb with a premium draft pick and have him learn under brady and be ready for the 2022 season ?
November 27th, 2020 at 12:30 am
Bbbuuuttt… Leftwich openly admitted in the same conversation he’s going to work Scotty Miller into gameplans more.
November 27th, 2020 at 12:37 am
Man, Joe doesn’t know. 🙁 It has crossed his mind.
Joe doesn’t believe the Bucs will get rid of Brady unless Team Glazer has a total housecleaning after the season. There are some good quarterbacks coming out (Joe’s very high on Justin Fields and BYU’s quarterback is very interesting).
If the Bucs decide to clean house, Joe wouldn’t be opposed to waving goodbye to Brady provided the Bucs order their next front office staff to draft a first-round quarterback. Try to keep the offense intact and draft heavily on defense.
Fully expect there to be a buyer’s market for players in the offseason because of the drop in the salary cap. Stafford might be one of those bargains.
Very interesting thought PolkFan.
November 27th, 2020 at 12:59 am
I am so tired and fatigued with Leftwich. His arrogance disturbs me.
No Leftwich, weeks ago (since week 1) we (the fans and some media) said this offense lacks imagination, no identity, and lacks adjustments!
Even when you beat bad teams, the offense looks out of sync and broken.
I see teams with the same or if not more new components that has an identity at this stage.
Stop with the (GD) excuses!
November 27th, 2020 at 6:51 am
If the Bucs go from 6-2 in the first half and 3-5 in the second half of the season. Miss the playoffs again. Look for the glazers to fire BA and staff. They did it to a head coach who won them a Super Bowl, they will do it again.
November 27th, 2020 at 8:04 am
Just a couple of weeks ago it was a completely different conversation, maybe for some fans Byron but not all of us. You may call 1 or 2 good games against teams with poor defences but it soon as you face a team with an above average defence in coaching staff your game plan Cruise to be for 2 simple and predictable and you are out coached The fact that ownership is not stepping in and demanding change on the offensive side of the Baul Is a perfect example of why this team will never win another championship Is a perfect example of why this team will never win another championship. Let Brady choose his own plays End fire left which
November 27th, 2020 at 8:12 am
If Leftwich, and the Bucs are depending on “Shady” to come to the rescue, we’re in trouble. Shady is shot!!
November 27th, 2020 at 8:37 am
I wonder what would happen if Scotty occasionally lined up in the backfield on passing downs
November 27th, 2020 at 8:39 am
I think they have to keep the defense honest with the long balls. It should open up the stuff 10-20 yd range where Brady is generally pretty consistent. If they push it deep, the secondary will start compressing on the intermediate routes making those windows smaller and smaller.
I think we really do have to consider the chemistry and reps have had very little time to develop. Brady worked with Scotty Miller all off season……Brown has been in town for two weeks. The offense is structurally a complete opposite from how Brady was accustomed to making his reads. Good defenses will expose your flaws. As a Bucs fan, i try to be realistic in expectations. With Brady i thought the playoffs were an attainable goal…..but to think we’re going to the SB with no offseason in a new system….that’s a reach. We sit in position to make the playoffs, once in you never know but we are in position to get in. That’s a huge improvement from last year where we grasping for a 9-7 finish just to have a winning season.
November 27th, 2020 at 10:23 am
KC is # 15 in defense. Rams are # 1 No doubt Bucs will need to score many points in this game and should have opportunities. Chiefs defense vs the run is in the bottom 3rd of the league giving up 133 yards per game. Again, opportunities to run the ball. But the Chiefs are only giving up an average of 21 points a game compared to Bucs 23.
Its going to be a challenge but Chiefs have more than a 3 win margin over the Raiders and are a sure shot at winning that division. Being that this is an out of conference game, it doesn’t have the same incentive as if they were playing the Steelers at 10-0. Perhaps they will be overlooking the Bucs a little and being the Super Bowl Champs, hoping the Bucs coaching staff puts some fire in them to come out and take it to the Champs. Play with some pride and intelligence for the home fans. Tired of watching the Bucs play so inconsistantly.
November 27th, 2020 at 11:11 am
Unbuc’n Believable Says:
November 27th, 2020 at 8:37 am
I wonder what would happen if Scotty occasionally lined up in the backfield on passing downs
I would say this should happen immediately, however that would be impossible considering the guy who calls and coaches the offense is the weakest link on the entire staff and can even spell the word creative let alone incorporate it into his weekly game plan.
November 27th, 2020 at 11:36 am
The lovie Smith of press conferences, so hard to listen to him talk. Other thing they have in common is dude has no idea what he is doing, making it as he goes along and it looks bad
November 27th, 2020 at 1:22 pm
He seems to be lost of late.
November 28th, 2020 at 8:34 am
i think that we are going to beat the chiefs tomorrow, brady will pl;ay well, and the tune will change around these comment sections. we’ll also be having the latest bye week in history, brady is old as hell, he’s probably kinda tired. i expect a different looking team coming off the week of rest, and inferior competition that will prime us for a playoff run.it’s been a decade since we got to see oor guys in the playofs, and yes i would obviosly love to get a crack at the lombardi, but this sure as hell beats talking about the draft and wanting to lose to get a better position
November 28th, 2020 at 11:42 am
Most talented skill positions of any offense in the league and the guy couldn’t scheme more than 8 measly yards of offense in the 3rd quarter.
Some people around here call that “genius” though…