Bad Execution Cost Bucs A Win, Not Players In Street Clothes
September 26th, 2022
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
Last night after losing to the Packers, Bucs coach Todd Bowles maintained that the 14-12 defeat was lost by the players on the field, not players who were not on the field.
It’s easy to point to Mike Evans, Donovan Smith, Julio Jones and Chris Godwin and say, “See, if the Bucs were at full strength they would have beaten the Packers.”
Bowles, in his day-after presser, said that’s too simple and really taking your eye off the ball. If the Bucs had played better and smarter, they would have won with who they had.
“We didn’t play well enough,” Bowles said. “It wasn’t one thing. We didn’t play well enough. We didn’t score points. We let them get out to a fast start.
“You can name a number of things that could have went right in the game that didn’t go right. We didn’t play like we did the last two games. We had more mistakes than the previous two games.”
For example, if Brandon Walton is not called for holding on Tom Brady’s 18-yard run to midfield, who knows how that drive finishes?
And yes, we all know about the delay of game.
Joe understands why some freak about Bowles saying not having Evans, Smith, Jones and Godwin was not a factor, but it’s true. Those guys didn’t contribute to the loss.
Players on the field not using their heads that cost the Bucs a win, along with a couple of fumbles.
September 26th, 2022 at 2:16 pm
Certainly a winnable game with the personnel we suited up. Green Bay had the same excuse. They got off to a hot start. Some of that is, Aaron Rodgers is a spring chicken compared to Brady and had his stud LT back, with some confidence in the pocket.
Brady didn’t have that.
The game plans reflected that. GB was confident in theirs, Bucs looked tentative until the final drive attempting to tie the game.
Todd – hopefully you sat the Boron down today and sent the parade of yourself, BA, Tom, Jason, and finally yourself again, to make clear what will change in preparation, planning and game execution against the Chiefs.
If Boron says “I’ll be better” and then isn’t……………….
September 26th, 2022 at 2:27 pm
The Walton Holding penalty literally sucked all the life out of the stadium.
I could literally feel it in my body. The AIR CHANGED inside Ray Jay. It was noticeable.
I can’t remember when such a huge spark for a team was wiped out by such a ridiculous penalty.
September 26th, 2022 at 2:28 pm
This is a very nuanced argument……..
Of course the players not playing didn’t lose the game……the players playing did…..they didn’t execute well…
But are we saying if the players not playing would have had those same failures….I don’t think so.
Yes, we could have won with the players on the field but lost…..and we also could have won with the players who were out.
Can anyone say we are a better team with Evans, Godwin, Julio & D. Smith out…..even Otton?
September 26th, 2022 at 2:29 pm
Sorry, can anyone say we are not a better team?
September 26th, 2022 at 2:30 pm
Blame the Jumbotron at the stadium, according to Aaron Rodgers.
And, Todd Bowles, it was your poor defensive plan in the first half that helped us lose this game, so before you blame our players, might I remind you that a Fish stinks, from the head down!
September 26th, 2022 at 2:33 pm
A Whole lot of people who have trashed Donovan Smith over the years certainly have shut up recently. Same with the Evan‘s haters. They should have and could have won that game yesterday.
Getting Smith and Evans back (and Godwin and Julio too) is going to fix a lot of their issues
September 26th, 2022 at 2:34 pm
Joe, you’re right. Evans, Godwin, Jones and Smith did not contribute to the loss, but the presence of any one of them could have contributed to a win. I understand Bowles’ point that if the players who were actually in the game had played better and smarter, they could have won. That is true! Still, it is dumbfounding to think a talented player who could have played (i.e., Julio Jones) was held out despite being well enough to go. Wins are hard to get in the NFL, so not putting your best players out there seems foolish. Hopefully, we’ll have some of our missing players on the field against K.C.
September 26th, 2022 at 2:35 pm
Stop with this nonsense.
Missing Evans, Godwin, Smith are worth more than 2 points.
September 26th, 2022 at 2:38 pm
I’m totally in agreement with Rod Munch…….
September 26th, 2022 at 2:42 pm
I completely understand what Bowles is doing…..he wants the players who played to ba accountable for their shortcomings……if you blame it on the missing players, you let the others off the hook…..
But…..the missing players were certainly a huge factor.
September 26th, 2022 at 2:43 pm
I blame Trent Dilfer.
September 26th, 2022 at 2:46 pm
Does anybody remember that old John McKay joke
“My team’s execution? I’m in favor of it”
September 26th, 2022 at 2:53 pm
The team was down 5 offensive starters! And not just any five, like a WR3, but arguably our top 5 most important offensive starters after TB12. LT, WR1-3, starting TE (and the better blocking TE), not to mention back up LT and of course starting C.
I understand what Bowles is trying to say. We could have won despite being down almost 50% of our offensive starters. Sure, we could’ve. But let’s also be clear, 3 of the five back ups that replaced those starters made the critical mistakes that I believe cost the game. Walton on the hold, Perriman on the fumble, and Gage on the other fumble. I would argue that at the LEAST, we can agree that cost us 9 points.
Did we have enough to win yesterday? Sure. Did not having D. Smith, Otton, and our 3 best receivers make our margin incredibly thin, absolutely! It’s not like we were playing a fringe team either. This was the #1 seed in the NFC last year and a team most project to be at worst a playoff team again this year.
Here’s to healing up and getting back to Bucs offensive ball.
September 26th, 2022 at 2:54 pm
2nd and 3rd stringers have shortcomings. That’s why they are 2nd and 3rd stringers.
September 26th, 2022 at 2:55 pm
There is a certain deja vu to the Dungy era right now.
Execution.
If that’s the real problem, pick no more than three execution drills on the problem attributes and hammer them in practice all week. Expect improvement. Measure it.
If execution is still the problem, it’s on the coaches. If it’s because the players aren’t capable of executing then change the gameplan. If it’s because the players suck, then get different players.
This isn’t rocket surgery.
September 26th, 2022 at 2:59 pm
Exactly Kentucky Buc. What’s more the team says it came down to execution. But let’s be clear, the other team is trying to execute as well. And when they’re executing with their starting caliber players and we’re trying to execute with back ups, it’s reasonable to expect that their starters will win some of those reps.
I’d argue at that moment, it’s not a lack of execution, it’s a difference in talent. Over the course of a game the law of averages will win out. We weren’t projected to be contending for the SB because of Perriman, Miller, and B. Walton.
September 26th, 2022 at 3:15 pm
“Aaron Rodgers is a spring chicken compared to Brady“
Wrong, while Brady is the better winner, Rodgers is in the conversion for most talented QB of all time.
September 26th, 2022 at 3:16 pm
As much I LOVE Mike Evans I blame him in contrast to the others who were not dressed for the game. His problem was not injury related. He has had plenty of years to learn some restraint and how rash actions can efffect his team.
Of course Todd is correct. It is on those who are availble and playing.
Go Bucs!
September 26th, 2022 at 3:21 pm
At some point, the guys out there matter. Say it with me…THIS TEAM IS GOING TO BE FINE WHEN WE GET OUR GUYS BACK.
Who here is not excited about this defense?
September 26th, 2022 at 3:22 pm
Tom Brady cost us the win. He failed to get the play off in time. He failed to score for us.
This is a Super Bowl caliber team talent wise being held back right now.
September 26th, 2022 at 3:45 pm
What we r seeing is ; Bowles NOT taking responsibility for HIS decisions as head coach.. this game could mean the difference of having the only nfc BYE wk in the playoffs—SO , why does he hold back Jines ? to save him for Chiefs. If we loose to chiefs and tie GB total w/l record–then we play in Lambeau in January !!!
Of course , this possibility only is relavent IF we get out act together-starting with coaches.. If u don’t recognize you have a problem — things are not likely to improve
September 26th, 2022 at 3:56 pm
Defense completely shut down the Cheeser’s for 3 quarters.. no problem with execution there…
For two years TB12 willed the offense (and Leftfoot) into excelling. This year he either can’t, or has no desire to. That Miami mess really screwed up Tommy’s plans, and he plans everything he can.
Return teams are still confounding, between Darden/White.
September 26th, 2022 at 3:57 pm
If talent didn’t matter, the Bucs would have been winning Super Bowls with Jameis and Chris Conte and Ryan Smith.
Turns out, talent does matter, which is why starters get paid so much money.
We were missing like $65-million dollars in players on offense. That’s a big deal. If we have Evans, Godwin and Smith, and perhaps Julio if he’s ever healthy, and we get Gronk as well, the game isn’t even close and the Bucs win going away.
Talent matters. The boring coach speak about ‘next man up’ has always been stupid. Starters are starters, backups are backups, for a reason.
September 26th, 2022 at 4:10 pm
Separation is non existent. Time to throw is non existent. Beasley separated better than most after only 3 practices. That should tell you something.
September 26th, 2022 at 4:21 pm
although i’m a fan of Miller —he has not performed .. I’d like to see him replaced with Grayson.. WE Need to start fixing the problems ; we still need OL help, we can & should cut Miller & Bernard to start with
September 26th, 2022 at 4:22 pm
I was cracking up at the end of Coach Bowles presser. Of ALL the questions one could ask, as the last question, Jenna Laine asked if Coach was aware that a whole hive of bees had taken over one of the goal-posts before the game.
Everyone roared with laughter and Bowles just grinned wildly, exclaimed, “NO JENNA, I WAS NOT AWARE!” and walked off. One can only imagine a few “blonde” thoughts were in his head. Good stuff.
Now on to the Chiefs.
GO BUCS!!!
September 26th, 2022 at 4:24 pm
Can’t we all just get along?
Or….better yet…..can’t we all just get on the same page?
September 26th, 2022 at 4:25 pm
Tbbucs3 – do you know what a spring chicken is, as in metaphorically?
Rodgers is still somewhat a mobile QB. Brady never has been.
Mobility can compensate for off-standard pass blocking. When you’re immobile and are lacking confidence in your pass blocking, you get what we saw yesterday.
Sorry for going over your head there.
September 26th, 2022 at 4:31 pm
Tom Brady:
– Yells and screams at our young receivers and players
– Destroys tablets on the sidelines, setting a good example for the children
– Tried to get out of Tampa Bay by making a play for Miami
– Comes back and demands Arians gets moved upstairs
– Ditches training camp to take a vacation in the Bahamas
– Plays poorly and displays poor leadership and body language
Tom Brady has benefited more from Tampa Bay, than Tampa Bay has benefited from Tom Brady. This offense would be rolling if we had Aaron Rodgers or any top 15 QB playing.
September 26th, 2022 at 4:40 pm
Dallas, N.O.,GB and Chief: Find me a more challenging 1st four games on any other teams schedule. Plenty not to like yesterday, but over the last 3 years we have been a slow starting team that peaks at the right time. Who thought, really thought, that we did not have a chance at being 1 and 2 after the third game prior to the 1st 3 games?
Brady IS probably responsible for the delay that cost us 6, but we still had to make the 2 pt conversion and only Evans (with Gronk gone) knows where to be for Brady’s patented high, sideline, fade pass. N.O. lost and GB has challenges. Stop predicating/predicting the season on early games. Home field means little to winners firing all all cylinders that doesn’t evolve till later in the season.
September 26th, 2022 at 4:46 pm
@ Goat,
Brady said in a presser something like, “All I saw was green grass and no Packers, so I took off, but I think I’m the only guy in the league that could take a 40-yard run and turn it into 18 yards.”
I, for one, found it quite funny. But yeah, Brady cannot run well at all. He’s a master at side-stepping and subtle pocket moves, but running isn’t his thing, and he knows it.
September 26th, 2022 at 5:06 pm
I got the strong impression at the beginning of the season that Brady didn’t look like his head was in the game. Maybe he shouldn’t have come back. I definitely know Scotty Miller shouldn’t have come back.
September 26th, 2022 at 5:35 pm
They didn’t cause it, but it would have been some much easier if we had a cohesive team.
Maybe next week they will get it together.
September 26th, 2022 at 5:39 pm
I can’t stand idiot comments like Anonymous, oralbuc and Oneilbucyall. We get it you want Jamais, go watch the Saints. If you knew anything about football you could see he had to wait for guys to get set after the run audible (which was the right call, Lenny would have walked in.) He clapped like 10 times before the ball was snapped. This is 100% on BL & Bowles lack of time management and wasting their timeouts. You don’t understand the game if you don’t understand how important that is. Clear case of Jets dumping their trash in Tampa.
September 26th, 2022 at 6:00 pm
A coach that throws his players under the bus is NOT a coach. This is.supposed to be his team, just like BA, it’s his team when they win. Jets trash.
September 26th, 2022 at 6:10 pm
100%.
Both of our guards were missing blocks left and right.
Receivers dropping calls, fumbling balls, not fighting off DBs with enough physicality…
At least the defense woke up in the 2nd half after looking like they had zero interest in making tackles to open the game… But I’m sure by the end of the game they were frustrated with how pathetic the offense was playing.
September 26th, 2022 at 6:33 pm
Wow! List calling Bowles trash.
I have to disagree.
September 26th, 2022 at 6:42 pm
IT’S ON THE COACHES.
They had an eternity on the last drive to decide on what 2-Point Play to call should we score the TD.
No reason why that play isn’t decided upon long before we end up scoring the TD. It should have been ready to IMMEDIATELY send in as the play being called.
The fact that it caused a delay of game penalty is a JOKE. It shouldn’t have ever been that close. They had ages to know what they would call if it came down to a 2-Point Play.
It’s just bad coaching, plain and simple.
September 26th, 2022 at 6:43 pm
When Bowles topped blitzing, Rodgers stopped scoring; Todd needs to take responsibility for not recognizing Aaron remembered last year and had a quick release game plan built to defeat last year’s defense. Todd was slow to adapt.
September 26th, 2022 at 6:44 pm
Listnfrmafar Says:
September 26th, 2022 at 5:39 pm
I can’t stand idiot comments like Anonymous, oralbuc and Oneilbucyall.
—————————-
Yahoo, I hope you aren’t referring to me. BTW, dumbo, I always remained neutral about Winston. I’m certainly no an.
September 26th, 2022 at 6:45 pm
Fan not an.
September 26th, 2022 at 6:57 pm
geno@ who is charge of the teams timeouts? When the offense scores 31 points and the D keeps the opposing team in the game, the excuse is injuries or the O scores too quickly and the D is tired. Now the O has injuries, the D let’s up 14 points right out of the gate and get off the field it now becomes the O’s job to make up the 14 & more. Actually Bucs.were lucky GB didn’t score more in the 1st half. Ya see the double standard here. The O went up and down the field many times but were shut down by penalties, fumbles and bad play calls. How many minutes did GB have the ball the first half? Far more than the Bucs O. Last I checked the game is 4 quarters, the D can’t show up for one half. Bowles is right about one thing poor execution all around INCLUDING him and his staff. Why are the Bucs ST’s nit addressed, field position is critical?
September 26th, 2022 at 7:04 pm
Oralbuc, Anonymous & Oneilbucyall, name me these top 15 random super star QB’s that would take the Bucs to the promised land with yesterday’s cast of characters and joke coaching staff ? Please I would love to know.
September 26th, 2022 at 7:17 pm
At this level of talent the thing that separates the starters from the backups is smarts.
September 26th, 2022 at 9:31 pm
Smarts are often in short supply among certain posters on Joe’s blog. Conveniently many of them are called “Anonymous.”
September 26th, 2022 at 11:22 pm
I can accept penalties on new guys but fumbles? That’s receivers most important job, to hold that ball with your life because it goes the other way real quick.