Bucs Were Determined To Run The Ball
October 16th, 2022
Coaching malpractice.
You would think with the greatest quarterback to wear a jock strap and a probable Hall of Fame receiver flanked by a Pro Bowl receiver, an offense would want to test a secondary that was down its top three corners and All-Pro safety.
Judging by the comments Joe got in the Bucs’ locker room, it seemed like Tampa Bay wanted to run the ball and they were bound and determined to keep running and keep running, convinced Playoff Lenny or Rachaad White would finally break one.
You know, go test the strength of a wounded defense. Makes sense.
“You have to keep pounding, you have to keep at it,” center Robert Hainsey said. “We have to keep working, keep trying to move the line of scrimmage
“As soon as you stop calling it, there’s no chance of getting it to work.”
Of course, Joe asked several players if the gameplan was to pound the Steelers on the ground rather than test their decimated secondary. None would reveal the gameplan but just based on and what happened on the field, it’s difficult to imagine the Bucs had the desire to use their strength (passing game) against the Steelers’ weakness (secondary).
Incredible!
From what Russell Gage told Joe, the Steelers were determined not to give up a deep pass.
“Lots of zone,” Gage told Joe the Steelers were playing on defense. “Lots of zone.”
So offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich couldn’t have designed plays to somehow get Evans or Godwin matched up on a team’s No. 4 corner? Good grief, if Evans can burn Jalen Ramsey, he can handle a No. 4 corner — or worse.
This game was simply coaching malpractice, that’s all there is to it.
So Leftwich is a top head coaching candidate? Is there really an owner out there that wants to hire a guy who has weapons like two Hall of Famers and a Pro Bowler at the most important skill positions and is too scared to test a bunch of glorified USFL defensive backs?
Yeah right!
October 16th, 2022 at 5:25 pm
YEP!… Looking more and more like a Todd Bowels coached team…
Reflection of his demeanor – docile!
October 16th, 2022 at 5:25 pm
“You have to keep pounding, you have to keep at it,” Bucs center Robert Hainsey said. “We have to keep working, keep trying to move the line of scrimmage
“As soon as you stop calling it, there’s no chance of getting it to work.”
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Isn’t this the right mindset for a joint practice during training camp? Why are we doing this during a regular season game that counts??!
October 16th, 2022 at 5:28 pm
C’mon Joe – call out Tom. He makes the final decision on plays and where to throw the ball. Go into half and say, “hey, let’s go after these guys”. If Tom’s afraid to get hit then retire. Love how Joe’s blaming everyone but the guy that’s pulling the trigger.
Bucs probably win if Russell Gage squeezes a precision end zone throw in his mitts. Brady didn’t turn the ball over and was being pressured. Not his best day, but certainly he was one of the better Bucs on the field, unfortunately. –Joe
October 16th, 2022 at 5:28 pm
It seems BL wanted to run the ball more than he wanted to win the game.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:28 pm
Well, I noticed the fossil forgot about bootleg options when the Bucs were on the Steelers 4-5 yard line. Guess old age makes one a coward.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:28 pm
Every series starts out 2nd and long because of Leftwich and his awful playcalling. The best thing by far that could have happened to the team this offseason would have been for Leftwich to have gotten a job somewhere else.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:28 pm
Unfortunately this season has no savior not even brady can save us from this inept coaching staff.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:30 pm
Bowles and Leftwich are grossly overrated. Brady’s head is elsewhere and he’s scared spitless of getting beat up.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:31 pm
I’ve said for a couple of years now, that if Leftwich ever gets a HC job, which looks less and less likely by the day, that the team who hires him, that thinks they’re getting the Arians offense, they’re going to be shocked when Leftwich comes out in wishbone and just runs the ball 80% of the time.
Leftwich was a completely talentless QB as a player, and his lack of skill and ability he projects on everyone else. It was Arians telling Leftwich to open up the playbook, literally during the game, that kept things moving. Now that Arians isn’t there, we see the results. We see why Leftwich, in his only year as an OC without Arians, had the 32nd ranked offense in football in Arizona in 2018.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:31 pm
Why was Lavonte David covering Claypool all day!! Unacceptable coaching and I saw slot of dogging going on. Defenders were taking on blocks instead of sniffing out tackles, high school.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:32 pm
Lefty is over his head. Where’s Arains red pen? Why does Tom not veto these assinine game plans, and play calls? Does Tom, or any of the Bucs care? Mike Evans isn’t a tiva, but he needs to get in Lefty’s ear, get me the ball! This team needs to wake the F up!
October 16th, 2022 at 5:32 pm
I miss the good ol’ days of Lovie Smith…
October 16th, 2022 at 5:33 pm
Pathetic!!!! Bowles and Leftwich and the special teams coach are killing this team. Goedeke needs to be benched and the defense sucks. No alpha dogs on this team anymore. Really miss BA.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:33 pm
Upstate NY Buc fan toilet bowles is a players coach. Players don’t fear him.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:33 pm
we have gone from the league’s offensive juggernaut……to scoring points like in the tony dungy era…
this is so wild
October 16th, 2022 at 5:34 pm
Lefty sucks but I believe Bowles is at the heart of this conservative approach. This same style got him run out of NY so he thought it would be a good idea to try it again.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:35 pm
Rhetorical question. Who is the better head coach? Bowels or Tomlinson? Kind of puts it into perspective, doesn’t it?
October 16th, 2022 at 5:36 pm
The NFL in general is very confusing this year especially in the NFC. I have no doubt Bucs are gonna win a lot more games.
This reeked of the Commanders game from last year. Just as a heads up Rams look awful, Panthers suck, and Ravens for some reason always find ways to lose, all the teams this year have been inconsistent.
Y’all need to just chill we still #1 in the division.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:36 pm
Their defense was getting pressure with 4 and dropping 8 in coverage. That’s normally a formula where you’d want to run the ball.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:37 pm
7 in coverage
October 16th, 2022 at 5:38 pm
Leftwich is uniquely talentless and stupid. You have Brady, Evans, Godwin and your idea is to run it up the gut over and over again, that means you’re brain damaged.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:38 pm
Tom is going to ownership soon.Byron can’t call plays and it’s obviously going to ruin Todd Bowles chances of being successful..the defense chokes when it matters most..Byron is a horrible play caller.. this team is sloppy,and undisciplined..can’t keep blaming the rookies on the offensive line..
October 16th, 2022 at 5:38 pm
This is the time to make drastic moves to correct the hiring errors. Bowles & Leftwich out. Arians out if he refuses to take over — after all, these idiots were given control based on BA’s recommendation.
Personally I don’t care who takes over as along as the entire organization is shown that ownership is not going to tolerate what was commonplace in the dark days of the past.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:39 pm
Waterboy Says:
October 16th, 2022 at 5:36 pm
Their defense was getting pressure with 4 and dropping 8 in coverage. That’s normally a formula where you’d want to run the ball.
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If you watched the game, you’d see that’s NOT what the Steelers were doing on 1st down. They, just like the Packers, were literally run blitzing up the gut on 1st down because they knew where the ball was going.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:39 pm
I’m already done watching this team. Fun while it lasted.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:40 pm
Mr Gronk please come back soon, we need u buddy….desperately.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:40 pm
When you can’t run, why keep trying? It’s completely asinine. Brady usually eats zone coverage for breakfast. I saw nothing special from the Steelers. The play calling was atrocious. How much was Brady under center today. I’d love to see that stat Joes.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:40 pm
Anonymous i would be careful. This coaching staff is capable of dooming this season.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:43 pm
@Rod Munch you are the same person that said these next games would be easy wins ?? Please brother stop because your credibility is about good as the Defense being good
October 16th, 2022 at 5:44 pm
Would have thought we’d be picking out chops against zone with our wraps. But nope. Also how the heck was David I. Claypool on that long 3rd down conversion? It was well beyond the flat from what I could see.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:45 pm
Redeemer – exactly. You take what the other team is giving you. Basically free points if test an inept secondary consistently. But no, the ego maniac BL has his vanity to satisfy, and he is determined to play the game his way only. Brady’s lack of leadership this week is another big reason for what happened today. Not only is that on Brady, it’s also on Bowles to stand up and call him out on it. In order, reasons we lost this week: 1) Brady, 2) Leftwich, 3) Bowles.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:46 pm
again and again i say the bowles prevent game plan but nobody wants to hear it. oh well. i am just glad tampa has a team to complain about. i remember the start up and john mckay.
we lost and lost but had fun having a team. now we must get rid of bowles and his coaches asap to have a chance at super bowl. but if we do not at least we have an nfl team in tampa and all the fun that comes with it.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:46 pm
If you watched the game, you’d see that’s NOT what the Steelers were doing on 1st down. They, just like the Packers, were literally run blitzing up the gut on 1st down because they knew where the ball was going.
If that’s true is there anything that’s preventing Brady from audibling out of a run if they’re executing a run blitz on 1st downs?
October 16th, 2022 at 5:46 pm
Weekend at Bernies and Lefty could lose to Southern New Hampshire University with very minimal effort
October 16th, 2022 at 5:47 pm
To allowed two long 3rd downs to mitch trubiscuits is just ridiculous. That’s getting lost in this game. Seriously it’s the same old song in a big spot .
October 16th, 2022 at 5:47 pm
Smiley and Lefty could lose to Southern New Hampshire University with very minimal effort
October 16th, 2022 at 5:48 pm
Would love to hear one of the Joes, Irv or Jenna of the Woken ask Bowles if this ultra conservative approach on offense is his doing. Byron’s play calling was shaky at times in the past but this is game throwing bad. BA would’ve intervened if this happened last year.
October 16th, 2022 at 5:50 pm
@joe just look at Mike Tomlin who had guys off the street playing hard for the team !! He’s a real coach and players buy into that and please stop sticking up for TB12 because he’s not the same QB with many issues going on personally and also a torn labrum. He got Bruce kicked out for this sheet because Bruce didn’t treat him like a king ? After dealing with Bill for 20 years and that decision not only cost us the season because if anyone thinks this team is going to magically turn it around I want what your smoking. Trade the high priced FAs and rebuild, but this time with a real coaching staff !!!
October 16th, 2022 at 5:52 pm
If your in heavy personnel to run on first down the audibles are very limited. Some think you can audible into 4 wide when the personnel isn’t on the field
October 16th, 2022 at 5:59 pm
My point exactly… nobody cares or respect that run game. Throw the damn ball. And not to scotty Miller, cam brate, or perriman. Find a way to scheme mike and chris open. I watch week after week other teams do it with lesser talent. But I do understand one thing. That left side is a problem. Left guard gets beat 80% of the time. He shouldn’t be out there
October 16th, 2022 at 6:08 pm
The Bucs had some success running off left tackle on some scoring drives- where they failed was nearly everywhere else- receivers couldn’t get open, Brady was hurried and runs up the middle were stuffed – Steelers DLine won the game.
October 16th, 2022 at 6:14 pm
You finally realizing how stubborn and overrated Leftwich is?
About time
October 16th, 2022 at 6:18 pm
I think Brady does not care anymore. I feel like his attitude is I’ll do
my part and you do yours and whatever happens whether it works or not, i dont care. It’s no longer my job to motivate theae bunch of overpaid players if they cant motivate themselves. …. jmho
October 16th, 2022 at 6:28 pm
If you want to run the ball, you set up your team to run the ball. The Bucs are not set up as a run team.
They can’t do counters or treys, nothing looks different when they run, so it is futile.
Brady looks disgusted and disgusting, he is just going through the motions.
October 16th, 2022 at 6:30 pm
Bryon you suck Bowels you suck
October 16th, 2022 at 6:35 pm
CAN NOT blame injuries on offensive side for this loss ..This was just O-Line NOT doing their job for either the run game , or the passing game ….
we knew it was going to be an issue in the 1st wk of august …No surprise now >>>>>
October 16th, 2022 at 6:35 pm
Sad to say, but I agree with Jack Sparrow
Brady doesn’t have his head in the game
He’s the GOAT, but the Buc players, on offense, for the most part, do not have the ‘give it all I have’ attitude to come together and win the games
And they can’t get the ball out to Evans?
It’s on the head coach and the quarterback
If the coach calling the plays, week after week, has a bad game plan, get him out
If the quarterback can’t practice or travel with the team, and is taking time off, that can’t sit well with the players who are busting their butts to hold a position on the team
It all adds up to a less than .500 season
The defense is great
October 16th, 2022 at 6:35 pm
What a waste
October 16th, 2022 at 6:59 pm
The stubborn running game is ridiculous. For some reason coaches can’t see that the Oline absolutely blows. Worst running team in the league.
Yes, Licht is at fault for not addressing LG and C once the injuries happened. Hainsey and Goedeke are getting destroyed.
As for the defense, their identity is giving up 3rd downs when they matter most. 3 or 4 3rd and longs completed by Mitch. Just disgusting to watch.
October 16th, 2022 at 8:01 pm
Consistently putting your QB in third and long situations isn’t good. Stop looking at the results and look at the results. I hate this OL. Joe you saw it in training camp. The OL can’t gain one yard!!
October 16th, 2022 at 8:08 pm
Leftwich is cheeks n hes gettin clapped. Fournette is cheeks stutter stepping like hes barry sanders. Why not sit our secondary n lbs at the 1st down marker on a crucial 3rd down? Make them throw short our guys had multiple helmets on receivers n rbs. The biggest disappointment this offseason was letting rojo go n resigning fournette for 3 years.
October 16th, 2022 at 8:46 pm
This offensive coaching staff is a big reason why if Brady plays next year, it won’t be in Tampa Bay. Say what you want about Bellichick, he always had quality assistants. BL has trouble forming grammatically correct sentences.
Is Cooper Kupp the world’s fastest human? No. Terrific receiver. Defenses know he’s getting it but a creative offensive mind schemes him open. Our scheme? Go beat your guy.
October 16th, 2022 at 8:55 pm
I have no faith in Leftwitch. In fact, if he’s fired tomorrow, I’d be happy.
October 17th, 2022 at 9:53 am
Bowles is a clown. Plain and simple.