“Embarrassing Stuff”
November 29th, 2022
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
Joe likes to use this quote from his good friend Mike Tanier of Football Outsiders because it is so damn true.
And man, did this quote apply to the Bucs on Sunday.
Failing offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, well, what more needs to be said unless someone is asking what high school he will be coaching next year. And while Joe hates roasting Bucs coach Todd Bowles because Joe likes him a lot and really wants him to succeed, Bowles’ bloody hands are all over the carcass of the Bucs’ loss to the Browns.
No, Bowles may not have been calling the plays on offense but he’s good with Leftwich botching games week after week. If Bowles didn’t accept, condone, tolerate and approve of Leftwich’s nonsense, Leftwich wouldn’t be here.
The quote of Tanier’s that Joe is referencing is, “Never underestimate how a bad coach can drag a team down.”
Boy, oh boy, was that on display in Cleveland. Joe doesn’t know how the Bucs recover from that loss. You look at the schedule. Where exactly are four wins, which should wrap up this hapless NFC South division?
Difficult to overstate how much Todd Bowles and Buccaneers coaching staff did to hurt their team today. Predictable play calling that neither maximized their talent or attacked the Browns' weaknesses. Completely passive in key situations. Just embarrassing stuff.
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) November 27, 2022
It seems Benjamin Solak of The Ringer is of the same mind as Tanier. Solak suggests Bucs fans have every right to be unhinged over how Bucs coaches fully threw away a vital win in Cleveland.
Yes, this is likely Tom Brady’s final year with the Bucs, unless something changes dr astically. It is not just irresponsible, but immoral how this coaching staff is p!ssing it away. Joe will never see the greatest quarterback in NFL history lead the Bucs again.
November 29th, 2022 at 3:10 pm
Bowles has the audacity to say ” he owns it ” “i’m ok with the decisionI made ” ;; the problem is I seriously doubt the players are Ok with it ; Knowing what Brady did in last 44 seconds of Rams game …. How could they be Ok with it ???
He will never genuinely be seen or respected as a HC by all our guys -never. Nor should he be !!!!
November 29th, 2022 at 3:12 pm
Bowels and Leftwich make Arthur Smith look like a smart HC.
Let that sink in.
November 29th, 2022 at 3:13 pm
Section 105 seat #20-I was ashamed and cussed at all game for how lousy Brady and the offense looked, I watched Bowles walk out with Lefty before game started, they looked like 2 zombies walking to the sidelines… I had to leave before the final TD to avoid being ambushed by Browns fans, BAD!!!!
November 29th, 2022 at 3:19 pm
Brian Flores or Eric Bienemy
November 29th, 2022 at 3:22 pm
If Bowles remains after this season it will be one of the worst decisions in franchise history. The Glazers must make a change. I hope they read this stuff.
When the national media is calling the coaching an embarrassment, something’s not right.
November 29th, 2022 at 3:25 pm
I just know what they were thinking when they gave him the job did they really think he learned how to be a good head coach after being fired from the Jets overnight.
November 29th, 2022 at 3:28 pm
Bowles is a DC who is only acting like a HC. Bowles was afraid of the GOAT throwing an interception and putting his defense in a bad position. He wasn’t trying to win the game.
Some people are what they are, Bowles is a very good aggressive DC, always at the top of the league in blitzes but for some reason he is a very timid HC. He doesn’t think like a HC trying to win a game, he thinks like a DC saying don’t make a mistake that will put his defense in a bad position & that’s what is wrong with him. HE IS A DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR NOT A HEAD COACH.
Jason Light & the Glazer Boys need to act fast after this season and fire Bowles & Leftwich or they will lose all the goodwill from the fans that has been built up the last 3 seasons.
November 29th, 2022 at 3:29 pm
Good article Joe. I feel pretty much the same as you about Todd Bowles. Unlike you though, I put a lot more blame for this debacle of a year on Jason Licht. And yes, on Bruce Arians also.
Licht is the GM. He has hiring AND firing responsibility. Far as I’ve always been told, HCs don’t fire anyone without the approval of the GM (and surely ownership). At this point, I would’ve cut bait on both Leftwich AND Armstrong.
Even suggesting that Bowles is running this offense (or even influencing it) is circumspect. Bucs have only run the ball on 33.6% of our plays this year. Does THAT sound like what a defense-minded coach like Bowles would direct? Hardly. Last season BA’s offense ran it 33.8%. Year before he ran on 36.3% of the plays.
In Sunday’s game Bucs ran it on only 20 plays our of 66 (30.3%) against a team with a really bad run defense. Bucs threw it DEEP on 11 plays (one resulted in a PI penalty), and completed only THREE. Does THAT sound like what a defense-minded HC like Todd Bowles would direct? No way. Bowles is staying hands-off this offense … and THAT’S the problem. Letting BL run the offensive show without adult supervision is akin to committing hari kari.
November 29th, 2022 at 3:31 pm
bucfan999 … ‘He (Bowles) doesn’t think like a HC trying to win a game, he thinks like a DC saying don’t make a mistake that will put his defense in a bad position & that’s what is wrong with him. HE IS A DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR NOT A HEAD COACH.’
Nailed it.
November 29th, 2022 at 3:36 pm
DR:
D-Rok Says:
November 29th, 2022 at 12:07 pm
Defense Rules, if you’re reading this:
You’ve been correct in calling out Licht for his blunders this year. Not signing Suh was huge, especially after we got Hicks. No problem from me getting Hicks – our D-line was gassed at end of season last year. But Hicks, Vea, Suh in a rotation? That trio, now in hindsight, would’ve been huge.
Licht brought in Gage and Julio. Hasn’t worked out yet, but there’s still time for them to shine and bring production, but I’m not holding my breath. It didn’t work out for these 2 new additions, but I can at least see why he made those moves.
Licht did nothing to replace the talent of Jensen and Cappa. They thought they were smart by thinking Hainsey and Goedeke would step up. Hainsey has been average, but a HUGE downgrade from Jensen. Don’t need to point out Goedeke’s flaws, they are obvious. But it’s the evaluation of these players, and the lack of moves, that is suspect.
So there’s a few blunders up until now, player-wise. Now, however, I think it’s getting to GM negligence, because he is standing still and doing nothing while this team massively underperforms and is mostly not competitive. Whilst I realize the owners usually sign-off on important coaching hires/fires, doesn’t the GM have a responsibility to make changes when coaches are inept? Maybe Glazers have hand-cuffed him and he can do nothing even if he wanted to.
It’s obvious to anybody with half a brain that SOMETHING needs to change. Is Licht really content with this record with this talent? Licht needs to be a leader, make some coaching changes, and do something to light a fire under this team.
So I’m with you – Licht should be doing something, but is not. And if he’s not, WHY isn’t he telling us fans why not? Don’t we deserve to be informed? Or am I asking too much or being naive?
Todd is not an NFL head-coach, that much is evident. Leftwich needs help, that much is evident. The run-game needs help, the pass-game needs…etc.
This season is wasted unless change occurs, now.
End of rant.
November 29th, 2022 at 3:37 pm
The Trio of Ineptitude:
Bowles. Leftwich. Armstrong.
(Bowles is a very good DC, but he’s not a HC, clearly.)
November 29th, 2022 at 3:47 pm
It’s pretty bad, when you get to where you can’t stand to see their stoopid a$$ faces. and that is because neith othe the coaches have taken accountability.
they are not be qualified as a ball boy at this point.
and hearing brady say he would rather lose and play than not play….dude is starting to sound like a washed up qb that can’t let go.
Trask is getting closer and closer to getting his shot. just hope the coaches don’t blame the rest of the losses on him. they should have been fired weeks ago. we all know why they still have a job.
\
November 29th, 2022 at 3:59 pm
What is embarrassing is how BAD Bowles and Leftwich are setting ‘minorities’ Back by being SO PUTRID that it makes those old mindset feel justified thinking certain types make poor coaches….
We don’t need just any ‘minority’ to represent, We need quality, top notch guys to represent!
November 29th, 2022 at 4:07 pm
Man why are my comments not coming through???
November 29th, 2022 at 4:08 pm
Bowles is bad for business!
I don’t look forward to coming here !
November 29th, 2022 at 4:11 pm
There is no need for people to talk about color when venting their frustrations with Bowles and Leftwich keep it to football for goodness sakes. Pete Carroll and Bill B failed their first times as coaches too so can’t blame the Glazers for giving Bowles another shot.
November 29th, 2022 at 4:12 pm
Dungy 2.0
‘We just have to play better’.
November 29th, 2022 at 4:13 pm
It’s 9 games in already unless they change? They havent changed in 9 games seeing the same gutless gameplan week in and week out and if you don’t have confidence in the greatest to ever do it why are you here get your things and don’t let the door hit you on the way out don’t forget to take leftwich and Armstrong with you. It is absolutely criminal what you are doing to this team and the players, they should have cuffed you on the tarmac. Do the fans a favor and quit coward.
November 29th, 2022 at 4:13 pm
Its not the ratio of run to pass plays. Its the actual play calls and when they are called. I don’t remember seeing Evans going over the middle to make a high percentage pass to move the sticks on 3rd down.
What I do remember from Sunday was 3rd down passes short of the sticks over and over again.
Play calling sucks. Its as bad as I have seen since the Greg Schiano and Mike Glennon days 10 years ago.
Get rid of this coaching staff now. Let TB12 call his own plays at the line. Manning did it in Denver and won a Super Bowl.Guarantee we score more than 18 ppg.
LFG
November 29th, 2022 at 4:14 pm
Amazing….he thinks he is doing all the right stuff. It flys in the face of reality. He must be a nut job.
November 29th, 2022 at 4:14 pm
Buc fans are in the top 4 worst of the NFL.
November 29th, 2022 at 4:15 pm
Either Bowles gets an epiphany
Or it’s gonna be same old same old next time.
Because a clock management specialist is not on the incoming horizon imo.
November 29th, 2022 at 4:16 pm
Whatever our run % is, we had 18 of 20 runs not even average 3 yards each. 3rd and 7, rinse and repeat. If we could run 3x in a row and move the sticks, we WOULD run more. I see no reason to assume running MORE would improve the outcome. It’s been exactly the same since our first preseason game
November 29th, 2022 at 4:17 pm
Just Brutal roasting lol. The coaches deserve every bit of it. Don’t let up. What a joke. Bruce must be disgusted.
November 29th, 2022 at 4:23 pm
Somewhere out in cyberspace Mike smith is laughing his arse off knowing he wasn’t the worst the Bucs have seen….
Same goes for lemon Bennett,
And ray Perkins too.
November 29th, 2022 at 4:25 pm
OTOH, J. Camarda got the gameball….again.
November 29th, 2022 at 4:27 pm
A Leapord can’t change his spots and Bowles can’t change his Prevent Game Plans. It will get even worse if he tries. You ain’t seen nothing yet. If he changes his plan he will be lost in orbit with Plan 9 by the half and no way back to the Earth.
November 29th, 2022 at 4:31 pm
one thing to consider if this continues to play out the way it has, is if coach gets canned, we happen to lose a top flight DC…it’s not like he is going to be demoted back into the position…
we could be looking for both a new OC and DC if they pull the plug…
it’s a real shame to lose such a great DC…
outside of the rams game to end last season, and yeah no one is going to forget that — he has been a top tier DC here who has the guys buying in to the system, knowing it well after being in it for years, and flying around & not thinking first when they bring their A game
November 29th, 2022 at 4:32 pm
Please, bring in sean Payton
November 29th, 2022 at 4:32 pm
Just think. If Brady made a few of throws he missed, we wouldn’t be having these discussions.
November 29th, 2022 at 4:33 pm
time to start thinking saints…
they have been our rival for the longest and they aren’t going to be forgetting week 2 with BA & lattimore yelling, ME13 getting kicked out, and all the usual bucs vs saints antics…
this game ain’t gonna be no kinda pushover
November 29th, 2022 at 4:35 pm
yeah brady sailed a handful of throws at the dogpound
November 29th, 2022 at 4:39 pm
Adam from NY..
No pushover? Yeah, I think Pittsburg, Carolina, Cleveland taught us that.
November 29th, 2022 at 4:42 pm
Yes the Bucs have fallen off a cliff. But so have teams like Green Bay, LA, and New Orleans. How far the once mighty have fallen this season. Must be the Covid jabs effect on older rosters (joking). Teams with young bloods are taking over. It’s become a season of change. They all sold their souls by over paying aging vets and now the football version of the grim reaper is kicking their ass.
November 29th, 2022 at 4:43 pm
Ok so Bowles won 14 games in three years with the Jets and we are surprised
Team is unprepared
Team plays mediocre
Come on BOWLES IS NOT A HEAD COACH PERIOD
November 29th, 2022 at 4:46 pm
@Jmarkbuc:
ok so i tried to block it out…lol 🙂
as if those games never happened
#dementiaXalzheimers
November 29th, 2022 at 4:49 pm
A waste of a season. This team has a lot of bad losses. They should be 7-4 or 8-3 minimum. They haven’t gotten better at all.
November 29th, 2022 at 4:59 pm
Welp, I’m refusing to get on the “Gloom & Doom” wagon. Unless there’s free beer.
November 29th, 2022 at 5:10 pm
If Brady agreed to stay at least another year if we managed to lure Jim Harbaugh here, I’d be doing everything in my power to make it happen if I were ownership. I know that our cap situation isn’t the best, but we are l still oozing talent all over the place. If Harbaugh wants to get back in the NFL, he’d have to be nuts not to sport a massive boner after seeing all of our offensive talent. Make it happen Glazers!
November 29th, 2022 at 5:14 pm
After losses to Cleveland, Carolina, Pittsburg and Baltimore, why should I expect them to win another game. I have zero confidence in this coaching staff. Zero!
November 29th, 2022 at 5:15 pm
Joe’s do u know Tom’s reaction to the fact that Bowles was scared he was gonna throw a pick and that’s the reason he didn’t take a time out!! I mean the guy has been a turnover machine this year so I get it….would love Brady’s take
November 29th, 2022 at 5:30 pm
Hire Charlie Weiss to call plays.
November 29th, 2022 at 5:46 pm
This is all about Bruce Arians trying to get his buddy a head coaching job. Looks like That didn’t work out so well!!!
November 29th, 2022 at 5:47 pm
Deion Sanders to USF as I said in Morning Cup of Joe a week ago.
November 29th, 2022 at 6:14 pm
Harbaugh is not leaving Michigan anytime soon, so forget that idea.
Bowles cost us the Cleveland game two ways. That all out blitz left their receiver uncovered and wide open. Then, failing to preserve some time so Brady could go win the game was reason number 2.
Not calling a time out had the national media questioning Bowles, and rightfully so!
I was ridiculed here on JBF at the start of this season for mentioning that my football buddies at my local sports bar hated Todd Bowles as a Head Coach. These guys are from New York, and were Jets Fans. They remember Todd Bowles all too well from his days as Jets Coach.
These guys predicted all that is happening to our team right now, and said to me “Chris, we are in trouble, now that they made Bowles head coach”!
To the Poster who said Jason Licht is not w/o blame, how right you are!
Anyone else, besides me, notice how Licht has basically disappeared lately ?
It is my feeling Licht, Lefty, and Bowles all need to go next year.
Time to rebuild, time to start over!
November 29th, 2022 at 6:17 pm
When guys say stuff like “I can live with that” (Bowles, after giving the game away on Sunday), or “That was a ticky-tack call” (Devin White, after pushing the QB when he was clearly out of bounds, which is called 99.9% of the time), is there any chance of improvement?
November 29th, 2022 at 6:18 pm
If your head coach doesn’t have the confidence that his team can win how can his players!
November 29th, 2022 at 6:20 pm
Winning head coaches inspire confidence not suppress it!!!
November 29th, 2022 at 6:22 pm
Brains Leftout is a total embarrassment.
November 29th, 2022 at 6:27 pm
It’s so obvious to everyone except the 3 or 4 people that matter, the Glazers
They obviously don’t mind being the laughingstock of the league after spending like drunken sailors and with the GOAT at QB these simpleton coaches are getting nothing out of their investments
Sad, so very sad
November 29th, 2022 at 6:31 pm
At the very least Bowles should meet with Brady & BL….let them know that Brady can override the playcall…
And keeping that quiet would be the least embarrassing for BL…..
There is no way Licht is firing BL mid-season….just simply ain’t gonna happen.
November 29th, 2022 at 6:34 pm
From No risk it no biscuit to be like a 🐢 turtle hide inside your shell maybe just maybe we will do well.
November 29th, 2022 at 6:37 pm
We should have hire Doug pederson. At least he isn’t afraid to win. He went for a 2 pt. Conversation to beat the Ravens. Meanwhile no balls Bowles saved two TWO timeouts for well ummm nothing
November 29th, 2022 at 6:48 pm
You ever notice that Beardless Lovie never seems to be saying anything when you see him on the sidelines?
Reminds me of Lovie himself, staring stoically upwards while getting his ass kicked.
BL is similar.
Maybe they’re waiting for some divine intervention.
Maybe.
Or maybe they’re just totally inept and hoping no one notices.
November 29th, 2022 at 6:55 pm
I wish people would stop saying this is Brady’s last year as a Buc. If I have to explain it then you dont know or understand Brady!
November 29th, 2022 at 7:07 pm
Hmm..Maybe the players think the play-calling sux and that’s why they are out of position so much. Trying to make a better play (which of course won’t work).
November 29th, 2022 at 7:24 pm
if Jeff Saturday can coach an NFL team, how about Ian Beckles or Trent Dilfer?
November 29th, 2022 at 8:02 pm
Thanks Joe. Spot on man…..it’s sad Todd “no balls” Boles and Byron “Left Field” Leftwich don’t read blogs or critiques about their ineptitude.
November 29th, 2022 at 8:34 pm
D-Rok … Responded to your 12:07 PM post around 3:30 PM when I got home from Atlanta, and it posted (got to go to the Bama-Auburn Iron Bowl this weekend & it was a lot of fun). But on rechecking this thread tonight, mu comment back to you is no longer on there. First time I can remember that happening on JBF. I’ve had instances where something I wrote just disappeared into Never-Never Land, but never one that posted THEN disappeared. Happened today with another one I wrote back to NEfan also. Bizarre; Joe must’ve been ticked that I criticized Licht.
November 29th, 2022 at 9:14 pm
DR & D-Rok, good takes. I believe the x-factor that has everyone spellbound from making any changes is Bruce. Licht wasn’t doing so great until BA and Byron and Todd aren’t just his boys, they’re his biatches. None of them are gonna go against the man who put the mustard on their hot dog, not even ownership…he got them a shiny trophy. That self indulgent puppeteer is holding all of the strings, but look how he gets none of the blame for their actions as he pulls the strings. Meanwhile, back at the ranch while he is on the buccaneers’ clock, he’s out pimping his legacy maker, BL, for a HC job.
November 29th, 2022 at 9:25 pm
LOL Why would Harbaugh come here? He’s finally got things at Michigan rolling. Probably makes as much or more than an NFL coach. Doesn’t have to deal with egos and if he needs a player or two he can go out and recruit/buy one. There’s no salary cap in Ann Arbor.
November 29th, 2022 at 9:54 pm
Joe with the Mic Drop. Dang, son!
November 29th, 2022 at 9:58 pm
ChiBuc,
You from Chicago, yo? Lotta family talk in your writing bro. But, you make sense.
I’m naive to think anything will change, this year. Which sucks. What a waste!!
November 29th, 2022 at 11:33 pm
Go out there and cut it loose, who cares if you throw the dam ball 60 times. Stop playing conservative. Throw to set up the run! Obviously running is not set up the pass. Spread all the talent out and take advantage of it. Bowles is to conservative for this team.
November 29th, 2022 at 11:37 pm
LOL Why would Harbaugh come here? He’s finally got things at Michigan rolling. Probably makes as much or more than an NFL coach. Doesn’t have to deal with egos and if he needs a player or two he can go out and recruit/buy one. There’s no salary cap in Ann Arbor.
One can dream Joe! Besides, I didn’t think that there was a chance in hell that we’d get Brady either and sadly all that I’ve got left for this season is hopes and fantasies for the future.
November 30th, 2022 at 10:04 am
Makes no sense not to demote Bowles back to OC and put BA back into the drivers seat for the rest of the season. Oh, tell him not to forget his red pen.
Or, let Lefty call what he wants but give TB the final decision…. He would ignore Lefty, but i one would ever know.
It took this long into the season to stop picking on all the chair-born HC’s and QB’s. Ineed to apologize to all of you. But enough if this crappy game calling is enough.
Somehow, get the ball into TB’s hands and let him play like he knows how.
Embarrassment is a gross understatement here……
November 30th, 2022 at 12:00 pm
Is this a playground game with 6 and 8 year olds! Matching whits? Bowles you can be over prepared extremely accurate in your statistical analysis but you DONT have the Feel for the game. How utterly discouraging this would make me feel as a player. Bowles is a good man and absolutely thinks he’s doing every thing he can to win. But and it’s a BIG BUTT Bro..Mr.Bowles your a n a echo chamber of repeating concepts and old school B.S. You have the greatest Q.B. of all time and you ZYPU.Mr. I favor my in stats don’t call on a mother trucking time out. Disgraceful display of a coward reaching his weak, sissy, p LL ay to not lose, philosophy. Disgusting coward
December 1st, 2022 at 3:23 pm
Todd Bowles has lost the team! You can see it in the body language and the effort, mostly offensively. He needs to go!