It’s Time To Hand The Keys To The Bucs Offense To Tom Brady
December 6th, 2022
Let Tom cook.
Last night after the game, Bucs coach Todd Bowles seem genuinely stumped why his offense couldn’t score until it employed a no-huddle late in the game out of necessity.
Even Stevie Wonder’s white cane can see why. When you turn a thoroughbred loose, it will tear things up. Keep it in a stall and it just eats and sh!ts. The Bucs offense has been doing way too much of the latter because it’s been locked down.
Watching the Bucs offense frustrates Nick Shook of NFL.com. He also thinks it is obvious the Bucs have the answer to their offensive problems. The issue is whether the coaching staff will heed the answer.
Give Brady the keys to the offense already. Tampa Bay’s offense was downright anemic for the vast majority of Monday night, so much that it left many of those watching wondering aloud whether Brady was finally showing his age.
Brady wasn’t without fault. He missed a handful of throws to open targets downfield, killing drives before they could ever truly get going. … … This is where we arrive at our point. Tampa Bay’s offense was day-and-night better in the two-minute drill (which the Buccaneers were forced to run on both of their two touchdown drives due to a lack of available time), presumably with Brady calling the shots. The Buccaneers have been at their best in these moments, when the pressure is cranked up to 11 and there’s no tomorrow. Why not let Brady run the offense like this from the opening possession? The Buccaneers actively applied pressure on New Orleans’ defense, which devolved from a stingy unit to a sieve. The Buccaneers should take this approach from the beginning of every single game left on the calendar. Perhaps then they’ll finally unlock the offense.
Joe absolutely agrees. It is well-documented the Bucs have one of the best offenses in the NFL using a no-huddle. Top-five in three categories.
Yet Bowles prefers keeping the offense in first gear.
Unleash the hounds and Joe thinks it is reasonable the Bucs could contend for the No. 3 seed in the NFC. Right now the Bucs are two games behind the 49ers who lost their starting quarterback for the year and have turned to their third-string rookie.
A win over San Francisco pulls the Bucs within one game of the 49ers with four games to go and the Bucs would hold a head-to-head tiebreaker with a win.
The Bucs likely don’t beat the 49ers by playing safe football. If the Bucs play safe against that defense Sunday, the Bucs will be lucky to score 10. That plays right into the 49ers’ hands.
December 6th, 2022 at 8:33 am
Completely agree. When they walked on the field before the first touchdown, you could feel Tom was in control and calling the shots. When the Saints read the pre-snap formation and called a timeout before the final touchdown, you could tell Brady knew to adjust the routes and gash them in the heart.
Brady consulted Leftwich, but only to make sure Leftwich saw the same things.
Let Brady call the plays.
December 6th, 2022 at 8:39 am
Joe! Why does Brady need an OC? Why can’t he just call his own plays? I’m sure he has just as much, if not more knowledge as BL.
December 6th, 2022 at 8:41 am
Let Brady work the throttle, game manage and up tempo when necessary, he’s the GOAT for that reason! LFG
December 6th, 2022 at 8:42 am
First things first, O-line needs to be solid. Donovan Smith’s penalties are killing the momentum. Protecting Brady so he can survey the field and throws the ball with his proper footwork technique is the key.
December 6th, 2022 at 8:44 am
It’s the obvious adjustment. Brady spoke about needing to find their rhythm and getting the offense to click move forward. He sees it as an unlocked puzzle. Drastic changes to the offense are required. Allowing Brady to act as OC & QB is the only way this team will gain the required momentum to make a run.
December 6th, 2022 at 8:45 am
Are u serious “it’s time” SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT THE DAY ARIES LEFT!!!!!!!!!!! Bowles doesn’t know what the hell he is doing and if you think that win was because of the coaching staff ur sadly mistaken.
December 6th, 2022 at 8:46 am
I wonder if Brady has a play book?
December 6th, 2022 at 8:57 am
The chants to get rid of Leftwich were loud yesterday. He manged to put up an embarrassing 3 points until TB12 took over. If that’s is not enough to at least reduce his role to practice coordinator then Licht should be shown the door with him. It’s time for this organization to grow a pair and make the changes.
December 6th, 2022 at 8:58 am
Joe, you and i and everyone on this site knows its been time to hand the rans since about week 3 lol
December 6th, 2022 at 8:58 am
I don’t see how this is not obvious to our coaches too!! Are they really so ego driven? is it best to keep running your own offense, lose and be bashed by everyone or let the GOAT run it, win and save your job. They are really clueless.
December 6th, 2022 at 9:04 am
Someone needs to figure out what to do in the red zone. It feels like every initial drive marches smoothly down to the opponent’s 20 , then we settle for 3. Those 4 extra points could have changed the outcome of many games this season.
December 6th, 2022 at 9:05 am
There has been a great deal of a$$ covering going on……..BA covering Bowles & Leftwich……Bowles covering Lefwich……Brady covering Leftwich…..
What can’t be lost with last night’s comeback victory is the role of our defense…..it was very solid at the right time.
Game in and game out our defense has kept us in the game when our offense failed.
December 6th, 2022 at 9:09 am
Also i agre with skbucsfan. If licht doesnt have the balls to show lefty out for the good of the team going forward then maybe we need a new gm or at least have him hire someone to do the firings for him. Something isnt right. You need to listen to the fans. Anyone with football knowledge can see where the weak link is. With such an amazing roster, we should be 10-2 if we had a good coach like arians or payton. Its a business. Its not about working with your friends and not not hurting their feelings. Do the right thing licht. We need to win. Demote bowles back to his old job and find a solid replacement until next season. Cough cough (arians)!!!
December 6th, 2022 at 9:13 am
Bucs need to buy a truckload of tablets then
December 6th, 2022 at 9:15 am
Brady had the keys the first two years. He did not want the keys after he was told that the Bucs would not let him leave for a team that he wanted to play for.
December 6th, 2022 at 9:16 am
Let Brady run the offense. Leftwich stinks and is over his head. He will be lucky to get a position coach gig for some other team.
December 6th, 2022 at 9:19 am
It’s no coincidence that our offense is ANEMIC until Brady goes no huddle and directs the offense. How many 1st down runs for -1 – 3 yards and 3 in outs do we have to go before SOMETHING is done about this?!??!!
December 6th, 2022 at 9:22 am
BREAKING NEWS…. it was Lefty who dialed up the game plan for the last 5 minutes…. LOL!!!!
December 6th, 2022 at 9:26 am
Game plan vs play calling are 2 different things Jack! Those last 3 mins were less Lefty and it showed!!!
December 6th, 2022 at 9:28 am
Brady had Sean Payton on his latest podcast lol
December 6th, 2022 at 9:32 am
Aikman and Buck said that at the end. Other analysts have said that. We score when Brady runs the offense. Doesn’t mean it’s 100% all in him but him controlling the offense needs to go up to 70-80%.
December 6th, 2022 at 9:36 am
Agreed. It’s nothing short of torture watching this team under perform quarter after quarter. I can’t think of another time in history when an existing coaching staff took over a great team and completely dismantled it the way Todd Bowles has with this one.
December 6th, 2022 at 9:57 am
I’ve been saying since before the Germany game that Brady should call the plays. It obvious that Bryon can’t handle the job. I believe if the Glaziers we’re not so concerned with the optics all 3 coaches would be gone. It’s rarely talked about how crappy the special teams are and it probably gets pushed back a bit because the offensive calls are like Pop Warner football!
As fans we all know that these 3 coaches are in over their heads. Ownership and upper management can still save this season. Will they be able to talk Brady into staying? Very doubtful. Brady don’t like being involved with such a sh!t show. Bet he goes to San Fran gets another ring then calls it quits. If it wasn’t for this idiot coaching staff Brady would probably finish his career in Tampa.
Many of us are calling for a complete coaching change. BRADY has not defended one coach this season? Isn’t that ironic? It’s very telling is what it is…. Brady’s silence speaks volumes…. Thanks
December 6th, 2022 at 10:21 am
Did u see Bowles post game speech. Said… I hear it’s first time we sweep Saints in 15yrs… he sounded very monotone… after that victory he should have had some emotion my lord
December 6th, 2022 at 10:28 am
After the first 15 (which has looked pretty good past few games), go no-huddle for a few drives. Go Bucs and eff the Aints
December 6th, 2022 at 10:32 am
A QB calling his own plays, are you crazy, never been done. That’s right back when football was a tackle sport you had Marino, Staubach, Kelly, Jonny U, Joe Cool all called their own plays.
December 6th, 2022 at 10:38 am
I don’t think it works the way fans and some media heads talk about it leftwich is still in bradys headset calling plays but their approach is different than the conservative playstyle they are trying to play during the majority of the game. The conservative playstyle just isn’t the way the bucs are built they are built to be more uptempo it’s what they excel at. It gives them less time to be in their own heads about things and they execute better and that’s the biggest difference is the execution is better when they are more uptempo.
December 6th, 2022 at 10:42 am
This reminds me of a game where Mike Glennon led a comeback for the bucs with Greg Schiano as the head coach and they scored on a no-huddle for the first time all game and Schiano said that’s not what we practice…. That was his final year
December 6th, 2022 at 10:45 am
Not only that but it puts the defense on their heals and opens up the run. This is what this offense is made for.
December 6th, 2022 at 10:52 am
Bowles doesn’t want that.
Him and Leftwich want an ultra conservative, slow, short passing game, and keep the game close style. He wants to win 3-0
He thinks it’s the correct way to play. A fast no huddle offense probably makes him puke
December 6th, 2022 at 11:01 am
Y’all really believe Bowles has the power to neutralize Brady’s offense?? Lets face reality…our offense isn’t good anymore. Belicheck IS a defensive coach and won 6 Sbs. I don’t think a first year coach has the authority to change the offense when it’s this bad to begin with
December 6th, 2022 at 11:11 am
Bowles needs to go. They ONLY play to win when there behind. They should be playing to win from the get go.
December 6th, 2022 at 11:12 am
Let’s be honest we don’t know who is not allowing the Bucs to use more hurry up. I think Leftwich is advocating to probably do more hurry up. I can’t believe himself being a QB sees how better the offense runs. I have to believe it also coming from Bowles who is trying to slow down the game. In this statement I am not saying Leftwich is not at fault but some of the playing calling is execution as well. Tom has missed open receivers down field, drop passes and some poor running by Lenny sometimes. Also having a non mobile QB has hurt this time many times this year. There has been to many times were a mobile QB could have scrambled for 10 yards instead we either throw an incomplete pass or dump it off for 2 yards. Take a look at the Cleveland game where twice Brady has clear running room in front but was tripped up.
December 6th, 2022 at 11:14 am
Do you half wits actually think Brady doesn’t have a tremendous amount amount of say in the offensive game plan and play calling. Leftwich sucks but no doubt this is a collaboration between Brady and BL. If Brady wanted to run a different offense or different plays it would happen.
December 6th, 2022 at 11:17 am
Bowles really is that dumb. He proves it every week.
December 6th, 2022 at 11:24 am
Translation leftwich is useless, anyone can run an offense with Brady under center and I think the only he’d stay is if he had that kind of control. Bryon leftwich should be OC by name only and have the job like that of a quarterback coach you know someone no one ever talks about
December 6th, 2022 at 11:40 am
If I was the Glazers I’d tell Bowles “30+ points per game, or you’re one and done.”
December 6th, 2022 at 11:50 am
Brady told you in his interview inadvertently when asked about not going for it on fourth down . That’s what Bowles wanted. He wants these slow, low scoring, defensive games.
December 6th, 2022 at 12:41 pm
Joe: Yet Bowles prefers keeping the offense in first gear.
————–
Really? It’s Bowles telling Leftwich to run up the middle on every first down, and make every second down a 2 yard pass or a 1 yard screen?
That’s 100% Leftwich at work.
While I have no doubt that Bowles has repeated generic garbage he heard from his middle school coach in 1975 about having to run the ball to win, the offense is 100% on Leftwich.
December 6th, 2022 at 12:49 pm
Dump Darden so the O starts with a better field position….that guy is terrible…
December 6th, 2022 at 1:01 pm
We need to start eating biscuits again.
December 6th, 2022 at 1:06 pm
Until the last 5 minutes, it looked like the nfl gambling division had control of the game. Refs doing their thing, White (45) involved in 3 plays the whole game. Zero in pass coverage. He couldn’t run from 3 tackles. The Saints, just as badly coached as the Bucs , made 20-30 mental errors, dropped many passes, then Brady took over. The refs tried to steal the game for the nfl gamblers, in the last 15 seconds, calling the Bucs Touchdown back. But they were dealing with the GOAT. Bucs win but don’t cover the spread.
December 6th, 2022 at 1:15 pm
Most of Brady’s downfield passes appeared off because our receivers made no adjustment in their routes to go for the ball till it was way too late. Our receivers run lazy routes and depend on their pass catching skills way too much. It’s rare when a Buc receiver goes out of his way to catch a Brady pass.
December 6th, 2022 at 1:21 pm
It’s not easy to score when you need 13 play drives every possession. I’ve been screaming for the hurry up all season. Specifically 5 wide, shotgun. Couple reasons. It spreads a defense out, and makes it easier to create a mismatch. Defenses can’t sub, which severely limits their playbook. it emphasizes what Brady is still great at, which is reading coverage and getting rid of the ball.
December 6th, 2022 at 1:23 pm
Emphatically agree with this article, Joe. Ever since the Rams game, I’ve been screaming for MORE hurry-up and uptempo offense, but not all game. It’s not sustainable, unless the whole team had been practicing this from Day 1 of training camp.
December 6th, 2022 at 1:25 pm
Evans looks like he would rather get a pass interference call than catch the pass, the way he’s starting to go into convulsions when the defender touches him. Note our receivers do run better routes during the 2 minute offense. Anyone notice? Wonder if Bowles coaches our receivers too. This guy is awful. Always has been. Affirmative action doing its usual damage.
December 6th, 2022 at 1:25 pm
You and me both, Redeemer. 🙂
December 6th, 2022 at 1:35 pm
Anyone notice how wide open the Saints receivers get on most every passing play? Wonder if Bowles is coaching our defensive backs too. I know he coaches White (45) one on one. No inside linebacker can keep himself out of every play without help.
December 6th, 2022 at 2:25 pm
The reason Brady is and has always been so great in crunch time is because of his unique ability to instantly read defenses, read his options, and throw accurate balls to where he recognizes he’s tired down the defense from the plays prior. It’s not luck, it’s not coaching, and it’s not anything else. It’s what’s separated him from all other QB’s in NFL history.
That catch Julio made….he earned his season salary right there. Hopefully, Brady’s pass and his catch ignited this lock HoFer. Scotty showed he’s a tough little bastard on that catch. And there’s SO much talent besides them.
A SB title again is not out of the question.
December 6th, 2022 at 2:43 pm
Go no huddle hurry up, 2 minute drill, spread the field and let Brady run the show. Use the pass to set up the run and take more vertical shots. We need to be about scoring points ,not trying to control time of possession.
December 6th, 2022 at 6:48 pm
Leftwich is without doubt the least imaginative offensive coordinator I’ve ever seen. He should not be an OC for ANY NFL team. Much less the one I root for.
This coaching staff has been a detriment all year and will continue to be.
December 6th, 2022 at 7:37 pm
When is ownership going to wake up. No coaches are better than the useless, unimagiable ones they have. If they fo not change forgot about this year and next year Noone will want to play with such a feckless ownership in charge. You can forget about season tickets, who wants to see high school coaches.
December 7th, 2022 at 10:14 am
Bowles is a stubborn coach. I doubt anything will change and the offense will continue to sputter. Good coaches put their team in position to succeed, adapt where necessary. I dont believe Bowles is capable of that. He is too risk adverse.
December 7th, 2022 at 1:15 pm
This is Brady offense the same offense from the by week in 2020 that helped us win the super bowl. This is the same coaches calling the plays but the team now don’t have AB or Gronk and that’s the difference on offense. Brady is 45 now and yall refuse to expect that he has declined even he admitted that on the sideline in the Dallas game. But bringing up facts to you blind Brady fan boys doesn’t matter even when Brady has said it himself y’all just don’t want to see it. Now as far as Joe bucfan goes they know Brady has declined and he’s playing like a 45 year old quarterback they’re never going to tell you the truth about Brady because they’re helping the Glazers sale tickets and bucs gear from other fan bases like the Patriots and the fake New England fans as well as the fake bucs fans. How much longer are y’all going to be played . That’s why they will never hold Brady accountable for nothing regardless how he plays. And that’s why this is the only team sites that keep bringing Brady back to the bucs next year.
December 7th, 2022 at 5:38 pm
We have the GOAT! We need to start using him more. He is hardly passing the ball at all. Use the WRs! Someone needs to step up and be more like Edelman and Gronk! Also, the only WR I see going for the ball is Godwin. JULIO made a great catch but he is not consistent and Mike E doesn’t go after the ball. He gives up too easy. We need those short over the middle passes that Edelman used to do.
December 8th, 2022 at 8:33 am
I think everyone of you should be a coach on the team since you can do the job so much better. You are all a bunch of no it alls
December 9th, 2022 at 7:13 am
“Todd Bowles seem genuinely stumped why his offense couldn’t score until it employed a no-huddle late in the game out of necessity.”
Mr Glazer this is all the evidence you should need to make a decision on whether or not to bring Todd/Byron back next year.
December 9th, 2022 at 7:20 am
Hey… I know…If It doesn’t work out in Colorado, we can bring in Deion and wear the color splash unis every home game!… Blind the opponent into submission!
December 10th, 2022 at 12:12 am
Every week, they know what plays being called, the defense knows, the fans know… Did Leftwich just get lazy? Hurry up offense when you lag (or just start up tempo) and use it before 4q 2mins…