Todd Bowles Talks “Attack Mode” And “Maneuverability”
October 9th, 2023
“Watch and learn, Kyle.”
Joe sure hopes what the Bucs’ 20th-ranked offense has accomplished is sustainable.
That sentence may sound and feel weird because the Bucs don’t have a good offense yet. It’s just better than Tom Brady’s offense last season, so the arrow pointing up — the oppposite of where Brady and Byron Leftwich were directing it — feels so good.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield’s smart, effective scrambling and pass-rusher dodging has been a big part of the Bucs’ success, in addition to Mayfield having ridiculous success on third down.
Head coach Todd Bowles seems to want more in Mayfield’s hands.
He praised Mayfield for being “in attack mode” against the Saints and said Mayfield didn’t do enough of that against the Eagles a week prior.
While Bowles told the Buccaneers Radio Network, “Ya kind of cringe a little bit” when Mayfield makes plays with defenders all over him, Bowles calls that aspect of Mayfield’s game necessary.
“You gotta be able to move in the pocket and move around a little bit because the D-line is too fast,” Bowles said. “They’re going to come at you in waves. To have maneuverability and get out of the pocket and still see down the field is something that I think [Mayfield] has had [his entire career].”
What a contrast this 2023 offense has been for every fan compared to the Brady style of quarterbacking.
But can Mayfield keep up his level of scrambling and successfully sensing rushes?
Mayfield is on pace for about 100 rush attemps this season, nearly double his career high. That’s a recipe for an injury, so Joe sure hopes the Bucs offense becomes more effecient.
October 9th, 2023 at 10:56 am
I said last year “get Baker Mayfield”. Everyone though I was bananas. He has always been a good Q B. It was his attitude that people didn’t like. Since winning the Heisman and being the #1 pick in the draft, he has come back down to earth and has been humbled. Now he is playing much better but will get even better as the year goes on.
October 9th, 2023 at 11:01 am
Baker is surely headed for injury at this point
October 9th, 2023 at 11:19 am
Bucs 3-1 record is awesome. So are our 3rd & 4th down conversion rates (47.4% and 100%), plus only giving the ball away 3 times (2 INT & 1 fumble). What’s interesting is that we’ve accomplished that with close to the worst rushing attack in the NFL AND a bad 4.9 Yards/Play average. That average YPP hasn’t been that bad since 2013 (Greg Schiano’s 2nd year).
Obviously our 3.0 YPC average dragged that down. Interestingly our Passing Yds/Attempt ranks #9 (6.6 YPA), right behind the Eagles & Chiefs (both at 6.7 YPA). Seems to imply that IF we can get our run game up to a more reasonable average (say just 3.7 per rush average like we had in 2019), our average YPP would go up significantly & we’d probably be scoring a lot more points.
October 9th, 2023 at 11:21 am
@DR Bucs are a #1 RB and Center away from being a top 8 team.
October 9th, 2023 at 11:30 am
LUXURY AT QB
The Bucs might have the best 2 QBs in the NFCS. Baker has been great. I want Baker to stay healthy but he is a little guy. A sack or a hit could put him out, but I feel good about the guy replacing him. Trask looked really good in the preseason and he’s still getting reps. He’s likely even better now.
October 9th, 2023 at 11:32 am
I hope Trask is working on his scrambling and sliding, just in case.
October 9th, 2023 at 12:38 pm
A Bucs Fan … ‘Bucs are a #1 RB and Center away from being a top 8 team.’
I don’t disagree with you at all, but I’d personally add a beastly TE (like Gronk or Kelce) to that wish list.
October 9th, 2023 at 2:20 pm
@DR,
A beastly TE would make ALL the difference in the world for this offensive scheme under Canales, especially considering how often we are in 12 personnel.
As others noted, needs include a game-changer at RB and an upgraded center, but honestly their biggest need would be a TE, IMO.
October 9th, 2023 at 2:39 pm
Please fix the OL (which is good but not good enough in my humble opinion) so he doesn’t have to run so much!!!
October 9th, 2023 at 6:28 pm
Defense
You know Hainsey is ranked #12 for the season
And Jenson was ranked last what two years ago #10.
October 10th, 2023 at 1:04 am
Joe 20th should be our floor. Points scored is not where we need to be yet.
I think we have the players to improve from 20th. I would not think Canales is satistfied with 20th either.
Sometimes Bowles says things that mystify me. So he wants Baker to coninue risking life and limb? Lets get him in some plays that move him around, yes, but scrambling is eventually gonna get him in TGH ICU.
Go Bucs!
October 10th, 2023 at 1:08 am
“A Bucs Fan … ‘Bucs are a #1 RB and Center away from being a top 8 team.’
I don’t disagree with you at all, but I’d personally add a beastly TE (like Gronk or Kelce) to that wish list.”
Absolutely agree DR! Hoping somebody can teach or coach or give our TE room the want to to block someone. I like Keift but he tends to whiff on blocks a bit too much.
I think Gronk said it well. It’s the want to!
Go Bucs!
October 10th, 2023 at 1:41 am
I agree 100% that a quality TE is a MUST.
It seems like Licht has the OJ Howard blues.
Ok so maybe not a 1st round TE, but how about 2nd?
I would gladly take a Luke Stocker type RIGHT NOW as much as we run 12.
There has to be a guy on someone’s practice squad better than ours.
Payne Durham can’t even get on the field with this group?
Cade Otton literally plays 100% of the plays and has 12 catches for 89 yds and a TD. Seattle had more than that in 1 game when the beat Detroit.
Also, a quality blocking TE would help the run game so much, but Otton is NOT GOOD at blocking lets just be nice and put it that way.
It’s amazing to me that we are last running the ball, and maybe the most 2 important positions at fixing that didn’t happen in the off season.
RB and TE.