Rich Eisen Baffled By Bucs Offense, Mentality
October 30th, 2023
Face of NFL Network, Rich Eisen.
On gameday mornings and during the NFL combine and draft, Rich Eisen is the face of NFL Network.
Eisen also periodically calls games for the network. Otherwise, he moonlights with a weekday show seen on ROKU.
There, Eisen was baffled Friday by what he saw from the Bucs the previous evening in a loss to the Bills.
Eisen wondered if Bucs fans are starting to turn on quarterback Baker Mayfield for not taking advantage of another starting opportunity. And Eisen admitted he thinks the Bucs could be on the brink of collapse.
A couple more losses soon in a schedule with potential pot holes and the season for the Bucs is toast, Eisen said.
Mostly, Eisen cannot understand why the Tampa Bay offense has no pizzazz, no fire or intensity.
“Most of those first downs were Baker and that moxie with his legs,” Eisen said of the loss to the Bills. “I don’t know what’s up with that offense either because they do have some weapons.”
Eisen said the over-seven-minute scoring drive in the fourth quarter “was like watching paint dry.”
Eisen believes Todd Bowles is much more concerned with what other teams might do than what his team does on offense, and it shows in the Bucs’ lethargic offense, absence of a killer mentality and just weird decisions.
“What’s going on with Todd Bowles?” Eisen asked regarding the faux field goal stunt at the end of the first half. “You need points. You have to steal it. You have to go for it.
“This whole business of ‘What if we don’t make it’ in 2023, you’ve got to have plays there.”
Eisen also wagged a finger at the Bucs for not using Mike Evans and/or Chris Godwin creatively to add a much-needed spark to the offense.
Joe can’t argue with anything Eisen said.
October 30th, 2023 at 4:51 am
Bowles is done after the season. Maybe he’ll accept a demotion back to DC where he belongs and doing what he’s good at.
October 30th, 2023 at 5:08 am
I could care less if he comes back
October 30th, 2023 at 5:20 am
Panters just beat Houston…if we lose to Houston what then?
October 30th, 2023 at 5:37 am
When we lost to a crappy Atlanta team at home the season was over.
October 30th, 2023 at 5:46 am
Coach radio is awful! He should have been bounced last year. Bucs have plenty of talent to win games. Desmond ridder?! Really! Could have def won thst Buffalo game also. Radio needs to go!
October 30th, 2023 at 5:46 am
Those moxie legs? Oh Rich behave!
October 30th, 2023 at 6:22 am
Barring injuries to key players, we’ll still finish the season above .500 and probably make the wild card (again)
October 30th, 2023 at 6:37 am
The organization is a mess. Until Bowles and his staff are replaced this is what u get.
GARBAGE.
October 30th, 2023 at 6:46 am
We hired the wrong offensive coordinator. Should of hired Todd Monken. He is crushing it in Baltimore.
October 30th, 2023 at 6:50 am
‘Eisen also wagged a finger at the Bucs for not using Mike Evans and/or Chris Godwin creatively to add a much-needed spark to the offense.’
And there-in lies the biggest problem with this offense scheme. Mayfield targeted 8 of his weapons Sunday night. White was 7-of-7 for 70 yds. Edmonds was 2-of-3 for 16 yds. Godwin was 5-of-7 for 54 yds. Evans was 3-of-6 for 39 yds. So those 4 veterans were 17-of-23 (74%) for 179 yds … an average of 8 yards/target.
The remaining 4 weapons (almost all rookies) didn’t fare as well. Palmer was 3-of-6 for 22 yds. Jarrett was 1-of-3 for 9 yds. Otton was 4-of-6 for 27 yds. Durham was 0-of-1 for 0 yds. So those 4 youngsters were 8-of-16 (50%) for 58 yds … an average of slightly less than 4 yards/target.
Some how, some way Bucs have to push the ball further down the field on each play. Sunday night was (once again) an average of only 5.6 yards per target. At a time when the running game is underachieving (3.2 yards/rush average) that virtually guarantees that we won’t be able to sustain long drives unless our opponents make major mistakes (that long drive Eisen referred took 18 plays, covered 92 yards 7:21 minutes … and included 2 penalties against Buffalo for 20 yards that BOTH occurred on 4th down for us & resulted in critical 1st downs. That’s horrible defense on Buffalo’s part, but equally horrible offense on our part.
October 30th, 2023 at 6:51 am
Men focusing on another man’s moxie is why we are where we are.
October 30th, 2023 at 7:05 am
Bowles could lost the rest of the games and he won’t be fired. I’m telling you he will be here next year again making us all suffer watching this garbage product he puts out on the field.
October 30th, 2023 at 7:05 am
Alot of parity in the league this year, so 8-9 could very well win the division. Schedule is not as daunting as it once looked , especially with 49ers having lost 3 in a row and looking quite vulnerable.
Eisen is Captain Obvious here as everyone except the braintrust can clearly see is that Evans and Godwin must have 10+ targets each week in and week out-PERIOD.
October 30th, 2023 at 7:12 am
HC Grover Says:
October 30th, 2023 at 5:20 am
Panters just beat Houston…if we lose to Houston what then?
Then we get closer to a top draft pick.
October 30th, 2023 at 7:24 am
Bowles needs to go, and no he doesn’t need to hang on as a defensive coordinator.
October 30th, 2023 at 7:39 am
Ok, we all watched that game, the only reason the game was close was due to McDermott’s bone head calls and TO’s. Those blowing smoke up Bakers arse watched that game in denial, other than underneath stuff his passes were horrible and he hangs on to the ball way too long. Tributing him for running for his life and a stupid face mask by a defender is not moxie. 2 defensive penalties and a stupid called TO on 4th down gave the Bucs their second TD, not to mention the Evan’s push off not called. There was nothing good about that game.
October 30th, 2023 at 7:48 am
Bowles puts up another 8-9 season or no playoff birth and he’s done. Attendance is going to keep dropping with each loss and you can bet renewal’s will suffer as well. Glazers have always looked at the trend, this team is getting worse, the offense is incapable, Bowles has shown no ability to lead a team.
October 30th, 2023 at 8:08 am
Totally agree.
October 30th, 2023 at 8:15 am
The interior of the offensive line is a weakness and now after watching enough of Mayfield’s passes
Two things
First I recall Joes bullet points reports from training camp and the “incomplete pass” which seemed to be a higher percentage than Trask (NO I AM NOT CALLING FOR TRASK)
Second actually seeing enough of Mayfield passes which are inconsistent for the type of touch needed for the particular throw.
Too flat trajectory sometimes on every distance
Too soft
Too late
It appears that Mayfield’s game is inconsistent with scrappiness to make up for the inconsistency
He is what his NFL career record is
In college his game worked, although he bounced from team to team there too
Oh … trade ME and DW and move on to the 2024 draft
October 30th, 2023 at 8:19 am
Agree with Eisen. Bucs have lost any confidence they had. Bowles and Canales are not going to be here next year. How bout that Levis guy?
October 30th, 2023 at 8:46 am
“Rich Eisen Baffled By Bucs Offense, Mentality”
Us too, Rich, us too.
October 30th, 2023 at 8:49 am
@George R, can’t get Monken if he didn’t want to be in Tampa again… I think he declined the Bucs interview request… I believe that Canales was literally the Bucs 5th or 6th choice… no one wanted the job with no QB and a coach that might not be here the next year
October 30th, 2023 at 8:50 am
BTW … I am not dogging Caneles
I think he has HC potential and would be a excellent OC given a functioning OL and QB
He’s a race car driver with a sputtering engine
October 30th, 2023 at 8:59 am
I think every Bucs fan is concerned with the Bucs offense and Bowles. As Rich said you need points and you run a 7 minute drive. No urgency. Bowles game management and other blunders or very questionable . For example, how can you fake a kick if the player hand is not on the ball. I’ve been a Bucs fan since 1976 and know the frustration Bucs fan have had over those years. I do like Bowles but I think the Bucs will make a change in 024
October 30th, 2023 at 9:02 am
Am I the only one tired of this coaching staff? Ready to move on and reset in a different direction?
Leopards don’t change their spots, and Bowles should never be compared to a big cat.
This is a poorly motivated and coached team.
To wish for a playoff spot is to want for draft mediocrity. I’d much prefer trading for solid picks (Mike Evans deserves a better ending to his career), and a higher draft position. I’d prefer gutting expensive but non-productive players.
I do not care if this team wins another game, and would rather give the new regime tools for future success.
Because Todd Bowles and his Dungy Lite philosophy and leadership fail is going nowhere.
Playoff One and Done does more harm than good.
October 30th, 2023 at 9:03 am
Dungy Lite
Bwahahahahaa
October 30th, 2023 at 9:12 am
Clueless Todd is influencing the offense. Old Clueless prefers a Tony Dungy like approach.
October 30th, 2023 at 9:13 am
This season has 5 wins written all over it. Start rebuild NOW
October 30th, 2023 at 9:14 am
Eisen believes Todd Bowles is much more concerned with what other teams might do than what his team does
Slightly different take
Thinking that Bowles is trying to force his game on the opponent, and they’re simply playing around him
This is why we are predictable, and why we don’t seem to ever make any adjustments to our opponents game style, weaknesses, or strengths
Stubborn is as stubborn does
October 30th, 2023 at 9:16 am
National media is now calling out Bowles. I see the Bucs going 2-4 in the next 6 games and canning him after another loss to ATL. Then have Canales audition for the HC gig in remaining four games without having Bowles looking over his shoulder. Go Bucs!
October 30th, 2023 at 9:16 am
I am glad Rich at least is watching the Bucs nationally, He might be the only one. It seems that the Bucs prior to Brady was “who cares” and now after Brady the same disrespect has come back. While Joe and his fellow writers don’t miss Brady, they now will systemically destroy Baker Mayfield as well. Quarterbacks in general get way to much credit for the wins and way to much blame for the losses. Todd Bowles has never proven himself to be the kind of leader that will inspire greatness in his athletes. Instead, he is a status quo coach who has little or no imagination and just as long as the team plows a head, he is satisfied.
October 30th, 2023 at 9:18 am
Love it when people talk about who the Bucs should have hired, as if OCs were lining up to coach a team with no starting QB, no offensive line, no proven RB and under the thumb of Bowles. It’s remarkable that they got anyone to take the job – one that had career killer written all over it.
October 30th, 2023 at 9:21 am
@George R
Like many OCs, Todd Monken didn’t want the job, due to Bucs lack of security at QB.
October 30th, 2023 at 9:21 am
This is so depressing. Play calling and coaching are horrendous. Players seem to be trying but are put in terrible situations by the coaches – play calling, clock management and lack of adjustments. Can anyone save Toad Bowels from his own stupidity?
October 30th, 2023 at 9:22 am
Monken interviewed with the Bucs.
October 30th, 2023 at 9:29 am
What could have been & should have been. Glazers had 2 chances to hire Doug Pederson.
2016 they chose Dirk Koetter
2022 they chose Todd Bowles
Who will they hire in 2024?
October 30th, 2023 at 9:37 am
Everything we said would happen when Baker was signed is happening.
We trolled for months. Posted stats. Made arguments.
Strangely everyone is now baffled.
LOL Why are you baffled? Why is everyone baffled? We told you this would happen.
October 30th, 2023 at 9:37 am
What solid OC would go to a team with the HC on a short hot-seat leash?
What aggressive OC in 2023 wants to work with a conservative HC known for 90’s football?
I suspect we have seen the best this team can be, and that 6.5 over/under looks like the under.
October 30th, 2023 at 9:38 am
ScottyMack so true, and just as many thought, the Bucs are a mess under Bowles especially on offense
October 30th, 2023 at 9:39 am
@Mike S: only casuals think the QB is the problem and not coaching.
Mayfield is a product of coaching and play-calling.
And NO QB will EVER be successful with a C and two G’s as soft, slow, and stout as butter.
Football is won by Big Uglies, and the only O Big Uglies are OT’s. The rest are hot garbage.
October 30th, 2023 at 9:41 am
Bowles is “hands off” the offense…
…
…
…as long as the offense resembles Ohio State in the 80’s.
October 30th, 2023 at 9:42 am
You know, I thought Bowles was a better HC than what he has displayed with the Bucs. Hell, when he was in NY his first 2 seasons was decent and we all know the Jets have been one of the worst organizations in the NFL for years
October 30th, 2023 at 9:43 am
Are we all baffled by this offense?
October 30th, 2023 at 9:55 am
Cobraboy – check out what Defense Rules said:
“Some how, some way Bucs have to push the ball further down the field on each play. Sunday night was (once again) an average of only 5.6 yards per target. At a time when the running game is underachieving (3.2 yards/rush average) that virtually guarantees that we won’t be able to sustain long drives unless our opponents make major mistakes (that long drive Eisen referred took 18 plays, covered 92 yards 7:21 minutes … and included 2 penalties against Buffalo for 20 yards that BOTH occurred on 4th down for us & resulted in critical 1st downs. That’s horrible defense on Buffalo’s part, but equally horrible offense on our part.”
We told you he was a checkdown charlie.
I personally posted the PFF Captain Checkdown article reference (click my name).
The history of this guy that he has never thrown for big yards consistently over his career was a clear indication of what we were going to get when Bowles signed him to be the guy back in March.
Thursday night’s 5.6 yards per attempt was abysmal. DR is correct Baker has to figure out how to push the ball downfield.
Then again there is a guy on the sideline who’s whole game is pushing the ball down the field – but hey what do we know we’re just idiot fans.
October 30th, 2023 at 10:04 am
@JN
What offense?
October 30th, 2023 at 10:07 am
The term I’ve heard used is;
“It looks like monkeys fu?&ing a football”
October 30th, 2023 at 10:11 am
Oops, I’ve crossed the moderation line. Sorry Joe’s! I shouldn’t have been so colorfully blunt.
October 30th, 2023 at 10:13 am
I’ll tone it down a little.
This offense is offensive!
October 30th, 2023 at 10:37 am
Watching 60 years of football, Mike S. is the worst example of a fan I have ever seen. He should change to being a soccer fan. Well, maybe he’s 12 years old, hard to tell…
October 30th, 2023 at 10:47 am
Yes, it’s quite obvious my my previous 100 texts on this site that I’m a believer in Baker Mayfield. I say that because I’ve been following him since he was drafted by the Browns in 2018 and I’ve seen his arm talent: beating Joe Burrows every time they played against each other and beating Lamar Jackson three times when the Ravens had a top 5 defense. It’s obvious he plays MUCH better in an uptempo offense: get up to line and go. If Canales plays him that way, the Bucs will win the South and might go deep into the Playoffs. Right now, Baker is playing very tentatively, almost like he’s afraid to make a mistake. He’s also getting beaten up. And I wish everyone would stop describing Baker as having moxie and not being tall enough because he’s always seen the field well. Baker’s had a tough couple of years because he sacrificed his body in 2021 for the good of his team rather than getting surgery after the second game that year. That was the beginning of his downfall. Don’t give up on this guy. That’s about as honest as I can be folks.
October 30th, 2023 at 10:50 am
SB~LV Says: “I recall Joe’s bullet points reports from training camp and the ‘incomplete passes’ which seemed to be a higher percentage than Trask (NO I AM NOT CALLING FOR TRASK).”
Why not? You list all the problems with Mayfield, our record sucks, we’re not winning anything this season, Mayfield won’t be here next season, you acknowledge Trask played well in training camp, so why not call for Trask and see what he has? You know, information useful for the 2024 draft? Did you not see what second-round quarterback Will Levis did yesterday when given a chance? Are you hamstrung by an FSU spouse or something? And it’s not just you. It’s the Joes and the Bucs and many on this website. They all seem to have an irrational, psychological hangup with Trask. Any psychologists out there? Help us out! LOL.
October 30th, 2023 at 10:52 am
Trask has a whole career pushing the ball down field? I did not know High School and College was.
October 30th, 2023 at 10:56 am
Can we please stop saying Bowles is a good Defensive Coordinator? He’s not! This defense has been bad for two years. Bowles is the DC who let Cooper Kupp get open twice in the Rams playoff game. His defense lets teams march up and down the field at will, including letting Desmond Ridder drive the Falcons to a winning field goal in 45 seconds.
October 30th, 2023 at 10:57 am
admin Says: “Monken interviewed with the Bucs.”
And we chose Canales over Monken? Well, there you go.
October 30th, 2023 at 11:04 am
Couple of things:
Did anyone really believe Todd Monken was going to take the job here if he had multiple opportunities? Monken had a chance to work for one of the best coaches in the NFL with significant job stability and also work with one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
Compare that to returning to Tampa Bay to work for Todd Bowles. There was no quarterback on the roster (sorry Gators fans) and the big talk throughout the league was who will replace Bowles with the Bucs in 2024?
Was Monken offered the job? Joe has no idea. Would Monken had accepted the job over working in Baltimore for John Harbaugh with Lamar Jackson? Not a chance.
October 30th, 2023 at 11:04 am
DBS a/k/a DavidBullShïtter Says: “Trask has a whole career pushing the ball down field?”
He has yet to take a single NFL snap in a game – regular season OR preseason – with the starters. But you, a dumb keyboard warrior in your mom’s basement knows, and I mean just KNOWS, how Trask will fare in a game? LMAO. Did you also know how backups Brett Favre, Tom Brady, Brock Purdy, and, yesterday, Will Levis, would fare when given the chance? No, you didn’t know, because you don’t know shït.
October 30th, 2023 at 11:06 am
Joe Says: “Would Monken have accepted the job over working in Baltimore for John Harbaugh with Lamar Jackson? Not a chance.”
Agree!
October 30th, 2023 at 11:12 am
power sweep no Monken picked the Ravens and then the Bucs were essentially stuck with Canales.
Oz Len so not being a Bakey fanboi and being delusional about a bad offense makes me a bad fan? We had Tom Brady here – the bar for QB play has been raised considerably.
DBS Trask has consistently raised his yds/attempt over the last 3 preseasons. It doesn’t take super high football intelligence to see he pushes the ball downfield.
October 30th, 2023 at 11:15 am
So was it bowles or Leftwich? I am confused who really held us back …..new debate is Dave Canales > or < when compared to Leftwich.. I think our competitiveness is lost on offense we have no fire. Russell gage screwed us over we should.have pounced on a true wr3 and we need a black athletic tight end I am done with the whole Cade otton experiment. We need a shake up like asap
October 30th, 2023 at 11:16 am
Leftwich cannot find a job. You do the math.
October 30th, 2023 at 11:19 am
Don’t we just love all the Debbie Downers on here, not to mention yahoos like NE Fan. What sourpusses are you gonna whip up when the Bucs win Sunday? Can’t wait.
October 30th, 2023 at 11:19 am
power sweep aka Son of Trask: Why would I be calling for him to start if I knew how he was going to turn out? Maybe he can do better maybe not. But he played most of the preseason and I don’t care if it was not with first team. He was driving the ball to the red zone and having the same problems. Could not get it in. If he is as good as you say he should have been able to.
October 30th, 2023 at 11:27 am
Orlbucfan they better win Sunday. Texas has a rookie QB, a mediocre defense and they just lost to Carolina.
If they don’t with this game then what?
October 30th, 2023 at 11:36 am
It’s become very obvious last season and so far this aseason Bowles wants to slow the game down. I thinks it’s more that than forcing the run ir maybe they are two in the same. Anyway it is Bowles strategy not Leftnut or Canales. Keep your D fresh, who cares if you can put up 30? Arians built the O to score and score fast, slowing the O down is the route of all this evil. The OC’s are pawns.
October 30th, 2023 at 11:39 am
Popcorn, Bowles had ONE good season in NY, his first.
October 30th, 2023 at 11:41 am
That seven-minute drive in the fourth quarter was a wet dream for Todd Bowles. For these prehistoric defensive coaches, that drive would be better than sleeping with Kate Upton.
October 30th, 2023 at 11:57 am
Most teams run 2 minute drills.
Bucs run 7 minute drills.
October 30th, 2023 at 12:16 pm
NE Fan makes sense Bowles wanting Bakey if the goal is to slow the game down. Wouldn’t want someone like Kyle Trask scoring too quickly. That would be a bad game plan.
October 30th, 2023 at 12:17 pm
I think the plays are there to make. I think Mayfield can’t execute the game plan. Too many instances of wide open receivers to not think otherwise. For Canales to ignore the top 2 receivers would be incompetent so I have to say it’s Mayfield. We are at a crossroads. Do you try to spark the offense with Trask or do you leave Mayfield as the starter and go for the high draft pick. In other words tank with Baker.
October 30th, 2023 at 12:25 pm
@ Defense Rules
I agree our OC is one problem.
But the Bucs interior o-line is the #1 problem with this offense. We have THE WORST in the NFL by far…
#1 – Cody Mauch is one of the worst guards in the NFL. Ranked #75 of #80.
#2 – Robert Hainsey is one of the worst centers in the NFL. Ranked #30 of #34.
#3 – Matt Feiler is better than Mauch but still ranked at the bottom – #65 of #80.
No other team in the NFL has an interior line this bad.
Mayfield struggles ho hit a pass longer than 10 yards and with no run game he is a sitting duck.
October 30th, 2023 at 12:41 pm
@Mike S: as much as I respect DR, perhaps coaches tell Mayfield to be a “Checkdown Charlie.” Perhaps the current scheme does not open receivers downfield.
I am not praising Mayfield. I just don’t think he is THE problem.
I contend this is a really bad and incompetent coaching staff.
I suspect we are witnessing a “soft tank.”
October 30th, 2023 at 12:43 pm
Aaron Stinnie graded out at 74.4 against the Bills.
If the Bucs want to win games they will move Stinnie to RG and replace Hainsey with Nick Leverett and hopefully Felier can return to LG soon.
If the Bucs want to continue losing they should just stick with the same weak line-up.
October 30th, 2023 at 12:44 pm
I suspect that two more ugly losses, and Trask will get his chance.
The Glazers & Licht need to see what he’s got before ranking future picks.
October 30th, 2023 at 12:44 pm
Cobraboy
I contend this is a really bad and incompetent coaching staff.
I suspect we are witnessing a “soft tank.”
–
I agree with you there.
October 30th, 2023 at 12:59 pm
Cobraboy … ‘perhaps coaches tell Mayfield to be a “Checkdown Charlie.” Perhaps the current scheme does not open receivers downfield.’
Just for the record Cobra, I agree with you 100%, but I think it’s much more the 2nd one than the 1st one (the scheme). Baker’s missed seeing a few open receivers it appears, but it’s much more-so that the receivers aren’t getting open.
Some of it probably has to do with trying to use too many inexperienced WRs & TEs. I’m admittedly not sure why, but my suspicion is that another part of it’s a play design problem. Another part of it’s that defenses seem to be focusing mostly on just blanketing ME13 & CG14 (not respecting our other receivers to draw their attention away?) and part of it is probably Mayfield (not reading the coverages as well as he should & thus coming off guys too quickly?). It certainly doesn’t help that our offense is essentially one-dimensional (no running game threat).
The dink-and-dunk has to stop though. All by itself it’s a prescription for failure; it needs a complementary running attack to succeed, or barring that, at least a viable deeper attack threat. Right now we have none of that.
October 30th, 2023 at 1:21 pm
Yeah well how long until we hire an actual offensive coordinator and an actual head coach instead of relying on Arians pals? We squandered years of historic Bucs players careers because the front office wants to please coaches. Competent management does not please serial underachievers.
October 30th, 2023 at 1:24 pm
Marine Buc … I’ve never been a big believer in the notion that a single problem is THE problem. My experience has been that organizations can usually overcome a single weakness, but continued poor performance is usually the result of multiple weaknesses.
In the Bucs’ case, Dave Canales inexperience calling plays (and designing plays) isn’t helping. Our interior OLine being as weak as they are (I agree with you BTW) doesn’t help either. TEs who contribute little to the attack probably don’t thrill anyone either (I’m guessing Baker Mayfield would love to be throwing to Gronk instead of who he’s got to throw to?). Our receivers not named Evans & Godwin aren’t exactly setting the world on fire either (mild understatement?). And of course, being a one-dimensional offense because you have a marginal running game makes it immeasurably easier for the defense.
Put that all together and it spells an offense scoring 114 points in 7 games … 16.3 PPG average … and a 3-4 record. And that’s with a Turnover Differential of PLUS 8 to work with and a defense ranked #6 and allowing just 18.3 PPG average. Something has to change fast or this team will end up spiraling out of control.
October 30th, 2023 at 1:29 pm
Trask will be starting soon and….
October 30th, 2023 at 1:44 pm
@ DR
I agree.
There are multiple issues with this offense –
– New OC struggling
– Poor interior line
– Weak running back group
– Weak TE group
– QB struggling to hit throws over 10 yards
– Mike Evans drop rate
The whole thing is a disjointed mess.
I also agree – If things don’t change it will go bad very quickly. I believe if we lose in Houston it could get really ugly in Tampa Bay.
October 30th, 2023 at 1:50 pm
DR, why are you not calling out Bowles? It is Bowles that hired Canales. The Defensive HC is a dinosaur in today’s game. Look at the top teams in the league, none are defense first.
October 30th, 2023 at 1:52 pm
The Bucs should have beaten the Falcons. If it weren’t for that, I’d think they are on track. They have to show some semblance of a running game, is all. It can be done!
October 30th, 2023 at 2:24 pm
@DR: Missing receivers could also come from running for his life on passing downs. It is hard to keep your eyes downfield and go through progressions when your interior line resembles Jr. Hi rooks. Goedeke and Wirfs cannot block everybody.
PLUS, being height-challenged is an issue in today’s NFL, but not in college while chasing a Heisman.
But even those two issues are possible to overcome with innovative play-calling. Tua has no problem, and he is hardly in Josh Allen’s height territory. But then again, Tua has a genuinely creative mind behind him. Nothing Canales has shown is the least bit impressive to my eyes, and I won’t even go into that mental O slug Bowles.
October 30th, 2023 at 2:59 pm
@ JOE: I’m fairly new to this site, but are the majority of Bucs fans overall as whiney and negative as these guys are? I understand “contributors” like Mike S and Capt’n Munch have psychological issues like me, but is everyone adopting such a loser attitude with 10 games to play? If so, that’s just pathetic.
October 30th, 2023 at 3:26 pm
This ain’t Todds 1st rodeo. He knows if he has a losing season he is toast. He probably has told his family to circle the wagons and be packed to leave Tampa Bay. I am very interested to see if our Bucs can get to 4-4 this week. I watched the texans and they are beatable if we come right. If not 3-5 is pretty ugly then the 49ers over there after that. We shall see.
October 30th, 2023 at 3:52 pm
If the bucs defense can’t stop somebody from catching a pass 3 yards down field and running for another 12 our offense is never going to have a chance to be on the field, it doesn’t matter how many points were not giving up what matters is how long our defense is on the field and are offenses on the sideline.
If our offense could sustain drives at least for 40 50 yards it might give them confidence to score points which we obviously do not have
October 30th, 2023 at 4:24 pm
D-dub@ why do you think this season is close to mirroring 2022? There is only ONE common denominator! There are other teams in the league with a weak oline a lessor QB and wr’s not as good as the Bucs and they can run the ball.
October 30th, 2023 at 7:26 pm
@WyomingJoe: unfortunately, the negative nellies on here are the norm. Plus, the yahoos like NE Fan who likes to be a PITA cos he/she is not a Bucs fan. I put up with it cos there are knowledgeable fans like DRules and BBonzai. I’m a political junkie/activist so I’ve got a tough hide when it comes to flame wars.
October 31st, 2023 at 2:24 am
“Eisen believes Todd Bowles is much more concerned with what other teams might do than what his team does on offense, and it shows in the Bucs’ lethargic offense, absence of a killer mentality and just weird decisions.”
This has been stated in so many ways before by Bowles. Specifically.He thought his defense was tired. BS. Take what they give you BS. Running game BS. Time of possession BS. (Three and outs do not win the time of possesion battle)
Granted that Baker can get us first downs with his legs. I would rather he strike fear into the hearts of DBs with his arm. Hit the open man!
Get the ball to our playmakers. If it means being a bit more creative? So be it! I thought that’s what Canales was going to do for us! Eating up the game clock when you are behind in the fourth quarter for the opponent is a Cardinal sin for any OC! It is why teams work on the two minute offense!
This has Bowles fingerprints all over it BTW!
It is not working Todd!
Go Bucs!
October 31st, 2023 at 7:56 am
Orlbuc, at least I don’t whine about the refs on every play like you know who!
October 31st, 2023 at 11:08 am
“Bucsalltheway Says: we need a black athletic tight end I am done with the whole Cade otton experiment.” 🤦♂️
@Bucsalltheway, I don’t know that white rookie tight end for Buffalo looked pretty damn good Thursday to this black guy 🤷🏾♂️ we just need playmakers!! they could be green for all i care