Arrow Pointing Up
January 21st, 2024
Team Glazer has an easy evaluation.
Today’s edition of the Buccaneers sure didn’t look like the clown show that showed up (didn’t show up?) against the Saints three weeks ago or the mess on display at Carolina.
The Bucs lined up against a juggernaut of the NFC in a hostile environment and went blow for blow with the Lions.
Joe isn’t throwing Big Storm beer cans or crying over a tray of Hooters wings.
Losing sucks and moral victories are for losers. Joe isn’t going there, but Joe feels good about how the Bucs nearly got the most they could out of their talent today, minus the disappearance of Chris Godwin through 50-plus minutes.
Team Glazer, the Bucs’ owners, have a phrase tied to evaluating each Tampa season they’ve used previously, “arrow pointing up,” which is the opposite of “arrow pointing down.” Joe has to think the Bucs’ arrow is firmly and proudly pointing up.
Bring back the in-house free agents: Mike Evans, Baker Mayfield, Lavonte David and Antoine Winfield Jr., and the foundation is sound.
Nail the draft again and make some wise additions and subtractions, and Joe has every reason to believe the Bucs can improve next season, assuming Dave Canales returns as offensive coordinator.
Yeah, the loss stings deep. But the Bucs looked damn legit today as a divisional round road team and exceeded expectations this season.
Arrow pointing up.
January 21st, 2024 at 6:41 pm
Pay Mike and Baker.
January 21st, 2024 at 6:41 pm
BB to ATL
Canales to NC
Chucky in NO
The next 5 years will be ugly. Start stocking up on paper bags.
January 21st, 2024 at 6:42 pm
Agreed!
They really came together in the last of the season.
Too much talent on the Lions to overcome, but they gave it everything they hsd !
Big turn around and they should all be proud of themselves
January 21st, 2024 at 6:42 pm
We’ll be the favorite in the division even if BB ends up coaching Atlanta.
January 21st, 2024 at 6:43 pm
Licht will have to be a magic man to replace the talent we likely will in Free Agency, But he just might do so.
January 21st, 2024 at 6:43 pm
Up where?
Bowles will win a Super Bowl?
January 21st, 2024 at 6:43 pm
Solid effort and a better year than any of us fans could have ever expected.
Lets look on the bright side.
January 21st, 2024 at 6:44 pm
Agree things look good for future. They played hard and were beat by a better team. Some smart draft and free agent decisions could make us major contenders next year.
January 21st, 2024 at 6:45 pm
This loss sucks but proud of what they accomplished and that they were competitive. JL has some work to do…..looking forward to next season.
January 21st, 2024 at 6:45 pm
This loss is on Bowles giving up 31.
As a defensive guru, your specialty should be shutting down the opposing team. He didn’t do that.
January 21st, 2024 at 6:46 pm
Fire bowels…..
Bring back Brady and sign BB
Another SB guranteeeed!
January 21st, 2024 at 6:47 pm
Get Bill Belichick, don’t let him get away
January 21st, 2024 at 6:50 pm
Sometimes I wonder what you are watching. Coaching today was horrendous penalties missed assignments and s*** calls. Open your eyes we have a terrible head coach.
January 21st, 2024 at 6:50 pm
Where do you think, they will get the money to sign all the player’s in your article
January 21st, 2024 at 6:51 pm
I agree. Bowles has coached very well during the playoffs. I like the direction we are headed.
January 21st, 2024 at 6:52 pm
Joe how can you say resign Bowles? He is not the future.
Joe gives Bowles a B+ grade for this season. Bowles is coming back whether anyone likes it or not. He doesn’t have to be re-signed. He’s under contract.–Joe
January 21st, 2024 at 6:53 pm
Bucs need an Oline and a Dline. Hope they have enough money to pick up a few good FA linemen. White and Shaq need to go. JTS needs to ride pine next season. The coaching is bad, but don’t think the Glazers will do anything?
January 21st, 2024 at 6:53 pm
Draft a QB!
January 21st, 2024 at 6:54 pm
I don’t understand how the arrow can be pointing up when Baker and Bowles are probably coming back. if so, I’m afraid that this is our ceiling. We have a defensive head coach who can’t stop the bleeding and we keep getting cut up over and over again. I’m not going to criticize Baker because he added a lot of intangibles to the team. But ultimately, the inconsistency is going to cost us half of our games like it did this year. Plus, I think Trask is better!
January 21st, 2024 at 6:55 pm
So you’re betting that Baker isn’t a one-year wonder who had a career year when he’s dead broke, and he won’t return to being what he’s been his entire career – which is a really bad and inconsistent QB? And you’re also betting on the NFC South continuing to be the weakest division in sports. And the Bucs, if they make the playoffs, to face an opponent in the wildcard round that is undergoing one of the biggest collapses of all time.
If all that happens, they could be back in this spot next year!
Humm… I don’t know.
BUT, I was wrong about them this year, so who knows.
January 21st, 2024 at 6:56 pm
Good year! The loss stings, but great job (for the most part) this year! I have complete confidence in JL this off season. Go Bucs!
January 21st, 2024 at 7:02 pm
Fire Bowels. Fire Licht. Clean house
January 21st, 2024 at 7:02 pm
It amazes me that guys are so willing to forget the horrific regular season. The losses, the close games (won) that shouldn’t have been close at all.
Failing to clinch vs NO. Terrible performance vs Carolina.
Yes, Philly laid down to give us a playoff win but that doesn’t erase how poorly coached this team is.
January 21st, 2024 at 7:04 pm
Both are meatheads. Let’s guess on our 1st rnd pick next year? Some useless d2 player coming off a knee injury. Probably a kicker. Idiots
January 21st, 2024 at 7:04 pm
We should be picking top 10. We are going to be worse next year.
January 21st, 2024 at 7:04 pm
We lost…L.O.S.t means we LOST
January 21st, 2024 at 7:06 pm
Shout out to the trolls. You keep it interesting! We still hate you.
January 21st, 2024 at 7:10 pm
The Bucs overachieved this year, but lost a winnable game today. Given the over achievement, it’s hard to say the arrow is pointing up, particularly given all the players that need to be resigned. It was a good end to the season, but this team has to be one of the most inconsistent I’ve ever followed.
January 21st, 2024 at 7:10 pm
Strongly disagree with your opinion and propaganda, Joe’s.
Bowles should be fired.
No adjustments. Terrible personnel decisions. Poor substitutions\rotation
Always doing the opposite of what works.
Keeping D white on the bench for a high energy game is a disgrace.
Thought he figured it out again vs. Philly but no, he outsmarted himself as usual, went back to his incompetence.
Do you know why?
Because he’s not smart and he’s not a great coach.
If you like your ceiling to be heartbreak at the divisional round because of this coach’s lack of common sense, then you get what you deserve.
Fire Bowles today.
Glazers fired Dungy for less and at least Dungy brought defensive consistency, not fancy nonsense, up and down garbage.
And for all you inbred posters who like to call me names call me a troll and threaten me, save your garbage and go learn how to spell and use grammar.
I’m tired of my team having it’s head up it’s a**, and I don’t mind speaking out against it, and against you moronic bullies on this site.
January 21st, 2024 at 7:14 pm
Who is this boss moron how Is he allowed to post
January 21st, 2024 at 7:16 pm
BUCS fans in or near Tampa. (I am in north Alabama). Go to the airport. Greet your returning Bucs players. Show them some love!
January 21st, 2024 at 7:17 pm
I agree, next year we will have a few less doubters.
It all comes down to the line on either side. We lost this game in the trenches, Goff had good protection and Baker had issues with that slot blitz. JL needs to hit another draft with some pass rush and pass protection.
January 21st, 2024 at 7:18 pm
Boss says boss of what a pile of stupid bulls”t u suck dude
January 21st, 2024 at 7:20 pm
If there is one thing i learned in this website is that if Joe likes a coach or a player they are not good for us.
January 21st, 2024 at 7:20 pm
“ Plus, I think Trask is better!”
HA! The Trask basement trolls are coming out of the woodworks….some of these usernames like ATLbuc I havent seen on here since November
Trask wouldve been sacked 10 times today behind that pathetic Oline Baker had to play behind
January 21st, 2024 at 7:21 pm
RodMunch is an idiot. Baker hung tough all day against intense pressure where Hutchison came at him several times completely untouched. The blitzes were rarely picked up but Mayfield just stayed with it. If you knew the first thing about football(it is obvious you don’t), that INT into a zone defense happened because Mayfield thought Otton was sitting down in front of the defenders. Otton just got deeper than he was supposed to.
January 21st, 2024 at 7:21 pm
Bubby says that name is short for the devil that’s all I need to know jackass
January 21st, 2024 at 7:22 pm
The more talented team won. Straight up.
This team has some soft players that need to be weeded out and more speed on offense is desperately needed.
This team far exceeded my expectations.
January 21st, 2024 at 7:26 pm
B.bekicheck u people shud not be allowed on this site he is old news he needs the play booth not the field booth u people r stupid I hope Mayfield leaves them I don’t have to be part of this terrible post site
January 21st, 2024 at 7:29 pm
Fire Bowles. If you keep him around, we will be mediocre. The only reason we make the playoffs this year is because our division was so bad. That won’t continue. Bowles is liability as a head coach. He does not make adjustments and makes really poor decisions.
January 21st, 2024 at 7:36 pm
Baker won me over and even Bowles. I’ve been super critical of him but they way exceeded by a mile. I can’t wait to see Baker in the 2nd year of this offense. They add a couple pieces in the draft and keep who they need to keep and this team is gonna be tough next year.
January 21st, 2024 at 7:42 pm
I’d still fire bowles…
I was wrong…good for the team.
Go bucs!
January 21st, 2024 at 7:42 pm
I skipped the idiotic comments. Glazers spend more time with their European darlings than they do here. Bucs will be a force next season. Looking forward to it.
January 21st, 2024 at 7:42 pm
Everyone crying about the Bucs being inconsistent. Imagine how consistent they will be if all the players stay. They’ll have to put their ego and greed aside to get that done but what a great team we could have.
Go Bucs!!
January 21st, 2024 at 7:42 pm
I dont see the arrow pointing up. I see it pointing sideways. That Eagles team would have probably lost to Carolina.
January 21st, 2024 at 7:47 pm
The people who trash Bowles are so ignorant.
If it wasn’t for him, they have maybe six wins. You’re talking about a defense that started three rookies (YaYa, Kancey, Izean) and two second year players that were basically rookies in Zion and Hall.
They’re incapable of getting a four-man pass rush, so he needs to blitz… Way too much. Some teams that works, like the Eagles. Sometimes it does not. Another year under their belt, a speedy replacement for Devon White and another edge rusher – they’ll be capable of being a top 8 defense.
They were already in top 8 and points allowed per game.
It is definitely looking up.
Two interior lineman, mainly a center, and another year in the system… The offense should get rolling.
January 21st, 2024 at 8:05 pm
This team surprised me more than any other Bucs team over the past 25 years. It was a fun season (mostly). This team is one of my favorites in Bucs history, certainly within the Top 5.
I can’t wait to see what happens next season.
Arrow pointing up!
Go Bucs!
January 21st, 2024 at 8:06 pm
R White missed just about every blitz pickup today. Baker was getting crushed because of it. Defense was not good today and that is on Bowels. Unable to get off the field on third down was brutal.
January 21st, 2024 at 8:17 pm
We have NO idea who had what blocking assignments
January 21st, 2024 at 8:46 pm
Props to the Bucs players and coaches for a significantly better season than most all thought. Being the 3rd best team in the NFC?? Could do much worse
January 21st, 2024 at 9:06 pm
1) Fire ST coach Armstrong. Another disappointing season for ST.
2) Get a G and TE or RB in FA.
3) Consider bringing back previous Bucs CB SMB and S Whitehead
4) Re-sign Evans, Baker, LVD, Winfield, McLaughli, Moore
5) Don’t bring back White, Gage, Stinnie, Feiler, Thompkina
6) Draft in order
DE/OLB
C
TE or RB
S
LB
CB
7) Commit to Britt, Denis as LBs. Move JTS to special teams.
8) Look at QB, WR, RT, LB, DT, DE next year
January 21st, 2024 at 9:18 pm
Now that they’ve wrecked draft position with the mini run that was always going to end badly, time to move on from coach and staff.
January 21st, 2024 at 9:47 pm
Arrows pointing up on what is essentially a “rebuild year” in that we had to shed cap space, new qb, new oc and rookies. Hope for a good draft and FA for a better year.
January 21st, 2024 at 10:16 pm
For all those bitchin tonight, who realistically thought us Bucs fans would be complaining about losing in the divisional round on Jan. 21, 2024 when we were picked to be 6-11 at best? I thought so. As much as this loss stings, Bucs overachieved and Detroit is due their moment.
January 21st, 2024 at 10:33 pm
Shoot, we had a great year. Boles may not be perfect, but he guided the ship quite well. He got a lot out of his team. It’s such a fine line these days between keeping players playing hard, and losing the locker room. It is hard to get a young millionaire to play within every nth of his life. To win at this level that’s how you have to play. He was slow to deal with some of the players who needed to sit, however I wouldn’t judge until I walk a mile in his moccasins. How he deals with Devin White, Dean, and Davis will go a long way. White needs to probably burden another NFC South team. Dean, and Davis got paid and did not raise their play to that level.
January 21st, 2024 at 10:44 pm
My ideas for 2024
we need a pass rush so if it cant be bought in FA then draft it
dump JTS, DW45, Ryan Neil
we need a center–draft one
we need a guard–buy one
we need to better educate YaYa as he is our future
we need Mauch to bulk up as he looks like a high school kid
we need to educate up on SirVocea Denis and KJ Britt as they are the future at linebacker
we need another CB-buy one or draft it
we are good at QB with Baker, good at tight end, good at WR, good at OT and DT, good at all special teams (really good at at kicker and punter!)
January 21st, 2024 at 10:58 pm
ALTBuc. So glad that I won’t have to read any of your pathetic BS for a while.
Highest priorities: Re-sign Baker, Evans and Winfield and make sure that Canales stays. I think that he’s smart enough to realize that he needs more experience before becoming a HC. Also, fix the holes in our O-Line. If that happens, I look for great things next year.
January 21st, 2024 at 11:07 pm
Look back, when the Bucs began the season in Minnesota, would have anyone have complained if the team made it into the 2nd round of the playoffs?? I wouldn’t have. Not a great season, but a very good season!! What a fun season. Go Bucs!
January 21st, 2024 at 11:34 pm
With ya Joe!
January 22nd, 2024 at 2:06 am
Get a stud DE and that D goes next level. Arrow up
January 22nd, 2024 at 7:38 am
So many experts
January 22nd, 2024 at 11:15 am
??
“Losing sucks and moral victories are for losers”
I always use it to fuel the machine to go out and get better. I guess to some there is nothing like living off those yesteryears of glory days. Fact is you can not win them all, and we all know that.
We had an exceedingly Great Season! We didn’t have all the tools or the experience using them, yet. I am excited to see the future of our Tampa Bay Buccaneers!!
January 22nd, 2024 at 11:59 am
Give Baker an extension. Give Antoine Winfield a big contract. Negotiate with Evans – he’s going to be 31 and less dependable. Let Canales go. Fire Bowles.