Todd Bowles Breaks Down 4th-Down Scramble Failures
September 24th, 2024
Bucs edge rusher Anthony Nelson.
Sunday’s dagger came early — on a bad call by Broncos head coach Sean Payton that was bailed out by two missed tackles by Tampa Bay.
Todd Bowles called those out today.
The head coach was a guest on the Buccaneers Radio Network. Of course, Joe was listening. (Did you think Joe would be doing yard work or pricing Clearwater Beach resorts?)
The video of the play is below.
To set the stage, it was 4th-and-goal at the one yard line with 3:02 remaining in the first quarter and Denver leading 7-0. Payton called for a right side pitch to the running back, who avoided tackles for loss by Anthony Nelson and K.J. Britt that would have been game-changers.
Joe will let Bowles take it from there.
“Nelly had the play stopped dead to rights and the guy threw a move on him and got past him. And K.J. could have laid out and went for his legs, I thought he had a shot at him, too,” Bowles said. “nd then he got in the end zone.
“I thought we went too high. We could have went from his waist on down and we probably would have got him at the 2 or 3 yard line.”
Later on the Buccaneers Radio Network, outside linebackers coach George Edwards talked about how the Bucs had a bad tackling day. Bowles was less direct about the overall tackling.
Regardless, that play was a back-breaker because it shouldn’t have happened. It was the first quarter: Britt and Nelson are young players that should have been mentally and physically sharp.
Juked ’em. đź’¨
đź“ş: FOX | @Speedkills2k_ pic.twitter.com/Mg3006YMjz
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 22, 2024
September 24th, 2024 at 6:10 pm
One of the least athletic, slow footed plays on defense I’ve seen in some time. That’s when I knew the JoeJinx ™️ was in full effect and Smarmy Sean Payton and his Donkeys were headed for their first victory of the season.
September 24th, 2024 at 6:11 pm
Nelson is JAG, and Britt is too slow.
We already knew this last year.
September 24th, 2024 at 6:18 pm
Britt sucks, and so does Nelson, got it.
September 24th, 2024 at 6:21 pm
It seems like Anthony Nelson is better suited as a 4-3 DE. He’s too big and slow for an 3-4 OLB. He’s 6’7 270 lbs, seems like he could play 3-4 DE. He just as biggest as William Gholston.
I don’t really see what Bowles and Licht seen in KJ Britt. Last season he was an upgrade over Devin White….. that’s not saying much. They had all of the off-season to sign, or draft a legitimate ILB. The Rams traded Earnest Brown for peanuts..
September 24th, 2024 at 6:23 pm
In Britts defense, he was set to cover inside where “Nelly” was supposed to contain him from the outside.
Not Britts fault and still ALMOST covered for “Nelly’s” mistake. That is where it is painfully obvious. He is not gonna cut it. Not as a TAMPA LB. We have a high standard for LBs
If our “edge” rushers know the LB can cover for a mistake like this one. They are freer to RUSH the QB or RB an get them for negative plays.
Dennis has equal experience as KJ. Dennis makes this play easy because his speed would allow him to.
September 24th, 2024 at 6:37 pm
Thank goodness Dennis wasn’t in the game … the LB that dominated Detroit.
September 24th, 2024 at 6:57 pm
That is one p!$! poor example of good, fundamental football.
Nelson and Britt’s coaches, all the way back to
8U PopWarner need their arsses kicked for allowing that level of crap tackling to advance to the next level.
September 24th, 2024 at 7:02 pm
I haven’t said much yet and I’m not going to just now. That was just one of those games….. I fully expect a heck of a lot more effort against the Eagles. Hopefully we will have at least Goedeke back.
September 24th, 2024 at 7:04 pm
Nelson has GOT to sprint to cut off the outside, the pursuit is coming FROM the INSIDE. Force the cutback into Britt and we’re not talking about this play. You don’t sell out on the fake, stay outside shoulder.
If he jukes Nelson to the inside, it’s the fault of the pursuit, Nelson (in the film room) could say “I did my job, he did NOT beat me to the outside. Where were you guys?”
September 24th, 2024 at 7:12 pm
Bunch of whining about the wrong critical play. Back up 5 plays. Bucs have the ball at the Tampa 30 when Mayfield throws a duck deep to Evans. Ball is intercepted at the Tampa 46 by Safety Brandon Jones then returned 37 yards to the Tampa 9. THAT’S kind of a key play … for Denver.
Then on the very next play Bo Nix fumbles and Logan Hall recovers. But no … offsides penalty on Greg Gaines. THAT’S kind of a key play too … for Denver.
That TD by McLaughlin around right end was only for 1 yard. If any of these RBs fall forward they’ll get 2 yards. Denver had 2nd-and-goal from the 2-yard line so they had 3 chances to punch it in. I’d say the odds were in their favor given that we had no Vea & no Kancey & no Winfield out there. Nah, the interception, the looong return, and the penalty on the fumble seem like bigger plays.
September 24th, 2024 at 7:18 pm
**I meant the Rams traded ILB Earnest Jones
September 24th, 2024 at 7:23 pm
Defense Rules,
The Bucs had 3rd and 2 at the Broncos 45. Mayfield attempted passes to Chris Godwin on 3rd and 4th down, and they both were incomplete.
The offense had a way, way, way worst day than the defense..
September 24th, 2024 at 7:46 pm
Tryon has clearly separated himself from Nelson at this point I think
September 24th, 2024 at 7:48 pm
Yada Yada…Nix was better than Bakefield on Sunday.
September 24th, 2024 at 7:54 pm
To be fair that’s a really shifty RB. Like trying to tackle Bucky
September 24th, 2024 at 9:04 pm
Nelson did his job, slowing the guy down to a stop, nearly. Britt was too slow but there probably should have been a couple other guys there by then, too. IMO.
September 24th, 2024 at 9:39 pm
Amateur play by Nelson.
Even when I played DE in junior high, I knew that you have to turn the runner back to the inside AT MINIMUM.
Terrible job by Nelson. Just horrible.
September 24th, 2024 at 10:26 pm
Guys look how far Britt had to run to get a TFL. That was a great offensive play isolating players at both lvls Britt was across the field. How is that his tackle?
September 24th, 2024 at 10:57 pm
Players were a step slow, out of sync, and ill prepared for the game……. Who’s to blame for that?!?
Coach Bowles playing the ‘blame game’ and pointing fingers when he and his staff hold a large share of that failure, could be detrimental to the positive team spirit and winning attitude we’ve been seeing.
September 24th, 2024 at 11:58 pm
Guys weren’t in it. Simple as that. Turns out the game was over after the first play. Onto Philly and we will see what we are. Gotta treat Hurts exactly like they should have treated Nix. especially if Brown and/or Smith are out. Don’t give the easy underneath stuff.
September 25th, 2024 at 4:13 am
That was a terrible attempt at tackling.
September 25th, 2024 at 6:26 am
These hotshots came crashing down to earth spectacularly on Sunday. Imagine the gall of this entire team to think they could just cruise to a home victory.
Short memories apparently.
September 25th, 2024 at 12:24 pm
If Nelson sets the edge and doesn’t fall for the juke we had several guys to tackle him. Then of course we have the slowest LB in all of football chasing him to the sideline. You always set the edge Nelly. That was a dumb mistake and indicative of the whole day, where guys didn’t do their job trying to make the play.
That was ALL on Nelson who had a TERRIBLE day. Almost any OLB besides Nelson makes that play.