“We Weren’t Where We Were Supposed To Be”
October 4th, 2024
A lot went wrong with the Bucs defense last night in Atlanta.
Yes, the Bucs got four sacks, but that’s not a good total when the quarterback drops back to pass 62 times.
You like that? Joe doesn’t.
(Joe won’t sleep tonight after hearing Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins egg on Falcons fans on the postgame field with his famous, “You like that!” though Cousins seemed somewhat exhausted and subdued.)
So Todd Bowles was asked in his postgame news conference why the Falcons had so much success attacking the Bucs in the middle of the field. A hearty percentage of Cousins’ 509 yards passing were in that area.
Joe found it interesting that Bowles didn’t even challenge a reporter’s contention that “the middle of the field seemed to be open all night.” Often, Bowles will say something to reflect that he doesn’t accept the full premise of a question such as that.
Not last night.
“Yeah, we were not where we were supposed to be,” Bowles replied.
It didn’t help losing cornerback Tykee Smith and safety Jordan Whitehead for part of the game. And it certainly didn’t help that linebacker K.J. Britt is too often lost in pass coverage, and then there’s the overall soft play by Jamel Dean.
The tackling wasn’t pretty, as Bowles noted, and he added that plays and tackles the Bucs made in Detroit were ones they did not make yesterday in Atlanta.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:16 am
Why don’t you call a time out, pull the defense aside and help them get where they are supposed to be. You know coaching…
October 4th, 2024 at 2:18 am
I wonder who is responsible for ensuring that players are where they are supposed to be? And it’s not like this is a first occurrence.
Hello, Jason. Time to chat with your HC and DC about how pass defense is taught .
October 4th, 2024 at 2:25 am
They need to go out & sign some kind of DE & secondary help.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:43 am
Signing new players — without the corrective action on teaching players their assignments, on coaching planning and decision making in critical situations — won’t make a difference. Even with the atrocious turtle the offense was coached into in the third quarter, we had the game in the bag. Todd’s fear of making a killer mistake is in fact the killer mistake.
He needs to change or the results won’t.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:49 am
This falls on Coach Bowles. Accountability or should I say, the lack of it will be this team’s undoing! Granted having some guys out such as Whitehead and Smith is a handicap (Antoine Winfield for sure for that matter) but how the heck can Bowles not make any adjustments? Jamel dean and Britt looked lost. This game was a lot like the Houston game last year, the loss was on Bowles, this time the O did not score late (again, this seems like a situation where Turtle Todd took over the O playcalling in the second half) but just like the Houston game, Todd’s soft defense melted and lost the game yet again. This is a tough loss to stomach and will be even worse if the Bucs lose again in the Creamsicle rematch. That is now a must win game. Turtle Todd should never be allowed to call any plays whatsoever though you know Coen will take the blame, just like Baker did though anyone with a brain and a memory knows that the one common denominator in these gut punch losses is Turtle Todd Bowles.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:50 am
The 3-7 abyss looks a lot closer. Lose a game you had in the bag – twice. It does take a special kind of head coach to pull that off, gotta say.
October 4th, 2024 at 3:34 am
Fort Myers’s nailed it. Bowels lack of accountability is hid failure as a HC and his failure as a DC.
October 4th, 2024 at 3:45 am
Can we finally and for all STOP with the narrative of Todd being a great D coordinator?!? Can we? Isn’t enough all the games that we look just like this, lost! How many times through 5+ seasons that he is the D coordinator of this team we saw this same movie?
– WRs open all day
– Third / fourth and long being completed
– No passes contested
– A QB that can’t get the ball moving all year looking like a MVP
– Missed tackles
– The same old escuse of “lack of communication”, even on the 6th season of his reign!! (Are all the players we get def or what??)
And what about the ridiculous game management at the end? Or the challenge flag for a potential fumble that if awarded would give the ball to Atlanta further down the field?
Fact is: Atlanta has been struggling offensively buy out 500+ yards on us
At halftime Atlanta D adjusted. We, as usual, didn’t
We cannot become a contender with a HC and DC that cannot consistently be better than the opposition. This is why we will always be a 0.500ish team under Todd
Can we stop with the Defensive Guru talk once and for all?!? Thank you!
October 4th, 2024 at 3:46 am
The offense is not the problem. Kicking is not the problem….That leaves Bowles defense…that was the problem.
October 4th, 2024 at 4:09 am
If Bowles wants to be a head coach, force him to hire a full time defensive coordinator. The problem is, he’s not a real head coach, but trying to be distracts him from his defensive coordinator job and makes him substandard at both.
October 4th, 2024 at 4:31 am
Dan Campbell would have already taken ownership of that utter endgame failure.
Todd lets his QB do that instead, even though his defense coughed up another legendary 500 yard pass defenseless.
Todd’s too much of a genius to blame himself. Accountability isn’t his thing.
October 4th, 2024 at 4:43 am
Another absolutely stunning failure from Bowles. Just when u think this clown has it together….
I’ve had enough of this schizophrenic team.
October 4th, 2024 at 5:23 am
You see there you have it. Install cheep Walmart lawnchairs, and place them where they need to be! BINGO! Someone may trip over one. In all seriousness, this game was hard fought and we just came up short.
October 4th, 2024 at 6:55 am
Todd Bowles defense at it again. It’s always the same thing
October 4th, 2024 at 7:01 am
The defensive play last night reminded me a lot of the Denver game. Receivers getting wide-arse open, poor tackling and general lack of a pass rush.
October 4th, 2024 at 7:08 am
At least Bowles did not try to sugar coat it. The Defense was horrible. So many 3rd or 4th downs where a stop would have made a difference. Can’t play good on half the plays.
Raheem wanted this win. He had the fresher team. At home. And they barely won.
This is not the end. This is the beginning.
October 4th, 2024 at 7:41 am
He ran “The Dead Skunk Defense”
October 4th, 2024 at 7:42 am
It stinks
October 4th, 2024 at 8:09 am
After getting burned when Cousins went quick on 4th down, Bowles let it happen again on 4th down. I was screaming at the TV call TO we we’re lined up. Cousins hit a quick out on Smith first down. This whole game is on Bowles, not ready for this moment. Never adjusted to Cousins over the middle.
October 4th, 2024 at 8:26 am
My what short memories we have!!!
I could make the argument that Winfield literally saved last year with some of his BIG plays and hustle stripping balls at the goal line from behind!
I could make the argument that Winfield is a Troy Palamulu level game changer and he’s approaching Ed Reed territory.
I could make the argument that when he was healthy Kancey showed that he too can clearly be a game changer and take some of the heat off of Vea.
AGAIN…if Winfield had missed the second half of last year the Bucs would not have been in the playoffs. I love LVD but Winfield is young and the future.
October 4th, 2024 at 9:54 am
First of all one thing nobody has been talking about has been KJ Britt he was probably the cause of the first touchdown of the game as he was a liability and coverage on two plays one that led to a long game and another one on touchdown.
With Dennis being on injured reserve for the next four weeks I think teams are going to pick us apart up the middle especially if Winfield is not back by next game.
I think it’s time to find a inside linebacker who is also good in coverage perhaps on a team that started the year poorly and has no chance at the playoffs. Trade a fifth or sixth round pick and fix that because this will lead to more losses.
I also think we need to get Tyler Funderburk some reps had corner because Dean is regressing.
October 4th, 2024 at 10:11 am
Coaching scared.
October 4th, 2024 at 10:25 am
Bowels bit the bullet and said it was his fault not to throw any shade Britt should not be on the field not for running game only for special teams he’s slow and gets took advantage of way to much if we don’t get another coverage ilb idk teams will take advantage of the middle of the field or run a dime with just David till Dennis gets back
October 4th, 2024 at 10:35 am
I have been bitching about our pass coverage for weeks now. Now here it is. We can’t stop the pass- -period. The idea the our H.C. is a defensive guru is ridiculous. We are close to losing this season. Any team with a sharp shooting team will give us problems.
October 4th, 2024 at 10:45 am
Big win in Detroit followed be Denver loss.
Big win against Philly, followed by loss to atl.
Seems there is a maturity component here.
October 4th, 2024 at 10:47 am
Just the same old, tired, worn-out story/excuses in another postgame press conference. So, WHO is that on then, “COACH!?”
October 4th, 2024 at 11:40 am
Dave Pear you are correct. Todd is not great at multitasking between DC and HC responsibilities during a game. This will be what prevents us from winning a Superbowl under his stewardship. Sad to say. Man, I would give an arm to be wrong ultimately.
Go Bucs!
October 4th, 2024 at 12:08 pm
Inconsistent Bucs. Now watch them get mad and blow out the Saints.
October 4th, 2024 at 1:06 pm
Poor coaching.. for a guy who runs his mouth kj has hard time backing it up…the players lov bowles..and we are stuck with him
October 4th, 2024 at 3:24 pm
It was poor game management again. Always in the big games. I was yelling at him end of the first half. The offense was scoring points quickly and the D was out there a ton. USE YOUR TIMEOUTS! Give the D a rest man. We finally used 1 but a lot happened in that 2nd half I don’t even remember now… he took 2 timeouts to half time didnt he? Also a bad challenge waste of a TO.
October 4th, 2024 at 5:36 pm
Fire Todd promote Coen get a freaking DE that can pass rush. Trade al Kancey before his value is in the dump
October 4th, 2024 at 9:17 pm
Honestly I’d rather see Devin White in coverage than KJ Britt.
At least he’s fast enough to catch up to a guy after they make on play on him lol.
October 5th, 2024 at 10:46 am
Bowels just stinks ….. PU .