Vita Vea Off The Field On Key Drive
October 4th, 2024
About that Falcons drive with no timeouts to tie the game in regulation…
It’s hard for Joe to believe Atlanta pulled it off. It started with Zyon McCollum whiffing on a tackle of Kyle Pitts that allowed him to get out of bounds. That’s an awfully big target to miss.
But what most troubled Joe was Vita Vea not being on the field for much of the drive.
Ok. Every player get gassed, but Vea was not on the field for four consecutive plays during that critical drive. And snaps before the fourth consecutive play he missed included a spiked ball and a play in which Atlanta got out of bounds. That’s a lot of rest time for your most effective defensive lineman.
Vita returned with 12 seconds remaining. Atlanta had the ball on their 43 yard line. The rest is history.
Joe highly doubts Vea asked to come out of the game, and he showed no visible signs of injury prior to that drive. He was celebrating enthusiastically after Logan Hall’s big second sack and was still moving bodies.
Again, Vea could have gotten a breather and come back one or two plays sooner. Maybe it would have made a difference. Maybe not.
But it’s hard to have your big-money playmakers make plays when they are off the field.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:17 pm
This is not the first time I’ve seen this before. I can’t remember specifics other than ’22 for sure. It became a problem, because Joe started writing about it at that time. To the point where Vita was asked about it. I guess I can add that to my list of frustrating shenanigans that Bowles pulls in critical moments.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:18 pm
Well said Joe!
October 4th, 2024 at 2:19 pm
Yes very strange especially given he played the majority of the Eagles game in that heat and played at a high level.
I kept looking for him to see where they were going to line him up.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:35 pm
Never know til ya know move on to the next game can’t change nothing but what what you can
October 4th, 2024 at 2:36 pm
It seems to be common for Bowles…and he simply states that players have to make plays. idk…from not getting the ball to our BEST playmakers on those final two drives, to not having Vea in the game…it’s so frustrating. I blame Cohen. You’re telling me that he thought the best options were to give the ball to our very promising, but rookie RB…twice. There are only 3 players touching the ball on that final drive of the 4th qtr. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin or Baker is running it. I just cant fathom the thought process. And many folks describe the game as an “offensive shootout”…NOT. Maybe the first half…but we only scored 6 points and I think Baker had 47 passing yards…ATL kept the gas on. Seems like we were hoping ATL would make a mistake and hand us the game.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:39 pm
between raheem celebrating causing a delay of game on last second fg attempt and bowles challenging the forward pass play that would have been beneficial for atlanta if he won the challenge. im not sore if we could have had a matchup between 2 more mentally challenged coaches.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:40 pm
sure*
October 4th, 2024 at 2:44 pm
A Bucs fan posted last night on the open thread that he was in the stadium, it was the second half and the D was totally gassed.
That’s they way they looked to me on the TV as well. The Falcons finished with six minutes more time of possession and I “think” they built a lot of that advantage in the first half.
So yeah Vita was GASSED!!! So was the rest of the D! This is one thing about the end that actually cheered me up. I had totally given up on the D but at the very end they actually showed some life and made it a game at least.
This team, especially the D but also the O didn’t have the juice, they looked like a team on the road against a favored team after only four days of rest after a game played in 100+ degree weather against a physical football team.
What they “looked” that way because they were? Yeah that’s an excuse not an explantion so lets all just say the season is over because we suck. LMAO
October 4th, 2024 at 2:52 pm
You want to see something amazing, look at the box score for the game.
The Bucs had 13 guys on the defensive side of the stat sheet. That’s the lowest number of players I’ve ever seen on a box score for a defense.
The Falcons had 22 players on the defensive side of the box score.
That is an incredible difference, and that’s before you realize the Falcons ran 81 plays vs just 51 plays for the Bucs.
As for Vita, I’m typically on him for only being a part time player, but would need to see the snap counts to know if he was off the field more than he should have been. Even if he only played 60% of snaps, that’s 60% of 81 plays, not 60% of 51 plays. I’m not sure this is the game to get on Vita about not being in shape.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:53 pm
But it’s hard to have your big-money playmakers make plays when they are off the field.
… or you don’t throw the ball to them.
October 4th, 2024 at 2:56 pm
Gotta love the Todd Bowels bend and break defense
October 4th, 2024 at 2:58 pm
Here’s the numbers by the way, Vita played 63% of snaps, or 54 plays, which is way more than he generally plays.
Again, you’d like Vita to be out there, but for a comparison, he played more snaps than YaYa. In fact Vita played more than any other DT or DE or OLB on the team other than Hall.
Joe didn’t get on Vea for being out of shape, only the usage decisions with the game on the line. –Joe
October 4th, 2024 at 3:25 pm
They were gassed because they gave up 509 yards and we still should have won
October 4th, 2024 at 3:27 pm
How gassed do you get letting them drive down the field on the opening drive to score the first 7 points?
October 4th, 2024 at 3:33 pm
Ahhh the what if game we play. They got outcoached by Raheem and Kirk. Lovie smith coached horribly last night for our Bucs!
October 4th, 2024 at 3:34 pm
Another example of our Defensive Masturmind believing he’s a genius and somehow, taking the best defensive player off the field at the most critical time in the game is a good idea.
Hope Todd likes fishing. He’ll have a lot of time on his hands come February.
October 4th, 2024 at 3:35 pm
Look Bucs fans, The only silver lining with all of this is that the team that won the Super Bowl had some head scratching losses that year. I’m not saying we are superbowl material yet, but if this team is going to be, they have to get through crazy stuff like this.
We can only hope they get better and learn… At least the offense looked pretty good most of the game… or at least the first half
October 4th, 2024 at 3:50 pm
Blunder after blunder after blunder…. That is the Todd way
October 4th, 2024 at 3:51 pm
Cousins is listed as 6’3″. He seems a lot taller than that standing in the pocket. Maybe Baker really isn’t 6’1″?
October 4th, 2024 at 3:58 pm
Joe didn’t get on Vea for being out of shape, only the usage decisions with the game on the line. –Joe
———-
Joe, I was more referring to myself and others in the comments who have talked about him being out of shape and having to take himself off the field in previous years. I know it’s reported he lost weight in the offseason, and I think him playing that many snaps is actually an improvement over what we’d have seen in the past in that situation.
October 4th, 2024 at 4:05 pm
There were a lot of odd decisions that are defensive genius was making last night.
October 4th, 2024 at 4:17 pm
Joe, off subject here, but has anyone talked about the challenge flag that Bowles threw last night? If successful that challenge would have given the Falcons a first down. You never throw the flag, unless you’re pretty sure there’s a good chance of winning the challenge. Replay clearly showed that Cousins did not fumble, and even if he had, the Falcons recovered the ball. That was a lame, if not dangerous, challenge.
October 4th, 2024 at 4:19 pm
This has been a thing for YEARS and I don’t understand why. I don’t recall Warren Sapp being off the field on a critical drive. It’s as if the Bucs are protecting Vita Vea for something, but they’ve never said what. He’s slimmer this year too.
October 4th, 2024 at 4:22 pm
Last night was the beginning of the tough strectch in our schedule we needa lock in
October 4th, 2024 at 4:26 pm
Last night was just another and latest example of Bowles’ incompetence. Can’t wait til he’s gone.
October 4th, 2024 at 4:44 pm
Not Yungry enough clearly
October 4th, 2024 at 4:51 pm
Thank YOU, St.PETE
I don’t watch Thursday night games because I believe they don’t give the players
the time to recuperate enough. The bucs were in it so’ thats the only reason I watched. i agree that conditions on the field Sunday were extreme and that could
easily affect their play on the field Thursday. all teams get a bye, why not scherdule Thursday night games after that.
October 4th, 2024 at 5:07 pm
The key drive was right after the David interception. They did the Bowles Squat and finished it off with White up the gut. Disgusting. the game was in hand and they threw it away.
October 4th, 2024 at 5:11 pm
you don’t watch thur night games because of the short week? that’s pretty weak. If the Bucs are playing I’m watching
October 4th, 2024 at 5:17 pm
Taking all emotions out of how many injuries the Bucs had and the questionable flags, Tampa is an overall good team—not great, but good. Hopefully, they can get healthy and find their rhythm as the playoffs approach, which might involve adding another legitimate corner or pass rusher. McCollum seems good someone mentioned maybe trying to kick the tires on Shaq Barrett. Depth never hurts if say Logan Hall continues to improve and they can get AWJ, Kancey, and Sirvocha back (I still think we should give Grier Jr. a shot in the meantime) not to mention Godeke if he ever feels good enough and clears protocol Offensively. This team is definitely a playoff contender and Super Bowl hopeful. Honestly, no one is really lighting up the league this year. Mahomes is doing his thing, but I don’t trust Sam Darnold or Minnesota yet. So who in the NFC is better? We have holes but every team does that’s the beauty of the salary cap. The Bucs had that game won it felt multiple times then Bucky fumbles, theres a questionable hold but not facemask, to me even the pass being in the middle I was like its over yes! Somehow there was 1 second left and with backups in at key posistions; they were literally starting the fourth safety so with everyone healthy, it should be a lot easier you would think. It’s a long season only 1 team ever has gone undefeated 72 Dolphins and 1 other came really close 07 Patriots 19-1. I don’t think anyone here thought the Bucs were going undefeated this year let’s enjoy the ride as Fans and know that it’s all for Entertainment anyways…
October 4th, 2024 at 5:28 pm
This loss is on both bowls and the oc. That was a disgraceful waste of lvd saving the day with what should have been a Game ending interception! Talk about playing not to lose! The OC calls runs up the middle, you’re not going to kill the clock with almost 2 minutes left. If you want to work the clock how about some flare passes? How about some pitch-outs? And stay in bounds. How about just going back to what was working like Godwin on the quick screen and Evans just to drive down field turn around and get an easy 10 yard first down completion. He went away from every single thing that worked the whole game. Lavante David sealed the deal. The OC coach un-sealed it. And bowls didn’t help.. no adjustments, he played scared at the end of the game and stopped blitzing cousins who was way too damn accurate to not put pressure on him! Plus he’s not exactly mobile. Big mistake sitting back and getting picked apart! Bad on bowls bad on Liam! They pissed away a game that was a W on a silver platter. Shameful and disappointing. Go Bucs!!
October 4th, 2024 at 5:35 pm
Last night was a Bowles defensive failure, made worse by our ever growing list of injuries, and aided by the refs completely Fing us with the no-call on the facemask while calling a holding penalty to kill a critical 4th quarter drive.
Claiming KJ Britt was a starter-quality ILB was the height of hubris / stupidity by this organization.
October 4th, 2024 at 5:36 pm
The famous Bowles Blunder at the critical end of game ….strikes again
October 4th, 2024 at 5:38 pm
This game and the Denver disaster are examples of why Bowels is a 50/50 HC. and always will be.
October 4th, 2024 at 5:52 pm
I don’t know why people are talking about Shaq? Outside LB isn’t the issue. The issue is the complete lack of MLB, the Bucs have on NFL player at the position, David – that’s it. And this isn’t a 4-3 defense where you play 1 MLB, you play 2. The math doesn’t work.
October 4th, 2024 at 5:54 pm
Yep. Vea has to be out there 💯, during the game’s FINAL, most important drive. A lot of Bowles’ decisions are mind-blowingly, nonsensical. Vea was NOT so “gassed” that he couldn’t go. I do not believe that for one-minute. He HAS TO BE Out There, PERIOD. The bottom-line though, is the Falcons TRUSTED putting the ball into the hands of THEIR ‘Franchise’ QB to do what he HAS DONE more than any other QB in the League, over the past several years, & The Bucs did not. The Falcons TRUSTED Cuz, while The Bucs did NOT trust Bake!!!! Cousins absolutely, ‘lit’ them UP, just slicing and dicing his way all up and down the field all night long… He was SURGICAL. He was soooo on target, just SLANGIN’ That THANG. Carved them to pieces and it had to be a ‘beautiful’ thing to watch… Unless, you were a Bucs-Fan. Obviously, that’s why it’s been about the only thing that everyone has been talking about all day! It was pretty clear that HE was still the better QB and NO ONE is (or could) argue that.
October 4th, 2024 at 5:56 pm
BTW, lost in all of this is the exceptional job that Coppertop is doing with scheming around Sucke. He gave up a sack, had a huge holding penalty, and I watched him get beat on a bunch of plays where Baker ran out of trouble – but Coen was also giving him a lot of help so he didn’t stick out as God being as God awful as he’s been. Now I haven’t watched the ALL22 yet, and I suspect upon further review he’ll stand out for being trash yet again, but it wasn’t given the chance to single handedly destroy the offense. That’s back to back fantastic gameplans by Coen to hide the biggest weakness, by far, on the offense.
To bad the refs stole the W, because today that would be what everyone was talking about if the refs didn’t change the outcome of the game.
October 4th, 2024 at 6:05 pm
Shaq for another pass rusher since Diaby hasn’t done alot just as depth as well since he knows the system i assume is why. But Kwon Alexander is on the Broncos practice squad he’s only 30 has already played with Lavonte before. Can anyone tell me why Grier Jr isn’t an option? I thought he looked pretty good in preseason.
October 4th, 2024 at 6:13 pm
@Joe Kirk Cousins threw for 320 YARDS in the middle of the field. 320. YARDS. KJ Britt is THE reason they lost.
189 every where else.
KJ Britt should be cut.
October 4th, 2024 at 6:56 pm
I mentioned JBF so it’ll show up later but for everyone’s FYI. Kirk cousins threw for 320 yards in the middle of the field.
189 everywhere else.
KJ Britt should be cut.
October 4th, 2024 at 7:15 pm
maybe you need a big back on the roster to fin out a bit at the end of games on the ground…
or go to the fresh legs in shaun tucker for a few carries…
it’s a little after the matter, but maybe tucker might have been a good move at the end there to grab a few needed yards
October 4th, 2024 at 7:39 pm
In key moments the game/strategy is simple….get your best players in position to make a play. Bowles does the polar opposite, he’s so worried about “not losing” that he overthinks simple stuff. As the saying goes, intelligent people make complicated stuff seem simple…..dummies make simple stuff seem complicated.
October 4th, 2024 at 7:42 pm
We win as a team lose as team. All this finger pointing stupid. And then Joe writes this article about Vea. Who was the least of our worries. What is the purpose Joe to get clicks. We are down some really good players on D. I think now we know why SVD WAS kept.on the roster even though he was fragile it was not the plan for Britt to be 3 down LB . Bottom line we need to get players healthy. Man what happen to those early bye week we used to get.
October 4th, 2024 at 8:19 pm
In the immortal words of Raheem Morris, “I will tolerate you until I can replace you.”
October 4th, 2024 at 8:22 pm
I recall that Vea was also off the field when Cleveland scored to put a 2022 game in OT. Strange how he is always off of the field in key drives. Bowels’ obvioussly does not learn from his mistakes. Turtle Todd knows how to lose close games but is too conservative to win them.
October 4th, 2024 at 8:28 pm
Cutting KJ Britt would send a message about accountability to the team Joe but could it lose the locker room? I mean right now Britt is useless, anytime he is spotted on the field, the offense will audible and target him that is certain unless Leftwich or Canales is the opposing OC.
October 4th, 2024 at 8:34 pm
I rewound and ‘slow-mode’ several of the Bucs DB’s plays last night, over and over on most. It was SO embarrassing. For THEM. Just ZERO Instincts. They turned and ‘guessed’ WRONG literally, on EVERY single play. Izien canNOT tackle… Just such a piss-poor effort and lack of basic fundamentals on that London TD. Terrible ‘instincts’ too, by being SO LATE (playing waaaayyy too far back to begin with) on his break to the ball. And, on that exact same play, Tykee was AWFUL. But, he wasn’t THE worst or the only one. Now, that would go to Dean. They all ‘bit’ on EVERYTHING. Rarely, ever knew WHERE the ball was. I you have to put that on COACHING, because there is no way, that they ALL can be THAT BAD. When you watch their ‘BELLYBUTTON’ you CAN’T be beaten like that. You won’t fall for the juke or bite on the first move, cause that ‘BELLYBUTTON’ is going noooowhere, without THEM. Period. It’s elementary. Dean’s performance was MISERABLE, & it looked like, that it bothered HIM in the very least, just like HIS COACH. I mean, should HE not be the ‘leader’ of this young group!? You would think so, by now, but NO. Jordan Whitehead wasn’t much better either, if at all. Just a disgraceful performance all around. Horrible Effort. ZERO Instincts. TERRIBLE Ball-Skills. Not Even Fundamentally SOUND.
October 4th, 2024 at 8:51 pm
Woodenman. I think Joe identified a trend. Vea is off the field when the game is on the line. I know it happened during the Browns OT loss as well when Todd went turtle and I’d be interested to know if Vea was on the field during the Houston collapse last year. Given the injuries, a leader like Vea has to play in these crucial spots, especially with Kancey not playing a snap yet (Bucs sure could use him). Everyone knows how bad the Bucs can be without Vea, so why leave him out with the game on the line. Who made that call?
October 4th, 2024 at 9:15 pm
Listen Folks , These Coaches are not what people think they are well compensated but that doesn’t make you a quick thinking , quick adjusting genius !! Simple example look at Todd bowl’s challenge record and look at the challenges he misses. It’s beyond mind-boggling……….. there is on average at least one and a half times a game that he could clearly challenged and he’s not . He hasn’t put together the staff or the communication to allow those challenges to let you get that first down or give you a touchdown or what not and then the challenges they do have are so obvious that’s not gonna go in their favor is some manipulated brain idea within their staff.
October 5th, 2024 at 9:28 am
The defense was porous, that’s true. But they made the plays they needed to, to hand the offense the ball at the ATL 28 yard line with a minute and change.
The offense couldn’t seal the deal.
October 5th, 2024 at 10:10 am
Absolutely.
October 5th, 2024 at 10:55 am
They sure did, “Jmarkbuc!” They ALL (coaches, included) ‘thought’ they had it in the BAG. I guess, Cohen ‘thought’ that Atlanta didn’t have 3-TIMEOUTS left. And, I bet if you asked Bowels why Vea he didn’t have Vea in the game during their final drive, he would say something very typically stupid like, “Well, We Knew That They Had To Go Hurry-Up At That Time, & Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, BLAHHHHHH.” That took a TEAM EFFORT to lose that one, & we had to have it and that HUGE ‘2-game’ cushion… Just take a look at the Falcons remaining schedule versus the Bucs!!!! Now, that Saints game becomes MUST WIN. We HAVE TO Get To 6-4 To Have ANY Chance At The Division & A First-Round Bye.
October 5th, 2024 at 12:27 pm
It was another failure of Bowles. We are that short defensively. Use your timeouts to rest the D, specifically Vita. Wasted one on the dumb challenge. Offense was moving it, they didn’t need the timeouts. The D was out there a ton. They needed breathers.