Todd Bowles: Bucs Wilted When They Needed Plays
October 5th, 2024
“Can’t we make one play?”
With the exception of one player (Lavonte David), all the Bucs needed in the final minutes of regulation was for one player to make a play.
An edge rusher to get a sack (GASP!). A defensive back to defend a pass.
Offensively, the Bucs didn’t allow their playmakers a friggin’ chance to make a play. That is on the coaching staff, plain and simple. Shame on the Bucs coaches!
Even Bucs coach Todd Bowles said after the game all they needed was one guy to make a play (not named “David”).
“You’ve just got to make plays,” Bowles said. “You’ve got to make plays on all facets.
“Offensively, we’ve got to make plays. Defensively, we’ve got to make plays. Special teams, we’ve got to make plays. It was a team effort.
“The team effort did some very good things. The team effort did some very bad things at the end to lose the game.”
Joe cannot kill the special teams at all. Chase McLaughlin was his usual solid and reliable self. And Sean Tucker had a helluva kick return. Joe still can’t believe that wasn’t six points because Tucker had an absolute convoy of teammates escorting him.
The most galling thing to Joe was either Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen was issued a “Code Turtle” to run the ball, or he stupidly thought his best option was handing the ball off to Rachaad White and not getting the ball into the hands of Mike Evans or Chris Godwin.
All the Bucs needed was a first down, or at least, to not lose any yards to set up a game-clinching field goal.
The Bucs, as we all know, did neither.
October 5th, 2024 at 12:22 am
Gotta feel bad for Bucky – he’s on a nice run and then gets stripped (I suspect he won’t hold the ball like that anymore), and then next time around has a nice run on 2nd down and instead of it being extended for the face mask that EVERYONE but the refs saw, it gets called back for a hold and now we’re in 2nd and 23… Knew it was over at the moment for sure.
But outside of that, yeah, NO ONE made a play besides LVD on either side of the ball.
Maybe they wouldn’t have wilted if Bowles didn’t run such soft training camps and practices every week.
I mean, it’s not like it helped prevent injuries in any way whatsoever…
October 5th, 2024 at 12:22 am
The whole second half was too conservative for the offense and the defense couldn’t get a stop to save their lives
October 5th, 2024 at 12:25 am
It only hurts because standards are finally raised and the Bucs had every way from Sunday to make a play in all facets to win the game.
Early losses suck but if they sink your championship drive then you were never going to matter anyway.
Now they have to win games they weren’t expected to win. I like their chances, especially if we get starting talent back in the fold.
Go Bucs
October 5th, 2024 at 12:37 am
It was weird to watch. I thought a team with vets that won a bowl would outclass the Falcons in the end. Give credi to the birds the temp was killing us. Britt made me wish we would’ve signed back David and that’s sad. He stinks plain and simple good in run support a scarecrow in the air. If we had better DE no way it’s just 3 sacks. I have been screaming in vain for us to go get a gd DE. It is a glaring issue that anybody with any knowledge of football could see. Trade for Hassan NOW.
October 5th, 2024 at 12:38 am
Not temperature temp. I meant tempo was killing us
October 5th, 2024 at 12:43 am
My other comment didn’t show up. I said give credit to the birds. Thier plan on offense was very good the tempo was unique and it killed us. I can’t understand why we won’t give something up.to get a DE. That costs us this game big time. He threw 62 times or some shi* all off season and even the year before I jave been screaming for us to get a DR. The birds got Judon the Jets for Reddick. Why would we bank on a rookie second round pick and a dude who might be special. Might be…… It’s just such a glaring issue it’s almost unbelievable we haven’t patched that hole. Is it a Bowles philosophy or some dumb shi* Why cant we have nice things. Cmon
October 5th, 2024 at 12:45 am
IDK…. I’m not a Baker fan, but he’s been ok. Had a couple of meh games already. The past two he looked good and the offense scored 24 points in the first half…… Only to put up 9 and 6 in the second half. I’m actually leaning on the coaches on this. It seems to be a common thing. Get a lead and lay down. It’s frustrating AF as a fan because we can actually see who’s fault this is
October 5th, 2024 at 1:01 am
Bowles needed to be more aggressive on both sides of the ball in the 2nd half. The secondary was playing too far off of receivers allowing wide open targets. The offense took the passing attack that had 3TD passes in the first half and put it on ice. That’s on the play calling. However, all in all without Bucky’s fumble we probably win the game. However, they did stop them and we got the ball back but then we decided to just run and punt if we had passed and gotten one first down game over. The better team lost hopefully Bowles learned a lesson from this game but I doubt it. Does anybody thing under the same conditions K C Chiefs would have passed the ball to victory.
October 5th, 2024 at 1:15 am
The team is a reflection of its head coich. The pass defense is, has been, and will be an embarrassment as long as Todd remains in his dual role . Either pass the torch to a modern DC who understands todays offenses and can craft a blend of man and zone that actually covers receivers, or tell Jason to hire a new HC so Todd can focus on the defense.
October 5th, 2024 at 1:34 am
Britt wilted from the second play of the game. 60+ minutes of being picked apart inside. We can talk six points from the offense in the second half as well but really they only disappointed me on that last drive. Up to that, tremendous effort. Bucky killed the drive immediately before where the Bucs were driving right down their throat.
I’m not much of one for goats, but Britt? Killed the defense. 🤢
October 5th, 2024 at 5:00 am
I’m leaning on the defensive players on this one. Besides Vea and David they don’t have any play makers on defense that actually play. Several hot tub warriors but that’s it.
October 5th, 2024 at 5:00 am
you see in the 1st half that you give up 250 yds passing to a statue QB that cant move and your reaction is to stay the course dont change what you are doing and just wait for someone to make a play.
That is the issue, that is the problem.
Instead of making adjustments you just waitng for someone to make a play. Instead of attacking and put the pressure on a struggling Offense and a sitting duck QB in the pocket you choose to sit back and wait for someone to make a play.
This philosophy and this approach is the problen. Bent but dont Break. That is why you cant go far. Yes you will win some games but that is not the goal. The goal is to be the best you can be and compete. Not to play and see if you can make a play to win the game. STOP benting and attack. ATTACK and dont just sit and wait for something to happen. You can continue to give 400+ yds to QBs again and again and again.
That is the problem and that is why we will see games like this again in the season with our beloved soft zones that the players have shown that they are not good at it.
This is the problem. Its not only the players, not only the Xs and Os, It is the mentality and the approach of the game.
Go Bucs
October 5th, 2024 at 5:22 am
The most galling thing about that game is not the reliance on the running game (they’ve been doing that all year). No, The most galling thing was the fact that the Tampa Bay defensive backfield continually allowed the receivers to have 5 and 10-yard cushions to catch the ball instead of being right up on them to make a play on the ball.
October 5th, 2024 at 5:45 am
So Bowles is blaming the players? What about his defensive schemes with no adjustments with fat soft cushions being allowed by the secondary and the fact that the offense which rolled to 24 points in the first half, mysteriously went turtle in the second half. We have seen this so many times before with different players but the same man calling out the players; Turtle Todd Bowles!
October 5th, 2024 at 5:49 am
You know I was all for cutting Britt to set an example but is it really his fault is Bowles continually put him in a position to fail for 60 minutes? That is like a baseball manager leaving a pitcher out on the mound after he has given up a crooked number in an inning. Britt is not a starter and the depth of this team is thin. Bowles should have known his D would get boat-raced and even if he did not he should have adjusted the scheme at halftime like the ATL did or at least put Britt on the pine, I doubt anyone could have done any worse than Britt…..
October 5th, 2024 at 5:53 am
Defense did their job enough to give the offense a chance to ice the game TWICE. I’m tired of all the fans noting that although Bucky fumbled and the offense didn’t finish the game, the defense was so bad throughout the game that they’re the ones to blame for this lost… because of a lack of consistency? From the weakest most banged up unit on this team? WHO THE FACK CARES!? They did enough after Bucky fumbled to get the ball back IN GOOD FIELD POSITION and yet they still couldn’t figure out a way to ICE the game. This is on the offensive, plan and simple.
October 5th, 2024 at 6:07 am
Todd Bowles is a great man but an absolutely awful NFL HC. He’s ruined a possibly special season from this team with his practices that somehow decimate a team instead of preparing them properly for an opponent. What was the Injury Report comparison? Something like 19 Bucs and 5 or 6 Falcons? Just bad luck right? F that. That loss will define this season. You watch. I’ll pass.
October 5th, 2024 at 7:30 am
Hey coach, what about that idiotic challenge you made toward the end of the game? If the challenge had been successful, you’d have given the Falcons a first down. Do you call that making a play?
October 5th, 2024 at 7:55 am
Todd Bowles: not my favorite coach, in fact I still think he should be in jail for wasting Brady’s last year.
October 5th, 2024 at 7:55 am
This game was lost on defense and offense. The Bucs scored 6 pts in the 2nd half and couldn’t stop a nose bleed on defense.
October 5th, 2024 at 7:56 am
Team effort again huh. Bowles is no head coach he has to go. I told you they have to have a let down or a blow out to be motivated. Licht is not drafting hard nosed players, talented yes hard nosed no. Go get a veteran pass rusher these guys look up to, it’s why Brady worked out so well
October 5th, 2024 at 7:58 am
Everything that went wrong did.
The Bucky fumble was even such a freak thing. The guy swiping at him was going not going to tackle him. Pretty positive he didn’t even see where he was swinging his arm and just luckily hit the ball out. He was roasted on the play and not making the tackle. Super freaking lucky man.
If that 1 play doesn’t happen we easily win the game. Hell he may have scored on that play he was running free it wasn’t like he was getting tackles. At a minimum he gets a 1st down in scoring position in teh red zone.
If they call the blatant facemask penalty then we win.
If Dean hangs on his guy for 1 extra second we win.
If Baker just looks for a second and sees a wide open Mike Evans we win (Play where he threw it to the RB on a screen for a loss. Evans was open for an easy TD).
I’m not even mad at the play calling in some of those key moments. It’s not Cohen’s fault that Barton held and then the refs completely f’d us on a non call for the facemask.
It’s one of those games that felt wrong. Felt like the wrong team won. We better beat the sh1t out of hte Falcons in a few weeks to erase this crap out of our minds.
October 5th, 2024 at 7:59 am
David also made the plays of a blatant pass interference and missing a tackle on Robinson
October 5th, 2024 at 8:54 am
Ncbuc says: Bakers been “ok.” Oh, I’m sure Baker, who is top 5 in every statically category can sleep better at night now that he has your approval Trask boy. The Bucs offense was about as fluid and efficient as it gets Thursday, mostly because of number 6 and his sharp passing. I don’t give a god damn about the alleged conservative playcalling in the second half because the Falcons ran 82 god damn plays. The wonderful “Bend but don’t break” defense that a lot of these commenters weirdly try to spin and justify lost this game. Yards matter. How about stop the team from getting first downs and giving the ball back to the offense. Why are we giving Kirk cousins a soft zone and letting them throw underneath. I’ve never in my life seen an nfl quarterback complete 42 passes in a game, and OF COURSE, the Bucs are the a-holes to let that happen and we got people in here talking about the offense that put up 30
October 5th, 2024 at 11:09 am
Absolutely, Todd’s fault didn’t make adjustments on defense time and time again the defense was torched by a 1st time play caller. BUCKYS fault too for fumbling. Sorry Bucky fans for ahead and defend him but you can’t fumble when the game is on the line like that. I hope he learned from this. Also I bet it was Bowles who pulled the plug at the end and reverted back to his old ways in being conservative. Our last possession the ball should have bin out into bakers hands to win the game not run the ball. When have no running game. Yes it got better with Bucky BUT only slightly better not better enough to put the game away so why take the ball out of our best playmakers hands. Looking at you Bowles
October 5th, 2024 at 11:58 am
The special teams complaint should be about the terrible punt in the fourth. Instead of aiming for the sideline to pin them deep, he thought he could put some fancy spin on the ball and ended up putting the ball in the end zone. Net punt of about 20 yards. And thus is supposed to be an improvement over Camarda???
As far as running the ball at the end, everyone watching on TV, Everyone in Atlanta, Everyone in Tampa knew a run was coming. Heck, the Falclods had 8 men on the line! Afraid of a dropped pass like Barkley had a couple of weeks ago.
Can’t win if you don’t try to win instead of trying not to lose.
October 5th, 2024 at 12:04 pm
Joe thought he was the only guy whining about this! Don’t know why punters don’t punt out of bouncs more. You cannot return a punt that is out of bounds.
But — turnovers! smh
October 5th, 2024 at 1:42 pm
I thought it was his game plan. Keep it close. Squat on a 3 point lead and here come the Bowles Blunder.
October 5th, 2024 at 1:58 pm
make a decision already on the punting situation-it is becoming an unnecessary distraction
October 5th, 2024 at 1:58 pm
Bucs will win the next game in NOLA a week from tomorrow. There is a major rain storm forming in the western GOM that is heading in general to this area. They lost in overtime to a highly pumped Divisional rival. Well, the next one in NOLA will be a win.
October 5th, 2024 at 6:47 pm
Gotta string together more than 1 win at a time to make the playoffs.