Liam Coen = Bucco Bruce Arians II
November 24th, 2024
“Hey Todd, what’s that biscuit saying again?”
As Joe pointed out last week, the Bucs are on the cusp of wasting one of the best offenses in the NFL.
Only three teams in the Super Bowl era have averaged as many points as the Bucs have and not made the playoffs. The 2016 slimy Saints and the 2016 Chargers are the other two. Each had a losing record that season.
The Bucs, as Joe sees it, must go 5-1 the rest of the way to have a legit shot at a playoff berth.
Through 11 games, the Bucs have scored 30 or more points in six. Only the Buffalo Bills this season have more 30-point games.
But to fully appreciate the craftmanship that Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen has worked on the offense and Baker Mayfield, one only needs to look at the official NFL gamebook of the Bucs’ 30-7 curb-stomping of the Giants today in the New Jersey Swamplands.
Mayfield connected with 11 different targets. That’s right, 11! Mayfield threw 30 times, completing 24 passes to 11 different targets. That’s unreal.
And Mayfield finished with 294 yards passing. He didn’t throw a touchdown pass but he scored a touchdown by running in from 10 yards out and trolling Giants fans with the Tommy Cutlets eccellente gesture.
Completing passes to 11 different receivers and having a punishing ground attack on top of it (the Bucs ran for 156 yards on 32 carries) shows just how diverse Coen’s offense is.
Those 11 different receivers were the most the Bucs have had in franchise history. Four other times a Bucs quarterback linked up with 11 different receivers in a game. The last time came in December 2020 when Bucco Bruce Arians and Tom Brady ran the offense.
How ’bout that?
Damn, Joe’s going to miss Coen. “This Joe” just cannot see how he isn’t a head coach somewhere next year, college or the NFL.
November 24th, 2024 at 6:18 pm
Hope we win out and beat the Chiefs again for the Lombardi, then I won’t be as bummed to see Coen get a (rightful) head coaching gig. Lol.
November 24th, 2024 at 6:19 pm
The lobby on the Joes to promote Cohen and fire Bowles is predictable and annoying!
November 24th, 2024 at 6:25 pm
Coen vs. Canales in Charlotte next week. Battle of Bucs offensive coaches past and present. Should be entertaining.
November 24th, 2024 at 6:26 pm
Back up the Brinks truck and make him co-head coach.
November 24th, 2024 at 6:31 pm
Coen is the better coach than Bowels, hands down….
Better on his first year than Bowels with a decade of experience…..
Bowels only prevents The bucs from any real shot at nfcc much less a SB!
November 24th, 2024 at 6:32 pm
Glazers won’t let Coen out of the building, don’t worry. Todd only has two years after this season left on his deal. Bowles will get Arains old gig as team whatever, and Coen will get promoted to H.C. Glazers give Bowles a title, and pay him more to retire. Coen ain’t going nowhere.
November 24th, 2024 at 6:47 pm
Hodad. I doubt it. Seems like wishful thinking but damn I hope you are right.
November 24th, 2024 at 6:52 pm
74 Bucs Fan Says:
Back up the Brinks truck and make him co-head coach.
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^^^^^^THIS!
November 24th, 2024 at 6:59 pm
TRASK would have completed 25
November 24th, 2024 at 7:01 pm
If the Bucs end up making the playoffs, it’s going to be because of the offense, and someone is going to make Coen a head coach. If I’m the Bucs, I’m not letting him leave.
November 24th, 2024 at 7:07 pm
Rod Munch Says:
If the Bucs end up making the playoffs, it’s going to be because of the offense, and someone is going to make Coen a head coach. If I’m the Bucs, I’m not letting him leave.
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That’s possible but if the Glazers do back up the Brink truck Coen might be fine being OC for another year or more.
We had a GREAT coordinator in the past, Monte Kiffin, who stayed on as DC.
He turned down multiple offers to make him an NFL HC.
November 24th, 2024 at 7:10 pm
BucsFanSince1996 – Kiffin only half-heartedly wanted to be a HC, he was a DC through and though, and should be in the HOF for what he did.
But the whole thing where he talks like a coach in The Waterboy really hurt him in interviews since they couldn’t understand more than about 35% of what he said. Believe me, that’s no knock, I wish he’d have stayed here for life.
November 24th, 2024 at 8:04 pm
If the Glazers let Coen walk and keep the toilet Bowles it will set this franchise back a decade or more. Coen and Mayfield have an almost magical connection together and it could be something to eat over the next decade. Why did toilet Bowles still have his starters playing to the end in a blowout win.
November 24th, 2024 at 8:06 pm
Rod Munch Says:
BucsFanSince1996 – Kiffin only half-heartedly wanted to be a HC, he was a DC through and though, and should be in the HOF for what he did.
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I do agree with both of your points. And I hope that Coen also only half-heartedly wants to be a HC. 😉
If I was the Glazers I would pay the man like a HC if that helped keep him here. I see many commenters wishing that he became the Bucs HC in 2025, and I’d be concerned if that happened. It would take his time and attention away from the offense, something I wouldn’t want to do. Not all great coordinators become good head coaches.
November 24th, 2024 at 8:10 pm
Bfs1996 that’s a good point but not always true…Bruce Arians stayed very much involved with the offense but there is always risk when you shuffle the deck for sure. Just hate to lose him because him and Baker are gold together
November 24th, 2024 at 8:11 pm
I’m still hoping he’s our next head coach. I have no faith in Bowles. He’ll find some way to f it up.
November 24th, 2024 at 8:19 pm
I loved how we spread the ball around, a much needed performance from the WR’s. These guys need targets to stay involved in the game and produce.
I was disappointed with the drops by Otton, it seems like he regressed in this game back to his old ways. I expect him to bounce back.
I’m not a huge Trask supporter, but he should have been in the game at the end. He needs snaps to be better prepared if Baker goes down, and I didn’t want Baker taking any more hits.
November 24th, 2024 at 8:25 pm
@Bucben1961, I know it’s not always true, but as you said there is a risk.
I’d prefer not to take that risk. He looks like he could be one of the best OC’s in the NFL. I’d hate to take his time and attention away from the offense.
November 24th, 2024 at 8:39 pm
There’s a slim chance Coen doesn’t want to be a head coach, or that he won’t want to leave. After all, he has a past relationship with Mayfield.
I wouldn’t mind keeping Bowles if a DC were hired. He does keep the team playing hard.
November 24th, 2024 at 9:33 pm
A BIG difference between a 38-39 year old coach/coordinator than a 70 YEAR OLD one. Cohen will be just fine teaching/calling (or overriding) ‘plays’ from the HC position as he is from the OC position. And, SERIOUSLY… YOU think Bowles (or ANYONE else) would be ‘ok’ with that, taking a demotion to DC (with two years still left on his contract) just like THAT!? Psssstt… Please. Come-on, Guy!
November 24th, 2024 at 10:31 pm
No point overpaying Coen for one more year. If he’s being considered for Bowles job now then he’s not doing his job so why wait. For Coen why no get paid head coach money and also get a head coach job. Tampa would be best for him since he already knows players and his staff is in place