Bucs Offense Has Guardrails
December 10th, 2024
Guardrail.
Indirectly, the crowd at The 33rd Team seems to believe Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen has done an incredible job.
In short, when someone struggles on offense or is out injured, Coen develops strategies to cover for them.
Specifically, Dan Pizzuta said Coen has “built-in guardrails” for Baker Mayfield if he has a crummy day — and he did Sunday. He’s found other ways to move the ball to cover up for Mayfield in the form of Bucky Irving and Rachaad White.
But the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have more built-in guardrails to keep the offense successful. The screen game is still deadly, and a rotating group of running backs has been efficient in this offense. Bucky Irving came into this game with an injury and left in the second quarter. In his absence, Rachaad White ran 17 times for 90 yards and a touchdown.
And Pizzuta is right: The Bucs have various ways of hitting a defense. It’s not just the run game, but which back (Sean Tucker, included). It’s not just the passing game, but which receiver and which tight end?
On Sunday, Jalen McMillan finally lived up to all his offseason hype. His two touchdowns, 15- and 29-yards, represented the first and last Bucs’ touchdowns.
So the Bucs don’t need to ride Mayfield’s back in order to score. They have the ninth-most rushing toucdowns in the league and six TD receptions on short throws to running backs.
December 10th, 2024 at 9:12 am
Joe – do you fear that when the Bucs offense bogs down mid game after gaining a lead, as it often does, that the focus shifts to Evans and trying to secure that 1000 yard season record? We seem to lose our rhythm mid game and I wonder if that Evans record is a distraction causing forced plays. Your thoughts please, Sirs.
December 10th, 2024 at 9:16 am
Mayfield had a bad day? 3TD’s 300yards 63% completion and 2 meaningless INT’s. 4 or 5 sacks, constant pass pressure and Bucs win by 2TD’s. C’mon man, you can do better than keep beating the interception horse. Mayfield will finish the year with around 40TD and 15 INT’s. Team will be 10-7. With some defense, not hard to get to 12-5. Baker will be outstanding last 4 games provided leg and toe get better to improve his mobility.
December 10th, 2024 at 9:31 am
I Like Jalen McMillan but a veteran or coach needs to tell him to stop showboating at the end zone.. be a pro like Mike and act like you have been there before.
December 10th, 2024 at 9:40 am
@74 Bucs::Yes this is exactly what I was thinking Sunday because the offense looked so off after the 14 point lead it looked like Baker was waiting for Mike to get open somewhere because I never seen him hang onto the ball like that but I sure hope that’s not the case because it’s pretty disgusting if it is it’s supposed to be all about getting a “team” win not his BS stats.
December 10th, 2024 at 9:49 am
Why not pay Coen more to stay and keep a really good thing going? You know, everyone is happy with him because those losses were our own fault getting all blown up in the head. Well besides the game that we lost our top recievers. Just do the inevitable and say you can’t talk to them lol!! The best one we’ve had in a while, I mean BA had to have a heavy hand in that Superbowl season cause it got rough when ole Lefty was pretty much on his own. Awesome Heart Guys!! Thanks for all of you guys that have stepped in. Let’s Go Bucs!!!!
December 10th, 2024 at 9:58 am
During the last two games it seemed our pass protection broke down…..or our receivers were covered and weren’t able to get open or both.
Baker simply doesn’t like to throw the ball away….he waits to throw causing coverage sacks or throws into coverage creating interception opportunities.
December 10th, 2024 at 10:02 am
I’d like to know how the new WR coach is coaching or NOT coaching the young guys up. Did Trey Palmer even play last Sunday?
December 10th, 2024 at 10:10 am
I don’t care about him showboating IN the endzone. I want him to get his head turned around on his routes. He missed one catch simply because he didn’t get his head turned around soon enough.
December 10th, 2024 at 11:15 am
This is an objective misunderstanding of what Coen does. Coen has called the offense to cover for the pass protection and for the lack of WR. McMillan finally earned his play.
The screen game was the problem with the offense vs. LAR. Most of the tips occurred in the passing lanes in the quick game. The passing lanes were clogged by LAR by defensive gameplan and Coen predictable playcalling aloud this.
Compound this with the poor pass protection and inability to clear passing lanes, we had about half a dozen passes tipped when throwing across screens and the middle, or poor pocket integrity maintenance affecting launch point.
December 10th, 2024 at 11:26 am
Its the LAS VEGAS RAIDERS.
That is LVS.
Not LAR.
December 10th, 2024 at 12:03 pm
I’m not so sure Coen is automatically gone next season even if Todd sticks around.
I can easily envision a situation where Coen who is also now experienced in the coaching merry go round, to wish to make the most of this success and it’s not always jumping to a new team simply to become HC.
Seriously if you were Coen would you work for idiot Woody Johnson and the New York Jets in perhaps the most hostile media evironment in the world. Why would Coen want to jump into that cesspool. Ego may demand it but brains might stop it. Especially if the Bucs guarantee Coen is Bowles successor, perhaps even contractually. It gives Todd a chance to see what he can do with a full roster on D and a couple of draft picks to help shore up the talent base.
The Bucs may be too banged up this season but a lot of young guys got a lot of experience and the Bucs have discovered some gems in that group. IF they get a good draft and Coen stays and the Bucs draft well…the “Future So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades”.
December 10th, 2024 at 12:25 pm
Nathan Bedford Forest is often quoted as saying that to win battles you had to get there first with the most. The whole key to the NFL is that you have to have the best players and more of them to win. Something all the know it all critics on this site need to think about is this. Coaches don’t make the players, the players make the coaches. Every successful coach had the best all pros and HOFers during the time of their dominance,
Canales is HC in Charlotte because Baker Put him there .Baker mastered his offense and won his teammates over and made the coaches look good. Coen ii having success because Baker applied his mind and skills to installing and mastering his offense. Where Baker goes the rest of the team follows.
Don’t be so quick to over rate Coen. He has been holding Baker back just like Canales did. You critics say Baker can’t throw deep because he is not accurate. Maybe this is because he and the Bucs are not practicing deep throws.
To win out Coen is going to have to turn Baker loose. Coach McKay always said when you have a big gun shoot it. Remember it was McVay who grabbed Baker off waivers for the Rams and Baker paid off immediately flashing the things that make him great. If Coen is so good why didn’t McVay keep him.
If Coen wants to leave after this year let and be glad Baker is staying here. After all Baker is used ti a new OC every year Baker is the Child that has got his own.
The main problem with the Bucs this year has been that the Coaches have been “playing not to lose” which guarantees that they will. In the games we lost where Baker had the Bucs in the red zone at the end of the game the coaches got cold feet and went conservative and it blew up in their face. And Baker has taken much of the blame along with the defense [deserving so.
Had they let Baker throw into the end zone the outcomes could have been much different. Those are the exact type scenarios in which Baker like other great QBs thrive in.
Shame on the Buc s coaches for being gutless. In the old NFL gut check time meant you go for it. All the great dynasty teams did and do.
Get with it Buc brain trust. 11-6 is the way this should end.
December 10th, 2024 at 1:42 pm
I think there are others ahead of Coen,, Johnson, Glenn,, Vrable, Bill B,, Flores,,, Maybe someone grabs a high flying college coach,, Coen needs another year or 2 of seasoning ,,, Heck if browns or giants fire coached they will be on the want list ,,, I could already see Stephanski saying to the Bears ,, “yes please”
December 10th, 2024 at 1:59 pm
@ Watch More All-22 Before Commenting Says Nice breakdown. Exactly what happened. Expect more of the same from The Fighting Harbaugh’s.
The run game got us back in it and Liam adjusted in 4th quarter, where Baker turns it on. Getting another game of work in for Jalen McMillan will only help open up the passing & specifically Mike Evans (if he’s getting healthier & can get deep). Would be nice to take one from Liam’s been pretty adept at adjusting. If so, we could steal one we all have marked as a loss.
Hoping Liam’s adjustment trend continues. Will need Bucky/White/Ticker to make it an interesting game as this defense is still losing key personnel to injury.
December 10th, 2024 at 2:14 pm
Would be great for us to have a 2 game lead going into the saints game where the only goal is to get Big Mike 200 yards
December 10th, 2024 at 3:57 pm
@LV
“the only goal is to get Big Mike 200 yards”
While as certain as you that it would be a major goal not sure it’s the only goal and one of the most important goals could either hamper or help ME13.
MY goal would be to get as healthy as possible. REST a BUNCH of guys if the Bucs have already locked it up and no seeding is in question.
Imagine if they killed two birds with one stone? Rest Baker and give Trask some REAL playing time starting him and getting him some action under fire.
December 10th, 2024 at 4:04 pm
The last couple of games have been sloppy. This team needs to focus and play hard for 60 minutes. Make plays! That’s why you make big $s! Sunday is a must win game! You control your playoff destiny with a W!!! Don’t be satisfied! Don’t be content! BE HUNGRY!!
December 10th, 2024 at 4:05 pm
No excuses!
December 10th, 2024 at 5:01 pm
I gotta barf and laff every time I read about old man Belicheat and another HC job. Coen definitely needs another year of OC seasoning. Canales might have lucked out up in NC. The Panthers’ new owner is a horses arse compared to their previous one. Baker needs a few QB option plays called so he’s not standing back behind the OLine hanging onto the ball for 5 minutes. Got a good feeling about next Sunday. Mebbe cos it’s that time of year and I lived through plenty of Bucs’ seasons when it was over before Halloween.
December 10th, 2024 at 5:22 pm
Goodness gracious this censorship mod is irritating. Can’t even tell what the trigger words are! Waste all that time on a remark for it not to post without any “bad” words in it
December 10th, 2024 at 5:25 pm
All you have to do to Baker is pressure him in the pocket and take away his 1st two reads and he begins to panic. He cannot read defenses and plays horribly against good ones. I would say almost half of his yards came on the legs of the receivers which tend to be from a lot of screens. That 1st int was as much his fault as it was a great play by the defender. He still threw the ball instead of pump faking and running around him. Poor decision on his part. Stop crying about forcing the ball to Mike for his 1000 yards because he’s earned it, and the passing game cannot be explosive without him. He was out 3 games and still none of our receivers stepped up to make a difference. Now defenses have to pay attention
December 10th, 2024 at 6:04 pm
It was Jalens birthday last Sunday, he can celebrate come on man
December 10th, 2024 at 9:04 pm
@westernpennafan you realize you quoted the first Grand Wizard of the kkk? I’d pick a better historical reference than that POS Forrest
December 11th, 2024 at 12:39 am
The OL played horribly in the game.