Todd Bowles’ Division Titles Better Than You May Think
January 8th, 2025
Impressive results.
The “Fire Todd Bowles” crowd got angry with Joe this week when Joe suggested Bowles was closer to a contract extension than getting fired.
Joe cited how Bowles has won three straight division titles in his first three seasons. No other Bucs coach has done that.
No, not even Chucky or Bucco Bruce Arians.
Then Joe started digging. Few NFC South have ever had three straight NFC South titles, forget their first three years as a head coach.
Sean Payton used to own the NFC South when he was coaching the slimy Saints. Of course, it helped to have a Hall of Fame quarterback. Payton won four NFC South titles in a row (but no Super Bowl appearances in that stretch).
Riverboat Ron Rivera once won three straight division titles with the Stinking Panthers.
Neither Mike Smith nor Dan Quinn ever won three straight NFC South crowns for the Dixie Chicks.
Back in the day, in the throes of The Lost Decade, if Bucs fans would have been asked if they could have Payton or Rivera as coach, folks would have jumped at the chance.
Then Joe started looking at contemporary coaches of NFC teams. Here are coaches who are considered superior but haven’t won three straight division titles: Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, Nick Sirianni and Dan Campbell. Matt LaFleur did, but he had Aaron Rodgers. Same with Mike McCarthy.
So yeah, you could argue Bowles is one of the better NFC coaches. And each year Bowles’ Bucs have improved despite quarterback and offensive coordinator changes.
That’s rather impressive. Arrow pointing up.
Do Bowles’ conservative ways irk Joe at times? Yeah. But the results are solid when looking at the big picture? Remember, Bowles was the guy who was pushing Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht to sign Baker Mayfield. That was a savvy move.
Bowles isn’t going anywhere.
January 8th, 2025 at 5:59 am
You cannot argue with the stats…. But dam does he do some boneheaded stuff sometimes , Do not understand why he is slow to adjust either . Very frustrating , but winning covers all that.
January 8th, 2025 at 6:03 am
Nobody is perfect, but coach Bowles knows how to get Ws when it counts and he’s shown gradual improvements throughout his tenure. We are lucky to have such a solid coach and motivator! LFG BUCS!!!🏈🏆🌎
January 8th, 2025 at 6:20 am
Good morning JBF. Most fans wanting Bowles gone didn’t like him from the beginning. This team goes from Arians who brings a lot of energy to the room, has that fiery demeanor, calling players out at the podium, to a polar opposite on the field and at the podium. Coaches that have that stoic demeanor that give us coach speak “need to coach-it better, need to play-it better” during 4 game losing streaks just rubs fans the wrong way. I don’t like either. But they also blame him for everything that goes wrong, and they give no credit for when it goes right. Does not help sometimes when fans, and JBF writes an article nitpicking every damn thing this guy does. Whether it’s timeouts not taken, timeouts taken, not going for 2 pts for the win vs the tie. I think coaches around the entire league make hiccup decisions, but we either don’t hear about them because they are not egregious mistakes, or we simply don’t follow those teams like we do through JBF and other Bucs content related websites.
Regardless of this season’s playoffs, I think 2025 is our year, but the Bucs brass has to figure out how to keep both Bowles and Coen. Bucs should be reloading on defense, 2025 will be the beginning of our 2-year championship window.
Lmao…or it could be a very dark 2025, where we not only lose in the playoffs, but lose Coen, Spytek, Greenberg to other franchises leaving us with Bowels and Licht to figure out what’s next.
January 8th, 2025 at 6:22 am
The Bucs were the best team in the worst division in the league. If we were in any other division, Bowles would not be celebrated. I love my Bucs, but facts are facts. We would not have made the playoffs five years in a row because his defense is inconsistent at best. We make backup QBs look like seasoned pros, and every year Bowles has a hiccup or two that cost us games. He’s too old to still be making rookie mistakes. I realize that the players love him, but at times he’s a handicap. Hopefully he won’t be right now. Our offense is amazing. Go Bucs.
January 8th, 2025 at 6:24 am
How many won titles going 8-9 or 9-8…nothing but rubbish propaganda
January 8th, 2025 at 7:10 am
Ok so being one of the Bowles “haters” this will be a wonderful opportunity for him to scheme a gameplan that slows Washington down enough to win the game and shut us up. It would be my pleasure to come back Monday morning and apologize for my comments on the coach.
I still have the Kirk Cousins nightmares in my head.
January 8th, 2025 at 7:15 am
Maybe Bowles will get lucky and find another good OC (if Coen leaves) that’ll carry him for another season.
January 8th, 2025 at 7:20 am
BucU, let’s be honest. If the Bucs are fortunate enough to get a victory this weekend, all the haters will come up with any reason other than TB coaching well.
January 8th, 2025 at 7:29 am
Best team of the weakest division, and please stop with the Bowles pushed for Baker line like if it weren’t for that, Baker might be elsewhere – give it a rest Joe. TB needs to have his D ready at the start of games and any required adjustments should be able to be implemented before the half. LFG
January 8th, 2025 at 7:41 am
Well said, Joe. Thank you for the research. Todd is a keeper. That is for sure.
He’s good at choosing an OC too.
January 8th, 2025 at 7:42 am
Fire bowels . He’s terrible . Promote coehn
January 8th, 2025 at 7:43 am
Most concerned about Bowles’ defensive staff. Old has been coaches that can’t fix communication issues plaguing this team for 5 straight years.
January 8th, 2025 at 7:49 am
His scheme is the biggest issue. When you have 350 lb linemen who are only good in tight spaces among big guys trying to cover tight ends and running backs them sending little guys in their spots you ask for trouble when all you do is play soft zone. He is the direct cause of some of our losses because of the way he coaches and mismanages the clock and timeouts. We could do better but we could do worse. If our offense could always keep us 2 scored ahead at all times he wouldn’t be a liability at times
January 8th, 2025 at 7:58 am
Jeff Says:
October 22nd, 2024 at 10:27 am
Zero chance the Bucs land a WR to replace Godwin. Never will happen. They’ll go get some practice squad trash to replace him. Folks, the season is over. Time to close up shop.
January 8th, 2025 at 8:23 am
“But dam does he do some boneheaded stuff sometimes”
EVERY human I’ve ever known occasionally does some boneheaded stuff!
Meanwhile could some stat geek find the actual numbers for this season that could provide context to this “best team in the WORST DIVISION.
Says who? The final results? Inter Division play (by how much)
Just do a cursory look at the final standings..
The NFC NORTH is clearly the strongest division this past year with 3 teams winning double digits…two of them 14 games! I don’t think there’s a debate there but feel free to disagree. I’m talking about actual records not reputations which are enhanced by market size etc.
Speakng of market size the NFC EAST generally gets overrated. This season the East had two teams with good records and two that sucked and the Bucs have whipped both of the teams with better records.
NFC West had it’s own injury problems and so they were hardly world beaters this year…TWO teams that matched the Bucs record and two mediocrities.
And go to the AFC! In the East which has powerhouse Buffalo there are two teams that sucked out loud this season and Miami with Tua’s health issue!
The AFC South is no better this past season than the NFC South..one team matched the Bucs record the other three were losers.
I don’t understand why this meme (which is beyond suspect) keeps getting trotted out!!!
17 games each year with 6…that’s SIX against Division rivals. That’s 11 against the rest.
It’s the freaking NFL…”On any given Sunday”..or if you prefer the late great Chris Thomas…NFL stands for No Freaking Logic.
Just beat the freaking team in front of you. This week they happen to come from the NFC East. Does that really make a difference.
January 8th, 2025 at 8:27 am
BTW This is what trigger me. I get honest criticism. NO team, no coach, no franchise is perfect.
What gets me is a fan blog containing so many “fans” almost DESPERATE to diminish the results of the Coach/Team/QB that they ostensibly are rooting for and supporting.
Again you can find fault with everybody and everything and you want to learn from mistakes but gawd the lengths to which some will go produce negative statistics and takes on THEIR OWN FREAKING TEAM.
Posted like it’s from a homer eh. YOU’RE DAMN STRAIGHT I’M A HOMER I’M A BUCS FAN!
January 8th, 2025 at 8:28 am
Will be interesting to see how the playoffs go. If we get to the NFC championship game and make it close, Bowles haters will have nothing to chew on. He will become a great coach suddenly. If we lose this game against Washington, the “Fire Todd Bowles” chatter will increase exponentially…. even though his secondary is in shambles, he’s thin at linebacker and we have no Chris Godwin to play. You never remember on this very site some people were thinking we’d have 12 even 13 wins but the majority of everybody predicted 10 – 11 wins. That’s exactly what we have. Known predicted all of the injuries, actually I remember some talk on here about how injury could kill us since we’re thin and some positions. But no one also predicted Baker playing this good, Bucky being one of the top backs in the league and Cohen’s scheme putting us in the top three of offenses. I think everyone was hopeful these things could happen but nobody truly predicted it. It’s been an interesting and fun season. Football’s entertainment, and you cannot say it has NOT been entertaining. I think it’s been worth my time watching all the dumb commercials for products & services I’ll never buy or use. LOL
January 8th, 2025 at 8:28 am
Winning a division with 8 and 9 wins in 2022 and 2023 isn’t very impressive. The NFC South was the only division he could have won with those win-loss records.The competition for this year was two 5 win teams and an 8 win team. Damn right you better win that division. Not to mention his defense got torched by the 8 win team and accounted for 25% of their wins for the season. The NFC South being absolutely terrible is the only reason Bowles still has a job. Please add context Joe
January 8th, 2025 at 8:41 am
These 3 division titles have been the most fluky of all time though. 2022, even with the GOAT we win the division with a losing record. 2023 we barely make it into the playoffs thanks to a Winfield goal-line forced fumble and 2024 we again barely make it into the playoffs with it being late in the 4th quarter when we ice the game even though Mayfield is playing like a top 5 QB.
Like others here have said, if not for being in the worst division in the league we would not have made the playoffs even once whilst under Bowles leadership.
January 8th, 2025 at 8:41 am
Anyone still whining about Bowles is also probably clamoring for Trask.
Or just generally unhappy with life.
Those who lived through Leeman Bennett, Richard Williamson, Ray Perkins, Schiano, Dirk and Lovie appreciate what Bowles has done.
Think about it. How many times was the season over before Halloween?
Perspective.
January 8th, 2025 at 8:43 am
You’re right when you say he isn’t going anywhere. Bowles record is just barely good enough for the owners to think the downside risk of making an HC change is at least equal to the upside potential. BUT, the thing they are missing is that they would also be making a change in DC. And that is badly needed.
January 8th, 2025 at 8:45 am
Sorry still not sold on Bowles. Guy plays scared way too much. He gets a lead he takes the foot off the gas pedal. He punts from opponents 39 yard line. He is just not aggressive enough to go all the way in my opinion. Which is crazy to me because Arians hand picked him and Arians had balls and was aggressive in his play calling and coaching. This site so scared of going back to the lost decade that they are willing to write articles like this and settle for mediocrity.
January 8th, 2025 at 8:46 am
I’ve never been in the “fire Bowles” camp but I have voted “Little Confidence” in every one of Joe’s polls. However, after seeing how well Bowles’ defense plays in the second half, I will vote “Confident” in the next one because that tells me he’s a hell of a coach. He has to make the necessary in game adjustments while using guys that may not even be in the league in a month. That’s not good coaching, that’s GREAT coaching. As an added bonus, he’s not playing ultra conservative like he used to.
January 8th, 2025 at 8:47 am
The other teams in the NFC South were 57-96 (.372) over the last 3 years. That helped.
January 8th, 2025 at 8:48 am
This Washington game will be a closely fought dogfight. The Bucs offense needs to regain it’s red zone form and get off to a fast start. It seems defenses are doing a little better in the red zone against Coen.
The real question for me, can the defense get off to a fast start rather than waiting to the second half to play well? I wonder if the defense plays very conservatively in the first half because they expect the offense to start fast with a lot of points?
January 8th, 2025 at 8:53 am
Getting Coen to stay and Bowles to beef up the secondary and buy an edge rush is key to our off season.
January 8th, 2025 at 8:59 am
If it’s Todd or Coen, you gotta go with Coen. Todd has shown he’s mentally challenged at defending the pass and managing the clock.
Division isn’t always going to be this mediocre/bad, once it improves Todd will go back to 6 wins max and his reign of terror will be over.
Division titles are nice but I don’t expect much playoff or defensive success by him
January 8th, 2025 at 9:01 am
KABucs FTW!
“Football’s entertainment, and you cannot say it has NOT been entertaining.”
January 8th, 2025 at 9:01 am
My grandson is a slow leaner that steals his grandmas phone
January 8th, 2025 at 9:09 am
Jeff Fisher would have won 3 straight division titles if you could go 8-9 and 9-8 and still win your division. Mike Mcarthy may be on the way out and he had 3 straight years of 12-4.
January 8th, 2025 at 9:12 am
Todd Bowles (with the Clint Eastwood Grand Torino growl):
“GET OFF MY BACK!!!!”
January 8th, 2025 at 9:14 am
Jeff’s Grandpa… LOL
The Bucs won 10 games in a real uphill battle. I’ll give Bowles credit here along with Jason Licht and Liam Cohen (without mentioning players, etc). People keep acting like the Bucs awful secondary play is completely Bowles’s fault and they don’t give weight to the fact that we have rarely had our original starters and then on top of that, we don’t even have some of our main backups. I’m extremely thankful for Zion McCollum’s durability and positive learning curve. He hasn’t been perfect but he gets better and better. If he gets hurt too, it will take a miracle for us to proceed in the playoffs.
January 8th, 2025 at 9:21 am
I think the issue is is that there is a lot to being a head coach other than play calling. Overall I think he gets his team motivated and they would do anything for him and that is an important trait of a good head coach. We could just think back to Greg Schiano and how he lost the team…
He picked good coordinators for the last couple of seasons and doesn’t get enough credit for having picked Coen who turn this into a top five offense and turned our running game from first to top five…
He has made defensive adjustments in second half of games and literally has held teams to less than a touchdown in score in the second half of game since the bye week.
I think our biggest frustration with him is the fact that teams especially in the first half seem to be able to pass at will against our offense. We have made pedestrian talents at quarterback have career level games against us because of it. We see our secondary playing 10 or more yards off the line of scrimmage and leaving easy uncontested catches. I think this is why we are among worse in the league for years at interceptions. we also hate seeing talented defensive linemen who should be running towards the quarterback dropping back in coverage.
I think he has been slow to realize that those two things are what have been hurting our defense. Now it could be possible that he does not necessarily want to employ those tactics but feel somewhat limited because of significant deficiencies in our secondary mainly due to injury both at the corner and safety position as well as one of our interior linebackers.
All that being said he’s the one who got creative and came out with a strategy that stifled the vaunted Kansas city Chiefs in the Super bowl that other teams all began to copy. I am hoping he has a few tricks up his sleeves but he will bring forward in the playoffs.
I think with just a few defensive adjustments in his scheme and a bit of an improvement in personnel particularly at the back end and this defense can turn around and be a top 10 unit.
I would love to see them sign or draft a premier corner pass rusher and inside linebacker which could make up their top three picks or one in free agency and top two picks and then use another pick for an ancillary receiver not knowing where Chris Godwin will be next year.
January 8th, 2025 at 9:35 am
Fire Bowles. This team performs despite him, not because of him. The roster is incredibly talented, and you can only coach players down so much, just as you can only coach them up so much. He consistently puts players in positions to fail, not to succeed, and has been bailed out by two of the best offensive coordinators I have ever seen.
January 8th, 2025 at 9:41 am
Winning and taking the team to optimal potential should be the discussion. Dungy was fired because his teams under performed, Todd’s teams under perform by constantly playing down to opponents.
January 8th, 2025 at 10:06 am
“Bowles has won three straight division titles”
What a way to twist reality and truth…. That rightly deserves to have asterisks in front of them….
A stat accomplished NOT by Good HC and dominate teams but barely above .500 due to 3 struggling teams in the division…. AND the offense has been better than the defense so Bowels in coasting on others talents greater than his own….
Bowels (is arguably) one of the leagues worst HC!
Not in the top 20 for sure…
But hey, Many of the fans are like the owners….
Who cares about NFC crowns or a SB!….
NFCS and embarrassed in first playoff game is all they expect!
January 8th, 2025 at 10:07 am
Calling people who disagree with you haters seems a little juvenile. Most on here are Bucs fans through and through. Many are just disappointed that this team, even depleted, could have done so much better. What do you not understand about this? Some of us have been here since the beginning. We understand the team used to be really bad. That is no reason to accept mediocrity now. We’ve tasted the good life and we like it.
January 8th, 2025 at 10:23 am
@Permanently Moderated – sadly these days it is common to call people ‘haters’ that don’t agree with them… it is a form of narcissism…. High minded to think they are correct and ‘right’ and everyone who challenges their opinion must be a bad person
January 8th, 2025 at 10:40 am
Wait a minute 3 Division Titles
Ok let’s look at that WEAK division
One year win with a losing record
Last Point you mentioned Two former Bucs Coaches THEY WIN SUPERBOWLS
I WILL TAKE ONE SUPERBOWL OVER 3 DIVISION TITLES ANY DAY
January 8th, 2025 at 10:44 am
All this “ he only got to 8-9 and 9-8” talk misses the point. I used to think similarly, but what does it matter what your record is if you win the division? Ok so if you won more you could have improved your seeding from 4. Oh we have a crappy division, blah blah blah. It doesn’t matter. Maybe it would instill more confidence from the fan base, but folks, you just have to get into the dance. Like wild card Tom and Eli. But we have home games!
January 8th, 2025 at 10:47 am
Tye Says:
January 8th, 2025 at 10:23 am
@Permanently Moderated – sadly these days it is common to call people ‘haters’ that don’t agree with them… it is a form of narcissism….
————————–
Spare me. Why don’t you do us all favor and define a Bucs fan.
January 8th, 2025 at 10:48 am
a favor*
January 8th, 2025 at 10:50 am
Its ok. They call us haters, I call them cheerleaders so its all good. Cheerleaders cheer about everything and get mad when others arent shaking their PomPoms with as much energy as they are.
And I agree. Bowles is one of if not they worst. Some are impressed with 4 division titles in the worst division in football. Some are not.
All it takes is a deep playoff run to shut us “haters” up. Something he has not been able to do. But boy are those division crowns impressive.
January 8th, 2025 at 11:06 am
Bowles has done a good job and the one constant with most of the haters that post is a lack of correct spelling and punctuation-which points to Low IQ.
January 8th, 2025 at 11:22 am
Tre…..you are pathetic!!
We’re doing better than the Falcons, Saints and Panthers
We’re doing better than the Dolphins, Jets and Patriots
We’re doing better than the Colts, Jaguars and Titans
We’re doing better than the Seahawks, Cardinals and 49ers
How about the Bears, Giants and Cowboys?
Quit wishing that everyone get fired because the Bucs don’t meet your expectation of winning the Super Bowl every year.
Appreciate the success we’ve had.
We’ll never have a 12th man advantage with worthless “fans” like you.
January 8th, 2025 at 11:24 am
I’m not a “Bowles hater,” but neither am I a lover. I’m a pragmatist. Now let’s talk about some of the facts here…
1. Bowles came into 2024 one game below .500 as the Bucs HC.
2. Bowles had the team delivering a .500 season until very late in the season, and while they did notch 10 wins, Bowles still ended the season one win above .500.
Has he made good decisions? Sure! Has he made bad decisions? Sure! …but to point to four straight division wins in the NFC South when (at times… not necessarily this year) that was akin to being the floatiest turd in the toilet isn’t something I’m incredibly impressed with.
Have to agree that going after Baker was a good decision, though. Probably his best one.
January 8th, 2025 at 11:32 am
Defensively, Todd is just so lost when it comes to the modern game. He’s stacking boxes to take away the run and leaving the middle of the field wide open. No matter if the QB is any good or not it seems any QB is having a field day passing the ball against this scheme.
Please don’t excuse this clown with the injury excuse. Even healthy this team gets shredded by any QB with a pulse.
Our defense, the fans, TV viewers and even blind people know teams are going to pass and have success passing yet he does nothing to scheme against teams taking advantage of this.
It’s coaching malpractice
He needs to go
January 8th, 2025 at 11:44 am
Jeez Joe, the Glazers are never going to fire Bowles, you can stop with the incessant cheerleading. Bowles is an average football coach in the worst division in the NFL with enough talented players to overcome his questionable decision making and time management. He will leave on his own terms and continue to go to the playoffs with a 9-10 win team.
January 8th, 2025 at 11:51 am
“if not for being in the worst division in the league we would not have made the playoffs even once whilst under Bowles leadership.”
“Division isn’t always going to be this mediocre/bad, once it improves Todd will go back to 6 wins max and his reign of terror will be over.’
IF…IF…IF…that is the LAMEST word ever used in any debate. IF covers EVERYTHING!!!
CouchFan – Just so we’re clear I agree about use of the word hater. It’s become cliche anyway. I’ve never found you to be a hater nor anybody here…well a few maybe but they are the exceptions.
If I respectfully say I just consider some of you “nattering nabobs of negativity” I hope you don’t take it personally.
At the end of the day, it’s not whose right or wrong, or how they do it, we all just want the Bucs to win.
SCROLL ALERT!! PERSONAL ANECDOTE!
In my other life as a sportscaster for the NBC affiliate the market interest was 1.NASCAR – a hometown race track duh.
2. FOOTBALL! Not the NFL but high school and college.
3.Everything else. We even put on a weekly outdoor report because of the location and many hunters and fisherman. Gotta serve your audience.
3 stations in those days. So if one gets 50% of the audience, the others scrap for the remaining half. We had over 50%.
One year I convince our GM to give me a news car and producer, pay for a week in Daytona to cover SpeedWeeks the BIGGEST story in Bristol/JC/Kingsport.
That was a HUGE leap of faith for a GM to spend what for them were significant $$$ for one week of stories.
I get home and am treated with respect by my peers and much love from our audience.
But there’s always ONE. Guy comes up to me and says I blew it going to Daytona because it made me miss a giant local story. Really. Tell me what I missed.
The local high school girls basketball tournment for a Conference title.
His daughter played for the team that won the title. Surprise, surprise, surprise.
This is just one OBVIOUS example but there are hundreds of others equally as stupid. Perhaps because I lived the “you can’t please some folks no matter what you do” I feel empathy for Coach Dangerfield.
January 8th, 2025 at 11:58 am
With the secondary as injured as it is and missing Godwin again… win or lose this week, I am not sure how it will help this debate. Gonna be extremely hard to judge Bowles for this week unless the Bucs come out flat and get beat bad or Tampa shuts down their offense for the most part.
I am just tired of it. It’s only partially about Bowles for me.
It’s about how much I believe in this roster, how I am sure I will believe in it more next year after we acquire a bunch of D pieces and it will only be the coaching job that stops us from winning another SB.
The biggest hole in my thinking is that a different coach will automatically be better than Bowles, it’s a risk and if you guys are saying it is too big of a risk to take when you have a respected coach in the room already who has won games, I understand and you may be right.
I didn’t expect to win the SB last year, I don’t expect to this year… I expect to have a terrific chance next year so I want someone leading them that I can trust in crunch time. 4th and 8 go – throwing to Mike on the last play (although that was a no brainer to most fans) was a good start. I truly, truly hope that by the end of these playoffs Bowles gains more trust and I will stop worrying.
January 8th, 2025 at 12:02 pm
Not at all StPete.
Its all in good fun buddy. I like talking sheet with people about our bucs and pestering the fan boys.
January 8th, 2025 at 12:06 pm
Honestly, part of the reason this is so important to me, is the clock the Bucs are on. They are in a championship window… that window potentially closes in 13 months for David and Evans. I want that SB for them so bad.
I don’t wanna stick my opinion of the Bucs to any of you… I wanna stick it to the national media, the NFL at large for treating one of the most successful franchises and one of the most well run franchises like a step child. I want the Bucs to finally have long lasting respect and another SB soon would accomplish that I think.
January 8th, 2025 at 12:07 pm
stpetebucsfan: Is it true that you are what your record is? Bowles is 27-24 (.529), 1-2 (.333) in the playoffs, 28-26 (.518) altogether. That’s the guy you want to put a crown on?
January 8th, 2025 at 12:29 pm
With all things considered it is important to consider all things, like the “salary cap hell” we have been under since the mortgage for the Tom Brady years and the sell out for the Super Bowl. I read these comments and I see a spoiled, knee jerk reacting, short term memory fan base, at least the ones commenting on JBF. Do we not remember the days of woe when Schiano was our head coach, or Lovie Smith, or having Mike Smith as our D coordinator? The den of misery and the lost decade?
Well I do remember those times and times even further back when we were a joke of a franchise. The facts remain and the spoiled fan base is myopically focused on one man, the man who has transitioned us from the Tom Brady era quite calmly and deftly, as he has improved this team, with his GM and staff, year after year. He has landed us a competent OC and a top tier QB who has led us to back to back playoff appearances. We are better than we were last year and I anticipate we will be better next year than we were this year. Are we perfect? No, but I don’t think we should nitpick when we are in the golden years of an era we will undoubtedly look back on with joy and appreciation. Be patient bucs fans and enjoy this ride.
January 8th, 2025 at 12:39 pm
Heres what I remember. I remember Schiano being a competent coach but was “To mean” for the players. He had bad teams and wasnt afforded the luxury of being in the worst division in football.
I was no fan of Lovie but at no time did I see Lovie making the same repeated mistakes over and over again. He also had a much worse team and wasnt in the worst division in football.
See you can make all the cute little comparisons you like but at the end of the day, Todd was gifted a much better situation and has barely been able to do more with a lot more.
January 8th, 2025 at 12:40 pm
@Joe in Michigan
I do not wish to put a crown on him Joe, he has EARNED THREE of his own, or perhaps in your estimation LUCKED into three CHAMPIONSHIPS as HC and a SB as DC.
Dangerfield can only compete against the teams in front of him. And our board seems to be schizophrenic. First people point out how the Bucs have played so well against good teams only to come back and lay an egg against the losers.
There is some truth in that. But that also negates any argument about getting lucky due to soft schedules.
Again how soon we forget. The Bucs have had 13 coaches, only 4 of them with winning records. What were the ODDS by simple numbers the Bucs would stumble into a coach who did what his 12 of of his predecessors failed to accomplish? Well perhaps my thinking or math is a little fuzzy but…
4 winners out of 13 means the Bucs statistically had a 30% chance to find the winner a 70% chance of getting yet another loser. And those are the same odds they’ll have when they replace Dangerfield. A 1 in 3 chance to find somebody to even equal Bowles or for the juvenile amongst us Bowels.
Because we don’t do context or nuance in America let me be clear.
I am not a Todd Bowles knob polisher. I’m not suggesting a long extension short of him making it to the SB. I’m not suggesting he’s not boring.
I also confess I was not a fan of him being selected! I like ‘damn the torpedoes full speed ahead” like BA. I absolutely respect that Dangerfield has grown in his job especially since he found confidence in a QB!!! And then an OC!! He’s actually now taking the ball on winning coin tosses and that freaking 4th down and LONG gamble at the end of the Saints game was pure ballls. Letting ME get the record…again ballls. Todd has grown in this position.
Bottom line. I’m not nominating Dangerfield as Coach of the year. I’m simply suggesting that all the disrespect is totally unwarranted.
Show me the money! Or as Al Davis has said “Just Win Baby”. Dangerfield has a winning record and it’s not like he was given a SB roster to work with.
BTW guys consider this. While you are kvetching over Coach Dangerfield you realize he got that job because he was one of BA’s guys. Unfortunately for him so was Leftwich and so Todd got saddled a year with an inept OC.
What IF BA had convinced that in offensive league, with a team built on the GOAT and offense, the Bucs should go with Leftwich? Why did a guy known as an OFFENSIVE coach who takes care of his guys decide his D guy was better than his O guy?
January 8th, 2025 at 1:12 pm
People just like to b**ch. Andy Reid is catching hell for getting skunked in a game that didn’t mean one damn thing to Kansas Citg and sat his best players to avoid needless injuries. Cincinnati even complained that the Chiefs didn’t help the Bengals get into the playoffs. SMH. Again people love to bitch.
January 8th, 2025 at 1:19 pm
‘it’s not like he was given a SB roster to work with.’
I had to read this quote twice..smh
January 8th, 2025 at 1:25 pm
“leaving us with Bowels and Licht to figure out what’s next.’
Who wanted baker?
Who hired to OC’s in consecutive years who will get HC jobs.
It’s almost as though Bowles knows how to hire staff.
January 8th, 2025 at 1:26 pm
Take Todd Bowles out and insert Andy Reid this year and the bucs are 14-3
January 8th, 2025 at 2:45 pm
stpetebucsfan Says:
January 8th, 2025 at 12:40 pm
@Joe in Michigan
I do not wish to put a crown on him Joe, he has EARNED THREE of his own, or perhaps in your estimation LUCKED into three CHAMPIONSHIPS as HC and a SB as DC.
^^^^^^^
Yes, Coen has bailed Bowles out. Having the offense ready to play, having the backups ready to play in case the starters got hurt. Having a system that works and the offensive players don’t seem confused half the time.
What does it tell you about “Dangerfield”, when asked why the defense starts out poorly and plays better in the second half, and he says he doesn’t know? DOESN’T KNOW? Dude, that’s embarrassing.
January 8th, 2025 at 2:46 pm
Wonder how many titles he’d win with cam newton, brees and Matt Ryan all in their prime at the same time? I’m sure Atlanta and Carolina would prefer at least one of our Lombardi trophies over this streak. I’m down with winning the Super Bowl as a wild card team also
January 8th, 2025 at 3:14 pm
I guess it all depends on your perspective from the couch. Some people are realistic optimists and some people are delusional pessimists. Hell some people are delusional optimists. The fact is, you cannot judge this season until it is all over and thanks to Todd Bowels and others on his staff, the season is not over. Same as last year under the same coaching staff we are getting a home playoff game that is against a team we damn sure can beat.
January 8th, 2025 at 3:24 pm
I think the Bucs brass figure out how to keep Liam, and Bowles.
Great article – Bowles has grown – still waaaay to conservative for my taste / but the facts that he’s won 3 straight tells us he’s reliable and able to keep a NFL locker room together and rebound through average times tells us something.
Still think any extension should be tied to hiring an heir apparent and that he turns over playcalling to a DC, then promote him at the end of next season to an advisory role.
Continuity, consistency, and culture are what’s best for the TEAM. We’re building something here.
January 8th, 2025 at 4:05 pm
Absolutely nobody has been clamoring for Trask since before the bye week. He’ll be a starter for some other team eventually. The Bucs wouldn’t have made the playoffs last season with Trask. I believe he could have done it this season, but there’s no way to tell for sure. The OL was great in protection and fantastic for the RBs. The thing that always bothered me was “fans” here treated him like he was the enemy. He wears the same jersey Mayfield does. He’s on our side, and he has to be ready each and every week in case Mayfield gets injured. He never had a legitimate shot to play here. The competition was a sham. What killed his chances here was a lack of actual game experience. Between Brady and Mayfield, he was never going to get in a game, not even in the fourth quarter with the game clinched. I’m sure he learned a few things with the Bucs. I hope he is successful with another team, just not against us.
January 8th, 2025 at 4:38 pm
Many complaints here when Bucs fans should be {and most are} happy being in playoffs. OK Joes gonna flag me but a little math for the complainers. Football is a game of inch’s. There’s 11 guy’s on each side of the ball, that’s 11 inchs…..What more would a guy want????
January 8th, 2025 at 6:19 pm
Bowles is a very very good coach. Looking back at all those debilitating injuries that screwed us, I argue this is the best coaching job hes ever done. However he made made some horrible decisions. Not putting Bucky in full time early when it was clear to all of us he deserved it. Getting Godwin getting hurt when we couldn’t possibly win the game due to us not being allowed to try another onside kick, making it impossible to win. I dont think he knew it at the time but that was a fireball offense in my opinion. How could you not know that. Besides a few other bonehead things Liam is great, amazing, did far better than my hope. But the top dog in charge is responsible for everything and thats Todd. After looking at the this season objectively. I would offer a 3-5 year extension. Licht and Bowles are building something very special.
January 8th, 2025 at 6:47 pm
@BucBen
‘it’s not like he was given a SB roster to work with.’
I had to read this quote twice..smh”
Why Ben do you have reading comprehension skills? OR are you suggesting Dangerfield had THE SB roster?
You are aware that Suh, JPP, left the defense and Gronkowski and Jensen disappeared from offense. Maybe more but if anybody here wishes to agree with BucBen that losing 2 of the VERY BEST PLAYERS of the offense and two off the defense do not diminish a Super Bowl roster then it’s me left SMH!!!
January 8th, 2025 at 6:50 pm
BTW I could have added Devin White to missing off the SB roster even though technically he suited up.
January 8th, 2025 at 8:10 pm
Four division titles. I love Todd Bowles the Bucs!!! I have been a Bucs fan far too long and remember some really horrible coaches.
January 8th, 2025 at 11:01 pm
How the heck r those facts if Bowles was in another other division he wud have a losing record on the record he isn’t in another division he is in the NFC south that’s a stupid thing to say no one cud say that IF he is in another division he wud b a loser let’s say he was in with the Texans I doubt u cud say that I bet u that’s like saying we can beat any of the other top teams that is dumb we have already beat several playoff teams this season so pls STFU bout being in another division it’s DUMB!
January 9th, 2025 at 10:49 am
Numbers don’t lie.
28-26 including playoffs. That’s 1-2 in the postseason. And 27-24 in the regular season.
Basically a 500 record inside a terrible division.
Save for victories over even worse opponents, his record would be downright moribund.
Can’t wait for the confidence poll after we get throttled at home vs the Football Team.
Joe loves him some TB zero.