Todd Bowles: Injuries Doomed Antoine Winfield
January 13th, 2025
Imposter?
Last year Bucs safety Antoine Winfield was like the Tasmanian Devil in the Bucs’ secondary. He was everywhere. It’s why he was an All-Pro.
Picking balls off, sacking quarterbacks, racing across the field to punch balls out at the goal line. Dude was a force.
Since the first game when he stepped onto the field for the Bucs as a rookie, Winfield has had an impact on just about every game he has played.
Except this year.
Aside from a couple of plays early this season, Winfield was a shadow of his former self. Did you know he played last night? It’s true, he was on the field. Winfield played all 73 defensive snaps and had eight tackles.
But Winfield really didn’t have a big-time play last like fans have grown accustomed to in his previous four seasons. Joe knows Winfield’s been dealing with foot and knee issues since Week 1.
So Joe asked Bowles today, aside from the injuries, why he thought Winfield rarely made an impact this year.
Bowles said, well, injuries.
“Injuries [were] his issue,” Bowles said. “He missed four weeks to start out, when he came back, he wasn’t completely healthy, and then he got hurt again. A healthy Winfield leads to healthy plays.”
So if Winfield was healthy would he have played at his All-Pro level? And if so, how many more games would the Bucs have won? Would the Bucs still be alive if Winfield was physically fresh last night?
These are all unknowns. But Winfield not playing like Winfield is one reason the Bucs’ pass defense stunk.
January 13th, 2025 at 4:08 pm
Sure……….the Chiefs and Detroit and ect ect have injuries come on dude a real head coach adjust and wins Todd u don’t know how to do ether please get injured and leave the building.
January 13th, 2025 at 4:31 pm
Wow real classy… A+ fan base here in tampa
January 13th, 2025 at 4:37 pm
Classy Comment LV your parents must be proud!
Meanwhile I feel like I’m talking with my wife here!!! Our biggest fights are over “crying over spilt milk”!!!
The season is finished and it was exciting. Winfield was clearly not the same guy this year as he has been in the past. The negative nellies of course wish to say it’s because he got paid and so he’s no longer hungry.
That’s freaking sad!!!! Winfield is clearly a competitor. He was already a MILLIONAIRE before the contract. I’m not about to question a guy’s heart and drive after all that he’s ALREADY given the Bucs.
If I was a Buc player paying attention to JBF and thought these opinions meant anything I believe I’d develop a new strategy. When hurt just not play the rest of the year rather than have guys second guess your heart when you do try to gut it out.
January 13th, 2025 at 4:38 pm
PMike
I was typing when you were typing and it appears great minds think alike.
January 13th, 2025 at 4:42 pm
Offense stunk too
January 13th, 2025 at 4:55 pm
Yeah, it had nothing to do with signing that big contract. Never does.
January 13th, 2025 at 5:13 pm
Pay no attention. These are merely trolls. Winfield will be back to All-Pro level next season. With some upgrades in the draft, Todd will get them back to where we have been in the past.
With a humming offense, look out.
Go Bucs!
January 13th, 2025 at 5:21 pm
I question whether the Bucs have effective training. They seem now every year to be plagued by injuries.
A lot of all that is luck, sure… but could there be something else?
January 13th, 2025 at 5:35 pm
dbbuc711
“Yeah, it had nothing to do with signing that big contract. Never does.”
You’ll forgive me if I interpret that as sarcastic. But it begs a question.
Are you suggesting in a cynical fashion that it always does? Sometimes? How often? And unless it’s the first response as in ALWAYS then why pick on Winfield?
January 13th, 2025 at 6:07 pm
Hopefully he comes back next year to his old form. Curious what he defense will look like next year.
January 13th, 2025 at 6:36 pm
I really do wonder if it’s the scheme of the D that was being run as to why it seems like the D struggles. Kancey & Vita had like 8 sacks (nothing wrong with that) & you put Barrett over there with Yaya again & watch Yaya probably do even better.
January 13th, 2025 at 6:40 pm
Not worried about Winfield at all.
He’s gonna have help on the way and as long as he is healthy will be able to play more free and rack up numbers on the stat sheet again.
January 13th, 2025 at 6:53 pm
The defense has never been good for any length of time since Bowles has been HC. Hoping it will be better next season is just that, hope. There is no factual evidence that the defense will ever get better under the ReTodd but the cheerleaders will pretend there is!
January 13th, 2025 at 6:53 pm
I guarantee there will be injuries to critical players next season. It’ll happen in training camp all the way thru the regular season. It’s how a coach adjusts and adapts to conditions around him.
What’s worse than the injuries is when this team comes out flat every other game with zero intensity. No excuse for that. 2-6 in one score games. Awful home record. There’s plenty to be disappointed about contrary to some of the Bowles disciples in here.
January 13th, 2025 at 7:42 pm
Licht mis played and mis evaluated his defensive backfield draft picks
Carlton Davis III overpaid never lived up to his contract
Jamel Dean overpaid often hurt never around the ball
Winfield Jr played one great year in a contract season and duped Licht into giving him a huge payday. Guy has missed games every year outside of his contract year
January 13th, 2025 at 7:48 pm
It seems that as soon as players get paid they disappear.
January 13th, 2025 at 7:49 pm
“ITS CORN” GIVES YOU SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. INJURIES CAN BE MITIGATED BY CLEAR, CONSISTENT TRUSTWORTHY PROTOCOl lEAD by good people.
January 13th, 2025 at 7:59 pm
But Winfield not playing like Winfield is one reason the Bucs’ pass defense stunk.
That’s funny considering pass defense has barely improved since he got here. We have good individual players, the overall defense is bad
January 13th, 2025 at 8:30 pm
Ouch! Very on point. U can’t do it if u can’t do it.
January 13th, 2025 at 8:46 pm
I just don’t understand Bowles thinking? YaYa is one of our best pass rushers, but it seems Bowels always has him dropping in coverage? Not going to get many sacks that way?
January 13th, 2025 at 9:12 pm
I’m watching the Vikings-Rams game now, and one series alone, the Vikings almost forced a QB sack & fumble on 1st down, then on 2nd & 3rd downs, almost intercepted Stafford. Then Minnesota gets the ball, and first down the Rams sacks Darnold, then they intercepts Darnold. That’s playing effective defense! Last night, in the Bucs game, Buc’s defense, for the whole game, couldn’t even come close to even getting a fumble or even get close enough to even cover the Washington’s receivers to get an interception.Let’s be honest…Bucs’ defense was pathetic, but Licht likes the Buccaneers’ culture, and winning, apparently….
January 13th, 2025 at 9:25 pm
Sam Darnold is pulling a Baker Mayfield and choking in the playoffs.
January 13th, 2025 at 9:33 pm
Todd’s defensive scheme has been figured out since 2021. After the super bowl its been figured out. It’s all based on the blitz and is a one trick pony. If the blitz gets there it succeeds if it doesnt it’s done. If u have the personnel, it can work but not adapting the scheme when u dont have the personnel is like hitting your own head on a brick wall trying to break through. Against the Reid, McVay, Shanahan West Coast system i guarantee u it’ll get shredded. Bucs will never win a Superbowl under Todd Bowles. Coaches sadly do not change and stick with their schemes until death. Thats why teams hire new coaches like the eagles hired fangio this year.
January 13th, 2025 at 9:38 pm
ummm……….
remember what that guy adam from ny said…….
the vikes are overrated playoff choke artists…take it to the bank…
playoff scrubs as usual…
#ScrubCity
January 13th, 2025 at 9:39 pm
AJ Says:
January 13th, 2025 at 9:33 pm
Todd’s defensive scheme has been figured out since 2021.
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The defense gave up 16 points against a top 5 offense, made a huge 4th quarter goal line stand. It was Bum Baker who lost that game, not Bowles, not anyone else.
January 13th, 2025 at 9:39 pm
Wish we had Sean McVay or Ben Johnson as our HC
January 13th, 2025 at 9:41 pm
as i just typed this, the rams scored again…
they are often the most inflated record in the nfl every few years…
game over…
why oh why did so many people tout these vikings as a real team…
#NotLegit #NotStreetLegal
January 13th, 2025 at 9:42 pm
Yea it was definitely Baker I 100% agree but i was talking about the defense the whole year. 29th in pass defense is awful
January 13th, 2025 at 9:53 pm
Hate on Baker all you want. He’s not the problem. When your defense doesn’t force a single punt in the entire game, that’s a problem! When the defense allows a 19 play, over 9 minute drive, that’s a problem. When you have Dean getting burned, then getting hurt (of course), replaced by Hayes and Winfield useless bc he was playing too far from the LOS, that’s a problem. All season long, WRs we’re running wide ass open all over the field and the LBs couldn’t cover but Bowles always had an excuse for the sorry performance.
January 13th, 2025 at 10:12 pm
I was all about keeping Winfield at all costs. But after watching him this season injured or not it appears we made a mistake. Also doesn’t this fall on Bowles. Many forget why he got I Jared in the first place. Playing at the end of a blowout game week 1. If Bowles had taken him out like most coaches would who knows what this season may have brought. Another dumb bone headed decision made by yours truly. But keep defending him. Sorry guys he sucks and isn’t respected by anyone outside of the city of Tampa.
January 13th, 2025 at 10:24 pm
Let’s not forget that Winfield made the almost identical hustle play at the goal line this year (vs ATL) that he did in in the regular season finale at CAR to save the season in 2023. Dude still has game and motivation, injuries got him. He’ll be back in full effect.
January 13th, 2025 at 10:26 pm
AJ Says:
January 13th, 2025 at 9:42 pm
Yea it was definitely Baker I 100% agree but i was talking about the defense the whole year. 29th in pass defense is awful
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Agreed, which is why it sucked even worse that they finally made a stand when it mattered most.
With that said, Licht needs to get a ton of depth on defense. Linebackers, in particular if David is retiring, is a must.
January 13th, 2025 at 10:36 pm
Mac Says:
January 13th, 2025 at 10:12 pm
I was all about keeping Winfield at all costs. But after watching him this season injured or not it appears we made a mistake.
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You’re the same idiot that John Lynch was washed, and we need to get rid of Warren Sapp to sign Tim Brown and Charlie Garner.
What a remarkably stupid take.
January 13th, 2025 at 10:37 pm
Man did you see that scramble by Darnold?!? He’s got moxie!
January 13th, 2025 at 10:38 pm
@Rod
I agree but i just feel like the scheme is figured out and bowles doesnt adapt the gameplan. Mclaurin shouldve been doubled at times i feel like and idk he has poor game management skills. We def shouldve went for it on 4th. To beat todd bowles defense, you max protect and use crossing routes and other zone buster plays and usually the middle of the field is open. blitzing is based on surprise but u know hes gonna blitz cause he blitzes like 65-80 percent so i feel like teams r ready for it. i want him to use disguises or complex coverages like cover 6 to confuse the rookie qb instead of pressure pressure pressure.
January 13th, 2025 at 10:41 pm
by using crossing routes they try to set “legal” picks which gets receivers open. his defense cant play base defenses cause of poor tackling and fundamentals
January 13th, 2025 at 10:42 pm
Winfield aint the problem
January 13th, 2025 at 11:00 pm
Winfield certainly wasn’t the solution either.
January 13th, 2025 at 11:01 pm
AJ Says:
January 13th, 2025 at 10:38 pm
@Rod
I agree but i just feel like the scheme is figured out and bowles doesnt adapt the gameplan.
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I would strongly disagree. The issue that I have seen is that Bowles went away from what was working when the Bucs got killed by injuries during the 2022 season and were forced to sign corners off the couch to come in and start (Richard Sherman, for example). The string of injuries forced Bowles to switch from the aggressive man-to-man defense to the passive garbage zone that has plagued him the last two years. I understood with all the injuries that you’re forced to change the scheme when you don’t have guys who can play man – but even when healthy they’ve just sat back in zone. The defense has really only had success when they’ve been pretty agressive, something Todd really seems to ramp up vs mobile QBs – which is why the defense can look good vs Daniels and Hurts, for example.
I’m not a Bowles guy, not a HC, but all the injuries in the secondary have been ridiculous and it’s very difficult to play a comprehensive scheme when you’re starting guys who were literally 7th on the depth chart during the preseason.
The issue that concerns me more, however, is the way Bowles shipped off Carlton Davis, for example, because he pointed out the obvious – that the defense sucks when they’re playing zone, because it was literally built to play man.
BTW, the stat I saw last week said the Bucs played man less than any team in the NFL this year, so it’s not just mine, or anyone else’s imagination about the scheme.
January 13th, 2025 at 11:03 pm
Pelsbuc61 Says:
January 13th, 2025 at 11:00 pm
Winfield certainly wasn’t the solution either.
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He’s literally a multi-time ALL PRO player who is on a HOF projectory. Just retarded.
As I said, if we had comment sections like this in 2004, you morons would be talking about Lynch stinks and we don’t need him, and Warren Sapp is a bum. That’s how stupid you people are.
January 13th, 2025 at 11:22 pm
You know Darnold wasn’t able to win the game, but you got love his regular season stats and all the moxie he played with. He’s their future QB for sure!
January 15th, 2025 at 12:18 am
Can we get a comment from Rod Munch? He hardly says anything!