Todd Bowles Is Safe But What About His Defensive Staff?
January 14th, 2025
“Chucky, can you develop an edge rusher?”
Joe doesn’t have to guess. Joe can read how some Bucs fans are out for blood.
Despite all logical signs, reason and information, including a very public statement from Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht of support for Todd Bowles, many, many, many fans are holding out hope that the head coach will be ousted.
The Bucs, these Bucs fans are convinced, need to make someone pay for Sunday night. But the fans’ choice of the sacrificial lamb isn’t going anywhere.
However, Joe doesn’t know about Bowles’ staff.
Bowles has been unafraid to make staff changes on the offensive side of the ball when he sees fit. The defensive side? Not so much.
Of course, for the second straight season, the Bucs finished with the fourth-worst passing yards allowed per game in the NFL. Once is bad, but two straight years?
This year, four of the five teams with the worst passing yards allowed per game are all playoff teams (Baltimore, Detroit, the Bucs and Minnesota — Jacksonville was the worst). Two are still alive in the postseason.
However, of the five worst 2023 teams in passing yards allowed per game (Commandos, Eagles, Chargers, Bucs, Bengals), only the Bucs have the same defensive staff as of last night.
Cincinnati just let go of long-time defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.
The only 2023 team in the bottom-five for passing yards allowed per game that remained in the bottom-five for the 2024 season was the Bucs, despite an All-Pro safety, experienced players and a free agent safety brought in to shore up the pass defense.
Something is not right on the defensive side of the ball.
January 14th, 2025 at 5:35 am
‘YA THINK?????
January 14th, 2025 at 5:36 am
I look forward to many, many, many years of pass rushers dropping into coverage to try to cover someone much faster or more shifty than them.
January 14th, 2025 at 5:37 am
Hey Joes, Ira mentioned something at the end of his podcast in that what if it becomes a sticking point if Bowles is asked by Team Glazer to hire a DC and/or launch some of his defensive coaches. After all, would the Glazers be forced to cut Bowles loose if he refuses an ultimatum from them? So would Bowles swallow his pride and make changes or stand pat if he is asked or told to make some adjustments concerning his defensive coaching staff including himself as DC?
January 14th, 2025 at 5:45 am
So, Todd, as DC, has no say over how his defensive coaches scheme for a game?
January 14th, 2025 at 5:48 am
I know everybody is looking forward to more poor clock management and Bowles coaching scared. Might as well bring back JTS while they’re at it, in hopes that he’ll eventually be able to cover somebody.
January 14th, 2025 at 6:06 am
The Glaziers need to force him to hire a defensive coordinator!!! In other news another pedestrian quarterback that found lightning in a bottle was eliminated in the first round. It’s a reason these guys have played on multiple teams: choking in big games just seem to follow them!!!
January 14th, 2025 at 6:42 am
In the words of another Bucs defensive head coach (Lovie Smith) with a stellar pass defense like Todd’s, “Very Dissapointing”
January 14th, 2025 at 6:44 am
HahahahHA
Wait a minute JOE you should really be all over this:
The DEFENSIVE STAFF IS THE PROBLEM NOT THE HEAD COACH WHO CALLS THE DEFENSE
😂😂😂😂
COME ON
Make a reality show off this it can be called
“THE BLAME GAME”
January 14th, 2025 at 6:58 am
I’m ok with Bowles continuing as head coach as long a Coen stays put and Bowles agrees to quits wearing two hats as both head coach and defensive coordinator.
The Bucs need to clean house of all the defensive coaches and hire a defensive coordinator from outside of the organization.
January 14th, 2025 at 6:59 am
“Fans are out for blood & want a sacrificial lamb & someone to pay”… seems this Joe used to write for the tabloids or soething lol. No doubt there are probably a few out there that want that literally, but the majority of us will very likely be proven correct that this roster is being wasted in the hands of an inept HC who will never get this team to another SB. The fact that it will probably take another season or two for ownership to realize this is disappointing, but it is what it is. You would think struggling to get a sell-out for a playoff game might raise an alarm about the apathy that’s starting to build for this team because of Bowles, but evidently not. Guess we’ll have to wait until we miss out on a division title in the mighty NFC South before that day comes lol.
January 14th, 2025 at 7:12 am
Joe is not making sense lol. Despite all pro safety(who was clearly hurt up)…. Experienced players(special team josh hayes, undrafted tyler funderburk, izien first go at safety), and whitehead who was never known for his pass defense.. how about the inside linebacker experience of Vi Jones, jj russell. First time full time starter zyon.. ryan neal off the street who everyone knows is not good. Mike edwards who has been on 4 teams since SB and done nothing in each stop.
Bucs are still paying tom brady, and due to cap restraints they are unable to build real depth, they are only able to resign their own guys. Vikings signing guys like van ginkle and jonathan greenard, veterans like gilmore. Those are savvy guys that stayed healthy all year. Thats what the bucs need, not a hope and a prayer that tryon or yaya can get edge pressure
January 14th, 2025 at 7:14 am
I find it especially cute and Vita and other very large men drop into coverage. Agreed, Todd must stay. Bucs fans want more of the same. Now…about that genius clock management.
January 14th, 2025 at 7:15 am
It might happen, but seeing how Bowles is a BA disciple, hard time seeing him cut his long-time friends loose (which many of his D staff actually are). I think Edwards might be easier being that there’s not that lifetime connection & he’s only been on staff 2 years, but the others might prove difficult for Todd. He likely understands that most will probably struggle to find an NFL gig after the performance of their players these last few years in his scheme. No question the DC & the entire D staff all need to go, but wouldn’t be suprised if the Glazers gave them all new 3yr deals with the shortsightedness & ignorance ownership is currently showing.
January 14th, 2025 at 7:19 am
Bowles has proven he can win as a head coach, he as also proven he shouldn’t be head coach and defensive coordinator. He needs to hire someone to run the defense and call the shots. As a defensive guy his defensive scheme seem to be soft zones and don’t tackle. I’m just a guy drinking a cup of coffee, but that doesn’t sound like a way to build a defense.
January 14th, 2025 at 7:21 am
I think Bowles did a great job with substandard tape talent.
The GM is the one who drafted Tryon, Hall and Dean and Devin White. The GM was the one who let them go into this season with weak backups like Hayes and Funderburk. The GM has to sign stiffs like Edwards and Neal to plug the dyke.
Blame the dealer not the player.
But even then, the ungrateful fans who have never built anything and whine like little cooters about this and also attack the most complete QB in franchise history are like triggered little Millenials.
They all forget what it’s like to have a Lovie or a Dirk or a Jameis or a Walmart O Line.
Most fans are enjoying the Bucs being competitive.
January 14th, 2025 at 7:25 am
Dude…
You know millennials are like 45 years old, right?
Excuse me while I get off your lawn…
January 14th, 2025 at 7:35 am
Not the biggest Bowles fan, but the players love him and play hard. That’s 75% of the battle! The rest is getting talented players! You can’t build an entire team in one or two years. Takes several successful drafts. We lost the majority of the Super Bowl team and a lot of them were pro bowlers. No way can you just go out and pick one up at the store. Let’s hope for a great defensive draft this year and a couple of free-agent signings to fix the problem.
January 14th, 2025 at 7:47 am
We can get all the pass rushers we want, but it’s hard for them to rush the passer when they’re having to cover the curl to the flat.
January 14th, 2025 at 7:49 am
Need to bring in someone to revamp the defense. Let Bowles be the HC and relinquish the DC job to someone else. He can still have input into defensive game planning, but leave the play calling and coaching up to a someone with a fresh perspective. Please! If the Bucs had a D that could match the play of its offense, we’d be SB bound for sure.
January 14th, 2025 at 7:50 am
Todd Bowles is trash and SHOULD be fired I know he won’t be but that won’t stop me from blaming me from the obvious. Of course his staff shouldn’t be safe, they can’t do the one thing they were hired to do. Bowles is just fine and blaming players he handpicked (Josh Hayes). I’ll reserve judgment for now but I expect status quo from that slug. No change in personnel or scheme just new players with same results while Mike, Chris and Vea are getting
January 14th, 2025 at 7:51 am
Crowd was good 1st half, feel like we let the young team down in the second, got a little cold and sleepy…. maybe they win with just a little more help….. that kicker was nervous af, we could have done more to shake him. It was a inch away from going the other way.
January 14th, 2025 at 7:58 am
If it comes to a choice between Bowles and Coen, I hope they keep Coen – even if they have to (and probably will be the decision) make him the head coach. He is smart enough, imo, to find a quality D coach.
January 14th, 2025 at 7:58 am
At this pace, next year we will be 11-6 and the year after 12-5…. Then we renew Bowles contract for 5 more years and we will become the first 17-0 team… this must be the thought process behind keep Todd, right???…. Right?!?!
January 14th, 2025 at 8:04 am
Remember when we had Revis? Then Lovie put him in off coverage knowing his man press was still very elite.. I feel like no matter who we draft sign or trade 4, the results will be the same because the scheme is the same. Whoever we put on the other side of zyon will face similar results.
January 14th, 2025 at 8:07 am
Cincinnati just let go of long-time defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.
__________
See, that’s what you do Joe, you get rid of your DC and his philosophy.
I just so happens that our DC is our HC.
He offers very little as a HC and is garbage as a DC.
January 14th, 2025 at 8:08 am
To me, it’s just incredible to support a defensive head coach with a terrible defense.
The only thing this guy does well is hire offensive coordinators
January 14th, 2025 at 8:21 am
A change in defensive coordinator would be a good place to start. Yeh, yeh…I know. Ain’t gonna happen.
January 14th, 2025 at 8:38 am
Bowles supporter here lol how can we have a good pass D with no edge rush and a back level linebacker kj britt/jj Russell glass Dean and toast Josh Hayes ? Not to mention whitehead was terrible Winfield was invisible
January 14th, 2025 at 9:03 am
I don’t care what job or position in any company.
Do you know which bosses are liked by their staff?
It’s the boss that doesn’t hold people accountable.
January 14th, 2025 at 9:08 am
Hey D.
So dropping Vea and Kancey into coverage helps or YaYa and JTS?
These guys are line men, shedding blocks and making a tackle is there bread and butter. Why the F are they dropping into coverage? That is scheme and not playing to players strengths.
January 14th, 2025 at 9:11 am
Talent is meaningless when there is no discipline. Penalties are a coaching issue. Extremely poor tackling is a coaching and discipline issue. This team has been plagued with penalties and poor tackling all season. Lack of discipline means losses in play off games. Todd Bowles is a decent coach but is more concerned with being buddies with his players than being hard enough on them to make them great. If this team wants to win big games they need a coach who is ready for the big time. Todd seems perfectly happy to win enough to get to the playoffs but I am not sure he wants to work hard enough to get any further much less work his team hard enough to get there. He blames his offense for the loss to the Commanders saying it was, “dumb play” by the offense. The offense wasn’t responsible for not getting pressure or a hand on the opposing quarterback. The offense wasn’t responsible for the dozens of missed tackles by the defense, and the offense did not leave receivers wide open in the end zone to catch touchdowns. Todd needs to own his own inadequacies and so does ownership.
January 14th, 2025 at 9:11 am
I think the Joes are off their meds or something.
At no point in your incoherent ramblings was there anything even close to a rational thought.
We’re keeping Bowles! The defense is terrible!
Make it make sense.
January 14th, 2025 at 9:13 am
I would not call The Cardinals stadium a home game for the Rams. There are a lot of Snowbirds from the twin cities in Phoenix. I wish the Rams hAd won their last regular season game. Darnold is back to his usual meltdown self. Regardless of where the defense was too much can go wrong on a reverse jet sweep play. Do that tricky stuff after midfield. Terrible call. Who cares if Cohen leaves. Alex Van Pelt is available. He was OC during Bakers best Browns season.
January 14th, 2025 at 9:14 am
Coen must go.
January 14th, 2025 at 9:15 am
The Todd Bowles whiners need to remember that for every Sean McVay and Kevin O’Connell hired and find success there are many more coaches like Matt Rhule, Adam Gase, Brian Flores, Dirk Koetter, Robert Saleh, Matt Eberflus, Josh McDaniels, etc. who completely flame out and fail spectacularly.
The Bucs window for a Super Bowl is officially open in 2025 and 2026. It makes no sense to start over with a head coach who is going to want to do things his way and completely change the dynamic. Last year and this year’s Bucs were good football teams who were hamstrung by cap hits from the Brady years which also includes Shaq Barrett’s and Ryan Jensen’s contracts. It’s amazing they went to the playoffs with cap limitations and all the injuries they had.
Jason Licht, you know….the guy who pieced together a Super Bowl team, is moving forward with Todd Bowles. How many of you put together a Super Bowl roster? Perhaps he knows what he’s doing after all. If he lost confidence in Bowles he would have been fired yesterday.
January 14th, 2025 at 9:16 am
Retaining Bowles is a bad decision. With Liam Coen running the offense, the Bucs are an average defense away from being the favorite in the NFC next year. Todd Bowles defensive scheme is clearly not working, and I do not believe he can get the Bucs to be an average NFL defense. Additionally, he has poor game day decisions regarding clock management and strategy.
January 14th, 2025 at 9:17 am
It’s not all on Bowles. So many other parts come in to play. The OC had some hiccup plays too. Not perfect. In the end, Bowles has the locker room. The team loves him.
If Bowles was to get fired, Licht could be too. A new GM and an entirely new staff brought in by a new coach. Those firings and more new changes in the middle of building the team could have bad consequences for our next season.
January 14th, 2025 at 9:19 am
A fish rots from the head down…
Firing an assistant linebacker coach will do absolutely nothing to repair this defense.
Better players might help.
Draft all defense with picks #1-#4. Pass Rush, D-line, ILB, DB…
Go Bucs!
January 14th, 2025 at 9:24 am
Todd Bowles is at fault but so is some of the talent. The Bucs have a few major holes that I hope they address this season.
They need a true number 1 pass rusher. I hope they trade for Garrett/Crosby/Parsons/Hendrickson/Watt. Any of those guys would take the pass rush to the next level.
They need 2 LB’s even if LVD retires. I hope he comes back but they also need to sign a vet and draft somone round 2-4
Finally CB depth. I get the frustration on Dean but the team isn’t desperate for cap space. Depth is important. That’s how you prevent Josh Hayes type players from playing. And Dean’s injury history makes it even more important. Move on from him in 26 when his contract expires. They need to sign a FA and draft one early. Maybe draft another safety too to pair with AWJ in the mid rounds.
By the way, what’s up with the Winfield hate? He’s had 4 seasons of consistent high level play, showing up in the clutch, and fans want to run him out of town after one injury filled season. He shouldn’t have even been out there when he got hurt week 1 when they were blowing the Commanders out. But that’s another topic on how Bowles really mismanaged this season
January 14th, 2025 at 9:27 am
how about those vikings these past couple of weeks…?
how ’bout it guys…?
i normally am not an ‘i told you so’ person…..why?…because that’s a d!cky comment to say to anyone…
but i had to circle back to these scrub azz over achieving regular season vikings – who were really no better than a 10-7 type team…
well…
they proved to be exactly who i thought they were the past 2 weeks…
detroit in the final week of the season was basically a playoff game…
and yesterday…well need i say more…
the vikings really suck even though every few seasons they win a whole mess of games…
they’re always an easy out, and fail to live up to any playoff expectations…
i just had to bring them up because so many on here and in the media feared the hapless vikings as if they were a powerhouse team come playoff time…
playoffs are a different animal and the vikes are just never ever up for the challenge
January 14th, 2025 at 9:32 am
HC defense system was why the Buccaneers lost four in a roll and to Dallas.
HC defense system is why a rookie beat him in the playoffs.
So if the HC is safe then the Owners must take away his control of the defense because it has been a failure for the past two seasons.
Unless the owners like failure???
January 14th, 2025 at 9:34 am
Bowled needs to fire himself as the DC.
January 14th, 2025 at 9:38 am
He doesn’t seem to handle both roles well. Just hire a DC and continue on as HC. The team loves to play for him.
January 14th, 2025 at 9:45 am
Bowles is safe as HC. He should be anything but safe as DC.
January 14th, 2025 at 9:46 am
Nothing will improve until Bowles is gone.
January 14th, 2025 at 9:51 am
I put a lot of accountability on position coaches. The OL coaches did a good job this year, they changed the focus of the run blocking scheme. The TE and WR coaches did well this year, getting the guys to block. Coen did much better than expected this year (but he needs to learn some things).
Which defensive assistants have done a good job this year? Have these coaches developed players from year to year? If the Glazers told Bowles to fire some of his old friends, would he do it? Which defensive players played better than expected?
If I’m the Glazers, I would keep Bowles the HC and insist on a new DC.
January 14th, 2025 at 9:57 am
If Bowles stays the Bucs need to get a legitimate DC and a new group of assistant coaches. Jason better address the defense as far as players in the draft and in free agency. Everyone knew going into the season that edge rushers were pathetic, LBs were slow and that the CBs were bad or just injury prone. Time to totally retool the D and it starts with Bowles.
January 14th, 2025 at 10:01 am
LMAO sure lets do everything but change the actual problem of the mediocre coach and his garbage scheme.
January 14th, 2025 at 10:05 am
If Todd was the D coordinator only he would have been fired midseason this yr.
He has the 3 div. tittles in spite of coaching. He has more talent than any other south team. Wash. drive chart, you tell me if this is what good D looks like?
8plays-TO on downs
18plays-TD
12plays-FG
11plays-FG
17plays-TO on downs
5plays-TD
11plays-FG
0-punts
time of possession 35min to 25min
And some want to blame the O-Crazy talk!
January 14th, 2025 at 10:15 am
The ReTodd Cult are hilarious. They keep using excuses that every coach who’s ever coached football has had to deal with.
Then you got the dummies who are blaming the GM…. As if the GM goes out and signs players the HC doesnt approve of. Do you even know how this works? You are sounding completely football ignorant but pretending to be the smartest person in the room. LMAO I love it.
January 14th, 2025 at 10:29 am
Here is an idea. If next season is already going to be so bad spare yourself. Find something else to do with your time. Check back after the season and maybe your wish will come true. Or continue to crying about Bowles because it’s funny watching something you cannot change.
January 14th, 2025 at 10:31 am
How about… no. I’m going to watch every game and if they continue to suck, I’m going to continue to cry about it as that is my right as a fan. I dont complain about your PomPom shaking so stop crying about me crying.
January 14th, 2025 at 10:33 am
Bowles will be in year 4 of a 5 year deal this upcoming season, correct? If so, it would stand to reason that if they move on from him it would be after the ‘25 season when he would be looking for an extension as most HCs don’t want to go into the last year of their contract as a lame duck.
I personally think with some new coaches/ideas and an infusion of talent he could get the defense fixed. But due to background and age I don’t think he’ll ever adopt an aggressive offensive mindset and situational awareness needed to be the guy long term in this age of the pro game. That’s the larger problem.
Hopefully Cohen sticks around and if there’s a similar type season or a contract impasse next offseason he’ll get a chance, because the SB window is open with the talent on offense.
January 14th, 2025 at 10:38 am
Couch Fan Says:
January 14th, 2025 at 10:01 am
LMAO sure lets do everything but change the actual problem of the mediocre coach and his garbage scheme.
^^^^^^^
What, you don’t think a Prevent Defense is a good base scheme?
January 14th, 2025 at 10:47 am
I’d prefer a 4-3 with dominating defensive ends doing the pass rush, rather than a 3-4 with exotic blitz packages to manufacture sacks.
January 14th, 2025 at 10:48 am
Coen is gone Dawg!
He’s jumping ship post haste.
No one wants the stink of the Toilet Bowles on them for too long.
Just wait until next year and the offense regresses.
But the Bowles fan boys will continue the excuse making.
Looking forward to the next huge embarrassing failure by the Mensa candidate.
January 14th, 2025 at 10:49 am
Bowles puts his players in a position to succeed. A few examples:
Anthony Nelson covering McCaffrey with the game on the line
Yaya Diaby covering Ekeler with the game on the line, in the playoffs
January 14th, 2025 at 10:54 am
Even if you give the Commanders a FG on each of the 4th down turnovers,- the 2nd half Commanders TD was due to Mayfield / Coen botched play turnover on the 15 yard line which gifted the Commanders a TD, – the Bucs D gave up only 19 potential points.
Bucs lost this game because the offense could not sustain drives, did not target Evans enough, abandoned run game in 1st half and made too many penalties and mistakes.
January 14th, 2025 at 11:09 am
Amen.
Having typed that, Bowles’ defense with two dudes who could rush the passer (JPP and Shaq) was pretty gnarly.
January 14th, 2025 at 11:24 am
A condition of Bowles returning should be hiring a proven DC and staff.
Personally, i want him gone but that’s not going to happen. BUT, if nothing changes, nothing will change.
January 14th, 2025 at 11:28 am
Wish we had a young, smart, energenic D.C. like Chris Shula. What a game plan he put together. He had his troops attacking like a pack of hungry wolfs. Passion, and fire on the sideline, and his players fed off it. Wish we had that.
January 14th, 2025 at 11:32 am
Bowles is head coach and defense coordinator so is he going to get rid of himself. Sounds like blame game excuse maker. Thats three years in a row 1-3 in the playoffs. Dungy was 2-4 in the playoffs but daddy Glazer canned Tony but Malcolm new a little about football his sons only know what JL tells them.
January 14th, 2025 at 11:39 am
Alanbucsfan Says:
January 14th, 2025 at 10:54 am
Even if you give the Commanders a FG on each of the 4th down turnovers,- the 2nd half Commanders TD was due to Mayfield / Coen botched play turnover on the 15 yard line which gifted the Commanders a TD, – the Bucs D gave up only 19 potential points.
Bucs lost this game because the offense could not sustain drives, did not target Evans enough, abandoned run game in 1st half and made too many penalties and mistakes.
^^^^^^^^^
Yes, the offense was to blame for everything bad that happened with the Bucs all year. The defense was one of the best I’ve ever seen. I hope the Bucs fire everybody except Todd Bowles, he’s the only one not to blame for any of the Bucs losses. He should be 55-0 with the Bucs, but everyone screwed up and instead they went 28-27. My only hope is that the Glazers read this and give Bowles some type of lifetime coaching contract.
January 14th, 2025 at 11:49 am
Yards don’t really matter- points do.
2023 we were actually very good in terms of points allowed. This year not so much.
Injuries were obviously a part of that, but even when healthy, the defense sucked.
Todd needs to hire an actual defensive coordinator. The league has figured his scheme out. And for the love of god get a real edge rusher that actually rushes the passer and isnt covering WRs down the field!!!
January 14th, 2025 at 11:56 am
I believe Bowles will be back but that doesn’t mean it’s the right choice.
I am not out for blood, no one needs to pay for Sunday.
I think the Bucs will be talented enough to win a SB in the next 2 years, I think that much of Licht and the front office and what they have built here. It’s great, happy to be a fan of a top notch NFL franchise.
Bowles can’t win it. Why do we want a coach that can’t win it? Aren’t we trying to win the SB!? Don’t talk down to some of us about logic and reason. Chances of me being right are way higher than you, for obvious reason of only 1 of 32 hoists, but also the other obvious reasons which are Bowles “risk it? But we might lose the biscuit.” strategy and his clock management. NOT GONNA CHANGE FOLKS!
January 14th, 2025 at 12:02 pm
Alanbucsfan Says:
January 14th, 2025 at 10:54 am
Even if you give the Commanders a FG on each of the 4th down turnovers,- the 2nd half Commanders TD was due to Mayfield / Coen botched play turnover on the 15 yard line which gifted the Commanders a TD, – the Bucs D gave up only 19 potential points.
Bucs lost this game because the offense could not sustain drives, did not target Evans enough, abandoned run game in 1st half and made too many penalties and mistakes.
^^^^^^^
Yes, it was the Bucs offense that couldn’t stop the Washington offense in the last 4-1/2 minutes of that game. Don’t forget to blame the Bucs offense for that, too.
January 14th, 2025 at 12:04 pm
Funny watching people deflect what the inefficient offensive production was in a playoff game to the year. This is the current game Not the year. Both sides of the ball failed. But on the offense final drives 1 they fumbled leading to a Washington score. 2 Couldn’t convert a short yartage situation from the Washington 11. They had a chance to seal the game.
Had Bowles gone for the 4th and missed , the same crybabies that have hated him since the day he was hired wouldn’t like that call either. Because if the Commanders did miss that Field Goal, which they almost botched, We still would have lost.
January 14th, 2025 at 12:05 pm
“Alanbucsfan Says:
January 14th, 2025 at 10:54 am
Even if you give the Commanders a FG on each of the 4th down turnovers,- the 2nd half Commanders TD was due to Mayfield / Coen botched play turnover on the 15 yard line which gifted the Commanders a TD, – the Bucs D gave up only 19 potential points.
Bucs lost this game because the offense could not sustain drives, did not target Evans enough, abandoned run game in 1st half and made too many penalties and mistakes.”
Give me a break –
1. How is the offense gonna do anything if they’re on the sidelines watching multiple epic 12-17 play drives because the defense couldn’t stop anything?
2. Why was the offense in position to fumble down on the 15? Because the defense couldn’t stop them until they got all the way down there, rather than, you know, stopping them at midfield. Bend don’t break and make goal line stands when the field shortens seems to be Bowles’ strategy on defense. The play call was questionable, no doubt. But why were they even backed up in the first place?
The defense needs an overhaul, but we all know Bowles won’t do it willingly – they’re his lifelong friends, unlike the offense, who were Arians’ guys that Bowles wasn’t particularly attached to.
January 14th, 2025 at 12:19 pm
Stormy. The defense stopped them on 4th down. And being on the 15 is no different then if Washington had punted and pinned them that far back . Give up that lame excuse.
January 14th, 2025 at 12:42 pm
LMAO They had 35 minutes of possession. Washington routinely held long possessions, drove down the field all game long. When you control the defense to that degree you dont need to score lots of points.
You are twisting things to make it sound like the defense was competent when anyone with a pair of working eyes can see they were trash. Big time trash. But keep defending the mediocre coach and his garbage defensive scheme.
January 14th, 2025 at 12:48 pm
Bucs having the fakest fan base! Don’t show up to the games and let the stadium get packed out by the opposing teams yet you want to get mad at a coach who won the division & 10 wins! Bucs have the fakest fans
January 14th, 2025 at 12:50 pm
“DBS Says:
January 14th, 2025 at 12:19 pm
Stormy. The defense stopped them on 4th down. And being on the 15 is no different then if Washington had punted and pinned them that far back . Give up that lame excuse.”
Quit up making up lame excuses for Todd’s sorry ass defense. Oh, and and conveniently ignoring the fact that they couldn’t get off the field – at all.
This loss was primarily on the defense. Like more than a few others this year – KC, BALTIMORE ATL x2, SF for starters. The Denver and Dallas games were total team losses.
January 14th, 2025 at 12:53 pm
Hell yea. Yaya covering eckler 👍
Vita in coverage 2
January 14th, 2025 at 12:53 pm
The Glazers should mandate a hiring of a DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR if they are keeping Bowles as HC
January 14th, 2025 at 1:06 pm
tom Brady cap hit – Auman reported the Bucs can now split the salary cap hits across two seasons. Auman reports the Bucs will have a cap charge of $11 million in 2023 and a $24 million in 2024.
the total cap was $255 million. so a 10% dead space hurt the bucs in 2024 no doubt.
i thought we were unlucky a couple of times.
this bodes well for 2025 imo. if a change happens, ok, but were on the right track
January 14th, 2025 at 1:16 pm
LMFAO. Both sides failed. Your reading comprehension is 3rd grade. You hate Bowles that much. The score was 23 -20 crybabies. Not blowout it could have been for having the ball for “35” mins. I’m not twisting anything. Stating fact. Offense had 2 chances at the end of the game..They failed.
Now if. You have your way Bowles will be fired and Coen will be Gifted the Job. Now say that isn’t what you want.
January 14th, 2025 at 1:23 pm
Give Pete Caroll a go.
January 14th, 2025 at 1:29 pm
The problem is not the defensive staff: the problem is the defensive style by Bowles. It doesn’t work, and it will never work. Bowles had 3 years to make the defense better under his system, similar to what he had with the Jets (how did that turn out).
The great coaches will evolve every year to make their team better. For example, Sean Peyton took over a 5-12 Broncos team in 2023, and after 2 years got them back in the playoffs with a 10-7 record in the toughest NFL division. He did it by instilling a tough defensive style, similar to the one he had in New Orleans for 15 years (152-89). He converted one of the worse defensive team to the 3rd best defensive team this year in 2 years! Peyton is a proven winner! Sorry…if anything, keep Bowles as the HC…but find a DC that is a son-of-b*tch & you will find your answer. Maybe…another Dan Campbell, who would chew off your kneecaps! This is NFL football…and not winning Miss Congeniality in a beauty contest.
After 3 years, Buccaneers’ defense has regressed under Bowles. The offense improved each year because the Bucs brought in Canales & Coen to run the offense, and each year the offense got better. Apparently, Bowles has too much pride to give up being the DC. His defensive system doesn’t work: it never has. A good offensive team can hide a bad defense in the regular & win maybe 10-11 games, but in the playoffs, the bad defense gets exposed.
Todd Bowles overall HC record is 53-65! Ask anyone…Bowles is a great guy & a class-act, and Peyton is a complete a-hole…ask anyone. But who is more equip to get to the Super Bowl first. Peyton.
January 14th, 2025 at 1:39 pm
If the Bucs are going to continue to play this trash, soft, loose, garbage zone defense – then they need to actually teach the players how to play zone. Bring in Ronde, bring in Brooks, and show everyone – including Bowles – that playing zone isn’t about standing flat footed and only reacting once something has happened.
Or better yet, since the entire NFL is going to zone defense, be ahead of the curve and switch back to man-to-man.
If the stat I read was correct, the Bucs played less man-to-man than any team in the NFL this season.
January 14th, 2025 at 1:39 pm
Mike C Your Mom was an inch away from going the other way. You too and ya let the crowd down lol
January 14th, 2025 at 1:40 pm
Something is definitely wrong on the Defensive side of the ball
January 14th, 2025 at 1:59 pm
Apparently, HC Andy Reid doesn’t have a problem with his pride; he has a DC & OC under him, and they’re trying for a “Three-Peat.” Wow, maybe Licht should try the same thing???
Andy Reid is a great guy & class-act…hmmm…Todd Bowles is a great guy & class-act…the difference: one has too much pride!
January 14th, 2025 at 2:00 pm
TB_MikeB Says:
January 14th, 2025 at 8:08 am
To me, it’s just incredible to support a defensive head coach with a terrible defense.
The only thing this guy does well is hire offensive coordinators
*************************************************************
He should be good at it by now, he’s done it every year he’s been a head coach
January 14th, 2025 at 2:05 pm
@shane Rod Munch
This is my point exactly.
January 14th, 2025 at 2:10 pm
Many of the teams defensive coaches are long time friends and colleagues of Licht.
Many are old. If we dont’t see many of them fired you can expect more of the same if we don’t see a younger more progressive staff with more energy and passion.
January 14th, 2025 at 2:14 pm
If this is correct from JJuice32, then this is stunning stats from the Washington game:
Washington 8 drives:
8plays-TO on downs
18plays-TD
12plays-FG
11plays-FG
17plays-TO on downs
5plays-TD
11plays-FG
0-punts
time of possession 36 min to 24 min
TWO DRIVES took 35 plays & 18 minutes…THREE OTHER DRIVES took 34 plays & 12 minutes…JUST MIND-BOGGLING!
AND THERE ARE ACTUALLY PEOPLE ON HERE DEFENDING THE DEFENSE…REALLY???
January 14th, 2025 at 2:23 pm
So they played well compared to the rest of the year lol. We have such low standards now for our defense we think thats great defense when we dont make them punt once lmao “at least we only held them to 23”
January 14th, 2025 at 2:25 pm
Sorry…the WASHINGTON had a total of SEVEN DRIVES in the game, chewing up 36 minutes and ZERO punts!!!! Enough said about our defense, and this is good enough for Licht…what is even mind boggling is that Washington had 35 plays in 2 drives alone…that’s crazy alone…PLEASE MR. LICHT HELP US TO HELP YOU by listening to most of the fans…keep Mr. Nice Guy, Bowles, as HC & hire a good but mean DC….
January 14th, 2025 at 2:26 pm
shane – You got it backwards though.
Since that playoff game vs the Rams, when Bowles lost the game with an awful call, he’s gone into full turtle mode and is more worried about losing than winning. Over the last three years the defense has moved from being primarily a man-to-man defense, to an almost exclusively zone defense. Now, to be fair, a ton of that is due to injury. You can’t play an aggressive man-to-man style when you’re literally bringing guys in off their couches to start a game a few days later, or needing to start guys who were 7th and 8th string corners in preseason.
What I’d do if I were the Bucs, and Coen isn’t going to be a HC somewhere else and is staying, then I’d tell Bowles I want him calling the games on defense. I’d also strongly encourage him to go back to being a man-to-man defense and live up to his rep of exotic blitzes and being aggressive. I’d basically say this is it, be a man, go down swinging if you’re going down – don’t go down passively in a trash zone defense.
Regardless of your primary scheme, you’re still going to play zone, so I’d absolutely bring in Ronde and Brooks and even try to convince Dungy to come out and teach these guys how to play zone. Bowles zone is so bad, it’s literally just guys standing around waiting for something to happen – but those all-time NFL great defenses of the Bucs ran zone, and it was super tight windows, an active, responsive zone. Top to bottom, everyone involved with the current Bucs defense needs to learn how to play zone, including the coaches.
But there’s a huge misunderstanding of Bowles and the defense. When Bowles has played his aggressive, exotic blitz, man-to-man defense, it’s looked good. The scheme still works. The issue is, they’re just not playing that style anymore.
January 14th, 2025 at 2:27 pm
shane Says:
January 14th, 2025 at 2:25 pm
Sorry…the WASHINGTON had a total of SEVEN DRIVES in the game, chewing up 36 minutes and ZERO punts!!!!
——-
And gave up a net of 16 points.
I’ll take that every time, your offense should be able to put up at least 17 points without giving up any points.
January 14th, 2025 at 2:33 pm
@Rod Munch
His scheme def works if u have an elite front 7. If u have JPP, Shaq, Suh, VV, gholston yeah the blitz sxheme works. The problem is that he doesnt and he’s running his zone scheme without his players knowing how to run zone lmao. He needs to change his scheme until he gets the personnel or he needs to hire a DC that knows how to run a zone scheme cause his zone coverage is the worst zone coverage in the NFL. Idk how we’re 29th in the NFL in pass defense
January 14th, 2025 at 2:35 pm
-Washington converted three fourth down attempts, the most in a playoff game in franchise history since at least 2000.
-Washington is the fourth team since 2015 to have 0 punts in a playoff game.
-Washington recorded 0 punts in a playoff game for the first time since 1945.
-Washington is the eighth team since at least 2000 to have five 10+ play drives in a playoff game.
-Washington converted eight third downs, which is the most in a single postseason game since Jan. 8, 2000 against the Detroit Lions.
January 14th, 2025 at 2:43 pm
AJ – I disagree about the zone, I’ve watched it for years now, it’s not just guys not knowing what they’re doing, they’re standing flat footed waiting for something to happen. There’s no way, watching hundreds of snaps, that everyone on defense is clueless. That’s by design, it’s coaches who want the zone ran that way. It makes no sense, but you can’t watch the same thing over and over and over again and not come away realizing they’re being told to do that.
It’s like with the Mike Smith defense, and people ragging on the corners for being 10 or 15 yards off the ball on every play – as if it’s the players who decide that on every down and not the coaches.
As for the front 7, yeah, better players will make it elite, but the Bucs have enough good players to get pressure – and they did get production in terms of sacks when they played man, or at least brought the zone up closer to the line. The issue is, when you play that awful soft zone, that even if you get pressure, guys are so wide open that they’re still easy plays.
When Bowles went against mobile QBs, he tends to be more aggressive, and those were the times this year that the defense looked good. I really think a ton of this can be fixed by just reverting back to what Bowles was doing under Arians – but I think it was Arians that was forcing Bowles to be aggressive and not go into a shell, so I’m not sure giving Bowles a pep talk will do much.
In his defense, per above, you can’t discount injuries. Licht will have to wisely use the draft to restock the defense. If David retires, then you’re going to need two top flight ILB’s, in addition to depth at safety and corner. Licht needs to get guys who are fast as well, that’s been a big issue on defense, most of the depth pieces are slow, in addition to trash players like Britt who just kill any scheme by being so slow.
Anyways, there’s, I believe, some easy fixes that could be done – if Bowles will just revert back to what was working.
January 14th, 2025 at 2:45 pm
shane Says:
January 14th, 2025 at 2:35 pm
-Washington converted three fourth down attempts, the most in a playoff game in franchise history since at least 2000.
———–
Yeah, but that’s the point. The Redskins were being ultra aggressive on offense, going for it over and over, and still only put up a net of 16 points.
This loss was 100% on Baker, not on the defense.
January 14th, 2025 at 2:46 pm
Why are they coaches teaching them to play zone like that LMAO? yea we need a new DC
January 14th, 2025 at 2:48 pm
also im watching the highlights rn the defense sucks whenever theres play action and mclaurin shouldve been doubled at times. bowles also blitzed a ton lmao every highlight is a blitz alot of stunts too lmao
January 14th, 2025 at 3:07 pm
AJ Says:
January 14th, 2025 at 2:48 pm
also im watching the highlights rn the defense sucks whenever theres play action and mclaurin shouldve been doubled at times. bowles also blitzed a ton lmao every highlight is a blitz alot of stunts too lmao
———
Blitzing a ton is a good thing – it’s why the defense only gave up 16 points. I don’t see how anyone can possibly think the defense was the issue. They made a key 4th quarter goal line stand and gave the ball back to the offense with a chance to go up two scores vs an elite offense.
Bowles is at his best vs mobile QBs – no idea why he decides that’s the time to pull out the ‘exotic’ blitz packages, but they worked. Considering the injuries, and going against that Redskins offense – I reasonably don’t understand how people could possibly expected more.
Going into that game, tell everyone the defense will give up 16 points, and literally everyone here is high fiving and already booking their tickets for Philly. Heck, tell everyone that the defense limits the Redskins to 23 points, and everyone is still happy and assuming the Bucs win easily.
The defense did it’s job this game. That wasn’t the case for the season, but in the biggest moment, the defense stepped up. Baker, meanwhile, collapsed.
January 14th, 2025 at 3:57 pm
Rod
Just a piece of friendly advice
Your maniacal obsession with Baker is totally destroying any semblance of respect that you have ever had on this site.
You might get a couple of Traskers to agree with you, but even they are dwindling. In other words, your opinion probably represents less than one percent of Bucs fans.
Give it up, take a break, have a beer. Maybe try tomorrow to post something that makes just a little sense.
January 14th, 2025 at 3:59 pm
As an owner, you’d have to be crazy to get rid of a coach with 10 wins. The Glazers though, need to challenge Bowles and Licht to find us a better Defense.
January 14th, 2025 at 4:01 pm
I feel like the Joes need to have a hard stance that Todd is staying because Pewter Report is saying the opposite. Even though the Joe’s stance make no sense. If the problem is the defensive staff, that’s on Bowles. So why wouldn’t they choose to move on or give him an ultimatum?
January 14th, 2025 at 4:13 pm
Rod
Here’s an idea.
Take the rest of today and tomorrow to study the game through your cherished ‘All 22’ app and check out just how many flags were incorrectly thrown by the officials. Don’t forget to watch for the ‘non calls’ as well.
I think you’ll find that biased officiating was a far far greater factor than one fumble in the outcome of this game.
January 14th, 2025 at 8:32 pm
Let’s don’t be stupid about this: GET RID OF DEAN!