New Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen got out to a hot start in 2024 as his offense came out of the gate firing on all cylinders with 37 points – thanks to four touchdown passes from quarterback Baker Mayfield, including one to wide receiver Chris Godwin. Week 2 proved to be tougher sledding for the first-time pro play caller as Tampa Bay notched just 20 points in Detroit.

But that doesn’t mean Coen didn’t find opportunities to get into his bag. But before I get to the creative play it is important to set the scene because most brilliant calls are set up long before the play actually gets into the quarterback’s headset.

Liam Coen Is Introducing The “Pony” Package to Tampa Bay

Bucs RB Bucky Irving and TE Payne Durham – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

As part of his new offense Liam Coen is trying to get different combinations of his playmakers on the field. One such combination utilizes both of the Bucs’ top running backs, Rachaad White and Bucky Irving. In Week 1, Coen ran the “Pony” package, which comprises of two running backs, two receivers and one tight end, three times.

In Week 2, Coen went back to that well four more times.

The two running back personnel grouping is not new to the NFL, but it is seldom used. In theory it can force defenses into tough personnel matchups. If they choose to stay in base personnel, they give up speed and athleticism.

But if they choose to go lighter with a nickel package that includes five defensive backs, they give up some size to fit the run. However, most offenses eschew the Pony package in large part because one or more of the running backs lacks the entire repertoire of skills needed to leverage the advantage. These skills include blocking, hands as a receiver, and the ability to win in space.

Coen, for his part, has used the package to minimize the need for one of those skills. To date the Bucs have split Irving out wide pre-snap and then bringing him across the formation with snap motion. If a play were to be designed for him, by hand off on a sweep or end-around, or as a pop pass, he is running away from the backfield and putting White on the backside of the play where he is not a crucial element of the blocking scheme.

Bucs have been experimenting with the “Pony” package through the first two weeks of the season. Mostly they have motioned Bucky Irving from out wide to through the backfield at the snap. Often this has led to an end around/jet sweep or “pop” pass like here. pic.twitter.com/JZCaUymhxA

— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) September 18, 2024

Bucs Were Screen Heavy Week 1

Per Pro Football Focus, 30% of Baker Mayfield’s pass attempts in week one was behind the line of scrimmage. And the Bucs offense was extremely effective in executing those plays, gaining 113 yards on nine attempts while averaging 12.6 yards per attempt. And all of that didn’t even include the explosive screen to Chris Godwin that was called back due to a holding penalty on Trey Palmer.

Baker Mayfield also had 30% of his passes go behind the line of scrimmage in week one like this screen to Chris Godwin. pic.twitter.com/9CnaYl52Pq

— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) September 18, 2024

Coen put enough screen reps together that it had to be a major point of emphasis for the Lions defense as they prepared for the two teams’ Week 2 matchup. Considering the Bucs have three players that have shown to be varying degrees of dangerous, Godwin and running backs Rachaad White and Bucky Irving, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn certainly had his squad prepared to trigger on these potential plays as a part of their game plan.

Baker Mayfield Connected With Chris Godwin On A Tendency-Breaker Play

Given the tendencies that these two parts of the Bucs’ week one game plan converged to create it makes sense that the Lions were ready to pounce. And that’s when Liam Coen broke the tendency and called for a vertical…

Coen used both of these previous looks/tendencies to catch the Lions on this shot play to Godwin for a touchdown week 2 vs Detroit. pic.twitter.com/ZdjXmFquVG

— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) September 18, 2024

In the second quarter the Bucs went back to the Pony package, again with Bucky Irving motioning across the formation at the snap. Add in that Chris Godwin, who is large part of Tampa Bay’s screen game from the slot, did not immediately break into the field on a route and nickel corner Amik Robertson was immediately keying in on a screen. You’ll notice at first, he breaks on Godwin, thinking the ball might go to him. Then, quickly seeing Godwin is setting up for a block, changes course to get in the backfield to stop a potential screen to Irving.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: USA Today

That’s when Godwin takes off down the sideline on a vertical wheel route. With the Lions in Cover 3, a wheel route behind a post or middle-of-the-field vertical can be extremely difficult to cover, as the Bucs know all too well.

Mike Evans creates the coverage bust by angling his vertical route to the middle of the field he attracts both the over-the-top safety as well as the field corner, Terrion Arnold. This leaves the deep sideline uncovered for Godwin to catch and scamper to the end zone for a 41-yard catch-and-run touchdown.

Mayfield was asked about the play on Wednesday and he confirmed that the play was set up long before it was called.

“It’s a similar look to what we’ve had in the past of showing a screen to the [running] back, really just trying to play that game on the flat defender – getting his eyes in the wrong place and getting it to where he can’t be right,” Mayfield said. “[If] he goes with Chris, I’m able to throw it to the screen, and just not letting them be right. That’s why I said after the game – unbelievable design by Liam to put a guy in a bind like that. It makes my job really easy.”

For many, myself included, football is the ultimate game of chess come to life. Between offensive and defensive play-callers it isn’t about the next play. It is about setting up a play in the next drive, the next quarter, the next game, or even late in the season or the playoffs.

And when those plays get called and hit – it is poetry in motion.