Bucs head coach Todd Bowles has said repeatedly over the past few weeks that communication issues are a main culprit for the defense leaking like a sieve. What does he mean by communication issues?

I highlight an example from this past game the Bucs played against the Falcons.

On Atlanta’s first drive of the game, they faced a fourth-and-3 at the Bucs 36-yard line. Eschewing conventional wisdom, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris played the situation aggressively calling for the offense to stay on the field to go for it. Tampa Bay had just stopped the Falcons on third-and-3. Initially coming out in a bunch formation, an identical look to their previous play the Falcons motioned receiver Drake London from the bunch across the formation.

Bucs Make Long-Called For Changes

The Bucs show their likely coverage in response to the motion with nickel corner Christian Izien following London across the formation. Initially the Bucs had four defenders over the trips bunch, Izien, Zyon McCollum, Jordan Whitehead and dime safety Kaevon Merriweather lined up over London, tight end Kyle Pitts and receiver Ray-Ray McCloud. On the opposite side of the formation Tyrek Funderburk and Antoine Winfield Jr. were lined up over receiver Darnell Mooney for a two-over-one look.

The motioning of London, with Izien trailing should have kept the numbers advantages on Tampa Bay’s side, with three-over-two matchups to each side of the field. But another Bucs defender motioned with London. Strong safety Jordan Whitehead also tilted to Mooney’s side putting four-over-two to quarterback Kirk Cousins’ left and straight man coverage with no over the top help to his right.

Fans have long asked for the Bucs to run more man coverage. And I am one of many analysts who have opined for more dime coverage.

Both were happening on this play! Good things would ensue, right?!

*If you want to live in a world of candy canes and rainbows, please discontinue reading this article at once!*

The Good

Bucs DB Christian Izien – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Drake London’s motion was a snap motion that called for him to release just to the outside of Darnell Mooney. This effectively made him the “1” to the outside. With the Bucs in Cover 1 he would typically be Tyrek Funderburk’s responsibility. But London ran an inside drag/dig route while running a switch with Mooney who released vertically on a corner route.

The design of this is to put Funderburk and Christian Izien in conflict and testing the communication skills of the two young defensive backs. For Funderburk to drive down on London’s short cross from an outside leverage while simultaneously sifting through Mooney’s vertical release and Izien trailing would have been difficult.

Similarly, Izien would have struggled to follow London and immediately pick up Mooney’s vertical with inside leverage on an out-breaking route. This is what Atlanta was hoping for and immediately what Kirk Cousins looked for as his first and second read.

To their credit, Izien and Funderburk passed the routes off well. Both realized the routes quickly and took the receiver they were better prepared to cover. Funderburk followed Mooney deep and Izien physically contested London’s stem, knocking the receiver off his route. Free safety Antoine Winfield Jr. added to the coverage by providing backside help on Mooney.

The Bad

Bucs SS Jordan Whitehead – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Remember when I said Jordan Whitehead also motioned with Drake London. In the Bucs coverage on this play, Whitehead plays the role of a “Robber” coming down into the box to cut off the middle of the field for any in-breaking routes. By following London and leveraging himself to that side of the field he was committing to London’s shallow cross with Izien.

But in doing so he also advertised the Bucs’ full-on commitment to doubling both London and Mooney while leaving tight end Kyle Pitts and wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud in single coverage. Is that really what Todd Bowles wanted to have happen?

Furthermore, based on Tampa Bay’s strict adherence to right corner/left corner, Atlanta was also able to take the Bucs’ best cornerback, Zyon McCollum, and force him onto Atlanta’s least threatening option, McCloud. That’s a win for the Falcons pre-snap.

This left Merriweather, who played one snap during the game on Sunday, in single coverage against one of the most athletic tight ends in football.

Which brings us to…

The Ugly

Kaevon Merriweather was outmatched from the snap. He grabs Kyle Pitts as the tight end breaks on his own corner route, drawing a holding penalty. No matter though. Pitts was able to shake him to the ground before grabbing the easy pass for a touchdown to put Atlanta up 7-0 in the first quarter.

When asked about the play during his Monday media availability, Todd Bowles admitted there was a coverage bust in addition to Merriweather getting torched.

Kirk to Pitts for the 41-yard TD on 4th and 3! #NationalTightEndsDay

📺: #ATLvsTB on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/74YVXJTf29

— NFL (@NFL) October 27, 2024

Falcons TE Kyle Pitts and Bucs SS Kaevon Merriweather – Photo by: USA Today

“Well, we busted the coverage, and Merriweather fell down as well, so there [were] two things that happened on that play.”

There are only two possible players Bowles could be talking about there. It’s either Antoine Winfield Jr. or Jordan Whitehead. Everyone else is locked in man coverage.

One of two things was supposed to happen when Drake London went in motion. Either Winfield and Whitehead should have exchanged roles with Whitehead switching to the deep safety and Winfield becoming the robber or Whitehead should have stayed left and robbed from the bunch side. But in either of those situations Whitehead should have stayed home – not try to jump London’s route.

If the roles would have switched, Whitehead would have been the deep defender on Pitts, providing help over the top for Merriweather, which seems far more logical. If he would have stayed home as the Robber he would have muddied the picture to that side. It may not have stopped the touchdown, but it would have at least helped that side of the field.

Regardless, it was yet another miscommunication issue and coverage bust in a long line of them this season. In the video below, you can see pre-snap the secondary trying to talk through roles and responsibilities, but to no avail.

Whitehead is in his fourth year in Todd Bowles’ defense. Winfield is in year five. Zyon McCollum is year three. Christian Izien is in year two, as is Merriweather. Add in linebackers Lavonte David, six years, and K.J. Britt, four years, and you have a defense that should know what’s going on.

But the picture on the field is anything but. And until those players get on the same page look for high-scoring affairs anytime the Bucs play professional football.

You can see a full video breakdown of the play here on PewterReportTV YouTube channel or clicking the video below.