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Bowles 2026- Expectations Reset

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Avatar Of Badabingbucs
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Posted by: @donkey_hunter

Posted by: @rhbucsfan

How bad does our defense truly have to be for this bum to be held accountable???

Clearly, the bar is far lower than we imagined. 

Funny to think there’s an actual chance we finish in the division cellar this upcoming season. 

 

Falcons can be scary if they get an actual head coach.  They end up hiring the one guy worse than Bowles 2 years ago lmao

Panthers have already won the division this year

Saints look formable with Kellen Moore and Tyler Shough. 

i still think Bucs have most talent followed by Atlanta but yeah while we were standing still as the tallest midget, the teams behind us have been improving and clearly have higher expectations of their head coach.

I will wait to see who we bring in to round out the team, with obviously the OC position being critical but if it's another 'fart in the wind' no name hire that we are just praying is the next Coen, then yeah, stick a fork in this team 7-10

 


 
Posted : Jan. 9, 2026 12:49 pm
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Posted by: @badabingbucs

Posted by: @donkey_hunter

Posted by: @rhbucsfan

How bad does our defense truly have to be for this bum to be held accountable???

Clearly, the bar is far lower than we imagined. 

Funny to think there’s an actual chance we finish in the division cellar this upcoming season. 

 

Falcons can be scary if they get an actual head coach.  They end up hiring the one guy worse than Bowles 2 years ago lmao

Panthers have already won the division this year

Saints look formable with Kellen Moore and Tyler Shough. 

i still think Bucs have most talent followed by Atlanta but yeah while we were standing still as the tallest midget, the teams behind us have been improving and clearly have higher expectations of their head coach.

I will wait to see who we bring in to round out the team, with obviously the OC position being critical but if it's another 'fart in the wind' no name hire that we are just praying is the next Coen, then yeah, stick a fork in this team 7-10

 

Unfortunately, our “window” was slammed shut when the Glazers chose Bowles over Coen. 

Both OC’s who carried his sorry ass for half his tenure here are playing meaningful football this weekend. 

We are trending in the other direction. 

 


 
Posted : Jan. 9, 2026 12:55 pm
Avatar Of Seekpar
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You got to be kidding. That's it for the firings? I was expecting at least 2-3 more today. Bowles is even dumber than I thought he is.


 
Posted : Jan. 9, 2026 4:48 pm
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The way the Coen thing played out was pretty confusing back and forth but I doubt there was ever any real choice between Bowles or Coen as Head Coach. 


 
Posted : Jan. 9, 2026 6:20 pm
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Posted by: @seekpar

You got to be kidding. That's it for the firings? I was expecting at least 2-3 more today. Bowles is even dumber than I thought he is.

the fact that Glazers/Licht aren't forcing him to hire a real DC is malpractice.  

 


 
Posted : Jan. 9, 2026 8:05 pm
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Posted by: @badabingbucs

Posted by: @seekpar

You got to be kidding. That's it for the firings? I was expecting at least 2-3 more today. Bowles is even dumber than I thought he is.

the fact that Glazers/Licht aren't forcing him to hire a real DC is malpractice.  

 

Whatever their "plan" is, it certainly isn't based around winning or improving. 

I'm starting to agree with you on it being purely financial and they simply don't want to pay the buyout(s). 

 


 
Posted : Jan. 10, 2026 9:18 am
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Bowles as DC is a problem, but easier to correct than other problems because scheme is adaptable. We beat the Chiefs in the Super Bowl by going full Monte Tampa 2.  We played a bunch of Tampa 2 in 2025 and had some success with it (Deans picks) and then some failures but because of guys like Smith not doing their job or Vildor versus ATL. etc The scheme isn't static and easy enough to adapt. Bowles even referenced it in the Black Monday press conferfence.

The problem ON DEFENSE is more front 7 than static scheme. And also basic buy-in and discipline.  The problem is LIMITED pass rush, inability to stop short passing and the biggest one of all players not buying in.  Some of that undoubtedly steam from a lock of success with the 2025 scheme, but easy enough to change. Not that easy to suddenly get a pash rush or cover LBs or competent safety play.

Also, basic competent offense would help. the offewnse was putrid closing out and some of that (Panthers game) was on Bowles so maybe Bowles as OC/HC is the bigger problem lol

Team sport. Lots of facets.


 
Posted : Jan. 10, 2026 10:06 am
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If you are going to be blitz heavy I despise zone. Zone works well when your front 4 generates pressure.

I'd prefer we plan aggressive bump and run at the line with 1 high and let the big plays beat us but force tougher throws downfield.

Getting killed over and over across the middle with 10-15 yard chunk plays by scrubs like Pitts will drive me insane.

Bowles is supposed to be a blitz wizard but all I saw were his exotic looks getting exploited downfield.

Exotic looks aren't exotic when you do them all the time. Just like blitzing on every third down isn't a surprise when you do it every time.

Bowles doesn't keep anyone off balance he just thinks he is...

Nelson getting beat for a 40 yard TD is impossible to stomach so if we're gonna get beat that way I'd prefer the CBs were up and playing aggressive vs DEs playing deep 


This post was modified 2 months ago by FireBowles2026
 
Posted : Jan. 10, 2026 12:23 pm
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Posted by: @firebowles2026

If you are going to be blitz heavy

Bowles is a blitzer but some measure of the Bucs blitzing is "have to" over "want to."

The top 2 scoring defenses , Texans and Seahawks, are not really blitz teams but they still blitz roughly 20% to our 30%

Bucs are Reddick(2.5) Hall (1.5), Vea(4.5) and Diaby (7), so we have 6 sacks coming from out ILBs and then a bunch of others

Texans are Anderson (12) Togai (1.5) Rankins (3) and Hunter (15) with the other sacks coming. from reserved ends.  Anderson is an ALL PRO #3 pick.  Hunter 2nd team all pro 3rd rounder

Seahawks are Murphy (7) Reed (3) Williams (7) and Lawrence (6) Nwosu (7) - Murphy is a 1st rounder. Reed a 2nd. Willams 1st round.

Txans and Seahawks are only about 1/2 sack per game better than the Bucs, but mostly doing it with the front line helps both trendously. Impact of 1st rounders and All-Pros and coaching. 

 

Seems like Bowles and LICHT have their work cut out for them


 
Posted : Jan. 10, 2026 1:18 pm
Alldaway 2.0
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Bowles and Licht tweaked their criteria for the type of boundary CBs for the scheme which is why Parrish and Morrison flashed as they looked just as good in zone/off coverage as m2m.

All that needs to realistically happen is that the Bucs need to adapt the type of OLB they look for.  I think they did with the drafting of Walker but they need to continue that trend.  I suspect that we see tweaks for ILB as well and go back to a bigger under tackle than the undersized undertackle of Kancey.


 
Posted : Jan. 10, 2026 1:40 pm
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Posted by: @alldaway

All that needs to realistically happen is that the Bucs need to adapt the type of OLB they look for.  I think they did with the drafting of Walker but they need to continue that trend.

Can you expand? What is the difference in the player?


 
Posted : Jan. 10, 2026 2:00 pm
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Posted by: @mic

The ideal OC for Bowles on the market right now is Mike Mcdaniels a run first guy from the shanahan tree with heavy play action who also has coordinator experience. The only difference is the personnel he uses is speed which we have in Bucky and Tucker but Evans and Godwin are a smidge slower than he likes but I think he can make it work.

 

i do think he can take baker to another level and his timing 

McDaniel will run the passing game through Egbuka and McMillan. I can see Godwin being a piece in a Crosby trade 

 


 
Posted : Jan. 10, 2026 2:04 pm
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