Seems like SVD is healthy ... and was
"I feel great,” Dennis said. “Actually, I felt great [during] our last playoff game, really."
weird that Bowles didn't give him the Evans treatment and force him to play
Question
why do you like off coverage so much?
Honestly I do not,” Bowles said.
portrays it like it's a choice/communication issue
Given the off-season acquisitions on defense thus far, the 2025 season will be a "no excuses" season for Bowles. If the Bucs are coached and schemed properly, there's no reason why they can't win the division again and make some noise in the playoffs. GO BUCS!
"Why do you like off-coverage so much"?
Bowles: "Honestly, I do not".
In fact, he despises it so much, a few years ago Davis and Dean had to openly voice their frustrations over the frequency in which he called for it...prompting a change.
And, if he "honestly doesn't like it" as he says; he probably has a good relationship with the defensive coordinator. Perhaps they should have a sit down and demand some change.
Exactly why it is interesting
Perhaps they should have a sit down and demand some change.
If you read the comment in its entirety he described it as if the CB has the call in certain defenses. That would not be that unusual.
Most of us know that Bowles did not have the personnel to play his preferred defense. This shows that he ran what he didn’t like because that’s what he had to do.
With my frustrations regarding Bowles, running an “outdated” scheme has never been my criticism. Many coaches and players acknowledge Bowles scheme and ability as high, and players want to play for him, and IN his system.
Is it a fit for all players? No, but no system is.
This is a silly off-season debate.
Most of us know that Bowles did not have the personnel to play his preferred defense. This shows that he ran what he didn’t like because that’s what he had to do.
So, explain the years before when he did have said personnel, and they called him out?
Most of us know that Bowles did not have the personnel to play his preferred defense. This shows that he ran what he didn’t like because that’s what he had to do.
So, explain the years before when he did have said personnel, and they called him out?
they were #7 in scoring.
"the only stat that matters"
that year?
Silly early, but good to read comments like this:
“Logan [Hall], . . . . probably had the most productive offseason that I’ve seen,” Bowles said. “He’s quicker. He keeps his head down and works and he’s kind of unsung with [Calijah] Kancey and Vita [Vea] down there, but he had five sacks last year and he didn’t play third downs. He’s very athletic. He played the run well, he has some pass rush moves that we’re unlocking still, and he still has another level that he can get to. But from a movement standpoint, I’m very pleased with everything I saw from Logan this spring.”
SR Fab 3 is completely at odds with much (not all) of the Red Board last season and even into this offseason:
FAB 3. The Bucs Have Total Faith In Todd Bowles
"The Bucs have complete and total faith in head coach Todd Bowles entering the 2025 season – whether you do or not, Bucs fans.
Not just general manager Jason Licht, who, like me, has been impressed with everything that Bowles has said and done this offseasonk and said so in a recent SR’s FAB 5, but also the Glazers."
First, they value Bowles as a leader of men.
Todd Bowles is a great man. He is in the upper echelon when it comes to character and class and he leads his team in that manner.
In my three decades of covering this team, I have never found a more tight-knit locker room than the one heading into the 2025 season under Bowles. There is absolutely no division and no defectors in the ranks now that Devin White is gone. No bad apples. It wasn’t even this way under Tony Dungy, Jon Gruden or Bruce Arians.
Bowles has the best locker room – bar none. And the players on both sides of the ball simply love playing for him – and the Glazers know it.
Second, instead of looking at the second straight year that featured an unfortunate four-game losing streak as a weakness, the Glazers view Bowles’ ability to bounce ball as a strength.
The Glazers also realize that those three of those four losses came without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin – and to really good teams in the Falcons, Chiefs and 49ers. Not to mention the loss to the Ravens on Monday Night Football
(Third) The Glazers chalk the fall of Bowles’ defense in 2025 to a rash of injuries, particularly in the secondary.
Losing playmaking All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. for half the season was a mighty blow, as was losing starting cornerback Jamel Dean for seven games. And no one realized how devastating the loss of up-and-coming middle linebacker SirVocea Dennis was at the time in Week 4. Tampa Bay started five different players at safety last year, including Mike Edwards, who was added off the waiver wire, and even re-signed Ryan Neal, too.
(Fourth) The playoff loss . .
As for the defensive letdown in the upset loss to the Commanders at home in the Wild Card round, the Glazers saw how it took a last-second field goal to upend the Bucs, 23-20. That wasn’t a fluke win for Jayden Daniels and Co. over Tampa Bay either, as Washington traveled to Detroit to take out the No. 1 seed in the NFC on enemy turf, 45-31.
The Glazers also saw the Bucs offense that had averaged nearly 30 points per game under-perform and only score 20 versus the Commanders.
AND THIS CONCLUSION
"All of these reasons give the Glazers – and Licht – plenty of optimism that Todd Bowles is the man who can take the Bucs to the Super Bowl and win it."
SHOULD'NT THAT CONCLUSION BE iN cRaZy foNT?
"Todd Bowles is the man who can take the Bucs to the Super Bowl and win it."
POINT: the Glazers and Licht might be wrong. And Bowles could easily get fired this season. BUT . . . SR's fab 3 reflects the view inside OBP all along.
That all sounds great so long as it leads to continuous improvement and results on the field. There were numerous missteps by the coaches and the players last season. I hope they are all working on their mental game in addition to all the normal stuff.
That all sounds great so long as it leads to continuous improvement and results on the field.
Exactly.
Talk is cheap.
Pressed by Mina Kimes about Bucs edge rushers, Foxworth countered that plenty of teams with good pass rushers have poor defenses.
“Todd Bowles, his schemes are the best pass rusher,” Foxworth said.