Last night’s game was inevitable, and while I won some holiday money betting against the Bucs, it’s still a tough pill to swallow. This team was simply not ready for this matchup. One team looked like Super Bowl favorites, while the other resembled a squad lucky enough to be in the worst division in the league. Yes, injuries have impacted this team, but there’s much more to dissect beyond that. Here comes this week’s heartfelt rant.
Bowles’ Defense is Embarrassingly Bad
Coach Todd Bowles’ defense continues to underperform against competent offenses. Last night was so dismal that it felt like the Rams were playing with 11 players against our 10 or 9 on the field. I can’t recall seeing receivers running so wide open so frequently in an NFL game, and this isn’t the first time it’s happened.
Bowles hasn’t demonstrated any ability to slow down a Sean McVay offense since he arrived in Tampa. It must feel like Christmas Eve for McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford whenever they face our defense. Stafford had all day to throw, and when his first or second options weren’t available, he had plenty of time to check down to his third or fourth reads. I hit on almost every parlay bet I placed for Rams offensive players by halftime, and Puka Nacua sealed the deal with an early catch in the third quarter.
The Rams targeted our number one corner, Zion McCollum, repeatedly last night, completing all four passes thrown his way on the first drive. On a critical 3rd-and-18, they went right back at him for a 20-yard first down. I’m not blaming McCollum entirely; the issues lie with Bowles’ defensive schemes and the techniques he teaches.
We have enough talent to beat up on teams like the Saints, who are struggling with their salary cap. But when we face a competent offensive coordinator and a quarterback who can quickly find the open receiver, Bowles defense looks schematically wrong. We don’t play man coverage enough to be effective at it, so when we do, our defenders struggle to stick to their assignments. Meanwhile, opposing teams have no trouble playing man coverage against us. When we switch to our cover 3 or cover 4 schemes, we fail to disrupt routes, allowing teams to slice through us like butter.
Bucs Yaya Diaby – Photo by: Buccaneers.com
I’ve been saying for three years that we have a major issue at outside linebacker, and until that gets resolved, we won’t be a top defense. Our defense has been underwhelming for far too long. Stafford, Josh Allen, and Drake Maye have hardly been pressured over the last three weeks. We can’t get any push with our front four. Just once, I’d like to see a player win a one-on-one matchup when we rush four. FYI… Yaya Diaby’s sack last night was achieved through a five-man blitz.
So here we are, dealing with coverage issues and a lackluster pass rush, with a coach who relies solely on the blitz. If blitzing doesn’t work, this defense has no other solutions. And there’s no help on the way—at least none that would have made a difference in recent weeks. Our fan base has been so beaten down that we now think Jamel Dean is the next coming of Ronde Barber, despite most fans wanting him gone last year. Now he’s seen as our missing piece? Absolutely not. GM Jason Licht hasn’t replaced the veteran talent lost since 2021 and 2022, and Bowles is at a loss for how to improve the situation.
Baker Mayfield Hasn’t Played Well in the Pocket Most of the Year
First, let me say that Baker has put us in a position to be a playoff contender. I can’t think of another quarterback I’d want to lead this team this year. However, he has not been efficient in the pocket. He’s had a few highlight-reel passes, like his game-winning touchdown to Emeka Egbuka in Week 1, but those moments have been rare. Much of his success has come from scrambling and making something out of broken plays, which isn’t sustainable for long-term success.
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield being pressured by Jared Verse – Photo by: Buccaneers.com
Even last night, Baker started the game by holding onto the ball too long, going 3 of 8 for less than 10 yards. Sure, injuries have played a part, but he’s been hesitant throughout the year, often missing open receivers and putting himself in situations where he has to run for first downs. We admire his grit—who wouldn’t want to play for a guy like that?—but aside from the Seahawks and Bills games, he hasn’t effectively operated within the system.
I understand that some of this reluctance stems from injuries to his receivers and the new offensive coordinator, but if he can’t consistently drop back and release the ball on time, the offense won’t function.
Bowles’ Bucs Teams Are Fool’s Gold
Coach Bowles has led the Bucs to three straight NFC South division titles. If he secures another this year, he’ll have the most division titles of any coach in Bucs history—a nice feat! However, it’s not that special when you consider the historically weak division we’ve been a part of during this stretch.
Looking closer at the last three years, it’s clear that if not for winning such a poor division, the Bucs wouldn’t have reached the playoffs as a wild card in any of those seasons. This means they didn’t have a top-seven record in the NFC, nor a strong enough record to win any other NFC division. As a result, they would have missed the playoffs all three years, which would significantly alter Bowles’ resume.
Final Word
- If the Bucs completely collapse and lose the division to the lowly Panthers, I believe Bowles needs to go. He would have lost a locker room that started the season 5-1. Many of the injuries affecting this team have been present from the beginning. He continues to coach a defense that ranks among the bottom half of the league, and his teams consistently go through mid-season slumps. At this point, that’s not a coincidence. Better coaches have been fired for less.
The only way the Bucs collapse and lose the division is if Baker misses time
Absolute worst case scenario with Baker would be 4-2 (split with Panthers, prime time loss to Falcons, and then beating Carolina, Cardinals, Saints, and Dolphins)
that would get us to 10-7 (and a pending first round playoff exit to either Seattle, Greenbay, Chicago, or San Francisco)
Carolina has tough match-ups against San Fran, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle with 2 against us and one against the Saints.
Tonight will be telling. They lose tonight and that means they have 6 losses with 2 against LA and SEA to get to 8 losses. Would basically have to sweep us to have a chance either way.
NOW....without Baker....seeing how Teddy looked last night (although have to admit turned it off early in the third), we might not win another game.
If the Bucs completely collapse and lose the division to the lowly Panthers, I believe Bowles needs to go
He needs to go barring an unlikely deep playoff run.
Labeling him as the epitome of mediocrity would be an exaggerated compliment.
What we witnessed the last night was the two teams one with a great GM/coach and the other with opposite. We had the Rams who went all in for their SB in 2021 by trading all their prime draft capital and yet in within 2 seasons were able to build themselves back up into a SB favorite through developing late rd picks, undrafted free agents and being able to coach up other teams scraps. Then we have the Bucs who have a GM who thinks he is the smartest guy in the room and refuses to part with draft picks and draft reaches or guys who cannot stay healthy, whose free agents signing are outside of Baker have been huge misses and a coaching staff who cannot develop anyone. Last night could not have been any clearer to the Glazer family that a regime change is needed but sadly they are ok cashing the long playoff home game check for barely winning the worst division in football and could care less if we go out and get blown out in the long playoff game.
If the Bucs completely collapse and lose the division to the lowly Panthers, I believe Bowles needs to go
He needs to go barring an unlikely deep playoff run.
Labeling him as the epitome of mediocrity would be an exaggerated compliment.
Yeah boy would that be something, Evans and Bucky back, Mayfield healthy and a playoff run ensues
and even though not at full strength, we looked like a high school team playing NFL against the Rams last night and not much better against the Lions or Eagles (not counting 2 fluke long TD passes as the game being close)
We got lucky with a bounce/Darnold INT against Seattle so we ain't beating them.
Feel we could beat Green Bay, Chicago, or San Francisco. So unless we get them, wouldn't think we have much of a chance to win a playoff game
Reminds me of that one brief run Mike Smith went on... Bowles gave us one of those this year -ish.
And now he's back to being absolute ass
One thing i disagree with is that Yaya has been a stud rushing the passer he's the only guy I trust winning 1on1 when we ask him too. In the patriots game he was beating willl campbell like a drum he needs to start calling his shot and jsut tell the opposite end to play upfield contain cause hes gonna win 1on1,which is why he hasnt been able to get his sacks cause the qb just rollouts without the end getting upfield contain.
In the 1999 Bill arnsparger book i read when i was about 11 that goes very in depth into defense and coverage and that dlineman need to start calling their own shots either from ET, games, or just playing contain
The other ends/olbs are average at best yaya should have 8+ sacks by now if he just yells at the other guy to keep contain but hes never had to take the alpha role which he NEEDS to do. Only way I can say is if you wanna get paid gotta start calling your shots because its gonna help everyone top to bottom
after yaya got his sack in LA they were consistently throwing chips at him.
I think theres a little disconnect with Baker and grizzard in the decisionmaking for example we had a pole shot against cover 2 the exact look we want but baker goes back to otton underneath where the mlb and olb gets a pbu on otton. Maybe baker is worried about thrwoing deep middle on cover 2, maybe he wanted to give otton his confidence back afterhis fumble, but they need to be on the same wavelength
Sorry, Yaya is a power end - he’s also plays the run. He’s not really good at pressure. He only got his sack because of the coverage that caused Stafford to hold the ball after his 3rd or 4th read.
I like him, but he’s not a stud. He’s just average. He looks like a stud because we don’t have anyone else on the field to compare him to.
Sorry, Yaya is a power end - he’s also plays the run. He’s not really good at pressure. He only got his sack because of the coverage that caused Stafford to hold the ball after his 3rd or 4th read.
I like him, but he’s not a stud. He’s just average. He looks like a stud because we don’t have anyone else on the field to compare him to.
Agreed
@white-tiger - agreed. He’s more of a 4i technique DE than he is quick twitch edge. I’ve always compared him to Greg Spires, the complimentary DE opposite of Simeon Rice during our first Super Bowl. Good player, but not great.
The Bucs are certainly NOT on the level of the Rams in this game. Its a top team against a weak team and especially their offense against our defense. The Bucs definitely have injuries, but what's really concerning is the very poor execution from uninjured players. That's why the game gets away from us early (conceding that the Rams are better overall), particularly on the OFFENSE. If you go back and watch only the first quarter you see:
1. The first drive ends in a punt BUT it should be a touchdown. On 1st and 10 we call a good PA pass and Egbuka beats his guy, but Mayfield is SOOO LATE with the ball and he is NOT under pressure. Far from it. The Bucs line sets up to build the pocket to Mayfield's left and its a good pocket and Mayfield is shuffling in that direction, he just never fires gthe ball until really late. We dont overcome the lost play.
2. The second drive is killed by Otton. He is late getting to w WR screen block and then has the terrible bobbling of the ball that hit him right in the hands.
3. The contrast at CB. Our "best" CB on the field is McCollum. He is getting beaten over and over and over. We are throwing at a CB the Rams picked up off the waiver wire. he is winning, winning and winning. Part of that is in juries to our WRs, but you cant win games where your best CB on the field cant compete and your WRs cant beat a waiver wire CB. (To be fair, he's a bit of a reclamation project so not that bad but . .)
What t do when your QB who says people have to step up and make plays doesnt make them himself, when a key piece of your current offense (Otton) cant perform at even a basic level and when your big $ CB has basically quit?
The team is a real mess.
The only positive is guys coming back and a weaker schedule, but its not that hard to imagine the team collapsing from here
@bucsbits - a lot of this also goes back to defensive philosophy. Bowles prioritizes safeties and interior defensive linemen over corners and edge players. We haven’t ask our corners to do as much as teams do in other defenses. We’ve play so much cover 3 and cover 4, in which our corners primary job is to not get beat deep, which they’ve done a good job with thru the years. Now that Bowles is having them do more, play man cover more, we’re seeing their deficiencies. And coaching of these responsibilities goes into it as well. We haven’t prioritized the playing or coaching of man coverage thru the years, so it’s hard to be good at it when you’re not doing it enough.
@bucsbits - a lot of this also goes back to defensive philosophy. Bowles prioritizes safeties and interior defensive linemen over corners and edge players. We haven’t ask our corners to do as much as teams do in other defenses. We’ve play so much cover 3 and cover 4, in which our corners primary job is to not get beat deep, which they’ve done a good job with thru the years. Now that Bowles is having them do more, play man cover more, we’re seeing their deficiencies. And coaching of these responsibilities goes into it as well. We haven’t prioritized the playing or coaching of man coverage thru the years, so it’s hard to be good at it when you’re not doing it enough.
What practice should be for. Especially if they're not asked to do much. How about for skout teams? Why wouldn't they do that for practice on both sides of the field? That's on the head coach and not being ready to have to change things up when injuries happen. It's like some people have a one direction mind and don't allow for creativity or looking for a better solution. Keep hitting your head against the wall and act like you don't know why anything has changed. Why he's not fit for this from a bigger success pov. He's lucky he's been in a shit division where he can get on a roll when the part of the schedule isn't playing the best teams in the league. It's ok if that's where the team is but I think we got better with better leadership and hopefully we can find that out.
@bucballa85 - exactly! But also, this is what Bowles knows. This is how he’s always played defense. It’s hard to do something different than what you know best.
I would consider anthony nelson a greg spires career with comparable stats, who could really benefit from a simeon rice.
Nothing wrong with power rushers imo, James Harrison, Strahan, cam jordan, justin tuck all double digit power rushers. He also had a 4.51 forty with a 37 vert so a lot more twitch than these guys
I'll do my best to highlight yaya next game im sure he'll get some pass rush wins.
