After a night to sleep off yesterday’s loss, I’m feeling a bit better. This Bucs team doesn’t have a quit button; they fight until the end. That’s a solid foundation to build on. But there’s still a lot to unpack in today’s rant.
I have two crucial questions, and one might stir up more debate than the other. First and foremost, this Bucs team needs to start faster in every phase of the game. Our defense has allowed points on the first drive of every game, our offense has started slow in 2 of 4 games, and our special teams… well, they’re anything but special.
Let’s dive into that. A football team is built on three units: offense, defense, and special teams. In the NFL, you can’t afford to have even one unit falter and still expect to consistently win. We got away with it in the first three weeks, albeit against inferior competition. That strategy won’t hold up against teams like the Eagles.
I wouldn’t be surprised if our special teams coordinator is shown the door soon. However, I also recognize that special teams have struggled throughout Coach Bowles’ tenure. The only consistent bright spot has been our kicker, and I don’t attribute his success or struggles to the coaching staff—that’s on the kicker. Even when Chase McLaughlin had a rough start, I believed he’d bounce back, and he has been fantastic the last two games.
I place more responsibility on the coach when it comes to coverage schemes on kickoffs and punts, as well as the effectiveness of return units. Special teams are less about personnel and more about scheme. Time and again, I see our opponents returning kickoffs against us without being touched until they reach the 30-35 yard line. Meanwhile, Sean Tucker is left to make defenders miss or break tackles at the 20. That’s a scheme issue. This has been a problem for four games now, and frankly, it’s been ongoing for a while. Before rule changes, we were one of the best teams at kicking touchbacks and limiting returns. But even then, when a kick fell short, our coverage got shredded.
Here are a few eye-opening stats to consider: We’ve had three kicks blocked (two punts and one field goal) in as many games. Yes, our punter is slow to get his punts off and may need to be replaced, but the blocking scheme is also being exploited. Having three kicks blocked in three games is embarrassing, even for high school football. That’s a fireable offense in the NFL. Our punt coverage unit ranks among the worst in the NFL (30th), allowing an average of 19.2 yards per return. Our kickoff coverage and return units are at the bottom of the league as well; for example, the Eagles averaged 29.6 yards per kickoff return yesterday, while we only averaged 19.2 yards. To top it off, we committed two penalties on returns yesterday. All of this is inexcusable and directly impacted yesterday’s outcome.
Last week, I mentioned that tough discussions were likely happening at One Buc Place. How long can we let this continue?
Now, onto a topic that may spark some pushback. It’s early to make definitive statements, but from what I’ve seen in the first four weeks, Josh Grizzard isn’t Liam Coen. He’s not bad, but Coen was an exceptional offensive coordinator. Compare last year’s offensive performance against the Eagles to this year’s game... Coen made it easier for the players. Good coaches are a step ahead of the defensive, especially early in games. His run game scheme, based on “Wing T” philosophies, created holes through his play calling as much as through the blocking.
I’m not seeing delayed screens to running backs or tight ends this season. Where are the tight ends? Grizzard is starting to show predictable patterns while Coen thrived on unpredictability. This year, we’re making big plays primarily on broken plays (like yesterday’s 77 and 72-yard touchdowns). Last year, the plays worked themselves; this year, players are struggling to get separation. We run on first down to avoid abandoning the run game, while last year we took advantage of defensive looks, throwing when the opportunity arose and running when the look was advantageous.
Coen coached with the mindset that we needed to score 30+ points a game. Grizzard seems to coach as if he’s trying to avoid mistakes. It’s early for him, and while he’s not bad and will improve, right now, he’s not Coen.
Go Bucs!