I mean to me the offense has really set the tone in many of our losses - Philadelphia, Detroit, Los Angeles
Would chalk New England loss to the defense (for the 3 big TDs they've given up) and Buffalo to coaching decisions honestly despite the 44 points
What will be interesting is if guys like Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, and Bill Belichick being available this off-season, do the Bucs do a surprise move for a big name?
really, we need an offensive guy to be our head coach so none of those guys fit the bill but would be enticing to say the least, particularly if a playoff miss or first round exit
Agree 100%. The NFL rules favor the offense, so wouldn't it make more sense to have an offensive-minded HC? I mean look at hot shit Chicago stuck in neutral for years and then Ben Johnson turns it all around in one season. I put an over bet on wins before the season at over 8.5 wins and already cashed with five games left. That my friends is what's called progress, and fast progress. BTW, I made a similar bet on the Bucs at over 9.5 wins, and I think it's reasonable I'll cash that one too. I have one other on the 49ers at over 10.5 wins, hoping that will come through also.
I don't buy an injuries excuse. Every team in the NFL deals with injuries every season. The difference is that some teams deal with injuries better than other teams. And I feel it comes down to coaching up those players who come in behind the injured players. Detroit's defense was decimated by injuries last season, but they still finished 15-2 and won their division! What the hell?!?!? How the hell did they do that? Depth and coaching. They had practice squad CBs starting, and kept winning. Bowles himself says "every team deals with injuries, it's part of the game." Clearly there are teams that don't do well when injuries occur.
I don't buy an injuries excuse. Every team in the NFL deals with injuries every season. The difference is that some teams deal with injuries better than other teams. And I feel it comes down to coaching up those players who come in behind the injured players. Detroit's defense was decimated by injuries last season, but they still finished 15-2 and won their division! What the hell?!?!? How the hell did they do that? Depth and coaching. They had practice squad CBs starting, and kept winning. Bowles himself says "every team deals with injuries, it's part of the game." Clearly there are teams that don't do well when injuries occur.
I agree overall
I mean, i do agree our offense would have clearly put up better numbers with Evans, Godwin, McMillian, and Bucky playing most of the year, not to mention Wirfs and Goedeke also missing time
that is clearly a factor in the offense's output and ranking this year. The defense? ehh...sure guys like Dean, Klancy, and Reddick missing time but overall that is not an excuse like on the offense
But i just dont know if our record would have changed much at full force
Eagles - the daggers here despite the special teams touchdown and offense slow start, was the two turnovers in the second half by Bucky and Mayfield. We likely lose this game anyway
Detroit - prime time game
Rams - prime time game
Buffalo - The offense came to play today. Maybe a different outcome with Bucky and Evans. Would say this was possible
Patriots - still dont respect them despite 11 wins. Defense gave up some big plays but offense was barely functional sans a garbage time TD. Maybe this outcome is different.
So best case, we are 9-3 instead of 7-5 but i'd suggest more so 8-4
so overall, i dont think it would have moved the needle much.
I don't buy an injuries excuse. Every team in the NFL deals with injuries every season. The difference is that some teams deal with injuries better than other teams. And I feel it comes down to coaching up those players who come in behind the injured players. Detroit's defense was decimated by injuries last season, but they still finished 15-2 and won their division! What the hell?!?!? How the hell did they do that? Depth and coaching. They had practice squad CBs starting, and kept winning. Bowles himself says "every team deals with injuries, it's part of the game." Clearly there are teams that don't do well when injuries occur.
so you mean they Grizz as the OC and Bowles as the HC are bad coaches because they have a winning record and lead the division despite the injuries to the O-line, Godwin, Irving, Evans, McMillan and Mayfield?
it's possible they've done a good job with the injuries?
I don't buy an injuries excuse. Every team in the NFL deals with injuries every season. The difference is that some teams deal with injuries better than other teams. And I feel it comes down to coaching up those players who come in behind the injured players. Detroit's defense was decimated by injuries last season, but they still finished 15-2 and won their division! What the hell?!?!? How the hell did they do that? Depth and coaching. They had practice squad CBs starting, and kept winning. Bowles himself says "every team deals with injuries, it's part of the game." Clearly there are teams that don't do well when injuries occur.
so you mean they Grizz as the OC and Bowles as the HC are bad coaches because they have a winning record and lead the division despite the injuries to the O-line, Godwin, Irving, Evans, McMillan and Mayfield?
it's possible they've done a good job with the injuries?
Bowles defense is just as shitty as last year and injuries are not an excuse. Bolstered the secondary with high draft picks and added Reddick. Missed games are expected but the nucleus of the team is still there so...yeah Bowles the DC has no excuse
Grizz has an excuse with the injuries but still some his play calling is very Leftwich-Esque. The jury will remain out on him because the injuries were absurd on offense
Bowles the head coach....i mean, he lost them the Buffalo game; his forte is defense and they havent improved. All in all though, satisfactory to date but that's one Saints loss this week from him losing his job in January so we will see.
Bowles defense is just as shitty as last year and injuries are not an excuse
This is also completely false
yeah Bowles the DC has no excuse
Bowles the DC is the concerning part. Agreed
But to Rives point the Bucs are 7-5 division leaders, 4th in the conference and the story of the season is not over.
it's fans drawing straight line projections ("5-1 = Super Bowl" or "3 losses = 1st round playoff loss") on a graph that is always up and down and still has a long way to go. The Bucs might struggle from here, maybe even regress, but it's also possible that they accelerate the climb and maybe even head into the playoffs with momentum
Bowles defense is just as shitty as last year and injuries are not an excuse
This is also completely false
2025
Bucs giving up 344.9 yards a game which ranks 22nd and 25.1 points per game which ranks 23rd
2024
Bucs gave up 341.8 yards a game which ranked 18th and 22.6 points per game which ranked 16th
i mean, what do you mean it's false? If anything, one could argue we are worse off
yeah Bowles the DC has no excuse
Bowles the DC is the concerning part. Agreed
But to Rives point the Bucs are 7-5 division leaders, 4th in the conference and the story of the season is not over.
it's fans drawing straight line projections ("5-1 = Super Bowl" or "3 losses = 1st round playoff loss") on a graph that is always up and down and still has a long way to go. The Bucs might struggle from here, maybe even regress, but it's also possible that they accelerate the climb and maybe even head into the playoffs with momentum
i am with you. need to let the season play out
for example, home losses to the Saints or Falcons in the next 10 days and Bowles is an utter failure
But if Bucs go 11-6 or hey man....12-5 and praise Bowles, let's build that statue
so let's see where they end up...but i will tell you anything less than 11-6 a first round playoff win, i am going to be disappointed
Yes they do collaborate. Bowles has to know what type of player will fit into his system especially on defense and has to communicate that to Licht and decide whether specific players fit the profile. He's going to be in on the interviews of Day 1 or Day 2 guys, but he doesn't have time to do a lot of scouting and that's up to Licht and the scouting department. Licht should and does have the final say.Look if lack of talent is the problem that's on Licht.
That's mostly true, but Bowles certainly has say on what players are drafted and paid in FA. Licht is ultimately the decision maker, but they collaborate on that stuff.
Take Braswell. Both Licht and Bowles thought he was something he didn't end up being. It's not a case of not fitting the system. Licht doesn't typically take high picks just because of measurables. If Bowles says "Yeah I can develop this guy" and then he can't that's on him. But if Bowles can't develop a player then Licht has to be the one to figure out why. The buck stops with Licht.
Bowles was actively involved in the trade back and draft of Hall. He approved the trading back for picks and that they woukd just take the best of the 4-5 players they liked when they used the trade back pick.
Bowles also supposedly declined to trade back again and so they took Hall
I think this team with injuries is doing fine at 7-5. Generally not a fan of discussing injuries but…2025 has been catastrophically bizarre at key positions. But putting 2025 in perspective this team is 7-5 (losing only to top teams) and last year 6-6. 6-6 with Coen, with less injuries, and swept by the Falcons.
Imagine the Rams without Puca, Kyren Willams and Devante Adams.
Every team has injuries. I get it, but most teams are not 7-5 with what Tampa has endured.
since that brainless blitz vs rams I am rooting every day, every night every second for bowles to get fired. his defense sucks, he ignores basics of football game and keeps playing soft zones without pass rush and he does absolutely nothing to correct that. on the top of that he has no clue about game/clock management! he must go!
I will however never root for bucs to lose, not even if we need L for some particular draft pick. never!
Bowles was actively involved in the trade back and draft of Hall. He approved the trading back for picks and that they woukd just take the best of the 4-5 players they liked when they used the trade back pick.
Bowles also supposedly declined to trade back again and so they took Hall
"Bowles wanted Hall" is demonstrably FALSE. FULL STOP. END OF STORY.
This is has been equally as entertaining as the Todd "Cover Zero" Bowles diatribe that the clueless one had to eat.
I think this team with injuries is doing fine at 7-5. Generally not a fan of discussing injuries but…2025 has been catastrophically bizarre at key positions. But putting 2025 in perspective this team is 7-5 (losing only to top teams) and last year 6-6. 6-6 with Coen, with less injuries, and swept by the Falcons.
Imagine the Rams without Puca, Kyren Willams and Devante Adams.
Every team has injuries. I get it, but most teams are not 7-5 with what Tampa has endured.
oh no doubt if before the season you would have given the list of injuries and games missed by key players, nobody would have still guessed a winning record and first place.
Definitely kudos to that, my argument is that even healthy though; i maybe see us being at best 8-4. We lost to the teams we were supposed to lose too sans maybe New England.
the true test will be how the remainder of the season plays out. 11-6 and hard to complain. anything less and with a relatively healthy squad now and will be a bit disappointing.
