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.
That is why people wanted the Glazers to go with Coen as a HC.
Right now Bowles needs to show more than what he showed last season. Another similar finish will be difficult to navigate unless this is part of the plan that Licht and the Glazers have in place.
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.
I have to agree.
People are also attacking Licht but praising Snead are missing the picture. The Rams are on a different development plan for their team compared to the Bucs. Stafford has less run way than Mayfield aka playing career left so their moves are more aggressive compared to the Bucs methodical approach which may frustrate fans. Imagine if Licth went all in with this season and the injuries mounted.
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
My outlook as well.
I can promise you two things. Buc fans don't want to lose. The second, I think most fans see that bowles is not a legit hc in this league. Nobody wants him to fail, it's just that you seen enough to know what you are getting and we can get better. Not sure why that would be a divisive take...
Nobody wants him to fail, it's just that you seen enough to know what you are getting and we can get better.
Bingo.
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
My outlook as well.
100% agree with letting the season play out and what a season it is! Sure we had a losing streak, but we may (emphasis on "may") get to see the triumphant return of Godwin, Evans, Irving and McMillan. And think about how great that may be, especially if you think that McMillan was almost paralyzed right?
I get the Bowles angst, but every season he has been the HC has had similar stories that made the season interesting. For example, if you knew going in what a shit show the 2022 transitional season was going to be, then it was impressive to see Bowles and Licht manage it and then start revamping the team.
In 2023, most people had the team as a dead loser because they had, no Brady, Bowles, no OC and (zero disrespect intended) Trask at QB because they were going to go through a FINANCIAL DRY PERIOD . . BUT THEN . .in comes Canales and Mayfield and playoffs.
In 2024 offseason people were actually debating whether or not 2023 offensive success was Canales or the "consistently inconsistent" Mayfield. Some saying the Bucs were screewed with no Canales. Turned out okay.
TO RIVES POINT THOUGH, during the period of time I just described the game day threads were POLLUTED by a anti-Bowles trolling, people who were more focused on "fire Bowles" then what was happening on the field. Anyone recall the infamous "playoffs don't really matter" lmao. Hilarious
Bowles is only the CURRENT coach . . . its only part way through the CURRENT season
Bowles is lucky we had Brady to create a winning culture which brought us Mayfield and the OC who should have taken his job after that piss poor decision in the playoffs that cost us the game and then continued to do dumb shit like that continuously after that. Smh. Like I said in the other thread. People have egos and make the same mistakes. He is no different. Would love if he proves us wrong.
a winning culture which brought us Mayfield and the OC
Canales is hired by the Bucs in in February because Carroll is let go in January and so he needed a home. having NEVER called plays hew as hired by us as an OC with Trask as his QB and the team in OBVIOUS rebuild mode. Hows that for a winning culture? Mayfield comes later (Match) and was then a $4 million reclamation project. He came here because he could START
a winning culture which brought us Mayfield and the OC
Canales is hired by the Bucs in in February because Carroll is let go in January and so he needed a home. having NEVER called plays hew as hired by us as an OC with Trask as his QB and the team in OBVIOUS rebuild mode. Hows that for a winning culture? Mayfield comes later (Match) and was then a $4 million reclamation project. He came here because he could START
Imo it was kinda like when Brady came. We still had a decent team when he left. I thought so at least. People just assumed rebuild because Brady just retired and the media said we would go back to the dark. Fans here believed it too. But canales and baker came because they saw a team that could make the playoffs. Weak division good receivers and decent rb. White is underrated imo. O line was not bad with warfs. I saw the team a little different and I guarantee you baker did too. Canales proved he could call an offense and with our offense he got a job. Good for him. Same with our guy who went to jax. Both would be fine over bowles imo.
With the way Licht structure the OL contracts and how he builds offensive teams along the OL and WR I think a lot of offensive minded head coaches can thrive here in Tampa as a HC. But Bowles has picked so far competent OC coaches and I have no reason to doubt him as a HC. My doubts about him were last year play calling as a DC which bothered me a lot.
This year I do not have as many complaints about his play calling as a DC. And his defensive squad has had to deal with injuries to 2 of his 3 top pass rushers while playing some young guys in the secondary. The only area where I think Bowles was very complacent was ILB this off season, but again maybe it is not that big of an emphasis for his scheme.
Right now the Bucs defense is forcing turnovers at an impressive clip which rivals the 2020 and 2021 teams respectively. The key is that he has to find ways to have these players clamp down and especially true if you play soft zone. A missed tackle with soft zone is an easy 10-15 yards for NFL offenses every time and if you give up four of those you lose field position every time. That is why soft zone is often saved when the field condenses to the red zone for this very reason and not at the start of opposing offensive drives.
I do think if we get our offense going again and if the defense can continue to create turnovers then maybe they got something. There's no question there's holes on defense...
The only area where I think Bowles was very complacent was ILB this off season, but again maybe it is not that big of an emphasis for his scheme.
Hard to say because they used a #5 pick on one.
seems more like they self limit their options to draft and value FAs and maybe figured internal guys were the best option.
not sure
White was an aggressive downhill player with the chance to develop sideline abilities so they rolled the dice on him. Dennis is an aggressive downhill player but he has question marks in space like White. The difference is that Dennis is only a 5th round pick which is okay if that is his ceiling or if he shows more.
Dennis did have 11 combined tackles against Arizona along with a PD, and a QB hit according to pro football reference.
Both White and Dennis fit the prototype of downhill players and not really players in space which indicates to me whether it is the 5th overall pick of 5th round pick this is the prototype they look for on defense.
Now, to replace LVD maybe they look for a more rangy ILB next year but I think that is how they have set up the players in the front seven based on specific niche roles.
White was an aggressive downhill player with the chance to develop sideline abilities so they rolled the dice on him. Dennis is an aggressive downhill player but he has question marks in space like White. The difference is that Dennis is only a 5th round pick which is okay if that is his ceiling or if he shows more.
Dennis did have 11 combined tackles against Arizona along with a PD, and a QB hit according to pro football reference.
Both White and Dennis fit the prototype of downhill players and not really players in space which indicates to me whether it is the 5th overall pick of 5th round pick this is the prototype they look for on defense.
Now, to replace LVD maybe they look for a more rangy ILB next year but I think that is how they have set up the players in the front seven based on specific niche roles.
you posted it more eloquently but that's what I meant. LVD was staying and Dennis had at least part of the skill set so let's roll with them and see what we have. If Dennis develops the coverage then we have a downhill run stopping blitzes who can cover a little so when LVD retires we replace him. We can adjust to cover Dennis coverage shortcomings.
not sure if that is loyalty to LVD, wanting to see what they have in SVD or somewhere in between but it's not really consistent with "all in" Super Bowl or bust. It's more consistent with "we need DBs more now
Bowles is lucky we had Brady to create a winning culture which brought us Mayfield and the OC who should have taken his job after that piss poor decision in the playoffs that cost us the game and then continued to do dumb shit like that continuously after that. Smh. Like I said in the other thread. People have egos and make the same mistakes. He is no different. Would love if he proves us wrong.
Bowles, Arians, Licht, Glazers all lucky what Brady created.
