Is it the players, different Coaching staff or completely different front office?
I am watching the Philadelphia game from last year and what a game and this question came to my mind.
Trick question. He isn’t different
The eagles quit on their coach last year. Did you see those touchdown passes? Shit, I probably could have had that Godwin td pass.
the defense played well no doubt but his in game coaching decisions will be the end of his head coaching career
we benefited from being in a crap division last 2 years with a .500 record. Yes we overachieved last year but we had a 1-6 stint in the midst of our season. Not acceptable
Bowles defense was good last year when you consider that it played most of the year with a malcontent at MLB/captain of the defense.
Bowles defense was good last year when you consider that it played most of the year with a malcontent at MLB/captain of the defense.
they certainly played well during our 2nd half surge. Overall, they ranked 7th in PPG and 23rd in YPG. Obviously prefer the points advantage but interesting to have such a disparity there.
feel like the defense only lost us 2 games - the Houston game where we gave up 39 points and a heart breaking 75 yard 40 second touchdown drive. Then would have to credit the 4th quarter collapse to them in the Detroit playoff game.
Clearly the offense or lack thereof was the big part of the teams troubles the last 2 seasons resulting in their .500 record
saw some positive momentum end of last year but with a new offensive coordinator the only positive i'd take out of that is the continuity of Mayfield with his receivers.
I agree - really liked what Bowles did with the defense last season. Despite the Houston collapse (likely more to do with CJ Stroud hitting phenom-level & being able to expose some of those personnel gaps in our defense), and the Detroit game (Baker’s mental mistake at the end didn’t help) - for the most part that 2nd half surge was awesome to watch.
I too think we improved by subtraction and addition this off-season - those 2023 picks taking a big step this season - could be something special!
Bowles adapted very well last season and disguised a lot of problems by some scheme adjustments. Still think it was one of his better coaching seasons.
I went and looked at the Ravens last season on defense. They had 18 INTs as a defense while the Bucs defense generated 13 INTs and the Bucs did not have a pass rush as good as the Ravens.
So if the Bucs generate more pressures and sacks from the front seven and the back end generates more INTs and coverage sacks they will be a good unit once more.
The scheme is sound on defense.
The problem is Bowles is not aggressive understanding game situations and how to use TOs to help a team win games with clock management.
I don't know what changed from Bowles being a HC at the Jets to the Buc's. I want to think that the Ownership gave him more latitude and run on the team than the Jets. I do like that our Offense has kept the heat on making our Wide Receiver corp doing their job and the staff of this team on defense keeping up with the safety's and LB's doing their job. So with all that being said, what is the difference of Todd Bowles being here and not with the Jets???
I don't know what changed from Bowles being a HC at the Jets to the Buc's. I want to think that the Ownership gave him more latitude and run on the team than the Jets. I do like that our Offense has kept the heat on making our Wide Receiver corp doing their job and the staff of this team on defense keeping up with the safety's and LB's doing their job. So with all that being said, what is the difference of Todd Bowles being here and not with the Jets???
quarterback play
on the Jets, he had Fitzpatrick, McCown, and rookie Darnold.
In Bowles first season, he got great QB play out of Fitzmagic who threw 31 TDs and they went 10-6. The next season, Fitz rollercoasterd back to proving he's a back-up and the rest is history
with the Bucs, he had the GOAT, albeit not his typical season, still put up solid numbers. Bowles managed to muster up TB12's only losing season. Hardly a success story and only benefited from being in a brutally bad division.
Last year, Baker had one of his best seasons as a pro. Remember the Bucs were sitting at 4-7 at one point and took a late season "clicking" for things to turn around
Bowles seat is not hot to start the season, but if we are sitting at 3-7 at one point this year, yeah, it's hot again.
matter of fact, looking at the schedule, if we go by who is favored in games, the Bucs likely looking at a 3-7 start
VS WAS, @DET, VS DEN, VS PHI, @ATL, @NO, VS BAL, VS ATL, @KC, VS SF
the only games i could see us being favored in are the WAS, DEN, and ATL home games. It will take a quick start by the Bucs to win some of those toss up games like PHI, @ATL, @NO to maybe the first half of the season salvable and the wheels not to fall off.
the team has climbed out of holes before - (i.e. 1-6 skid last year) but just saying Bowles seat could get hot quickly.
but just saying Bowles seat could get hot quickly.
I’d suspect it’s warmer than most are willing to admit.
At a minimum his seat is warm because of where he is in his contract. He’s got some goodwill built up for navigating the team through transition and maybe for bringing in Mayfield but that could all go south quickly. Like most coaches he could be fired by season’s end
I don’t know, certainly wouldn’t dispute that his seat is warm, but I get the idea that the organization has and will continue to try and support this head coach.
Said it before, it has a Pittsburgh feel to it now. He’s got Arians & Moore as resources, they added a couple of solid OC’s and the assistant coaches are solid.
If this is true, then I think this team would have to have a total collapse before they felt like they needed to replace him.
If he’s learning from mistakes - the clock management stuff comes to mind - and we’re competitive - then they’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
Could have it all wrong - just don’t think it’s hotter than any non-elite team.
A lot hung on last season, and as Blayton said, he definitely earned some goodwill. Just feels like the organization changed after hiring BA and the focus on culture during and after the GOAT era.
We’ll see.
In questioning a lot of my friends who aren't on this board they've always said that TB has always had a good defense. In my opinion I think they've treated the Offense as a separate entity and want the offense to shine greatly. So during the preseason lets see how we progress and I really hope this offensive Coordinator shines.
I don’t know, certainly wouldn’t dispute that his seat is warm, but I get the idea that the organization has and will continue to try and support this head coach.
Said it before, it has a Pittsburgh feel to it now. He’s got Arians & Moore as resources, they added a couple of solid OC’s and the assistant coaches are solid.
If this is true, then I think this team would have to have a total collapse before they felt like they needed to replace him.
If he’s learning from mistakes - the clock management stuff comes to mind - and we’re competitive - then they’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
Could have it all wrong - just don’t think it’s hotter than any non-elite team.
A lot hung on last season, and as Blayton said, he definitely earned some goodwill. Just feels like the organization changed after hiring BA and the focus on culture during and after the GOAT era.
We’ll see.
a Pittsburgh feel?
Tomlin's first two seasons as a first time up and coming head coach-
1st - Returned Steelers to playoffs (they won SB with Cowher but he coached another season in which they went 8-8, missed playoffs)
2nd - Won the Super bowl
and from there on, have not looked back. Tomlin has a "Mike Evans" esq type streak going on never having had a losing season. That being said, he has not won a playoff game in the last 7 seasons so now it seems to be more of a this is Tomlins team and winning a SB dont matter type feel.
compare that to Bowles first 2 seasons
- a sudden Arians retirement forced the Bucs to choose between Leftwich and Bowles with obviously clear choice going with the guy that has failed as a head coach before but competent enough to run a team.
1st - Brady's only losing season in his two decade career. Taken a team that had franchise high 13 wins to a losing season. (now grant it, we lost some key players in the offseason BUT expectations were severely missed coming off the highs of Brady's first 2 years. Blame it on whatever, but head coach is responsible)
2nd - Exceeded expectations no doubt. This team had no business being in the divisional round of the playoffs. This certainly has bought him some breathing room.
it was a bi polar of a season, however, which has caused many of us to have an uneasy feeling on the teams future.
that 1-6 in season slide doesn't sit right with me and will be in the back of my mind for the 2024 season
