“A Lot Like Bruce”
November 22nd, 2019
Interesting take on offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and Bucco Bruce Arians from someone who knows both extremely well.
Plenty of Bucs fans and media are barking about the Tampa Bay playcalling, and the conversation typically drifts to, “why the heck isn’t Arians calling plays?” Once playcaller Leftwich make a couple of head-scratchers in a game, the bitterness bubbles over quickly.
Still, Leftwich has the Bucs scoring a ton of points and they rank fourth in the NFL in average yards per game. So he can’t be that bad, and quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen (without being asked) told Buccaneers Radio how he marvels a bit at how Leftwich is so much like Arians.
“He’s a lot, a lot like Bruce,” Christensen said. “He reminds me of Bruce, you know, because he was with Bruce so long he has some of the same mannerisms and same ways he does things.”
The veteran QB coach said Leftwich “commands a lot of respect from the players. He relates with them extremely well,” and he painted a picture of just how much Leftwich is in command.
“They really are on the same page which makes it really smooth. Coach Arians has done a great job just inputting it but letting Byron do his thing,” Christensen said. “So that’s been really good. Byron really runs the quarterback meetings, a lot of the quarterback meetings, and the reads and some of those things, and I’ve kind of been the support guy.”
Well, no wonder Arians is so high on Leftwich, he likely sees himself in the 39-year-old playcaller. The “same mannerisms” line really hit home for Joe.
It’s a rather safe bet that Arians won’t be taking over playcalling for the Bucs unless the order comes from Team Glazer.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:33 pm
Well I guess I’ll amend my statement from the previous article:
We have 700 coaches and 2 of them are on the same page with each other- running outdated offensive concepts that don’t maximize the skillsets of your best playmakers while getting your QB killed.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:43 pm
Maybe Leftfoot should stay out of the QB meetings and let Clyde do his thing? Not that I have any confidence in him either.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:48 pm
BA shouldnt take over playcalling…..
BL is doing a great job….#6 in points and #4 in yards….top 10 in 3rd and long….under dirk we never had that….
unfortunately the QB and execution from the offense are still holding this offense back….
its not playcalling…its the execution….
GO BUCS!!!!
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:50 pm
That makes a lot of sense. Clyde said “we try everything “ on Jameis. Well … if everyone is talking to Jameis , who should he listen too ? I get Jameis don’t listen to Clyde if leftwhich is on every qb meeting. Why is it too hard , mcvay got Goff going. Frank reich got Jacoby going. Heck the guys in Baltimore and Carolina got their qb going. Why is it too hard to have every one in their roles and responsibilities. You see Tom Moore next to Winston. I bet Clyde chatting with Jameis then leftwhich yelling at Jameis and to end it Bruce telling Jameis go and play.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:52 pm
Bruce ain’t fixing Jameis. It’s up to leftwhich. But yet Bruce got hire to fix Jameis. Oh boy.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:55 pm
I don’t think we are thrashing leftwhich as a play caller. Yes the points are there and offense is up there. What I question is the ability of making crucial calls when it counts. Or taking away Evans all game. Or Godwin. Leftwich is just not experience to roll out and execute in all cylinders. At least not this year.
November 22nd, 2019 at 12:59 pm
I bet the owners feel really bad about this
If wasn’t for the raw talent we would not be in the top 10 of anything. You put Josh Rosen on this team and we will average 13 points a game
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:07 pm
I think Leftwich is a good play caller but not a great schemer if that makes any sense.
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:14 pm
i have a question, i feel embarassed every day i go into work and see other fans of teams doing well. (i am not from or live in tampa so fans from all over). but do you think the glazers feel embarassed for this franchise each time they go to owner meetings? i sure would but who knows because they still make a ton of money as this team continues to flounder year after year after year.
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:33 pm
Chris, there’s no embarrassment with this team. Owners, coaches, players. They’re all full of excuses and shameless.
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:35 pm
And of course management.
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:40 pm
OMG !! MY HEAD IS GOING TO EXPLODE !!
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:44 pm
Convince me that Byron Leftwich isn’t the head coach, and Bruce Arians is just a press secretary who screams at refs during games.
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:45 pm
@Joe
How much money will it take for you to ask Leftwich why he doesn’t adjust the offense to our players strength? No crossing routes, short passes, no up the middle run plays, no moving wr’s around the line? Honestly what gives? We have schemes that are not matching up with what we have on the roster
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:45 pm
“I had to look at myself in the mirror and say, ‘Hey Jameis, what do you have to do?’ Jameis explained. “And that was simply, ‘Get back to playing Jameis Winston football. Be yourself. Have that swag. Don’t try to be something that a coach is trying to get you to be.’ You know, you gotta go and be you.”
– Jameis in February
As Joe has said, being himself is a high wire act which results in turnovers-
Losing football.
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:47 pm
if we had josh rosen, we probably wouldnt be #6 in scoring but he wouldnt have 18 INTS….
and our defense wouldnt have to consistently defend short fields and pick6’s….
we would probably be middle of the pack in every category offensive and defense…
rosen would probably bring consistency…..a consistent game manager…
but yeah…keep blaming everyone else….lol…
GO BUCS!!!!
November 22nd, 2019 at 1:54 pm
They are going to get this team playing solid football. It’s just a matter of time. Fans just got no patience left for this franchise and most fuses have already been burned.
The nonstop bashing on Leftwitch is just getting ridiculous at this point. And yes last week wasn’t a good game plan but that should not take away the strides we have made. Scoring is up and red zone offense is steadily improving.
I’ll get some pushback for saying the running game is improved but you go look at TDs one time. Last I checked TDs are kinda important. Now you want yards? Watch this final stretch of the season. That’ll cure ya.
November 22nd, 2019 at 2:04 pm
813
If we had Rosen…. We will lose games 38-13 instead 41-38.
November 22nd, 2019 at 2:17 pm
Kansas95Buc:
Have already asked Leftwich if he thinks he’s tipping pitches by running Peyton Barber up the middle of first downs so much. He got PO’ed.
At the end of the day, it falls on Arians too.
As much as this offense flunks the eye test, it is scoring points. There is only one stat more important: wins.
November 22nd, 2019 at 3:11 pm
lamarcus
nawl…
the opposing team wouldnt have extra possessions….
we’d win games 24-17 instead of 41-38….
GO BUCS!!!!
November 22nd, 2019 at 3:18 pm
@Joe,
Thank you so much!!!!! It just seem like us logical fans see the issues and how to fix it, I’m tired of the team sitting in the basement
November 22nd, 2019 at 3:44 pm
It’s not Leftwich when we fumble the snap or get a false start on X and 1 (or goal) on what only seems every single bloody time.
Yay.
November 22nd, 2019 at 5:35 pm
The wheels on the bus go round and round… Bottom of our Division Suckers…
November 22nd, 2019 at 5:47 pm
Jameis and Byron have several things in common, both number 1 draft picks, big guys with long windups, and slow releases.
Leftwich had the nickname “The Windmill” because his release was so slow. Yet, he could throw the ball a mile.
November 22nd, 2019 at 6:12 pm
the common denominator in every argument of why we are losing int he past 5 years has been Winston.. you just cant win with him…. you can not have so many turnovers a game it has cost this team so many games you just cant even put a number on it …. because how do you put a number on team moral when your QB is throwing 2 or 3 picks in the first quarter ….. a good QB like Stafford, foles, or anyone like that and this team has won 6 games this year
November 22nd, 2019 at 7:09 pm
The stats are for losers crowd has a legit example in this years Bucs – on paper – great O – on the field, inconsistent, up and down, all over the place – how many ways to say it?
The same persona as the QB, imagine that…oh and a 3-7 record
I am not sure the great BB or Bill Walsh could coach the Jaboo out of Jaboo…
I have noticed that Leftwich doesnt adjust to what the D is doing to him well –
He continues to call 5 and 7 step drops when we cant protect the QB for that long
He gives up on the run too easy early in games and does not feed one back long enough for them to get into a rhythm
He calls to many predictable down and distance plays -run on first and ten, pass on 2nd and 8 – everyone knows whats coming most of the time
But yeah, we have scored a lot and do have a lot of yards
We have to All Pro level WR, we should at least be very good there…
November 23rd, 2019 at 10:38 am
The Owners need to tell BA after this fiasco of a season BA must be the playcaller with Leftwich sitting by him to learn so that Jameis will hear the voice of BA in his helmet to calm him down and keep him focused and tell him when to throw the ball away. The line coaches for the OL must instruct both D. Smith and Dotson to yell “watch out!!!” so Jameis will have a heads up he is about to be tackled whenever a tackler gets past them. Also the owners need to tell BA to devise some roll out plays for Jameis to either side in case there is one dominant sacker on the other team to avoid. Also tell BA if he wants Jameis back it will only occur if Jameis will have to sign on for a 12 million dollar prove it one year contract, with some extra incentives, because we have to use the Franchise Tag on Barret to keep him.