Smarter Coaching Equals “Catering”
July 9th, 2020
A couple of retired and prominent Buccaneers were talking about the 2020 Tampa Bay team this week and intriguing takes were being tossed around passionately.
Noted Bucs sage and former guard Ian Beckles (1990-1996) had blocking icon Michael Clayton (2004-2009) on the WDAE radio hotline and asked Clayton about the Bucs changing their offensive philosophy this year.
Beckles wanted to know if that would be necessary to win. “If you put Tom Brady in that offense last year, I don’t know if they’re successful having him doing seven-step drops, not running the football and not helping him out,” Beckles noted.
Clayton strongly implied that Bucco Bruce Arians and company will step up their quarterback coaching and game-planning — and use less hope and prayer.
“I definitely think they’re going to pay more attention to, you know, the weaknesses of Tom Brady,” Clayton said. “Obviously, he’s older. He doesn’t have a lot of mobility. You haven’t for the past five years been an offensive line that is geared to protect your quarterback; we’ve had those deficiencies.
“So I really think that, you know in the past, it was more so relying on Jameis Winston to defy the odds or just, ‘make it happen because you’re a first-round pick’ — and raise everybody else’s talent to more so [coaches] paying attention to what the weaknesses are and bringing in those pieces to kind of solidify the weakness.
“The blame will be [put on] Bruce Arians and Bryon Leftwich. I don’t think that the world is going to condemn Tom Brady, so that’s more motivation for [Arians and Leftwich] to kind of change. … I would more so use the word ‘catering.’ They’re going to cater to Tom Brady and give him what he needs to be successful.
“There are no limits on that.”
Thought-provoking stuff there from Clayton, who went on to emphasize that there will be no boundaries whatsoever from Bucs coaches when it comes to catering to Brady.
However, Clayton, said, Brady is a supreme competitor who yearns for the challenge of a new offense, so that will be a nice balance between coaches eager to placate him and Brady wanting to get the most out of Arians-Leftwich playbook.
July 9th, 2020 at 11:03 am
>>> and former guard Ian Beckles (1990-1996) had blocking icon Michael Clayton (2004-2009) on the WDAE radio hotline <<<
When you need Bucs information, who better to go to than Beckles and Michael Clayton?
Is 620 hosting open mic night?
July 9th, 2020 at 11:22 am
Makes sense – you have the GOAT at QB soon to be 43 yoa. You play to his strengths and don’t try to get cute. 2 + 2 still = 4.
July 9th, 2020 at 11:27 am
Rather than leftwich or arians choosing the time to take deep shots it will be brady. Huge plus taking byron out of the equation. Brady will also make the running game better with pre snap reads and demanding they become more involved in the passing game
July 9th, 2020 at 11:29 am
The journeyman, drunken horse beater and Hands of Stone.
Is that all WDAE can afford?
July 9th, 2020 at 11:33 am
That was a reasonable take from Clayton. Underachieving dolt that he was.
July 9th, 2020 at 11:35 am
*so that will be a nice balance between coaches eager to placate him and Brady wanting to get the most out of Arians-Leftwich playbook.*
Basically what I’ve been saying.
The playbook and philosophy will still be there, but how it is implemented will change to fit TB12’s strengths and weaknesses.
Remember, Tom chose us as much as we chose him, maybe more so.
Tools and production are not my concern, protection is.
Keep Tom Standing!
July 9th, 2020 at 12:35 pm
The double talk about this position is just amazing. Perhaps someone can straighten me out.
JW set offensive records! JW scored beaucoup TD’s. JW was a baller. He had courage, work effort, and the top receiving targets in the game.
But still he lost. 28-42. So he is “blameless” and we dump on our OL..lack of running game…bad game planning from BA and the boys.
So our offensive records are the result of great Jameis but our losses are the result of everybody else?
As far as the play calling and lack of running game…ROJO ran well the second half but the Bucs still didn’t use him…they never really planned on a running game but rather on JW’s strengths winging it down the field.
So BA set up a team that could win with JW…JW is not a smart QB..not a checkdown charlie…he’s a balls to the wall let’s use the cannon on my shoulder and fire it DOWN the field!!! That’s JW’s game not Brady’s. Why would BA have crafted an offense capable of marching down the field on short passes and runs when that’s not his QB’s talent? Oh and btw the coach loves throwing the ball down the field anyway.
Obviously I’m over JW. But he DID HAVE MAJOR TALENT. BA tried to play to the big time talent and super arm and never say quit on a play…but JW also has a MAJOR LIABILITY to go with that talent…he’s a freaking turnover machine. If it wasn’t for that BA’s plan would have worked.
And let’s not forget…If TB12 does not come to the Bucs who do you suppose would have been our starting QB. IMO The Bucs let JW test the market and then they would have paid him a reasonable salary. If Brady doesn’t come here JW never leaves.
July 9th, 2020 at 12:47 pm
St Pete-
Agree with most of your post except for 2 points:
ROJO ran well ALL year, but was benched for missing blocking assignments
Jameis was Bucs 3rd choice, Teddy Bridgewater was 2nd choice.
July 9th, 2020 at 3:29 pm
Alan
I agree about Teddy…although I’m a bit uncertain…JW is like that hot chick you date who cheats on you and then comes back asking for forgiveness. You want to…but….
Not sure about your second point although I certainly accept it. Certainly ROJO’s poor blocking didn’t help his cause.
One thing is certain…If ROJO didn’t spend most of this off season working on his blocking…as in looking up the best pass blocking guru and working hard…he’ll struggle again to get on the field. Guys are not going to be allowed to miss blocks with the GOAT behind them.
July 9th, 2020 at 4:18 pm
You can’t get smarter coaching until you players can follow through.
The defense, especially the backfield, figured it out for the second half of the season. This season smarter coaching will mean opening the playbook and moving forward.
Leftwich thought his QB was getting it until the second half of the season. Then he learned that said QB had horrid retention capabilities and reverted to sandlot looking plays.
Noe Leftwich has a new QB that has proven he is capable of being smartly coached.
July 9th, 2020 at 5:32 pm
I have always appreciated Beckles more than Clayton in his analysis of the Buc’s. I know Beckles was harsh on the offensive line but that was his position so I get that.
It seemed to me that Clayton was harsh on everybody but Winston in his analysis.
Arians has run different offenses and has adapted through the years. So yes, I agree with Clayton that Arians and Leftwich will adapt to Tom Brady’s strengths. Arians offense with Peyton, was not the same as his offense with Ben, was not the same as his offense with Luck, was not the same as his offense with Palmer.
If you think Arians offense with the Bucs last year was the same as the Cardinals go back and watch the series All or Nothing with the Arizona Cardinals and compare our offense last year with the Cardinals. Not the same.
Clayton has had his opinion that it is less Jameis’ issues and that it was more fault of other players on the team and the coaching.
But just maybe the fact that Jameis did not get a chair when the music stopped really suggests he over rated Jameis as many of us did.
I am all in on Tom Brady with this coaching staff. Tom is not classically mobile but aren’t there 500 highlights of him just side stepping pressure and making a good play. Just maybe he has an innate sense of how to buy time or avoid a sack that is better than Jameis.
Just maybe the offensive line will look better for that reason alone.
July 9th, 2020 at 6:49 pm
there is no job in the world easier than being TB12’s OC.
Just sit back and ask “What do you want to do Tom?”