Todd Bowles: Bucs “Tired” In First Practice Versus Titans
August 17th, 2022
Todd Bowles was animated on the sidelines today in Tennessee.
Todd Bowles hardly could be labeled an emotional head coach on the sidelines.
Today, Joe actually saw a moment of visible frustration from Bowles during a joint practice/scrimmage versus the Titans in Tennessee.
He was not happy with his second-team defense and flung his hands up in the air about 85 percent through the session.
This was around the time someone screamed at backup linebacker Olakunle Fatukasi, “Where are you going?”
Regardless, it was more than a camp-body player that had Bowles disappointed. He also was seemed extra dialed in on deep shots that were completed by Tennessee, among them with Zyon McCollum and Sean Murphy-Bunting in coverage.
Bowles said after practice that the team collectively needs a good night sleep because they came out looking tired against Tennessee and it didn’t fade quickly. He pointed specifically at the receivers and the secondary.
Bowles said the team must practice “fresher” tomorrow and playing “tired” led to too many “mental errors.”
Cornerback Jamel Dean said the defense started off slow “and kind of dragged along the whole day.”
Joe will have plenty in practice notes later, and there’s plenty of positive stuff, but Joe couldn’t help but wonder whether coming out tired (when you should be jacked up to practice against another team on the road) is a byproduct of Tom Brady being absent/on vacation.
August 17th, 2022 at 1:34 pm
Not sure how much of a difference Brady would have made regarding the defense sucking. Now if I heard the same about the offense that might have some legs.
August 17th, 2022 at 1:34 pm
So far the defensive secondary has looked bad 2 practices out of 3.
It’s something to keep an eye on.
August 17th, 2022 at 1:35 pm
There is a new article about Bowles on the primary league site. It’s a really good read. I am cheerig hard for Todd but also nervous for him, and us.
August 17th, 2022 at 1:40 pm
Yeah thats it Joe, the team simply is not motivated to play football without Brady. Same is true of 31 other teams.
The NFL is lost without Brady
August 17th, 2022 at 1:46 pm
Anything that goes wrong this season will be blamed on Brady’s leave of absence. The narrative has been set. These are grown men who are paid very well. They shouldn’t need Tom to motivate him. By the way, Chris Simms reported that Brady has a serious personal matter. Anyone with common sense and who’s followed Tom’s career knows that it has to be something serious to pull him away from practice. So while you derisively refer to it as a vacation, it could be that there are some things that are more pressing to him with his family. As a husband with kids, my worst fear is that one of my kids will grow up to resent me because I didn’t put my family first.
August 17th, 2022 at 1:48 pm
They better all get it together by time we get to week1. There is going to be little room for any errors or crappy play with the schedule we have this season.
August 17th, 2022 at 1:56 pm
The joint practices are really the best evaluation tool during camp. It’s a great time to recognize mistakes and correct them. You can be sure that if Brady were there, nobody would be lollygagging on offense anyway.
August 17th, 2022 at 2:14 pm
“I wonder whether coming out tired is a byproduct of Tom Brady being absent/on vacation.”
Frankly I’m tired of the drama queen.
August 17th, 2022 at 2:26 pm
It’s not like Brady does jumping jacks with the defense prior to practice.
I guess it’s possible they know something we don’t, but this defense should find ways to motivate themselves without Brady.
Gonna have to do it next year anyway.
August 17th, 2022 at 2:26 pm
Practices (and real games) like these are where team LEADERSHIP makes all the difference IMO. Coming out ‘tired’ when you only have a handful of joint practices against 2 teams is a BS EXCUSE.
What makes TB12 a leader is that he holds everyone on the team ACCOUNTABLE … and especially himself. But if he’s the only leader who shows up this year, we’ll have serious problems.
And BTW, THIS is one of those type situations, in practices AND games, where long-time veteran LEADERS like Suh & JPP excelled. Time for their ‘replacements’ to fill their leadership roles.
August 17th, 2022 at 2:39 pm
We are doomed. The Saints will once again overtake us in 2022 and beyond.
August 17th, 2022 at 2:44 pm
Defense, absolutely
August 17th, 2022 at 2:48 pm
Lol @ beano…. Drama queen huh? You must be one of those Bucs fans that enjoys losing! Enjoy Tom while he’s here cuz you’ll never have anything close to this again
August 17th, 2022 at 2:58 pm
Donovan Smith did yell at the OL today to block better. I like that leadership from Donnie. He’s used to being on the receiving end of Tom’s wrath. It was reported that Tom yelled out a f bomb and scolded the line for not being able to pick up one yard in the red zone. Props to Donnie for stepping up. I know Donnie has his haters, but he’s a more than capable LT. He’s one of the few dependable LTs in the game.
August 17th, 2022 at 3:02 pm
Murphy bunting should not be ahead of dean on the depth chart , he consistently gets burned & is soft
Gobucs!
August 17th, 2022 at 3:02 pm
@Defense. Agreed! Tom would have none of the nonsense on offense, and JPP would’ve ripped into the defense. I wonder if Vrabel called up his old buddy Tommy and told him that his team was soft as tissue. Vrabel is kinda of a jerk. I wouldn’t put it past him.
August 17th, 2022 at 3:18 pm
I actually saw some video of Zyon McCollum today. It did not show the long pass play that Mccollum gave up. The two plays I saw, he was right on the receiver. One was completed and the 2nd was actually a pass defended.
I agree with the leadership comments of some here. The team can miss leadership in these situations. More tomorrow than today in my opinion.
But if you look through the Joe Buc’s archives, you will see bad practices last year even with leaders such as Brady, Suh and JPP here. In long training camps, bad days happen even with the greatest of leaders.
August 17th, 2022 at 3:24 pm
I may have missed it if Joe commented already.
But I wonder if this has been a training camp where the guys have been out in the sun and humidity more than when Bruce was running the team.
I never agreed with the Perkins mentality that we work in the sun longer than any team that makes us tougher for the early games.
If you spent all week out in brutal sun and humidity, of course you are more drained then the dude that is getting all his physical workouts in a milder climate.
August 17th, 2022 at 3:26 pm
Practice, flight from St.Pete to Nashville, to practice in less than 36 hours. I 100% get that it’s not that big a deal
August 17th, 2022 at 3:27 pm
Nobody wants to get hurt in a stupid scrimmage or preseason game
NFL 2022
August 17th, 2022 at 3:31 pm
The Bucs have never figured out that the sun zaps your energy and that practicing in it wears people down faster. They’ve always used that BS about it making them stronger (although that was always contradicted by their string of 10+ years with 10 loses or more in a year.) They are still dumb asses when it comes to this.
August 17th, 2022 at 3:38 pm
what dooley said…and bowles. thats a grueling schedule…..throw in the joint practices with miami. i am sure the could use a day to get their strength and minds back. it’s all good though. they’ll probably lose the next preseason game and tommy boy will be back just in time for a pick me up right when they get a reality check. how many times have we seen teams suck in preseason only to dominate once the real games start?
August 17th, 2022 at 3:48 pm
Bowles should take notes from Vrabel, that dude knows what he is doing.
Not a fan of the way Bowles was gifted the job but I am sure hoping he has a great year in 2022
August 17th, 2022 at 3:55 pm
IMO missing leaders is also a BS excuse
DW, LVD, gholston, Winfield,VV….they are leaders too…they all have rings….
Just one of those dawg days of camp…now it’ll become a problem if the players don’t listen to Bowles knowing they dogged it today….
GO BUCS
August 17th, 2022 at 4:19 pm
Players don’t like pre-season, it just leads to friends getting cut.
The other thing is that I don’t see who is the emotional heart of the defense. Maybe they will find one before the season starts, or they have one who is sitting the bench with the other starters.
If that is so, then the players are only playing for a job, not for the team. They’ll pick it up.
August 17th, 2022 at 5:38 pm
NASHVILLE NIGHTLIFE IS AWESOME!!!
The team went out late last night. All there is to it.
August 17th, 2022 at 7:04 pm
It’s a byproduct of travel. I expect our boys to be better tomorrow.
August 17th, 2022 at 7:59 pm
The leadership thing is over blown imo. Where was the leadership when the Bucs got curb stopped by the saints. It happens – on to Cincinnati.
August 17th, 2022 at 10:34 pm
Time to focus on the coaching. I’ve never been sold on Bowles as a leader.
No excuse for these guys being “tired”. Titans, Dolphins weren’t tired.
August 18th, 2022 at 12:08 am
Bowles is ALWAYS making excuses. Not going to be championship coach. Too much a “players coach”
August 18th, 2022 at 6:39 am
Here we go again. This guy is now out for the year.
WTF man? Sick of the Injuries already. Pathetic.
August 18th, 2022 at 8:01 am
No one has said that Neal is out for the year. He could be, but I doubt it. Even if he were, the Bucs wouldn’t announce it until they had to. Those of you who are assuming the worst are just being drama queens in your own right.