Byron Leftwich Proves Good At Dancing
October 21st, 2022
Joe hasn’t been to each and every press conference held by Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich.
For a period of time, Joe personally didn’t bother with them. Leftwich rarely said anything of substance, often gave at best half-answers and largely only offered up sweeping platitudes.
Leftwich has been far more Lovie Smith than Raheem Morris, Greg Schiano, Dirk Koetter or Bucco Bruce Arians when it comes to being candid since he arrived in Tampa.
Periodically, Leftwich will drop his shield and has demonstrated he can be very engaging if he wants to be. His appearances on various podcasts demonstrated this side of Leftwich as well.
Yesterday, maybe for the first time, Leftwich was dealing with incoming fire from just about all corners in his first public appearance since that debacle in Pittsburgh. A conspiracy theorist would swear Leftwich openly tried to give that game away.
In January, Leftwich was thought to be a prime candidate for a head coaching job. His outlook appears to be steadily dropping this fall as his Bucs offense has been dreadfully unproductive — despite having some of the best skill position players in the NFL.
Six games through the season, the Bucs are averaging 20.2 points a game. That is the worst the Bucs have been at scoring since the ill-fated 2014 Bucs with ill-fitted Marcus Arroyo as offensive coordinator, Stewart McClown at quarterback and lousy Lovie Smith as the pirate ship’s captain.
That year the Bucs finished 2-14 and won the Chase for Jameis.
This year’s Bucs has the greatest quarterback of all time, a probable Hall of Fame receiver, a Pro Bowl receiver opposite him and a former No. 4 overall pick at running back.
The Bucs, along with their terrible scoring offense, have the worst running game in the NFL.
To his credit, Leftwich answered every question but scant few with any substance (he did give Joe a good answer about referees and gameplans). His answers have been consistent, saying he has called plays that he felt gave the Bucs a chance to win. He didn’t wander far from that pattern.
At one point Leftwich seemed to confess he thinks someone or some folks in the local pen and mic club have been out to get him for years, when he was asked if he self-evaluates his play calls.
“I look [at] what I’m doing as a play caller every week – I look and see what I’m doing. Obviously, everybody has their opinion, has had those opinions since I’ve been here – understandable.”
Joe doesn’t think anyone has been out to get Leftwich or has treated him unfairly. If anything, he’s been given a massive pass both in 2019 and recently — until yesterday.
Joe does remember how in 2019 Leftwich constantly ran Peyton Barber up the middle on first downs time after time after time (not unlike what he’s now doing with Playoff Lenny). Back then Joe, armed with the data, asked Leftwich if the reason Barber had no luck running up the middle on first downs was because Leftwich was tipping pitches by being so predictable with those plays and defenses knew what was coming?
That didn’t go over well. Leftwich glared at Joe and barked, “No!” He then fielded a question from someone else.
Leftwich’s Sunday gameplan against the Steelers was irresponsible in so many ways. The only logical reason for trying to ground and pound the Steelers would be if Tom Brady was hurt and if that was the case, then Blaine Gabbert should have been throwing at those glorified USFL defensive backs the Steelers started.
If NFL owners value a head coach who dances well when asked pertinent questions, then Leftwich may still land a head coaching job next year.
October 21st, 2022 at 12:12 am
Howard might go back to his old, pre-Brady days comments about how the Glazers run their team poorly from the top.
Howard thinks it’s absolutely ridiculous that thin-skinned billionaires should be above reproach. Howard understands how media members would want to avoid criticizing owners for their own job security but Howard has no such qualms
October 21st, 2022 at 12:14 am
BL can say whatever, the results are very “Lost Decade” offensively, something that would be have been unthinkable with a Brady Led offense.
Time to man up BL, get real about the situation, do not waste the GOATS time as a Buc with a Lovie Smith-“Coach my scheme” attitude.
If he ever wants a Head Coaching job, he better be willing to change, because this is getting embarrassing to say the least.
GO BUCS!!!!
October 21st, 2022 at 12:17 am
Hearing bout how Leftwich gets butthurt when called out about his predictability pisses Howard off
October 21st, 2022 at 12:18 am
BA needs to wear a headset again
October 21st, 2022 at 12:40 am
so , now he’s pulling out the victim card ……
October 21st, 2022 at 12:54 am
Brains Leftout should be removed and replaced ASAP
October 21st, 2022 at 1:01 am
“he thinks someone or some folks in the local pen and mic club have been out to get him for years”
What is this jacka– talking about? The local media have treated him with kids gloves, I’ve never heard anyone really grill him or give him a hard time. Wow, if he thinks he’s under fire now … well that makes sense on why he supposedly refused the Jacksonville job. If he’s that thin-skinned he’s gonna be an even worse head coach than I thought (although no longer an NFL head coach, but maybe a high school head coach).
October 21st, 2022 at 1:03 am
It was an issue in 2019, and still an issue now. Hence why we dont buy his self reflection answer
October 21st, 2022 at 1:14 am
Wow he’s a fragile little flower. Dude is celebrated for 3 years as having one of the most high powered offenses in the league and talked up by everyone around him. Now that hes facing criticism, he thinks everyone has been against him all along. What a victim. I wonder why he thinks people are against him?? Probably not because he has severely underperformed this year and is likely being investigated for making insider bets in vegas. Can’t wait for that press conference.
I know everyone has talked him up but now that he’s on his own he’s calling plays about as successfully as he played QB. Dude was at most average and had a longer wind up than most MLB pitchers. Definitely wouldn’t want him working with a young QB and definitely don’t want him calling plays. Fire Softwich!
October 21st, 2022 at 1:16 am
pepsi Says:
October 21st, 2022 at 1:03 am
It was an issue in 2019, and still an issue now. Hence why we dont buy his self reflection answer
——–
That is true. I believe by about week 4 or week 5 it was already obvious what plays this dullard was going to run. Every since he’s been here pretty much every offensive series only really begins when it’s 2nd and long. He just wastes 1st downs over and over and over again – and he will absolutely not change. The only hope the Bucs have is for Brady to publicly show him up, or just start calling audibles at the line. Also Brady can go to hurry up and call the plays himself.
The thing with Leftwich, it would be so easy to fix the issues. He doesn’t need to run any less, all he has to do is switch the order of his playcalls. Just call his play he was going to run on 2nd and 9, on 1st and 10, and use his 1st and 10 play on 2nd and 9. Do that for a bit, and suddenly the offense would be moving the ball and teams wouldn’t be sitting on his playcalling.
October 21st, 2022 at 1:21 am
if we lose on sunday it is time for emergency firing of the coach staff.
October 21st, 2022 at 1:37 am
stanks lost so if we can squeak by carolina we will be in good shape for the division race.
October 21st, 2022 at 1:44 am
BL should’ve taken that job with the Jaguars.
October 21st, 2022 at 2:08 am
The media carries alot of blame here. BL was annointed a “future head coach” based on his skin tone more than his ability. As always, the woke media cheered.
Now that BA isn’t there to cover for his inefficiencies, we all can see a guy that just doesn’t have it. Worse yet, he’s showing that he doesn’t have the temperament for the job.
Its over for BL and he obviously knows it.
October 21st, 2022 at 3:00 am
right about now sean payton is trying on bucs gear in the mirror to see if he looks better in pewter or red…
and quietly making calls to ball up a staff
October 21st, 2022 at 3:17 am
All this means is every game plan will be the same as the Steelers’. NFL coaches have the most incredible penchant for repeating their ego-driven stupidity. This I know, the fan base is turning away from this team as it is obviou the HC & OC are hapless.
October 21st, 2022 at 3:30 am
@Adam
Wow, how ironic if Peyton ended up here.
Howard always hated him but giy is a badarse HC
no question. He and Brady together would be unstoppable
October 21st, 2022 at 3:31 am
richbucfan,
an opinion i’ve had from the start.
imagine if we had a sean payton, kyle shanahan, andy reid? one of them is available now!!. obviously b.a. was wrong about t.bowles being a good head coach and b.l. a good off coord. wasting brady’s last years. these players with a good head coach and off coord. should do damage.
October 21st, 2022 at 3:43 am
Y’all need to lay off B.L., it’s not fair, he is still on, his on the job training… and we are screwed.
Oh we will win a few, it’s like even a blind hog has to find an acorn once in awhile.
And Bowels won’t rock his boat, the job he is doing is pi$$ poor too, and should be under scrutiny.
If we lose this weekend we all need to meet down on the corner with pitchforks and torches.
October 21st, 2022 at 3:53 am
Rod Munch … ‘The thing with Leftwich, it would be so easy to fix the issues.’
I wish that were true Rod, but can’t agree. BL is one of those OCs who’s more of a ‘mechanic’ than a scientist or artist. Some OCs (and DCs) are very analytical yet have great creativity. You can see it in their play designs & play calling. They’re very good at keeping the opponent off-balance. They seem to be great at putting their players in a position to excel & make big plays. To them, a football game is very much akin to a great chess match.
I believe that Todd Bowles, as a DC, is very much like that.
Byron Leftwich? Not so much. Quite the opposite actually. BL seems to be more the ‘mechanic’. Personally I don’t think he’s very analytical at all; he keeps making he same mistakes over & over. Periodically I see sparks of creativity, but rarely. BL’s more the OC who’s gonna just overpower you with better talent (very ‘mechanical’ IOW). That leads all too often to very predictable play calling. Kinda get the feeling that while DCs like the Saints’ Dennis Allen were playing chess, BL was playing checkers.
October 21st, 2022 at 4:04 am
Maybe we can be the good guys in all of this and offer to help Tepper out up the road, and give him BL and TB.
Like has been said,let Brady call his own plays,after all he is more qualified than Lefty and probably knows more in his little finger than Lefty ever will.
We will win this weekend as Tepper is tanking big time as we all know
October 21st, 2022 at 5:48 am
Avoidant personality disorder – someone who is very sensitive to anything critical, disapproving, or mocking because they constantly think about being criticized or rejected by others. They are vigilant for any sign of a negative response to them.
…in other words, no space left in his head for game planning.
October 21st, 2022 at 6:31 am
Outside of this staff, Leftwich won’t land another OC job.
October 21st, 2022 at 9:38 am
We should all root for Leftwich for two reason….
IF he’s successful, the Bucs will win more games..
If he’s successful, maybe he’ll get hired elsewhere as a HC & we’ll get comp picks.
Leftwich has a default answer to most every question….” We do what we do to win football games”……..getting very tired and old….
October 21st, 2022 at 10:18 am
Any time I see a Byron Leftwich Press Conference I realize this is why he will never be a Head Coach (sadly for us, meaning we are stuck with his predictable play calling until Bowles is gone)
Can you imagine having a HOF QB, 2 Pro Bowl Receivers, a top 5 Pick at RB and struggling to score with a coordinator like McVay, Shannahan, Reid or any coordinator with an imagination?
The Bucs from 2019-2021 scored based on talent not scheme. When they faced a good defense like the Aints or Rams they were shut down. If you rely on talent to always win out you are not a good coach. Of course you need good players but you also need a coach who can scheme receivers open vs better defenses and Leftwich fails at that badly
October 21st, 2022 at 12:25 pm
DefenseR your comments are astute. I believe you are right on.
October 21st, 2022 at 2:10 pm
Good for the brain dead boob. He sucks at coaching so he needs to find something he’s good at. Dancing, golfing, saying dumb stuff are all pursuits he has the capability to do better than coiching.
October 21st, 2022 at 5:14 pm
We are getting abused by every D coordinator in the league thru 6 games
Tomlin spanked both our coordinators badly
Arians was the glue it appears
October 21st, 2022 at 6:13 pm
NO LOGIC
October 23rd, 2022 at 11:58 am
@DR – exactly what I’ve been saying about Leftwich for years.
It’s not about creativity, disguising looks, creating mismatches… nope, just line our guys up and count on them overpowering the defenders. So as soon as you go from having 8-9 pro-bowl / all-pro / HOFs to only having 5 or 6, he gets exposed. Which is what we’re seeing over and over this year.
I’m not optimistic anymore. This is who we are. And Stubborn Leftwich ain’t gonna change.