A Wide Advantage

November 24th, 2022

Can he take advantage?

Look, the Bucs seemed like they were the old Bucs in Munich. Running and throwing with success.

And this came against a first-place Seattle team with a good defense. Joe really, really wants to believe the Bucs turned the corner. But that was one game. In Week 10. Previously, there was little the Bucs did on offense that suggested the Bucs were any good on that side of the ball, despite all the talent.

Failing Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich must demonstrate more. It appears the Browns, Sunday’s opponent, are the perfect team for Leftwich and the Bucs offense to show they are ready to drive to the playoffs.

Rich Hribar of Sharp Football Analysis has the following juicy nugget about the Browns’ defense.

The Browns have allowed opponents to score on a league-high 46.4% of drives.

So roughly half of the time Browns opponents have the ball they score. That’s awful.

How bad is that? Well, the Bucs are No. 2 on the list of teams scoring on a team’s defense, but opponents are only scoring on the Bucs on 28.8 percent of their drives, per Hribar. That’s a significant gap and it shows Joe how vulnerable the Browns’ defense is.

Joe remembers how the Bucs traveled to another AFC North team this year, Pittsburgh, which had arguably the best pass rusher in football out (T.J. Watt) and was missing three starting defensive backs including All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick.

So what did Leftwich do? He tried to pound the ball against the Steelers in a galling loss. So yeah, Joe isn’t convinced (yet) that Leftwich will take advantage of the porous Browns’ defense.

Can or will Leftwich take advantage?

11 Responses to “A Wide Advantage”

  1. Beej Says:

    His lack of ability the last few years has been masked by the all-star teams he’s been tied to

  2. Goatfarmer Says:

    Leftwurst might be able to sit up in bed, rake some nourishment, and babble out how he do what he do, then stare off into the depths of space imagining that gaining negative yards on first down is genius.

  3. NEfan Says:

    Did it occur to any of you he is probably calling the correct plays but Brady can’t understand a word he’s saying. They do what they do, stats mean nothing. 1st down run up the gut. Anyone want to make a wager on that? I’ll give you 10 to1.

  4. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    We need to get our offensive act together….

    Let this sink in……If we averaged on offense this year what we did last year….we would be 9-1

  5. Defense Rules Says:

    Strange thing is Joe that the Browns’ defense is MUCH WORSE in run defense than in pass defense. So if we don’t run, we’ll be playing to their strength.

  6. Chris@Apple Roof Cleaning Tampa Says:

    This is a must win for Cleveland, or their slim playoff hopes will go away.
    Remember, they mortgaged their future for a currently suspended QB who will be returning next game.
    The dream up in Cleveland is this QB returns, and leads them to the playoffs.
    They are playing at home, and it is going to be a hard fought physical game.
    But I still see us winning because we are a better team.
    Cleveland played Buffalo tough, until Josh Allen and the Bills broke their spirit by putting up a ton of unanswered points.
    Their spirit will be a lot harder to break this Sunday because they are not playing in Detroit, they will be at home, in Cleveland.

    LOL, the Buffalo vs Cleveland Game that was just played in Detroit was nearly a Home Game, for the Bills. Not only did zillions of Bills Fans drive over to Detroit, but the natives of Detroit HATE people from Ohio in General, but have a special kind of Hate for people from Cleveland.
    Detroiters call Cleveland “The Mistake By The Lake”

    The point I am making is that Cleveland faced a hostile crowd in Detroit against Buffalo. This will not be the case against us!

  7. NEfan Says:

    Cleveland is a better team than Pittsburgh and Carolina maybe even GB.

  8. Goatfarmer Says:

    Cleveland has some similarities to the Seahawks. Maybe a tougher matchup for the Bucs given their two-headed RB attack. I can hear the Bucs snoozing and snoring on this game all the way from here.

  9. ChiBuc Says:

    I wonder if BA is firing up the troops, putting his red pen to paper, working with staff to solidify the gameplan. Nah, he’s out promoting BL and himself to AZ. Wait, I forget who BA “works” for. I’m sure he’ll go back to his hiding place if they lose. That snake only comes out to bask in the warmth when the sun is shining.

    Sorry not germane, but this is a duh thread…both teams want to win, must wins, trap game, gotta stop the run, corners being turned, cliche, cliche, blah, blah, blah

  10. 2022 return of the goat Says:

    TB12 ,Has to take control of the play calling

  11. Since76 Says:

    Why doesnt brady just change the play on first down when he calls the 90 % run left to the weak side. Not like bl will bench him.