“They’ve Jelled Into A Tough, Tight-Knit Team”
January 10th, 2023
Head coach Todd Bowles went on TV this week and acknowledged that his Bucs aren’t the Bucs of years past.
Their losing record makes that obvious, but it seems Bowles thinks the Bucs have a new and higher level of worth ethic and unity that will carry them a long way.
WFLA-TV sports chief Dan Lucas sat down with Bowles and asked him what he’s learned about his club through 17 games, aside from them being a resilient group.
“Mental toughness,” Bowles said. “We make it hard, but we can dig ourselves out of a hole. The guys will stick together no matter what. They’ve jelled into a tough, tight-knit team. We knew we’re not the same team from the past, but at the same time, we figure we can work and outwork everybody, and beat’em that way.”
Bowles is right when it comes to the fight in his team. An occasional loaf here or there, sure, but there’s no rollover infecting the roster. Joe and fellow Bucs fans during The Lost Decade know all about lame effort and paycheck-first players.
The Bucs’ talent, fight and extreme confidence should help them to a “W” on Monday night, and hopefully beyond. But Joe’s concern is consistency. The Bucs haven’t been a steady team all season. So why now?
January 10th, 2023 at 4:15 pm
Hahaha.
Hahahahaaaaa.
HAAAAAHAHAhahahahahaaaaahahahahahaaaahahahaaaaa.
BWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAaaa
January 10th, 2023 at 4:16 pm
Too many wannabe soft premadonas on this team.
January 10th, 2023 at 4:18 pm
Hey Toad — how about not digging the bloody hole in the first place? What a midget of the game.
January 10th, 2023 at 4:22 pm
I don’t think you’re ready for this jelly.
Suh.
January 10th, 2023 at 4:24 pm
the Bucs haven’t been consistent?????????????????????????? From about the 3rd game everybody in the football world from San diego to Manhatten have been screaming the same damn thing. STOP RUNNING THE FREAK’N BALL ON 1ST DOWN. Is that what you mean by consistency??? I’ll give all you guys credit, you’re consistent. I hope you guys are right. If the Bucs have a problem just next Monday, just look at “Stonehenge” I HATE IT when he wears sunglasses, i can’t tell if he’s awake
January 10th, 2023 at 4:29 pm
Predictable is consistent
January 10th, 2023 at 4:30 pm
People don’t know how to game plan against the Bucs because we haven’t shown our hand all season. Hopefully the coaches and players were saving their best work for the playoffs
January 10th, 2023 at 4:32 pm
Ya, Todd, you let the team struggle all year so they could learn how to respond when the game gets tough. Do you honestly expect anyone to believe that?
Here’s a tip: shut your mouth and win games.
Please Glazers, dump this clown
January 10th, 2023 at 4:35 pm
Well, there’s some value in having a battle-tested team. But, WHY?
January 10th, 2023 at 4:45 pm
unpopular opinion: we are extremely battle-tested and I’m grateful for it. the defense could have turned on the offence but they didn’t
we’re winning this game let’s go boys
January 10th, 2023 at 4:56 pm
I think we beat Prescott and the Cowboys, but fall to the Eagles in the second playoff game.
They can be tough and tight knit all they want, but that will not save us.
Still, at least we got into the playoffs, where anything can happen.
January 10th, 2023 at 4:59 pm
If they can beat the cowboys, hopefully they’ll get the Sunday night game to give them max recovery time…
Would be really eff’d up to make them turn around and play on Saturday after MNF.
Of course, they gotta beat Dallas first…
January 10th, 2023 at 5:07 pm
I have my doubts about being a tough team, maybe the defense, but no way on offense. Offense is a total mess, they have not jellied into a tight knit unit. Hopefully, Dallas is a bigger mess on Monday night.
Does Bowles actually expect the fans to believe this BS? More garbage talk.
January 10th, 2023 at 5:25 pm
Had last year’s D been as good as this year’s Brady would have gotten his 8th ring, typical
January 10th, 2023 at 5:42 pm
Hopefully Todd makes some staff changes, and becomes a good H.C.. If not, We only have one more season of him.
January 10th, 2023 at 5:46 pm
Even if Bucs win Monday, this team always looks like a MASH unit, half the receiving core and secondary will be injured.
January 10th, 2023 at 5:50 pm
This is where we find out if they can turn it on in the playoffs. Patriots had a couple bad seasons (never a losing season) with brady…and they were completely different in the playoffs.
January 10th, 2023 at 5:55 pm
In other words, we have to overcome poor coaching.
January 10th, 2023 at 6:04 pm
I remember when my kids played 6 year old soccer. The game is going on and a few kids are sitting on the field, pulling grass and twirling it, some are running the wrong way, there was always a herd around the ball, no one could ever get it to go anywhere.
A lot like the Bucs running game this year.
January 10th, 2023 at 6:07 pm
Of the teams in the playoffs from the NFC, the Buccaneers had the toughest schedule as rated by Football Outsiders. Tampa had the th toughest scheudle.
Others: San Francisco 32nd (Easiest Schedule in the league)
Phil 31st
Dallas 27th
Seattle 26th
Minnesota 19th
Of all teams in the playoffs Miami 3rd and Cincinnati 4th had the toughest schedule.
January 10th, 2023 at 6:52 pm
I have no idea, no agreement, and no faith in what Bowles is talking about. Good Gawd, this is pro football, and all of that should come with the time a player steps onto the field and not stop until he’s retired from the NFL. What we DON’T see is good coaching The ONLY saving grace is MAYBE the Bucs can put together (only) their thrid complete game for a year AND we do have the GOAT…never to be counted out…and he IS the best NFC QB in the playoffs. Faith in “mental toughness” and “jelling?” Screw that!
January 10th, 2023 at 7:06 pm
@Buddha – wow that’s kind of crazy considering how many teams we played with losing records… maybe there is hope lol. Or the NFC just really stinks…
January 10th, 2023 at 7:06 pm
That’s interesting, Buddha. What is the Bucs ranking? your ” th ” didn’t say what place the Bucs were in.
Maybe the Bucs are tougher than we give them credit for? (Optimism)
January 10th, 2023 at 7:18 pm
The Buccaneers had the 9th toughest schedule.
January 10th, 2023 at 7:25 pm
We had no gimmes. No Bears, no Houston, no Indy, No Denver.
January 10th, 2023 at 7:39 pm
Bowles would have done himself and his team a valuable service by talking less during the season. His words ring hollow. Most NFL teams are tight knit groups. I’m taking Tampa not because my head tells me so, but because of my heart. Whenever they’ve faced superior opposition, they’ve been pounded. I just don’t trust Dak. The coaching is a wash. That says something about Dallas IMO. So, I’m going with the QB who’s been to 14 title games and 10 Superbowls.
January 10th, 2023 at 7:45 pm
Yes Redeemer hard to argue with your logic. I’m optimistic the Bucs win.
January 10th, 2023 at 8:17 pm
They have? Well hopefully they just had an epiphany recently.
January 10th, 2023 at 8:20 pm
Brother D-Rok, I’m not sure it’s logic, just a tingle in my old spine. Day drinking starts around 2pm Monday. This way, if they lose, I’m fully lubricated. BTW, you still on Mrs. Redeemer’s emergency contact list, if I need blue papering. Someone here on Joebucsfan will need to explain my catatonia.
January 10th, 2023 at 8:20 pm
I do agree with Bowles…. These guys have kept their cool. The defense has played outstanding at times, only to have the offense totally bomb. Brady’s dealt with big time frustration as has Evans and Fournette. For the most part guys have just kept battling and they’ve had a few comeback wins that really do build team character. We are what our record says but you could feel the sense of relief from this team after the Carolina game. I’m not saying we’re going to win the Super Bowl, but this team has shown the ability to dig itself out of holes and now we’re in the dance and the competition is beatable.
How far we go in the playoffs will totally depend on our execution in the trenches. Can the Oline play like they did week 17? Can JTS and Nelson continue to get pressure and stop the run? I have a lot of faith in our skill position guys as they seem healthy and ready. But our OL and DL have to play lights out for us to have any chance.
January 10th, 2023 at 9:10 pm
I guess this is how it works. Don’t acknowledge the problems or fix them decisively. Things go wrong, deny the problems some more, and keep praising the underperformers, including yourself. Use great adjectives. Gaslight (example: tell a patchwork team struggling for direction, that lacks cohesiveness and consistency, that they are “jelled”).
“We good.”
January 10th, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Please Carlton dean get picks Winfield too
January 10th, 2023 at 9:51 pm
Tom Brady 7-0 vs. Cowgirls all I need to know
January 10th, 2023 at 9:59 pm
Bucs would fire Bowles but are afraid of the backlash the Texans are receiving for firing FAILURE 3 WIN Lovie Smith after his first season.
January 10th, 2023 at 10:05 pm
Oh my god. Really?
If saying it would only made it so.
Delusional.
January 10th, 2023 at 10:32 pm
He reads the same index cards in about every interview all about mental toughness and at the half time interviews it’s we need to run the ball more lol well at least that’s consistent
January 11th, 2023 at 1:42 am
All season he said we have to get better and now he says we’ve jelled? I haven’t seen it but, then, he thought Darden did nothing wrong. His perspective seems very skewed. I don’t trust him much at all.
January 11th, 2023 at 2:02 am
if not for the goat getting really f’in goatish at the end of a few games we could be fumbling around with a 5-12 accordion…
no disrespect to other buccaneers, but the goat had a “wait a second, hold up a minute, i got this sh!t” type moment about 3 times this season
January 11th, 2023 at 6:53 am
I can’t stomach watching any more press conferences from this bum. Worst coach I’ve ever seen in my life.
Complete and utter incompetence.
January 11th, 2023 at 10:30 am
As usual the fair weather fans complain, whereas real Bucs fans enjoy the opportunity the playoffs offer. Remember we are undefeated atm!!!
January 11th, 2023 at 12:30 pm
Is Hurts even 100 percent? They aren’t the same team without him.
January 11th, 2023 at 4:28 pm
Good stuff, Redeemer bro. I got your back! One of these days, Mrs. Redeemer and Mrs. D-Rok gotta get together and take up knitting whilst we howl/holler at the TV. LOL!