Todd Bowles And Readiness
August 28th, 2023
Camp Cupcake might have gotten more frosting and a cherry on top this year.
After the Bucs won the Super Bowl, then-head coach Bucco Bruce Arians said he would pound the snot out of his team in training camp to ready them for the season. Joe presumes the goal was to shake the Super Bowl partying out of them.
However, Arians found himself midway into August 2021 running what he called “Camp Cupcake” because NFL rules have limited how hard coaches can push players in training camp.
Enter Todd Bowles. He did a great job readying the Bucs last season through a not-so-tough training camp and Tampa Bay opened the season with road wins at Dallas and New Orleans.
This summer, Joe thinks Bowles got even easier on his team.
Mike Evans and Lavonte David didn’t sniff any preseason snaps. The plan for two joint practices against the Jets turned into just one, and Bowles put the team in shorts and t-shirts the following day for a very light session. There were other underwear football practices, too, when the Bucs could have been in pads.
Joe thought more about this last week when 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was on KNBR-AM radio noting his team’s Wednesday practice was their first of the summer not in pads.
Joe is not knocking Bowles’ preparation for the season. Joe has a ton of faith after how well the Bucs defense and run game opened 2022 against a good Dallas team. Still, it’s always worth looking deeper into how the Bucs have readied themselves.
Former Bucs guard Ian Beckles (1990-1996) was barking on his podcast early this month appalled that the Bucs let Joe Tryon-Shoyinka sit out preseason games, among others.
Relatively speaking, it was a light summer for the Bucs’ starters. Joe’s eager to see if that’s a factor — good or bad.
August 28th, 2023 at 9:36 am
If he starts to say things like we’re “Minnesota ready” then we’re doomed. Lol
August 28th, 2023 at 9:48 am
No team practices hard anymore. Hell the Eagles have the camp cupcake of them all. Now they have 2 weeks to prepare to opening weekend. Which basically means a 4 day weekend coming up.
Teams don’t hit anymore, so basically the first 4 weeks in the regular season will always be ugly.
August 28th, 2023 at 9:50 am
Both QBs look pretty good and ready. Just hope Bowles’ string on Mayfield isn’t too long. If he fails (unlikely) in early games, Trask should get a chance.
August 28th, 2023 at 9:53 am
Too late to worry about it now, they just better focus on Minnesota. Hope the D can give Cousins payback this year.
August 28th, 2023 at 9:59 am
I’ll agree on JTS. He needed the field work.
We will see what happens in two weeks. I’m hoping Bowles was right. I remember Perkins put them through three-a-days a few times and the team was spent halfway through the season. I don’t know what the right balance is but I hope it is this.
August 28th, 2023 at 10:04 am
The defense and offense looked ready on the first series against the Ravens back ups…
If there is one thing this team needs to figure out, it is how to start games without going 3 & out on offense or giving up points on the defensive side of the ball.
August 28th, 2023 at 10:13 am
The Bucs were smart this preseason – plus we had a ton of rookies and second year players who needed the extra reps and some game film to study…
August 28th, 2023 at 10:26 am
Well, You want players to play and not get injured, so is a thin line HC have to deal with….
I like Ian Beckles, but he´s ego is as big as the sun……Tons of negativity, sometimes he is right and sometimes he is not……
Just because he played so many years doesn´t make him right…..
August 28th, 2023 at 10:34 am
Johnny Wilson to the Bucs to take up the mantle once Evans retires in Tampa.
August 28th, 2023 at 11:10 am
Pretty sure none of the know-nothings commenting have any idea what JTS needed. He looked very good in the little bit of action from the Ravens game, nearly getting a sack of Johnson after he chased him out of the pocket and tripped him up for a 2 yard gain.
August 28th, 2023 at 11:12 am
The tough guy methods of days gone past don’t work. Why get so keyed up to be mid-season ready by week one when there will be 4 months of games? The key is to have them knowledgeable and in condition. I don’t see how that is done by beating the snot out of them.
August 28th, 2023 at 11:26 am
“how well the Bucs defense and run game opened 2022”
Yeah but they finished horribly – the weak training camp catching up to them?
August 28th, 2023 at 11:39 am
bowels and readiness in the same sentence..
LOL
made me chuckle. carry on..
August 28th, 2023 at 11:41 am
So far, the only time I respected Todd was in his preparation for the Munich game. It really worked out compared to how the SeeBirds prepared. So he MAY be good at something this year, as well. To me, the preseason games have been exciting, which is a far cry from last year already.
August 28th, 2023 at 11:47 am
Where’s Kancey? He’s been out for weeks with this calf injury. He’s so far behind now he’s gonna be worthless this season. Russell Gage Jr.
August 28th, 2023 at 11:54 am
Today’s game is played by world class athletes that dont need an 8 week program to get back in shape. Its a modern day miracle that 300 lb kids can run around in the Florida sun and not go to the hospital. Simulating a collision that involves both of your own players is likely not a wise thing to do. The successful coaches in this league teach the game, and maximize their talent by putting them in the best position. You put yourself behind in the limited time you have by emphasizing toes on the line, and form tackling. Develope your new offense. Make sure the new defensive guys know where they have to be, and start the season healthy and on the same page. I cant fault Bowles for doing this. I can easily wait a couple weeks and fault him for in game and in seasons decisions I dont agree with. LFG.
August 28th, 2023 at 12:08 pm
Food for thought- Camp Cupcake may be the moniker given to the less physical style of training camp, but with today’s technology, these kids likely put in way more hours in class and film study than the old timers did.
August 28th, 2023 at 12:26 pm
Pick ya poison!!!!! Last season you cried about hamstring injuries but year he’s to easy C’mon Man!!!! Let the season play out!!!GO BUCS!!!
August 28th, 2023 at 1:34 pm
i hope BA gets fired that guy is a bum trying to hire split tails to do man’s work joke
August 28th, 2023 at 1:35 pm
Team’s healthy and ready to roll. Also, practicing much smarter on offense than ever before. New OC seems to have a clue.
August 28th, 2023 at 2:09 pm
Don’t know about anyone else, but #45 looked lost once again in pass coverage! Clueless!!! Bowles better have some type of solution for this or this could be a long year….Go Bucs!
August 28th, 2023 at 2:29 pm
Mayfield will put a strangle hold on the Qb position and become the leader the Bucs need him to be. Mayfield and Canales will thrive together!
August 28th, 2023 at 2:55 pm
We’re a long ways away from Ray Perkins three-a-days. But the whole NFL is soft as they market mainly to women and trans now.
August 28th, 2023 at 4:10 pm
We Nowhere near Ready Our starters did not look. Good against the backups for Baltimore so… Believe what you want…. should have blown them out…
August 28th, 2023 at 5:57 pm
Rod Munch – you ok? Some tough comments lately.
August 28th, 2023 at 6:08 pm
With all the injuries the 49ers have had the last few years, I’m not sure their way is any better.
August 28th, 2023 at 6:39 pm
74 Bucs Fan – Uh, can you cupcakes get some new material?
August 29th, 2023 at 1:26 am
Joe you are being very kind to Bowles on the easy camp thing.
While it is true that the NFLPA and Goodell have turned camp into a dance party. It has shown up in sloppy fundamental football early in the season.
Piss poor tackling and penalties for starters.
Go Bucs!
September 1st, 2023 at 10:54 am
Die hard Jets fan here. Have seen plenty of Bowles. The record doesn’t lie…he’s a coordinator. Not a coach. He’s a bad head coach and his teams are consistently outworked, out schemed…outeverythinged
Bowles Record as NFL Head Coach since January 3rd 2016 is
22-45. That’s putrid