Did Bills Simply Outcoach The Bucs?
November 1st, 2023
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
Some very interesting details here on how the Bills owned the Bucs for about three quarters in last Thursday’s Bucs loss.
Per the research of Ted Nguyen from The Athletic, the Bills decided to go no-huddle big time last Thursday. It appeared, per Nguyen, to really throw off the Bucs defense.
To that end, when the Bills went no-huddle, not only did it prevent the Bucs from substituting very much, it took the Bucs out of Bucs coach Todd Bowles’ wheelhouse: Blitzing.
The Bills offense was out of sync in the three games before Week 8. They hadn’t played up to their usual standard. Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey made a smart decision to use tempo and go no-huddle against the Buccaneers on Thursday. The result was remarkable efficiency. On no-huddle plays, the Bills had an offensive success rate (gain half of the distance to first on first and second downs or convert on third or fourth downs) of 65 percent. To put that in perspective, last season, the Chiefs were top in the league with a success rate of 52.9 percent.
What was very revealing here is that Nguyen documented the Bills did not use the no-huddle in the fourth quarter. What happened? The Bucs’ defense rose up and forced four Buffalo punts and the Bucs nearly pulled off an upset.
The Bills only had one explosive play from no-huddle Thursday but the focus was efficiency and getting the ball out of Josh Allen’s hands quickly and getting their playmakers in space. It helped Allen stay engaged but more importantly, forced the normally blitz-happy Buccaneers to stay vanilla. On no-huddle plays, the Buccaneers were only able to blitz Allen on 20 percent of dropbacks. Coming into the game, they were blitzing opposing quarterbacks on 37.2 percent of dropbacks. They went no-huddle for 20 plays, which is significantly more than any game this season. They stopped going no-huddle in the fourth quarter when they were running out the clock.
Here is the thing: It appears that Houston coach DeMeco Ryans has a clue to what he is doing. The Texans are 3-3 when most folks thought they’d stink out loud this year. Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud is developing quite nicely.
Stroud is used to a no-huddle since he did a bunch of that at Ohio State. If the Bucs struggled so much with the no-huddle in Buffalo, what is stopping Houston from trying the same thing on Sunday against the Bucs?
November 1st, 2023 at 7:38 am
“Did Bills Simply Outcoached The Bucs?” Uh…yea.
November 1st, 2023 at 7:41 am
The Bills have the QB and overall talent to go no huddle. The two games we were really outcoached were the Lions after a Bye and especially the Falcons. How do we lose to the Falcons with the division lead on the line?
November 1st, 2023 at 7:41 am
Cue up another 63 posts of “fire the coach!”
November 1st, 2023 at 7:49 am
“How do we lose to the Falcons with the division lead on the line?”
That one hurt, is the only inexcusable loss of the 4
November 1st, 2023 at 7:56 am
We’ve been out coached since the Rams game where Bowles calls an all out blitz leaving Kupp wide open. Bowles isn’t that difficult to figure out, he’s going to blitz. If that’s not working he’s screwed, he can’t adjust on the fly. Again we can run uptempo, we were actually pretty good at it with Brady but Bowles would rather keep jamming a square peg into a round hole and make it work his way.
November 1st, 2023 at 8:13 am
Did the title simply get grammered wrong?
November 1st, 2023 at 8:15 am
Agreed on the Falcons loss, it hurt the most out of the losses so far
November 1st, 2023 at 8:16 am
Lovie is a one trick pony….blitzes.
November 1st, 2023 at 8:18 am
Don’t care grammar police.
November 1st, 2023 at 8:22 am
The joys of canging headlines and writing stories at 1 a.m. 🤷♂️
November 1st, 2023 at 8:27 am
Bucs outclassed?
Dog bites man.
November 1st, 2023 at 8:30 am
No kidding, the Bucs are on a downward trajectory because of pathetic decisions made by Bowles. The guy always gets outcoached and never is prepared. Why the Glazers allowed this guy to be HC is beyond my comprehension. Now the Bucs are stuck with a bad HC and a guy who was never a OC before and it shows. Not sure I can even watch the Niners game, it’s going to be another disaster.
November 1st, 2023 at 8:30 am
Pretty sure a damn pee wee coach could out coach Bowles not really hard to do. The last 3 games he obviously has made no adjustments.
November 1st, 2023 at 8:41 am
Plant High could easily out coach the Bucs.
November 1st, 2023 at 8:46 am
As usual.
November 1st, 2023 at 8:50 am
Not sure we’ve been outcoached, What I am sure they are a better team….
When you make to many penalties, and you have a serious tackling deficit, fans and so called analysts have a tendency to blame coaches, I am not sure about that…..You practice all the time those things, if players do not execute properly not sure that’s on the coaches.
What is on the coaches is game planning, and this year has been horrible, specially on offense.
November 1st, 2023 at 8:56 am
Every time I visit this site why am I shocked by the number of loser fans who have given up after only 7 games? You guys are the worst! Just bums…
November 1st, 2023 at 9:00 am
Yep
November 1st, 2023 at 9:02 am
Yup, outcoached!
U can bet the house Houston is going to use the no huddle.
if Bucs are not ready for it then bad coaching again!
November 1st, 2023 at 9:12 am
@wyomingjoe, no idea about your experience as a Bucs fan, but many of us have been fans since 1976 and have season tickets. We have sat through decades of losing and piss poor coaching, stupid decisions by GMs and ownership. There was finally a hope that with Arians and Brady that the Bucs were on the right path. Instead the Bucs decide to promote a DC to HC that had already shown he didn’t have the capacity for the HC position and then get a QB coach with no experience as a OC. On top of that during the Brady era our GM didn’t do anything to train a new QB to take over for Brady. Typical Bucs decision making… same s**t, different day.
November 1st, 2023 at 9:32 am
Think if it as bama playing Arkansas
November 1st, 2023 at 9:38 am
Buc4evr Says:
November 1st, 2023 at 9:12 am
“@wyomingjoe, no idea about your experience as a Bucs fan, but many of us have been fans since 1976 and have season tickets. We have sat through decades of losing and piss poor coaching, stupid decisions by GMs and ownership…”
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Yeah, the fans were ripped off by the NFL ownership and cursed with Hugh Culverhouse.
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“Instead the Bucs decide to promote a DC to HC that had already shown he didn’t have the capacity for the HC position…”
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Hey 76, you do know, I hope, that Bowles was dealing with the disaster known as the NY Jets.
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“…and then get a QB coach with no experience as a OC. On top of that during the Brady era our GM didn’t do anything to train a new QB to take over for Brady.”
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Oh, so, the GM is supposed to be a coach, too? 76, that’s NOT the GM’s job!! You call yourself a long-suffering Bucs fan, huh? Well, I didn’t find out the Bucs existed until 1979!! I may not have had season tickets, but I went to PLENTY of games at Tampa Stadium and RJS!! WyomingJoe is right. There are a lot of trolls, fake and fair-weather fans on here. BTW, for the record, the Bucs won the SB 3 years ago; they won the South the last 2 years. If you’re the long-suffering, season ticket holding fan you claim to be, you’ll show a little bit of patience like I’m doing! Thanks for letting me vent, joes!
November 1st, 2023 at 9:39 am
Hahaha. Every out coaches radio
November 1st, 2023 at 9:58 am
Question is do u get mad at the vandy coach for losing to the tide?
Bills have more talent
November 1st, 2023 at 10:15 am
Toilet Bowl is not a good coach but Bills won cause they have a winning qb not a journeyman.
November 1st, 2023 at 10:16 am
Jmarkbuc Cape Coral High
November 1st, 2023 at 10:17 am
Bills coach being defensive minded like Bowles did everything he could to keep the Bucs in the game. He could’ve gone for it twice inside the Bucs 40 on 4th, and short but like Bowles kicked FG’s, and kept us in it. I don’t know who’s a worse coach, McDermitt, or Bowles. Difference is, McDerm has Allen, we have Mayfield. Had they gone and made those 4th downs which they should’ve, would’ve, and scored we’d of been killed. Sean McDermitt defensive coach, actually helped us.
November 1st, 2023 at 10:18 am
Sure, yet the Bucs were a botched Hail Mary away from winning.
Coaching matters.
November 1st, 2023 at 10:18 am
orlbucfan the GM drafted a QB. Brady had him banished to the scout team.
November 1st, 2023 at 10:21 am
NO, they were not out coached. If they were the score would have been 35-10. McDermott made some bone head calls, the TO before the 1/2 with 19 seconds left when Bucs had none giving the Bucs more plays and a chance at a FG. (NO balls Bowles blew that one). McDermott also called a TO on the 4th & 10 when he Bucs were going backwards when Evan’s scored the second TD, giving the Bucs the opportunity to re-group and best of all was the TO before the hail Mary after a sack, the clock would have run out. McDermott is not good that is why he hasn’t been to a SB with a loaded team. Buffalo wants him fired.
Orlbuc, Bowles had talented players on his Jets teams and yes the team has been a shat show for many years just like the Bucs but Arians pulled it off, why can’t Bowles and it was Bowles who chose Canales that’s his guy. Lastly it is NOT Brady’s job to develop the future QB, he believes you want it work for it like he had to. By the way, there is no NFL ref conspiracy against the Bucs, every team has penalties and not all of them are legit.
November 1st, 2023 at 10:55 am
The Bucs need to follow suit and go to the hurry-up.
November 1st, 2023 at 10:58 am
Yes. This is the beginning of the end for the Bucs. There is a lot of tape on the Bucs’ defense. Other teams can scheme against it. They’ll start having more success. The offense won’t improve at the same rate.
November 1st, 2023 at 11:04 am
Mr Bill could outcoach this crew
November 1st, 2023 at 11:34 am
Just an observation but, I’ve never seen Bowles’ name on the right side of the word “outcoached.” I’ve seen him on the wrong side of it a lot though.
November 1st, 2023 at 11:38 am
Orlando
Weren’t you the one ragging Brady every chance you could get?
November 1st, 2023 at 11:53 am
To all you Rah Rah pundits … this team is losing and is averaging 14 points a game ! The Head coach takes the blame regardless !
November 1st, 2023 at 11:54 am
Going back to Brady, he got the ball out in like 2 seconds. Josh Allen was doing the same thing. The defense has little chance of getting sacks, no? Is Baker capable of getting the ball out that fast? I just want to see Canales scheming players open…especially ME. Go Bucs!
November 1st, 2023 at 11:55 am
Yes
November 1st, 2023 at 12:09 pm
This has become a typical JBF article this year Joe. Chum the waters (‘Did Bills Simply Outcoach the Bucs?’) & see what bites. You reeled in about half the commenters who wanted Bowles & his coaches fired before the Bills game anyways (with zero thought whatsoever about WHAT COMES NEXT). A few actually saw through it though (like DestinJohnny who recognized that the ‘Bills have more talent’.
Yes coaching matters, but to believe that we were a Hail Mary away from winning is wishful thinking (chance of hitting on a Hail Mary is what, 1%?). Bucs got outplayed from start to almost the finish. Bills are more experienced & more talented, and the Bucs inexperience leads to far too many mistakes. That’s how you learn, but unfortunately it’s not how you win in the NFL.
November 1st, 2023 at 12:09 pm
When the Bucs look like they can’t get out of their own way the rebuild staggers and becomes difficult to watch.
November 1st, 2023 at 12:14 pm
larrd Says:
November 1st, 2023 at 10:55 am
The Bucs need to follow suit and go to the hurry-up.
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Bowles has indicated when they play faster the penalties sky rocket which makes an interesting question – maybe the defense doesn’t play well against the no huddle because they only get good practice against teams doing so well in actual games?
November 1st, 2023 at 12:29 pm
Defense Rules Says:
November 1st, 2023 at 12:09 pm
Bills are more experienced & more talented
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people seemed to have forgot that at the beginning of the season none of them picked bucs to beat the Bills or Detroit. the season is over hollering is all due to one loss – ATL
November 1st, 2023 at 1:57 pm
jmark, yep, and I could care less if Methusaleh Brady falls off the nearest cliff. Bucs would have won that SB with a QB who didn’t turn the ball over 400 times like Jameis did. They had assembled the best group of players on both sides of the ball in their history. That’s why Brady came here after 49ers rejected him. He brought plenty of soap opera with him, and the Brown nutso, too. Who needed all that? Bucs didn’t. Brady lived a charmed life. I’m not interested in ancient QBs.
November 1st, 2023 at 2:26 pm
A preschooler could outcoach them.
November 1st, 2023 at 2:29 pm
Orlbuc, Brady brought the players in that help win the SB. AB scored in SB, Gronk scored twice in SB, Lenny scored twice in SB. He also changed the team culture from losers to winners. AB was a nut case in 2021 agreed, he was also the best WR on the team. Dude you are a hater a sad one at that. No other QB could have pulled that off.
November 1st, 2023 at 2:30 pm
Lets see… the Bucs have a head coach who thinks not turning the ball over is more important than scoring points – and punts to go into halftime rather than try a long FG.
I’m pretty sure my nephew who only played Madden for like a year, because I kept beating him 66-0 every time we played, I think he could out coach Bowles.
November 1st, 2023 at 3:09 pm
We longtime fans mostly all knew how the Bucs would trend this season. Hurry up and wait was etched into the framework. It’s a Bucs fans life.
.
November 1st, 2023 at 3:49 pm
Is that a rhetorical question?
November 1st, 2023 at 3:49 pm
No, they simply out QB the Bucs just like every other team out there!
November 1st, 2023 at 4:42 pm
Just because it’s the coaches NOW, doesn’t mean it WASN’T last year with Byron.
Please stop making excuses for that clown.
The common denominator is Bowles was HC both years.
This team has a LOT of deficiencies and that is on the coach when you look at the talent the Bucs DO have.
You can also say,”Does the OC get a false start”? NO, but he sure can change up the snap count to help!!!
We watch these games and blame players with no clue as to what is sometimes happening IN GAME.
It’s rather obvious that it’s the coaches when it’s a plethora of things going wrong.
November 1st, 2023 at 5:02 pm
Well the Vikings just fired there head coach and another coach . Glazer boys better take notice .this is how it is done when the talent you have under performes. It is always on coaching . We lose again ,might as well do the same ,can’t be any worse !
November 4th, 2023 at 7:14 am
Look for more of the same no huddle this week folks!
It is a copy cat league.
The league will also run trips formations and burn us deep if we try that single high zone again which I suspect Bowles will stubbornly do.
Go Bucs!