“Mirror Image” Seemed To Have Helped
December 25th, 2023
Bucs playcaller Dave Canales.
The Tampa Bay offense came out smoking yesterday, scoring on its first six possessions. (Joe doesn’t count the quick kneeldown before halftime.)
The Bucs sure looked comfortable and in rhythm against Jacksonville until the game was out of reach late in the third quarter. Then the Bucs offense looked like a bumbling clown show until the final whistle.
Offensive coordinator Dave Canales seemed to have all the answers when the game was in play. Perhaps it’s because the Jacksonville defense was a “mirror image” of the Bucs defense that Canales has practiced against for many months?
Todd Bowles used the “mirror image” line prior to the game; Jags defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell coached inside linebackers with the Bucs (2019-2021) and other Jags defensive assistants were with the Bucs, too.
Baker Mayfield had few issues with the Jaguars’ array of Bowles-style blitzes. Jags overrated quarterback Trevor Lawrence, however, admitted after the game to being slightly confused by the Bucs defense.
Apparently, it wasn’t a two-way mirror.
December 25th, 2023 at 9:33 am
How wonderful it is being a buc fan lately. Better than being a pessimistic ass.
December 25th, 2023 at 9:39 am
Yea. I was frustrated in the fourth. But… They won and they seem to be clicking.
December 25th, 2023 at 9:44 am
Lawrence was in concussion protocol all week and hardly practiced-I wouldn’t call him overrated.
Probably a bad move by Jags coaching staff to start Lawrence just to keep his consecutive start streak going.
December 25th, 2023 at 10:21 am
They could of scored 40 plus points but they went to cruise control in 2nd half.
December 25th, 2023 at 10:30 am
Just wish Cornales would have the “it’s their job to stop us mentality” instead of being sporting and not piling on mentality especially since it’s taken so long for the offense to click
December 25th, 2023 at 12:34 pm
Even though it was reported at halftime that Bowles said he wanted to “keep the foot on the gas”, by the time we hit 30 points, the offense shifted to “burn the clock mode” which was a good decision imo. No it wasn’t as pretty late but it accomplished what we needed. Burn the clock so the Jags wouldn’t have enough time to have as many possessions as they’d need to catch us.
Sure, I would have loved to see us keep hammering and scoring, but the running clock became our biggest weapon and we couldn’t risk getting “cute” and turning the ball over to give the Jags an extra possession faster than if we were to grind it out then punt. Eats time and changes field position.
I’m sure if the Jags got within 2 scores it may have changed, but it would still depend on how much time was left, number of timeouts the Jags had, etc.
It was good clock and game management. Tried and true “situational football”.
December 25th, 2023 at 12:44 pm
I was playing very close attention to the time clock in the second half. I’ve been a Bucs fan for so long, I don’t take anything for granted. Finally relaxed when they hit the 2-minute warning in the 4th.
December 25th, 2023 at 1:48 pm
I didn’t like the stalled drives in the 3rd and 4th quarters, but I did appreciate the runs that keep the clock running, and the passes that got first downs. We had some drops that hurt our cause of keeping the ball and scoring. We do have a good Punter and Kicker. So our choices are no longer hoping and praying. Defense is bend but don’t break in the last several games. We need to keep working to get Scheme/Coaches/Players on O/D/ST being on attack mode for 60 minutes. We see some nice glimpses of that in the past several games.
GO!!!!!BUCS!!!!!
December 25th, 2023 at 5:52 pm
I bet if we are up like that against the Saints they pile it on.
These players HATE the Saints.
After listening to what Antonio Pierce told his players, apparently that is needed.
Im not as concerned about the cruise control period because when they did pass and hit Godwin late, it SHOWED they could have scored more if they wanted or felt like they needed to.
You have to take injuries into consideration when you are ahead like that too.
Let’s just stay healthy through this Saints game.
I have a feeling they will bring a beat them up and hurt them mentality.
If you aren’t going to the dance, make them pay.
December 26th, 2023 at 12:06 am
Everyone needs to calm down.
December 26th, 2023 at 2:43 am
Fred go climb back under your rock 🖕🏼