Touchdown Efficiency
June 18th, 2025
Pressure is on.
Now this is impressive.
Two years ago when Dave Canales came to Tampa Bay to replace Lunkhead Leftwich, not once did the Bucs score a touchdown on an opening drive. Not once.
That’s hard to do.
Other than that, and Leftwich’s fetish for slamming a subpar running back up the middle time and again somehow thinking Rachaad White was Mike Alstott, Canales turned out to be a pretty good coordinator towards the final weeks of the season.
Canales’ replacement, Liam Coen, had no issues marching the Bucs downfield on opening drives to score, or at any time.
In fact, Coen had little difficulty leading the Bucs offense to the end zone.
The following would have been unheard of when Father Dungy was here or when Mike Sullivan ran the offense for former Bucs commander Greg Schiano. Or, yeah, even in 2002 when Lunkhead was running the show on offense.
Last year the Bucs had 38 touchdown drives of 70 yards or more. Yes, 38! That seems like a lot. Only Detroit and Baltimore had more, per noted football handicapper turned stathead Warren Sharp.
If new Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard can keep the Bucs with at least 30 touchdown drives of 70 or more, the Bucs will be in good shape this fall.
70+ yard TD drives last year:
46 – DET
45
44 – BAL
43
42
41
40
39
38 – TB
37
36
35
34 – BUF
33
32 – WAS, PHI
31 – CIN
30 – IND, ARI, NYJ
29
28
27 – KC, LAR, ATL, MIN
26 – SEA, SF
25
24 – GB
23 – JAX, DEN, CAR
22 – TEN, MIA
21 – NO, NYG, LAC
20 – PIT, LV, DAL
19 – NE
18 – CLE
17…— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) June 16, 2025
June 18th, 2025 at 10:57 am
It looks like the Bucs not only were near the top on this stat, they were a significant (positive) outlier.
June 18th, 2025 at 10:59 am
This stat about Canales is what separates him competence. That was embarassing to watch as a fan, I’m sure it was for the players as well. Getting neutered on the opening drive, every game must have been demoralizing. Coen fixed that and handily.
June 18th, 2025 at 11:09 am
An interesting stat.
June 18th, 2025 at 11:19 am
And the reason that number is so high is because, as Joe pointed out in his last post, the Bucs had the best 3rd down conversion rate of any team in the league. And who was the 3rd down coordinator. Yep, our new OC, Grizzard.
June 18th, 2025 at 11:36 am
So a success rate of the 2024 Colts, Cards, and Jets is where the bar is getting set? Seems a little low to me w/ such lofty expectations for the Offense.
June 18th, 2025 at 11:43 am
Hopefully if this Grizzard turns out as good or better than the last 2, the Bucs ownership makes him the next HC and goes out and finds a top DC!
June 18th, 2025 at 11:45 am
Canales only had one year. He never dreamed he would only have one year. So he was trying to please the head coach. Hence leaving us in 3rd down and 8 most drives. Afraid of Coach Bowles if he got too liberal with his play calling. Halfway through the season Canales and Bowles saw what many of us knew. A gunslinger isn’t gonna pistol whip you. A gunslinger is far too lethal for that. So now they’re taking the approach of loading up on ammunition. That (and beefing up the defense) is the approach that is gonna lead to a season we’re all gonna remember for a long, long time. Bet on it.
June 18th, 2025 at 11:49 am
The long drives were partially a result of the defense’ inability to get 3 and outs, so opposing offenses would get a couple first downs and would punt the Bucs into poor field position.
June 18th, 2025 at 12:08 pm
A large part of those long drives was Grizzard’s successful third down plays.
June 18th, 2025 at 12:09 pm
Kenton Smith, good take. Want you to be right!
June 18th, 2025 at 1:03 pm
PHI and KC being middle of the pack tells you balance is more important than high powered scoring.
June 18th, 2025 at 1:41 pm
GO BUCS