Luke Goedeke: “No Limit” On Offense
June 12th, 2025
High expectations.
In a way, Joe almost feels sorry for new Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard.
Now how the hell can Joe feel sorry for a dude who has a Yale degree, is an NFL offensive coordinator likely making seven figures, and can brag his hometown is “Lizard Lick?” Easy.
It’s almost like Grizzard is set up to fail.
Think about it: Just about every Bucs fan and suit at One Buc Palace, and possibly most of offensive players, think the Bucs offense can or will improve.
The offense last year ranked No. 3 in the NFL. There is very little room to grow.
Imagine the pressure if you are Grizzard. You were handed a loaded offense and all the people higher up the totem pole expect a Super Bowl run.
And Grizzard is walking into a job he’s never done before, but everyone expects excellence right now, with no learning curve.
That’s pressure, folks.
Take Luke Goedeke. The Bucs’ starting right tackle spoke in glowing terms of the potential firepower.
“I feel like the sky is the limit for our O-line and our offense as a whole,” Goedeke said. “I’d like to see our offense as the best O-line and best offense in the National Football League.
“That’s the goal among every team but I would say we’re definitely a team [where] that’s definitely achievable. Everyone strives for that and that’s great and everything but I think the Bucs, here, as we stand today, they’re in a good spot to achieve that this year.”
Nah, no pressure. Your borderline Pro Bowl right tackle thinks Grizzard’s offense should improve. And Joe thinks this pressure may extend to next year and may seep out of One Buc Palace in a bad way.
If the Bucs are only, say, No. 10 in offense in the NFL and don’t get past the divisional round, do any players begin losing faith in Grizzard?
Does Todd Bowles? AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht? Team Glazer? Bucs fans?
Of course Joe wants the Bucs offense to blow up and average 35 points a game. But will it? Can it? With a guy calling the shots who has never called plays?
Joe doesn’t envy Grizzard.
June 12th, 2025 at 7:06 am
An Ivy Leaguer? Now I’m worried
June 12th, 2025 at 7:12 am
It’s about the Joe’s , not the Xs and Os….. these players need to lock in, Tom Brady like prep, take it on themselves to be something special.
June 12th, 2025 at 7:15 am
if the offense scores some points and doesn’t turn the ball over we’ll be fine, the last two bucs super bowl wins were heavy on defense, if they want a third trophy it will be from heavy on the defense
June 12th, 2025 at 7:16 am
With the support staff behind him and the players at his disposal, it is more likely that he is set up to succeed. There are probably 31 OCs out there who would love to trade places. If they go deep into the playoffs, no one will care if the offense isn’t higher than #3. And if they fail to make a dent in the playoffs, no one will care if they were #1.
June 12th, 2025 at 7:18 am
Love that Goedeke thinks our O line can be the best in the league. We were not far off last year and most of our guys are still young in the league. Hope the backups can get some game reps and improve to the point we don’t miss a beat if someone goes down.
Go Bucs!
June 12th, 2025 at 7:39 am
What mj said.
June 12th, 2025 at 7:46 am
It’s achievable as long as the offense stays relatively healthy. I don’t think Griz is in this alone, it’s almost like he has a secondary OC assistant in Baker. Then we have a lot of other guys with a ton of experience super bowl rings on the offense. I think due to the consistency, they’ll do just fine if they’re healthy.
June 12th, 2025 at 7:57 am
Agree with @mj, the real pressure is on Todd Bowles if the defense is inconsistent. He is most definitely sitting on borrowed time if they stink it up. Grizz will be fine because they have known commodities on offense and they have two playbooks to tweak and work off of. They know what plays works, what plays Mayfield is comfortable with. Without the consistency of the QB, Grizz would be cooked. But, he just has to nudge the offense a little forward with the momentum.
June 12th, 2025 at 8:02 am
Wasn’t Grizz the third down play caller last year? Weren’t we the number one team on third down last year? I don’t see what the big deal is. He’s got this.
June 12th, 2025 at 8:09 am
I trust that Mayfield will help him and have the latitude to “audible” a lot at the LOS. There will be a learning curve in critical situations, but I expect the offense to be about the same as last season. Not worried about Grizzard, worried much more about Bowles and the defense.
June 12th, 2025 at 8:20 am
Grizz has experience in game planning, doing 3rd down last year. Carbs will work the run game planning so Grizz has help there.
Play calling is different, and Grizz just needs the reps. Coen was calling in two plays last year, so it won’t be simple for Grizz to do that as a first-timer. I think a big challenge for Grizz will be to QUICKLY call in two plays, so Bake has time to switch plays at the line.
June 12th, 2025 at 8:22 am
mj said it before I could. I’d worry less about where we rank and more about our offense consistently winning field position and time of possession battles and generally keeping opposing defenses on their heels and break their will in the 4th quarter.
Just win, baby!
If I were forced to pick a ranking goal, as long the team is winning and our offense is making defenses sweat before they take a snap, I’d be happy with a top-8 finish. Winning is more important than bragging.
June 12th, 2025 at 8:23 am
Luke should be getting in some quality reps facing Reddick on a daily basis! Iron sharpens iron!
June 12th, 2025 at 8:32 am
It would not surprise me if it took the first month for him to hit his stride.
June 12th, 2025 at 8:35 am
In the Super Bowl Era the team with the most points per game was the 2013 Broncos @ 37.9.
In 2024 their were 4 teams that cracked the top 100 all time list. Lions @ 12 w/ 32.9. Bills @ 33 w/ 30.9. Bucs @ 65 w/ 29.5. Commanders @ 94 w/ 28.5
There is a limit and if the offense wants to be considered one of the best they better find some growing room.
In one of the less dominant Divisions I don’t think there will be enough chances to run up 50+ points any of the teams this season minus maybe the Saints.
Balled out and managed to get to 65th that is quite well but there is a ways to go to be on the top.
Honorable Mentions. Jameis cracked the list 87 @ 28.6. Brady had a couple too.
Brady 2 @ 36.8 5 @ 34.8 17 @ 32.4 19 @ 32.1 34 w/ Bucs @ 30.8
46 w/ Bucs @ 30.1 68 @ 29.3 and 76 @ 29.1
Maybe Griz can hold the 2024 Magic and build on that and the Bucs defense improves a bit. Because if other teams have a growth spurt in 2025 the Lions and Bills might hang 50 on the board in a span of 3 weeks.
June 12th, 2025 at 8:47 am
Modhair, I don’t think he will have any trouble at all.
June 12th, 2025 at 8:52 am
Could be wrong, but it seemed Canales started to find his groove in December.
June 12th, 2025 at 9:26 am
Joe, Canales did but that was a whole new group in Bakers first year, the line, system, knowing players, etc. Last year came together much sooner and I expect this year with Baker in his 3rd year and 2nd in a known system they could come out even hotter. And I think that loss at home burns and is stoking the fires within.
Fred I agree, Grizz was 3rd down caller last year and we were the best team in 3rd downs last year so we’ll be fine. Also read this morning that NFL.com has us ranked as the #2 offense this year behind Buffalo. Ranking mean spit but we’re being touted about now more so than before the draft.
June 12th, 2025 at 9:27 am
DVOA whisc is a much more sophisticated statistical analysis had the Buccaneers at number 8. Coen’s play calling in the playoffs game was awful. He also was not great in the red zone. Had the 49ers game won with a late touchdown instead of a field goal. His best work was in the first quarter of games.
June 12th, 2025 at 9:55 am
El Serpiente started believing his press clippings towards year end and started getting cute and fancy when all we needed was a yard and the OL was humming. So I’m for improvement in situational football.
And more worry about the defense – improvement there and Griz won’t believe he needs a 40 burger to give the team a chance to win.
June 12th, 2025 at 10:33 am
The offense could be 10th or 15th even as long as we win. It’s addition by subtraction. If the defense is dramatically better say top 10 then the offense won’t be forced to score 31 points every single week to win. We would actually be able to get a lead and sit back and watch the D close it out.
June 12th, 2025 at 10:35 am
Having a high octane Offense to cheer for is such a Twilight Zone like experience for long time Buccaneers fans.
I mean – other than the first 2 years with Brady – the Bucs have NEVER had a top 5 offense in 45 previous years of Tampa Bay NFL football. Maybe never even top 10 – not sure and don’t feel like looking it up.
I remember that Gruden’s Super Bowl winning team ranked #18 in Offense for the year. That offense did come together at the very end and scored well in the playoffs though….
Tony Dungy had one of the best Defenses in history in ’99 – but couldn’t manage to score more than 6 points when said defense held probably THE greatest offense in history to 11 points (9 really because there was a safety) in the NFC Championship game…. 2 years later – with one of history’s greatest defenses still intact – “Father Dungy” was FIRED because he couldn’t manage to field even a middling offense in 6 years….
This all just seems so new and exciting I’m saying. Seeing the OLine open up legit holes and having a talent like Bucky to burst through, make a guy miss and its off to the races for 18 yards…. having a legit franchise QB with great leadership qualities – in his prime – settled – comfortable – hungry – with the NFLs most talented WR room for him to throw to…..
If Todd can get his defense turned around and edging into top 10 ranking – this is going to be an exciting season and a lot of fun for Bucs fans. Especially the long time and mostly long suffering older fans who almost don’t know how to react seeing such a potent Tampa Bay offense when it is hitting on all cylinders…..
June 12th, 2025 at 6:05 pm
Does our actual offensive ranking matter?
No.
Is Grizz under a lot of pressure?
Yup.
If we go 11-6 and make it to the divisional round, that’s improvement over last year.
It doesn’t matter what our offensive ranking is.
True, we’ve made it through the wildcard round a couple of times in recent years.
But we’ve also been in a bit of a rebuilding mode.
I submit that our offense will be fine (barring injuries), but what will really make it look good is a better defense.
We’ll win more games, make it further into the playoffs, and Grizz won’t be under so much pressure.