Bucs’ Key To “Tee Off” On Defense Declared
August 8th, 2025
It’s not Vita Vea.
Joe likes what Todd Bowles has learned, how he’s evolved in one particular way.
Bowles said it in late-March and he dropped a more passionate version yesterday after practice on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
Power offense, racking up points, is a major component to playing the kind of defense he wants to play.
“I will tell you the best thing I’ve learned being a defensive coordinator and a defensive head coach is you can have never have enough offensive toys,” Bowles said when asked about rookie first-round pick receiver Emeka Egbuka.
Joe screamed a few hallelujahs.
“The more you score, the more you’re allowed to tee off on the other side of the football,” Bowles continued. “He was the right player at the right pick at the right time. And you can have an abundance of riches at wide receiver. We had Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin] go down last year and it was unfortunate. And if we have people go down this year, we feel like we’re well stocked and equipped to handle that.”
Bowles isn’t just in on the concept of more weapons, he’s all-in on Egbuka.
“Yeah, he’s been unbelievable. He’s been unbelievable since the first days he got here,” Bowles said. “His work ethic, his hands, his routes, his blocking, everything he’s done has been top-tier. He is a professional. He asks questions, he understands the game and he just knows how to play.”
August 8th, 2025 at 5:02 am
Imagine Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Egbuka, and McMillan thousand yards each. Technically possible with what Baker threw last year lol
August 8th, 2025 at 5:18 am
I know seeing is believing, but I like a lot of what I’ve heard from Todd B this year. From hiring someone to help with the time management, expressing his dissatisfaction with the defense and thoughts on scoring.
It just seems like he understands where he needs to improve and is working on doing that. You don’t get that from a lot of people.
August 8th, 2025 at 6:31 am
Great to hear. He also said hes learned to play his corners at tighter coverage. We’ll see.
August 8th, 2025 at 6:34 am
Exactly. I am somewhere between I like what I hear vs. it’s just words at this point.
Optomisticly skeptical
August 8th, 2025 at 7:08 am
“* Joe does not like how a rookie quarterback in his first scrimmage against a different team completed so many passes over the middle on the Bucs defense.”
Joe, I pulled that quote from your practice notes story about yesterday’s scrimmage.
I feel my thoughts on it are much more germaine to this story.
It’s the exact reason why I’m “cautiously optimistic” or maybe “skeptically optimistic” about our defense this year.
There’s no question we’re loaded on offense. And, yes, a loaded offense makes it easier to play the kind of defense you want to play versus “having” to play.
Here’s the rub for me:
Our head coach has said all the right things this off-season and during OTAs, training camp, etc.
And, taken a couple of good actions as well. Hiring a clock-management guru to help, and (based on everything I’m reading and the very few videos I’ve seen) legitimately drafting some “ballhawk” defensive rookies this year.
Actions speak louder than words, as they say…
But the quote above from yesterdays’ practice notes gave me visions of watching our D in game after game last year.
Because that’s exactly what happened in game after game last year, lol. Opposing offenses dinked and dunked their way down the middle of the field for first down after first down, score after score, game after game.
To be fair, injuries decimated our defense last year. But there was also no real change in our defensive scheme(s) to adjust for that.
Will we see real change in our defensive scheme that closes up that airport runway in the middle of field this year?
None of us will know for sure until we get a couple of games into the regular season.
But, a loaded Bucs offense isn’t going to stop those opposing 747’s when our defense is on the field.
i sincerely hope we see the changes on D that our head coach has talked about for the past few months.
But, it’s observations like the one above that still have me a little bit skeptical.
August 8th, 2025 at 8:08 am
All the toys won’t matter if he doesn’t keep his offense on the field. Time will tell.
Make a call to Dan Quinn or Dan Campbell and pick their brains.
If he has learned this, then we will be happy in a few short weeks.
August 8th, 2025 at 8:39 am
So…we score on offense…forcing teams to throw on us….and we have been burnt many times.
August 8th, 2025 at 8:48 am
Yeah, we scored a ton of points last year and couldn’t stop anybody.
Including a rookie in his first playoff game. At our house.
All of the offseason Pollyanna junk will end soon. Time for the rubber to meet the road
August 8th, 2025 at 8:57 am
Next we’re gonna call him Baker “Dan Fouts” Mayfield
August 8th, 2025 at 9:05 am
Okay, complainers, how many OCs have we had in the last 5 seasons? 4, correct? We can have the greatest Offense in the history of American Football, but the OC merry-go-round needs to STOP!! The players have to get used to the new coach and vice-versa. I just hope the new OC isn’t fond of run-up-the-middle on first down. Plus, he will get imaginative cos he’s sure got the Offensive talent for it.
August 8th, 2025 at 9:37 am
Vanessa Anne Says:
“in game after game last year….Opposing offenses dinked and dunked their way down the middle of the field for first down after first down, score after score, game after game.
To be fair, injuries decimated our defense last year. But there was also no real change in our defensive scheme(s) to adjust for that.
Will we see real change in our defensive scheme that closes up that airport runway in the middle of field this year?”
————————————————————–
Dennis out for the season – Winfield either out or ineffective due to injuries – Ditto for Whitehead…. That’s 3 out of 4 starters from the middle of the defensive backfield either gone or not playing like they should have. Also Dean missing a # of games and Bryce Hall being out for the season forced Hayes and/or Funderburk onto the field quite a few times as well. Oh – and the pass rush (especially from the edge) was not effecting the QB very consistently….
Bowles DID adjust about the only way he really could have given these shortcomings – by having the inexperienced DBs and ineffective MLB (Britt) play mostly zone all season and by ramping up the blitzes to TRY and get some pressure on QBs. The results were not very good as we saw – but all that proves is that NFL success mostly IS about the Jimmy’s and Joe’s – not the Xs and the Os.
The defense was actually better than it seemed in the 2nd half of the season – allowing less than 18 ppg in the final 9 games and wound up ranking 16th overall in points allowed (middle of the pack).
Just having Dennis and Winfield healthy will make all the difference in the world this year – as will having one of last year’s best playmakers – Tykee Smith replace Whitehead….. And drafting higher end CBs in the 2nd and 3rd round along with the return of Bryce Hall means the likes of Hayes and Funderburk will not see the field on defense this year….
The Edge rush should also be improved with the addition of Reddick and the continuing maturation of Diaby and Braswell…..
The “real change” you are looking for will come in the form of better players on the field. Better and more consistent pass rush means less blitzing and a lot more man/tight coverage from the DBs.
The Bucs are more likely than not to be top 10 again this year in the only defensive stat that really matters which is points against….
Coupled with a top scoring offense – the Bucs are in good position to compete well with the best teams in the league in 2025 – and perhaps make a legitimate Super Bowl run.
August 8th, 2025 at 10:47 am
Pickgrin, pretty spot on and exactly how I feel. Definitely a lot of injuries on the defensive side. I don’t think bowels adjusted accordingly the dropping rushers in coverage and the off coverage was brutal last year!! They did have a lot of injuries on that side. This team is really stacked on both sides it really is. It’s time bowels to make a run at this
August 8th, 2025 at 11:20 am
Just a few minutes into the early meaningless game between the Colts and Ravens both teams had injuries. Richardson got sacked and had to have his pinky snapped back in where it goes and Kone from the Ravens, their promising Rookie DB went down with a knee and it gone for the season.
Unless there is competition at a position that cannot be settled in practice there is no reason for valuable starters or potential starters to even be in uniform.
Only reason Geno smith started and played one series for the Raiders was to get his flowers from the Seattle Fans on his return and then he didn’t come anywhere close to contact.
Doubt any starters will play for the Lions tonight and although I would like to get a look at what the Dirty Birds have going on with their 1st round Picks I doubt they will play either. Most of the people on the field should be players that are probably going to get cut and allow them a chance to get something on tape.
Bowles should keep all his ‘Toys’ is their box until September7th when the value skyrockets. Even then should any number of them get stepped on and broken he could be crying well after Christmas.
August 8th, 2025 at 11:52 am
Fan of the South gets it!
August 8th, 2025 at 12:00 pm
When he said offensive toys I thought he was referring to a WNBA game.
August 8th, 2025 at 12:50 pm
If one was referencing Dan Campbell for clock management skills, they are incorrect. He has had multiple brutal clock management mistakes.
Not just questionable but brutal.
If they are saying Detroit has great time of possession, it’s because they had the best run blocking OL in the NFL last year. We will see as the season progresses, if that continues after a couple of key losses.
August 8th, 2025 at 1:37 pm
One of our commenters has worded it about as well as you can and dropped two words that are the Only thing Bowmes has going thus far… “Cautiously Optimistic” is about as close as Any straight thinking fan could possibly be..
And Vanessa, you worded your thoughts elegantly as someone possibly can and still land on the bright side.
Believe Me when I tell you that, that one line from Joe’s write up about Just How Poorly uncovered the middle of the field STILL IS… SURE GOT MY ATTENTION! Seems to me that the defense IS NOT FIXED and Even Far More Noticeable is the Fact that our Depth on the defensive side of the ball (ESPECIALLY IN THE VERY MIDDLE) is STILL in Big Trouble from the report from Joe.
That was Exactly what I DID NOT want to hear!
And Where Is the Negligence? BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WE STILL HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM EXACTLY WHERE WE WERE THE “VERY WEAKEST” LAST YEAR!
Man. I hope for Bowles and and Licht’s sake that, that was an unfortunate ONE OFF, but I already have a bad feeling Once Again concerning POOR DECISION MAKING between coaching and management!
Licht HAD BETTER go get some LEGITIMATE DEPTH by the end of preseason or the Organization has SQUANDERED the possibility and Likely hood that LaVonte David and possibly Mike Evans Last Year! And cut our throats before we even have a decent shot at going to the Super Bowl THIS YEAR!
Personally, I already know (in my own mind) that Licht ISN’T shooting for the Big Game this year (unless we somehow scrap our way to it with A LOT OF LUCK involved) because after watching him LOAD FOR BEAR for the 2020 and 2021 season to go for the Big Show, He CERTAINLY isn’t providing THAT Above and Beyond in a SERIOUS ATTEMPT…..
WE DON’T EVEN HAVE THE MIDDLE OF THE DEFENSE COVERED (far from it) MUCH LESS RESPECTABLE DEPTH…….
Who’s negligent in regards of a SuperBowl run? As much as I love and respect him, Jason Licht….
August 8th, 2025 at 4:03 pm
Geezuz… Teams are going to complete passes against our defense. It’s the NFL and we are playing against professional athletes and coaches. And we are going to play predominately zone of some kind…..because NOBODY plays mainly man to man – for a reason.
The Defense is going to be fine in spite of the micro- analysis by fans suggesting otherwise 👍🏼
August 8th, 2025 at 5:09 pm
It took Bowles this long to figure this out? Even if your defense gives up 4 more points a game even if you don’t force turnovers and create short fields but just give your offense 2 more possessions you will score close to 6 more points a game. When your offense is top 3 in points per possession you need to play aggressively on defense and force mistakes and not let the other team to first down you to death and shorten the game.