It’s The Same Offense
October 9th, 2025
One of Todd Bowles’ nemeses.
There seem to be two coaches who absolutely give Bucs coach Todd Bowles’ defenses fits. One the Bucs will face again on Sunday.
Sean Payton and Kyle Shanahan sure seem to have Bowles’ blitz-heavy defense figured out. And if the Bucs don’t blitz, both of those coaches have that solved, too.
The Bucs haven’t beaten the 49ers since Dirk Koetter was head coach. That almost seems like a lifetime ago.
To Bowles’ credit, the Bucs defense is getting better facing Shanahan’s offense. In 2022, the 49ers rang up 35 points on the Bucs and it sure seemed worse in the rain in Santa Clara.
Back to Silicon Valley the Bucs went in 2023. The game was a little closer in the sunshine. The Bucs’ defense only allowed 27 points that day.
Then last year at The Licht House, the Bucs held the 49ers to 20 points. Unfortunately, San Francisco kicked a game-winning field goal as time ran out for the win.
This year, the 49ers seem as dangerous as ever. That is because Christian McCaffrey is finally healthy. But, their quarterbacks, Brock Purdy and Mac Jones, are not. Purdy missed practice yesterday with a bum toe. His backup, former first-round pick Jones, was limited yesterday dealing with a tender knee and oblique injuries. He was beat to hell last Thursday night in a win at Los Angeles.
So which will it be, Purdy or Jones?
Bucs coach Todd Bowles said it really doesn’t matter because San Francisco’s offense doesn’t change.
“I think it’s the same,” Bowles said. “Mac is very smart. Brock is very smart. Brock has been in it longer, so he’s been throwing the ball and he can throw it around a little better.
“But Mac has picked it up well, and they haven’t missed a beat.”
San Francisco looked awfully sharp against a good Rams team on the road last week.
The key is the Bucs defense. Lost in the excitement of the Bucs win in Seattle last Sunday is that the Bucs defense was ripped to shreds by Sam Darnold.
In the past, Purdy has never seemed to have an issue moving the ball on Bowles’ defenses. And Jones looked so good against the Rams it made Joe wonder if the 49ers are having buyer’s remorse with Purdy’s expensive contract.
But yeah, the key will be can the Bucs defense play somewhat respectively.
October 9th, 2025 at 12:06 am
If we’re down Zyon, Dean and Morris… my God, Matt Jones might put up 500 yards as Bowles just sits back in the softest zone defense ever put on an NFL field. I’m not even joking.
Last week, as Bowles said, they played soft because of injuries, and let Darnold have a career day. Shockingly, when they finally pressured him, he collapsed and make the game losing INT.
I’m not mad with Bowles or anything, and I know it will sound like that, but I just want to put this out there… instead of ‘saving’ the big blitz until there’s a minute left in the game, how about using it at other times and maybe you could keep them under 35 points. Just an idea.
October 9th, 2025 at 12:20 am
I don’t think Bowles Defense was designed to leave half the field open on Darnold’s last TD. Players gotta do their job. Stick to their assignments. “Oh but Bowles D is too complicated”. Knowing which player you need to cover by Game 5 is on the player.
October 9th, 2025 at 12:29 am
It’s not to say that Bowles isn’t responsible, he is, he’s the head ball coach. We also have several backups playing. He’s still responsible. That’s why getting a W is all that matters. Move on, get better.
October 9th, 2025 at 12:30 am
Good view of this Joe, you nailed it. The Bucs will need to play well in all three phases to win.
October 9th, 2025 at 12:44 am
I stated before the season started that the 49ers would be much improved from last year. They’re a well coached team and regardless of the purge from last season, very talented. Like the Bucs, they’ve been hit hard by injuries but have handled it better than last season. I’m expecting a close game and am very concerned about the Bucs pass rush. The old adage that if you have two quarterbacks, you have none doesn’t play here. They have two capable field leaders.
October 9th, 2025 at 1:21 am
LOL!
October 9th, 2025 at 1:37 am
Never heard him say the offense is the same. He said same scheme. Ow take it as you want but those are two entirely different entities in football.
October 9th, 2025 at 1:40 am
You quoted “I think it’s the same” but you clearly left out the key word and inserted your own lol
October 9th, 2025 at 2:00 am
Joe … ‘But yeah, the key will be can the Bucs defense play somewhat respectively.’
And that’s about all it should take Joe to beat San Fran … just play respectable defense. Their offense isn’t very high-scoring; they’ve scored 106 total points in 5 games (21.2 PPG average). They’re very consistent though: 17, 26, 16, 21, 26 points. Thus far on the year they average 40% run 60% pass (Bucs have been averaging 43% run 57% pass).
Their running game is mediocre: 3.1 YPC (139 rushes for 426 yds & 0 TDs). Compare that to ours: 4.0 YPC (137 rushes for 552 yds & 3 TDs). Same number of runs, but we’ve got over 125 more rushing yards.
Their deep passing game is actually quite good: 16 deep completions in 31 attempts (roughly 50% completion rate) for 1 TD, except that they’ve had 4 deep passes intercepted, most of those (3) by Purdy.
Their short passing game is also quite good: 118 completions in 171 attempts (69.0% completion rate) with 9 passing TDs against only 1 INT.
Defensively they’re solid: only given up 98 points in 5 games (19.6 PPG average). Rank #6 overall: #15 in Run Defense & #14 in Pass Defense (unlike us who rank #23 overall after giving up 132 points on the season (26.4 PPG average): #8 Run Defense & #20 Pass Defense). Their DC (Robert Saleh) has them playing good defensive football. But they’ve got a lot of injuries, just like we do.
Their Achilles Heel: giveaways. Their 1 loss, to the Jaguars, occurred because they gave the ball away 4 times, but still put up 389 yds of offense. Bucs can beat them … if we play our normal offense & play ‘respectable defense’.
October 9th, 2025 at 2:10 am
We can def beat them. But Rod is not far off joe so dont lol too hard. They beat us the last 4 times we played them and totaled upwards of of 400yrd 3/4 games. Defense needs to show out we already know our offense can score.
October 9th, 2025 at 3:11 am
It’s not just Kyle Shanahan and Seam Payton who “ have figured out Todd Bowles defense.” It is every team that has played the Bucs over the last couple of years..
Bucs need a new DC and a lot of our things on this defense. The crazy thing is that bloggers on this cite are enthralled with virtually all Bucs defenders.
October 9th, 2025 at 4:46 am
Bowles transition to head coach has seen him drafting a stud WR after he realized that a good offense and offensive weapons can make up for his poor defense. Hoping that’s the case again on Sunday. After a piss poor performance in the second half in Seattle I’m hoping the defense comes in with a vengeance and holds em to 20. That should do the trick in the Licht house
October 9th, 2025 at 4:55 am
Purdy in particular has had career days vs the Bucs. I believe he’s 3-0 with a lot of TDs vs very few if any INTs. It sounds like it’s Jones who will start…and I’m not sure that’s better for the Bucs at this juncture. This will be a tough one…glad it’s in Tampa at least.
October 9th, 2025 at 4:58 am
Was curious and had to look it up…Purdy vs Bucs:
-3-0
-7 TDs vs 0 Ints
-Passer rating of 137.8 ( whatever that means…but I know that # is high
October 9th, 2025 at 6:29 am
They just won a hard fought game and now have to travel to the East Coast to play a non divisional game. This is the best opportunity to catch the 49ers tired and beat up. Here is the game plan: Baker, score more than they do….Thanks!
October 9th, 2025 at 6:39 am
Looks like, yet again, this will be a game decided by whoever has the ball last. All games by both teams have been one score wins or losses.
October 9th, 2025 at 6:47 am
A scheme is big but sometimes it just boils down to players and plays. Has Todd run out of stuff to throw at them? I have no idea, but we do have some players.
Go Bucs!
October 9th, 2025 at 6:48 am
Get your popcorn ready going to be a shootout every week with this defense
October 9th, 2025 at 6:49 am
Bucs need over 30 points and some luck.
October 9th, 2025 at 7:12 am
@Bucnjim
They’ve had a WHOOPING 10 days of rest. So there goes your theory..
@Estaban
Bowles doesn’t draft Anybody…. You’re confused. “That’s Jason Licht’s baby”. Bowles receives the players “Jason Licht sees fit” to give him..
Unfortunately this IS going to be a fist fight. Unless…. Bowels actually Has had Real Growth and is “willing” to pull either a New rabbit out of his hat and has a game plan for this coach who HAS OWNED HIM FOR FOUR GAMES STRAIT to an Embarrassing level or he let’s Someone Else call the defense….
October 9th, 2025 at 7:32 am
Jason Licht may be physically putting it in the draft pick but he and Bowles are a team. They agree on who they are picking. They put their heads together on the draft, there’s no doubt about it. That whole personnel staff is a team and Jason listens to every bit of their input. He does have the final decision but he’s not ever going against everybody else.
Not sure what we’ll get from this injured defense, but the first half of the Seahawks game and the last half of the Eagles game tells me they can lock it down some times. I just like to see them play a full 60 minutes that way.
October 9th, 2025 at 7:54 am
It’s hard for this defense to excel with constant injuries and no dominant pass rusher since the super bowl year
October 9th, 2025 at 8:19 am
@KABucs
Fair enough. Of course there’s input. Duh…. But at the end of the day, Egbuka was Jason’s idea (“Licht” Also went against the grain in 2014 when he decided to go with Mike Evans. People weren’t initially enthused about that HOF pick either but I Don’t hear them complaining now…) and THAT’S the bottom line….
Of course you’re welcome to show where it’s been stated by Jason Licht that the EE pick was “insisted on” by Todd Bowles and I’ll capitulate… Other than THAT, Bowles was “informed” by “his Boss” that Egbuka IS GOING TO be the pick…
Balls in your court…
October 9th, 2025 at 9:06 am
Munch – you could even say Darnold’s greatest weakness is blitz management. was puzzling. i heard his explanation but found it unsatisfying.
October 9th, 2025 at 9:33 am
the defense will be fine!!!
4-1!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 9th, 2025 at 9:35 am
Mack Jones almost beat the Bucs as a rookie in NE when we had Brady. Hopefully Baker can out score them. The 9ers own Todd Bowles.
October 9th, 2025 at 9:43 am
Considering that half the offensive coaches in the league are running a version of the Shanahan offense, it might behove Todd Bowles to figure out how to contain it.
#1 priority i would think would be to not let Dennis cover McCaffrey 1 on 1 in the passing game.
I fully expect McCaffrey and Ricky Pearsall(if he plays) to have massive games receiving.
We’ll have to score 25+ points to be in this game at the end.
October 9th, 2025 at 10:04 am
Bowels doesn’t know how to teach his players to cover a cough. Fraud.
October 9th, 2025 at 10:09 am
Bowels doesn’t know how to teach his players to cover a cough. Fraud.
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BUT, BOWLES HAS TAUGHT YOU HOW TO EAT CROW WITH FEATHERS!!!!!
4-1!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 9th, 2025 at 11:14 am
“There seem to be two coaches who absolutely give Bucs coach Todd Bowles’ defenses fits. One the Bucs will face again on Sunday.
Sean Payton and Kyle Shanahan sure seem to have Bowles’ blitz-heavy defense figured out.”
Sean McVay would like to have a word. He’s faced Bowles as a Bucs DC/HC 5 times and has scored less than 27 points once. That was the last time they faced off where the Bucs held the Rams to 13. Hopefully, that means Bowles figured out a way to stymie the Rams when they face off later this year.
October 9th, 2025 at 11:49 am
The injury no one is talking about is Kittle. He is the man that makes the offense go, especially against our team. The 49ers wr room is nothing special right now because of injuries. It’s time for the DBs to man up and shut someone down.
October 9th, 2025 at 1:44 pm
@813BUCBOI
MY man – fantastic insights lately . Fighting the good fight 💪🏼 🤣
October 9th, 2025 at 11:09 pm
As soon as Bowles loses a single CB or S, he plays soft zone that covers no one. So what’s he gonna do when we’re missing 3 CBs?
And why aren’t any backups capable of playing our scheme?