Todd Bowles Addresses Rueben Bain “Telegraphing” Things
September 16th, 2026
So Miami Mauler rookie edge rusher Rueben Bain had a shockingly weak debut on Sunday. After a lot of hype (not his fault), he didn’t look like the high-motor, highly-skilled player he was in training camp.
Speaking on the Buccaneers Radio Network this week, Todd Bowles said Bain “telegraphed a few things, but it was his first game out.”
Today, Joe asked Bowles to expand on what he meant by telegraphing, and Joe asked if that was tied to something NFL-related versus what Bain dealt with in college.
“No. He just stopped thinking and a couple chips got in his way and he got a little frustrated, but he’ll be fine,” Bowles said. “He understands what he has to do. It doesn’t relate to the NFL.”
Bain is not on this week’s first injury report that was issued today. Joe was glad to see that because Bain sure looked either gassed or limited by the shoulder he hurt in training camp.
As Joe wrote 100 times in the preseason, Bain shouldn’t be expected to be a double-digit sack savior. Legions of great Hall of Fame level pass rushers before him had low-production rookie years with a lot of lessons learned.
Bain gets a pass for Sunday in Joe’s book. Veterans like Vita Vea and Alex Anzalone do not.
September 16th, 2026 at 5:14 pm
Front 7 was terrible except one guy that was great.
September 16th, 2026 at 5:15 pm
Bain is now coached by Todd Bowles. That’s means he’s going to regress in a major way.
Todd asks his edge rushers to do other things on the field.
Including looking lost, playing soft, quitting on plays, and making backup QB’s look like Dan Marino in his prime.
“He just stopped thinking”. A Todd Bowles specialty.
September 16th, 2026 at 5:18 pm
I really feel like this team doesn’t do a good job of rotating our OLBs. We have a bunch of ok guys, no one is special so how about running these guys in and out like hockey lines so they can go at 100% each snap
September 16th, 2026 at 5:19 pm
Remember though that Bain was training against Goedeke who also had a rough start to the season. I think Bain learned more in 3 hours vs the Ben Gals than he did in a month in camp.
September 16th, 2026 at 5:23 pm
Stress can drain you mentally and physically.
September 16th, 2026 at 5:24 pm
Idk if people here understand how a 3-4 operates. You can hate that that’s the defense but acting mad that a 3-4 OLB drops in coverage displays remedial ball knowledge.
September 16th, 2026 at 5:24 pm
Cosmo “name change” Kramer.
September 16th, 2026 at 5:28 pm
A’Shawn Robinson did his job and was the best of the front. He had 3 tackles and so was way more effective than Vea, Kancey and the rest. Haven’t heard much about his performance but he deserves to get called out on the positive side.
September 16th, 2026 at 5:31 pm
I call bullsh!t on 2 things Bowles said before the season.
1. ILB is NOT the strength of this team. We have 1 good ILB, Trotter. Anzalone is trash at this point in his career.
2. This is NOT the best we have been set at Edge since Bowles arrived here. JPP and Shaq Barrett were WAY better when they were on the field together.
September 16th, 2026 at 5:31 pm
Bain logged 41 def snaps … playing almost 2/3rds of the game. His total contribution: 1 tackle.
Meanwhile Muhammad only got 26 def snaps … playing slightly over 40% of the game. His total contribution: 1 tackle PLUS 2 QB knockdowns. And oh ya, Muhammad was the only OLB to even sniff Burrow. None of the others came close enough to log a knockdown or a hurry, and certainly not a sack.
For those who have YouTube TV, you can watch the top (key) plays of the game during the week. There were 35 key plays for Sunday’s game (and yes, all of the turnovers were included as key plays). Watching just those 35 plays, I was even less impressed with the play of our OLine & Dline (and OLBs) than I was Sunday. I had such high hopes, and they were thwarted. Bummer.
September 16th, 2026 at 5:34 pm
Week. Or Weak?
September 16th, 2026 at 5:41 pm
He was lining up
So wide
September 16th, 2026 at 5:41 pm
Well said Joez
September 16th, 2026 at 5:41 pm
Watch Baldy’s tape on Bain.
Bain got absolutely owned.
Bowles never stunted him inside.
No creativity = No Surprise.
September 16th, 2026 at 5:43 pm
Lou … ‘A’Shawn Robinson did his job and was the best of the front. He had 3 tackles and so was way more effective than Vea, Kancey and the rest.’
A’Shawn will HOPEFULLY now be in line for a LOT more def snaps in the coming games. He actually had 5 tackles (3 solo, 2 assist), PLUS he was credited with 1 QB hit (knockdown).
He only logged 32 def snaps, but historically he’s shown that he can handle up to about 48 def snaps in a game (about 50% more). I’ve said many times before that I’d love to see a much beefier 3-man DLine (my preference now would be Robinson, Vea and maybe 1 of our younger big studs like Capehart or Simmons), along with Kancey as 1 End and Diaby, Bain or Muhammad as the other End. Yup, a 5-man rush with 2 ILBs & 4 Secondary (and have 1 of the Safeties close playing almost a 3rd ILB). No more of this ‘Where’s the beef?’ stuff.
September 16th, 2026 at 5:48 pm
Anthony is a ballchinian.
September 16th, 2026 at 5:48 pm
@cosmo… change the record, and we dont need a remix. Great players will be great players. The SB win proves that and Bowles asked all of them to do the same thing, smh.
September 16th, 2026 at 5:51 pm
Going against pros man for the first time
I love that he got smoked
Will make him better
September 16th, 2026 at 5:54 pm
If the Bucs had a real HC and a DC I wouldn’t worry. But it’s Todd Bowles and he’s pure trash and doesn’t know how to coach. What a shame that we have to waste under season
September 16th, 2026 at 6:05 pm
I said that if Rueben Bain is rushing from a 2 point stance
He will be non-existent against NFL tackles
If he rushed from a 3 point stance, like he did in college
He will have more success, because he’s not a standup pass rusher
Most of his success at Miami Central, Miami U
Was rushing from a 3 point stance, and 4 point stance
September 16th, 2026 at 6:07 pm
The CIN RT looked wayyyyyyyyyyy better than ours, so there’s that -Bain looked like a high school kid playing against a grown arse man
September 16th, 2026 at 6:11 pm
It’s a known fact Rueben Bain get off the ball quicker
And he’s more explosive, and he’s a terror
When he’s rushing with his hand in the dirt
September 16th, 2026 at 6:25 pm
What i never understood, is how if someone is coached well, like Bain in Miami by Jason, and has an arsenal of moves that he used and coached, then even if the say new position coach in the NFL is not as good as some might say, how in only 12 months do u forget everything that made u a first rd draft pick? Do new coaches say dont do what u excel at and made us pick you, do these inferior pass rush moves instead and look like a bust to America!?
September 16th, 2026 at 6:29 pm
Get a pass wtf these guys are paid pretty darn good for all the excuses game after game I can’t write enough about this frustration. Go bucs 2027 and welcome new coaches and players!
September 16th, 2026 at 6:40 pm
So predictable. I saw this coming that all the clowns would overreact if Bain didn’t have a good game. It’s week 1 of his rookie year for cry out loud! Come back in November and bitch and whine if Bain isn’t making impactful plays.
He had a bad game to be sure, but he was up against one of the best young RTs in football and one of the biggest. Learning experience for Bain. I’m not concerned one bit.
Wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Bain have a big impact Sunday.
September 16th, 2026 at 6:45 pm
Glad master mind DC found away to get Walker in for a few snaps no one else was getting there why the hell not
September 16th, 2026 at 6:50 pm
David Walker only got special teams snaps
He didn’t get any snaps on defense
September 16th, 2026 at 6:53 pm
Rueben Bain is a traditional 4-3 DE
He’s not an OLB, the Bucs are trying to make him a 3-4 OLB
Can you imagine Simeon Rice as a 3-4 OLB?
September 16th, 2026 at 7:05 pm
AQM play the best that’s who needs to be starting until Ruben can get it together
September 16th, 2026 at 7:16 pm
on another note….congrats to Ira Kauffman who is keeping his job on the Hall of Fame Committee….way to go Ira….Dungy was one of the many cuts as they go from 50 to 28 members
September 16th, 2026 at 7:16 pm
Scott you’re right
AQM is their best edge rusher right now
They have to ease Rueben Bain into the role of OLB
It’s a learning experience for Bain
AQM is a seasoned veteran, he knows the ropes
September 16th, 2026 at 7:17 pm
@Lakeland,
It’s not the Bucs, it’s Todd and JL once again trying to put the square peg in the round hole. They’re going to waste his talent like they have many others. Contrary to what they both believe, neither is a guru or genius. The season is not lost, but it is not an auspicious start. One more game of Todd bringing them out flat as a board. No offense or defense is afraid of this team. We’re just good enough to get beat or do it to ourself.
September 16th, 2026 at 7:32 pm
Imagine that! Guys not ready to play! Let’s hope he’s ready to play next season, if Bowles is gone.
September 16th, 2026 at 7:46 pm
Hope our new super D End gets better a hurry. Mimms Cincinnati by way of the University of GEORGIA really bput him in a box