Really Rotten Tackling
October 15th, 2026
Tackling can improve.
It’s not hopeless.
Blocking and tackling. Football, when you think about it, really is a simple game.
You block well, the offense should hum. You tackle well, and the opposing offense likely isn’t going to move the ball, or get much YAC.
So it is frustrating to Joe that the Bucs are just not a good tackling team.
The crowd over at the NFL data mining site Sumer Sports published a graphic on social media this week on tackling. It shows the Bucs have the third-highest missed tackle rate. Only Philadelphia and Denver are worse.
That surprises Joe because Denver has a solid defense and both the Eagles and Broncos have strong defensive coaches.
Now Joe knows there are folks out there, including some who host shows on SiriusXM NFL Radio, who claim the lack of hitting in practices is why tackling is poor in the NFL.
Not only does Joe think that’s a copout, but it’s lazy analysis.
The Harbaugh Bros., Mike Tomlin, Mike Macdonald, Jesse Minter and other coaches consistently have good, solid tackling teams, if not physical defenses. So if you buy that NFL hitting restrictions are dragging down tackling, then you are also suggesting all of the teams Joe cited above who do tackle well are cheating and having extra closed padded practices.
And if that was true, you can bet your sweet rear end a player would have narc’d on those teams to the union.
Yesterday at One Buc Palace, Joe asked KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles if restrictions on padded practices during the regular season mean tackling has to be established in training camp? Or can it improve during the season, even under tight restrictions?
Bowles said, yeah, you can improve tackling despite the limit on padded practices.
“You can improve the practice of tackling during the season as far as dummies and people and everything like that,” Bowles said. “The day you do have [a] padded practice, you can wrap up, [but] you can’t take them to the ground.
“You can improve all that during the season as well. It’s not just preseason.”
So that was comforting. And Joe fully understands hitting the dummies. No, a dummy is not a live ball carrier, but with the dummy, one can practice fundamentals of tackling and then carry it over to the field.
October 15th, 2026 at 7:17 am
its not about blocking and tackling under bowles its about excuses and uncomfortableness.
bowles is a guru in both making excuses and making the glazers uncomfortable trying to come up with excuses why bowles is still employed by them.
bowles routine is old, tired, and it is time for bowles to be pasturized. as in put out to pasture.
October 15th, 2026 at 7:29 am
You learn tackling in Jv football . These are grown men that should already know how to tackle.
October 15th, 2026 at 7:37 am
Over-paid and elderly ILB Anzalone has at least 6 (or 7 depending on the source) missed tackles so far (18.2% MTR) which counts for @ 16% of those MTs…
Not great for our new “team captain”.
We will need to draft another ILB before next season.
October 15th, 2026 at 7:49 am
Swarming to the football and gang tackling is the key. This is where you separate the loafers from the excellent players. Every game in the NFL you’ll see a handful of players standing around watching while others are trying to make a play. The greatest defensive players will pursue breakaways while some won’t even look in the direction if it isn’t in their lane. Problem is these loafers will leave a player on an island while standing there assuming he’ll make the play.
October 15th, 2026 at 8:04 am
Todd could teach by example.. have his players watch him tackle the buffet.
October 15th, 2026 at 8:24 am
They better figure it out quickly because that will be the key to Sunday’s game. The defense has to be able to tackle well Sunday or it’ll get lucky. They also must block up front or it’ll get ugly. Without those two keys, it could be a long day, or quick, however you wanna look at it.
October 15th, 2026 at 8:46 am
Tackling is good, but there are other things that are required.
October 15th, 2026 at 8:55 am
Drop the second Ira podcast pretty please lol.
October 15th, 2026 at 9:11 am
Since Todd Bowles has taken on both Head coaching and Defensive coaching responsibilities his overall performance hasn’t been the same. He had edge rushers in Barrett and others that literary shutdown the mighty Kansas City Chiefs in MacHomes, Kelcey, and Hill in Super Bowl 55. Where are his edge rushers now…well they are nowhere to beseen.
Todd Bowles has been a better Defensive coach than a Head coach. The Glazers need to put this dual responsibility to bed.
Next year, win or lose, they need a new HC.
October 15th, 2026 at 9:24 am
Folks still want to bring up the Superbowl against KC and how great the edge rushers were that game. All while forgetting to mention that KC was down to some 2nd and 3rd stringers on the oline that game due to a pile of oline injuries KC had.
October 15th, 2026 at 9:32 am
Listening to Todd talk football is like asking an 8 year old for financial advice.
He’s the Forest Gump of HC\DC in the NFL. IQ just above the minimum.
Slow, stubborn, resistant to change, unable to pivot in games, bland, boring.
A mannequin would be a better option at this point.
October 15th, 2026 at 9:36 am
Bowles is that old school coach who doesn’t really even need coordinators. Owners could save a lot of money by just naming Todd as offensive and special teams coordinators in addition to his DC and HC roles. Then we’d see the old school football fans crave.
October 15th, 2026 at 10:02 am
Poor coaching
Insecure coaching
Bad coaching
Hence Fraud Bowels record as a HEADCOACH
October 15th, 2026 at 10:07 am
Maybe they are using the dummy too much. Or should i say dummies. It’s a too many dummies Bucs life!
October 15th, 2026 at 10:34 am
Not to mention REALLY ROTTEN COACHING
October 15th, 2026 at 10:37 am
@ Bucwin
I agree.
Definitely way too many dummies at One Buc Place.
October 15th, 2026 at 10:46 am
@ Thomas
Todd Bowles defense is currently top 6 in the NFL – not too shabby.
Unfortunately – Todd Bowles is also one of the worst Head coaches in the NFL and our GM isn’t looking much better.
Soon the “bells will toll” for both…
October 15th, 2026 at 10:48 am
The last time I practiced tackling against dummies, the dummies never pivoted, pushed back, or did a jump-cut.
Practicing REAL tackling reinforces muscle memory, and should be done regularly, even at the pro level.
That’s just common sense!
October 15th, 2026 at 11:07 am
I predict….we lose the division and Bowles will be back for another replay next year of this year.
October 15th, 2026 at 11:16 am
Missed tackle % can be misleading. Rugby suffers the same fallacy. Often, teams that are more aggressive and swarm to the ball miss more tackles, even though they have a great defense. The goal isn’t always to tackle, it’s to disrupt the play. There are always scramblers / mop-up tacklers to finish off.
October 15th, 2026 at 11:22 am
If you are hitting dummies in practice, I would assume Bowles takes a lot of hits every day because he’s about as dumb as they come. Good riddens you idiot. You have zero chance of digging out of this 4 game losing streak (sound familiar) that started this season. Defensive Master Mind, yeah right. Try not to hurt yourself on the sidelines this week coach. Stay out of the way, easier said than done right? Oaf..
October 15th, 2026 at 11:39 am
LOL and why has it not gotten better? Mind blowing coming from Bowles. For the last three years and counting… Tackling dummies dont try to avoid tackles then hit you in the mouth with a stiff arm.
Go Bucs!
October 15th, 2026 at 11:55 am
I remember a time in peewee football when I was a LB and I used to get juked all the time.
Then, a coach told me to stare at the ballcarrier’s belt buckle when approaching them to make a tackle.
And when I started doing that (immediately btw), I basically never got juked ever again and made almost every single tackle for the next 10 years.
Why is a peewee coach better at teaching tackling than our professional coaches??!??
October 15th, 2026 at 11:55 am
Tacking a standstill dummy is nowhere on the same level as tacking an athlete running full speed.
October 15th, 2026 at 2:48 pm
PS: I have wondered if teams that have a high missed tackle rate are too focused on the Peanut Punch.
Wrap up FIRST, then go for the punch-out.
October 15th, 2026 at 5:14 pm
Do your job..