“The Game Plan Was Simple Enough For Us To Execute”
October 29th, 2026
Thought-provoking take here about the Bucs defense from arguably the player most intimate with it.
Vita Vea has been with the Bucs for all seasons of the Todd Bowles defense.
Vea is a captain and a vocal supporter of all things Bowles. So Vea’s words this week on The Gronk And Jules Show struck Joe as very interesting. He said the game plan against Carolina “was simple enough for us to execute.”
Huh?
Is that Vea implying — or flat out saying — sometimes the defense has been stunted by too much complexity and or guruism by Bowles?
“It was just one of those things, like I felt like our frustration was built up over the past couple of weeks and then we kind of like let it out this past week of practice,” Vea said of the Bucs’ dominant performance. “And I feel like it showed during the game. And it was just one of things where we came out and clicked — all three phases of ball.
“It’s just one of those things that the game plan was simple enough for us to execute. We couldn’t ask for anything else. When you get a simple game plan, you go out there, there’s no new plays, really. You just go out there and you just got to execute.
“Everybody got what they asked for. Obviously, Bowles, he listens to a lot of us, being a defensive coach. If you go up to him with a suggestion, he’ll listen to you.”
The Bucs defense was fantastic on Sunday after wilting mightily a week earlier against the Steelers — in the fourth quarter and in overtime.
Joe can’t wait to see what edition shows up Sunday against the Falcons.
Vea noted that the Faclons offensive line is his toughest matchup in the NFL.
October 29th, 2026 at 1:38 pm
Translation: We are so dumb that it needs to be in crayon on a napkin.
Fixed! Toilet Bowels is a genius!!! SB bound!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
October 29th, 2026 at 1:42 pm
“Go get the quarterback” and “stick close to the receiver you’re playing” goes a long way.
October 29th, 2026 at 1:45 pm
Why would Fraud Bowels change anything?
His formula will have him comfortably retired all the while banking massive paychecks each week win or lose.
The most bizarre chapter in Buccaneer history!
Jets fans came here when he was hired and told us exactly what to expect.
Running a casino in Las Vegas his lifetime winning percentage is a money machine.
In the NFL it’s mediocre mush !
October 29th, 2026 at 1:56 pm
“Is that Vea implying — or flat out saying — sometimes the defense has been stunted by too much complexity and or guruism by Bowles?”
No, because this is the same Vita Vea that said when they called for the players meeting before the Cowboys game it was the vets that stood up and demanded the players get on the same page while executing better as a collective.
“The Bucs defense was fantastic on Sunday after wilting mightily a week earlier against the Steelers — in the fourth quarter and in overtime.”
Yes, while our offense turned the ball over twice in the 2nd half lol different season, same old tired post-Dolphins game rhetoric.
October 29th, 2026 at 2:19 pm
Joe you never look for the good in anything its mostly negativity and sarcasm and its sad. #gobucs
October 29th, 2026 at 2:33 pm
WBL, you are as insufferable as myself and Munch!
We get it, the offense is to blame just like Bowles is to blame and Baker is to blame.
If the D is so great, a turnover or 2 isn’t a death sentence. The best offenses in the league turn the ball over as much as the Bucs. Just ask Josh Allen and James Cook, or Stafford or SB winner Sam Darnold.
Poor playcalling led to 3 pts before halftime and then the Bucs D gave up 23 after halftime. 11 catches to DK and 8 to Bernard or something. Did Daniels give up all those receptions?
It probably was a simpler game plan. It’s a certainty that Bowles outsmarts himself with complex games too much. It’s part of the reason he gets ragged on here. Just let the players do what they do best and be aggressive. You clearly know more about defense than me but at some point if players can’t consistently execute the system, the system is flawed. Bowles has had most of these guys for numerous seasons.
October 29th, 2026 at 2:38 pm
A win on Sunday against the Falcons would indicate the Buccaneers defense is finally trending in right direction. The longer they play together, the less mistakes the players will make. If simplifying is the answer, DO IT. The only thing in football that matters is walking away with A WIN.
October 29th, 2026 at 2:43 pm
I’m no football guru, not by a long shot, but complexity is almost never your friend in any context.
October 29th, 2026 at 2:56 pm
“Saskbucs Says:
October 29th, 2026 at 2:33 pm
WBL, you are as insufferable as myself and Munch!”
31 giveaways in our last 20 games dude, you might be alright with explaining that away, but how much proof do you need. Even this season our only 2 wins, were games we didn’t turn the ball over OFFENSIVELY.
“If the D is so great, a turnover or 2 isn’t a death sentence”
So if the data the NFL tracked over the last 30 years says teams that win the turnover margin by +2 win 89% of the time, right? What’s you chance of winning as the team that’s -2 on the other side of the turnover battle? Especially when as team you only posted 19 points in regulation?
You’re not serious, and you damn sure don’t take turnovers or errors seriously in terms of how they shape a game. Don’t be mad at me because you and others have invested so much time dogging our defense and making them the problem for everything, and now that they’re looking like the better side of the ball for us you and others are struggling to cope with that.
It’s as obvious as water is wet.
October 29th, 2026 at 3:05 pm
The whole Bay Area is SOFT!
Starting with what is left of sports journalism , print, television, radio and social media….
SOFT !
🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮
October 29th, 2026 at 3:07 pm
larrd Says:
October 29th, 2026 at 1:42 pm
“Go get the quarterback” and “stick close to the receiver you’re playing” goes a long way”
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In 1962 maybe
October 29th, 2026 at 3:15 pm
But Ronde said you cant dumb it down. There is no dumbing it down! Who lied to Ronde? He will have to send some very stern sounding texts to get to the bottom of this
October 29th, 2026 at 3:23 pm
Amen brother 🙏🏼
October 29th, 2026 at 3:32 pm
The Bucs defense dominated on a very hot day against the Steelers for 75% of that game. With any competent offense that game is dead a buried and doesn’t go to OT.