Todd Bowles: Kick Coverage Teams Are Operating Too Slowly
October 9th, 2025
What looms is ongoing trouble covering kickoffs.
Seattle cranked out two long ones on Sunday. Luckily, it didn’t cost the Bucs a “W.”
Speaking on the Buccaneers Radio Network this week, head coach Todd Bowles offered an opinion on the woes.
“It’s challenging because we can’t start till the kick, so we gotta find different ways to kick the ball there,” Bowles said. “But at the same time we gotta defeat blockers early and get back in our lanes, and we gotta take our shots. I think we’re breaking down too early so we gotta speed it up.”
Looking at the All-22 of the Bucs’ two poorest coverage efforts against Seattle, Joe saw safety Kaevon Merriweather take a bad angle and whiff on a tackle, allowing the returner to get outside. On the other, linebacker Deion Jones sure was extremely passive, not the hair-on-fire guy one looks for on special teams. Joe also will add that special teams coverage seems to highlight tight end Payne Durham’s lack of speed.
Joe hopes the Bucs have the horses to get it fixed in a hurry.
October 9th, 2025 at 3:16 pm
Whatever Bowles does to pick his OCs he should do that when picking the next ST coach. Its embarrassing how bad this unit is outside of the kicker.
October 9th, 2025 at 3:19 pm
You also other teams placing kicks better; McLaughlin has to just stop chipping it to the 5 and put some spin on the ball with a bounce.
October 9th, 2025 at 3:19 pm
It’s embarrassing and it will cost us games at some point. Possibly this wknd.
October 9th, 2025 at 3:20 pm
Durham was the one that stuck out to me.. doing his best JTS impression..
It was so bad you could see it in real time..
October 9th, 2025 at 3:23 pm
You won’t go far if you have a sub par Defense and a sub par Special Teams. Time to fix it.
October 9th, 2025 at 3:24 pm
If Todd Blows can’t fix the pass defense in 6 seasons and counting, what makes anyone think he’s gonna fix the Special teams?
Special Ed Head Coach can’t fix the biggest problems
October 9th, 2025 at 3:26 pm
im just glad Chase McLaughlin knows how to wrap up lol…
he has like 6 tackles lol
4-1!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 9th, 2025 at 3:30 pm
The Bucs coverage on their right side is poor. Chase was kicking it toward his right so the returner was looking into the sun but the coverage guys on the right were bad. The guys on the left seemed to do better.
October 9th, 2025 at 3:35 pm
Earth to Todd – 5 games in and you’re just noticing this?
Todd needs more jobs to do. Versatility. Maybe he can take over the cafeteria and administrative functions and hire some real coordinators who know how to coach. Jason, make the move.
October 9th, 2025 at 3:51 pm
At this point just kick it out of the endzone
October 9th, 2025 at 3:56 pm
So nice that we finally got rid of that Cooter disease that was plaguing this here website , but still a couple more to go. When it mattered the most at the end when Seattle received after we tied the coverage unit stopped the Seahawks at the 22-so there is that.
October 9th, 2025 at 3:58 pm
‘Joe hopes the Bucs have the horses to get it fixed in a hurry.’
B-I-N-G-O! We’ve got some of the wrong horses out there, on the kickoff team, on the punt team, and on the FG teams. If we have to use starters to keep from giving up 200 kickoff return yards per game like we did in the Seattle game, then plug them horses in.
October 9th, 2025 at 4:04 pm
Todd still living rent free in your head Ironlung.
October 9th, 2025 at 4:25 pm
Certainly not ideal, but makes ya wonder if they should just kick it through the end zone for a touch back. A 35-yard line start is better than what they have been giving up.
October 9th, 2025 at 4:30 pm
@aqua
You do realize your favorite coach also acts as O coordinator, right?
The guy you thought should be gifted Todds job after 1/2 a season?
The guy who’s knob you’ve polished for over a year – Coen?
October 9th, 2025 at 4:33 pm
Achilles heel for the Bucs. Still can’t believe Bowles hasn’t replaced the coach. They need a new mindset. I cringe every time there’s a kickoff. Whether we’re receiving or kicking, the total net is always negative. Just a matter of time before the losses start piling up. You can’t just keep giving away that much yardage/game and expect to win. Baker can only do so much.
October 9th, 2025 at 5:58 pm
people think bowles is picking the offensive coordinators? you can tell which coaches are his picks
October 9th, 2025 at 6:20 pm
if they can’t cover the kick off they need to kick it thru the end zone at start at 35.
October 9th, 2025 at 6:38 pm
Yep, just kick it out of the end zone unless the Bucs are leading big time. Kick coverage is a total disaster, Slow and open holes everywhere.
October 9th, 2025 at 6:54 pm
Just fire the coordinator already. Enough is enough
October 9th, 2025 at 7:24 pm
How can a unit be soooooo bad and the HC ignore the fact -it’s the coaching.
Oopsie, my bad- the HC is also ignoring some of the DC play calling, so there’s that. I don’t know that Bowles has the willingness to fix any of it.
October 9th, 2025 at 7:36 pm
Durham had a solo tackle and an assist on kickoff coverage on 7 kicks. Our special teams specialist Josh Hayes had 0 and 0. I don’t think he’s the problem.
October 9th, 2025 at 8:49 pm
That knuckle ball kick off that the Rams kicker kept using on the Eagles really messed them up. ..
October 9th, 2025 at 9:12 pm
Love triggering the humorless arrogant but at least ignorant powder puff maroons. Meanwhile — if you’re happy about giving up 35 points because of a fluke play when everyone knew they were going right to the Bucs 20 yard line like a hot knife through butter to kick the game winner — then we need to expand the village idiot competition.
October 10th, 2025 at 12:21 am
Yeah, Durham has been real bad. I’ve noticed him several times. I cannot even believe that he’s still out there. It’s been HORRENDOUS.
October 10th, 2025 at 6:29 am
Buddy hires never workout.Liam Coen was nobody’s friend.