Todd Bowles Absolves YaYa Diaby For Tyrell Shavers TD; Blames “Drifted” Defensive Back
November 17th, 2025
Rookie cornerback Benjamin Morrison (circled) drifts inside in zone coverage while backup Bills WR Tyrell Shavers sprints past YaYa Diaby and the Bucs defense for an easy catch and touchdown yesterday.
Plays that have the Bucs getting no edge rush with an edge rusher downfield seemingly covering running backs or receivers send Bucs fans into orbit.
Understandably so.
Joe struggles to embrace a Bucs defensive concept that so desperately needs an edge rush but you then see edge rushers in terrible mismatches with an edge rusher covering a skill position player.
Once yesterday, Anthony Nelson was covering Pro Bowl running back James Cook. Or attempting to.
For Joe, the most egregious play was Josh Allen being able to order chicken wings from Uber Eats and throwing 30 yards down the left sideline for backup receiver Tyrell Shavers, who appeared to be defended by outside linebacker YaYa Diaby.
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles today explained that play and absolved YaYa of any guilt, saying Shavers was not YaYa’s responsibility.
“That was a three-man rush,” Bowles said. “We had a bunch of guys back there that was supposed to have made that play, not YaYa. He was just reacting, running to the ball.”
Bowles pointed an unnamed finger at someone behind Diaby who “drifted” on the play.
That player was rookie Benjamin Morrison. He drifted in decisively toward the covered underneath route while Shavers called for the ball, streaking wide open four yards behind Diaby. Joe screenshot the screwup above.
Joe wants to know the following: Could that play, which resulted in a 43-yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen to Shavers, have been any worse for the Bucs if YaYa was actually rushing Allen?
Yesterday and today, Bowles noted the Bucs needed a better pass rush. Well, it’s hard for YaYa to rush when he is instead chasing a wide receiver.
Tyrell Shavers ranked FIRST among all qualifying WRs in target separation (6.0) in week 11.
đ @NextGenStats pic.twitter.com/kGh3j2Iati
â Ben | BillsAccess (@bills_access) November 17, 2025
November 17th, 2025 at 1:39 pm
“We need a better pass rush.”
“Here, let me drop all my pass rushers into coverage. They’ll never see it coming!”
– Todd Bowles, weekly.
November 17th, 2025 at 1:42 pm
Yep !
November 17th, 2025 at 1:44 pm
Joe you just don’t understand the defensive genius of having 12 dbs on the field at all times. He probably had pressure on the receiver and that’s as good as a tackle.
November 17th, 2025 at 1:47 pm
I said at the time it looked like YaYa had Shavers short and then chose to follow him when the play broke down.
November 17th, 2025 at 1:47 pm
Bowles is not a defensive Genius. Us fans could out coach him at this point. Here is a thought maybe make things less complicated so the players donât have to think so much and can go out and just play their game. Play more man coverage cause they donât know how to play zone. They are always in the wrong spots leaving WR wide open.
November 17th, 2025 at 1:56 pm
This was obvious in real-time.
November 17th, 2025 at 1:56 pm
Morrison was drifting as a spy in Allen because the DL wasnât getting to allen
November 17th, 2025 at 1:59 pm
We should have gone DE / LB in 2nd instead of soft corner
November 17th, 2025 at 2:12 pm
Stop dropping edge rushers and d lineman into coverage, Todd! Your Dungy level Stubborn and Schiano stupid.
November 17th, 2025 at 2:13 pm
maybe reddick wouldve helped lol
GO BUCS!!!!
November 17th, 2025 at 2:14 pm
You’re spot on Joe. Bowles loves his 3 man fronts and playing games with coverages but does he remember he has rookies back there ? I agree with you put people up and rush the QB and we may lay a hand on them but if we let them stay back there all day then this is the result
November 17th, 2025 at 2:14 pm
Personally think Morrison is going to be a fine player. Rookie who missed a ton of camp & who’s head is probably still swimming out on the field. There’s going to be growing pains along the way. Bowles’ scheme doesn’t help matters either.
November 17th, 2025 at 2:15 pm
Oh how I long for a 4-3 defense, a defense where 4 lineman do lineman things and 3 linebackers do linebacker things and the corners and safeties do coverage things. Safeties, other than on the rare occasion, aren’t supposed to blitz. Kancey is great but look at him standing next to Vita. That equates (in my book) to 1 1/2 defensive linemen not 2. Safeties in the box are there to tackle and cover if necessary. Why would a coach send a safety to blitz and have an OLB that is meant to rush the passer drop in coverage. OLBs are tweeners. Not big enough to be a lineman and often not athletic enough to be an effective linebacker. As I recall, the OLB was created as a hybrid because of the glut of college players that size. OLB is a made up position that very very few are good at. So, get back to 4-3 and get 4-3 size players.
November 17th, 2025 at 2:16 pm
Gotta get 2 pass rushers not just 1. Only way Bucs can win with this defense is to score 50 plus pts. Hard to do that if you are down 3 starting WRs and a RB. NO chance this season we get a pass rush but with players coming back from injury on the offense we can for dam sure put up 50 pts. Bakers play was encouraging yesterday. When we get back Bucky and Godwin and letâs not forget about Mike at some point our offense can take us any where
November 17th, 2025 at 2:16 pm
Bowles should of had VV back there defending that play. Another Blunder.
November 17th, 2025 at 2:16 pm
I like a 4-3 defense. Wonder how many teams run that these days. Is it practical in todayâs game?
November 17th, 2025 at 2:18 pm
At this point I frankly donât care. The misuse of players in coverage isnât clever. Its idiotic.
November 17th, 2025 at 2:19 pm
It wouldn’t have been any different if Disappeary rushed the QB because he would have just ended up on the ground at the feet of the LT. We simply don’t have anyone who can rush the passer. Might as well have him cover the flats.
November 17th, 2025 at 2:20 pm
Then… here’s a thought…
QUIT PUTTING MORRISON ON THE FIELD. HE SUCKS!
Izien, Vildor, Bryce Hall, someone from a local car wash.
Anyone but Toast Morrison.
November 17th, 2025 at 2:21 pm
Yeah, I too prefer a real 4-3 with big guys all over. While Bowles defense may be clever, it is not very good.
November 17th, 2025 at 2:32 pm
Classic rookie mistake. Morrison will learn, probably shouldnât be dialing up plays your rookie DB obviously ainât coached up on. Shouldnât we have someone in the backfield communicating and making sure the rookie knows what heâs doing on every play? I donât often see the defensive players talking to each other pre-snap.
November 17th, 2025 at 2:32 pm
Where the hell is Izien?
Dude makes plays.
Jack, I agree. Iâd rather beat offenses Mano y Mano than constantly trying to out cute them..
November 17th, 2025 at 2:37 pm
What we need on defense is 4 steam snorting wooly mammoths, 3 sabre toothed tigers, 2 jaguars and 2 pumas, a lion for DC and a big silverback gorilla for HC.
November 17th, 2025 at 2:42 pm
“I like a 4-3 defense. Wonder how many teams run that these days. Is it practical in todayâs game?”
We run 4-3 defensive sets.
It’s not the scheme that gave up big plays.
Players in the scheme not making plays do.
It’d be like putting trash in a box rather than a bag, doesn’t make the garbage any different.
November 17th, 2025 at 2:46 pm
7 YEARS!!!!
Todd BLOWS has been terrorizing fans with his awful pass defense for 7 years!!!!
Bucs stop the run, teams can only pass, the Bucs know they are passing they have NO answers!!!
Why was this clown extended???????
November 17th, 2025 at 2:47 pm
Gotta make a play, gotta make a play, what they gotta do is prevent the play from happening in the first place.
November 17th, 2025 at 2:54 pm
Other teams mastering chess. We are just learning to play checkers! Ridiculous. No excuses on this one. Historicity bad, this defense. Go Bowles?
November 17th, 2025 at 3:11 pm
They canât get pressure with 4. I think if todd get fired there goes lavonte david
November 17th, 2025 at 3:19 pm
We’re simply screwed with him running the show. We have seen the glaring evidence of that time and time and time again. Im sick of his blunders.
November 17th, 2025 at 3:22 pm
The defense should be ashamed picking up their pay checks this week. Three plays on defense possibly merit payment out of 45.
November 17th, 2025 at 3:29 pm
Detroit
Chicago
Indy
49ers
Patriots
All have 1st year coordinators and their defenses all look better than the guy that has been here for SEVEN YEARS!!!!
November 17th, 2025 at 3:39 pm
Why in the world was the only rushing three?
November 17th, 2025 at 3:41 pm
It was no one’s fault but Todd bowls. You rush three and give the quarterback all day no one’s going to cover that long.
November 17th, 2025 at 3:58 pm
told you it was clearly the db fault
November 17th, 2025 at 4:07 pm
Sorry, but these defensive schemes are idiotic. Make all the excuses you want. Its still your job to have these guys prepared and ready to execute the play. I am so sick of these BS excuses.
November 17th, 2025 at 4:14 pm
Yeah, you could see exactly what happened there, in real-time. Interesting that Bowles failed to mention his name. Bowles should just scrap everything and completely start-over, by allowing his defense to play a lot more freely, & with an edge. Allow them to do what THEY do best on an individual basis. Cause, it could not be any worse. Simplify everything thing and make it a lot easier, where they can at least be free to go out there, and to play without thinking. Allow them to use their strengths, so that they can just let their own instincts and athleticism takeover. Seriously. It could not get any worse than it is. They hung 44 on you DUDE. And, YOU are âsupposed to beâ this Defensive-GENIUS⌠FOURTY-FOUR!?
November 17th, 2025 at 4:14 pm
Joe … ‘Once yesterday, Anthony Nelson was covering Pro Bowl running back James Cook. Or attempting to.’
That particular TD totally blew my mind. James Cook (5’11” & 190 lbs) runs a 4.42 sec 40-yd dash. Anthony Nelson (6’7″ & 271 lbs) ran a 4.82 sec 40-yd at his combine.
In what universe was that ever gonna turn out well?
November 17th, 2025 at 4:30 pm
See, here’s the thing though… Yaya was still 40 yards down the field on the play. Do you not get where the outrage is coming from? Your best pass rusher is 40 yards down the field. You can claim that a corner should have been back as well – but that still means Yaya is 40-yards down the field. Your best pass rusher. 40 yards down the field. Get why people have a problem?
November 17th, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Defense Rules Says:
That particular TD totally blew my mind. James Cook (5â11â & 190 lbs) runs a 4.42 sec 40-yd dash. Anthony Nelson (6â7âł & 271 lbs) ran a 4.82 sec 40-yd at his combine.
In what universe was that ever gonna turn out well?
————
Not only that, Nelson starts out the play by rushing the passer, then is supposed to drop out of the rush to cover one-on-one. I watched that play like 20 times yesterday because I thought there had to be something else going on, there’s no way that was by design. But I can’t see any other explanation on the play.
As for Nelson running a 4.82 — maybe in the best shape of his life at the combine he runs that. He’s been here for years, and has always looked sluggish, I’d be shocked if he breaks 5.0 today (honestly I’d be shocked if he breaks 5.2). And I’m not knocking him, he’s a DE, and there’s no defense where you huge giant DE should be rushing, then stop rushing and drop into man coverage on a RB. I’m all for playing man – but just saying use man isn’t an excuse to have Vita doing man coverage on WRs, there still needs to be some logic to it.
November 17th, 2025 at 4:38 pm
Yall fail to understand anything lol
November 17th, 2025 at 4:49 pm
Cleanhouse … ‘I like a 4-3 defense. Wonder how many teams run that these days. Is it practical in todayâs game?’
Me too; I’d switch back in a heartbeat if we could. According to Pro-Football-Reference, 9 AFC teams run the 4-3 and 7 AFC teams run the 3-4. In our Conference, 6 NFC teams run the 4-3 and 10 NFC teams run the 3-4. Overall though it’s pretty well split down the middle in the NFL.
Our NFC South divison BTW is the only division where all 4 teams run the same defense (3-4).
When I look at who’s performing well Cleanhouse, not sure it makes a huge amount of difference which scheme you use; more important obviously that you man it well & employ it well. For instance, the #1 defense right now is the Texans (they run a 4-3). The #2 defense is the Rams (they run a 3-4). And interestingly in the Top-10 defenses, 5 run the 4-3 and 5 run the 3-4. They obviously BOTH work.
Seems to me that Todd Bowles uses a ‘hybrid’ defense more than anything (not really a 3-4 nor is it a 4-3). Personally I think that Todd fools himself more often than he fools others. Example: Our defense has logged 638 defensive snaps in 10 games. So if we ran a 3-man rush every play, we’d have 3 DLinemen logging 638 def snaps each … 1914 def snaps total. But that’s NOT the case.
Our DLinemen have now logged the following:
o Vea … 469 def snaps
o Kancey … 69 def snaps
o Hall … 342 def snaps
o Roberts … 307 def snaps
o Gaines … 246 def snaps
o Simmons … 79 def snaps
o Brewer … 17 def snaps
Those are our big dogs upfront, and they totaled 1529 def snaps, NOT the 1914 def snaps that using 3 DLinemen SHOULD have gotten. IOW, we have only TWO DLinemen out there on roughly 20% of the plays.
I thought that MAYBE we were using additional OLBs on those plays, but such doesn’t seem to be the case. Our OLBs (2 on the field each play) should have logged 639 def plays times 2 … 1274 def snaps. In fact they’ve logged 1276, so they’re right where they should be based on 10 games.
No, Todd’s going LIGHT upfront (fewer DLinemen) on a substantial number of plays. No way to know for sure, but can’t help but wonder if our opponents have picked up on that and gutted us when we went ‘light’.
November 17th, 2025 at 4:54 pm
Rod … ‘Not only that, Nelson starts out the play by rushing the passer, then is supposed to drop out of the rush to cover one-on-one.’
O Lordy I love it when you find stuff like that Rod. This is a VERY FAST premier RB we’re talking about, and he was essentially left wide open. All Allen had to do was find him. And unfortunately it happened ove & over all game long. Thankfully Allen really had a bad game; other than that it would’ve been 60-Plus points dropped on our heads.
November 17th, 2025 at 5:19 pm
Defense Rules, and Rod Munch,
Thanks for the banter, love your comments.
Didnât get a chance to watch yesterday, and after seeing the final score I couldnât help but SMH. Definitely some doodoodefense!
November 17th, 2025 at 5:36 pm
Of course Yaya would look bad when he’s dropping into coverage covering a WR or RB. HOW DO YOU EXPECT THEM TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE QB WHEN THEY KEEP DROPPING INTO COVERAGE? Leave them alone & let them play their normal position.
November 17th, 2025 at 5:44 pm
âYour best pass rusher. 40 yards down the field. Get why people have a problem?â
Thatâs because fans are short on football nuance, itâs really simple if you watch the film and have some type of idea whatâs SUPPOSED to be happening. Which will help realize the difference as to what actually happened and who was to blame for what.
Morrison was to cover the deep third on his side, the area between the boundary and the hash, him being on the hash with the ball in the air means he was out of position.
Yaya in abscence of the CB being in a deep 3rd had priority to cover the flat. Man crossed Yayas face. His job before the ball even snapped was to be out there. Meaning we put an extra man/dropped 8 in coverage to pull this off. Players effed it up.
Modified cover 3 look with MAN underneath, with a 3-man zone look capping the top of the defense. Why I find it silly to even dispute their being a debate
Itâs not the cars, itâs the drivers.
Before some of you kooks start to âoh heâs defending Bowlesâ me to death, save . Itâs for anybody whoâs even curious as to what went wrong on that particular play and care to understand. Pitchforks and torches prohibited.
Weâve a comparable look to that back in 2022. It was New Orleans Dean had 2 picks, and one of him he dropped into that third, saw a man cross his face and ran with him stride for stride to pick the pass off in the endzone.
November 17th, 2025 at 6:15 pm
Warren Brooks Lynch … ‘Thatâs because fans are short on football nuance, itâs really simple if you watch the film and have some type of idea whatâs SUPPOSED to be happening.’
Most of us JBFers don’t have THAT extent of a football background to perform THAT depth of analysis. And most also don’t have the time or resources to dig deep like that.
Perception is reality. I don’t personally care if it’s Bowles’ fault (schematically) or the players’ fault (execution-wise). What any of us primarily care about is the RESULT. Crappy coverage leading to 7 points isn’t JUST crappy coverage; it’s more-so 7 points that can cost you the ballgame. What I do care about though is FIXING IT. And it’s not being fixed.
There were MANY examples yesterday of very poor pass coverage. We allowed SEVEN completed passes of 20 or more yards, that either resulted in TDs (or FGs) or were critical elements on scoring drives. THAT’S been happening all season, and it’s NOT supposed to be happening. Doesn’t take football geniuses to figure that out.