Is The Bucs’ Defense Too Complex?
November 18th, 2025
Very savvy football people have talked about how challenging and intricate the Todd Bowles’ defense is to play in.
Yes, Joe wrote “to play.” The Bucs defense is challenging to face, too, but it’s not a quick study for those in it.
Retired defensive back Logan Ryan, who played for the Belicheats and the Titans before joining the Bucs in 2022, has referenced the complexity of Bowles’ defense as a panelist and host on CBS and SiriusXM NFL Radio. Ryan was a regular early-morning film studier with Todd Bowles in Tampa. A very sharp dude, Ryan has shared stories of many long hours with Bowles that included being overloaded with Bowles’ 1960’s era music favorites.
Over the years, Bowles himself has said repeatedly that his defense presents a great challenge for rookie edge rushers, and for some defensive backs, as well.
Veteran Bucs cornerback Jamel Dean hopped on the Buccaneers Radio Network yesterday and was asked about what the defense has been working on to stop the big chunk plays teams have been racking up lately on Tampa Bay.
“It’s more just communication, understanding like where everybody needs to be whenever Bowles makes the call,” Dean said.
That response intrigued Joe. The Bucs defense is loaded with veterans that have been in Bowles’ defense for years. So it’s hard to believe players aren’t fully grasping where they need to be on a defensive call in November.
Perhaps it’s been more of a case of players trying to do too much, cheating versus staying in their assigned roles, gaps and zones?
If Dean is being candid, then perhaps it’s time to simplify aspects of the defense?
Joe realizes rookies Jacob Parrish, Elijah Roberts and Benjamin Morrison have played a ton of snaps, but Joe wouldn’t hang all the Bucs’ defensive problems on them.
Regardless, the defensive results must change in a hurry. The Rams, Sunday’s opponent, have averaged 33 points per game in their last four games.
November 18th, 2025 at 6:39 pm
The only rookie I see struggling is Morrison. He’s a liability.
November 18th, 2025 at 6:41 pm
The Rams are going to destroy the Bucs!
November 18th, 2025 at 6:44 pm
He dials up way too many exotic blitzes in ny option but he has to. Nobody can touch the QB at all.
November 18th, 2025 at 6:45 pm
Agree Buc1987. Sunday is going to be very embarrassing. McVay vs swizz cheese Bowles and add to the fact how awful Bowles and Baker are on SNF. Good grief this one is going to be uggggggggggly! 45 17 Rams.
November 18th, 2025 at 6:52 pm
@Scott
Yaya won’t be touching the QB at all if he’s too busy dropping out.
November 18th, 2025 at 6:57 pm
Maybe the scheme is just trash? Maybe the game has passed bowels like many others. Olbs’ covering wrs down the field seems pretty dumb.
November 18th, 2025 at 6:58 pm
Vea dropping in coverage at any point seems dumb I mean too exotic? Lol
November 18th, 2025 at 7:02 pm
TBBF learned the Bowles defense in 3 weeks….but forgot it in 3 hours.
November 18th, 2025 at 7:03 pm
Too complex? Not for the other guys.
I think opponents are zeroing on players, not the system. They create mismatches or plays individual defenders are weak at, and they exploit them for big gains. The Bucs D does make good plays, but opponents dial up third- and fourth-down specials that undress them. The Bucs are set up for the money downs.
November 18th, 2025 at 7:05 pm
Joe says; Is The Bucs’ Defense Too Complex?
November 18th, 2025
^^^^
Thanks for hopping on board Joe.
November 18th, 2025 at 7:11 pm
Ooo I’d tap the brakes in the Rams offense. They stunk last week – watch the game.
2/11 on third down
Something like 12 first downs the whole game
Dangerous PuKa and Adam’s? 130 total passing yards, 250 for the game.
Looking like it’s going to be a competitive game if the Bucs D stick to man and peppering in some zone
November 18th, 2025 at 7:15 pm
Go for it on 4th and 2 and probably no one is asking this question.
November 18th, 2025 at 7:17 pm
No just boring. Done with Bucs til new caosch.
November 18th, 2025 at 7:17 pm
The 3-4 is NOT the common defense in college and it’s not the common defense in the NFL. Plus, this generation is a Madden generation, which featured nothing but 4-3 and the Tampa 2 for decades. Bowles’s 3-4 defense goes against the grain. The gurus of the 3-4 defense are basically gone now: Bill Belichick in NY under Parcells, Buddy Ryan, Wade Phillips, Dick Lebeau… who is the guru of the 3-4 defense now? It is too detailed and too nuanced. The 4-3 defense is way more common. We may as well get a DC coach in here that fits most of the football programs out there!
November 18th, 2025 at 7:18 pm
If the Dolphins can steamroll the Bills, there is no reason not to believe the Bucs will steamroll the Rams. And I have some swampland in the Sahara Desert I would like to sell.
November 18th, 2025 at 7:27 pm
Hi Joe, Bowle’s defense may be complex. However, I don’t think that is the problem. The problem is talent level. You have said it over and over. Everyone knows now. We are lacking talented edge rushers!!. That simple. They gambled on Reddick and lost. If the front end is getting to the qb. then the back end becomes so much easier. With that said the Bucs secondary lack talent as well. McCollum has not gotten better and is average at best. Dean while capable is always hurt. Winfield has all but disappeared. T Smith and Parrish are the best things going, but 2 players don’t make a defense. David is still a good player but not the player he was. Dennis? Do I need to say anything. So out of the front 7, the team has Vea. Licht ,while a good GM has missed too many in the draft on the
d line.
The defense needs a big influx of talent. If The Bucs get that then the complexity
Of Bowle’s system will become workable if not simple.
Talent is the issue not the system. Thought when does a system miss tackles, Something the Bucs do consistently.
November 18th, 2025 at 7:28 pm
Hi Joe, Bowle’s defense may be complex. However, I don’t think that is the problem. The problem is talent level. You have said it over and over. Everyone knows now. We are lacking talented edge rushers!!. That simple. They gambled on Reddick and lost. If the front end is getting to the qb. then the back end becomes so much easier. With that said the Bucs secondary lack talent as well. McCollum has not gotten better and is average at best. Dean while capable is always hurt. Winfield has all but disappeared. T Smith and Parrish are the best things going, but 2 players don’t make a defense. David is still a good player but not the player he was. Dennis? Do I need to say anything. So out of the front 7, the team has Vea. Licht ,while a good GM has missed too many in the draft on the
d line.
The defense needs a big influx of talent. If The Bucs get that then the complexity
Of Bowle’s system will become workable if not simple.
Talent is the issue not the system.
November 18th, 2025 at 7:34 pm
Best thing to do is hire a DC this off-season. Fill talk excuses, no accountability. W’s are result of out playing and coaching the other team. L’s are getting beat at it.
November 18th, 2025 at 7:35 pm
DeeBoo: the Rams won because Sam darnold threw 4 picks and Seattle settled for 4 field goals including 3 when Seattle was in the red zone (sound familiar?). Seattle moved the ball, the Rams did not but did not need to thanks to Darnold’s turnovers. Hopefully Baker does not pull a Darnold next week and I have no faith in Bowles’ D vs McKay’s offensive wrinkles , simply another example of the Bucs facing a superior coaching staff just like they had in Buffalo, Philly, Detroit, New England etc…….
November 18th, 2025 at 7:40 pm
Our defense has been terrible for a few years now.
I think we need to find another great OC, let him prive it in 1 season as our OC, then give him the HC job and pick him down longterm.
It’s a disservice to the fans and the organization to have a defensive HC if our defense isn’t any good consistently.
November 18th, 2025 at 7:42 pm
I wouldn’t even want Bowles as just our DC right now because his D sucks.
The Bills were prob laughing after that easy TD to Cook with Anthony Nelson in coverage. Lol, what a joke this scheme is.
November 18th, 2025 at 7:45 pm
No excuses most of these guys have been in a system for 5 years and they still play like garbage same excuses same results 6 and 5 Carolina takes the lead. choke again bad coaching
November 18th, 2025 at 7:50 pm
Bowles needs to either be let go or agree to hire a new DC to take over and install a completley new system. This is nothing new…
November 18th, 2025 at 7:54 pm
More indictment against Bowels!
If you can’t coach the players to run a scheme then its not a scheme you should be coaching… He is setting the players and team up for failure…
If it is a struggle for the starters to be consistent, then backups are going to have an even harder time… Screams signs of a BAD DC !
November 18th, 2025 at 8:00 pm
“Perhaps it’s been more of a case of players trying to do too much, cheating versus staying in their assigned roles, gaps and zones?”
I was thinking this may have been a big part of the problem. Everybody wanting to get in on the big play action, chasing the ball and getting out of your assigned zones or gaps. Where have our safeties been on all these explosives? Morrison has been abused but I think he’ll get better – it needs to be fast.
All it takes is 1 man out of place by 1 yard on defense to fudge sht up and give up explosives.
November 18th, 2025 at 8:09 pm
If I can get a babysitter I’ll be in the end zone at this game
November 18th, 2025 at 8:14 pm
Bowles scheme WORKS WELL when the pass rush gets to the QB. When the QB like Josh Allen and or others have the ability to extend plays, the scheme has gapping holes.
Our LBs can’t possibly cover WR down field. They can drop back and cover the flat and over the intermediate middle. That constitutes up to 2.5 seconds, should the QB still have the ball, well even Trent Dilfer would look like a super star
November 18th, 2025 at 8:14 pm
WANT TO KNOW THE ISSUE … TOO MUCH TAPE
Bowles has run the same scheme for too long. There is too much tape.
Buffalo and Patriots knew on what plays Bowles would drop an Edge into coverage. They schemed for it, set the defense up, and took advantage. It’s that simple.
HOW DO YOU FIX IT?
Tampa doesn’t need a new HC. They need a new DC. Let Bowles be a HC. He’s actually okay at it.
November 18th, 2025 at 8:17 pm
It’s fine to have a complex system but a good coach could change with the players they have. This loss other than the decision to not run the ball twice for 2 yards was because of three huge plays for TDs by the Bills. Two of which featured our OLBs chasing down a WR and a RB. The third was that tunnel pass where one defender couldn’t get free of his blocker, another defender (Morrison) I think got blocked in the back, and Tykee Smith took an absolutely horrible angle on the ball carrier.
November 18th, 2025 at 8:19 pm
The scheme is only as good as those who execute it. Wonder if Dennis is communicating it clearly? All it takes is one guy to screw up his assignment. And as for special teams…Bowles needs to sit in those meetings this week and make sure the fundamentals are covered. Call Morrison into his office personally, and go over what the expectation is for each call..Dont leave it to the underling coaches….that’s not getting it done.
November 18th, 2025 at 8:20 pm
The answer a clear YES! We have our De as Lb, CBS, pickles, and safeties. Ridiculous. I have to say if tye dense is going to be giving up this horrible ppg avg. We should jave hired El Serpeinťe.
November 18th, 2025 at 8:20 pm
STAY AWAY FROM THE SEANS!!!!
If McDermott can score +40 on Bowles, McVay is going to destroy the Bucs.
Head Coaches that routinely beat Bowles …
Sean Peyton
Sean McDermott
Sean McVay
November 18th, 2025 at 8:23 pm
Not sure if I can buy this with all the veterans in the current scheme. I’m sure it is complex and communication is key. Sadly we looked exposed at development, aggression and speed. We can only coach one of those and mostly that has been lacking. Edge rush? We can’t draft one or develop. We lucked out with Vita. Haven’t drafted or developed another interior monster. ILB, haven’t drafted and developed one (Yet). Corner, we are mediocre, (Parrish looks great) So far safety has been are only top tier all around position we drafted and developed. I’ll keep saying it, Tykee has the it factor. Winfields game has slipped but he also set the bar so high it’s unattainable.
November 18th, 2025 at 8:27 pm
Bingo. When the QB has time, the coverage will fail. Our DL is flawed without a solid DL. Honestly, we need 2 quality DL, having that kid of disruption up front allows our non top tier LBs to get penetration and disrupt the play. It’s how not having an “edge” works.
Where has Vita been?
November 18th, 2025 at 8:28 pm
@Joe
How can a defense that sends Defensive Ends into coverage after running backs and wide receivers instead of rushing the quarterback, possibly be deemed too complex? Too much dumbassery and lack of common sense is more appropriate.
November 18th, 2025 at 8:41 pm
Mobucs & Tye make great points! Opponents don’t need to figure out the whole scheme, just it’s weaknesses: SVD & Morrison to begin with, soft coverage & lack of an edge rush next. We may always get a decent amount of sacks, but they never seem to come in critical situations or late in games. And a random schemed up “exotic” blitz doesn’t put the same fear in a QB as a consistent down in down out edge rush. As the saying goes “if the defense you play led you to this (850 yards & 72 points in last 2 games), of what use is the defense?” JBF pointed out a while ago the record setting amount of 500+ yard games that have been put up on bowles’ D. Can anyone point to any really impressive (not just a game we won) team wide defensive performances since the super bowl? I’ll wait.
And not yet mentioned here is a secondary problem with the complexity of the defense. That being that if a player goes down, or we’re underperforming during the season (relevant), it makes it way harder to plug someone else in. I think that’s a big part of why we didn’t trade for a defensive player this year. Sure it’s not super hard to plug in an edge rusher (although he’d have to learn how to drop into coverage playing for bowles), but does ANYONE think bowles would trust a DB or ILB to come in midseason and figure out his overly complex system? Dean has played his entire 7 year pro career with bowles and doesn’t have it figured out! I think AWJ often doesn’t understand what his assignment is. My namesake, the 21 playoffs, have you forgotten that debacle? It’s too complex, ineffective, and hamstrings us on the trade market. Get rid of bowles and his socialist defense (only works in theory).
#FIREbowles
#NOconfidence
November 18th, 2025 at 8:44 pm
Cmon now. This is nonsense. Todd has been running this garbage for years. Too complex? Yes, so complex it gets shredded by good OCs EVERY time.
November 18th, 2025 at 8:44 pm
There are no sure things in football, but a Rams victory Sunday may about as close as it gets
November 18th, 2025 at 8:47 pm
Haha cripes, the fact we are still talking about whether this D is too complex or not is an indictment on Todds abilities as a DC.
This question has been asked for 5 years. Apparently Bowles needs every player on D in his system for 3-4 years. Otherwise they lose their fundamentals, or communication issues, or they aren’t executing properly.
Last year everyone was hurt… sounds like Bowles just needs excuses.
There have been between 1-3 rookies on the field this year together. Parrish, Roberts, BMo. They are so behind the curve that the D is subpar? 8-10 vets out there isn’t enough to get it right!?
Absolute farce. Don’t worry guys… in year 3 BMo will understand and Todd can finally do what he wants for his D to be great. We just gotta be patient.
November 18th, 2025 at 8:54 pm
Football 1 … ‘Bowles’ defense may be complex. However, I don’t think that is the problem. The problem is talent level.’
I’m convinced you nailed it with talent level, in certain specific position groups especially. It just isn’t what it needs to be to operate Bowles’ complex hybrid 3-4 defense (his defense rocked back in 2020-2021 when he had Suh, JPP, Shaq, etc here). Since then though we’ve seen it game-after-game: opponents identify ‘the weakest link’ then mercilessly attack them play after play. Sometimes Todd can adjust to compensate; sometimes he can’t.
Took the time today to rewatch the key 50 plays from Sunday’s game on YouTubeTV. Great way to rewatch the game relatively quickly. Also a great way to identify ‘culprits’ … players who COULD have had a positive impact on the play IF they’d been in a decent position to make a play. Some got blocked out, some just leaned the wrong way. And ya several ran around like chickens with their heads cut off. Saw LOTS of broken coverages, and any number of missed tackles (from BOTH defenses). To say that it was sloppy defense is an understatement.
November 18th, 2025 at 8:54 pm
His scheme creates too many mismatches in favor of the offense because he’s got edge rushers and linebackers chasing the fastest guys on the field after he blitzed two guys who would be covering them. He also wears out the edge rushers running all over the field like that.
Love him as a culture builder, could do without him as DC.
November 18th, 2025 at 9:09 pm
Bowles should be relieved of his duties as DC immediately.
Force him to hire a DC off the street.
He simply cannot be allowed to run the defense going forward.
Otherwise it will be groundhogs day every week for the foreseeable future.
If he refuses then fire him on the spot.
November 18th, 2025 at 9:22 pm
I’m ready for some FIRE BOWLES billboards on I-2275 like how they did for Schiano.
His D scheme is hot grbage.
November 18th, 2025 at 9:28 pm
The fact we’re supposed to lose 43-13 to the Rams makes me thing we’re gonna win.
You heard it here first gents
November 18th, 2025 at 10:01 pm
Over the past few years, the defense is sometimes horrible but occasionally there are flashes of greatness.
Earlier this season, the Bucs defense held the Eagles to negative 1 yard of offense in the second half.
November 18th, 2025 at 10:02 pm
With as much as people complain about Morrison — the teams worst pass defender the last couple of weeks has been Anthony Nelson.
So is it a complexity issue – or is it more about using a giant, slow DE as a corner?
November 18th, 2025 at 10:05 pm
Beeej Says:
November 18th, 2025 at 9:28 pm
The fact we’re supposed to lose 43-13 to the Rams makes me thing we’re gonna win.
You heard it here first gents
——–
I’m thinking more about 35-17, but I’d love for you to be right. Seriously, I mean that. Glad there’s at least a few people with a little hope around here after all the drama queens non-stop crying for the last 9 days.
In any case, even if they do get blown out, things should look up from there, and I’d expect a run. Also, they just have to get in the playoffs – so long as that happens, they should be getting healthy at just the right time. In theory that’s the idea.
November 18th, 2025 at 10:19 pm
Puka Nacua and Davante Adams versus McCollum and Morrison.
Gonna be a blood bath.
November 18th, 2025 at 10:30 pm
COMPLEX ? WTF ARE YOU KIDDING ME . PLSYOFFS ,PLAYOFFS REALLY ,PLAYOFFS ????
November 18th, 2025 at 10:41 pm
I think if we have to ask this question every year, then yes it’s too complex. People are too often out of place or missing assignments. Either it’s too complex or its coaches are not doing their job. Perhaps both.
November 18th, 2025 at 10:46 pm
It’s not too complex it’s just dumb. Why would you drop your pass rushers into
coverage. THEY ARENT CORNERBACKS.
November 18th, 2025 at 10:46 pm
If Bowles defense is so complex, then why Sean Mcvay, Kyle Shanahan and Sean Payton coach circles around Bowles?
November 18th, 2025 at 10:47 pm
F K Todd…ive been calling for this 3 years now….hes a fn re tard
November 18th, 2025 at 10:47 pm
Move on DAMN
November 18th, 2025 at 11:04 pm
Clueless Todd routinely confuses himself. Worthless exotic blitzes that confuse his own Secondary.
November 18th, 2025 at 11:18 pm
I don’t see what the problem is
IF players are having a problem understanding the system just send them to the OCs of the last two teams we played
They have it all figured out.
November 18th, 2025 at 11:23 pm
Whole lot of locker room billboard material in here the past couple days.
Even the diehard Bowles supporters are calling for his head.
So much so that the typical Bowles detractors aren’t even posting!
November 18th, 2025 at 11:55 pm
For who? Every single player besides the two rookie cornerbacks have been in the system and should know what to do.
And one of them, Parrish, is doing fantastic. Morrison has been up and down.
Elijah Roberts seems to be doing very well when given a chance
So no, it’s not too complex. The problem is, they constantly play a soft zone, they constantly have no one covering a running back out of the backfield, and this reliance on a blitz instead of getting an edge rusher, which should have happened at the trade deadline, is becoming very detrimental.
To me the problem is two things… Denis is not who we thought he was,
and the four man pass rush, unfortunately, is the same as it’s been for years
I have been a vocal Bowles supporter. His defense, with all the injuries over the last few years, has won games for us.
It has one 1–2 games this year
But being unable to consistently have a 4 man pass rush might end up being the downfall of this team. If they get healthy and get on a run something drastically has to change in that regard.
November 18th, 2025 at 11:55 pm
Apparently it’s hard to learn and every year we hear about communication issues. But sadly there are only 2 good players on this defense in Parrish and Tykee. Everyone else is average or below average. Time for an overall on defense. Trade Vea, Winfield and Zyon in the off season. Draft all LBs, and edge rushers. Get at least 2 free agents on defense as well.
November 18th, 2025 at 11:59 pm
Seems Bowles is the only one on the planet that understands this defense. Oh and opposing quarterbacks. Go Brilliant Bowles!