Todd Bowles Critiques His Offense
November 26th, 2025
Bucs playcaller Josh Grizzard.
It smells to Joe like Todd Bowles wants to see his offense coached and called differently.
Below are a few quotes Bowles delivered on his official team radio show this week about the offense:
“The quick-screen game, the quick passes have worked. The screen game, people are starting to catch on to a little bit,” Bowles said.
“We gotta alter some things that way probably in the things we’re doing. But at the same time, it also plays as a running play for us. So it helps us get to the edge a lot quicker and it opened up the run game a little bit more.”
Asked about passing game woes overall, Bowles replied.
“It’s a little bit of everything. I mean that’s coaching included,” he said.
“I mean we gotta have a better play call. We gotta execute the plays when they’re called and we gotta understand what we are trying to do. So we gotta understand that part and we gotta tie it into the run game. So it’s all inclusive; it’s everybody. It’s just not one thing. Like I told them in the locker room, this is a team game and whether it’s offense, defense or special teams, we gotta play well in all three phases. So when you talk about the passing game, you include the play calling, you include the quarterback, you include the offensive line, you include the receivers. So we have to do a better job as a collective, as a group going forward.”
The Bucs throwing short of the first-down markers is a pet peeve for Joe, and it seems Bowles is over that, too.
“Oh, we gotta do better on third-and-five or less,” Bowles said. “You know, they’re sitting on routes right there. We gotta execute a lot better and maybe not go to the sticks as much. We gotta go downfield a little bit more.”
Joe heard all that and thought the head coach sounds like a guy not ready to give his offensive coordinator high grades.
November 26th, 2025 at 7:58 pm
Shiver me timbers!
November 26th, 2025 at 7:59 pm
Hold steady captain
November 26th, 2025 at 8:02 pm
Go check the gameday thread, before the game began I said the Bucs would start out the game by running up the middle and then a WR screen – and sure enough, they ran up the middle, then threw a WR screen. If I can predict that before the game even behinds, what are NFL coordinators going to know?
Hey Wiz Kid, go back and watch the tape from what Coen was doing last year. It wasn’t running a WR screen four times on the opening drive. This is allegedly the same playbook and same offense as last year, so why does it look like something Leftwich put together? Did you get your film study years mixed up? It’s not that hard – just parrot what Coen was doing if you want a head coaching job in the future – but whatever you do, stop calling plays the way you’re doing it now. Use two back sets, lots of motion, lots of misdirection on runs – that is what was working, and when you’ve done that this year, it’s been when the offense has moved the ball and looked good. It’s not that hard, kiddo.
November 26th, 2025 at 8:02 pm
Sideways passing never works …. except against us.
November 26th, 2025 at 8:02 pm
Coaches got to coach better and players got to play better sounds pretty easy to me smdh
November 26th, 2025 at 8:04 pm
Sideway passes are TDs against Bowles defense
November 26th, 2025 at 8:07 pm
I for one think all 3 phases are a chit show . Period ! The special teams have been crappie for years & I see the same thing with this gosh awful putrid defense against good teams . Some players and coaches need to change . I’m giving the players on offense somewhat of a pass because of all the I juries but let me tell you our rookie OC is no Liam Coen..he better figure out how to set up plays and when to do it as well as plays that confuse the opps!!!! If they make it , this team is one & done
November 26th, 2025 at 8:09 pm
I love how Rod Munch considers himself a master prognosticator when he guesses something right every blue moon. 🙄
November 26th, 2025 at 8:12 pm
Coaches got to coach better, players got to play better. Just find different ways to re word it. I like saying personal needs to be upgraded. Anyways, got a new game coming up W’s cure all that. Let’s get ready for the home stretch and remind everyone Bucs own the NFC South.
November 26th, 2025 at 8:21 pm
Need a new staff
November 26th, 2025 at 8:22 pm
I keep coming back to Henry Winkler in The Waterboy
November 26th, 2025 at 8:22 pm
Coach Bowels the Obvious
November 26th, 2025 at 8:30 pm
Run…run…pass…punt
November 26th, 2025 at 8:30 pm
Does he have a long winded rant somewhere about of horrible his defensive coordinator is doing too, or does that guy get to fly above the fray?
It’s one thing to get curb stomped by the NFL’s elite, but let’s see what the reasoning is for Jacoby Brissett dropping 300 yards and 3 TD’s on Toad’s defense.
November 26th, 2025 at 8:32 pm
Joe in Michigan Says:
November 26th, 2025 at 8:09 pm
I love how Rod Munch considers himself a master prognosticator when he guesses something right every blue moon. 🙄
———
Actually dummy, as stated, the point is that Wiz Kid is predictable, any dope sitting at home and predict what is going to happen. So what do you think paid DC’s are going to do.
The fact you failed to pick up on that probably as to do with all the lead paint chips you ate as a kid.
November 26th, 2025 at 8:32 pm
@SB~LV
Coach Bowles the “Oblivious”
There, fixed it for you.
November 26th, 2025 at 8:35 pm
God help us if Teddy is Playing!!!
November 26th, 2025 at 8:46 pm
They were simply outclassed . Better coaching. Better talent. Better creativity. This team isa mid tier team, as constructed. Upper mid when healthy.
November 26th, 2025 at 8:53 pm
While Grizz is deserving of some criticism, we don’t know how Coen would do this season if he were still our OC.
Coen had a strong o-line last season and a HOF-WR in Mike Evans and other WRs who could get separation.
How would Coen do if he had two backup guards and a LT coming off a serious injury and isn’t anywhere close to 100%.? And the best blocking TE is also gone for the season.
We don’t know the answer to that. But to compare how Grizz is doing this year with this offense with how Coen did last season isn’t a fair comparison.
November 26th, 2025 at 9:17 pm
Rod Munch is spot on correct!
November 26th, 2025 at 9:21 pm
Current Grades for this point in the season:
Grizzard = F.
Bowles = F.
McGaughey = F.
Fire everyone! Lol (I know we wont fire anyone, except maybe the Special teams coach sheet the season)
But they all deserve to be fired. 💯
November 26th, 2025 at 9:23 pm
*after the season not sheet
November 26th, 2025 at 9:43 pm
I don’t wanna hear the coach speak just fix it. You know what you have to do just fix it. it may not make the headlines but just FIX IT. You know what the problems are. FIX IT
November 26th, 2025 at 9:49 pm
yea yea blah blah heard it all before blame game everything starts at the top
the rams game was a total s^^^ show the defence looks like the keystone cops these dudes make milllions for running around a field and say what you want about mayfield he has almost won 4 games this season by himself
November 26th, 2025 at 9:50 pm
Rod Munch Says:
November 26th, 2025 at 8:32 pm
Actually dummy, as stated, the point is that Wiz Kid is predictable,
———
Actually siily his point is spot on. you are more wrong than you are right. Remember your masterpiece claim a few years ago that a running game is useless to have in the modern NFL? and your projections are always wrong except for the ones you claim you thought but never told anyone till after.
November 26th, 2025 at 10:41 pm
Todd throwing players and coaches under the bus.
Keep deflecting the blame Todd. You might just keep your job.
November 26th, 2025 at 10:43 pm
Has Todd ever taken any responsibility?
Serious question.
November 26th, 2025 at 10:44 pm
2 years ago AlOT of these same fans were bagging on Canales and his 22nd ranked offense. Especially during that 1-6 stretch that landed us at 4-7. I want Grizz to gone back for 26. Don’t want that ” new coordinator” excuse AGAIN..Liam was a new OC too. But I guess that only matters when you struggle.
November 26th, 2025 at 11:01 pm
What has gone on for far too long culminated in a nationally broadcast humiliation ritual. The fans deserve better. The Glazers are on the clock.
November 26th, 2025 at 11:45 pm
Whatevs, Bowles is unaccountable and yeah, he is prepping scapegoats to use if the Glazers do demand accountability after this season ends. For whatever reason, Bowles is like a sacred cow to some. Besides the Joes, the local podcasts and many of the local blogs are not calling for his head. Stroud said that if us fans want Bowles launched so badly, we should go picket in front of OBP instead of meassaging him. Actually, that is not a bad idea. I liked how someone flew a plane over the Miami game with a “Fire Mike McDaniel Banner”. Also, who can forget the “Fire Ron Zook” billboard which popped up on University Blvd in Gainesville back in the day. One of those on Dale Mabry who draw some attention to the crisis as well.
November 27th, 2025 at 12:14 am
MikeBuc Says:
Actually siily his point is spot on. you are more wrong than you are right. Remember your masterpiece claim a few years ago that a running game is useless to have in the modern NFL? and your projections are always wrong except for the ones you claim you thought but never told anyone till after.
——–
You mean back when the Chicago Bears lead the NFL in rushing while finishing with the 1st over pick? Learn the basics, dummy.
Also I literally post all schedule predictions on the site here, if you weren’t so lazy you could look them up. This year, for example, I had them 6-5 right now – you know, just like they are 6-5 right now. We shall see if I get the rest of right as I had them going 5-1 down the stretch (4-2 on the day the schedule came out, switched to 5-1 on the final prediction before the season started).
Anywho cupcake, you should actually write down what you think is going to happen before it happens. But you won’t, because you’re too dumb to have any original thoughts of your own – and too boring for anyone to care. LOL!
November 27th, 2025 at 12:31 am
Todd setting up the fall guy.
November 27th, 2025 at 12:32 am
FortMyersDave Says:
November 26th, 2025 at 11:45 pm
“Bowles is like a sacred cow to some. Besides the Joes, the local podcasts and many of the local blogs are not calling for his head.”
———
Wait. What?
Are you saying that “the Joe’s” are calling for Todd Bowles head?
Is that what you wrote? Is that true? That’s what’s said in your quote above. I stopped listening to the Kaufman/JBF podcasts because of the lack of criticism of Bowles including Kaufman actually calling for Bowles to be extended! Indignantly reacting to any criticisms of Bowles on this message board. In fact, Kaufman is looking pretty stupid for that right now. As I knew he would. That actually happened, So if they are now calling for Bowles to be fired that is a major thing. They have never put that in print. No. JBF is just as guilty on giving too much deference to Bowles as anyone.
November 27th, 2025 at 12:37 am
@whatevs
Actually THAT is EXACTLY what Todd did to the jets coaches. He threw each and every one of them under the bus, ANYTIME he came under fire.
The reason he seems so stoic under fire is because he’s ALWAYS on the hot seat and BEEN ON FIRE! It’s Easy! Blame someone else. NOBODY’S CALLING HIM OUT AFTER ALL!
Funny how SO MANY have it twisted when they reference Bowles time with the jets. They’ll bring up the 10 win season he had as if it was winning the Super Bowl….
Thing IS… That 10 win season was his very first year there. He got the credit for what someone else built! He IMMEDIATELY drove the team STRAIGHT INTO THE GROUND with each and every year they bared with him. He OF COURSE blamed EVERYBODY ELSE including the DONKEY HE ROAD IN ON!
His record for destroying a good thing DEFINITELY proceeds him. I’m SURE we ALL REMEMBER what HE DID to the Super Bowl roster as well as the “color within the lines”, Super Bowl/organization record breaking strategies that HE THREW AWAY LIKE GARBAGE! The guy is just ……. I just can’t say because it’ll be NON STOP VOMIT COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH! I’m P.I.S.S.E.D! that this guy made it to the second season as the head coach (considering what he did to Tom Brady and ALL of the fans)much less this far in His SUCK VORTEX!
He should have been gone LONG AGO! This is my third straight season calling ALL OF THIS OUT ABOUT THE MAN. It’s actually been BAD this whole time.
He may not be very talented, (FACTS) but he’s one of the luckiest S @ B’s I’ve ever seen! We DESERVE BETTER THAN THE VERY SAME VILE that’s constantly pouring out of this guys mouth! WE CAN DO BETTER! WE WILL HAVE IT MUCH BETTER WITH A COACH WHOM ACTUALLY KNOWS WHAT TO DO WITH ALL OF THIS TALENT THAT WE HAVE! He (Bowles) RUINED JTS. The dumb kid never had a chance. Bowles SCREWED UP HIS HEAD! He’s Screwed up Hall and is now Screwing Up Braswell! These guys don’t understand WHY THEY AREN’T RUSHING THE PASSER 80% of the time RATHER THAN the other way around!
He WILL NOT TAKE BLAME. He’s NOT MAN ENOUGH!
November 27th, 2025 at 12:39 am
Duh.
Literally every team since Detroit has been sitting on those routes game in and game out. Detroit, New Orleans, New England, Buffalo, LA- didn’t foot any of them at all. Just tackles for loss.
But yea, keep throwing behind the LOS with no blockers in front… surely it will confuse someone eventually.
BTW- Has Bowles evaluated his own defense? What’s he gotta say about that side of the team? Maybe his DC should be sweating getting canned… oh wait, we don’t have a DC.
November 27th, 2025 at 12:46 am
Apologies…. ” BILE “
November 27th, 2025 at 12:49 am
T Johnson and Shepard are not physical receivers so they’re getting tighter coverage. Egbuka is getting doubled alot and when he is open, Mayfield sometimes is not getting him the ball fast enough- that could be because the interior OLine is collapsing too fast causing Mayfield to want to bail early.
The run game with Tucker rotating is working- keep running until opponents stop it, especially with Guards protection of QB being compromised currently
November 27th, 2025 at 12:51 am
No one in recent weeks have shown that they can stop the Bucs run game except the Bucs: they just can’t keep from passing the ball when the run game is in control.
The Bucs probably lost the Rams game as soon as they started an injured Baker Mayfield.
Look what happened to the teams and to Baker’s career when Cleveland and Carolina played an injured Baker. Someone must have the requisite parts of the anatomy to tell him to sit his ass down until he is healthy.
Baer had been hesitating, double pumping and throwing behind receivers in previous games. Injury and pain seem to be the obvious reasons.
The Bucs definitely lost the Rams game with 11:14 left in the first quarter when they threw deep to Egbuka on first down and ten. It was the wrong move in every way.
For three minutes and 46 seconds, the Bucs had kept the Rams defense on the field and the Rams offense off of the field as they ran the ball for at least three yards on every run play.
They had only passed the ball once, and that was when two runs averaging three yards each could get the Bucs a first down on the next two plays. That needs ton be the Bucs game plan right now.
The Bucs were actually averaging five yards per run at that point, and there was every indication that the Bucs could continue to use motion and variety to create run opportunities to keep moving the ball down the field, to keep the Rams defense on the field, and to keep the Rams offense off of the field.
The Bucs, correctly, saw an opportunity for a quick strike to Egbuka.
Does that make it the correct play to call?
Never mind Baker’s injury and pain that seemed to have caused a late throw and an incompletion.
Suppose that the pass had been thrown perfectly completed for a touchdown.
That wou!ld have meant that that the Bucs, instead of continuing to make the Rams defense work, would inadvisably send the Rams defense to the sideline to rest and recover.
The last thing to do with a sack machine like the Rams defense is send them to the sideline to rest and recover.
Worse yet, a quick strike score means that the Bucs put the Rams offense on the field.
No!
H3ll no!
OMG no!
As it was, the incompletion put the Buc offense in a hole and quickly ended the drive.
I have tremendous respect for Baker’s ability when he is healthy.
And, Baker’s determination may be unmatched.
But, for Baker, the thing that may take more guts than even he has is to say, maybe I shouldn’t be out there right now.
And, if I am out there right now, I should be managing the game with dinks and dunks and run/slides and RPO/slides and scramble/slides, and not trying to throw down the field or into tight windows. and not trying to plat fullback.
For damn sure, his offensive coordinator must have the guts to demand those things of Baker, the Head Coach must demand those things of his offensive coordinator, and so on to the GM and the owners.
As to Bowles comment about doing a little more downfield, that is just nuts until someone is actually stopping the run game at its creative best.
“… doing a little more downfield …,” except when way behind in down and distance just means putting your own team’s defense on the field sooner, and that is not something the Bucs should want to do unless they are down two scores or more in the fourth quarter.
November 27th, 2025 at 1:48 am
Durango, listen to Ira’s last podcast, the Joe’s and Ira finally do say that replacing Bowles or getting a new defensive play caller could be something on the table. I never said they put this in print, unless one has a transcript of their discussion. Now one of them did say that he could use injuries as a mitigating factor to get one more year…. However they did say he could lose his job if this snowballs.
November 27th, 2025 at 4:38 am
Todd is really talking more than usual. I may be overthinking, again, but it sounds like the heat is on at One Buc Place. We don’t know what is in Todd and Jason’s extended contracts. What stipulations.
Many of us thought Grizz would be the hidden gem since he had been here. However, it isn’t all his fault. A lot of injuries, some really bad calls, whistle-gate, and the defense too. Coen had most of the players. And Bucky, got hurt under him and a lot of that lingered. And the way Coen left is a sour taste that lingers. Maybe Grizz was only moved up as a temporary and the wait and see guy. We don’t know.
November 27th, 2025 at 6:08 am
Yikes….HC/DC/OC now.
November 27th, 2025 at 6:08 am
Coaches, and G.M.’s contracts mean nothing. If the Glazers lose faith in Bowles, paying him through 28 won’t make a difference. Might actually make firing him feel better. I don’t think the Glazers would fire Licht. I believe the drafting of YaYa, Kancey, Zyon, Hall, JTS, Braswell, the signing of Reddick all had Todd’s blessing. Licht found us Arians, and Brady. The Glazers will count on him more if Bowles is let go. Big game Sunday. A win is expected, a loss could be the end.
November 27th, 2025 at 7:15 am
I couldn’t count the number of times the Almighty Patriots with Brady spoiled my day by throwing a yard behind the first down but picking up 2 yards after the catch for the first down.
So it’s not a terrible thing per se, but if it’s not working, need to adjust.
Hey good news, we won’t lose our offensive coordinator to a head coaching position this year finally!
November 27th, 2025 at 8:37 am
Bowles early in the season was taking all the credit for hiring Griz being humble and saying how great he was at picking offensive coordinators and the bowles fan boys all praised bowles for picking griz. The bowles fan boys arent pointing out anymore that bowles was responsible for hiring griz? They are disappearing like the trask fan boys.
November 27th, 2025 at 9:56 am
He’s quick to criticize the Offense yet, NEVER takes accountability for his piss poor defense.
Just remember The Glazers showed Dungy the door. The man that created a defense style so electric its still called the Tampa 2 almost 30 years later.
Bowles hasn’t done squat. His division title streak is due to a horrible division and 2 OCs that have moved on to become HCs.
November 27th, 2025 at 10:17 am
He should probably worry more about HIS defense
November 27th, 2025 at 10:29 am
Todd never said a thing about Leftwich play calling but Grizz gets it the first year. But I agree. He needs to revise his playbook.
November 27th, 2025 at 11:05 am
“Like I told them in the locker room, this is a team game and whether it’s offense, defense or special teams, we gotta play well in all three phases. So when you talk about the passing game, you include the play calling, you include the quarterback, you include the offensive line, you include the receivers. So we have to do a better job as a collective, as a group going forward.”
You tell em coach!
I bet they didn’t hear that in any level of football they played before. That only comes from a mastermind like Todd.
November 27th, 2025 at 2:32 pm
Take more shots on first down, teams sitting on these routes too much
November 27th, 2025 at 2:56 pm
Bojim Says:
November 27th, 2025 at 10:29 am
Todd never said a thing about Leftwich play calling but Grizz gets it the first year. But I agree. He needs to revise his playbook.
———
That’s actually not true, he said something like Leftwich needed to add some complexity to his call, something about it being a college offense — man, i can’t remember the quote but basically he was saying the offense was too predictable and on top of that abandoned the run too fast. Leftwich ignored him, and Bowles fired him as soon as he could.
Keep in mind that when Arians stepped down, well into the offseason, while Bowles was named the head coach, the concept was that they were basically co-equals with Bowles being pretty hands off with the offense. It was fairly late in the year before Bowles publicly started saying anything, and Leftwich made zero changes to what he was doing, which lead to his firing. And keep in mind no one hired Leftwich after that, they all saw what a terrible job he did and wanted nothing to do with him.
November 27th, 2025 at 3:51 pm
Or perhaps Todd is doing the classic denial he could be at fault for giving up points on almost every opponents possessions…” don’t look at me..look over there at the O.
November 27th, 2025 at 6:01 pm
two letters for 3rd down woes: CG
November 27th, 2025 at 6:10 pm
The most interesting thing this week is going to be ‘The Bilgewater Bloop Pass’ It needs to be anylized. At least it flys so high the defender can not get it. The arc and such is also interesting. It is like a 9 iron shot from 250 yards to the pin. The trick is he throws it with a time delay that allows the receiver to make several moves to get to the landing zone.
November 27th, 2025 at 6:30 pm
Fire yourself, you incompetent stooge.
November 27th, 2025 at 8:09 pm
3rd and 5: Ever hear of a curl-route at 8-10 yards? Allows the WR a few yards to come back to the ball and complete the pass at 5-6 yards. Geez it’s like rocket science…to them.
November 28th, 2025 at 6:50 pm
Why don’t we ask Bruce Arians to come down and sit together with Josh in mentor type role? Lots of experience to share thoughts ideas & suggestions in a collaborative effort. No need to promote the exchange either. Simply access the collective brain trust available in our organization.
November 28th, 2025 at 7:31 pm
Bowles wants no part of a no-risk-it; no-biscuit offense.