The Bucs’ Neutered Passing Attack
December 7th, 2025
Pop-gun offense.
Joe is beginning to wonder if Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard has grown scared his receivers cannot get open.
Joe pointed out in Baker Mayfield’s passing chart that Grizzard has morphed into a Liam Coen clone. Coen did not like throwing the ball farther than 20 yards past the line of scrimmage.
Upon getting hired last winter and through training camp, Grizzard kept saying how the Bucs offense would be the same but he wanted Baker Mayfield to chuck it downfield more. The past five or six weeks, that hasn’t happened. And Mayfield’s numbers plummeted.
Maybe it’s because Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan and Chris Godwin were out?
Maybe it’s because teams have no respect for Tez Johnson and Sterling Shepard deep? Perhaps defensive coordinators figured out if they can take out Emeka Egbuka, they have taken out the Bucs’ passing game?
Perhaps all of these wide receiver screens to the sidelines are catching up with the Bucs?
The numbers of the Bucs’ passing game are not pretty, as pointed out by Rich Hribar of Sharp Football Analysis.
* 51.2 percent of Tampa Bay’s sets of downs reach third down, 28th in the league.
* 47.4 percent of Tampa Bay pass attempts have resulted in a first down or touchdown, 28th in the league.
That’s bad no matter who is on the field.
Once upon a time, people spoke openly about Mayfield being a possible league MVP. He was shredding defenses with passes beyond the 20-yard line.
Now? Joe is beginning to wonder if Byron Leftwich snuck in through the hole in the fence near the Glazer Shed.
December 7th, 2025 at 12:18 am
Pure and simple, No Evans.
December 7th, 2025 at 12:45 am
Homie don’t know what he’s doing.
December 7th, 2025 at 1:40 am
Sterling Sheperd is the number two Wr. What else needs to be said?
December 7th, 2025 at 1:56 am
We are not using the TE’s much, and not doing any intermediate routs… everything is either an attempted long shot (which until recently our line was not capable of protecting), or a screen/behind the line pass for no yards…
How about some 10-15 yard slants, TE seam patterns, even some running backs out of the backfield? And much more play action – get Baker out on the edge and make them respect his ability to run the ball at least some of the time.
December 7th, 2025 at 3:48 am
Shizzard is awful, no creativity, repetitive play calls, doesn’t use tight ends and seems to be clueless out there. I miss having Liam cohen direct our offense because they were lights out on his watch. Hopefully this guy gets it turned around and fast.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:09 am
Why aren’t they using Culp at Wide Receiver?
December 7th, 2025 at 5:22 am
Buddha, I’ve had the same Buddha, made out of concrete, on my front porch for 40 years. I pat his bald, concrete head once in awhile for wisdom. But it’s more than only Mike. It’s Chris,too. Now no Tristan again. That’s three NFL superstars. Despite that we’re getting guys back and neutered won’t be used to describe our passing attack for long. Mayfield played in front of 40000 in high school. People came to see TD passes. Throughout college he played in front of 80000 who saw many, many TD passes. Cleveland saw bunches and bunches of TD passes and Tampa they’ve come to see his gunslinging ways and record amounts of TD passes. All with different OCs. I don’t know much. Buddha is right about Mike. Mikes gonna help. A bunch. But don’t call our passing game neutered. Not with the ball in Baker’s hands. Because every single snap of every game Baker is at QB leaves that chance for a TOUCHDOWN. I’ve seen it happen too many times. Might just go off today.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:57 am
Joe,
The Bucs should learn from the Panthers’ victory over the Rams. The Panthers created an outstanding passing game against the Rams? They did it by – not passing much!
The Panthers offense ran 60 plays; the Bucs offense ran 63 plays. What did each team do with their 60ish plays on offense?
The Panthers ran 40 times. They only passed 20 times, but they completed 75% of their passes and averaged 8.8 yards per pass and 4.1 yards per run.
The Bucs passed 34 times and averaged only 1.8 yards per pass completing only 17 of there 34 passes. The Bucs averaged 4.2 yards per run – slightly better than the Panthers 4.1 yards per run.
The Bucs could have run 40 times – they had three extra plays and they averaged 0.1 yards more per run. Instead, they chose to pass more when they were getting solid results running and miserable results passing.
Against the Cardinals, the Buc’s run game cooled off as the Bucs forced touches on Bucky Irwin.
Pass protection seemed to be better. Was that because Bredeson came back and replaced Mike Jordan at LG. Is Bredeson that much better than Jordan at pass protection and that much worse at run blocking? Do they need to be platooned? Or, does Bredeson just need to work the rust off of the teamwork with his fellow linemen?
Feed the three headed monster at running back two plays out of three and open up the receivers for that third play.
December 7th, 2025 at 6:39 am
47% of pass attempts have resulted in a first down or touchdown? There is no way that’s an accurate stat. That seems like it would be a very high percentage. Am I missing something detail on that stat?
December 7th, 2025 at 7:04 am
Pass protection has been poor all season. Detroit, LA, Indy do right. Bucs have played with 3rd string guards for most of season. Surprised we aren’t seeing 2 step drop slants. Griz not adjusting well.
December 7th, 2025 at 7:04 am
You’d think with an Ivy league education, this guy would have figured out how to call plays by now. Im seriously convinced that most coach potato fans could call a better game.
December 7th, 2025 at 7:09 am
When was the last time we’ve seen a QB rollout or slant? This entire coaching staff is a joke and it starts at the top…
December 7th, 2025 at 7:42 am
#FREECULP
December 7th, 2025 at 7:52 am
Perhaps it’s a combination of Baker being hurt and not enough time to set up.
December 7th, 2025 at 8:33 am
Remember those days when people would scoff at the notion that losing Coen would be a real detriment to the offense. They would say that Bowles was a wizard at hiring OC and losing Coen would be no big deal. With Bowles calling the shots he would be easily replaced.
Good times.
Obviously it is rarely just a single reason but the obvious cannot be denied.
December 7th, 2025 at 8:36 am
No time in the pocket now with short to medium routes. How you expect Baker to try to throw deep balls?
December 7th, 2025 at 9:10 am
There’s also a direct correlation between the lack of a deep passing game and Mayfield’s injury. Try throwing deep with pulled oblique muscle.
December 7th, 2025 at 9:24 am
I dont think we have to be concerned about Grizzard leaving g after the season. I thi k the offense gets well today. Have no idea how the defense will do.
December 7th, 2025 at 10:15 am
Get lost, Durango! You’re constantly badmouthing the Bucs. My complaint is simple: Grizzard will NOT open up the playbook. Both Canales and Coen did it, too. At least Grizzard is still a rookie OC. Coen sure wasn’t, and was Canales? No. We’ve still got the injury gremlin hanging around. Grizzard has all this talent that can catch as in TEs and RBs. Baker can do rollouts and bootleg options. Why aren’t they being called? Aints (and it is the Aints, Joe, not the Cards) will come to play. They won’t be pushovers. Go Bucs, and get creative, Grizzard!!!!!
December 7th, 2025 at 10:31 am
I just hope we don’t end up with 1st & goal from the 1.
December 7th, 2025 at 12:21 pm
orlbucfan Says:
December 7th, 2025 at 10:15 am
Get lost, Durango! You’re constantly badmouthing the Bucs.
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Post your name and address and I’ll send you a handwritten letter of apology.
December 7th, 2025 at 2:16 pm
Sure looks like it today. Really establishing the run and doing not much with it. Tucker stuffed on 4th. 2nd one today. Awful.