Josh Grizzard: Bucs Offense “Closer” To How He Envisioned
December 19th, 2025
Bucs OC Josh Grizzard.
Last Thursday night with Mike Evans looking like the Hall of Famer he will be and Jalen McMillan showing he may have improved from last year and Devin Culp making an impact, Joe thought the offense looked the best it’s been since the Bucs beat Seattle on the road back in October.
At times, the offense looked dangerous. Chris Godwin is looking more like his usual self by the week. And Emeka Egbuka, no longer handcuffed by double-teams, showed as well.
The offense wasn’t great. It sure sputtered late. But it appeared to have the ability to strike at the snap of the fingers.
Even Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard admitted yesterday the offense last Thursday night was sort of what he thought it could be.
“I do think with the group that we’ve put out there on Thursday was closer to how you envision calling games and elements of run game and pass game,” Grizzard said. “It’s definitely working closer towards that as these guys can get their rep counts up and things of that nature.”
Evans and McMillan sure gave the Bucs a shot in the arm. Evans looked like he did in training camp when he was practicing above the rim. It was like everyone else was a step below his level.
It was very refreshing to see McMillan catch a ball over the middle in traffic and get blasted and pop up like no big deal.
And, believe it or not, the Bucs had a tight end make plays without turning the ball over. Culp’s touchdown catch was the first from a Bucs tight end all season, in the 14th game!
It was like the Bucs had played 13 games with only 10 guys on offense.
December 19th, 2025 at 5:38 am
Grizz does not use TE’s.
December 19th, 2025 at 5:45 am
grizzle needs to realize rachaad is one of the best receiving backs in the league out of the backfield…
and bowles needs to have an intern pull up a stack of game tape of it, and dump it on the OC’s desk asap…
now let’s whoop some azz in carolina – but if we lose, make the team spend the night at “south of the border” in those ratchet molded out skunky rooms
December 19th, 2025 at 5:49 am
Clear your mind Grizz. Delegate. You have the dawgs now. “Goedecke, this OLine is soft. You and Tristan fix it”. “Mike and Chris, keep on Emeka and JMac about blocking and help Tez with his zone recognition”. “Baker, faster. Cadence, rhythm, we’re tired of you running around with the ball. 4 or 5 receivers and 3 RBs with serious NFL level skills and the ball is still in your hands? Chop Chop! Delegate is your friend Grizz. Let the boys play Grizz, no need to overthink this.
December 19th, 2025 at 5:53 am
Nicely done Kenton! Let’s go boys!
December 19th, 2025 at 6:10 am
The Bucs have a good running game at times. Then something happens and they get derailed. A penalty. A sack. A dropped pass. A missed block.
If they can clean up those things, they can score 45 on Carolina.
December 19th, 2025 at 6:22 am
Well, now my brain is thinking Grizzard is yelling CHOP CHOP on the headset!
December 19th, 2025 at 6:34 am
It sure sputtered late. –
By “It” , you must mean the offensive play calling and Mayfield’s execution.
But we mustn’t hurt our darlings’ feelings here- it’s all Bowles and Licht’s faults
December 19th, 2025 at 7:02 am
Still rooting for Grizz.
A lot of optimistic comments above. Loving it. Go Bucs!!
December 19th, 2025 at 7:13 am
Griz the Wiz (and Baker) should listen to Kenton.
December 19th, 2025 at 7:15 am
White gets one carry for 20 yards, and Irving gets 16 carries for 60 yards, and that is how he envisions calling games?
On 2nd and 14, with Seattle out of timeouts, with 1 run needed to run the clock down to the two minute warning, another run needed to run the clock down to 1 minute and 20 seconds, he calls two pass plays and the Bucs have to punt with two minutes left – that is how he envisions calling plays?
Maybe run White for another 20 yards and get a first down?
Even if the two runs did not get a yard, time expires before the Falcons get a snap across midfield and the Bucs win, but he wants to call plays the way he did Thursday?
Does Tampa not have anyone doing football analytics? How can they be that clueless.
Grizzard seems dazzled by some big strikes. But, he is oblivious to the 50% of passes that end in interceptions, completions for loss, completions for no gain and incompletions.
You cannot sustain drives with a 50% fail rate. Two incompletions, and the it is third and long. Everyone KNOWS the Bucs pass on third and long, and the defense is in Mayfield’s face before he receives the snap. And, another punt, field goal or turnover on downs coming up.
With the o-line the Bucs have on the field right now, they need to run 60% of plays to set up those big strikes that Grizzard wants to see. But, he is not putting in the work running the ball to get the big strikes that he wants to get.
December 19th, 2025 at 7:35 am
Horseshoes and hand grenades
December 19th, 2025 at 7:46 am
“White gets one carry for 20 yards, and Irving gets 16 carries for 60 yards, and that is how he envisions calling games?”
That’s been the biggest difference in our run game under Coen and our run game under Grizz, he’s too busy trying to force production out of Bucky instead of actually finding out who has the “hot hand”.
Alot of us forget, Rachaad had more starts than Irving even after Bucky started making plays and he had scored. It’s not JUST the OL, it’s how the OC is using the personnel. Outside of Bucky being injured forcing his hand, he hasn’t even tried to incorporate Tucker & White as the primary load carriers respectively.
We ran the ball 22 times for 88 yards, which sounds good if it were 1 RB, but you take Whites’ 20 yard run off and thats 21 runs for 68 yards or 3.2 yards a carry which is trash.
Rachaad White having 2 touches is also, trash. We got a poor mans’ Matt Forte, and we got him on the sideline twiddling his thumbs watching Bucky underachieve.