Protecting Against Themselves
October 21st, 2026
Unsettling explanation.
Boy, this is a sad statement. And it makes Joe wonder even more how Zac Robinson is still employed.
As Joe pointed out this morning, the passing chart of Jalon Daniels against the Steelers is a rough look. Hardly anything downfield. Virtually nothing down the middle.
Today, KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles was asked how much of that was to protect Daniels, given that he’s an undrafted rookie in his third start.
Bowles admitted that, yes, the lack of downfield passes and Daniels’ inexperience are tied together partly.
But it gets worse.
Bowles noted that too many times the Bucs were shooting themselves in the foot by throwing downfield because the result was either a penalty or a sack. So the Bucs decided to give up a third of the field (over the middle) because they were scared to get a penalty or a sack.
“Every time we were going downfield in the past couple weeks, [the Bucs] got a holding penalty or a sack,” Bowles said. “So it hasn’t been favorable for us.”
OK, a sack is one thing. Maybe have Daniels use a moving pocket since he is mobile. But that would take a little bit of thought and creativity so the Bucs cannot have that sort of noise infecting the huddle.
But to give up a third of the field because you are scared of a penalty is rich. That is the polar opposite of “killer instinct” and frankly tells Joe the Bucs do not know or cannot coach up their players to stop penalties.
It’s not like the offensive line or the backs are a bunch of rookies. They are veterans! Why and how, all of a sudden, did they forget how to play without committing a penalty?
So is the offensive line being coached up to basically borderline commit a penalty on pass plays and whenever they throw downfield, they get exposed and caught?
Good grief. Joe would force Luke Goedeke and Graham Barton to wear boxing gloves as mittens before abandoning a third of the field and label it a no-fly zone.
What sort of three-ring circus is being run over at One Buc Palace these days?
Bowles did say the offense posting “No Trespassing” signs in the middle of the field needs to change.
“We still got to be able to get the ball down the field,” Bowles said.
Maybe that changes with Mayfield returning to the lineup, possibly as early as this Sunday?
Killer instinct? Joe’s foot!
October 21st, 2026 at 2:49 pm
This team is so sad. BA ( politicing for Bowles) and the glazers (steping in with the Vea and Baker contracts) and whoever hired Robinson have destroyed this team and window is nailed shut. It’s a total rebuild now and the contracts for average players with big contract are going to make this a long and painful process.
October 21st, 2026 at 2:53 pm
Interesting is all you can say. Well the penalties were a lot less. I guess the O Line is really bad then. Yes think they really miss White.
Give Bowles credit for being honest. I wonder what Car thinks. With this in mind Is BM really going to make much difference if he does play. Total head scratcher. Like last year we can stop run backs so kick in the end zone. This year we will give the defense 1/3 of the field they don’t need to worry about! Yes definitely sad!!
October 21st, 2026 at 2:53 pm
huge indictment on the coaching staff….
with comments like this, how does bowles stay employed after another L
GO BUCS!!!!
October 21st, 2026 at 2:54 pm
Sad
October 21st, 2026 at 2:58 pm
Holding is the result of getting beat. Bowles has studied the trend. Credit to him recognizing the pattern, and attempting to scheme around it. Jd inability to connect on the sideline is not Bowles fault. It’s a pass that lends itself to a quick throw. It just has to be executed better. Dean doesn’t pick that ball, and a great chance we win. It also is a much more visible throw for a short qb like Daniels.
October 21st, 2026 at 3:03 pm
So Daniels can’t throw to the sideline well and we eliminated the middle of the field throws due to fear of a sack/penalty. Got it! Awesome – just awesome! 🤦♂️
October 21st, 2026 at 3:05 pm
Listening to Bowels make me want to vomit 🤢 this coaching staff is terrible.
October 21st, 2026 at 3:08 pm
TANKING!!!! LETS GOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just imagine, top 5 or #1 overall, trade down….man, ive been running through mocks….its crazy how much we can improve. Leave it to me Jason!
October 21st, 2026 at 3:18 pm
Finally gonna get a REAL C, REAL RG, REAL TE, REAL RETURNER….REAL SAFETY HELP….QB in training to go along with Jalon (later round, Sellers), another CB….im just getting started.
October 21st, 2026 at 3:28 pm
This is what the Glazers wanted a lame duck HC and opposing fans filling up our home stadium we were never going to win with Bowles anyone with a working brain knew this…
October 21st, 2026 at 3:30 pm
Do your job!..Is it Bowles fault the line are getting beat off the ball??
October 21st, 2026 at 3:31 pm
Let em Bake!! Great post!
October 21st, 2026 at 3:39 pm
Per Greg auman…this lockerroom is a disaster…Godwin?
What the heck is going on at OBP?
Please flush Bowles and Licht. They are LOSERS.
Tom Brady is long gone. He was the ONLY reason we won.
Anyone saying anything otherwise is full of ish.
October 21st, 2026 at 3:41 pm
I really hope Baker can play on Sunday. I’m not sure if we can win with either, but Jalon’s inexperience and huge mistakes pretty much cost us in that game. His win in Dallas was a blast to watch, but I’m just not really sure he’s starting material yet. And to everyone that claims I’m a BakerBoi, like I actually even listen to those people, I will be pretty upset with Baker if he plays Sunday and doesn’t rise to the occasion. With a great possibility that both the Saints and Falcons lose Sunday, a win against Carolina could put us right back in the running in the south.
Of course, who knows if we can even win with either qb with all the problems on this offense right now.
October 21st, 2026 at 3:44 pm
Bowles has thrown in the towel. Fire him and Zac and bring in Gruden as interim HC/OC. At season’s end Licht needs to be escorted out of OBP. Pathetic.
October 21st, 2026 at 3:46 pm
I don’t see why we’d spend any more thought on figuring out what’s wrong or how to fix it… Guess what, fixes aren’t coming until Bowles is gone. Everything in between is just a waste of time. Winning doesn’t matter at this point. Let’s just get through the year without injury to any of our good young players, let’s trade off the dead weight, and let’s lose lose lose for draft position. There is no longer anything to gain by winning this year. i have given up completely on this team until Bowles is gone. Not investing any hope or expectation. I’d like to see Walker get 10 sacks, and Bain have good showing… that’s all.
October 21st, 2026 at 3:48 pm
Did someone in media ask Coach Bowles to “say you’re scared without actually saying you’re scared.”
October 21st, 2026 at 3:48 pm
He’ll Joe, Mayfield wasn’t playing much better so what’s the point? Again good coaches and coordinators put their players in situations to succeed. If players keep committing bad penalties there has to be some consequence bench um, you gonna lose anyway as we have already seen.
October 21st, 2026 at 3:50 pm
That’s like a guy who is afraid to talk to women because he’s afraid they might shoot him down.
October 21st, 2026 at 3:59 pm
I need to hear from the 12 wins crowd again. They have exited stage left.
Those of us with a common sense view of this season were shouted down as trolls.
All the hype and propaganda about the upgrade at OC and new direction from the HC\DC was just a not so clever ruse.
Todd is a circus clown and has turned us into a laugh stock. Thanks Licht and Glazers.
October 21st, 2026 at 4:11 pm
Bowels, Licht and the Glazers are all liabilities to this team. How can talented players overcome that? 1 – 16 is in play.
October 21st, 2026 at 4:12 pm
What a lost season with a really good team actually can’t wait until next season when we have a new Coach an Tampa better go get them a good one they have left so many good coaches on the board for other teams and they jus scoop them up I love Bowles as a DC but as a HC ive seen enough
October 21st, 2026 at 4:12 pm
it’s hard to read loser comments like this from the head coach and still want to watch the games.
October 21st, 2026 at 4:18 pm
Incredible that this coaching staff is still here. Shouldve been gone 3 yrs ago.
And if not after the Kupp fiasco, then the day the best Buc of the 2000s left.
ZERO credibility left.
Shame on them.
4 season tix cancelled.
October 21st, 2026 at 4:23 pm
Proffeser, yea! Where’s Marine and his buddy St.Pete? Maybe they went to work down at the Mons’ car wash. (Is it still there?)
October 21st, 2026 at 4:26 pm
Lots of Zac is the problem stories appearing in my YouTube and internet travels.
My first thought was this is a Jason and Todd propaganda news release taking the HEAT off them.
Sure blame Zac… that’s what the big problem is.
Patient bleeding out from a traumatic leg amputation and the doctors are looking over the scene and talking about his tattoos
October 21st, 2026 at 4:31 pm
The Yucs are back in full force.
Fans should start wearing bags over their heads at home games again.
October 21st, 2026 at 4:35 pm
Two straight stinkers of o coordinators. Gotta question the interviewing skills of this staff as well as coaching ability
October 21st, 2026 at 4:37 pm
wrong take
What they are really saying because they don’t want to completely throw them under the bus is
We know our Oline SUCKS
October 21st, 2026 at 4:39 pm
If Bowles and Robinson put their heads together and came up with that, God save us all!! What will they think of next… Perhaps not even field a team, just forfeit??? That way the Defense can be well rested for the next game!! Bowles always was a chicken!! That’s why he uses s much prevent/soft D late in games!!! Of course that almost always results in a big fat L!!!! So his players don’t have to play so hard that way! He always complains about the D being on the field for 35 or so minutes… Big deal!!! Other teams don’t worry about that!! He does!!
Bowles and Robinson have to go now!!!!!!
October 21st, 2026 at 4:44 pm
Professor Non Brain Storm ..Nanny Nanny Boo Boo ! I told you so!! Hate to tell you,but they’re still in it.. Please don’t hold your breath!! Im begging!!
October 21st, 2026 at 4:48 pm
Bowles is a loser!!!! His total NFL W/L record as a HC proves it!! The only reason he wins almost half his games is because of the players! They win despite him, but that’s hard to do!! Bowles must have made a deal with the owners to come back after last season. Lose between 12-14 games. So far he’s keeping up with his commitment!! A total loser,!!!!
October 21st, 2026 at 4:51 pm
This garbage is beyond ridiculous at this point Every week this idiot says the same garbage and now this All of it proves that he is unable to perform even the slightest thing to improve the team Everything falls on him EVERYTHING I’m done supporting this garbage organization the Glazers have no issue making in season changes to their beloved Manchester United but when it comes to the NFL nope let the fans eat that garbage until they throw and then just keep feeding them THE GLAZERS ARE GARBAGE just like TOILET BOWELS 💯💯💯💯💯💯
October 21st, 2026 at 4:51 pm
At this point we can only embrace the horror and hilarity of this clown show.
What utter destruction of fan goodwill and franchise value, all perpetuated by a cabal of fail-sons and a fail-daughter.
Enjoy Karma, Glazers, in all its fury! You did this to yourselves!
October 21st, 2026 at 4:55 pm
We’ve known this for several years, even when the Bucs had a decent team and Bowles had them under .500. At least one time, if not more, Bowles said that he didn’t try to win in regulation because he was afraid Tom Brady, one of the best QB’s in NFL history, might throw an interception. It was that far back that I knew/we should’ve realized Bowles just wasn’t cut out to be an NFL HC.
October 21st, 2026 at 4:55 pm
This is traditional Todd. Excuses are the basis of his coaching temperament. I believe Todd spends more ‘practice’ time weekly working on excuses instead of attempting to coach this team into win. He coaches 70s high school football. Playing not to lose instead of winning. I don’t think that will ever change. Clean house.
October 21st, 2026 at 4:56 pm
So my comment calling out the Glazers as garbage owners who continue to employ a coach who has absolutely no clue what’s going on was to true to post PATHETIC JOE 💯💯💯
October 21st, 2026 at 4:57 pm
Sorry I spoke to soon didn’t see it posted 😂🤣😂 MY BAD 💯💯💯💯
October 21st, 2026 at 5:01 pm
Remember when Bowles would just kick it out of the end zone last year, instead of JUST COACHING HIS TEAM KICK COVERAGE? Remember when Bowles didn’t FIRE the Special Teams coach in season for NOT COACHING THE PLAYERS TO COVER KICKS? This is how low the standards are, if there’s any standards at all. The punter has been bad for 2 years, but Bowles is waiting patiently for him to somehow wake up being a good punter overnight. Low to no standards.
October 21st, 2026 at 5:02 pm
Lack of discipline on the players part, blame coaching staff.
October 21st, 2026 at 5:11 pm
So, based on Bowles logic, then they will not throw down field when Baker comes back (not that Baker was very accurate anyway).
Does not explain the middle of the field unless Daniels is too short. But he is the same height as Mayfield.
This team needs an Offensive HC. But I figure they will hire Tomlin.
It is really sad when I can look at Zac Robinson experience with Atlanta and realize he was going to be a failure. Licht needs to go also.
October 21st, 2026 at 5:22 pm
I dont care whos coaching,You cant turn the ball over ,You cant turn the ball over!
October 21st, 2026 at 5:23 pm
Zac Robinson is doing exactly what Bowles wants with the offense. New offense, it takes time. Bowles is right to be afraid of penalties, turnovers and sacks. Remember, he opted for OT against the Browns in 2022 because he didn’t want Brady to throw an interception. And Brady didn’t. So it worked out.
October 21st, 2026 at 5:24 pm
Question to ask Bowles on the Next interveiw.
How to you rate yourself after the past losing streak. And do you feel you have been sucsessfull as a coach this season.
October 21st, 2026 at 5:26 pm
No one is surprised.
Great last line Joe. And to think some people actually believe Bowles and his killer instinct has to come from the players bs. Maybe he didn’t say that but he has said a lot is up to the players. Won’t be long and he will say coaching needs to come from the players!
I knew the Bucs would never win with this guy. Been saying it since 2022. Absolutely infuriating that Licht and the Glazers couldn’t see it. Optimism only came from the offensive side of the ball and as the Bowles quotes above outline, he will chop their legs out whenever given an opportunity. See taking the ball from Brady, code turtle vs ATL and possibly even this past weekend. Just a poor excuse of an NFL HC.