Can Caleb Williams Handle Todd Bowles?
November 7th, 2026
Joins the Todd Bowles Blitz Brigade.
Joe is just numb to this sort of chatter.
Look, no one is happier than Joe that the Bucs have a strong defense (finally) and that KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles has fixed it. He really should be proud of how he resurrected that side of the ball. No, really.
Still, Joe is beyond weary from years of hearing TV network talking heads talk about the dizzying display of blitzes Bowles will unleash on unsuspecting quarterbacks, leaving them more confused than a priest in a house of ill repute.
As a result, they say quarterbacks will be rendered useless by Bowles’ mad scientist defensive schemes. The problem is week after week after week after week of hearing that chatter in the moments before kickoff, it’s become white noise for Joe.
Just a constant drone of zzzzzzzz.
And then, after the networks spent a good amount of time gaslighting Bucs fans, the defense would go out and play like the Bucs only had nine defenders on the field.
But week after week, “Watch out for Todd Bowles’ blitzes!”
The talking heads going into overtime with the narrative that Bears star quarterback Caleb Williams doesn’t know what he’s walking into tomorrow night when the Bucs come into Soldier Field with upset on their minds.
Former Bucs All-Pro defensive tackle Gerald McCoy joined the chorus, saying Williams will be “pedestrian” when he faces the never-ending pressure coming from Bowles’ blitzes.
(Sigh.)
“Todd Bowles’ defense has been very dominant this season,” GMC said. “What is Todd Bowles going to do? He’s going to send pressure at you.
“He’s going to test Caleb Williams with his pressure plan. Let’s see how [Williams] can handle this pressure.”
GMC then pointed out how Williams’ completion percentage is right under 50 percent when pressured. So expect Bowles to bring the proverbial kitchen sink.
“I believe that the Bears are for sure on upset alert,” GMC said. “Chicago is minus-one in the turnover margin. Tampa is plus-four. Caleb Williams [has a] 46 percent completion percentage when under pressure.
“He is special, but under pressure, he gets real pedestrian.”
Again, Joe is worn out always hearing about Bowles’ blitzes when his defense has, for way too many years, been all hot air.
If Bowles and the Bucs defense can put the clamp on Williams and win, awesome. Then for sure the Bucs have a defense the NFL better start fearing. Until then, Joe has heard this broken record way, way, way too many times without hearing Eddie Van Halen’s “Eruption.”
Way, way, way too much woofing and hype; way, way, way too little bite and substance.
“Under pressure Caleb Williams is very pedestrian.”
Gerald McCoy doesn’t think Caleb Williams can handle Todd Bowles Blitz package and doesn’t think the WRs can consistently get open vs the Bucs. 👀 #DaBears #Bears pic.twitter.com/jzo5Zm9Z1S
— Clay Harbor (@clayharbs82) November 6, 2026
Ben Johnson on Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers:
"They’re Chaos. I think that's what stands out. Whenever you play single high to the rate that he does, it gives you an extra defender in the box. Schematically, it's very challenging to run the ball. And then when he gets you off… pic.twitter.com/h7igTuWaVD
— Bears on Real (@BearsOnReal) November 6, 2026
November 7th, 2026 at 12:09 pm
Yes
November 7th, 2026 at 12:11 pm
While not the Vikings, Caleb struggled against a strong dc. Let’s see if he can join Bryce young and Michael Penix in the Bowles blender.
November 7th, 2026 at 12:18 pm
Season Role Sacks NFL ranking under Bowles
2019: Defensive Coordinator 47 T-7th
2020: Defensive Coordinator 48 T-4th
2021: Defensive Coordinator 47 7th
2022: Head Coach 45 T-7th
2023: Head Coach 48 T-7th
2024: Head Coach 46 T-6th
2025: Head Coach 37 19th
November 7th, 2026 at 12:18 pm
Not too bad if you ask this Joe.
November 7th, 2026 at 12:34 pm
Sometimes I feel like I’m watching a completely different team/game than the these tv show guys. Primetime the Bucs have been horrible since Bowles has been the coach and we’ve seen what QB’s with no pressure do to the Bucs secondary. Yes, the 2 DB’s have been playing all world here but when they’ve gotten beat this year it’s the special Bowles prevent D and no pressure getting home. The Bears aren’t the panthers or falcons and Williams can play. I hope the Bucs make it competitive at least and if for some reason they win, I’ll be 1000% sold!!! Receivers are not getting open and the Bears are gonna dare them to throw
November 7th, 2026 at 12:34 pm
Agreed, every time we hear this kind of noise it’s like our team forgets what a football looks like.
November 7th, 2026 at 12:44 pm
First play of the game needs to be a go route to Ted or Tez and throw a bomb…we can 1 catch it!! 2 get a P.I call, which is the same thing and it will have the CBs on their heels…then u do it every quarter!!! Its not rocket science, loosen up the box, and our coveted run game plan will have a much better chance Sunday night! IF Robinson refuses to air it out some in this game, we are cooked!
November 7th, 2026 at 12:44 pm
Attack their LT side and watch for the TE over the middle on 3rd’s….and if we can intercept/recover a few fumbles, the door is wide open for Bake and that O!!!
Show us where you’re at Robinson!
November 7th, 2026 at 12:45 pm
Loveland is scary. I just hope the ILBs and S are aware when he leaks out
November 7th, 2026 at 12:46 pm
If you want to shut up the “Bowles is a defensive mastermind” bs teams should sign Kirk Cousins to a 1 game contract for their game against the bucs… We’d never have to hear it again
November 7th, 2026 at 12:48 pm
Is it just me or the Bucs blitzing much less this season? Is it a “blitz” if you rush 4 or 5? If a D lines up 8 guys on the line and 4 drop, did they blitz?
November 7th, 2026 at 12:49 pm
The stats on Bowles defense are inflated due to playing NFC South teams 2x….majority of the league is better than our division. Who do you bet on….Ben Johnson or Todd Bowles.
November 7th, 2026 at 12:49 pm
LOL!!!
November 7th, 2026 at 12:50 pm
So now I know what’s wrong with Joe. It all starts with a horrible taste in music.
November 7th, 2026 at 12:57 pm
Quinn Ewers.
Most QBs struggle when pressured, it’s why sacks are so important, despite what we hear from the epitome of coaching that is Todd Bowles.
The defense is playing great, but no Williams is not going to have a bad game. The reason is Ben Johnson. He understands management, being prepared and strategy.
November 7th, 2026 at 1:06 pm
True Ben Johnson is one of the best but Todd always faired pretty good against him when he was with Detroit ,,
November 7th, 2026 at 1:10 pm
It would make for a nice fairy tale story going into the bye with a win in Chicago, but who here truly believes Todd Bowles is a greater mastermind than Ben Johnson? Not I, and I fear this game could get out of reach ugly for the Bucs before halftime if the Bucs defense can’t get pressure on Williams without having to rely solely on blitz packages. I’m a homer and had to take the Bucs (plus the points), but it feels like this is the perfect storm for the Bucs to get handed their first double digit loss this season.
November 7th, 2026 at 1:15 pm
How about we win a game against a good offense first before we start glazing Bowles.
November 7th, 2026 at 1:21 pm
“If Bowles and the Bucs defense can put the clamp on Williams and win, awesome. Then for sure the Bucs have a defense the NFL better start fearing. Until then, Joe has heard this broken record way, way, way too many times without hearing Eddie Van Halen’s“
This amuses me, because Joe is trying to get this off a week after shutting out a division opponent that just beat one of the better all around teams in the NFL before playing us. Defense is the clear strength of the team and some are having a hard time making that make sense to them, because it goes against everything they’ve been saying since 2022.
McCoy to the point of how Bowles will likely temp check Caleb Williams with pressure packages and disguised blitzes in effort of seeing how he responds. The overall point is, anybody who’s watched this D since 2019 knows he extra men is coming and can be coming from anywhere.
This, is also Caleb Williams’ first game against this scheme. The one time this year he played anything like it, that offense put 3 points up and struggled moving the ball all game. Flores blitzed him on 72% of his 26 dropback and anybody who doesn’t think we’ll replicate that approach is nuts. Ben Johnson is convinced scheming for Bowles’ D, our defense is chaos and that’s because we run a lot of different looks and ask guys to do a lot of different things. That’s the “chaos” Johnson is talking about, and I think we’ve played him once/twice while he was in Detroit.
All that to say, that’s why a lot of the media talk around this game has been centered around the matchup of our defense to the Chicago offense. While our offense has been getting some backhanded-ish compliments.
November 7th, 2026 at 1:35 pm
Ben Johnson … ‘”They’re Chaos. I think that’s what stands out. Whenever you play single high to the rate that he does, it gives you an extra defender in the box. Schematically, it’s very challenging to run the ball. And then when he gets you off schedule in third down, that’s where he draws up all these exotics. It’s a good mix of talent.”
Ben’s comments aren’t just mutual admiration, it’s an excellent analysis of what Todd Bowles tries to do. Like Johnson says … ‘It’s very challenging to run the ball’. Interestingly though, he gave Todd kudos for 3rd down strength (Bucs are #5 in the NFL in allowing only 32.0% 3rd Down Conversions). The irony there is that the Bears are #1 in the NFL, allowing a meager 23.8% 3rd Down Conversions. Their Run Defense is ranked #3 and ours is ranked #1. Two heavyweight defenses.
Even more ironic, BOTH defenses are pretty good at taking the ball away (Bucs have 4 FRs & 12 INTs ranking #1 in takeaways, while the Bears have 6 FRs & 5 INTs ranking #13 in takeaways). Obviously the Bucs are stronger when it comes to making interceptions, and that MAY drive the Bears to try to run it more than usual. BOTH offenses though have coughed the ball up quite a bit this year (Bucs have 5 FL & 7 INTs ranking #21 now, while the Bears have 7 FL & 5 INTs also ranking #21).
Gotta believe it’ll all come down to who makes the least mistakes Sunday night.
November 7th, 2026 at 1:51 pm
WBL… I’m pretty sure everyone and their mother knows D is the strength of this iteration of the Bucs.
I also don’t think Bowles resurrected anything. Perhaps an All-22 Xs and Os guy will want to dispute this but Bowles is doing the same stuff he has been doing for years.
Licht got him better players. Parrish, Scott, Bain, Trotter, Anzalone, Rozeboom, Robinson, Melifonwu.
In the previous seasons, Bowles did not adjust his scheme accordingly when relying on Josh Hayes, Reddick, Gaines, Dennis etc. and he constantly got burned.
So feather in Todd’s cap ? Of course I don’t think so. Mr. We do what we do has a lot of talent to work with. He never makes more with less, he needs more to do more. Every coach in the league wishes he had a division and leash long enough to just survive for 3 years until the GM can stock the cupboard. Privileged life Todd leads.
November 7th, 2026 at 1:53 pm
I believe the biggest change in Todd’s behavior is no more 10 yard cushions o n 3rd and 6. He truly trusts his corners
November 7th, 2026 at 2:06 pm
Y’all are talking like he controls the performance of players, and you’re all also drastically underrating his approach because you don’t like him overall. So fact of the matter is, you don’t concern yourselves with the X’s/O’s to even understand the tact, but what you do know is what you see on gamedays and that speaks for you louder than anything else.
My thing is the two aren’t the same, and anybody with enough curiosity can get a general understanding of how our defense functions relative to what the HC wants to get out of them. We literally tune in to watch them do what Bowles and the staff instruct them to do, once the plays are live coaches have as much control on the outcome of a rep as you and I.
I get it, this fan base has conditioned itself to hating Todd Bowles so much you’re trying to separate yolk from the egg and it’s kickin some of y’all’s butts lol
November 7th, 2026 at 2:41 pm
“I get it, this fan base has conditioned itself to hating Todd Bowles so much you’re trying to separate yolk from the egg and it’s kickin some of y’all’s butts lol”
———————
And the Joe’s have done a lot of the conditioning.
November 7th, 2026 at 2:46 pm
All these useless talking heads do is try to say something that may be a little relevant and then take it to the extreme. Even in this instance Gerald McCoy. They feel like they have to be entertaining and out there sometimes so their hot takes get a bunch of run. I don’t watch any of the sports shows anymore. I get tired of being yelled at by some dude on the TV that doesn’t know spit from shinola. Besides a lot of them want to get political now and if I wanted to listen to useless garbage I would turn on one of the alphabet news organizations.
November 7th, 2026 at 2:47 pm
😆😆😆😆
You asked the question BACKWARDS
November 7th, 2026 at 2:51 pm
I agree with Beeej. The corners playing tighter coverage is the best adjustment this year. It makes the QB hold the ball just a little bit longer and now our pressures have become sacks.
I also agree with DR. The team with the least mistakes should win. It might just come down to who has the ball last.
I’m looking forward to a great game. Go Bucs!!
November 7th, 2026 at 3:19 pm
“And the Joe’s have done a lot of the conditioning.“
Also Joe:
“Way, way, way too much woofing and hype; way, way, way too little bite and substance.”
Too much woofing, like 8 games played is a small sample size of watching the D play up more often than not. As if averaging 18.9 ppg in that time frame or being top in almost all the important defensive categories is a fluke.
November 7th, 2026 at 4:49 pm
Ben Johnson has it solved.
November 7th, 2026 at 5:24 pm
The Bowles vaunted defense has beaten three teams with a collective 9-14 record.
And have five losses vs teams with a collective 27-11 record.
Do you Pom Pom waiving tard nuggets see a pattern?????
All Todd does is fail upwards. He never wins a damn thing as a HC!!!
Outside of the dumpster fire division title of course. That’s his SB.
November 7th, 2026 at 5:55 pm
The majority of you are negative as hell. Nobody on here is giving the bucs any credit. BUNCH of haters and no real fans in sight except. Maybe warrenbrookslynch and defense rules the rest of yall just take up space. Go BUCS!!!!! I sure hope they silence you all
November 7th, 2026 at 7:38 pm
How bout Nooooo….He shut down Young and Penix.They were playing better then Willy
Why wouldn’t you be rooting for home team to win on the road in front of the whole nation.
November 7th, 2026 at 7:40 pm
Here’s some stats for people who think the Bucs didn’t play a good offense in their 3 wins:
The Cowboys –
Points Per Game 27.4 7th
Total Yards Per Game 342.0 yds 13th
Passing Yards Per Game 247.9 yds 9th / 10th (approx.)
Rushing Yards Per Game 94.1 yds 25th
EPA per Play 0.06 7th (Overall efficiency)
3rd Down Conversion % 47.52% 3rd
Red Zone Scoring % (TD) 71.88% 3rd
Before the Bucs played them on Thursday night, they were averaging over 30 ppg and CeeDee Lamb was on a tear. Shut them down.
The Panthers-
• total Offense: 363.7 yards per game (Rank: 9th)
• Passing Offense: 261.7 yards per game (Rank: 5th)
• Rushing Offense: 102.0 yards per game (Rank: 22nd)
• Scoring (Points Per Game): 25.4 points per game (Rank: 9th / tied around 5th–9th depending on weekly tracking)
• First Downs: 21.1 per game (Rank: 8th)
• Third-Down Conversion: 38.5% (Rank: 16th)
• Success Rate: 22nd in overall offensive success rate
Prior to us playing the Panthers, They were averaging over 30ppg. Bryce Young was getting MVP talk.
The Falcons-
Total Offense 323.1 YDS/G #21
Rushing Offense 134.8 YDS/G #4 / #5
Passing Offense 188.4 YDS/G #21 / #22
Scoring Offense 21.4 PTS/G #23
Total EPA / Play -0.13 #26
While not an overall offensive powerhouse, they do have the 4th best rushing attack and we shut that down.
Even in the games we lost, no offense torched us and truthfully, if we had a mid offense, we would probably be 6-2.
As I said before, the Bucs are playing good football right now, especially defensively.
Have some confidence in your and stop expecting them to lose. I’m so glad the team doesn’t carry some of your scared mentality…
November 7th, 2026 at 7:50 pm
Teacherman, thanks for that information which is eye opening. A 25% more or less drop off in sacks from the 6 years prior average of about 47 a year. Combined with an offense that was destroyed by injuries and dropped off the map post bye and that pretty much answers the questions about why the Bucs couldn’t win a game down the stretch in 2025.