Inside The Bucs’ Change At Offensive Coordinator

SR’s Fab 5 is a set of reporting and evaluation on the Bucs from yours actually, Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds. Listed here are 4 issues that caught my consideration this week, plus some random tidbits in my Buc Photographs part on the finish. Take pleasure in!

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FAB 1. Inside The Bucs’ Change At Offensive Coordinator

The firing of Bucs offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich was a very long time coming. Doubts about Leftwich’s supposed brilliance as a play-caller had surfaced lengthy earlier than the season began.

The Bucs’ high-scoring offense throughout the 2020 and 2021 seasons was the proper marriage between an extremely proficient roster and an outdated playbook that had a observe document for giant performs and producing touchdowns when executed correctly.

Bucs HC Bruce Arians, OC Byron Leftwich, QB Tom Brady and ref – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

Regardless of Tampa Bay successful Tremendous Bowl LV in 2020 with the arrival of Tom Brady, the best quarterback of all time, and producing a franchise-best 13-4 document and an NFC South title in 2021, Leftwich hardly obtained any head teaching interviews. That irked former head coach Bruce Arians – the architect of the Bucs offense. Arians went as far as to publicly say that Brady obtained an excessive amount of of the credit score for the offense’s success, and that Leftwich had been slighted.

The remainder of the league – aside from Jacksonville, a perennial trainwreck of a franchise – disagreed with Arians. Leftwich didn’t get a lot curiosity besides from the Jaguars, for whom Leftwich, a former NFL quarterback, was a first-round choose in 2003.

At one level, Jacksonville had made the Bucs’ play-caller their lead candidate to switch City Meyer final offseason. However Leftwich wished a change at basic supervisor and Jacksonville wouldn’t give in, so Leftwich withdrew his identify, and the Jaguars went in a special path, hiring Doug Pederson.

Evidently, Duuuuuval made the fitting name.

Almost 11 months later, the Pederson-led Jaguars have been a shock division winner and gained their first playoff sport since 2017. In the meantime, Leftwich was fired in Tampa Bay after his offense underwhelmed all season and averaged simply 18.4 factors per sport, which ranked twenty fifth within the NFL.

That’s almost two touchdowns much less per sport than the earlier two seasons when the Bucs offense averaged 30 factors every time it took the sector.

Todd Bowles, who took over because the Bucs head coach on March 30 when Arians all of the sudden stepped down, was afraid the offense would lose some efficiency this 12 months. Bowles is wise, and has gone up towards the Arians offense in apply every day for years.

He had a entrance row seat to look at Brady, a future Corridor of Fame quarterback, throw to future Corridor of Fame broad receiver Mike Evans, future Corridor of Fame tight finish Rob Gronkowski, a jackass receiver – but one with Corridor of Fame credentials – in Antonio Brown and a 1,000-yard receiver who simply obtained paid $20 million per season in Chris Godwin.

Bucs QB Tom Brady, C Ryan Jensen and former LG Ali Marpet – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

To not point out that Brady was protected by three Professional Bowl offensive linemen in Ali Marpet, Ryan Jensen and Tristan Wirfs, a left sort out in Donovan Smith that was taking part in his greatest soccer within the 2020 playoffs and the complete 2021 season and a proper guard in Alex Cappa, who obtained paid handsomely by the Bengals in free company this 12 months.

That’s a whole lot of expertise.

No, it was an unimaginable quantity of expertise.

Bowles appropriately surmised that the Bucs have been merely out-talenting opposing defenses in lighting up the scoreboard from 2020-21. Brady was the perfect on the pre-snap learn, discovering the mismatch in protection and realizing the place he was going with the ball earlier than it was even hiked.

As a top-notch defensive coordinator, Bowles knew that even the perfect protection didn’t have sufficient expertise within the secondary to remove 4 elite weapons.

Take away two? Perhaps bracket Godwin and Gronkowski down the seam? Nice, Brady would discover Evans and Brown on the surface.

Double cowl Evans and AB with Cowl 2? Positive, Brady would gentle up the seam with passes to Godwin and Gronk.

Opposing defenses merely couldn’t cease three out of the Bucs’ massive 4 weapons – and positively not all 4.

A fast have a look at the Bucs’ roster Bowles inherited from Arians two weeks after the beginning of free company confirmed no AB, no Gronk and no Marpet, who had retired throughout the offseason. Plus, Brady was now 45 and was in a troubled marriage after un-retiring to rejoin the Bucs on March 13.

Bucs WR Russell Gage and OC Byron Leftwich – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

Bowles had a hunch that the Bucs weren’t going to out-talent the league anymore on offense this season. He requested Leftwich and his offensive coaches – all of whom have been Arians disciples and had tunnel imaginative and prescient on his playbook – to broaden their horizons throughout the offseason within the spring and summer time. Watch some school soccer tape and get revolutionary. Carry some borrowed concepts, contemporary ideas and new performs to complement the getting older Arians playbook.

That didn’t occur. And it was apparent by the performs that have been being put in within the early days of coaching camp. Just about the identical outdated performs from the identical outdated playbook.

Throw in the truth that Jensen suffered a season-ending knee damage on the second day of coaching camp and Bowles and the Bucs brass grew much more involved concerning the offense. Not as a result of they didn’t imagine that Robert Hainsey might step in and do a reputable job at middle – he did. However he wasn’t close to Jensen’s degree of expertise, play or demeanor, and the Bucs offense misplaced one more Professional Bowler earlier than the season had begun.

New receiver Russell Gage, a $10 million per 12 months funding, obtained damage in OTAs and would have bother staying wholesome all season. He was nowhere near changing AB from a playmaking standpoint.

New receiver Julio Jones was a shell of his former self at age 33. He additionally had points staying wholesome and missed seven video games as a consequence of damage. Jones didn’t substitute Gronkowski’s crimson zone manufacturing because the crew had hoped, and completed the common season with simply two touchdowns.

New tight finish Kyle Rudolph was washed up. That was clear from the primary day of coaching camp, and he wouldn’t have the ability to substitute Gronkowski’s blocking within the run sport. The Bucs – and Brady – must lean on the getting older Cam Brate and a pair of rookies in Cade Otton and Ko Kieft as an alternative at tight finish.

Bowles knew that the Bucs couldn’t depend on their uber-talented downfield passing assault as a result of two of the primary weapons – AB and Gronk – have been gone. And so have been all three of Brady’s inside move protectors – Marpet, Jensen and Cappa. Each Bowles and Brady wished the Bucs to be extra balanced on offense and run the ball higher this 12 months to take a few of the stress off the G.O.A.T.

Bucs OC Byron Leftwich and QB Tom Brady – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

The Bucs averaged 100.5 yards dashing per sport in 2020, which ranked twenty fifth within the league, and 96.3 dashing yards per sport in 2021, which ranked twenty sixth. The very last thing Brady wished to do at age 45 was lead the league in move makes an attempt (719) and completions (485) once more.

As we now know, the Bucs working sport would rank useless final in 2022, averaging a pathetic 75.6 yards per sport – 20 fewer yards per sport. And the offense wound up counting on outdated man Brady’s arm much more, as he as soon as once more led the league in move makes an attempt (733) and completions (490) – each single-season NFL data.

These will not be the form of data Brady is keen on.

However for one sport in Dallas in Week 1, almost every little thing went in line with script for the Bucs floor sport. Tampa Bay began the season working the ball 33 occasions for 152 yards and a sturdy 4.6 common. Leonard Fournette ran for 127 yards and was the star in a 19-3 season-opening win.

However then it began to unravel for Leftwich and the Bucs offense.

FAB 2. Bucs’ Floor Sport Vanished Beneath Leftwich

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles was livid after Week 4, and never simply over his protection surrendering 41 factors to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. The Bucs offense had lastly hit 31 factors in a 41-31 loss to Kansas Metropolis after two years of scoring 30 factors frequently.

The Bucs offense had underachieved the primary three weeks of the season throughout a 2-1 begin, scoring 19 factors at Dallas, 13 factors at New Orleans and 12 factors at residence in a loss to Inexperienced Bay. So, the 31 factors was a welcome signal.

Bucs OC Byron Leftwich and HC Todd Bowles – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

Aside from the truth that 45-year outdated quarterback Tom Brady handed the ball 52 occasions. And that the Bucs ran the ball simply six occasions for less than three yards. It was one of many fewest dashing yards in an NFL sport within the league’s historical past. Bowles wouldn’t have cared a lot if the Bucs had gained. He’s all about successful.

However the Bucs misplaced, and working for simply three yards on six carries strayed from the path that Bowles wished the offense to go in throughout the 2022 season.

After working the ball extraordinarily effectively in Week 1, the Bucs ran for 72 yards on 30 carries, however a woeful 2.4 common in Week 2 towards the Saints. The subsequent week towards the Packers was even worse, because the crew posted simply 14 carries for 34 yards, and an identical 2.4 common.

Then got here the Chiefs sport, the place the Bucs simply didn’t even attempt to set up the run. Tampa Bay did path 14-3 on the finish of the primary quarter, however there was nonetheless loads of time left within the sport to run the ball and to attempt to obtain some steadiness. And at halftime, the Bucs had pulled inside 28-17.

Bowles wished Leftwich to run the ball extra and to be extra inventive and fewer predictable with these runs. Maybe not run the ball a lot on first down, as Leftwich was vulnerable to do.

And possibly run the ball out of three receiver units reasonably than predictable two- and three-tight finish formations. When rookie fullback/tight finish Ko Kieft was within the sport, it turned a straightforward inform that the Bucs have been going to run the ball.

Play-action passes have been almost absent from the sport plan early within the season, and movement, which helped Brady decipher whether or not a protection was in man protection or zone, was almost non-existent.

The Bucs offense slowed down late within the 2020 season after the crew slipped to 7-5, shedding three of 4 video games heading into the bye week. Brady and the coaches made some changes and integrated extra play-action, extra movement and put a better emphasis on the working sport.

Bucs RB Leonard Fournette – Picture by: USA Right now

It took just a few weeks for the bottom sport to enhance, however Tampa Bay averaged 122.5 dashing yards within the 2020 postseason, together with 145 yards on the bottom in Tremendous Bowl LV. That was an enchancment of over 30 dashing yards per sport from the common season.

Tampa Bay solely topped 100 yards dashing as a crew twice after Week 1 – a 161-yard effort towards Seattle and a 115-yard evening on Christmas at Arizona. Within the crew’s 31-14 loss to Dallas, the Bucs ran for simply 52 yards on 12 carries whereas Brady threw the ball an absurd 66 occasions.

Three of these carries for twenty-four yards – almost half of Tampa Bay’s dashing output –got here with underneath 5 minutes left within the sport with the Bucs trailing 31-6. Earlier than that, Leftwich known as 9 runs, which resulted in simply 28 yards. The Bucs have been shutout by the Cowboys, 18-0, and at one level within the third quarter trailed 24-0.

Bowles wished the Bucs to run the ball no less than 20 occasions per sport. That directive was not adopted about half the time throughout the season. Some inside the crew headquarters believed that Leftwich’s penchant for calling so many first down runs early in video games was simply to test the field and appease the top coach.

It’s one factor to play to a crew’s energy, and for the Bucs it was Brady and the passing sport. Persevering with to run the ball and gaining little to nothing time after time doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

However it’s an offensive coordinator’s job to determine the dashing assault with run sport coordinator Harold Goodwin and make it efficient. As a substitute of determining a strategy to make the bottom sport simpler, Leftwich continued to have the Bucs run the ball in predictable down and distances with predictable personnel groupings with the identical predictable working performs all through a lot of the season.

Bucs RB Leonard Fournette – Picture by: USA Right now

Apart from Week 1, Leftwich’s continued utilization of 12 personnel (one again, two tight ends), 13 personnel (one again, three tight ends) or 13 Jumbo personnel (one again, two tight ends and an additional offensive sort out) failed briefly yardage. The rationale? Tampa Bay’s offensive formation would get extra compact with tighter splits and defenses would load the field and the road of scrimmage.

And this 12 months, the Bucs didn’t have studs like Marpet, Jensen and Gronkowski up entrance to blast open holes.

Need to know why Brady obtained skittish this 12 months, throwing the ball away shortly to keep away from getting hit? He dropped again to move an astounding 775 occasions, together with known as move performs that resulted in sacks and scrambles.

Towards Dallas within the playoff loss, Brady dropped again to throw a ridiculous 68 occasions, together with the 2 sacks he took. The Bucs scored simply 14 factors towards the Cowboys and every little thing that the Bucs had struggled with for the reason that preseason – scoring, working the ball, crimson zone effectivity, third down effectivity and too many three-and-outs – surfaced as soon as once more for Leftwich’s offense.

Leftwich’s firing, which occurred on Thursday, had been inevitable for a lot of the season.

FAB 3. A Essential, 3-Sport Stretch In the end Sealed Leftwich’s Destiny

A lot was fabricated from the Bucs’ daunting begin to the season when the 2022 schedule got here out. Beginning out with video games Dallas and at New Orleans, after which two robust residence video games towards Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, adopted by Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on Monday Night time Soccer.

The Bucs needed to start the season no less than 2-2 to essentially have an opportunity on the playoffs, and did – thanks to 2 massive street wins over the Cowboys and the Saints. Todd Bowles’ protection led the way in which, holding Dallas and New Orleans to a mixed 13 factors, whereas security Mike Edwards’ pick-six towards the Saints helped Byron Leftwich’s struggling offense put factors on the board in Week 2.

Extensive receiver Mike Evans was suspended in Week 3 for combating with Saints defensive again Marshon Lattimore, and the Bucs missed him mightily in a 14-12 loss to the Packers. A failed two-point conversion let a winnable sport slip away, however the Bucs have been certainly 2-2 after the primary month of the season.

A 21-15 win over Atlanta helped Tampa Bay enhance to 3-2 and up subsequent have been a pair of one-win groups in Pittsburgh and Carolina. As destiny would have it, the Steelers have been beginning rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett and had a rash of accidents on protection. All-pro move rusher T.J. Watt was out, security Minkah Fitzpatrick was out, as was a lot of the Steelers secondary. The Bucs have been closely favored in consequence.

The one game-wrecker left on protection was getting older defensive sort out Cameron Heyward. The coaches met and determined that although rookie left guard Luke Goedeke was struggling, he must face Heyward. However that he would possibly want some assist. The very last thing the Bucs might afford was to let the lone game-wrecker in Pittsburgh wreck the sport.

Bucs LG Luke Goedeke and Steelers DT Cameron Heyward – Picture by: USA Right now

However that’s precisely what occurred.

Too many occasions Goedeke was left to face Heyward one-on-one with out middle Robert Hainsey’s assist with a double-team block. Too many occasions the Bucs ran the ball to Goedeke’s facet of the road with none optimistic outcomes. Too many occasions the Bucs tried to select up third-and-short conditions behind the struggling Goedeke and left sort out Donovan Smith reasonably than behind the extra proficient facet of the offensive line with proper guard Shaq Mason and All-Professional proper sort out Tristan Wirfs.

Leftwich had one mission – and he failed, because the Bucs misplaced, 20-18.

To not point out, Evans was focused simply 4 occasions, catching 4 passes for 42 yards towards a secondary filled with backups.

So, how on the earth was a crippled Steelers protection in a position to maintain the Bucs to simply 18 factors? Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin had seen this Bruce Arians offense for years when Arians was his offensive coordinator, and never a lot had modified. It was the identical performs that Leftwich ran when he was a backup quarterback in Pittsburgh underneath Tomlin and Arians. The play-calling was predictable, and the Steelers protection was prepared and effectively ready.

Leftwich was grilled laborious by the media about Evans’ lack of targets, and for letting Goedeke get killed repeatedly by Heyward, who completed with three tackles, a sack and two quarterback hits.

After that embarrassing loss that no one noticed coming, the Bucs traveled to Carolina to tackle the one-win Panthers. Matt Rhule had not too long ago been fired and changed by interim head coach Steve Wilks. The Panthers have been all the way down to fourth-string quarterback P.J. Walker, and had simply traded broad receiver Robbie Anderson and star working again Christian McCaffrey. Once more, the Bucs have been heavy favorites to win.

The sport didn’t begin effectively, as a wide-open Evans dropped a wide-open landing bomb from Brady within the first quarter. Nothing labored for the Bucs offense within the first half because the Panthers took a 7-0 lead into halftime in a sport Carolina would win, 21-3.

After catching flak from the media and from Bowles about Evans not being focused sufficient in Pittsburgh, Leftwich made certain he obtained Evans the ball. Evans wound up with 9 catches for 96 yards. However Brady dropped again to move 49 occasions, and the Bucs’ floor sport floor to a halt. Regardless of solely trailing 14-3 within the fourth quarter, Tampa Bay solely ran the ball 16 occasions for 46 yards and a wimpy 2.9 common.

Bucs QB Tom Brady and OC Byron Leftwich – Picture by: USA Right now

Pewter Report was the primary and solely media outlet to publicly name for Leftwich to be fired after the loss at Carolina dropped the Bucs to 3-4 on the season. It’s clear that the offensive coordinator didn’t perceive analytics and their correct place within the sport as a result of he would snort off significant knowledge and statistics when introduced to him in press conferences as “fantasy soccer stuff.”

The subsequent week towards Baltimore on Thursday evening, Tampa Bay’s protection performed effectively for the primary half in back-to-back video games. The Bucs had a 10-3 lead at halftime, however wound up shedding 27-22. Brady threw the ball 44 occasions and the Bucs solely ran the ball 15 occasions for 44 yards and one other disappointing 2.9 common.

Issues have been coming to a head behind the scenes because the offense’s sluggish begins and lack of factors have been instantly contributing to shedding winnable video games. The group had given Bowles the inexperienced gentle to fireside Leftwich if he wished to, and after the Ravens sport on Thursday evening appeared like an opportune time with the weekend off.

However Bowles didn’t pull the set off at the moment, and late-game heroics from Brady and Cade Otton helped the Bucs come again to beat the Rams to finish a three-game shedding streak. Perhaps Bowles would take into account firing Leftwich after the bye week?

All season lengthy, Bowles had implored Leftwich to repair the working sport and keep it up, and to tweak the play-calling. In a 21-16 win over the Seahawks in Germany, almost every little thing that had gone flawed with the Bucs offense all season lengthy was all of the sudden proper.

Tampa Bay scored touchdowns as an alternative of subject targets. The Bucs transformed third downs, particularly third-and-short. And so they ran the ball to the tune of 161 yards, a season excessive – led by rookie Rachaad White’s 105 yards.

Perhaps Leftwich was listening and noticed how an efficient working sport might take a few of the move safety stress off the offensive line and off Brady. Perhaps the Bucs offense might flip it round after beating a very good, playoff-bound Seahawks crew.

Bucs RB Rachaad White – Picture by: USA Right now

Leftwich wouldn’t be fired throughout the bye week. These back-to-back wins improved the Bucs to 5-5 and saved Leftwich – in the intervening time.

The Bucs ended the season averaging simply 18 factors per sport over the past eight video games – which might be their season common. Tampa Bay struggled to a 3-5 end, together with the playoff loss to the Cowboys. Leftwich’s offense would rating greater than 21 factors simply 4 occasions out of 17 video games in 2022, and even that wasn’t sufficient. The Bucs have been simply 1-3 in these video games.

With out the expertise that Leftwich needed to work with on the offensive line and a full arsenal of weapons he had within the passing sport throughout the 2020-21 seasons, the Bucs offense sputtered and stalled. Good coaches alter and adapt. Nice coaches overcome expertise deficiencies with scheme and inventive play-calls.

Too many predictable first down runs. Too many predictable broad receiver display screen passes. Too many unsuccessful third-and-1 downs. Too many three-and-outs. Too many subject objective makes an attempt. Too many passes by an getting older Brady.

Not sufficient creativity. Not sufficient innovation. Not sufficient intelligent, well timed play calls. Not sufficient solutions. Not sufficient evolution of Arians’ offense. Not sufficient factors.

As Pewter Report forecasted on Monday evening after the loss to Dallas, Leftwich and a number of other of Arians’ offensive assistants have been let go on Thursday. Bowles is correctly shifting on from an offense that has confirmed it may well excel with immense expertise and high-level execution, however is in any other case predictable and ineffective with out it.

All good issues should come to finish. There was a time when Invoice Walsh’s West Coast Offense dominated the NFL and Monte Kiffin’s Tampa 2 protection was the league’s mightiest protection. The identical will be stated for Arians’ offense too, and it has handed its prime.

The Bucs could have a brand new offense and a brand new play-caller in 2023, as Bowles is underneath the gun to get this rent proper and nail it. Regardless of successful the NFC South in his first 12 months as a head coach, Tampa Bay solely gained eight video games and misplaced 10, together with the playoff defeat by the hands of Dallas.

After inheriting Arians’ workers on March 30 and never with the ability to make any adjustments initially, Bowles will now get one shot to remake the teaching workers in his picture and choose his personal play-caller and assistants.

The Glazers have given each head coach they’ve employed and fired no less than two years, together with the latest, failed tenures of Raheem Morris (three), Greg Schiano (two), Lovie Smith (two) and Dirk Koetter (three).

12 months two begins for Bowles now.

FAB 4. The Bucs Questions That Want To Be Answered

As I wrap up this particular version of SR’s Fab 5, which focuses solely on the firing of Byron Leftwich and the teaching workers shake-up, I need to take the time to handle some apparent questions which have popped up on the Pewter Report Twitter feed and within the Pewter Report Podcast chat room. I’ll do my greatest to reply them based mostly on what I do know or my greatest, educated guess.

Why Didn’t Todd Bowles Hearth Byron Leftwich Throughout The Season?

Bucs HC Todd Bowles and OC Byron Leftwich – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

I don’t have a strong reply for this apart from to imagine that Bowles didn’t assume there was an precise improve over Leftwich on the present workers. The truth that broad receivers coach Kevin Garver and working backs coach Todd McNair have been fired, and that quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen was going to be fired if he didn’t retire, leads me to that conclusion.

Christensen had essentially the most play-calling expertise in his background, and the truth that Bowles didn’t fireplace Leftwich and substitute him with Christensen tells me all I must know. Bowles didn’t really feel like anybody on the workers he inherited might do a greater job than the man who was failing as a play-caller.

Though Bowles knew the offense was in bother – probably as early as coaching camp – he made a calculated gamble and wager on the play of his protection and the heroics of Tom Brady. And it paid off – barely. The mix of Bowles’ sometimes stout protection and Brady was sufficient to win the NFC South title in a down 12 months within the division and make the playoffs.

However it gained’t be sufficient to win shifting ahead in 2023, particularly if Brady doesn’t return to Tampa Bay.

Why Didn’t Bowles Make Any Adjustments To The Teaching Workers Earlier than The Season?

Bowles inherited Bruce Arians’ teaching workers on March 30, which was two weeks after the beginning of free company. Arians tabbed Bowles to steer the Bucs on the situation that he hold Arians’ workers intact.

And initially, why would Bowles need to make any adjustments to the workers? That very same workers gained the Tremendous Bowl in 2020 and completed 13-4 the earlier season. Even when Bowles wished to make some workers adjustments, which he did, he knew that he couldn’t for 3 causes.

First, the group wouldn’t let him. That was a part of the take care of him being Arians’ successor.

Second, Bowles can be lambasted by followers and the media if he fired Leftwich or any offensive assistants after the crew simply obtained by scoring a mean of 30 factors per sport earlier than the season began. Even when Bowles had suspicions about Leftwich or different coaches, he must let the 2022 season play out and for his or her incompetence or poor efficiency to be uncovered for all to see because the offense had much less accessible expertise than in earlier years.

And eventually, any assistants who Bowles may need wished so as to add to Tampa Bay’s workers would have both been dedicated to a school workers or underneath contract with one other NFL crew on March 30. Whereas each different new head teaching rent will get to assemble his personal workers, Bowles must wait till the 2023 offseason to make his first teaching rent.

Why Didn’t Brady Simply Take Over And Name Performs On The Discipline?

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

Because it has been defined to me, Brady doesn’t need management over the offense. He isn’t like Peyton Manning, who favored to name his personal performs and direct the offense from the sector. Brady desires to deal with executing the play that is named and making it work. He doesn’t need to name performs and have to fret about what play would work greatest on a sure down and distance based mostly on a sure defensive personnel package deal.

There isn’t any doubt that Brady collaborated with Leftwich throughout the week and helped choose the performs that have been known as on sport days based mostly on what labored in apply. However prefer it or not, Brady is subservient as a quarterback. He’s a soldier – not a subject basic – in terms of the performs which might be known as.

The place Brady did really feel comfy taking up and calling performs was when the crew went no-huddle and executed the two-minute offense. That occurred to be the place the Bucs offense had its most success, evidenced by late, come-from-behind wins over the Rams, Saints, Cardinals and Panthers. Sadly, the Bucs didn’t do extra of that.

Why Didn’t Bowles Assist Repair The Offense?

Whereas Bowles is the top coach, he’s additionally the defensive play-caller. He’s adept at stopping offenses – not serving to them or fixing them. Bowles would offer some path and a few ideas from his defensive standpoint, however he largely let Leftwich and the offensive coaches do what they employed to do and paid to do – repair and run the offense.

Why Did Run Sport Coordinator Harold Goodwin And Offensive Line Coach Joe Gilbert Keep away from Getting Fired?

I don’t have a very good reply apart from I heard that Goodwin was simply as annoyed with the dearth of run calls throughout the sport as Bowles was. Now, I didn’t hear that from both Goodwin or Bowles, so I could also be flawed about this premise. But when I’m proper, then Bowles didn’t assume the failures of the working sport fell on these offensive line coaches – regardless of the poor efficiency of the road itself.

Goodwin did communicate to Tampa Bay Occasions beat author Rick Stroud and expressed his frustration with the dearth of run calls in some video games. The Bucs’ run sport coordinator stated that 22 or 23 Double is a staple run play within the Bucs’ duo run scheme, but it wasn’t known as as usually in 2022 because it was in earlier years.

“It’s in there. I can’t management what the play-caller calls,” Goodwin advised Stroud. “However it’s in there each week. It’s principally our base play. You begin with that to create every little thing you do within the run sport, from play-action passes to what we’re doing running-wise.

“We have now it in there. We have now a whole lot of runs. It’s simply whether or not we get to them or not. It’s how the play-caller is feeling. It’s my favourite play by far as a result of we’ve have a whole lot of success with it. It simply relies on whether or not Byron is feeling like calling it that day or not. I can’t management that.”

Now, I’ve seen offensive coordinators eager to have some say-so in who the offensive line coach is as a result of all of it begins up entrance. Out of the 11 starters on offense, essentially the most come from one place, and that’s the 5 offensive linemen. So Bowles could wait to see what his new rent at offensive coordinator thinks of Goodwin and Gilbert first. However that’s only a guess on my half.

Does The Firing Of Leftwich And Christensen’s Departure Have an effect on The Possibilities Of Brady’s Return To Tampa Bay?

Bucs QB Tom Brady and HC Todd Bowles – Picture by: Cliff Welch/PR

If something, I believe Leftwich’s firing and the adjustments on the teaching workers would enhance the possibilities of Brady’s return. He’s no dummy. Brady noticed all of the warts on offense similar to Bucs followers did. My guess is that he would welcome the chance to work with a brand new offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay.

Wherever he goes, Brady shall be studying a brand new offense and dealing with new coaches, whether or not he stays with the Bucs or performs elsewhere. I don’t need to counsel that Brady didn’t like working with Leftwich, however I don’t assume the truth that Leftwich was fired would deter Brady from coming again to the Bucs in any respect.

Bowles and basic supervisor Jason Licht, each of whom have a very good relationship with Brady, will hold the 45-year outdated QB abreast of whom they interview and should even ask for Brady’s enter. However the Bucs gained’t make this rent simply based mostly on attempting to maintain Brady, who will seemingly solely play another 12 months in Tampa Bay if he does return. The Bucs need to make the fitting rent for Bowles going ahead for a few years to return.

Brady gained’t decide to return to Tampa Bay – or decide to leaving – till he is aware of who the brand new play-caller is. And he would possibly need to have a dialog with that new offensive coordinator when the time comes earlier than the beginning of free company.

Was Leftwich Simply The Scapegoat For Bowles’ 8-9 Season As Head Coach?

No, however a few of the nationwide media who don’t comply with the crew carefully in any respect will counsel that. They’ll have a look at the floor and see a string of seasons the place the Bucs offense was within the High 5 in scoring. And so they’ll have a look at final 12 months when accidents and departures hit and the offense fell to twenty fifth in scoring after Arians left and use the excuse that Leftwich was the scapegoat.

That was not the case. Sure, Brady, who went by a really public, painful divorce, didn’t have an awesome season. Sure, the offensive line had accidents. Sure, Tampa Bay’s offense misplaced some firepower from a 12 months in the past.

However Leftwich was not inventive sufficient and didn’t scheme effectively sufficient to assist the offense out. That was plain and easy to anybody who watched every sport and noticed the nauseating quantity of first down runs, unsuccessful third-and-1 conversions and a slew of ineffective broad receiver screens.

A profitable offensive coordinator shouldn’t need to be advised to run the ball extra after a six-carry sport towards the Chiefs.

A profitable offensive coordinator shouldn’t need to be advised to get Mike Evans, the Bucs’ star receiver, the ball extra after simply 4 targets versus the Steelers.

A profitable offensive coordinator shouldn’t need to be advised to possibly strive getting a protection in nickel and spreading it out with a three-receiver set when attempting to run the ball on third-and-1 as an alternative of going with a heavy-jumbo package deal that not often appeared to work.

And a profitable offensive coordinator shouldn’t need to depend on Brady taking up in two-minute drills to supply the required factors to win and beat dangerous groups just like the Rams, Saints and Cardinals within the final second of the sport.

Was Leftwich Ever Thought-about To Be A Head-Teaching Candidate In Tampa Bay?

No. Even when Arians was employed in 2019 after retiring in 2018 as a consequence of well being issues, Leftwich was not going to be the successor. If something have been to occur to Arians and he needed to retire all of the sudden in-season throughout his time as head coach, Bowles was at all times going to be the successor.

Regardless of Arians campaigning for Leftwich to get a head teaching job after the 2020 and 2021 seasons, the Bucs have been by no means going to rent Leftwich – even when Bowles had left for an additional head teaching job elsewhere previous to the 2022 season. That was an organizational determination. Even when Arians had wished Leftwich to be his successor had Bowles departed, I don’t assume the Bucs would have allowed that.

FAB 5. SR’s Buc Photographs

• ORLOVSKY IS SPOT ON: Like him or not, ESPN NFL analyst and former NFL QB Dan Orlovsky is spot on along with his evaluation.

Here’s a transcript of what Orlovsky stated, and he’s precisely proper:

“This is among the least inventive offenses within the NFL. I keep in mind even in 2020 after they gained the Tremendous Bowl I stated they’re so depending on excessive degree execution. They do little or no to assist their gamers. Now they adjusted into the season and into that playoff run – they usually have been tremendous proficient. That’s why they obtained it completed. However this offense is so behind in so many alternative methods in terms of new-age soccer. It’s in some ways archaic. It’s little or no movement. They don’t do something that they’re good at. I really feel like they main in issues that they’re dangerous at. … How disconnected the run sport is from the move sport. It’s virtually just like the coaches don’t even discuss of their constructing.”

• SAYS SHARPE – BLAME BRADY, NOT BYRON: Fox Sports activities’ Shannon Sharpe desires guilty Tom Brady reasonably than Byron Leftwich for the Bucs’ terrible season on offense.

• GREAT ARTICLE BY GREG: Fox Sports activities NFC South author Greg Auman particulars the struggles of the Bucs’ downfield passing sport in 2022. But another excuse why Byron Leftwich was fired.

THIS WEEK’S PEWTER REPORT PODCASTS

• BUCS COACHING STAFF SHAKE-UP ANALYSIS ON THE PEWTER REPORT PODCAST: The Pewter Report Podcast is energized by CELSIUS and broadcasts 4 dwell episodes every week. We’re within the offseason now, so PR Podcasts shall be featured on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays – both at 4:00 p.m. ET or in prime time at 7:00 p.m. ET. Subscribe to PewterReportTV on YouTube and click on on notifications and also you’ll be told about when the following podcast shall be broadcast.

Matt Matera and Scott Reynolds mentioned the anticipated firings on the Bucs teaching workers on Tuesday’s podcast.

On Wednesday, Matera and Josh Queipo seemed forward at what’s subsequent for the Bucs as they start the 2023 offseason.

Matera, Reynolds and Adam Slivon focus on the firing of offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and a number of other assistant coaches on Thursday’s podcast.

Watch the Pewter Report Podcasts dwell on our PewterReportTV channel on YouTube.com and please subscribe (it’s free) and add your feedback. We archive all Pewter Report Podcasts. So, you may watch the recorded episodes should you missed them dwell.

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