A brand new Pewter Report Roundtable debuts each Tuesday on PewterReport.com. Every week, the Pewter Reporters sort out one other robust query. This week’s immediate: What’s the Bucs’ primary supply of hope down the ultimate stretch of the season?
Scott Reynolds: Liam Coen’s Creativity And Adaptability Is A Massive Optimistic
Bucs OC Liam Coen – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Earlier than the season began I wrote that Liam Coen’s offense was going to be an enormous improve for the Bucs in a earlier SR’s Fab 5 column. And it has confirmed to be a significant enchancment over Dave Canales’ offense from a yr in the past. In reality, Coen’s offense has helped carry the staff this season. Regardless of head coach Todd Bowles working the protection, it’s Coen’s facet of the ball that’s Tampa Bay’s energy. Regardless of enjoying the final three video games with out Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the Bucs are nonetheless averaging 27.9 factors per sport, which ranks fifth within the NFL, and are averaging 361.5 yards per sport, which ranks eighth within the league.
That’s a testomony to Coen’s creativity and adaptableness as a play-caller. He’s a wise coach who holds himself accountable and has put himself in place to get a head teaching job within the league sooner relatively than later. Maybe in Tampa Bay as Bowles’ alternative in 2025, relying on how this season performs out. Oh, and Coen additionally found out how the Bucs can run the ball successfully, which actually hasn’t occurred since Doug Martin was on the staff within the Dirk Koetter years.
The truth that the Bucs have a man that’s displaying indicators of turning into an offensive wizard is encouraging transferring ahead. Tampa Bay will face a number of groups with horrible defenses down the stretch. Carolina, whom the staff will face twice, has the worst-ranked scoring protection, permitting 31 factors per sport. Dallas has the Thirty first-ranked scoring protection, surrendering 28.8 factors per sport. Las Vegas is permitting 27.9 factors per sport, which ranks thirtieth within the league. And New Orleans is giving up 24.6 factors per sport, which ranks twenty fourth within the NFL. Coen and his offense have to hold delivering round 27 factors per sport or extra and hold donning the Superman cape in Tampa Bay.
Matt Matera: Bucs’ O-Line Is A Energy Of The Crew
Bucs C Graham Barton – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Star left sort out Tristan Wirfs getting injured in Sunday’s sport places a little bit of a damper on this, however contemplating it’s not season-ending and Wirfs will solely miss a few weeks, everybody can exhale. It’s considerably miraculous how the Bucs offensive line has been fully in a position to flip round its fortunes this season. After being lifeless final in speeding yards over the past two seasons, Tampa Bay has revamped the bottom sport, averaging 125.3 yards per sport, placing them at eleventh finest within the league.
A lot credit score ought to go to offensive coordinator Liam Coen and working backs Rachaad White, Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker, however the offensive line deserves its reward, too. Wirfs is without doubt one of the finest within the league and proper sort out Luke Goedeke continues to ascend. Proper guard Cody Mauch took a giant step ahead this yr and rookie middle Graham Barton, the Bucs’ 2024 first spherical decide, is trying just like the staff made the precise selection on him. Even the free agent signing of beginning left guard Ben Bredeson has labored out.
It’s not simply the working the ball properly, both. The Bucs have additionally been nice in go safety. They’ve stored Baker Mayfield upright for essentially the most half this season, and the staff’s passer ranking of 103.6 is fourth finest within the NFL. With the accidents at receiver, the offensive line giving Mayfield additional time has led to the group nonetheless discovering success. Regardless of who’s in and who’s out on the ability positions, an awesome offensive line can hold a staff in each sport and that’s what Tampa Bay has. That is additionally a bunch that may keep collectively for some time. Wirfs signed a long-term extension whereas Goedeke, Mauch and Barton are nonetheless on their rookie offers. Solely Bredeson can be the one who is likely to be changed after the season. So the Bucs are arrange properly for his or her quick time period and long run plans.
Bailey Adams: Bucs’ Ultimate Seven Video games Are Far Extra Manageable
Bucs DT Calijah Kancey and OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Panthers QB Bryce Younger – Photograph by: USA Right now
There’s a case to be made that the Bucs being 5-5 or 4-6 at their bye week was all the time a powerful chance given the truth that that they had a stretch of video games in opposition to the Eagles, Falcons, Saints, Ravens, Falcons, Chiefs and 49ers between Weeks 4 and 10. Tampa Bay ended up going 2-5 in that stretch, so it’s a bit not on time proper now as a result of a 3-4 mark seemingly would’ve been what was anticipated. However regardless, that was all the time going to be a brutal stretch – the hardest of the season.
However the supply of hope when the schedule was launch and particularly now’s that after the bye, every part will get a lot lighter for the Bucs. They play the 2-8 Giants, the 3-7 Panthers, the 2-7 Raiders, the 6-3 Chargers, the 3-6 Cowboys, the 3-7 Panthers and the 3-7 Saints. So, over the ultimate seven video games, there’s only one opponent – the Chargers in Week 15 – over .500. The opposite six video games are in opposition to 4 three-win groups and two two-win groups. Shoring some issues up defensively and getting more healthy on either side of the ball may very properly set the Bucs up for an additional sturdy run to shut the season, perhaps one thing nearly as good as a 6-1 mark.
I’ll hear your arguments that this Tampa Bay staff (particularly the protection) isn’t price trusting even in opposition to the worst of opponents. But it surely’s price reintroducing the context that it is a squad that very properly may’ve and perhaps ought to’ve crushed the 6-4 Falcons, the 9-0 Chiefs and the 5-4 49ers. The Bucs had been proper there, and whereas it was irritating for them to come back up quick and sink to 4-6, replicating these efforts from video games in opposition to playoff-bound groups after they play groups within the backside half of the league down the stretch may have them proper again within the combine come Weeks 17 and 18.
Josh Queipo: The Components Are Better Than Their Sum
Bucs DTs Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
It is a proficient roster. And there’s expertise throughout the teaching employees. Ask 32 head coaches if they might win with the expertise the Bucs have together with their present offensive coordinator, and I’d lay you odds to evens that every one 32 would enroll in a heartbeat. The offense is proving to be a sizzling commodity. Whereas offense throughout the league is barely down, the Bucs are nonetheless scoring factors. Tampa Bay has failed to attain 20 factors solely as soon as this season, and that got here again in 26-7 loss to Denver in Week 3.
The offensive line is without doubt one of the finest items within the NFL. The playmakers when wholesome, if you embrace receivers, backs and tight ends, is an efficient group able to unbelievable issues. The Bucs have one of many higher quarterbacks within the league in Baker Mayfield, who’s main the league with 24 landing passes.
And on protection? Eight of their beginning 11 can be greater than able to success on most groups. It’s troublesome to maintain this a lot expertise down for too lengthy. And with an extremely favorable schedule forward with a while to get wholesome, properly, hope springs everlasting. The locker room is aware of methods to come again from this type of report deficit. And with extra expertise this yr than final, nobody ought to be counting them out…but.
The exhausting a part of the Bears schedule is barely arising… pic.twitter.com/uBe4OAlsjZ
— Timo Riske (@PFF_Moo) November 12, 2024
Adam Slivon: Mike Evans’ Return Will Be Enormous Enhance For Bucs Offense
Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
Tampa Bay’s offense may have certain used Mike Evans over the staff’s previous three video games. Whereas Baker Mayfield had success throwing the soccer in opposition to the Falcons, his passing yards regressed to 200 and simply 116 in opposition to the Chiefs and 49ers. Mayfield just isn’t absolved from a few of the blame, however his skeleton extensive receiver corps was not in a position to make a distinction and assist issues a lot on Sunday.
Ryan Miller was the staff’s main wideout — with one catch for 11 yards. Sterling Shepard, Rakim Jarrett, and Trey Palmer had been non-factors, whereas Jalen McMillan didn’t play. With Evans aiming to return after the bye week from his hamstring harm, it is going to be a giant increase for the passing sport and the general success of the offense. The star wideout has six touchdowns in seven video games this season, and with out Chris Godwin, may very well be featured in a extra outstanding function. One that would nonetheless get him to 1,000 receiving yards this yr.
Greater than that, it offers offensive coordinator Liam Coen a high playmaker to cater the offense to, one that may be relied on to hold the load if absolutely wholesome. Dealing with the simplest schedule within the league the remainder of the best way ought to give the offense extra possibilities to have success and get again to being a Prime 5 scoring unit. Mike Evans solely provides to that optimism — and offers hope that the staff can flip round its season and go on a run.
