I think if you were only to look at what to be thankful for purely in terms of being a fan of the Buccaneers (which I obviously do because I don’t exist outside this blog), there is still a lot. Maybe some of you old heads may find it strange, but there is a lot to be happy about overall this season and I think we need to express that gratitude. Tis the season after all. So, let’s go over what we have to be thankful for.
I personally am most thankful for the man they call Liam Coen. The offense has one of the best increases since the Bucs substituted Jameis Winston for Tom Brady. The Bucs went from 23rd in offensive yards and 19th in ppg to 7th in yards and 4th in points per game, increasing by more than a TD per game. There are a few things to consider in that increase, which I will get to in a second, but a lot does have to do with Coen.
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Remember also he is doing this without Chris Godwin and did it without Mike Evans for three games. His scheming is leaps and bounds above what Dave Canales was doing (although he does deserve some credit for getting something out of Baker and also a dead Bryce Young). We should also be incredibly thankful for the invention of the pony package, because without it, we might be scoring significantly less points.
And it goes without saying, but be thankful for Baker Mayfield. He is having a phenomenal year after already having his best career season last year. I really wasn’t sure he had much more to improve on, but Coen has unlocked a whole nother level for him. Just watch some of the throws he was making against the Giants.
Speaking of that package, Bucky Irving is a guy we should be incredibly thankful to have gotten. I am on record saying that this was my least favorite draft pick from last draft. I thought he was too similar to Rachaad White and wanted a harder runner like Audric Estime (not like, I really wanted Estime badly). Also was worried about his slight build not holding up in the NFL.
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Well, so far, I have been proven wrong.. Based on all available evidence so far, he is the best back in a mostly solid backfield. He has been forcing missed tackles like the second coming of Marshawn Lynch and has been excellent on the screen passes Coen constantly calls. He is arguably the best rookie running back of the season with his production on the ground and air.
And as strange as it may seem to say, I am thankful for Todd Bowles’ leadership. No really. You can criticize a lot of his coaching decisions and game management (which I have several times). But in two seasons, this team has gone on a losing skid, and yet he has never seemed to lose the team. Now, it is too early to say whether he can do it this year, but the performance against the Giants is encouraging. He has managed to keep the locker room together where other coaches may have lost it, and that is something I will forever be thankful for.
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