There’s an old coaching saying that goes, “The eye in the sky doesn’t lie.”
It referred to the hours coaches and players spent breaking down game film, usually on Mondays, going over what went right, what went wrong and, most importantly, who was responsible for what.
When I started watching football, that film was available only to the coaches. Not anymore.
With the advent of All-22 access, anyone willing to pay a little extra can break down the tape much like the coaches do.
There is one important exception: we don’t always know exactly what assignment each player was given.
But we can see where the breakdowns occur.
And honestly, the film is so clear that you can often see where the quarterback is looking and where his progression is taking him. You can see who is — and who isn’t — covering wide receivers and tight ends. You can see open receivers, missed tackles and defensive breakdowns.
The Gaslighting Coach
Which brings me to Todd Bowles’ press conference Wednesday.
His comments should anger an already irate fanbase.
Bowles scoffed at the idea that teams are killing his defense with tight ends.
Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, the statistics don’t back him up.
Through the first two games, opposing tight ends have repeatedly found room to operate in the middle of the field.
In Week 1, Cincinnati’s Mike Gesicki caught five passes for 78 yards.
This past week, Cleveland’s Harold Fannin Jr. caught five passes for 54 yards.
That’s 10 catches for 132 yards in two games.
And this isn’t the first time I’ve seen this type of rhetoric from a Bucs head coach.
Toward the end of Lovie Smith’s tenure, he would essentially do the same thing. He would argue with anyone who presented statistics that contradicted his claims.
We all know how that ended.
He was fired soon afterward.
When a coach can’t acknowledge a problem — or, worse yet, refuses to admit that a tendency exists — that becomes a problem in itself.
Maybe you could get away with that in the 1980s, when fans had limited access to game film and statistics. But you can’t hide from reality in today’s NFL.
There are countless outstanding football analysts and fan sites breaking down All-22 film every week. Fans can watch the same plays, slow them down, rewind them and see the same things the coaches are seeing.
There is no more hiding from reality.
The tape tells the story.
Smart coaches recognize their shortcomings, acknowledge them and find ways to fix them.
The ones who refuse to see the problem eventually run out of time.
Right now, most of us can see the writing on the wall.
Short of a miracle happening, this organization could very well be looking for a new head coach in 2027.
And hopefully, whoever that person is won’t try to pull the wool over our eyes.
Because the eye in the sky doesn’t lie.
And in today’s NFL, it also remembers.
For more from Greg click here, then make sure to follow him on Twitter.
Follow, Like and Subscribe to Bucs Report
BucsReport.com
For more on this and everything Buccaneers check back here hourly at BucsReport.com
