Slow starts.
An ugly thing has taken place as the Bucs break in a new offensive coordinator. Again.
Back when Dave Canales was running the offense, starting fast was a rallying cry because the Bucs never did start fast. At all. The Bucs went through the 2023 season without scoring a touchdown on their opening drives.
Then came Liam Coen. He was the opposite. He was always about starting fast and the Bucs offense thrived.
Through four games, current offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard seems more Canales than Coen. But it’s really not fair to bang on Grizzard. He’s dealing with major injuries that neither Canales nor Coen had to work around.
But it is not just the offense that is starting out games playing like they had a late night out in Ybor City the previous evening. The defense [has been gashed](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/46436075/nfl-week-5-picks-predictions-schedule-fantasy-football-odds-injuries-stats-2025#tbsea) too to open games, as noted by ESPN’s Jenna Laine.
> The Bucs have surrendered touchdowns on the first defensive possession in three of their four games, but have only scored on the first offensive possession once. That is a big reason why they’ve had to come from behind in the final two minutes of their games, which have all been decided by one score or less.
The Bucs have otherwise played strong defense. So Joe thinks that if Bucs coach Todd Bowles just tweaks some things here, tightens some things there, the defense will right itself.
Now today ought to be interesting. The Bucs won’t have Jamel Dean or Benjamin Morrison. So whoever is playing outside corner opposite of Zyon McCollum, Joe doesn’t think it is a stretch to expect him to get targeted early and often.
Joe just hopes whoever that is, he’s at least ready to play defense early.