Tom Bowles nemesis.
There seem to be two coaches who absolutely give Bucs coach Todd Bowles’ defenses fits. One of those two the Bucs will face again this Sunday.
Sean Payton and Kyle Shanahan sure seem to have Bowles’ blitz-heavy defense figured out. And if the Bucs don’t blitz, both of those coaches have that solved too.
The Bucs haven’t beaten the 49ers since Dirk Koetter was coach. That almost seems like a lifetime ago.
To Bowles’ credit, the Bucs defense is getting better facing Shanahan’s offense. In 2022 the 49ers rang up 35 points on the Bucs and it sure seemed worse in the rain in Santa Clara.
Back to Silicon Valley the Bucs went in 2023. The game was a little closer in the sunshine. The Bucs’ defense only allowed 27 points that day.
Then last year at The Licht House, the Bucs held the 49ers to 20 points. Unfortunately, San Francisco kicked a game-winning field goal as time ran out for the win.
This year, the 49ers seem as dangerous as ever. That is because Christian McCaffrey is finally healthy. But, their quarterbacks, Brock Purdy and Mac Jones, are not.
Purdy missed practice yesterday with a bum toe. His backup, former first-round pick Jones, was limited yesterday, dealing with a tender knee and oblique injuries. He was beat to hell last Thursday night in a win at Los Angeles.
So which will it be, Purdy or Jones? Bucs coach Todd Bowles said it really doesn’t matter because San Francisco’s offense doesn’t change.
> “I think it’s the same,” Bowles said. “Mac is very smart. Brock is very smart. Brock has been in it longer, so he’s been throwing the ball and he can throw it around a little better.
>
> “But Mac has picked it up well, and they haven’t missed a beat.”
San Francisco looked awfully sharp against a good Rams team on the road last week.
In Joe’s mind, the key is the Bucs defense. Lost in the excitement of the Bucs win in Seattle last Sunday is that the Bucs defense was ripped to shreds by Sam Darnold.
In the past, Purdy has never seemed to have an issue moving the ball on Bowles’ defenses. And Jones looked so good against the Rams it made Joe wonder if the 49ers are having buyer’s remorse with Purdy’s expensive contract.
But yeah, the key will be can the Bucs defense play somewhat respectively.