Should the Buccaneers let Byron Leftwich coach second half?
By Rob Leeds
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have struggled offensively over the last few weeks, and some questions should be asked about Byron Leftwich and his future.
Well, if you have kept up with the Buccaneers over the past few games, you probably saw this outcome approaching. Tampa Bay has looked awful during the first half, other than a big play by Ronald Jones, and a big part of the lack of success falls on Byron Leftwich and the offense.
Leftwich has experienced a massive fall from grace in the eyes of the fanbase, and his time in Tampa Bay should come to an end if the team hopes to reach its full potential.
Under Leftwich, the Buccaneer offense has become predictable, stale, and has deviated from analytics at every turn. Tampa Bay has one of the best units on paper in the league, yet it can’t find success against mediocre defenses.
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The stark contrasts between the Buccaneer offense and the Kansas City offense couldn’t be more transparent, and Tampa Bay can’t let play-calling ruin their chances any longer.
Going into halftime, Patrick Mahomes threw for over 300 yards and is on pace to finish with 700 while Tom Brady sits with a mere 117. Mahomes is the best quarterback in the league by a wide margin, and this is more of a testament to the quality of the Buccaneer defense, but these units are not that different on paper.
The most significant difference between these teams is their offensive coaches. Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy are exponentially better than Bruce Arians and Byron Leftwich, and the decision-making from the top has been one of the biggest reasons behind the Chiefs’ success.
Byron Leftwich’s first-down runs, inexplicable deep shots, and personnel mismanagement are a stark contrast from the Chiefs, who use their players in the best way possible consistently.
Leftwich has not shown the ability to change his play-calling to fit the situation, and Tampa Bay’s offense will not improve with him on the staff. Winning teams usually don’t make coaching changes, but Tampa Bay needs to see the writing is on the wall with their current offensive coordinator, and many fans will be very disappointed if the offensive woes persist.
It may be dramatic, but the Buccaneers would be far better off in the second half if Leftwich is not calling the plays.