Anatomy of a good call: Pony Package pays off for Chris Godwin, Bucs

TAMPA — Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen didn't have his best game at Detroit last week, struggling to protect quarterback Baker Mayfield from being sacked 4.5 times by the Lions' Aidan Hutchinson.

But one brilliant play crafted in the game plan was the difference in the outcome.

Coen has utilized the Pony Package, where running backs Rachaad White and rookie Bucky Irving are on the field together. It's two running backs, two receivers and a tight end.

Irving typically splits out wide and goes in motion, giving the Bucs options to run a jet sweep or get him out into a pass route.

The personnel grouping makes the defense choose whether to add a defensive back for pass coverage, thereby becoming lighter in run defense, or stick in their base formation and possibly be weaker in coverage.

Because the Bucs and Coen had thrown a lot of screen passes out of this formation, often to Chris Godwin, the Lions would be alerted for it.

At the snap, Godwin sort of delayed his release and looked as if he was setting up to block for a screen to Irving.

The Lions' Amik Robertson, their nickel corner, was triggered to play the screen. He keyed Godwin but then was influenced to switch his attention to Irving. That's when Godwin took off down the field on a wheel route. Receiver Mike Evans was running a post and drawing the safeties' attention and Godwin went vertical, uncovered for a 41-yard TD pass from Baker Mayfield.

"It's a similar look to what we've had in the past, showing screen to the back, really just trying to play that game on the flat defender, getting his eyes in the wrong place and getting to where he can't be right,"Mayfield said. "If he goes with Chris, I'm able to throw it to the screen and just not letting them be right. That's why I said after the game — unbelievable call by Liam to put a guy in a bind like that. It makes my job really easy."

It was the second touchdown reception in as many games for Godwin, who had only two all of last season.

"We threw some of those bubble-ish screens and kind of whipping those out, we used Bucky (Irving) as some eye candy on that play and just kind of faked it to him and got Chris on the fake block, essentially, to get the defense's eyes a little bit dirty," Coen said. "That was exactly what it was, that was the whole point of the design."

Godwin leads the Bucs with 200 yards and the two TDs. But he did not have a target in the second half in Detroit. On the season, he's been incredibly efficient with 15 receptions on 16 targets.

He appears to be healthy and confident two years removed from surgery to repair three torn knee ligaments. Also, don't discount the motivation of a contract year. The biggest factor, however, is that Godwin is back in the slot, where he has thrived as a run blocker and pass catcher.

"You should see him in meetings," Coen said. "Whenever an offensive coach gets up and speaks in front of our unit, Chris Godwin is taking notes. We do a run-game meeting on Friday and (offensive line coach Kevin) Carberry talks about how we're going to attack the defense in the run game and Chris Godwin is on the edge of his seat paying attention and taking notes and then will come and ask questions.

"That's how involved and engaged Chris Godwin is. It's no surprise. ... It's really good to see because of how good of a person and how much of a pro he is."

Here comes another rookie QB One of the toughest things to do as a young quarterback in the NFL is to win on the road. But the Broncos are sticking with rookie Bo Nix, their first-round pick from Oregon.

Nix has struggled in starting 0-2, passing for a total of 384 yards with zero touchdowns and four interceptions.

Surprisingly, Bucs coach Todd Bowles is only 10-6 against rookie quarterbacks since arriving to Tampa Bay as defensive coordinator under Bruce Arians in 2019.

That includes a 3-1 record last season. The Bucs beat Carolina's Bryce Young twice and took down the Titans and Will Levis, who completed 48.7% of his passes for 199 yards with zero touchdowns and an interception.

Of course, the rookie quarterback who gutted the Bucs defense was the Texans' C.J. Stroud, who passed for a rookie-record 470 yards with five touchdowns and zero interceptions. That included the 15-yard game-winner to Tank Dell with six seconds remaining.

Bowles loves to bring pressure, especially against rookie QBs, to see if he can get them to avert their eyes from looking downfield and watch the rush.

He didn't do it as much against Washington's Jayden Daniels in the 2024 opener because of his explosive speed.

The Broncos are last in the NFL with a 14.29 touchdown percentage in the red zone. The Bucs allowed the Lions to score a touchdown in one of seven trips inside the red zone last Sunday.

Rotation at right tackle? Luke Goedeke will miss another game with a concussion. The Bucs plan to start Justin Skule again at right tackle, but Bowles said there could be a "rotation."

The best candidates would be Robert Hainsey, who played tackle at Notre Dame, or rookie Elijah Klein, who was drafted as a guard but did a good job playing tackle in a preseason game at Jacksonville.

There's also a possibility the Bucs could go to a jumbo package and play an extra offensive lineman next to Skule. That's because like Hutchinson, Broncos edge rusher Zach Allen is a problem. He has a sack, six pressures and four quarterback hits in two games.

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