ESPN: Will The Bucs Choke Away A Playoff Berth? Slow Down.
January 1st, 2024
Pressure.
The Bucs looked so awful yesterday, so poorly coached, with coaches seemingly sleepwalking through the game oblivious to the score, it’s no stretch to imagine the Bucs throwing up on their shoes in Charlotte on Sunday and blowing a golden opportunity at the playoffs.
Dan Graziano of BSPN has a message for Bucs fans heading toward the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Slow down!
While yesterday disturbing for Bucs fans, Graziano isn’t taking a head-first into the sea.
It’s an overreaction because they still have it all in their hands! All the Bucs have to do next week is beat the woeful, checked-out, drink-throwing-owner 2-14 Panthers, and they’ll be a respectable 9-8 division champion. I don’t know what to make of the Saints, who have to rank among the season’s most disappointing teams, but they definitely seemed to remember Week 4 and get up for Sunday. But would you be surprised at all if Atlanta beat them next week?
Tampa Bay has been the most consistent team in this division all season (no, that’s not saying much), and I would say there’s a very strong chance the Bucs get it together and beat the worst team in the league next week to claim a third straight division crown.
Joe cannot quibble with anything Graziano typed. But are you confident and comfortable the Bucs won’t deliver a repeat of yesterday when the Bucs travel to Charlotte?
Joe really doesn’t want to dwell on what may happen if the Bucs do choke away this NFC South crown to the two-win Stinkin’ Panthers, as a lot of bad things will happen to good people.
Yes, yesterday was that bad.
January 1st, 2024 at 3:25 am
If we win we are in if we lose and falcons lose we are in. The bucs are playing the worse team in the nfl by far, even if we play bad we should win.
January 1st, 2024 at 3:34 am
Dont matter….change is coming either way….we’re one and done in the playoffs if we even make it….im sick of this blozo blows running the show…get him TF outta here gdm it!!!
January 1st, 2024 at 3:36 am
Look around the NFL, at how many teams sucked this week. As bad as the Bucs are, there is no team looking dominant right now. Not one. 49ers vulnerable, especially on D. Philly, sucking. Cowboys, Lions, Rams, no consistency. Chiefs very beatable. Ravens, Browns, maybe? It’s still a crapshoot.
January 1st, 2024 at 4:07 am
Preach, MadMax. It’s so obvious TB’s hands are all over the place which isnt helping in a good way.
Why ?
Self centered,ego trip ?
January 1st, 2024 at 4:17 am
It’s past time to hold TB to accountability in my humble opinion, with this latest loss. The play calling was totally unacceptable
January 1st, 2024 at 4:17 am
^ Laziness with no dog in him….just along for the ride
January 1st, 2024 at 4:18 am
Even when the Bucs had won four straight, I still had little to no confidence in HC Todd Bowles. That non effort in front of 65000 Buc fans was unforgiveable. I’m glad I let my brother go with his wife and daughter while I watched from the fire station where I worked New Years Eve. What an absolute debacle that game ended up being. Stupid runs up the middle for no gain, idiot penalties were back, beyond careless Winston like handling of the football with two horrible interceptions, one careless fumble by RB White that should never have happened if he was protecting the football. I actually don’t blame the last fumble on anything but bad luck, at least our receiver caught the ball running full speed. Our defense and that pathetic soft zone where Dean and company move back over 10 yards and refuse to cover the receivers made me want to throat punch someone. If that is Todd Bowle’s best defensive play calls then he should have already been fired. Getting curb stomped in front of all those faithful Buc fans just isn’t right and the Glazers better remember who is half a$$ing it if we play like that again next week against the Panthers and lose. I guess what makes me the maddest is the Buc players and coaches really didn’t seem to give a $!&#. Near emotionless non effort in the biggest game of the year to win the division at home against our arch rivals! Dave Cannalas should forget about interviewing for a HC job if that is the type of play calling he comes up with in such a pivotal game. The Bucs were never in that game after the Saints ate up half the first quarter and scored on a 12 play opening gut punching drive. I’m still angry and will stay that way. Thanks for nothing Buc players and coaches. Hope you enjoy your New Year, I didn’t. Go Bucs
January 1st, 2024 at 4:29 am
Rob, this is a terrible ownership group who is showing their cowardice and whimpy soft character! Should have fired everyone long ago
January 1st, 2024 at 4:30 am
We deserve better
January 1st, 2024 at 4:51 am
Deep breath, everybody.
Yesterday we saw what the Bucs would have looked like if they hadn’t been taking good care of the football all year.
Ugly.
Yuccaneer ugly.
Go-for-0 ugly.
But there are days like this. I remember one day in ’99 when the Raiders scored 45 on Sapp, Brooks and Co. Didn’t derail that season.
All this did was make them play next week.
January 1st, 2024 at 5:10 am
Why is everyone so surprised? The saints do this every year to us at home. EVERY SINGLE YEAR. its ok, 9-8 and playoffs is right there. if they lose, then you guys will get your wish. But be careful what you wish for….
January 1st, 2024 at 5:48 am
I won’t be fooled again.
January 1st, 2024 at 7:02 am
I hope they win but I have seen enough NFL games to know that the last week of the season teams play spoiler. They better not take a 2 win team for granted. I don’t think anyone trust Bowles and this coaching staff at this point. You never know what team is going to show up on Sundays the theam that won 4 straight or the team that lost 6 out of 7 games that we saw yesterday. Either way Bowles and Canales needs to go. We deserve a better product next year.
January 1st, 2024 at 7:10 am
Thanks for your play yesterday, Buccaneers. You made us all proud.
January 1st, 2024 at 7:17 am
They’ll probably beat the kitties then curl up again 1st playoff game as the team. Then bring back tb, me and baker.
If you think they overachieved this year then you deserve to watch this team burn slowly for the next few years. Just feel bad for the players losing money and future contracts because the coaching here sucks.
And to top it off…we never saw if Trask can play and will need another qb drafted……… makes sense if your tb.
January 1st, 2024 at 7:35 am
Not for just a winning season and playoff birth…Bowles, Canales & Mayfield plus most Buc Coaches will be playing for their jobs Sunday.
But Carolina is playing for their season….knocking the Bucs out.
I’ve got a four game winning streak watching live games seeing the Bucs win…..plan to make it 5 in Charlotte Sunday.
Tickets are practically free…..expect to see a lot of pewter & red.
January 1st, 2024 at 7:44 am
If Bowles coaches next Sunday like he did yesterday we lose. We had no pass rush yesterday, and Bowles used Ya Ya in pass coverage. He did the same with Watts. No they aren’t good at dropping in zone, but they can rush the QB if you let them. They punched Todd’s D in the face from the opening drive, and we caved. Game was over that quick, at home. Good luck next week, but who cares. Bowles, and Baker will be back, and next year expect more of the same.
January 1st, 2024 at 7:44 am
Bubba pic provided by Forest Gump
January 1st, 2024 at 8:11 am
Bryce Young will be playing to show he was the right pick even if he wasn’t, so don’t be surprised if they do come out firing, but the Bucs better shut that down early. I expect LVD and Winfield to come out with their hair on fire me maybe, just maybe, Jamal Dean will make a play
January 1st, 2024 at 8:18 am
Canales is an idiot. About the worst called game I have seen. Just pure stupidity.
January 1st, 2024 at 8:29 am
The least worst bad team in the worst division in the NFL May just limp backwards into the playoffs (PLAYOFFS!?) next week by beating the definitely worst team in the worst division. Or not.
January 1st, 2024 at 8:34 am
We better blow out Carolina next week
January 1st, 2024 at 8:40 am
Saints game: 1. Futile commitment to the run. 2. Way too late on the no huddle offense. Start when two scores down regardless of the Quarter. 3. One interception was an under throw. The other a tip. Both fumbles were bad. Still if you had started the no huddle after going down by 14 you might have won. Baker operates best at pace. I would do two random no huddles every half regardless of the score. Also when you win the coin flip take the damn ball. I don,t care what statistics say. The first drive sets the tone and that long Saints drive to start demorilized the Bucs and they never recovered. Highly paid professionals, yes, but still human. Baker was on roll from the Jags and it would have carried over. Take the ball first if you can
January 1st, 2024 at 9:02 am
One & done in the playoffs and BOWELS WILL BE BACK NEXT YEAR! 2024 will not be a good year for Buc fans.
January 1st, 2024 at 9:12 am
Bucs will more than likely lose to a now motivated Panthers team. If the Yucs happen to win, Philly comes to town and sacks Baker 7 times in a 40-10 route. Yucs fans, the season is over.
January 1st, 2024 at 9:21 am
I wouldn’t be surprised if Carolina beats the Bucs. They almost beat us here a while back.
January 1st, 2024 at 9:24 am
Gonna keep saying it. Yep, game plan sucked. But I refuse to blame any coach for grown men not caring enough to play hard. If Todd B needs to give you some magic words to make you care, there’s a problem with you as a player.
I absolutely love AWJ and think he is without a doubt the best safety in the game. He got beat by Taysom freaking Hill.
January 1st, 2024 at 9:28 am
Clueless Todd strikes again! Coaching is everything in the NFL and the top Bucs coach is a bad joke. Light needs to fire Bowles. Will the Bucs ever win a SB with the clown? Nope, never, nada.
January 1st, 2024 at 9:29 am
The Bucs barely beat the Panthers last time at home.
Wake up Joe!
January 1st, 2024 at 9:29 am
Todd Bowles. If I had my way I’d never have to say or write that name again in my life. He’s as good of a motivater as a rock on the side of the road.
Never ever again will I allow that name to ruin my day.
Never again.
January 1st, 2024 at 9:29 am
3-1, then 1-6, then 4-1. That’s not consistency.
January 1st, 2024 at 9:34 am
A “Bubba Blue” reference from Statman!
Post of the morning.
January 1st, 2024 at 9:58 am
LOL. Just caught the Bubba reference.
Run up the gut sandwich, run up the gut stew, fried run up the gut, grilled run up the gut…
January 1st, 2024 at 10:39 am
lol slow down…. Idiot it’s not an overreaction because we all know the only reason we’re going to the playoffs is we’re playing the Panthers. I don’t understand these people that think getting to the playoffs matters when everyone here knows there’s a 99% chance they’ll get destroyed just like yesterday. For the crowd that thinks there’s always a chance we can win one game then get destroyed in the divisional round, for you people I did give a 1% chance
January 1st, 2024 at 11:41 am
If we play the run as poorly next week as we did yesterday we lose. Carolina will come out running, not sure we can stop it. I’d play Britt over Betty White.
January 2nd, 2024 at 6:55 am
Baker deserves better.