“We’ve Accepted That Reality”
December 8th, 2024
So this isn’t your 2023 Buccaneers.
This team is ready to punish defenses with brute force.
Center Graham Barton talked to Joe after today’s thrilling win against the Raiders, after Joe talked to another couple of offensive linemen.
Yeah, those guys took a bit of a beating from the Raiders’ pass rush, but the line was again a punishing force as the Bucs ran for 26 carries for 152 yards, including a touchdown.
Barton wasn’t in Tampa the past two seasons, but he knows how much becoming a running team was stressed since the day he showed up in April.
“We’ve accepted that reality,” Barton said about the Bucs becoming a run-heavy, run-it-when-we-want-to team.
That’s the identity the line strives to have, per Barton, and the success is undeniable.
Sure, the Bucs couldn’t finish off a key 3rd-and-1 last week at Carolina and lost four yards, but that wasn’t happening today, and Tampa Bay got it done without Bucky Irving. He got hurt and had just four carries for 3 yards. It was Rachaad White and Sean Tucker carrying the mail for a combined 20 carries for 137 yards.
“I think every offensive line in the world will tell you they want to run the ball a lot, and we’re earning that trust from [Liam Coen] and building and growing as the season goes along,” Barton said. “We’ve got excellent running backs.”
Joe was impressed. The Raiders are a defense-first team that entered the game ranked ninth in the NFL in yards per carry allowed.
That ranking is about to sink hard.
December 8th, 2024 at 5:09 pm
We’ve accepted why Baker Poo Poo š© was released by 3 different teams before after another poopy game!
Bad decisions
Bad throws
š¤®
December 8th, 2024 at 5:10 pm
White was outstanding today.
December 8th, 2024 at 5:11 pm
And we have crybaby Bucs Anthem. Always whining. Always dissatisfied. Like a teenaged girl who didnāt get a pony.
December 8th, 2024 at 5:11 pm
Barton and Bucky fixed our running game
December 8th, 2024 at 5:11 pm
The Bucs are gonna need more than “one trick pony” running game in order to even get to the playoffs much less get pass the Wildcard.
Baker needs to be better
The Defense needs to be better
Todd Bowles need to be better!!!!
December 8th, 2024 at 5:11 pm
Line didnāt play that bake held the ball and did unnecessary stuff
December 8th, 2024 at 5:12 pm
There are very few blowouts this year by anyone. Relax with the āterribleā teams weāve played crap by some of you āfansā. Weāve won 3 in a row yet some will just biatch about every little thing. A win is a win and there is always room for improvement.
December 8th, 2024 at 5:13 pm
Bucs Anthem would be a great restroom attendant. Probably still has a Jameis jersey.
December 8th, 2024 at 5:14 pm
I want a pony! Now! LOL LOL
December 8th, 2024 at 5:14 pm
Another bogus holding penalty against Wifts. What’s the deal with that?
December 8th, 2024 at 5:15 pm
Impressed with the Bucs today too!
December 8th, 2024 at 5:15 pm
@ ModHairKen
Look at you! Another keyboard warrior…..
Don’t be like the rest of the newbies …..you’re better than that!
December 8th, 2024 at 5:15 pm
Donāt make fun of Anthem, he is obviously a 12 year old boy with his Baker Poo Poo comments.
December 8th, 2024 at 5:16 pm
Anthem – dude, you have to learn to stop and smell the roses. Live in the moment. Enjoy a win bro. Life is too short and hard for constantly looking at the negatives.
December 8th, 2024 at 5:18 pm
Anthem, tell us all youāre an idiot without telling us youāre an idiot.
December 8th, 2024 at 5:18 pm
The defense is devastated with injuries. Thought our offense could have played better in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. First in the nfc south. Iāll take it, donāt care how we got there.
December 8th, 2024 at 5:19 pm
i wasn’t impressed. Lets see us do the same thing against the Chargers. Then,,we might…have something.
December 8th, 2024 at 5:20 pm
Hey Anthem. Why do you keep posting about your wifeās diaper.
December 8th, 2024 at 5:22 pm
TheBucsAnthem
Really 18/29 295 with 3 tdās. 101 pass rating lol yea horrible game. I come here and destroy Bowles everyday but Bucs lead the division so Iāll give him break. Baker is probably injured and did throw some dumb arse picks but thatās a stupid post sir
December 8th, 2024 at 5:23 pm
@bosch…not anthems wife .his boyfriends
December 8th, 2024 at 5:29 pm
What has got into White lately? Guess Bucky is good for him. It’s like “Oh. So that’s how you do it.” Playing tough.
December 8th, 2024 at 5:30 pm
Anthem, enough “poo poo” talk. Make your poo poo in the potty!
December 8th, 2024 at 5:32 pm
A Win is a WIN is a WIN !! Enjoy !! Go Bucs !! Beat the Chargers !!
December 8th, 2024 at 5:46 pm
I stand corrected, Bucben. What was I thinking?
December 8th, 2024 at 5:53 pm
I find it frustrating that we still feel the need to complain even after a win. As Fast and Furious famously put it, ‘Winning is winning, whether it’s by an inch or a mile.’ Let’s enjoy this week, because next week might not be as favorable. As Iāve said before, let’s support the Bucs and embrace the journeyāafter all, Super Bowls arenāt won every year.
December 8th, 2024 at 6:09 pm
Time to give Coach Bowles the credit he deserves. This was not the defense that started the first two games. At linebacker today we had Tavieere Thomas, Undrafted Free Agent; at Safety we had Kaevon Merriweather, Undrafted Free Agent from Iowa; At Safety, Christian Izien, Undrafted Free Agent from Rutgers; and at tackle CJ Brown, Undrafted Free Agent from Coastal Carolina. If you really root for and consider yourself a Tampa Bay Buccaneers FAN, you have to admire how this team fought today against all odds. This defense is terribly flawed, not as so many think, because of the scheme, but because injuries have rendered the defense relatively defense-less. No this is not a Super Bowl team and it may prove not even to be a playoff team. It is a team with a dynamic offense with few flaws and a defense lacking elite talent. If you are a coach, you have to design a defense that your players are capable of enacting. Some of this is a product of the salary cap and the all-in decision in 2022 to shoot for the moon. But on this site, you’d think this was the most talented team in the league.
December 8th, 2024 at 6:10 pm
Well said Joshua. Some of these guys wake up pissed off at the world.I feel bad for the wife and kids. Must really be a miserable home
December 8th, 2024 at 6:23 pm
@Joshua
I really appreciate your attitude but seem to remember a much different message from you just a week or 2 ago. Todd Bowles sucks and we’ll never be sh#t until he’s fired or something like that?
Just like to see you hardcore critics to pick a lane and stay with it.
December 8th, 2024 at 6:25 pm
Run game has been much improved offense as a whole is better if you ask me. Give credit to the players because there on the field executing the gameplan. A gameplan orchestrated by Liam Coen. Todd Bowles is not the man to lead this team to a championship; idc if we win the division and make the playoffs. If I’m Jason Licht and the Glazers I’m canning him and making Coen head coach. If this doesn’t happen Coen js as good as gone after the season. The Jags are just waiting to pounce on him. Can Bowles promote Coen
December 8th, 2024 at 6:31 pm
Buddha
This defense is terribly flawed, not as so many think, because of the scheme, but because injuries
Stop being ridiculous! The defense is incredibly flawed not because of the scheme but because of the philosophy and mentality of the guy running it. Think we are at the bottom of the league in passing yards allowed because of the corners or pass rush? If so you havenāt been watching Bucs football. Do you really need to be at full strength to beat the Las Vegas Raiders? Stop trying to prop him up for winning games against trash teams
December 8th, 2024 at 6:35 pm
@Buddha
As usual an excellent post. Thanks for the reality check. I agree with all that you said although I may not be quite as negative about the meaning.
IF the Bucs are to make the playoffs they will certainly need a lot of luck because of all that you just posted.
They will first off need medical luck to get some of the “real” players back and the walking wounded healed. They will need several “stars” to have “career” years and some big plays. They’ll have to get the “calls” and the bounces and everything falling into place.
I would be more worried about making the playoffs except there really aren’t that many class teams in the NFL right now. The parity is becoming overwhelming.
December 8th, 2024 at 6:47 pm
BucAnthem – Baker has completed better percentage of his passes, thrown for more yards, has better QB rating and thrown more TD passes (28-19) this year than Mahomes. OK, Baker has thrown 2 more INTs (13-11), but Mahomes still has not played yet tonight. Yes, I want him to clean it up heading into the end of the season, but I can’t complain that much so far.
December 8th, 2024 at 9:07 pm
You could tell Bakers ankle isn’t 100%. He wasn’t moving in the pocket well and didn’t scramble like usual. I’m sure this acconted for him holding the ball longer and taking some sacks.
December 8th, 2024 at 9:13 pm
I HATE losing four years on 3rd-and-1 in Carolina! š
December 8th, 2024 at 9:45 pm
A win is a win, but Baker needs to tighten up. We arenāt going to win in the playoffs if he keeps throwing interceptions. Baker, calm down and donāt force it.
December 8th, 2024 at 10:01 pm
How come “Jeff” never shows up after predicting a Loss ?
December 8th, 2024 at 11:11 pm
The Raiders were powder-puffs compared to Harbaugh’s Chargers. The Bucs will need to play a cleaner game against a very tough opponent. LFG!
December 9th, 2024 at 7:52 am
Stop with the Mayfield hate! For Godsake the man is flawlessly filling in Bradys cleats! We are lucky to have him! I don’t give a rats ass how many int’s he throws as long as it’s a win!
December 9th, 2024 at 12:07 pm
It’s funny to think that there are Bucs fans that need to complain after winning a game by 15 points. Sure, it wasn’t pretty at times, but we’re now leading the division and we control our own destiny. Injuries suck, we have holes at many positions, but we have a good shot at the playoffs. How can this be a bad thing? Let’s not blow things up just because our QB threw a pick or our defense gave up a TD.
December 9th, 2024 at 12:14 pm
GoneGator, this team will not achieve a Super Bowl win with the current injuries and, in my opinion, with Todd Bowles as the head coach. However, I have always believed in supporting the Buccaneers, not necessarily the coach. Personally, Iāve never been a fan of his, even when he was with the Jets. I just donāt think heās consistent enough. Heās a good coordinator, but not a head coach, period. Lacks certain Head Coaching requirements…
December 11th, 2024 at 12:12 pm
Nice posts SPBF and Buddha. I think the same and we still may be playoff bound. š