Bucco Bruce Arians: “Looked Like” Bucs Let Texans Score Late
September 16th, 2025
No mas defense on purpose?
So did the Bucs defense ole’ a play late on purpose in the win last night over Houston to make sure they had enough time left to score? Folks on the “Pat McAfee Show” sure believe the play looked fishy.
Even Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians believed the team may have let Steers running back Nick Chubb score a touchdown.
“A lot of people connected with defensive football are saying, ‘That looked a little bit too easy for Chubb there,'” host Pat McAfee said.
Arians didn’t discount the notion that the Bucs may have let Chubb score purposely.
“I can’t swear to it but it sure looked like it.”
Chubb scored on a 25-yard touchdown run with 2:16 left with the Bucs leading 14-13. The hole Chubb ran through to the right side parted like the Red Sea.
To add intrigue, the secondary of the Bucs on the Chubb touchdown sure didn’t seem overly aggressive in trying to chase Chubb down.
To add mystery to the issue, Chubb had only 43 yards rushing. But 25 — his longest run of the night — came on that same touchdown run. Hhhmmm?
Joe has no issue with this. If the Bucs really did lay down on that play, it worked because the Bucs scored the winning touchdown on the ensuing drive with six seconds left.
Was that the work of the celebrated new clock manager (who also let potentially precious seconds burn from the clock late) or was that Bucs coach Todd Bowles’ call?
"This is now back to back weeks where Baker Mayfield has played his best football down the stretch..
That was a big time drive to win that football game"@DariusJButler #PMSLive https://t.co/DrXSJ9bAbI pic.twitter.com/ADw4qldry0
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 16, 2025
September 16th, 2025 at 1:09 pm
I was thinking the same thing it looked to easy
September 16th, 2025 at 1:10 pm
We fire the kicker and punter yet?
September 16th, 2025 at 1:12 pm
no way bowles does that.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:14 pm
Didn’t look like Winfield tried overly hard to stop chub ,,, he was right there
September 16th, 2025 at 1:16 pm
I’m with jimmy…but it did look too easy.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:17 pm
Fire the someone in the officiating process first.
On the big return, the punt had enough hang time, and the gunner was in position to nail the punt returner as soon as the ball was touched – that is, until the gunner was clearly blocked in the back.
A flag was thrown on the blatant foul. Then, the officiating group announced that there was no foul on the play. What the ????
September 16th, 2025 at 1:18 pm
Well it kept it close. Close games are 50/50 thus our record.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:18 pm
The tell is that Winfield pulled up. That guy doesn’t give up on any play.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:19 pm
I saw this and they were all fulluvit. There is nooooo way possible, that Bowles (with ALL THREE TO’s left, AND the 2-minute warning, from the 25-YARD-LINE), would’ve had THAT MUCH confidence in an Offense, that had only put-up 14-POINTS up to that point in the ballgame, to have to go 65-80 YARDS, & with a FG-Kicker who has struggled. And, when YOUR DEFENSE has held thus far (another huge penalty, Etc. and a long FG). There Is Just. NO. WAY. Possible.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:20 pm
A couple plays before it happened. I was thinking about it and then when I saw that play, I knew exactly why they decided to let that play go. We needed the ball last score and win the game.. that’s some clever coaching. I seen the Bucs do that one other time many years ago.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:23 pm
Watch it from every angle you can please….Chubb earned that and AW was in a bad spot and angle by the time he noticed it, and tired, everyone was tired.
I get it, its nice to think it was done on purpose but that takes away from that beastly 4th and 10 that houdini Baker pulled. This is football and its just how it works sometimes.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:24 pm
I rewound this play several-times, because I wanted to see what happened to JUNIOR out there! Chubb cut through a wide open gap and Winfield Junior just made a bad play on it. Period. NO WAY you just ‘allow’ a team to SCORE from the 25 YARD-LINE, with ALL-THREE Timeouts left, AND the 2-Minute Warning. It’s ridiculous. NOT buying that.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:24 pm
Man, this team is not going anywhere
September 16th, 2025 at 1:25 pm
toopanca, yep! thats was disgusting by the refs.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:27 pm
I hope it was intentional because it would be the smartest thing a Bucs coach has done ever. If the Bucs played to hold the Texans, one first downs and a field goal would have left us with maybe 15 seconds and no timeouts needing a field goal with a likely soon to be unemployed kicker
September 16th, 2025 at 1:29 pm
no way. they were ahead. let the oppo score ever never mind with that little time left? fun speculation but no way.
the bucs are scoring 8 or so less points per game this season vs last, with a new oc, banged up on the road, etc. they have accounted for the fact that they focus on the 2 min drill and that is good. that is planning and preparation and that is what led to the victory. nobody let the texans do anything. they scored.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:30 pm
If the Bucs tackle him, Texans would’ve brought the clock all the way down, kick a FG, and Bucs would have no time to go down the field. Much smarter to let him score so you have over 2 minutes to drive down to score a TD.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:31 pm
If Bowles says he let them score I will refrain from any criticism, until he blows the Jets game with soft zone defense
September 16th, 2025 at 1:32 pm
Or what E N says.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:37 pm
Winfield was COOKED on the play and HE KNEW IT. He was slow to react and misread the play. I don’t know if he couldn’t see-it, or what!? But, he realized it too late after anticipating it wrong. Kind of over pursuing, he put himself in a bad spot initially. He came up to stuff ‘the middle’ because that’s where he ‘thought’ it he play was going. But, Chubb cut up that wide ass open gap instead, & he was already DONE by then… Forcing him into taking a bad angle. He just totally misread-it and was way too slow to react.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:38 pm
E N, dude, go to school and quit skipping….all 3 timeouts left AND the two minute warning? dunce hat for you dude.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:43 pm
LVMYBUCS Says:
September 16th, 2025 at 1:10 pm
We fire the kicker and punter yet?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Don’t know if you are serious but Bucs have a great field goal kicker and now a great punter. Football is not a game of perfect. Get over it and relax. Punter and kicker will produce more good than bad this year.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:46 pm
Yeah, I have a BIGGGGG PROBLEM with not using one of your TWO remaining Timeouts there. Because, ANYTHING can happen. It was a HUGE mistake and will end up BITING THEM in the future, if they don’t figure that out. They just got LUCKY AF there! You immediately LOST a play there, by NOT calling timeout, and running the clock all the way down to just 9-SECONDS left. It’s STUPID. You just LOST your potential 4th-Down try… It was a FIRST-DOWN. Annnnddd, HOW MANY times, have you seen a PI-called, and giving you a FRESH set of DOWNS. Well, NOT for the Bucs on that night… They would’ve only gotten JUST ONE ‘un-timed’ down, and NOT 2-3 or 4-MORE. They got REAL LUCKY. Better not happen again.
September 16th, 2025 at 1:58 pm
MelvieJr,
On behalf of the entire Bucs organization and Baker Mayfield, I am glad you have little to do with the team other than to post really unhelpful comments on this blog.
September 16th, 2025 at 2:00 pm
“We fire the kicker and punter yet?”
Maybe just get rid of the punter. He’s Chase’s new holder, perhaps he’s messing that up.
September 16th, 2025 at 2:01 pm
Seriously, I have never seen more ‘idiotic’ comments on a single post on this here site, before. EVER. And, that’s really saying something. NOBODY. In the HISTORY of FOOTBALL. Or, in their RIGHT MIND. Has EVER. Intentionally, given up a TOUCHDOWN. While, AHEAD. From the 25 YARD-LINE. “TWENTY-FIVE.” With ALL-THREE ‘Timeouts’ Left. AND also the 2-Minute Warning. NEVER. EVER. It’s NOT Happening. And, it’s NOT, because then that would be STUPID. I have never heard such nonsense spewed before, in MY LIFE.
September 16th, 2025 at 2:02 pm
Jesus H christ, what a stupid assumption…..No way Bowles would do something lika that, when our offense was not very good for 3 quarters and 8 minutes….
Just stupid
September 16th, 2025 at 2:04 pm
finally good clock management and three time outs, that helped a lot!!
September 16th, 2025 at 2:10 pm
Not calling the timeout after the Evans completion wasn’t an error, it was done purposefully. It worked great.
September 16th, 2025 at 2:14 pm
I honestly don’t think they threw the play. But I told my son, that’s the best thing that could have happened for the Bucs, and it was!
September 16th, 2025 at 2:21 pm
Right. Texans were romping through big gaps in the defensive line all night. Then the Defense woke up and clamped down on the scoring, orrrr, believe it or not, the refs woke up and made a few calls. Plus dealing with a stinkeroo night for ST. So, the tired Bucs Defense went to sleep and Houston scored. Suddenly it’s around 2 minutes or less left and 3 timeouts. Bucs have to score a TD, field goal won’t cut it. Give me a break. Bucs caught the Texans off-guard and over confident, and they outplayed them and a few zebs. Result: Win. This argument is getting beyond tiresome, Joe.
September 16th, 2025 at 2:23 pm
You got a serious tech gremlin on this site. I’d fix it if I were you.
September 16th, 2025 at 2:23 pm
I don’t think that was the pre-snap intention by the whole defense – but I’m also pretty sure that Winfield being as smart as he is, had it in the back of his mind prior to the play….
Once Chubb sprung loose and already had a first down – I believe Winfield realized that letting him score quickly was our best chance to win. It definitely looked like he pulled up instead of going for the TD saving tackle – which he quite possibly could have made.
If Chubb was thinking – the best move for Houston in retrospect would have been for him to go down at the 3 yard line instead of score so quickly.
But thats only with hindsight knowledge – the Bucs did have the two minute clock stoppage and 3 time outs so it was iffy either way.
September 16th, 2025 at 2:28 pm
I don’t know if that was planned or not, but I thought it to be odd that Chubb blew by two of our best defenders, but that does happen from time to time and they get caught off guard, I am pretty sure that was not a let it go situation, although to tell it like that makes for a great story.
September 16th, 2025 at 2:28 pm
I would definitely say no because watching to play live, Vea threw up his hands because the other DT (I don’t even know who it was. I’d have to watch again ) went to the wrong gap
September 16th, 2025 at 2:31 pm
It was the best thing that could have happened for our Bucs but cost me a bet!
My fault. Chubb under 53.5 rushing was free money and I outsmarted myself thinking Chubb doesn’t catch passes so took the 61.5 rush/rec line. Moronic. Won’t happen again.
September 16th, 2025 at 2:46 pm
@Obvious – Yeah, it ended up working-out this time, but it’s still a real dumb move. By allowing that time to come off and running the clock all the way down to only just 9-seconds left (on 1st-DOWN), they immediately, eliminated ANY chance of a potential 4th-Down (and possibly, even a 3RD) shot at it. Annndd, HOW MANY times have you seen a PI-called on that 3rd or 4th-Down play, & then a brand new FREST SET of (desperately NEEDED) downs!? All we possibly, could’ve earned would’ve been JUST ONE ‘un-timed’ down… Instead of the 4-more. It was a stupid use of timeouts and clock management, and IT WILL ‘bite them’ in in ace, IF it continues to happen in the future. 💯 You have to SCORE FIRST. Before, ‘worrying’ about how much time you’re going to leave THEM (though, it is always, still in the back of your mind).
September 16th, 2025 at 2:55 pm
Bucky would have hook-slid at the one
September 16th, 2025 at 2:57 pm
He DID “pull-up” there, Pickgrin. Because, he was TOAST, and he knew-it! I rewound and rewatched-it at least 4-5 more times (in ‘real-time’ last night), because I wanted to see what the hell happened there. He never had a shot from being so far out of position to begin with. He totally misread the play… It just wasn’t even close and he knew it. No way he’s catching Chubb there. He was never as close as what the original LIVE TV angle made him appear to be. You can see it on the other angle during the replay, looking from the on-field view and from under center.
September 16th, 2025 at 3:00 pm
Winfield let him run right by him, didnt even try to make the tackle lol. obviously it was the right decision, Houston could have ran the clock out, kicked a field goal. and game would be over
September 16th, 2025 at 3:12 pm
Funny, when it happened I
September 16th, 2025 at 3:13 pm
was relieved cause they coulda killed clock and then kicked the GW FG with little to no time left. It worked out great!
September 16th, 2025 at 3:15 pm
I’m with MelvinJunior on this one; I can’t believe folks are actually buying into this. Bucs were ahead 14-13 when we punted from our own 29-yard line with 3:19 remaining. Dixon kicked it 50 yds, then Noel returned it 53 yards to the Tampa 26-yard line (Episode 47 of our Not-So-Special-Teams crapping the bed last night). Texans had 1st-and-10 from our 26 with 3:00 minutes to go. And oh ya, we had 3 timeouts left at that point, and our defense was doing pretty good at keeping them out of the end zone.
In what world does it make a lick of sense to LET them score a TOUCHDOWN at that point? We’d held them out of the end zone since 3 minutes into the game (their 1st TD). We had 3 minutes & 3 timeouts to work with. Had the Texans scored a TD AND the 2-point conversion, they would’ve had 21 points & a TD/XP by us would’ve only tied it (then Overtime which we don’t excel at).
A bunch of other possibilities come to mind, but none of them make any sense. Much better to take our chances trying to stop them, maybe sacking Stroud & knocking them out of FG territory. Or if they do make a FG, we could’ve retaken the lead with a FG of our own (if we’d saved a little time of course).
September 16th, 2025 at 3:19 pm
All I know is we are 2-0 Baby!
You can take that to the bank!!!!!
Game manager is earning his money. I’m glad Bowles is having an open mind.
Go Bucs!!!
September 16th, 2025 at 3:22 pm
I had everything muted so I didn’t hear what people said at the time, but watching Winfield is what made me think they let the Texans score. Winfield might have been too far away to make a play, but he let up, and he never lets up, ever. I then listened to some Texans radio because I wanted to hear them crying, and then they even said the Bucs clearly let Chubb score to get the ball back, so a lot of people think the same thing. If Bowles did that, then I give him a ton of credit because it’s risky, but clearly the correct call. If it was by accident, well, it worked out great.
September 16th, 2025 at 3:41 pm
I watch muted at home all the time….bars usually has volume on another game anyway and my breakroom at work barely has the volume up on the tv in there….plus i cant stand hearing certain commentators, especially collingsworth
September 16th, 2025 at 3:43 pm
D.R.
For once we get to disagree. I think like Rod just mentioned that Winfield let him score.
I don’t believe Todd would have been upset at all. He’s a pragmatist. And with the way the Bucs were playing I think a lot of us had more faith in a Baker comeback with 3 timeouts and a 2 minute warning than the Defense rising YET AGAIN to repeat their goal line miracle once again.
After the punt return I though the game was over barring a Chase like choke by their kicker. The Bucs D looked gassed. Vea was a monster in the middle on that first miraculous (helped a bit by Stroud) stop. I think the D was gassed and watching the Bucs Notsospecial teams surrender what appeared to be a certain score on that long punt return finished them off.
That punt return was the BIG PLAY that should have decided the game. Winfield or whomever let Chubb roll changed the outcome.
September 16th, 2025 at 3:47 pm
If they were already inside the 5 yard-line or something, then maybe you consider it… MAYBE. Though, I believe a “Defensive (first) Minded” Head Coach, would have an awfully, real hard-time with ever ‘allowing’ that. A 43-yard FG is no ‘chip-shot’ to begin with in that situation, and with the Texans already prone to many ‘undisciplined’ penalties, or just one sack, & etc. There’s no-telling what the hell happens with how it all plays-out. NOBODY is doing that PERIOD, from the fricken 25 yard-line, with all three timeouts left, AND the two-minute warning.
September 16th, 2025 at 3:58 pm
Once he hit the hole and broke free…I was screaming at the TV to just let him score.Plenty of time to mount a drive at that point. Plus we had 3 timeouts left.
September 16th, 2025 at 4:02 pm
If they picked up a first down without scoring, we may never have gotten the ball back. they could have run 4 plays and lined up for a chip shot.
September 16th, 2025 at 4:02 pm
Melvin
It’s your contention that the Bucs got lucky last night when Chubb scored? That they didn’t plan for it and would have rather taken their chances with a gassed defense in the hopes that the Houston kicker would choke? Or a turnover before the kick attempt?
Reality however is that Chubb took the handoff on second down with with 2:10 left in the game. If the Bucs stopped him…They would have lost at least one T.O. and the two minute warning before the kick…ASSUMING that Houston couldn’t convert that first down.
If you watched that play Houston simply blew open the Bucs DL…it was going to be a first down no matter what. To your point there were only a couple of guys with a shot. Zyon got close enough to at least give it a Matador ole and as Rod has pointed out Winfield would have nailed him if the play was a do or die but it wasn’t and so Winfield clearly slows down and I don’t believe it was because of a lack of effort.
September 16th, 2025 at 4:06 pm
they barely huddled before the play but you can see Zyon talking to the other guys before the snap, they definitely layed down, nobody tried to tackle chubb
September 16th, 2025 at 4:21 pm
Im with StPete on this one…how many times have we seen this team grasping a tiny lead only to watch it slip away as the opposition milks the clock and kicks a last second FG to win.
Whether it came from the top or not AWJ was smart for letting it go…Chubb should have slid with the 1st down.
September 16th, 2025 at 4:25 pm
i don’t think that it was intentional. they held them several times in the game, it doesn’t make any sense to let them score a td so that we also have to score a td in order to win the game. makes more sense to try to hold them to a fg so that’s all we need to win the game.
i completely disagree with melvin about the use of timeouts. i guess he forgot about the last time we played the texans and drove down the field to pull ahead with a touchdown and couldn’t hold the lead for 30 seconds. they were confident that they could get the td and left no time on the clock for the texans to even run a play.
September 16th, 2025 at 4:37 pm
Melvin Jr is absolutely correct in my opinion. There is no question that the circumstances did not call for letting them score a touchdown there. The Bucs did look like they fell asleep at the wheel. I think they thought the Texans were going to position for a field goal and the let the defense do their thing.
September 16th, 2025 at 4:47 pm
Who else remembers when Chubb, playing for the Browns 4 years ago, ran out of bounds at the one yard line rather than score a touchdown against the Texans with 59 seconds to go, so the Browns could run out the clock to win, by 3 points? I was glad Chubb didn’t remember that as he crossed the goal line.
My immediate thought last night was that our defense gave Baker had time for a winning drive.