Bucs Cannot Afford To Start Games “Lifeless”
September 29th, 2025
Need to be ready to play.
When Joe spoke with right tackle Charlie Heck in the locker room following the game yesterday, he summed up the loss to the Eagles very simply:
The Bucs simply cannot lay an egg offensively to begin a game like they did yesterday, Heck said.
His quarterback would agree.
Baker Mayfield said the Bucs were “lifeless” early on and that allowed the Eagles to jump all over the Bucs.
Sure, the Bucs made it a game, but as Mayfield suggested, had Tampa Bay put points on the board in the first half, they wouldn’t have needed to fight so hard to get back in it.
“We were just kind of lifeless to begin with in the first half,” Mayfield said. “We got punched in the mouth going into halftime – looked at the scoreboard, you’re like, ‘Alright. What are we going to do now?’
“But we’re too damn good to wait to get hit in the mouth. We’ve got to come out swinging. We’ve got to play better.”
Well, it didn’t help that the Bucs’ special teams, aside from Chase McLaughlin, once again was atrocious yesterday, as it has largely been all year.
Joe cannot remember game after game the special teams costing the Bucs points like they have. Blocked punts and blocked field goals returned for touchdowns, missed field goals, punting right to a return man late in a tight game to set up a score.
It’s like the special teams have never practiced at all. Fix the special teams and that’s like the offense scoring 7-10 points extra a game.
Once or twice in the first month, OK. But every damn game the special teams pukes on itself. This cannot continue.
September 29th, 2025 at 12:20 am
1. Yesterday’s second half defense in the first half. Todd – pretend you’re starting the game behind. You give up a scoring drive on opponents opening drives every game, 75% of the time it’s a touchdown.
2. In addition to the time teller, get Todd a motivational consultant. Too many flat lifeless starts especially on defense but also on offense.
Saying again – that 2nd half Bucs defense was the best I’ve seen since 2005.
Jason – help Todd cross the bridge. We saw it. It’s possible! Playing for 60 minutes means both 30 minute halves consecutively in the same game.
September 29th, 2025 at 12:31 am
Ik on the podcast you guys called out us commenters who were calling out Dixon. My reasoning for that is he’s the new guy on the Special Teams unit. 2nd year (for us) coordinator, we had Mclaughlin kicking issues (hopefully /seemingly resolved) and now 2 blocked punts. Something needs to change. Either a new punter or honestly I don’t know at this point. It’s costing us big time
September 29th, 2025 at 12:36 am
Wonder if the offensive line depth iissues s being seen more on special teams than pn offense. I wonder if they are prioritizing the new guys/backups learning the offense so they are behind on special teams.
September 29th, 2025 at 12:41 am
It ain’t the punter. Joe’s got a video he will run in the morning that breaks down what’s going on.
Joe can’t dismiss the offensive line injuries but there are a bunch of teams that have terrible offensive lines and aren’t having these issues on special teams.
September 29th, 2025 at 12:52 am
Joe we will look for your video and explanation on the blocked punt–this has to be corrected–it is a momentum killer and a gut punch and makes Bowles look like an idiot as it is the second week in a row. Glad you will break down the problem. Also please tell it to Bowles! as well.
September 29th, 2025 at 12:54 am
It’s Dungy 2.0
September 29th, 2025 at 1:05 am
I don’t know the X’s and O’s of special teams but it looked to me like there were noticeable gaps on either side of the long snapper that were easily exploited. Then tje LS trying to reach on a guy to right right and mess up from there. Seems thats the last place you’d want it. Right up the middle. Those 3-5 guys should be bunched up if anything and make them run around
September 29th, 2025 at 1:24 am
Let’s face it, the Bucs in the first quarter this year have been nothing short of disappointing. They have scored 13 points while the opponents have scored 34. Looking at the numbers, the Bucs really excel in the second and third quarters, out scoring their opponents 37/16 and 24/10. It’s the first and fourth quarters where they truly suck, 13/34 and 23/37. 17 of those 23 4th quarter points came within the last 2 minutes of regulation.
This team lacks consistency and just can’t fire on all cylinders.
September 29th, 2025 at 1:51 am
Joe I am partial to believe you in regards to Dixon. I did notice on the record breaking field goal that we had Bredesen and Barton on blocking duty. I guess we need more depth? Either way it needs fixing and badly.
September 29th, 2025 at 2:05 am
lifeless bunch of slugs…lol…
this was a winnable game if we came flying out the gate like greyhounds…
i had mentioned in a previous thread that we were going to lose this one…i just had a hunch…we had won 6 of the last 7 beforehand vs. the eagles…so we were due for a loss…
if we have a playoff rematch, we’re gonna be ready for them…we are as good as them, if not better…we can play with the eagles on any given sunday…
the slow start was the death sentence in this one
September 29th, 2025 at 2:10 am
Rooting for them but the flip side of this coin is the Bucs are 6 minutes away from 0-4
September 29th, 2025 at 2:22 am
Joe has a video already scheduled with a breakdown of the problem with the Bucs’ offensive line on punts. The Eagles caught it and were waiting for it.
In part, the way the Bucs have Dixon lined up is part of the issue.
September 29th, 2025 at 3:06 am
So it seems we need an adjustment.
September 29th, 2025 at 3:28 am
Bad snap to the punter and poor blocking (or philly is just that good on special teams) on that play….but Dixon does need to speed up….plus keep his peripheral vision a little more sharp. The wall of block was coming, maybe just keep it and run forward at that point. I dont know, im not out there.
September 29th, 2025 at 3:32 am
Look, its one game, we’re still missing starters and Im sure quite a few playing injured. 3-1 aint bad, and this was against Philly. Bucky can clean up his fumble, Baker can clean up his wild int into the end zone….its all good. Thats what makes them great, no risk it no biscuit, right. And the D got something going in the 2nd half. Its a long season.
September 29th, 2025 at 3:43 am
The truth of the matter is the Eagles are darn good on both sides of the ball. Of the 4 quarterbacks that have played them Baker has done the best. Stafford, Prescott and Mahomes didnt throw 200 yards. Baker had 289. Their passer ratings were 82.4, 76.6 and 72.1. Bakers wasn’t much better at 84.3. All but Prescott threw an interception but he failed to throw a touchdown. Baker and Stafford threw for 2 TD’s and Mahomes threw 1. All 4 teams lost by 3, 4, 6, & 7 points. The good side is if we would have not had the mistakes we had and had we caught 3 more passes we would have won. If you are going to lose to someone I guess it’s best to lose to a team that both offense and defense are rated in the top 5. It’s a long season. Regroup, learn and attack.
September 29th, 2025 at 4:01 am
Joe says it ain’t the new punter.
No doubt some of that is true.
You can see the line issues on special teams.
But also some of it is on the new punter.
How about this — Riley Dixon played 9 seasons in the NFL prior to this year.
In 3 of those seasons — again 3 of 9 seasons — he has led the league in blocked punts.
Doesn’t that seem just way too coincidental?
September 29th, 2025 at 4:12 am
okay…….so let’s just move him back 5 yards for starters
September 29th, 2025 at 4:59 am
Weak, unprepared starts are the hallmark of a Todd Bowles team. This is nothing new.
September 29th, 2025 at 6:08 am
its more like eagles came out with a plan and bowles came out with “we do what we do” and that put the bucs in a deep hole as in the past vs mcvay , reid, payton type coaches.
September 29th, 2025 at 6:10 am
it is the same bowles style. making adjustments instead of better game plans. reactive culture and lack of accountability.
interesting and horrifying stat about riley dixon courtesy of geno711.
still waiting for the explanation about why the yalie who got his job as OC even though he had zero experience, leaning on his chops with third downs last year, is having such a tough time with his alleged wheelhouse, third down. yesterday was a DISASTER on third down. all we heard all preseason was yale yale yale. 3rd down master. yada yada
except for a couple of bright spots the bucs were ordinary and unprepared.
September 29th, 2025 at 6:39 am
Garbage coaching across the board. If it’s a big game you can count on Bowles getting outcoached. This team is brittle and lazy. They have the killer instinct of a fruit fly. Bottom of the barrel coaching.
September 29th, 2025 at 7:12 am
Eagles guy gets past the longsnapper before he was set up, it’s not hard to see
September 29th, 2025 at 7:20 am
They come out like their coach, laid back. Bowles does not know how to fire up a team coming out. He does not know how to pull them out of the fog they come out in. Don’t care what Bowles is like behind closed doors, in the locker room, and practice fields. On game days Bowles comes out like he’s at a funeral. Like his MLB, Bowles is not a fire starter. Arains, Gruden, the Eagles coach are fire starters. Not panicking when things go wrong is a good thing, but sometimes the head guy needs to breath some fire in his troops. That’s not Todd.
September 29th, 2025 at 8:35 am
Joe… drop it. Teams DON’T punt out of bounds anymore. Google it. There are articles going back to 2007 detailing how teams DON’T PUNT out of bounds and why. According to you, maybe we’d be better off running the Wing-T on offense and maybe QBs are better off backpedaling on their dropback instead of using measured steps. Get with this century please.
September 29th, 2025 at 8:38 am
I feel bad for complaining about Kieth Armstrong now….
September 29th, 2025 at 9:07 am
Bucs coming out flat in HUGE games is not new.
Neither is a 3-4 game slide after a good start.
And unfortunately, that’s all on the HC.
September 29th, 2025 at 10:09 am
Hire a Aussie punter. They run out then punt. The rushers have no idea where they will be
September 29th, 2025 at 10:12 am
coming out flat has been an issue under bowles but i didnt think we came out flat sunday….
the blocked kick for a TD sucked the air out the stadium instantly…
ST has to be addressed ASAP!!!!
this game came down to TOs….blocked punt, fumble and the dagger INT by Baker…
on to seattle…
GO BUCS!!!!!
September 29th, 2025 at 10:37 am
If that wasn’t flat, then I guess the great salt basin is a mountain range.
September 29th, 2025 at 10:52 am
Eagles coach was quoted on the sidelines saying “I told you it would work” after their special teams came off after the blocked punt.
That is what it’s like when you have competent coaches.
September 29th, 2025 at 10:57 am
Brandon, you need to call Tom Brady you knucklehead. He spent all of 2 minutes talking about punting one out of bounds and how if the punter didn’t get it out of bounds it was a mistake. Quit beating your dead horse.
September 29th, 2025 at 11:15 am
its game planning brady complained about it when arians was coach im sure it hasnt changed
September 29th, 2025 at 11:16 am
with exception of the previous 2 offensive coordinators
September 29th, 2025 at 12:42 pm
Punting is very much like a golf swing. Dixon “speeding it up” will not necessarily make for a better punt. Swinging harder at a golf ball doesn’t make it go further.
September 29th, 2025 at 1:10 pm
When Magoo says “let’s block for the punt” I guess the translation to the punt protect team is “let them block the punt.”
September 29th, 2025 at 1:58 pm
Rob in Land O’ Lakes. Swing easy, hit it hard is how I was taught. And that is true!
September 29th, 2025 at 7:54 pm
Let’s talk hawks there defence is good against the rush. Those plays we call not going to work against them. Better figure out some better plays if you don’t want to get baker killed. How about some bootlegs ,roll outs ! Were so beat up with injuries i don’t see it happening . Unfortunately.