Emeka Egbuka Wastes No Time Establishing Himself As A Stud
September 7th, 2025
What a debut!
Now THAT’S why you spend a No. 19 overall pick on a receiver!
Joe has been typing since February that Emeka Egbuka reminded him of a Chris Godwin clone. Joe had zero clue the Bucs would draft a receiver at No. 19, but just in case.
Wow, did the Bucs hit a home run with that pick! Without Egbuka, the Bucs do not win today. No doubt about it. In his first NFL game, Egbuka caught two touchdown passes and had a team-leading 67 yards receiving as the Bucs squeaked out a win at Atlanta by their chinny-chin-chins.
In his 25-yard catch from Baker Mayfield in the fourth quarter that turned out to be the winning score, tell Joe that didn’t look exactly like Godwin running that route!
Joe remembers how WalterFootball.com mocked Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht for being Matt Millen II for drafting Egbuka.
You think the clowns there are going to admit they were wrong? Yeah, right. A-holes.
September 7th, 2025 at 4:47 pm
Great player!
September 7th, 2025 at 4:48 pm
Not just Embuka, Joe. WELCOME BACK AWJ!!!! … THE GAME WINNER
5 Takeaways:
1) RUSTY!!! You can tell that was game 1 on both offense and defense.
2) AWJ & Embuka won this game.
3) BOWLES & TIMEOUTS. The Tez timeout might be his worst ever BUT he finally froze a kicker. Progress?
4) Vea = Stud. Yaya = Almost There. Kancye = Total Dud.
5) Pointless up-the-gut runs are back!
September 7th, 2025 at 4:49 pm
Dude was amazing. Stay healthy.
September 7th, 2025 at 4:50 pm
Gonna be a 3 headed monster when Chris comes back. No preseason action had Baker a little rusty today. Still made plays when we needed it though.
September 7th, 2025 at 4:51 pm
Wide receiver is such an important position and we needed better depth after last year. It proved to be true in game 1 and we needed the 1st round stud! All the haters can suck a poop flavored lolly.
September 7th, 2025 at 4:52 pm
I agree,
100%
September 7th, 2025 at 4:52 pm
It was an auspicious debut for the rookie. After no doubtedly hearing the press and others singing his praises, he follows that up by making everyone doing so. Look smart. Real excited about this one.
September 7th, 2025 at 4:52 pm
Really starting to wonder if the amazing run game was product of a really good offensive coordinator.
September 7th, 2025 at 4:53 pm
I can’t blame Bowles on the TO in regards to Johnson because I do not think the rules regarding the extra team reviewing the plays were clear. It’s easy to arm chair qb but maybe it wasn’t clear that they could still review it after that team confirmed the play. I could be wrong but I don’t think Bowles will get fooled by that again.
September 7th, 2025 at 4:54 pm
Joe was right, Egbuka was our best pickup at that spot and his character is stellar. We really needed him to win this game. Joe/Lee was on the guy long before the draft.
September 7th, 2025 at 4:54 pm
Agreed! He balled out today! The defense really had a strong game.
September 7th, 2025 at 4:57 pm
Baker did not play in preseason
Offense had the half the offensive line playing for the first time together
Of course they were going to look rusty!
The whole division lost today . We are in first place.
September 7th, 2025 at 4:59 pm
Koo Koo Koo Koo …. Koo Koo Give him the game ball.
September 7th, 2025 at 4:59 pm
D-Rome agreed, defense played better than they usually do against Falcons. AWjr was a difference maker, he had some good plays. Hope joe puts a story up about the O-line, not sure that change worked out well.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:00 pm
Mike Evans will probably be the best receiver on the team this year, but I predict Emeka Egbuka will have the best numbers. EE is going to take advantage of all the double coverage ME13 always gets.
Just like it was for CG14 last year before he got hurt.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:00 pm
If baker hits Cade down the seam, that would’ve all but ended the game. But he came back and threw that vital td to the rookie of the year! Go Bucs!
September 7th, 2025 at 5:01 pm
Sly,
I thought we hired someone to handle clock management this offseason?
September 7th, 2025 at 5:01 pm
That lineman shuffle right before the game even surprising the linemen thenselves I suspect had alot to do with how poor the running game looked what a wild thing to do right before the game.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:02 pm
Buka did awesome!
It was a nail biter for sure.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:02 pm
Griz did ok for his rookie game
September 7th, 2025 at 5:03 pm
Did Otton bang his head on the way from the hotel to the game? He looked lost.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:06 pm
Grover, funny thing was you could hear the crowd chanting Kooooo just before he kicked. Sounded like boo. Which would have ended up being the correct call.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:07 pm
Grizz did terrible as a playcaller on Game 1.
Way too predictable.
We had a little success just because of our talent, but overall this was a bottom-half-of-the-league offensive performance today. And Bottom-5 rushing performance.
We need to throw on 1st downs, then everything else will open up.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:07 pm
We got to get to fix this pass rush. We going have to score points every week to win.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:07 pm
50 points*
September 7th, 2025 at 5:08 pm
Buka played great. I wasn’t big on the pick, but he looks solid, and was key to today’s victory.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:08 pm
Not only Godwin coming back but another rising star in McMillan!
September 7th, 2025 at 5:08 pm
When wire gets back the oline will shape up..they didn’t give up to much today.
I would of like to see more screen plays n short routes in the offense…this was a excellent start because it’s a win and the rest of the division lost..now if we beat the Texans on Monday night football that will be amazing
September 7th, 2025 at 5:10 pm
As a fan I’ve always liked players that act like professionals on the field. Ebuka is so advanced for his age. He is confident and a student of the game. He does what a pro receiver is supposed to do. Gets open and catches the ball. Scores his first touchdown and acts like his done it 1000 times. No mouthing, no celebration, just another day at the office. Fans are going to really like him as will Mayfield. Great game young man.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:12 pm
Kicker get your crap togather
September 7th, 2025 at 5:17 pm
yay E²!!! beat tOSU WR of all time and he’s showing why! Superbowl baby!!!🏈🏆🌎
September 7th, 2025 at 5:17 pm
best WR in tOSU history i tried to type, and that’s the best school for WRs there is
September 7th, 2025 at 5:19 pm
kickers sucked major 💩 in week 1 NFL… what’s up w/dat?
September 7th, 2025 at 5:21 pm
For everyone that complained about drafting Ebuka in the 1’st round, how does Crow taste?
September 7th, 2025 at 5:22 pm
Did anyone think Sirvocea Dennis did not look good in coverage?
September 7th, 2025 at 5:23 pm
Buka the Beast! So glad we got him. I knew we needed to go WR high in the draft and Jason made it his priority #1.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:31 pm
Joe
You are so right about walterfootball. They have consistently trashed the Bucs over the last few years. Talk about an idiotic take regarding the Bucs first round selection.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:31 pm
Rookie looked awesome. Best player on the field today along with Evans.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:32 pm
Had to just watch highlights, but he looked great! I also like how Mike Evans picked up Ebuka’s first td ball and handed it to him afterwards. May not have been the prettiest game, but a great win!!
September 7th, 2025 at 5:52 pm
NFL stats are showing EE rushed for 9 yards also. I must have missed that play unless it’s an error until the official results are in.
September 7th, 2025 at 5:56 pm
That timeout was BS, the offense was ready to go but no play came in to push the play clock so no review could be had. Pissed me off that Bucs called time and then the ass**** Falcons got the replay. That was on the OC not Bowles
September 7th, 2025 at 6:00 pm
not enough ball’s when chris and jmac get back
September 7th, 2025 at 6:07 pm
So happy we won! Don’t care how we did it. Yes, there was first-game floundering. There were a few high points also. This game could well be the one that determines who wins the NFC South. It was a wise move to draft Egbuka.
Bucs win! Bucs! win! Bucs win!
September 7th, 2025 at 6:28 pm
Bucbuckeye was really nice in this game. First game jitters on both sides of the ball. After those two missed throws, I too believe Baker could have used some pre-season work… but we got the win, and everyone knows what towers on.
September 7th, 2025 at 6:48 pm
Yes, buka made a 9 yard run as rb.
September 7th, 2025 at 7:05 pm
Great win!
I hope Grizzard improves his play calling.
September 7th, 2025 at 7:07 pm
I asked if anybody joined me with the over 3.5 tds for Ebuka for the year bet many times to no response, I hope they took heed in silence…dudes half way there already after one game!!$$$
September 7th, 2025 at 7:15 pm
I’m hoping the playcalling we saw had to do with the o-line shuffle and isn’t just a reversion to the Byron Leftwich “run up the middle every first down.”
September 7th, 2025 at 8:33 pm
Thanks Max. The run was early 4th quarter. Its located on the highlight reel.