“I Was Pissed, To Say The Least”
September 8th, 2025
It seems like Todd Bowles has it in him to turn on a player.
Bowles is a mild-mannered guy but he’s not always long on patience.
Just ask Charlie Heck or Tez Johnson. Those guys seemed to have prominent roles locked up a few weeks ago — until they didn’t.
A guy who has drawn steady smiles from Bowles for two years got under the coach’s skin yesterday in Atlanta.
Big-money kicker Chase McLaughlin had a rough start to this season after two stellar years with Tampa Bay. He yanked a 44-yard field goal wide left early in the third quarter and then missed a key extra point with 1 minute remaining in the Bucs’ 23-20 win.
Asked about that late error after the game, Bowles didn’t sugarcoat his reply.
“I’m not going to cuss here at the podium but, you know, I was pissed to say the least,” Bowles said. “Putting it nicely.”
Joe will hope and pray and hope some more that McLaughlin had a freakishly bad day and it’s not the start of a pattern. Before today, McLaughlin made 87 of 89 extra points in a Bucs uniform.
September 8th, 2025 at 1:56 am
I guess Bowles doesn’t realize how accurate Atlanta’s kicker has a history of being, and even his kicks weren’t on point yesterday… Wise up Coach. Maybe if you didn’t put a mirror image of last year’s defense on the field yesterday, you wouldn’t be sweating your kicker having a bad day as much.
September 8th, 2025 at 2:32 am
More will be revealed, I think the appropriate reaction is disappointment not anger. Only the kicker knows what happened.
September 8th, 2025 at 2:41 am
The other team gets paid too. Atlanta has a top 10 offense last year. Atlanta scored a touchdow on the opening drive and in the final two minutes. Our offense was hampered by injuries.
September 8th, 2025 at 3:18 am
Did mention how the refs kept the Falcons in the game, and what the Glazers are going to do about getting their checks in the mail before the next match-up?
September 8th, 2025 at 3:30 am
Nico Gramatica
Might be a future option.
Has.the pedigree.
But Jason, not a 1st or 2nd round pick, OK?
September 8th, 2025 at 3:35 am
Listening to Falcons podcasts, and they’re not even fun since they’re doing the “we knew this would happen” routine instead of whining and crying – which I always enjoy. They’re very beatdown for a team the national media really hyped.
And I’m not sure why they’re so downbeat, Penix looked really good today. I was hoping Penix, despite being a local kid, would end up being a bust, but that isn’t happening. He looks really good, and the Falcons are going to be a problem as all those young defensive players improve. So enjoy dunking on them now, but don’t sleep on them.
September 8th, 2025 at 4:09 am
The Bucs are a mediocre, maybe slightly better than mediocre team in a garbage division.
Tampa has a one read run around hero ball guy at QB who makes 3-4 runs and 1-2 throws a game. 103 starts – career losing record. Everyone loves him.
The defense is a run stopper guy in the middle, a past his prime LB and legit talent at safety. Everything else ranges from workable to inconsistent.
The strength of the team are the offensive skill position players. The rookie had a day. There’s hope there. Mike Evans is Mike Evans – a 1st ballot HOFer who is 32 years old. He won’t fall off the cliff, but he’ll miss a game or two and sniff around the 1000 mark. The hotshot RB Charlie Garner 2.0 had 37 yards rushing. White was invisible. Baker led the team in rushing. This allegedly is a running team, but the oline was shuffled so there is an excuse there.
They gave Godwin a 44M guaranteed contract, which was stupid and ridiculous. You know what that extra procedure was for in July? Removing pins and clearing out scar tissue is my guess. Usually that’s the deal on this kind of injury. There is absolutely no way he comes back in 2025 with any explosion. None. Zero. That ankle is going to be stiff for a while. Who was going to give him 44-66 mil to a WR coming off a broken dislocated ankle? 29 years old? I mean besides the Bucs? He’s never going to live up to that deal. They set their money on fire. Were they bidding against themselves? It seems so.
Nothing against Godwin as a human being – by all rights a great guy – but you don’t write out checks based on whether or not you like a guy personally (well maybe they do – see Kyle Trask).
Then you go out and draft a WR in the 1st anyway?
Reddick was a slight overpay. Another 30 year old guy a couple of years removed from his peak. Bucs will get productivity for him on a 1 year. It’s not a bad deal at all, but they needed a big time piece on defense and they gave that money to a WR with a busted wheel. Make it make sense for me.
Despite all that – the 260 total yards of offense and two missed kicks, they get a road division win. I have to laugh at it all. Todd Bowles is the luckiest man on planet Earth to be coaching the Bucs when the NFC South is this bad.
AND THEY EXTENDED HIM HAHAHA
We’re in purgatory because we all know Cinderalla will turn into a pumpkin come January. The D will lay down and Baker will choke. It’s a Bucs life.
September 8th, 2025 at 4:36 am
He was pissed at the kicker, but made excuses for his pet Dennis. Dennis was responsible for almost all of Atlanta’s points. The middle of the field was wide open for business with Dennis not being able to cover, or tackle. He was briefly pulled, but the Bucs better be looking for another option, dude was terrible out there.
September 8th, 2025 at 5:05 am
It’s misplaced anger to get “pissed” at your kicker. They all have fragile egos because, despite heroics, they all know they’re only a few kicks away from getting cut. All other positions are granted far more leeway. Kicker egos need stroking, not vitriol from a coach who screwed up more than his kicker.
How about taking a senseless time out so Atlanta could review a play and throw a challenge flag?
How about waiting until the last minute to decide Heck was not a starter?
How about coaching a secondary who again looked lost?
How about not having your team ready to play because of resting starters all preseason, and proclaiming his QB got enough work in scrimmages?
Would that be scrimmages where the QB cannot be hit?
I could go on and on with this guy.
Bottom line: A good coach doesn’t dress down his players in the media, especially one who places blame on a player who screwed up far less than the coach pointing the finger.
Everybody loves Todd Bowles … Sadly, his opponents love him too.
September 8th, 2025 at 5:14 am
Bowles was pissed Oh Ok
So we’re fans. TIRED OF THE SAME OLD BS defensive scheme. SHREDDED in the first half.
LUCKILY this team has talent that stepped up “Vita” and saved the day.
Pissed at the kicker REALLY SCORE A TD don’t worry about the kick
OH STOP ROBINSON as he ran around the secondary like they were in middle school
September 8th, 2025 at 5:22 am
Yeah agree on SVD, the guy was getting worked by Atl offense. Can’t tackle and even average receivers were beating him. Hope he improves, even LVD said he was screwing up.
September 8th, 2025 at 5:48 am
We were all mad at McLaughlin. Could not believe he missed it. But then there was a penalty on him that went unnoticed by the refs.
TheShaz Says: “Nico Gramatica. Might be a future option.”
I felt the same way after the USF game! The future.
September 8th, 2025 at 5:49 am
Idk maybe he shouldve challenged the hit on the kicker that the Falcons got away with
September 8th, 2025 at 6:09 am
He got the yips.
September 8th, 2025 at 6:29 am
First Last – I thought that too at the time. But the way it ended up playing out, was good for us.
September 8th, 2025 at 6:58 am
This might have been the first time Chase has missed in such a critical situation and against this team…smh… look I wouldn’t want to lose to any team on a missed field goal or extra point… but against ATL, SAINTS… NO Fing WAY. Horrible timing to hit that upright.
I like Chase a lot, I’m grateful to Koo for choking away the opportunity for ATL, and I think Chase will be just fine. It’s amazing, because Koo has been pretty damn good for ATL since taking over for former Buc Matt Bryant, and yet the last game we played against them, he missed 3 or 4 kicks, like he wanted us to win, and yet somehow, we simply refused.
September 8th, 2025 at 7:05 am
Right now the guys are going through a stretch of “Buc Luck”. Rod thinks the zebras have it in for us. While I disagree it’s intentional there’s no doubt that the Bucs haven’t caught any “breaks” in the way the ball bounces and the whistle blows.
Consider this. In their past two games the Bucs have seen 3 place kicks hit the goal posts. One by the Bucs and two by the opposition. Both of the opposition kicks doink IN…the Bucs kick doinks OUT.
I think it’s victory Monday and time to rejoice. The Falcons are good and have talent, Penix is just going to get better, we have the makings of a real rivalry for the next few years. I respect Atlanta and I like them, I used to respect New Orleans when they were good but I NEVER like them. It’s carried over for me now to the Broncos because of my dislike for Peyton. Gotta respect him though.
September 8th, 2025 at 7:07 am
BTW in a nutshell neither of the teams played their best games!!!
It looked like the first game for two teams that didn’t play their starters at all during the preseason.
BIGGEST QUESTION. How does the Bucs injury report look?
September 8th, 2025 at 7:34 am
stpetebucsfan, always appreciate seeing you posting your balanced views and supportive comments of our favorite team. I almost feel guilty the amount of time I spend on this site. Ok, I don’t feel guilty. Think the wife probably appreciates it. If you’re looking for a way to have some fun and have the spare time read the live game thread. Sometimes I think that I’m a little bit over the top with my time spent with my JBF family. I read that entire game thread last night and I realized that I’m just fine. But I also realized that my “family” might just be dysfunctional. Oh well. Family comes first, dysfunctional or not. Thanks, family!!
September 8th, 2025 at 7:54 am
I was surprised.
Chase has been such a rock of Gibraltar the past couple of seasons.
But, he’s still human.
I think it’s getting attention simply because of how close the score was and how late in the game it was.
We wouldn’t even be talking about it if we were up by a couple of scores.
September 8th, 2025 at 8:12 am
Capinhowdy is a moron
September 8th, 2025 at 8:14 am
I never liked Chase doing the kickoffs as I was concerned it would hurt his field goal accuracy. Bad habits from the kickoff would impact his field goals. Maybe that’s what happened? The other side of the coin is that other teams are also using their kickers rather than their punters for kickoffs without problems (except ATL). I still think the Bucs need someone else to do kickoffs. Also having EE listed as a punt returner is absolutely stupid and irresponsible.
September 8th, 2025 at 9:08 am
The Glazers need to have a zoom call with the commissioner about all the lousy calls the refs had including the absurd explanation that you can’t fumble because you gave yourself up. What is this a cop show? I would say fly up but Nyc is unsafe for corporate executives after all the gun violence against health care, hedge fund, and NFL corporate staff. The violence will only get worse if a communist as mayor and rules that criminals should be let go because they were forced into crime by the oppressive capitalist state.
September 8th, 2025 at 9:09 am
I think the air pressure in the stadium and the direction of the A/C fans affected both kickers.
September 8th, 2025 at 9:11 am
Maybe he understands how we feel about him putting out that defense
September 8th, 2025 at 9:31 am
The play calling was not exactly smooth and creative yesterday. Rust? OLine shuffle? Inexperienced OC?
I know they sniffed out and stuffed Almost every Irving swing pass and run.
September 8th, 2025 at 9:41 am
Half of this site really is one of the worst fan bases in the NFL. It’s not an exaggeration, I’ve lived in many different cities and most of you are pathetic. The ignorance about football, coaching, and the nonstop negativity is insane.
It’s week one. Great win. Live and learn. Next.
September 8th, 2025 at 9:56 am
Again our HC not holding himself to the same standards he places on the players…
September 8th, 2025 at 10:10 am
Good kickers are good, until they aren’t.
Hopefully Chase hasn’t lost it.
September 8th, 2025 at 10:24 am
I don’t understand why people are being so hard on the defense for this game. They gave up 20 points. We should win every single game the defense does that. Some of y’all complain because it’s all you know how to do
September 8th, 2025 at 10:28 am
Couldn’t agree more David. So much negativity on this site. I love JBF and I ignore the posts of a bunch of the regular commenters.
September 8th, 2025 at 10:30 am
Sloppy game by both teams but not a surprise when the starters were held out of the preseason. Speaking of pre-season both teams played sloppily. Looked more like a preseason game. Bet they look sharper next week. Baker especially.
September 8th, 2025 at 10:40 am
Fire Bowles !!! fraud he’s been riding coat tails of Arians and for the past 2 years his offensive coordinators. been selling himself as a Defensive Guru cant hold a candle to a true head coach in Dungy and look how Glazers addressed that situation. They lost on Coen hopefully they wakeup this year
September 8th, 2025 at 10:44 am
@Weebs10 its a glass of water not full or empty go to Disney World if you like to fantasy
September 8th, 2025 at 11:23 am
Only Tampa fans would complain so much after a 5th opening day win. Reality check:
– During Training Camp, linemen are not permitted to do much. They hardly get real practice at all, so they ALWAYS start rough in the season. Every lineman on both sides of the ball,cfor every team in the NFL, uses the first 1-3 games to get his sealegs. That’s just how it is under the current rules.
– Baker was bound to start the season rusty. No preseason play. Right or wrong, agreed with not playing him or not, it is the reality of the situation. The good news is Mayfield played more yesterday than any play in the preseason could have given him. The rust should be gone now…or close to gone.
– The kicker. It happens. The guy has been money most of the time. People giving up on him already is ridiculous. If it continues to be an issue, then there should be concern.
– Nico Gramatica. I was overjoyed to see him make the news, and it would be really cool to have him be good enough to lay for us down the road…but it was one game. All kickers can have a good game…just like all can have bad days (Mcloughlin). Slow yous rolls.
– The Refs. None of the penalties they called were wrong. Contrary to fan claims, they did not make up any rules. Even if they missed some calls on the Falcons (which they did), it doesn’t change the fact that our players committed those penalties. Our players were guilty. Coaching staff will need to reign that in, but I get it: first game excitement.
– The Defense. Seriously, people. You had rookies playing their first game in the NFL. You can’t expect perfection out of the gate. You can be happy if it happens, but you cannot realistically expect it. Aside from nerves, the rookies are all under development. If you expect perfection from the start, then you would have wanted Ronde Barber cut…who took 4+ years to become great.
– The Positive. We pulled out oure 5th opening day win, even with the rust, and it was against a team we couldn’t beat last year. That’s improvement. You think the Falcons are a bad team? Their not. They’re the second best team in our division, and they had a better record than half the teams in the NFC last year…just not better than us. Take the win.
– What the Win Means. What it means is that in the event of splitting the games with them this year, be will have the lead…because our offence produced higher stats in a season. So in the first game of the year, we essentially eliminated them from being a threat to us making the playoffs. That. is. Electric.
September 8th, 2025 at 11:27 am
Excuse the typos
September 8th, 2025 at 11:29 am
It seems like the only team not declaring Bowles as a defensive guru is ours. He seems MUCH more heralded by our opponents and pundits than by us. I don’t get it.
September 8th, 2025 at 12:37 pm
Are the kickoff duties affecting Chase?
Is it the new holder?
Was it a turf thing seeing as both kickers missed?
September 8th, 2025 at 12:46 pm
Bonzai: I’m giving you a BIG 11 outta 10 for your analysis. I usually save my kudos for DR, but you were right on, typos and all. My b1tchin’ is over the constant OC turnover. How would you like it if you had to put up with adapting to 4 new bosses in 5 years? Big kudos to Bowles for keeping the team and locker room loyal and steady.
September 8th, 2025 at 12:47 pm
Even the best players including HOFamers have bad days. Lay off Chase.
September 8th, 2025 at 1:14 pm
Hmm Not pissed at ILB Dennis as well?
Go Bucs!
September 8th, 2025 at 3:15 pm
garro when I saw the headline I thought that was what it was over.
September 9th, 2025 at 3:07 am
Will until Bowles is gone I will not be happy. Dressing down a player to the media in public Who has won games with his kicks and rarely misses. But players he likes, I hear nothing. No Class