Ira Kaufman’s 10 Takeaways From Bucs-Jets
September 21st, 2025
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
Walking off the field with the rest of his relieved teammates, Graham Barton summed up the state of the franchise after three weeks.
“Cardiac Bucs,” he said on the way to the locker room.
A pair of unbeaten teams will meet next Sunday as the Eagles come to town after rallying past the Rams. Tampa Bay is off to its first 3-0 start since 2005, but it didn’t come easy.
It should have.
As Todd Bowles aptly described, the Bucs lifted their cleats off the gas pedal after building a 23-6 lead through three quarters. Tyrod Taylor led the Jets on TD drives of 80 and 75 yards before Will McDonald stunned a sun-drenched crowd by blocking Chase McLaughlin’s FG attempt and returning it 50 yards to put New York ahead 27-26.
Taking over at his own 34 with 1:41 remaining, Baker Mayfield did it again, directing a late game-winning drive in the final seconds. A 28-yard pass to Emega Egbuka and a 20-yard strike to Sterling Shepard set up McLaughlin’s fifth FG of the day for a 29-27 triumph.
The good news? Since 1990, teams that start 3-0 have made the postseason 75 percent of the time. The bad news? The Bucs suffered another potentially serious injury when Mike Evans departed with a hamstring issue.
A reshuffled offensive line suffered through a nightmarish opening period, called for four holding penalties during Tampa Bay’s initial possession. Tristan Wirfs can’t get back soon enough — and he’ll likely return for Week 4 if he doesn’t have a setback at practice.
The Bucs were in complete control of this one … until they weren’t.
Bowles will have to repeat his demands for a killer instinct because the Jets looked dead and buried early in the fourth quarter. As Bowles noted, Tampa Bay’s sure tackling disappeared during the next two drives.
McDonald’s blocked FG was a shocker as he raced up the middle untouched and smothered McLaughlin’s kick. He scooped the ball up on a bounce and prematurely waved goodbye to the home crowd as he crossed the goalline.
He forgot that Mayfield still had plenty of time left to pull off yet another last-minute comeback.
Jamel Dean’s 55-yard interception return gave the Bucs a 20-6 halftime lead on a day the franchise celebrated its 50th anniversary. Many of Tampa Bay’s most notable former players took to the field at intermission, joined by Jon Gruden and Bruce Arians.
What looked like a routine victory unraveled, but Buc fans walked out of Raymond James Stadium knowing Tampa Bay now has a 2-game lead atop the NFC South. The winless Jets almost pulled off a major upset, but they fell victim to Mayfield’s late magic.
Here’s how the Bucs overcame 14 penalties and some loose fourth-quarter defense”
* Tampa Bay’s secondary was outstanding, particularly in the second quarter. Tykee Smith was part of a fourth-and-1 stop, Antoine Winfield Jr. sacked and stripped the ball from Taylor to set up a FG and Dean stepped in front of a pass intended for Garrett Wilson at the left sideline with 17 seconds remaining in the half.
* Mayfield continues to make big plays with his feet, rushing for 44 yards on four scrambles. His 10-yard run on third-and-9 set up a third-quarter FG and he scrambled for 33 yards in the fourth quarter. For the season, Mayfield is averaging a nifty 9.7 yards per carry.
* Egbuka caught 6-of-8 targets for 85 yards, including a dazzling one-handed reception in the second quarter that led to a 5-yard scoring flip to Evans. A fourth-quarter pass that Egbuka appeared to corral should have been reviewed, but was not.
* Taylor was sacked four times and battered all day as Bowles dialed up a variety of blitzes that tested New York’s protection schemes. Lavonte David, rookie Jacob Parrish, Ya Ya Diaby and Winfield each had two QB hits.
* In bolting to a 3-0 getaway, Tampa Bay has not turned the ball over. That impressive ball security has helped the Bucs overcome 26 penalties and some sloppy special teams play.
* Considering the Bucs started three backups along the offensive line, with two others playing out of position, the unit turned in a decent effort. Mayfield was hardly under siege but Bucky Irving and Rachaad White combined to gain only 78 yards in 30 carries. Irving was more effective as a target, catching all four passes sent his way for 33 yards.
* Through three quarters, the Buc defense ruled the day. New York had few answers for a strong pass rush, but the Jets rolled up 12 of their 21 first downs in the final 15 minutes as Taylor completed 12-of-15 passes. Bowles was dismayed by the letdown, especially after preaching the importance of playing 60 minutes of focused football all week against a hungry underdog.
* The NFL is supposed to be in the entertainment business, but it was hard to watch an opening quarter marred by 11 combined lags for 125 yards. “Some of them were real ticky-tacky,” Mayfield said, referring to the flurry of holding calls against the home team.
* The addition of rookie corner Benjamin Morrison has raised Dean’s level of play. He read Taylor’s eyes on the interception and broke on the ball with exquisite timing, deflating the visitors until their fourth-quarter surge.
* Had McLaughlin struggled again on Sunday, the Bucs would probably have brought in some bodies next week to compete for his job. Instead, McLaughlin kicked five field goals, including one from 54 yards out and another from 55 yards. He can hardly be blamed for McDonald’s block. “The confidence the team had in me was really reassuring,” McLaughlin said. His 36-yard kick won the game while also reinforcing that faith.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:43 pm
“Taylor was sacked four times and battered all day as Bowles dialed up a variety of blitzes that tested New York’s protection schemes. Lavonte David, rookie Jacob Parrish, Ya Ya Diaby and Winfield each had two QB hits.“
Yaya had 11 pressures on 30 pass rush reps per NFL next gen stats.
September 21st, 2025 at 6:50 pm
Can Philly game be flexed to Sunday (or Monday) night?
September 21st, 2025 at 6:54 pm
I prefer Old Gen Starts. Sack the effin QB, stop with PFF BS %’s fluffer nonsense
He’s got 0 sacks in a whole lot of long drives against him in 3 games.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:04 pm
If we had a real coaching staff the sky would be the limits with this talent.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:06 pm
I was at the game and talking to a Jets fan next to me I told him one thing we do is play 4 quarters, we play every snap like it’s our last, and we play the refs, but at the end of the day it’s our game and we will Win! Go Bucs!
September 21st, 2025 at 7:10 pm
Joe should ban some of these posters like luvmybucs….they just don’t know what they are talking about. The offensive line is decimated and Grizzard wants to call plays like it’s not. That’s the frustrating part, he has to adjust to the OL.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:12 pm
Philly didn’t look.much better in their forst half
September 21st, 2025 at 7:15 pm
Ya. Ya. Did have a sack.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:15 pm
I don’t know why no one is mentioning that Will McDonald’s block was a penalty. It’s “leaping” if you touch any player.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:17 pm
Philly had to block a winning FG otherwise they would have lost. Problem here is fans don’t appreciate wins. They think every game should be a blowout. If they’re not the HC should be fired.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:19 pm
Regarding Will McDonald’s block, the NFL banned all line leaping on May 27th 2017. Maybe that crew needs a rules refresher.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:27 pm
Does anyone know where I can see a video of Lazard’s non-touchdown today? I’ve only seen it from one angle on the Kets website but want to see it from the back of the end zome…the officials really tried to cheat the hell out of us today!
September 21st, 2025 at 7:31 pm
A Win is a Win !! It’s never easy playing against professional athletes who are desperate to win their first game !!
Go Bucs !! Beat the Eagles !!
September 21st, 2025 at 7:32 pm
The snowflake world wants posters banned who speak their minds instead of sticking their heads in the sand pretending everything is peachy.
Just don’t read the posts. That’s the snowflake equivalent of banning posters.
Griz is doing ok. He reminds me more of Canales than Coen, but he has two OL starters playing out of position and three barmaids filling out the rest of the positions. Pretty good considering.
Mr Magoo should’ve been fired after the Texans game. But the guy who has that responsibility is too busy muttering “we took our foot off the gas” without a clue that he’s the one calling the defense and causes it to happen.
This is grotesque, watching his genius masquerade.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:33 pm
If Evans can’t go is do you think Mayfield trusts Tez Johnson to get some targets? He certainly is quicker than Miller and can make the first guy miss.
One is the biggest difference in Grizzard and Coan is the tight ends are not targeted enough. Otton has been rarely used this year.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:36 pm
“DBS Says:
September 21st, 2025 at 7:17 pm
Philly had to block a winning FG otherwise they would have lost. Problem here is fans don’t appreciate wins. They think every game should be a blowout. If they’re not the HC should be fired.”
When the head coach wants to sit on a lead and run the clock out starting in the third quarter, yeah damn right you complain.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:39 pm
TombsEN
I’m the genuine article. Please don’t categorize me with that perpetrator
September 21st, 2025 at 7:41 pm
To correct all the people above that have no idea about the rules, there is NOTHING illegal about leaping. You’re not allow to use “leverage” to leap. Which McDonald did not do. He did not use any other player on either team to help in his jump.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:48 pm
TombsEN
I’ve been contributing to this blog for over fifteen years – it’s baffling that Joe’s allows someone to hijack anyone’s username**,** but ultimately, it’s their establishment and their rules.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:51 pm
@StormyInFl.
And you know for fact this was the orders he gave? Or maybe the Jets made adjustments. Several times players got caught out of position. Taylor got better blocking and ran past our defenders. He also didn’t sit on the lead our offense didn’t score. They were focused on stuffing our run game and covered our receivers.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:53 pm
Looking at how Grizzard is calling the game, I just don’t get it. It’s like he has put a governor on a High Octane Motor and wants to keep it below 30mph. This has to change against the big boys on the schedule.
September 21st, 2025 at 7:59 pm
@aqua = whiny little b**ch.
Nobody thinks you’ll be banned at this point, unfortunately.
September 21st, 2025 at 8:00 pm
BakerFan — I saw a post of yours earlier that you thought we were running the ball too much on 1st down but in the early part of the game, we had 7 1st down passes.
I watch the game and I see all the offensive lineman out and I think Grizzard is doing wonderfully without 3 of his best offensive lineman. Trenches count.
What are the plays you want called. I personally love passing the ball over running the ball — but to me with an offensive line that cannot pass block very well — you can[‘t throw a screen on every single down — which we threw plenty of today. So, you have to mix in runs unless you want Baker killed even more in this early part of the year.
Just confused — this is a 17 game season — besides wins — keeping Baker healthy is the 2nd most important thing right now — not scoring 30 points.
Just my opinion — thanks for the discourse.
September 21st, 2025 at 8:04 pm
Are you really trying to give the credit for Dean having a good game to Morrison instead? lol Ira
September 21st, 2025 at 8:05 pm
“Can Philly game be flexed to Sunday (or Monday) night?”
No. As I understand it, games cannot be flexed until week 5 and even then, both teams need to be given 12 days notice.
September 21st, 2025 at 8:09 pm
“If Evans can’t go is do you think Mayfield trusts Tez Johnson to get some targets?”
Nobody really knows what they will do.
A lot depends on Godwin’s available, ability and snaps. Assuming he is healthy enough to play all/most of a game, I suspect they will have Godwin in the slot the majority of the time, Sheppard as WR3 on the left and Egbuka taking over Mike Evans’ spot as WR1 on the right. Egbuka is allegedly well versed in playing all three of the positions and sure looked like a #1 today.
September 21st, 2025 at 8:11 pm
Bake is totally Captain Clutch!!! 💪
September 21st, 2025 at 8:16 pm
BakerFan Says:
September 21st, 2025 at 7:53 pm
Looking at how Grizzard is calling the game, I just don’t get it. It’s like he has put a governor on a High Octane Motor and wants to keep it below 30mph. This has to change against the big boys on the schedule.
Perhaps thing will open up when we have an Oline. Cohen had that luxury.
September 21st, 2025 at 8:19 pm
Aqualung
Take your case to the FCC. Oh wait.
September 21st, 2025 at 8:40 pm
Grizz is leaning and getting better every week. For all of the complaining, let’s take a minute to appreciate the job 62 and 68 have been doing holding down the fort. It’s not always pretty and we’re still a little out of synch, but we’re making chicken salad out of chicken spit.
Today’s game was all about our HC/DC. He did a fantastic job dialing up pressures and playing aggressive in coverage—until he didn’t. I understand the thinking—make them drive and eat the clock, but it blew up in our faces in the end. I’m also not sure what the thinking was on taking the delay of game (and moving the spot back 5 yards) before the blocked kick? Why not take the TO there and not make it harder on the whole process?
Finally, I hate to gripe about officiating but this crew of zebras were determined to affect the game from the jump. That’s never a good thing. For all of the calls they made, it was the ones they missed that really put the screw into us.
Where’s the explanation of the process leading to NOT reviewing Egbuka’s fantastic sideline catch on the final drive? Where was the explanation for NOT overturning the non-catch on the Lazard play? Brutal stuff.
September 21st, 2025 at 10:18 pm
Aqualung, sounds like a Jets fan, who, despite their losing ways, act like they have won 10 Super Bowls instead of one, before the turn of the millennium.
September 21st, 2025 at 11:38 pm
Somebody needs a victory hug. We won!!!! Go Bowles!!!!
September 22nd, 2025 at 12:40 am
People don’t think Grizzard is factoring the OL into his playcalling!? As soon as Goedeke went down it was run and screen non stop.
He at least kept mixing in the deeper shots today.
Overall I agree that he called a lot of bad runs and couple bad screens that got us way behind the sticks too much today. I imagine it would look different with a healthier OL.