Todd Bowles And Baker Mayfield Have Seen Enough Of Overtime
September 8th, 2025
Done with overtime games.
Last year the Bucs lost two bitter overtime games. With a late score in each game — the Bucs had the ball late in regulation — the Bucs would have won.
Instead, they played for overtime on the road. And got burned for being conservative.
One overtime loss was at the defending Super Bowl champs, Kansas City. All the Bucs had to do was go for two after a late touchdown. They chose to kick and tie the game. The Bucs never touched the ball again.
Another overtime loss was at Atlanta. That loss stung because it appeared the Bucs had the game locked down.
After yesterday’s win, Mayfield said when the Bucs took over down three with just over two minutes left, he had zero desire to play for the tie.
“We were looking to go down and score,” Mayfield said. “It wasn’t about getting the field goal to tie and go to overtime. We were looking to go score and had a few opportunities there.
“Obviously, Emeka [Egbuka] did a great job of finishing it, but really, Mike [Evans] draws a lot of attention. He gets the safety to bite down on it, gets one-on-one coverage for Emeka [Egbuka], and he makes the easy play.”
That Egbuka touchdown really wasn’t that easy because there was good coverage. Mayfield placed that ball perfectly for Egbuka to go get it and score. And that he did.
Even Bowles mentioned in his postgame remarks he had no urge whatsoever to play for overtime.
Embrace drafting Egbuka, and Bowles now promoting winning games in regulation, are we seeing the transformation of a head coach before our very eyes, from safe and conservative to daring and aggressive?
BUCCANEERS WIN!!!! https://t.co/TejGMabEh4 pic.twitter.com/qG37dkTvlT
— Jon Gruden (@BarstoolGruden) September 7, 2025
September 8th, 2025 at 7:02 am
Nah. He’s still the same.
September 8th, 2025 at 7:03 am
You have to love this!!!!
1 – 0
LFG!!!!!!
September 8th, 2025 at 7:06 am
No more overtime. They must have told the falcons kicker..makes sense
September 8th, 2025 at 7:32 am
Now that the OT rules have changed and both teams are guaranteed a possession even if the receiving team scores a touchdown may invite some more 2 point attempts in OT. Should be more exciting and certainly ensure a more equitable outcome which should always be the objective.
September 8th, 2025 at 7:32 am
Embracing no overtime and the drafting of Ebuka.
September 8th, 2025 at 7:35 am
The 4th and one call surprised me
September 8th, 2025 at 7:40 am
From Lakeland to beautiful beaches of Aquathong WE ARE 1 – 0!
Great job Bowles going for the win!!!!!
September 8th, 2025 at 7:49 am
Bokeh,
I concur. Very nice to see the early 4th down play.
I think I will tune into some Atlanta sports radio this morning. 🤣
September 8th, 2025 at 8:14 am
Come on.
With 59 seconds to go I knew Atlanta would march down the field against ReTodd’s soft zone defense.
And guess what?
They did.
Koo missed and we got lucky.
I’m so sick of this trend.
Yes, we won but we could have easily lost again.
September 8th, 2025 at 8:15 am
I am tired of the anti Bowles chatter. Judge people on the content of character and results. You play in whatever division they put you in. 3 division titles. And yes you learn every day regardless of age. Did you notice Bowles went for it on fourth? Baker too is learning by overthrowing not under throwing which almost always v turns into a pick.
September 8th, 2025 at 8:16 am
Yeah, not a lot of change thus far. Can’t get pressure without a blitz
September 8th, 2025 at 8:19 am
Hey Doooshboy, i could had a V8 and rode a unicorn….but i didn’t. Coulda woulda shoulda. I could have been a contender raging bull.
September 8th, 2025 at 8:22 am
He will keep it close every time.
September 8th, 2025 at 8:27 am
“Obviously, Emeka [Egbuka] did a great job of finishing it, but really, Mike [Evans] draws a lot of attention. He gets the safety to bite down on it, gets one-on-one coverage for Emeka [Egbuka], and he makes the easy play.”
Both of Egbukas’ TDs came in the wake of Mike Evans being top and side loaded with coverage, you commit 2 to 1 in any man coverage you’re literally giving our QB the numbers advantage. Baker saw it on both plays, pulled the trigger and got the ball into the paint.
No imagine when we get Chris & Jalen back, sheeeeeeeeit
September 8th, 2025 at 8:32 am
Doosh: “Yes, we won but we could have easily lost again.”
No. They won. Not you. And they didn’t lose, so pick your chin up and enjoy this Monday.
September 8th, 2025 at 8:37 am
Can’t wait to see all.our weapons on the field and the oline back to their natural position.
Shot out to the oline doing pretty well with all things considered
September 8th, 2025 at 8:42 am
Doosh if McLaughlin hits the FG and XP, and if Baker hits wide open Otton we win by 2 scores. We can play the “IF” game too.
September 8th, 2025 at 8:44 am
I liked Bowles going for the fourth down on their side of the field – and making it!
Bake finishing the game strong to take the lead – great!
Bowles’ way too soft defensive play calls to allow the Koo kick – were NOT the calls to win the game.
It’s still a win! Time to move on to Houston.
September 8th, 2025 at 9:01 am
F the ifs, the Bucs are 1-0! Keep working on the little details, they should have confidence going into Monday night.
September 8th, 2025 at 9:06 am
Very happy to see Bowles go for it on 4th down….Bowles not being aggressive in the playoffs last year cost us along with turnovers
Baker managed to avoid 2INTs and he looked rusty and early on didn’t trust his oline…but still made plays when it counted…
GREAT WIN
GO BUCS
September 8th, 2025 at 9:20 am
Love how Gruden still has emotional ties to the bucs! Cool to see…and didn’t they change O.T. rules that even if team scores td on first possession..the other team gets a shot,not just after fgs, correct?
September 8th, 2025 at 9:27 am
Last year’s KC game still bugs the hell out of me! Go for 2 and the W on national prime time TV …show the world how good this team is!! But NO!!
September 8th, 2025 at 9:34 am
Yes
September 8th, 2025 at 9:45 am
Let’s not forget, Shep caught everything thrown at him and came up yuge on 3rd down on the winning TD drive. He is a baller.
September 8th, 2025 at 10:07 am
I’m not seeing that the defense played soft as some are saying. They made Atlanta work for everything they got. Those quick slants are about impossible to cover, the D also fought through some bad calls and it looked at times like Atlanta was being given every opportunity available to win the game. Atlanta couldn’t run the ball. They have some talented playmakers on that team so to say our defense was soft is wrong. They didn’t play way off the ball either they pressed, Zion missed 2 picks, 1 that would have snuffed out 3 points for Atlanta. Dean missed 1 as well late that could have sealed the win.
September 8th, 2025 at 10:14 am
it is almost like it was better that the PAT was missed. that left the falcons the option to just get the field goal to tie. mentally they thought that was a lock, which didnt work out in this case. if the falcons were down 4 they call different plays to get to the end zone and not count on koo like they had the option to.
AWJ came to play like he does when he is healthy and saved the buc bacon on that last play before koo tanked his kick. it was second and 10 at the buc 26, the falcons made it to the doorstep but ran out of time…they had to kick. penix started them at their own 14 and marched like the bucs defense was barely there in under a minute…..how many of those can they count on winning….that was same as last year, how many times did we watch an opponent march down the field for a game winning drive as time ran out….
September 8th, 2025 at 10:18 am
Egbuka draft selection = No risk it no biscuit.
Lets hope the Bucs can become better this season by being more aggressive.
September 8th, 2025 at 10:22 am
If Dean hadn’t been called for a face mask penalty, ATL punts after Yaya’s QB sack (they scored 3 on that drive). Lots of “ifs” – who cares. Bucs win!!
Alone in first place. Enjoy the week!
September 8th, 2025 at 10:36 am
Aqualung agrees with ballwasher.
Exception being too soft on the missed KooKoo FG drive. But otherwise, yes.
September 8th, 2025 at 10:59 am
The Bucs are the reason I take blood pressure medicine.
September 8th, 2025 at 11:15 am
I think Bowles has changed. I think last year he FINALLY acquired faith in his team. It’s as simple as that.
September 8th, 2025 at 1:54 pm
They’ve been called Cardiac Bucs for years. Glad I have low BP. yeah, I hate OT, too. Enjoying the win. Now go down and kick some TX azz, Bucs!
September 8th, 2025 at 2:23 pm
Really appreciated Bowles going on 4th in our territory and using his last timeout to ice the kicker at the end. Koo has had issues and when he kicked the first one and barely got it in, I wondered if he might overcompensate to the right and it happened!
Baby steps but if that’s growth from Todd, I am happy for him, the Bucs and us!
September 8th, 2025 at 3:33 pm
It’s nice to see Todd Bowles starting to embrace to go for the win instead of tying the game to go into overtime. Overtime is dependent on a coin toss.
The Detroit Lions have embraced that go for the win mindset and have changed their losing post to one of the best teams in the NFL.
Good decision Tampa Bay Bucs