NFL.com: Bucs Will Be Better Later
September 23rd, 2025
Soon to get stronger.
The wild thing to Joe about the Bucs being undefeated after three games is the Bucs are doing this with a fully decimated offensive line.
Now, with Mike Evans dealing with his annual hamstring issue, the Bucs have an incredible amount of injuries to top players. No one predicted this.
But here they are: Undefeated after three weeks and already they have a two-game lead on the Dixie Chicks who already threw an assistant coach onto one of the Peachtree streets.
Because of what the Bucs have accomplished, Friend of Ira, Judy Battista of NFL.com predicts the hardest team to beat down the stretch of the season will be Tampa Bay.
Battista types the Bucs have already shown they’re tough to take out. Just wait until they get somewhat healthy.
The Bucs won on a field goal, but what is striking about their three last-minute wins is Mayfield’s cool and how he doesn’t have anything close to his normal teammates around him. Receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) was in the locker room for Sunday’s game-winning drive, the offensive line has been wracked by injuries and left tackle Tristan Wirfs and receiver Chris Godwin are still working their way back from injuries, although they are close to returning. Maybe the Bucs won’t need the late-game heroics when the offense is intact, but what fun would that be?
Joe gets what Battista is suggesting.
If the Bucs are hard to beat now, opponents better knock them off while they have a chance. Because in a few weeks, they’ll be an even tougher team to tangle with.
September 23rd, 2025 at 7:14 am
I hope so, Joe.
September 23rd, 2025 at 7:22 am
Yeah, seems like every time we approach getting people back, we LOSE MORE PEOPLE! This drap has got to stop!!!
September 23rd, 2025 at 7:22 am
I just wanted to post before Aqualung delivers his usual garbage. Bowles is doing a great job evolving as a HC this year and go Bucs! Man this team is fun! Get healthy boys!
September 23rd, 2025 at 7:23 am
Err..crap
September 23rd, 2025 at 7:37 am
I need to address this. We were wearing the 76 Whites 50th Anniversary Uniform. This should not be confused with the Ice Cream Pop Gay Orange “Creamsicle”. That Orange Uniform should be burned and buried. We will wear it again in our home game against ATL just watch us lose that game.
I would suggest if we must wear a through back uniform we wear the 76 Whites on our home opener from hear on out
September 23rd, 2025 at 7:45 am
BatW completely agree even the 76 whites were giving me PTSD 1980’s flashbacks to their 2-14 seasons when the Jets were making a comeback and taking the lead inside 2 mins… burn them we will never win in those pansy creamsicle unis
September 23rd, 2025 at 7:46 am
All JBFers know that our first 3 opponents were not world-beaters, but they have improved to a 1-8 record now. How well we play against our next 3 opponents (currently 8-1) will let us know more about how we rate against the big dogs. All 3 games (Eagles, Seahawks, 49ers) would certainly be winnable if we were close to 100%, but as we all know that’s not the case. And probably won’t be until after our BYE week in early November.
Depending on who we can put on the field though, any of those next 3 games is still winnable. Eagles are impressively overpowering this year. Both the Seahawks (#2 defense) & 49ers (#3 defense) have excellent defenses, but the Seahawks offense (#5) looks to be rolling along better (49ers offense ranks #23). Bucs, like the Eagles, are pretty much middle of the pack right now offensively (#12) and defensively (#17), but we seem to have this interesting knack of winning close games.
September 23rd, 2025 at 7:47 am
Hmmm, dumb spell-check.
Make that ‘Eagles AREN’T impressively overpowering this year.’
September 23rd, 2025 at 7:56 am
Whatever you are typing right now aquadung, please don’t hit submit comment. Go outside. Touch grass. Breathe some fresh air.
September 23rd, 2025 at 7:57 am
One reason our opponents records are bad is because they have had to play us. Season is just beginning and in this league anyone can beat anyone. We are taking this season one game at a time. Still alot of grinding to do before we get all the rough edges smoothed out. I believe we can see what the finished product will look like. At least some of us can see what it may look like.
September 23rd, 2025 at 8:12 am
Just win baby win.
September 23rd, 2025 at 8:16 am
Special teams unit is an embarrassment. Blocked kicks, poor kick coverage, bad punting, etc. not to mention missed FGs
When is the media going to press Bowles on this glaring liability?
September 23rd, 2025 at 8:21 am
But for US, they’d be 4 and 4!
(Unrelated, didn’t see that coming from Detroit last night, we’ll definitely need Luke when we play them)
September 23rd, 2025 at 8:31 am
Injuries are obviously unpredictable but definitely likely as the season progresses. An assumption that they’ll be healthier later than earlier seems dubious. But that applies to all 32 teams. I’m willing to embrace the optimism. The force is strong in this ragtag offense right now. The Eagles this Sunday? No further injuries would be a win
September 23rd, 2025 at 8:53 am
Makes me sick thinking that we may have just been a game away from having our offensive line completely healthy before Mauch and Goedeke got hurt
September 23rd, 2025 at 8:53 am
When Brady won the Super Bowl 🏈 a few years ago the Bucs were healthy so hopefully 🙏 they can have the same fortune.
It’s a brutal sport and whoever can stay the healthiest has the advantage.
It would be nice if it’s the Bucs.
September 23rd, 2025 at 8:54 am
Hardest team to beat down the stretch–Hoover Dam straight Judy!!!
September 23rd, 2025 at 8:55 am
One game at a time!! The Buc’s will need better OL play if they want to walk away with a W on Sunday! TW78 coming back will help. This game will be important if the Buc’s want to make real noise in January. Getting the run and screen game going can help. Control the clock, keep the Eagles O off the field!! This is a winnable game! A win won’t be easy!! Get it done!!
September 23rd, 2025 at 8:57 am
Man we could have our left side back this week, and maybe Chris Godwin too! We still gonna get Luke back at some point and J Mac at some point as well. It could be worse, but at least we got three Ws to start the year, including beating Atlanta in their own crib on opening day.
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:01 am
almost all seasons have a losing streak of 3+ games so get ready for it buc fans. egbuka is impressive, the downtrend in scoring is not. the injuries to the O line are obviously a factor. this offense misses coen without a doubt. i agree that special teams is pretty bad….still missing lots of turnover opportunities on defense as well. could be better but could be worse. 3-0 is a great start but almost losing to the falcons vs the panthers hanging 30-0 on them is a head scratcher. i’m sure the Todd Bowles excuses club has an answer but I havent seen a good one yet.
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:05 am
I am really encouraged that the BUCS have been able to win with their backs against the wall. With the Heart ,Drive, TEAM resilience they have showed so far plus the experience that the depth of the Bucs showed so far willpay dividends when the injuries players return.. Go. BUCS!!!!
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:07 am
Don’t want to see it but I won’t believe Wirfs is back this week until I see him on the field Sunday. Same goes for Chris. Surely we wouldn’t let those guys play unless they are healed up. Patience is hard earned, and we need to keep our eyes on the prize. Plus we’re getting our backups some experience for down the road. All that being said I can’t wait to see them back!
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:50 am
Absolutely, wait until the Bucs are all healthy. Chris and Tristan will be back soon. It’s happening.
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:31 am
The soft shell turtle 4th quarter defense will always be there. The good teams will know that if they are behind, they just need to be a little more patient with that go ahead drive so it becomes the game winning drive. And there is now plenty of film of Todd Bowels taking his foot off the gas.
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:34 am
Man, I feel bad for Big ME13 with the hammy acting up yet again. He was having a ball playing opposite EE2 (still can barely believe this dude is a rookie). That said, I take no game for granted, period. Add in the refs. You’ve got the Eagles coming to town. I love my gutsy Bucs, but the Buc Luck is beyond ridiculous!!
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:41 am
All the bitching about drafting Ebuka, can u imagine if we didnt!? This Sunday without him we would have NO Evans, NO Godwin, NO McMillan, and just have lowly Shepard as the sole receiving threat!! Haaaha holy crap that’s a scary thought…maybe one week this year we will have all FOUR of them on the field at the same time, which was the dream…would be seemingly unstoppable…a man and fan can dream, can’t he
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:46 am
It’s a damn good thing they finished that stretch 3-0 against teams with a combined record of 8-1. Because, they can easily go 0-4 during this next stretch of 4-games. I’ll take a 2-2 split right now, and then move-on, if we can remain somewhat healthy. 1-3 needs to be our very WORST outcome here. And, 7-3 has to be the worst case scenario on our final 10-game stretch. If so, then our worst case would be 11-6, but we really need that ‘split’ badly, and a 8-2 finish, in order to put us at 13-4 on the season and a shot at ‘home-field’ advantage throughout the playoffs, or at least for our first two-games. Then, who knows what could happen… Maybe, we could end up playing for the NFC Championship at HOME after all, depending on how it all plays out, after an upset or two!?
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:49 am
wonder how much of the offense is Grizz holding back due to injuries…
imo, it was obvious that we had a very vanilla game plan offensively vs the jets…
GO BUCS!!!!
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:50 am
It would be really fun to actually see this team with all of the starters. It’s crazy that we have not seen that all year and who knows when that will even happen because of the Luke and Cody injuries. Hopefully we get Godwin, Wirfs and Evans all back before the bye week.
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:51 am
@DR – Just read your comment… looks like you’re looking and plotting (haha) ahead, like I am!!!!
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:54 am
Correction: I meant 1-8 obviously, not 8-1. I’d already mentioned the “1-8” on a couple of other posts on Sunday Night.
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:59 am
Aqualung suffers from BTSD (Bowles Traumatic Stress Syndrome ) which many of us still suffer from, only he has an extreme case of it. What the Karens on this site don’t get is he’s not wrong on his assessments of Bowles scheme. The personal attacks aside our coach’s scheme is so asinine that it makes scrub qbs look like world beaters. Anything that works on this defense is because of the players or mistakes made by the other team not the scheme itself. Baker is the reason for our come from behind wins, Bowles and his (lack of)ST coaching choice are the reasons we get into those situations.
In a land of freedom of choice once you guys see his name you have the choice of bypassing his post. If you choose to read them then you choose to be offended and dismayed. Don’t come up here stomping your last years Prada shoes sweet hearts!
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:59 am
A poker player who is dealt a pair of Royal diamonds followed by a flop that gives him a Royal flush is unwise to assume he is a good player.
September 23rd, 2025 at 11:00 am
The Niners losing Bosa is definitely, a HUGE help. Hate that for him though.
September 23rd, 2025 at 12:07 pm
aqua
theres plenty of film of Todd Bowels putting belt to azz!!!!…
4-0!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
September 23rd, 2025 at 1:45 pm
@ Allen Lofton That’s because they all wore their masks.
September 23rd, 2025 at 3:53 pm
As the receivers and O line comes back and Parrish and Morrison get more and more experience, they can be extremely dangerous the second half of the season. Especially because the schedule is a very favorable after the break.
The next four games is the most brutal stretch of the season