“Out There At Closing Time”
September 27th, 2025
Joe could argue (perhaps unsuccessfully) that Vita Vea has been the Bucs’ defensive MVP through three games.
The Pro Bowl manbeast certainly has been more consistent than usual. And he’s made massive plays in the run game, and he fell on a key fumble last week.
Joe’s been impressed by Vea this season, and the Joe typing here picked Vea to be the team defensive MVP prior to opening day. To date, Vea has played 74 percent of the Bucs’ defensive snaps, a significatly higher percentage than he’s averaged through his career. And Vea looks more fit than ever. He’s aging like a Swiss Gruyère.
So will Todd Bowles do everything in his power to have Vea on the field tomorrow against the Eagles in key moments?
Jon Gruden, aka Chucky, addressed that this week during a Bucs-Eagles breakdown on his YouTube channel.
Chucky shared, as he has previously, that he gave Hall of Fame Bucs defensive tackle Warren Sapp permission to call timeout late in games. Sapp asked for that freedom, Chucky said, so he could guarantee his freshness to sack a quarterback on a key drive. Chucky said fans should look for the Bucs — or the Eagles — to call a defense-driven timeout late in tomorrow’s game. It would be targeted for Vea or the Eagles’ Jalen Carter “to be out there at closing time,” he said.
Joe hopes Bowles and the Bucs’ new game/clock management guru have a Vea-specific timeout on their list of possibilities. It makes all the sense on the world on a hot day.
September 27th, 2025 at 2:33 pm
Gruden was in full hype mode for that preview, even more than normal. It’s a fun watch if you haven’t seen it.
September 27th, 2025 at 2:55 pm
So Vea is aging like Swiss cheese. Never heard that one before.
September 27th, 2025 at 3:14 pm
The Buc’s need all hands on deck for 60 minutes ( really about 30 minutes since the offense/defense is only on the field about half the time)! Get it done!
September 27th, 2025 at 3:18 pm
So if the Eagles call a defensive time out in the fourth quarter you’re telling me the Bucs should run a screen next play?
September 27th, 2025 at 3:22 pm
Seems clear to me Vea has been MVP so far. David has dropped an INT and missed several key tackles. Yaya was good last week, but mediocre in others. None of the DBs have been as consistent as VV.
So time for Yaya and SVD and LD and the DBs to step up. Play to your level.
This game can be won.
September 27th, 2025 at 3:30 pm
I think the Bucs are leading at the 5-7 minute mark and run the clock out to win.
September 27th, 2025 at 3:55 pm
I find that kind of latitude (permission to a call time out) given to a player shocking. I would think that timeouts are a strategic “weapon” used based on time, score, field position and other in game factors. Astonishing.
September 27th, 2025 at 4:13 pm
Im picking Bucs 51 to Eagles 19. We whoop that egg making fanny pouch. Its OUR turn to become a dynasty. Let it marinate over night. We have good to great players everywhere. A hall of fame LT is coming back. A p.i.m.p. wr is coming back. Im tell tall its OUR TURN. Jason Licht is singularly focused on becoming LEGENDARY amd he’s dragging all his players and staff with him. What a man whoo hoO Dominate ON 3 1.2.3. DOMINATE• Let’s fry up some eagle wings
September 27th, 2025 at 4:37 pm
Classic Ybor. Lol!
September 27th, 2025 at 5:08 pm
Thanks Suh!!
September 27th, 2025 at 5:25 pm
he’s the one guy where you don’t use stats to evaluate him. use his push. still mad he got flagged for roughness on his awesome sack. what was he supposed to do he was standing straight up. be taller?
September 27th, 2025 at 5:40 pm
Bucs’ Dline could very well have its’ hands full tomorrow with Kancey out and Logan Hall having a groin issue (he was limited in practice yesterday they said after missing Weds & Thurs, so heaven only knows if he’ll play, how much he’ll play if he does, or how well he’ll be able to play with a groin problem).
Got a hunch Vea & Gaines will get a lot of snaps, along with Elijah Roberts, CJ Brewer & Elijah Simmons. We’ll definitely be depending upon Vea for leadership.
September 27th, 2025 at 7:13 pm
I watched Gruden on YouTube. He is like a mad scientist in his lab. I am sure he would love another crack at the head coach job in the NFL.
September 27th, 2025 at 7:50 pm
Gotta collect my loose change and cash it in to watch multi millionairs run around….Nope no thank you. They getting too greedy. Only worthy of betting on like the Greyhounds.
September 27th, 2025 at 7:51 pm
Gotta collect my loose change and cash it in to watch multi millionairs run around….Nope no thank you. They getting too greedy. Only worthy of betting on like the Greyhoundsat Derby Lane
September 27th, 2025 at 8:08 pm
Time for reddick to shine, revenge game, strong pass rush would neutralize their QB and allow middle linebackers the freedom to pursue, should be a fun game to watch, dogfight between our defense and their offense
September 27th, 2025 at 8:38 pm
Bucs have been great on fourth down and short.
September 27th, 2025 at 10:07 pm
Hope Todd has had a ton of water and a low sodium diet for the past week.
September 27th, 2025 at 11:41 pm
If this game clock manager is really a thing hats off to Bowels (ego) and the rest of management to allow and accept this (maybe even pursue it from what I heard about Licht going after the Jaguars guy)…. The last 3 games have been a thing of beauty (from a sense of game time management). I know this sounds petty but I have played competive madden for 10 years and there is no more important factor in my games than game clock management in regarded to who wins the game. Whoever is helping direct the shots, especially at the end of the first and second half’s, is putting up a master class of clock management. Hats off to everyone involved and hats off to Todd Bowles for turning the corner in the level of coaching he has shown through 3 weeks.
September 27th, 2025 at 11:44 pm
Todd Bowles has gone from a coach I wanted to see booted to a coach I don’t ever want to see go. He is the Dan Campbell of the NFC South. Keep being aggressive Todd and playing to Win and you will be long for this team, Hell of Highwater.
September 28th, 2025 at 12:46 am
Comparing Todd Bowles to Dan Campbell is like comparing Madeline Albright to Jennifer Aniston.
Todd plays soft and scared at the end of halves, especially end of games, and at the start of games on defense. Dan Campbell has full time coordinators. Bowles reports to himself.
Campbell plays to win and does so aggressively. Todd plays not to lose. But loses games he has in the bag. Dan Campbell rips those games from opponents’ grasp. Yes Bucs came out on top last season in game 2 and afterwards Dan Campbell took the full mea culpa, berating himself for some bad decisions, bad communication and worse execution. Todd blames the heat, a bad foot and myriad other random excuses for why he, himself, failed.
Maybe Todd is the best in the NFC South. Like being the tallest dwarf at the Friday Night Toss. Woohoo.
September 28th, 2025 at 6:05 am
Thanks for the recommendation Rod. The Gruden podcast was a fun watch. He made me laugh several times, especially talking about acclimating to the heat here.
September 28th, 2025 at 11:55 am
Aqualung, you really are a piece of (dimwitted) work. I know, you get your jollies coming on here and sounding like an idiot. Glad I have a life outside my desktop. Big VV doing the Hustle there in that photo. I love it!! Cardiac Bucs have got to bring their A+ game today. And watch out for the refs! C’mon, Tampa Bay, 4-0!!!!