Practice Paying Off
September 23rd, 2025
Looking at lucky stars?
The Bucs are now the kings of the comeback, the standard bearer for cardiac rallies. The new never-say-die team.
Why is that? Can’t discount luck. And you cannot discount the moxie of Bucco Baker Mayfield at quarterback. It also helps that Mayfield has plenty of weapons (when healthy) and good enough running backs that defenses cannot ignore them.
To hear Bucs coach Todd Bowles speak, he harkens to the dreary days of July and August when the Bucs are withering on the vine in the brutal central Florida summer sun.
It is there the seeds were planted to become the first team to win its first three games of the season all with last-minute game-winning drives.
They’re now bearing fruit, Bowles said.
Bowles said the Bucs worked on the team’s two-minute offense “a ton during camp and during the summer. … “We probably get to it every Thursday, as well.
“So, we’ve spent a lot of time on it from the spring until now.”
Joe wonders why that is or maybe why the Bucs didn’t spend so much time on it before? Bowles, correctly, determined a two-minute offense is valuable and worthy of spending a lot of time.
It’s clearly paying off. What Joe is curious about is whether the Bucs not spend a sufficient amount of time on a two-minute offense in past years? And if not, why not?
Regardless, the Bucs are 3-0 and 60 minutes away from a landmark, upset victory at home on Sunday that could slingshot the Bucs forward in ways none of us may have dreamed.
With all of these injuries and to be 3-0, someone is living right.
September 23rd, 2025 at 5:09 am
Finding ways in crunch time to beat the opposing teams AND overcoming the referees attempts at manipulating games against our favor all three games thus far makes 3-0 even more impressive.
September 23rd, 2025 at 5:38 am
IF THE BUCS BEAT PHI …
The other NFCS teams should lose their games. The Bucs be would be up 3 games in the NFCS. That’s close to a wrap, folks.
Current W-L: 4-0
NFCS Games +3 = 7-2
.500 Non-NFCS +4 = 11-6
With 3 and 4 losses, the other teams don’t really have a mathematical chance.
September 23rd, 2025 at 5:39 am
Well then, maybe we should practice more 4th quarter defense. And Special teams.
Zyon definitely needs to practice knowing where the ball is.
September 23rd, 2025 at 5:47 am
Why not use the 2-minute offense to START the game?
September 23rd, 2025 at 5:56 am
There’s no reason that the Bucs can’t beat the Eagles this Sunday. None. The Eagles aren’t playing dominating football. They squeaked by the now 1-2 Cowboys 24-20, then squeaked past the now 1-2 Chiefs 20-17 before oh ya, squeaking past the now 2-1 Rams 33-26 in the last 3 seconds thanks to a blocked FG returned for a TD (and the win). We can beat these guys.
September 23rd, 2025 at 5:57 am
I doubt any other qb has more game winning drives than Tom Brady. Now the Bucs have Mayfield who has a similar will to win. I’m betting the Bucs have practiced heavily on two minute drills for several years now. The question is when was the last time Todd was asked about two minute drills?
September 23rd, 2025 at 6:06 am
This is the first time in Bowles tenure that the offense didn’t have to learn an entire new system
September 23rd, 2025 at 6:30 am
It was the failures last year and watching KC and Atlanta steal it games.
September 23rd, 2025 at 6:42 am
Bring back the sugar huddle – lol.
September 23rd, 2025 at 6:43 am
Is this the week we bring up Watson to help stop the Tush Push? Without it Philly would be limited. Watson and Via – oh yeah!
September 23rd, 2025 at 7:15 am
Davey … Forget Watson; he’s got a long way to go. Bucs brought up DLineman Elijah Simmons for the last game against the Jets. He’s a rookie who played at Tennessee (6’1″ & 335 lbs). Wears #92 BTW.
Simmons got 11 def snaps against the Jets, but it doesn’t look like he got any stats. I did watch him on 1 running play & he got blocked out much too easily. Played at 350 lbs at Tennessee (5 years), but none of his stats are overwhelming (as in half a sack over 5 years?). But at his size he’s still a force.
September 23rd, 2025 at 7:19 am
It’s just coach-speak. The probably spent a lot of time on it before we just have the players to make it work better than other teams.
September 23rd, 2025 at 7:28 am
We’re really grasping at straws to put a negative spin on a positive thing.
September 23rd, 2025 at 7:41 am
The Packers lost to the Browns
Any Given Sunday
Focus on minimizing mistakes- reduce penalties, minimize turnovers, capitalize on other teams’ mistakes.
Special Teams’ mistakes/execution have almost cost Bucs 2 wins.
1 game at a time
Mayfield and Egbuka have been terrific!
September 23rd, 2025 at 7:47 am
next 4 games are crazy hard… if we go 2-2 it would be amazing!!
September 23rd, 2025 at 8:04 am
Being 3-0 buys us room to stumble during this stretch. Even going 2-2 puts as at 5-2 and in really good shape. I just worry we’re going to get the typical Todd Bowles losing streak like we have every season:
2024: Started 4-2, then 4-game losing streak
2023: Started 3-1, then 4-game losing streak
2022: Started 2-0, then 2-game losing streak, then a win followed by a 3-game losing streak
September 23rd, 2025 at 8:54 am
Practice does pay off! But if we can’t score more than one offensive touchdown against the Eagles Sunday we will lose our first game. So keep practicing guys cause there’s still alot of work to do! My nightmare scenario for this game though is that stinking Tush Push! We are one of the very best teams in this league when it comes to stopping teams in short yardage situations. If my nightmare plays out I bet a bunch more of our fans will turn against this non football play. Banish the Tush Push!! Send it to some other sport, like WWE, their fans would probably get their jolly’s out of it.
September 23rd, 2025 at 8:57 am
I’m not concern with a losing streak. This team (2025)has been a never quit team. The defense is pretty healthy. That is the key this year. Soon the offense will get a boost.
Enjoy the ride. Enjoy the wins.
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:00 am
Let’s remember it’s a long season and the combined record of our last 3 opponents is 1-8. We haven’t played a strong team but our games were tight.
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:28 am
Believe me it is on Eagles mind that the last two trips into the Sauna(Raymond James) has turned out poorly for them. Maybe just maybe if Grizz would pass a couple of times on first down and speed up the game, the Eagles tongues will be dragging by the 4th quarter and the Bucs win it going away.
September 23rd, 2025 at 9:51 am
this eagles team is very beatable…even with all our injuries this is still a very winnable game…
defensively, bring the blitz as bowles owns hurts in that department but play man with it not zone…
offensively, shore up the middle of the oline and run at their edges….use bucky and r.white to take advantage of their LBs poor coverage skills…
protect the football and we’ll be 4-0!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:25 am
What exactly is the Tush Push? Shows you how much I pay attention to the other teams. LOL. Is it illegal, cos if so, the zebs will love it (versus Bucs, you know)? I’ll be rooting for my team, and warning them about the constant opposition in black and white stripes. I sure hope Wirfs can start. That will be HUGE for this gutsy team and us diehard fans.
September 23rd, 2025 at 10:28 am
What Todd obviously doesn’t practice is his two minute defense. Or four minute defense. Or 4th quarter defense. Or opening drive defense. Inquiring fans would like to know what the genius has to say about “taking the foot off the gas” and whose foot he thinks it is. But like when asked about what happens to tighten up the defense to begin second halves last year he’d just say, “I don’t know.”
And, the offense is practicing against Boweels 2 minute defense meaning it’s more like a 7 on 7 walk through. So, the offense gained confidence from that and knows the other team’s offense will do the same.
September 23rd, 2025 at 11:32 am
Haven’t heard much from Rod the Munchman, oneilbuc and other hypercritical Mayfield posters. Much like in the fake world of football TV analysts, these phonies just rely on momentum to assess a skill set. Baker has had it recently so he must be OK. In truth, Baker hasn’t played as well as he will when the O line gets healthy and CG gets back. When that happens, there will be little doubt that Mayfield is an “elite” NFL QB–certainly in the top 5.
September 23rd, 2025 at 11:59 am
aqua
todd is making you look more foolish with each W!!!!!…lol
4-0!!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!