About The Bucs’ Short-Yardage Woes
October 26th, 2025
The Bucs have fixed many aspects of their team, especially special teams. But a new problem has arisen.
And it has a name.
It’s called 1st-and-goal from the 1 yard line.
The Bucs had four consecutive whiffs running up the gut from the 1 yard line midway through the second quarter.
This happened using multiple running backs: Rachaad White and Sean Tucker. And, Joe has to note, without even attempting a quarterback sneak.
Throwing? Well, it was on the Bucs’ mind.
“We thought about passes,” Todd Bowles said after the blowout Bucs win. “I mean, they stuffed us pretty good. They stuffed us pretty good up front. We gotta be able to get that ball in in less than eight tries. So, it cost us the first time. The second time we got it in. … We gotta have will to finish down there.”
Bowles referenced “eight tries” because the Bucs had 1st-and-goal at the 1 later in the game. In that sequencee, Baker Mayfield threw dangerous ill-advised passes to receivers that weren’t open, and the Bucs ran up the gut. On the final try, fourth down, Tucker squeaked it over the goal line.
The first failed series Joe could write off. Struggles soon after reveals a problem with want-to and playcalling and, possibly, skill.
Joe will look at the film and share later this week. Below, fans can watch Graham Barton get eaten up.
1st and goal? Nope
2nd and goal? Nope
3rd and goal? Nope
4th and goal? NopeSAINTS BALL.
đź“ş FOX pic.twitter.com/nvJOrmfTon
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) October 26, 2025
October 26th, 2025 at 8:11 pm
Embarrassing performance today on offense. In many ways it was worse than the Lions game. The offensive line is getting manhandled because Grizzard’s scheme is too vanilla and lacks any creativity. This is starting to remind me of the Byron Leftwich days.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:12 pm
That first series was actually five consecutive downs from the 1. The Saibts committed a penalty on 1st and goal from the 1. We accepted it, the ball was placed a half-yard out, and it was 2st and goal again from there. So, it actually took NINE tries to punch it in from the 1 or shorter.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:15 pm
cannot rewatch that–too distressing, if Barton was the problem then we may need to reposition him
October 26th, 2025 at 8:17 pm
Barton deserves a lot of credit for going out to LT and holding things down-ish, but he hasn’t been great back at C. Today was another game where he looked like Bob Hainsey’s kid brother on roller skates. He just can’t anchor well at all. Maybe more concerning is Wirfs getting abused by Chase Young all game long. Might’ve been 78s worst game as a pro. Beyond that, the goal line stuff falls on the OC. He was terrible again. Like Jeff Jagodzinki meets Jeff Tedford meets Marcus Arroyo, with a dash of Greg Olsen and sprinkle of Mike Shula level bad.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:17 pm
A few things:
1) We are seriously missing Evans, Goedeke, Godwin, and Bucky. Tez is stepping up but it’s not enough.
2) Egbuka looks like he is playing hurt, and defenses are keying on him.
3) Baker appears to be playing injured. He isn’t running like he was, and his throws appear impacted by his not wanting to get hit. It really doesn’t help that our O line is not playing well in either run or pass blocking.
I think these are really hamstringing Grizz on what he wants to do, and he hasn’t figured out the answers yet. His first year as a play caller has been filled with adversity. I think it’s way too early to throw in the towel on him. The bye week came at the perfect time, hopefully Baker and Egbuka come back much healthier, and maybe we will get some other guys back as well. And it gives time for Grizz to regroup.
We are 6-2 going into the bye!! Let’s be OPTIMISTIC!!!
October 26th, 2025 at 8:17 pm
A poster mentioned this the other day, so I paid attention to it today. It seems like most plays are snapped with under 5 seconds on the play clock. You’re setting the D up for success when you do that, the snap like the play calling should be unpredictable.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:18 pm
Didn’t we actually have 1st and goal twice. Didn’t New Orleans get a penalty for lining up in the neutral zone.
So, 5 up the middle running plays that failed.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:18 pm
Come on Joe, just not Barton, your favorite Wirfs got eaten alive today and that is a lot of eating
October 26th, 2025 at 8:20 pm
It seems to me the play calling was to blame. Yes, run it…..once. Maybe twice. But 4 times? Hell no! I would have had Mayfield run to his left along with a running back. He can run it in, pass it, or pitch to the back. Anything other than up the Canales errr middle, 3 times.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:22 pm
Barton is concerning. He’s looking like a replica of Hainsey. Very little power or strength. Whether runs or passes, the middle of the pocket is constantly collapsing.
You draft a Center in the 1st round, you expect a true difference-maker like a Mangold or Frederick. Barton looks below average.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:22 pm
It was 5 straight attempts. The first one was a penalty they couldn’t get a yard turn over on downs. Then 3 straight the next time they got to the one
October 26th, 2025 at 8:22 pm
Barton is a bust at this point. Everyone had their heads in the sand about him last year but he wasn’t good and is worse this year. No Goedeke, no Mauch, no Kieft. Bucs lost their toughness. Ira said he doesn’t care about trading for a guard. Well guess what, they have to. It’s a priority. The interior offensive line is getting crushed and it’s killing the offense.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:23 pm
Play action on first down and it’s a TD. Coordinator made it a point to run run run after last week. Point made. Not a good one. You can bet he won’t do that again on the road
October 26th, 2025 at 8:23 pm
Bucs should probably move Bredeson to C and Barton the LG. Things are just too fast for Barton.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:28 pm
Grizzard’s calls were especially weak today. He simply has to be better. We already know from two years ago that Rachaad is not an up-the-gut type of runner (but he’s great with short passes and much improved with other running schemes). But Grizz calls that play three times in a row. Unacceptable.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:28 pm
It was a odd series, line push was missing. Seems Mayfield is banged up by not scrambling last few weeks or trying a few sneaks there. Seems like Teddy could be used for consecutive sneaks for a few feet in a situation like that. Eat that W! Victory Monday tomorrow!
October 26th, 2025 at 8:28 pm
They have used Vea on the goal line before. I think he would have gotten it had they tried it after the second failed attempt.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:30 pm
I believe Baker is playing injured.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:31 pm
Did we just not win by 20 you idiots!
#neversasifyed
October 26th, 2025 at 8:32 pm
Barton shouldn’t be at Center.
Bredeson sucks at guard, but is much better at Center. Center is really his best position.
Barton was a better left Tackle than he is a Center. I bet he’d be a great guard.
Barton and Bredeson should switch positions.
For the second straight week, our Offensive line has played horrible. Wirfs is getting manhandled, and committing stupid penalties. It’s like he’s distracted.
Bredeson is is usually a weak link at Guard. When Wirfs plays bad- he really sticks out as struggling.
The right should be struggling, and they are.
Haggard was playing decent, wish he was back. Klein settled things down a bit, when he came in the game.
Heck was mediocre. That’s about as good as he’s gonna get.
The line has sucked, and Crippled the offense.
The Bucs better figure out a way to improve our line- or the next few games, after the bye, are gonna be hard to watch
October 26th, 2025 at 8:35 pm
A good team beats us again today. Baker is obviously hurt…Egbuka as well…Wirfs was awful today. The injuries are definitely affecting the performance and that is understandable. Going up the middle 146 times in a row isn’t.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:35 pm
Sheen you idiot. Was there any guarantee we were not going to need that score to win?
October 26th, 2025 at 8:38 pm
As a reminder, the Bucs are still missing 40% of their starters on the offensive line.
At the same time, there is no one more happy with endlessly running it up the middle, regardless of the results, than Todd Bowles. This is what you get when you mindlessly just yell RUN RUN RUN.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:39 pm
Maybe put Vita Vea in as a fullback or a running back in short yardage. Even the big boy from Florida could do it.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:40 pm
@Rod Munch
Mauch is coming back and who knows if Goedeke is.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:41 pm
Barton seems to be struggling with power….bull rushes are whipping him this year…not just him but our GCG combo…that’s concerning
We’ll look at things and correct them…I have faith in this staff
GO BUCS
October 26th, 2025 at 8:41 pm
Wasn’t there a failed try on 1st down negated by an offsides…….
So that made it 5 tries.
October 26th, 2025 at 8:47 pm
Easy solution first go with the hot hand who just got you plus 15 in Tucker not white. Second once you get your right tackle back all is good, and third go with Bucky! Go Bucs! You can do it!
October 26th, 2025 at 8:48 pm
“we thought about passes” . is bowles involved with the offensive play calling ?
October 26th, 2025 at 9:00 pm
Have to spread out the offense a bit. They clogged themselves up. Ran in to themselves.
October 26th, 2025 at 9:02 pm
Well the Bucs have 2 weeks to fix the problem and they did not give the Pats anything to key on if adjustments are made. I guess that is the one advantage of playing a meh, vanilla, not turn the ball over offense through most of the game. Anyhow, the OL looks mediocre at best, they do say that the weakest link can affect the whole unit and loss of Mauch and Goedeke has introduced 2 weak links. The Bucs O-line coach has work to do.
October 26th, 2025 at 9:11 pm
Graham Barton did not have a good game and neither did the rest of the line. Most surprising was Tristan Wirfs getting owned by Chase Young on several plays, including two illegal procedures. I have to believe Wirfs is still injured and is not 100 % yet. With the bye week hopefully they can reset and start fresh with a very good New England team in town in Two weeks.
October 26th, 2025 at 9:37 pm
GIZZARD IS PLAYING BRION LEFTWITCH BALL ! BORING VANILLA ! MY PERSONAL OPINION, BECAUSE IT’S LOOKS SO MUCH LIKE BRIAN LEFFWICH, I THINK BOWLES ! HAS HIS HAND IN IT AND IS TELLING GIZ, WHAT TO DO.
October 26th, 2025 at 9:44 pm
Said it earlier in the week I knew they were going over correct and force the run. That goal line was absolutely terrible play calling even worse execution. 6-2 at the bye with all these injuries I’ll take it. Get healthy n let’s go
October 26th, 2025 at 9:53 pm
Short week, on the road again with how many starters out? HAVE to be healthy coming out of the bye; the next 3 games will show our true 2025 identity.
October 26th, 2025 at 10:26 pm
Tucker is not an NFL back ,,,,, he runs out of control, has nobody control, is way too upright, has no body lean , and his vision is mediocre at best……….. the scary part is they’re using him in the short yardage situations and he’s not good…….. it’s Bibo on how these teams go into the seasons without good yardage backs ….Rashad White was a terrible short yardage back, but he at least has gotten better and will now sometimes accelerate to the line and when he does. He’s a pretty good short yardage back…….. Sean Tucker would not be anywhere close to a short yardage package with competent short yardage NFL coaching.
October 26th, 2025 at 10:27 pm
I also did notice Graham Barton as the center getting off the ball really really slow. It’s weird
October 26th, 2025 at 10:37 pm
Those 8 attempts were some of the most unimpressive playcalling I’ve ever seen.
I understand a couple tries running it of course, but there was no misdirection or creativity in the run scheming.
October 26th, 2025 at 10:44 pm
Elwood
At least he got in.
October 26th, 2025 at 11:12 pm
It is simple-
Must win the trenches and they had a backup RT and a fourth string RG.
When they get a touch healthier and play together more, a little more cohesion, they will be fine