Bucs Forced To Adjust
October 1st, 2025
Walk-through today.
Late Tuesday night, Joe was scrolling through Twitter and noticed NFL columnist Mike Sando of The Athletic published an interesting video.
It’s an old video of former Colts and Saints coach Jim Mora. No, it wasn’t the famous “Playoffs!” video where Mora, then coaching the Colts, squealed when asked about making the playoffs.
No, this appeared to be an old video shot after a training camp practice last century when the Saints and the Chiefs (and other teams) held training camps in various small Wisconsin college towns.
Mora moaned that the Saints had so many injuries, he wasn’t sure he could hold an honest practice. There weren’t enough healthy bodies to go around.
That seems like that’s where the Bucs are. The Bucs have a M*A*S*H unit full of injured players, including several more after the Eagles game.
Three notable players were Jamel Dean, Benjamin Morrison and Bucky Irving. Irving may be dealing with a nasty injury as he is seeking additional opinions on a hurt ankle.
Guys who may only miss a game or a couple of practices rarely seek additional medical opinions.
So yesterday the Bucs emailed to media their practice schedule this week. This is often done before a previous Sunday game. This particular advisory was done two days after a game.
There is a reason for that.
In the advisory, it notes today’s practice will be a walk-through. That is unusual for a Wednesday practice for a Sunday game. That sort of tells Joe the Bucs are so beat up, they either don’t have enough bodies to hold a real practice or they’re scared someone else may get injured and they’re just trying to get to Seattle without more bumps and bruises.
If Bucky cannot go for a few games, man, Joe cannot remember the Bucs being this beat up in September.
And yes, Joe knows today is the first day of October.
October 1st, 2025 at 1:02 am
Good grief this is turning into a disaster
October 1st, 2025 at 1:11 am
Almost every team is dealing with a seemingly huge increase in the number of injuries… gee, I wonder why. Probably because they’re practicing too much and too hard, so what they need to do is reduce the number of practices yet again. Using some elementary school level logic, that will clearly lead to less injuries.
October 1st, 2025 at 1:24 am
Slowly turning into flag football. It’s happening. The felinification of the game is about to hit a higher gear.
October 1st, 2025 at 3:28 am
Bucky has some kind of long term foot problem I read about a few times. I hope it’s not flaring up too much!
October 1st, 2025 at 5:18 am
Saw a replay on the Jumbotron of a Bucky run up the middle – his ankle in the wrong direction when tackled..
October 1st, 2025 at 5:19 am
I’ll agree that some guys are more injury-prone than others.
But, I still think there’s something deeper at the root of our injury issues. I think it starts with our training camp/practice regimens and how we’re conducting them/what we’re doing. Or not doing. It begins during the off-season and continues throughout the year.
Season after season, we seem to have more serious injuries starting during training camp than other teams. And week after week during the season, our injury report always seems to have more names on it than our opponents’ reports.
There are exceptions.
But, it’s been like this for a few years. One exception was our Super Bowl season when we stayed pretty healthy overall.
That suggests to me the issue goes beyond the fact that some guys are just more injury-prone than others. What are we doing (or not doing) in our training camps and practices that leads to this?
I’ve see the reports that there seems to be more injuries across the league this year than in previous years. And we’re not the only team that gets decimated by them. The Lions were pretty beat up last year.
I think our coaching, training and medical staffs need to sit down and come up with some new methods/routines/regimens for in-season practices and pre-season training camps.
October 1st, 2025 at 6:40 am
We are set up PERFECTLY for our annual mid season losing streak. Got em right where we want em.
October 1st, 2025 at 7:02 am
Vanessa
Maybe something to do with doing very little of anything all camp and preseason, then going full speed in games immediately?
Teams used to practice twice a day, with real hitting and injuries didn’t pile up like this. Players are bigger, stronger and faster these days.. but still.
October 1st, 2025 at 7:19 am
Some of our guys need to be running gassers. Some coaches too.
Go Bucs!
October 1st, 2025 at 7:31 am
We draft for character, not grit. More prone to locking arms than horns.
October 1st, 2025 at 7:40 am
One time I would like a comment that says something along the lines of “we have more injuries than other teams, so it’s Todd/training staff/Jason Light/organization’s fault to actually come with numbers proving their statement.
Does it feel to me like we are more injured than other teams, yep. Do I read detailed daily injury reports of other teams? Of course not.
October 1st, 2025 at 7:57 am
On the tackle that Bucky fumbled the ball,
If you look closely, that tackle would have broken 99% of players ankles.
Bucky is the tuffest RB I’ve ever seen.
Considering his size.
And to think that Bucky came back and caught a 72 yard TD?
I’ll never forget Buckys eyes after his fumble and TD.
He looked possessed!
That’s the kind of look you want to see in an NFL player!
Like a warrior possessed!!
October 1st, 2025 at 8:12 am
I’m with Teacherman, an illegal hip drop tackle when Bucky ‘fumbled’. Why are there refs on the field if they don’t call a dangerous hip drop tackle that could have been season-ending?
October 1st, 2025 at 8:24 am
Yes on the injuries, it just seems we picked up where we left off last season. I do think it has to do with training regimen. Players no longer play preseason games. Then start the season going full tilt. Maybe, it is just too much to fast. Maybe players need some preseason afterall to get used to the level of play that starts when the season starts. Maybe practices have gone a little to soft as well. The emphasis now is to have softer practices, little tackling. Then they enter a game where the intensity is through the roof. I don’t know maybe practices need to be geared to adjust to the level of the real games. The game has become more physical, yet the practices are less physical?, sounds like a recipe for injuries to me
October 1st, 2025 at 8:26 am
On the play Bucky supposedly fumbled he was already down.
October 1st, 2025 at 9:32 am
The Bucs drafted Bucky knowing he has a chronic foot injury that will never heal properly. White gets his long term deal after he takes over for Bucky. Bucky can be the change of pace back. 5 carries per game is the workload he can safely handle.
October 1st, 2025 at 10:08 am
Joe would be very surprised if White is back next year. He’s already had more than one social media post in recent months about leaving without actually saying he’s leaving. And knowing how averse the Bucs are to signing running backs in their late-20s (White will be 27 in January) the only way Joe sees White back is if he works on the cheap and/or no one else shows any interest (which of course would drive his price down).
The Bucs still have a bunch of guys they need to sign in the next two years. Don’t think White is high on that list. Certainly not over Cody Mauch or Calijah Kancey or Baker Mayfield. Even YaYa is in a contract year next year.
Never say never but White returning would be a surprise.
October 1st, 2025 at 11:06 am
Yeah I don’t see them signing white to a long term deal they will just draft another running back to pair with Bucky.
October 1st, 2025 at 11:37 am
White will want his shot at a big $ contract, he and Bucs will be parting ways. Bucs will draft a RB in the middle rounds, 3-5.
October 1st, 2025 at 1:25 pm
What ever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger! We will survive and concur! Next man up! Bring on Seattle!!
October 1st, 2025 at 2:07 pm
White’s availability makes him undesirable for resigning. He needs to average at least 4 weeks out every season for cosideration. So Kancey and SVD are locks
October 1st, 2025 at 2:27 pm
white is gone after this. another JL project over. he’s kinda slow and his footwork is weird. too old too slow. decent all around human being otherwise
October 1st, 2025 at 2:48 pm
Joe, you want White gone? Bucky’s foot sounds more and more like it was fractured. You can bet the eaglets got away with it. Referees? Where?