Did Bucs’ Offense Sleep In Too Long?

October 20th, 2025

Offensive players weren’t ready.

Did the Bucs offense not set the correct alarm for their afternoon naps Monday.

If you think about this, tonight’s 24-9 loss to the Lions should have been an absolute blowout. The Lions did their best in the first half to keep the Bucs in the game.

The Bucs got a precious takeaway early. Then, Lions coach Dan Campbell decided to listen to ESPN analytics and go for it on fourth down and failed when he easily could have kicked a field goal. Then, when Campbell did decide to kick a field goal, Detroit kicker Jason Bates missed it.

(Have you ever heard a BSPN announcer say during a game, “ESPN Analytics say don’t go for it?” It could be fourth-and-50 from the 10-yard line and an announcer will say, “ESPN Analytics says go for it!”)

And how many points did the Bucs score while the Lions did their best to spot the Bucs points? Zip. Nada. Nothing. Goose egg!

Joe knew the Bucs were in trouble after that, with just a field goal by Chase McLaughlin in the final seconds of the first half, trailing 14-3.

“We have to get better on offense, I think that’s pretty clear,” Bucs tight end Cade Otton said on the Buccaneers Radio Network after the game.

That was the difference in the game. A good team like the Lions hands the ball over by turnovers or missed opportunities to score — and the Bucs took those gifts and exchanged them at Rural King for a pile of horse dung.

You don’t beat good teams by passing on free beers.

The offense was simply sleepwalking in the first half. They weren’t ready to play. They weren’t sharp. They weren’t physical enough. And it cost them dearly.

37 Responses to “Did Bucs’ Offense Sleep In Too Long?”

  1. Obvious Says:

    McNeil wrecked the game inside

  2. Rod Munch Says:

    The offense?

    Baker was constantly missing guys all night. He’s been great this season, but he played like complete trash tonight. He needs to shake it off and not let it steamroll into a multiple game slide, if he does that, and they beat the Saints on Sunday, the Bucs will be just fine.

    As for Wiz Kid, he needs to go review the film of what was working last year, and it wasn’t just throwing it 40 yards down the field on every play. It was a quick strike passing game, and a creative run game, both things missing tonight. At the same time, there were plenty of times guys were running wide open and Baker kept missing them.

    Anyways, just delete this game from the memory files, and don’t let it turn into something bigger.

  3. Oxycondomns Says:

    shepherd fumble in first half, baker missed an open ebuka in the end zone on that long pass, missed tez in endzone. wouldnt be surprised if baker was playing injured. i dont remember any scrambles from him.

  4. #1bucsfan Says:

    Otton stepped up. Oline for the most part gave baker some time. Baker didn’t scramble at all well he did once then tripped and fell. To me baker doesn’t look 100

  5. Kgh4life Says:

    Liam Coen had a game like this against the Broncis last season. It’s Grizzard first time calling plays, he’ll learn from this.

  6. Mike Johnson Says:

    The Lions studied us thouroughly. They beat us in all phases of the game. Actually they should have had at least 10 more points before the 1st half. give’em credit. They wanted this game bad. and they took it. WE need to be ready for the Saints Sunday. 6-2 at the bye is pretty damn good. Don’t take them lightly.

  7. Pewter Power Says:

    All the top teams have an embarrassing loss on their records now we can scrap this one like they have and get down to business. As a side note it seems Bucs prefer taking naps in prime time slots. Maybe sitting around all day waiting to play the game just isn’t for us

  8. Erik with Pilot and Driver™ Says:

    If Baker would’ve been more accurate in the 2nd especially, we could’ve won this game. Receivers were getting open and could’ve made alot of gamebreaking plays if Bake didn’t overthrow them.

    Hopefully just an off game for Baker. It happens

  9. SBucs Says:

    Out coached again is constant theme of the Todd era.

  10. Bosch Says:

    Rat poison!

  11. Tbbucs3 Says:

    This game isn’t as concerning as being in a dog fight with the 0-7 Jets

  12. Nate1976 Says:

    The key tonight was baker didn’t use his legs while their backs were turned in man coverage and they should’ve ran screens all night long and quick throws and let our guys make places

  13. Rod Munch Says:

    Kgh4life Says:
    October 20th, 2025 at 11:13 pm
    Liam Coen had a game like this against the Broncis last season. It’s Grizzard first time calling plays, he’ll learn from this.

    ———–

    Baker was also terrible in that game, he held the ball forever and then was missing guys all over the place – but that game was vs the best defense in football, not the Lions who are one of the worst defenses.

    But yeah, learn from it, go back and watch the tape of what was working last year would be my big advice. They’ve got away from what was working and went to these deep passes, which they’ve been hitting, but odds say it won’t continue to work. Meanwhile the short passes are high percentage and very effective.

    Not knocking Baker overall, as long as he bounces back next week, the Bucs will be fine. They just can’t let this become a multiple game slide.

  14. Bosch Says:

    Cumulative score through 7 games. Bucs out scored by 1. Yet they are 5 and 2. If the Bucs are a championship caliber team, and they may be, then it is time to put some COMPLETE games together. Start with the upcoming weak opponent.

    I was afraid that ESPN power rating would be a curse. And by the way, you two Joes were of no help. You crowed about it way too much. I hate to be right.

  15. Jack Sparrow Says:

    Bucs looks like a JV team against the Lions varsity team

  16. Aqualung Says:

    A real head coach can coach on all three phases of the game and does.

    A real head coach never allows one side of the ball to be so non-existent. In other words, a real head coach is something the Bucs don’t have. We have three coordinators, and at least one has been caught molesting the dog in every game.

    Need a real head coach.

  17. 813bucboi Says:

    Bucs didn’t execute on offense and had no urgency

    BAKER doomed us tonight

    We’ll bounce back

    GO BUCS

  18. shane Says:

    Detroit offense really didn’t play well tonight…that 78 yd TD run by Gibbs came after the play Dean got plowed over by the receiver but got called from holding. If Baker just had an average night, the game could have been won, but Baker just sh*t the bed…plain & simple. Bucs got the Bills & the Rams on the road, as well. I think the Bucs just reached their apex at 6:59pm tonight.

  19. Alanbucsfan Says:

    Mayfield missed a td pass to T Johnson and he missed an open Egbuka but otherwise the receivers weren’t getting open on the Lions backups and that tells me the Lions defensive coaches won the day.

  20. shane Says:

    Alanbucsfan…really? were we watching the same game??? How many times did Aikman say “Baker overthrew the receiver, again?” about 9-10 times…

  21. Saskbucs Says:

    Looked bad for Baker from the jump when he did go to scramble and tripped himself up. He was running for 25+ if he didn’t trip and got around the lone defender over there.

    Baker, the right side of the OL and Grizz weren’t good. That’s a death sentence. Always easy to nitpick the OC and he can’t be out there executing but just didn’t seem like a solid gameplan to move the sticks and keep Lions O off the field. Didn’t mind testing the secondary but would have liked to see more 8-15 yard throws and routes than the 20+ balls that Baker was 0-8 or whatever. Just gross. Lost Mike, terrible night.

  22. johnnythemoon Says:

    We would all take 12-5 so that means you have to lose 5 somewhere…

  23. Alanbucsfan Says:

    The game was a pretty good defensive battle- the main difference was the big plays that Gibbs made that the Bucs didn’t match and some incompetent officiating and replay officials.
    Mayfield was under pressure most of the game and the Bucs had very little run game – credit to Lions’ D.

  24. HeartyDickerson Says:

    Licht needs to learn from his mistakes and stop drafting such small players. Yes, there some good talent is there, but when you keep signing undersized guys over and over, it’ll catch up to you. They either get bullied or injured or both.

    Tez, Cam, McMillan, Shepard, SVD, Winfield, Tykee, Parrish, Kancey…again, talented but all undersized. At some point that becomes your identity.

  25. unbelievable Says:

    Bad game from the entire offense.

    Baker missed at least 6 or 7 throws.

    O-line and TEs were getting blown up in pass blocking or committing penalties.

    And the WRs were getting almost no separation in the 1st half.

    Detroit manhandled us in every way. And the few times there was some hope, the refs literally gave them the ball.

  26. MomBucsFan Says:

    Really great comments! I think they can learn from this,and improve. The bye will help. Hopefully some injured players can heal and return.

  27. David Says:

    Tez Johnson ran into another WR three times tonight. That has to be a record.

  28. Tucker Says:

    Hope they are calling around for a receiver

  29. BigBoiBuc Says:

    @unbelievable -don’t recall the TEs getting blown up in pass protection. 88 & 87 only chipped and released . Elaborate please if I missed it. Or better yet, watch the game …

  30. BigBoiBuc Says:

    @unbelievable -don’t recall the TEs getting blown up in pass protection. 88 & 87 only chipped and released . Elaborate please if I missed it. Or better yet, watch the game …

  31. Captahab100 Says:

    Baker was terrible tonight under the spotlight of a national viewing audience. I think the MVP talk will cease and disist. Can’t miss wide open receivers multiple times on National TV.

  32. BucU Says:

    “”The Lions studied us thoroughly. They beat us in all phases of the game.””

    What were the Bucs coaches doing all week while the Lions were studying us thoroughly? Absolutely pathetic coaching from Bowels staff. They ought to be utterly embarrassed but they probably aren’t.

  33. Oxycondomns Says:

    we do what we do mentality. it frustrated brady. you cant afford to play from behind every time you play a good team like eagles or lions

  34. First Last Says:

    TB was too busy making dumb youtube shorts about Baker MVP and then he got cooked. This better light a fire underneath him to smoke the Saints. He usually has really good bounce back games. Just look out how Baker came back after the first panthers game last year. He did better vs the Raiders, then smoked the Chargers.

  35. BucfaninMi Says:

    Did they wake up?

  36. William Walls Says:

    No, Baker didn’t play like trash Monday night. He played like a solidly average quarterback. That’s what average quarterback play looks like. It’s just that we haven’t seen that for a while around here.

  37. vadertime Says:

    So it finally happened. The bucks made a good team they could not beat. The Lions gifted them many opportunities which the buck squandered. Mayfield was never in Rhythm throughout the whole game. On top of that we may have lost our best receiver for the rest of the season and possibly for good if this is his last season. Not enough people stepped up on both offense and defense to counter the Lions. The final score shows that and the final two minutes of desperation by the Bucks further underscore that. At least the Dolphins lost in embarrassing fashion earlier on Sunday, so I guess it’s just not the Bucks that need to retool their offense and defense. Hopefully they’ll learn and they’ll adapt and adjust. Go Bucks.

 

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