Fun Without Flags
October 21st, 2025Joe was sickened by the officiating last night. Too much of it makes no sense, like Cade Otton getting stripped of a first down after two reviews that featured no clear evidence to overturn the Bucs’ new set of downs.
Yeah, Joe wrote about it earlier, but above photo is from the JoeBucsFan.com photo genius on the scene. The football is seen on its way to Mike Evans while the Lions defender is completely airborne and hanging on/clinging to Evans’ neck.
No flag!
Sadly, this is the play that left Evans with a concussion and a broken clavicle. The Bucs punted from their 40 yard line two plays later.
October 21st, 2025 at 8:55 am
Did the NFL borrow refs from the WNBA?
October 21st, 2025 at 8:56 am
This league is atrocious! What a cheap product. Really sad!
October 21st, 2025 at 8:59 am
Yeah, there was an atrocious amount of illegal activity last night. I’m sure we would’ve lost either way, but damn. I didn’t know the booth can only call in to change calls for the Lions, or that we can challenge official reviews now???
October 21st, 2025 at 9:00 am
Complaining about the officials is a losers path.
It’s a long game and calls are missed….its part of the game. The super slow motion replays have likely made the game worse. Looking at a play from 5 angles is ridiculous but that is reality now.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:03 am
Plenty of questionable calls have gone the Bucs way this season. It works both ways.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:05 am
I was wondering why the announcers weren’t talking about the non call,it was so obvious it was ridiculous.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:07 am
I’m not in the “the NFl is rigged ” group but even I thought they had a strong argument last night and that wasn’t the only play.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:07 am
It works both ways BUT overall the NFL needs to treat officiating as a crisis. It is wildly inconsistent and gets worse each year.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:08 am
BOWLES OBSERVATION
I see a lot of improvement from Bowles this year but he still doesn’t win prime time games. In fact, he gets beat in really embarrassing fashion.
The refs didn’t lose us the game. The offense did. They’ll get better but I don’t know if Bowles will improve when the lights are bright.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:12 am
Many of us knew coming in that there would be home cooking…especially after last week and the Chiefs/Chefs had lots of it in their Kansas City “kitchen”…but this was embarrassing blatant. Two 3rd down stops? No worries…late flags giving the Lions a fresh set of downs. Both times they scored TDs on the very next play. Two calls reversed without clear evidence? No problem…Lions ball on “turnover/downs” Leg whip on Baker…a “protected” QB? Nothing to see here. Last gasp over and out.
You can’t blame the refs for the loss…but it was nearly over before it even kicked off.
My fear was “no major injuries at least”. Nope…Evans cooked and Reddick hobbled and k ow has an alibi for mediocre play.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:12 am
@What the heck Says:
Complaining about the officials is a losers path.
—–
Thats just silly. Some of you kiddies just like using the world loser to any and everything. We lost because the offense didn’t show up but to claim you cant talk about how the rules are administered is really to say the game should be played at times without them.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:14 am
This has absolutely been the most pathetic refereeing of any year since the Fail Mary. At least three times last night, including this one, I noticed as Mayfield threw a pass and as soon they switched the cameras to the receiver, he is being tackled before the ball was even in view.
How can they really be this bad?!
October 21st, 2025 at 9:16 am
Always appreciate your candid coverage. The extent of prediction/betting/gambling on the NFL and almost everything else is staggering,
and the lack of consistent and balanced officiating last night was nauseating.
That said, the problem is that one must either take it on faith that the errors will even out over time (and the system is not rigged), or one must find better things to do with the time than watch football. I’m still watching…for now.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:16 am
nothing like getting tackled by the neck while the ball was in the air. lots of uncalled penalties on The Lions. Another lube job by the refs in the motor city.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:16 am
Posted this elsewhere but when my dad (who’s a Chiefs fan) messaged me after the Otten stolen catch interception and said, “I’m sorry, the Lions got screwed by the refs last week, and now they’re getting their make-up game,” I knew I wasn’t crazy.
That said, as much as I love Baker Mayfield, this is exactly what keeps him out of the Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes “best in the league” conversation. He seems to have a few of these kinds of games every year. I don’t know why, but it’s just true.
Even with the refs clearly playing favorites and calling nothing, if Baker could have made just four or five slightly better throws, the Bucs still win anyway.
I’ve been a dedicated NFL fan for many years, but the ongoing officiating bias has really diminished my enjoyment of the game. I used to watch every Sunday without missing a moment, but after the past few seasons, that level of enthusiasm is gone.
I’m sure I’ll still tune in occasionally, but the trust and excitement that once made the league so special to me have faded. I’ll probably skip fantasy football next year too — it’s just not as fun as it used to be.
And that’s the saddest part: football is supposed to be FUN. Even playing fantasy football this season isn’t enough to bring back that feeling anymore the product is just not what it used to be…
October 21st, 2025 at 9:19 am
Hairlip Hussey could barely contain his evil grin while declaring Detroit ball, game, set and match.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:21 am
MikeBuc says….”how the rules are administered”
Crying about the refs get you nowhere kiddie. It is a losing path to “blame the refs”
October 21st, 2025 at 9:21 am
The following, in a nutshell, is one way horse races were fixed back in the day.
A jockey/horse was selected to win. All other jockeys/horses in the race would lay back. If the selected jockey/horse faltered during the race, then it was every jockey/horse for himself/itself. Because appearances mattered, can’t make it too obvious.
I ceased betting on horse races when, after a stretch of time, I was given 12 tips on “winning” horses. None paid less than $10.00 with a win bet.
Did anyone really think at halftime that the Bucs were going to win last night’s game?
October 21st, 2025 at 9:22 am
Look at his feet getting kicked out as well probably leading to the awkward landing causing all the injuries. What a shame. Ownership should be on the phone with the league this morning.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:23 am
What the Heck, name some that have gone their way. Don’t just talk out of your A$$. Ive been tallying them. They get roughly 25% of the proverbial “coin flip” calls as exemplified by last night as they got one of those four to go their way. Ive never seen another team get so many called plays on the field reversed without clear and convincing evidence. Remember, how they state it to qualify a reversal; it must be a decision that if you asked 99 of 100 people, they would agree. This is rule of thumb is practically never used when it comes to reviewing the Bucs.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:31 am
You’re all right. The officiating was an abomination in this game and numerous others as of late. And it’s getting worse. Once the masses start thinking that the ref’s can and do intentionally influence games your product is in big trouble. (See Kansas City Chiefs.) If this is the best that the NFL can do in 2025 then this empire of theirs is going to start crumbling sooner rather than later.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:33 am
Acting like calls don’t effect games is a wild take lol beyond that bucs Mayfield in particular left alot of plays out there timing was off almost like they had some injured players haven’t been practicing and the chemistry was off. Oh well on to the next one time to hammer down on the saints.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:38 am
The calls sometimes go in your way, sometimes against, but last night all of them go against us. The flag in 3rd down who keeps their drive alive before the 2nd TD, and the 2 overturned calls against Otton were weirds. The Lions were the better team last night but they couldnt put the game away and the zebras help them. But this is past and we have to look that we played against 2 teams who are candidates to play in SB representing the NFC and we lost booth badly
October 21st, 2025 at 9:42 am
Joe says: Joe was sickened by the officiating last night. Too much of it makes no sense, like Cade Otton getting stripped of a first down after two reviews that featured no clear evidence to overturn the Bucs’ new set of downs.
^^^^
To both Joes, I recognize each of you as being true sports and Bucs fans. You make your living covering and reporting on all things Bucs and do so very well. Your passion shows. I can only imagine what your thoughts really are. You are part of a system and I suspect are very reluctant to bite the hand that feeds you. I know it would never happen but a capable prosecutor could probably find RICO statute violations. RG and the NFL is holding hostages.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:46 am
Through six weeks in this space, Joe is up $134.00 after another winning week. What a public service Joe has provided!
^^^^^
It seems to me you are feeding the beast.
October 21st, 2025 at 9:56 am
You can’t blame the refs for the loss. But, the bad calls and no calls make the game a lot less fun to watch no matter who you are pulling for. The NFL has all of this technology, yet, it makes the bad calls/no calls all the worse. And, don’t get me started about the announcers agreeing or going silent on bad calls. They are compliant stooges. ESPN now has fake wrestling. The NFL is not far behind. . .
October 21st, 2025 at 10:07 am
40 yards of rushing from bucs ….tough to win when you have to throw every time to get positive yards
October 21st, 2025 at 10:16 am
Ya-Sin not only committed PI but landed right on Mike as he landed on the ground. Had the nerve to get up and celebrate that like he made some great play.
October 21st, 2025 at 10:21 am
RG and the NFL and their strongarms have it under control. Any sign of courage or rebellion would be snuffed out immediately. The hogs are being fed very well. Napoleon is always right.
October 21st, 2025 at 10:26 am
when the announcers failed to mention that Ya-Sin obviously flagrantly fouled Evans, I completely lost respect for them
October 21st, 2025 at 10:37 am
Three fouls on the play:
-Defensive Pass Interference
-Horsecollar tackle
-Unnecessary Roughness
From a former official. And this play took long enough to see it and call in. There is no excuse when a player is injured from a referee’s stupidity.
October 21st, 2025 at 10:37 am
What The Heck,
You should probably shut your trap about saying Bucs actually have gotten favorable calls earlier this year.
Bro, you’re wayyyyyyy the hell off.
Bucs CONSTANTLY every week get some of the most ridiculously atrocious calls in the NFL. That’s a freaken fact!!!
These refs deserves to be hung up by their feet and used like a piñata!!
It’s an absolute joke the NFL has become.
The refs just make up new rules as they go in the middle of games every week when it comes to the Bucs.
Simple as that 🤷🏻♂️
October 21st, 2025 at 10:39 am
Jcscycles for the WIN!!
October 21st, 2025 at 10:56 am
The speed of the game has left ALL officials flat footed and becoming spectators instead of enforcers of the rules! Add to the NFL/media “let’s speed” the games up so more commercials and more money which leads to less penalties on certain teams in prime time games!
October 21st, 2025 at 10:56 am
When you gotta billion dollar sponsor, you listen to their needs. The NFL needs to get out of bed with spots booking
October 21st, 2025 at 10:58 am
Todd destroyed Mike’s career to save face for his countless flat Prime Time Football appearances. Combine that with BAD Baker, and this is what you get.
October 21st, 2025 at 11:03 am
the DL tripping baker!!!!
clearly stuck his leg out…
on to the next one!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 21st, 2025 at 11:06 am
The NFL has already become the WWE, the refs only see what they want to see. Injuries are the only real thing in both environments. Thanks Mike.
October 21st, 2025 at 11:10 am
Bad calls galore last night !! Our Bucs just couldn’t get a break. I have never witnessed a crazier football game in my life !!
Baker was definitely off his game. I think it’s because they bull rushed him every play. They got their hands up and tipped a lot of his passes. EE 2 was well covered as well. RW 1 just couldn’t break any long runs.
How bout Tez Johnson flashing a TD !! If the little guy can stay healthy he’s going to be a difference maker in future games !!
It was just a bad night overall for our Buccaneers!!
If the Bucs can pull off a V in New Orleans they will be 6-2 !! That’s huge yall !!
Go Bucs !! Beat the Saints !!
October 21st, 2025 at 11:30 am
That play was pivotal in the game. A correct call shifts the momentum back to Bucs. It was a great throw and heroic effort by ME13 with a guy tackling him before the ball arrived. Bucs were assaulted all night by a bunch of thugs.
October 21st, 2025 at 11:32 am
Seems a little ironic that the Lions fans were chanting “refs you suck” in the middle of the game, don’t you think?
I’ve said it several times before. I’ve been watching for going on 50 years now, and I can count the ‘FAIRLY’ called games with fingers left over!
I can’t say that the Bucs are completely singled out but, that’s over 750 games and less than ten that I could (with generosity to the refs) say that were fairly called.
There is ABSOLUTELY a bias against the Bucs within the officiating community.
Whether the officials are making money on it or not, the “gambling” community is quite aware of it.
‘what the heck’ SMH
October 21st, 2025 at 11:34 am
A real head coach would send this and all the other evidence of incompetent officiating to the League Office, demanding an explanation and action steps to see that significant improvements are made.
Todd won’t do that. He’s too busy muttering “man up” and such feel good platitudes.
October 21st, 2025 at 11:37 am
Sorry, you can’t say the offense lost the game when the defense gave up a TD on the opening drive in embarassing fashion. Three big plays, a TD, took like two minutes to score that first one. Way to take the crowd out of the game on the road. The offense wasn’t any better. Reality is they had over 300 yards of offense, and a sizable lead by half time. The defense was just as much to blame for this loss as the offense. Anyone who thinks that defense for the Bucs played well last night needs to rewatch it. See the wide open recievers, the missed tackles, Dennis never finding the right hole to fill, feel bad for his girlfriend! No side gets a pass for last night.
October 21st, 2025 at 11:43 am
Well, I’ve been a proverbial canary in a coal mine for a long time howling about the zebs. Why is holding considered a penalty? Refs call it when it’s convenient ($$ to them). Got a little Bucs/Lions/Refs flashback for you. I’m pretty sure this was during Gruden’s HC tenure. Bucs were playing (yet again) in Ford Field. Both teams weren’t much to write home about. Michael Clayton had already shown great promise as a receiver. Ball was thrown to him and he caught it near the sideline. Lions DB didn’t just tackle him; the bozo criminally assaulted Clayton. I watched it on the tube. Clayton was obviously injured and needed help getting up and out of the game. He was out for the rest of the season. When he returned, he wasn’t the same player. It was blatant unnecessary roughness. No call, no flag. Lions went on to win. These rich NFL yahoos figure us for stupid rubes. We’re not. They are hurting the sport. And believe me, no one is forced to pay attention to fixed sporting events.
October 21st, 2025 at 11:58 am
The refs are getting bad. They even try to dramatize the calls, playing to the crowd. It’s maddening.
AI and more cameras could probably replace about 90 percent of what they do, at a miniscule fraction of the cost.
October 21st, 2025 at 11:59 am
I am glad Baker mentioned the one idiot by name. He also gave him a good earful at the end of the game. I hope he doesn’t get fined, or even suspended.
October 21st, 2025 at 12:09 pm
“I see a lot of improvement from Bowles this year but he still doesn’t win prime time games. In fact, he gets beat in really embarrassing fashion.”
Easily one of the dumbest talking point in all of football, as if the guy coaching is doing anything in between the lines on the field of play to effect the outcome of the game or better yet like he’s sitting across the table from the opposing HC like it’s a Central Park Chess tourney. It’s so stupid “Bowles didn’t win the game” when in the blue hell is the last time 1 guy on the sideline won a football game for his team, ever?
What makes football greater than chess? The fact that unlike the board game, all the pieces are moving unbound by their specific movements and all the pieces move at once, but sure let’s boil it down and talk about it like two players on a gaming console are going head to head. Just to have something to say
October 21st, 2025 at 12:14 pm
The officiating was horrible last night, the missed calls went both ways for both teams.
October 21st, 2025 at 12:15 pm
While the officiating was horrendous and it sure did seem most calls went against the good guys, the bottom line is the offense did not have a good plan and did not execute on whatever weak plan they did have. With Godwin and Evans both out and the rookie WR not showing up (was he even at the game?), no amount of favorable calls would’ve won us the game.
October 21st, 2025 at 12:28 pm
If this game was in Tampa with a different crew Bucs would have won. The receivers were mugged all night and there were two egregious calls that should lead to the release of this Hussey AHole
October 21st, 2025 at 12:36 pm
If we won no one would complain.
October 21st, 2025 at 12:38 pm
You learn how each game is officiated, and you learn it quick. Basic gamesmanship
October 21st, 2025 at 12:50 pm
Fire all referees. Technology exists to replace them. It’s vomitous how bad it’s gotten, not just for the Bucs but every game.
October 21st, 2025 at 1:02 pm
HC Grover Says:
October 21st, 2025 at 12:36 pm
If we won no one would complain.
**********************************************************
I couldn’t disagree more.
Case in point would be the Lions fans chanting “refs you suck” last night over a (correct) non call when they were winning 99% of the officiating calls!
Even the GOAT, Tom Brady, noticed the extreme difference in officiating between his days as a Patriot -vs- his short tenure as a Buc. (I seem to recall that we one a super bowl with his help)
October 21st, 2025 at 1:20 pm
That was Rock Ya Sin on that pass interference and I hate that POS now.
Dude was out celebrating while Mike Evans laid there dead basically.
Sick of defenders in general celebrating incompletions when it’s clear they had nothing to do with it or if anythign committed a freaking penalty while injuring a player in this case.
Good job Rock Ya Sin. Keep celebrating weirdo
October 21st, 2025 at 1:22 pm
Wow!
The whining Bucs fans are so ignorant.
The Mike Evans injury play was a play where the defender was in very tight coverage and in no way deliberately attempted to injure Evans. At full speed the defender landed on top of Evans and his body weight and the high speed of the play slammed Evans shoulder into the turf and Evans head also slammed hard into the turf. It was a very hard football play that caused the injuries.
It was not a dirty play whatsoever. It’s a shame for Evans who is a HOFer but dirty play. Not at all.
October 21st, 2025 at 1:31 pm
Losers cry about the refs….especially after their teams gets it ass kicked.
October 21st, 2025 at 1:42 pm
Oh really, Ron and Gman? I’m reading that the Lions’ fans are chanting that the refs suck, and their team is winning. You 2 aren’t Bucs’ fans so why are you (yawn) on here?
October 21st, 2025 at 2:06 pm
We paid for the bad officiating in the Chief’s game. Also, great title to the article!
October 21st, 2025 at 2:12 pm
Orlbucsfan….Bucs season ticket holder for 40 years. Have forgotten more about football than you will ever learn. Just not a low IQ myopic homer like some of you. Eff off
October 21st, 2025 at 2:29 pm
Easy G-String man…we know you’re tough & stuff. The refs deserve a lot of criticism. They were awful…but not the reason The Bucs lost. They were outplayed and the Lions came in angry after facing similar fishy calls last week vs the Chiefs. No need to show us your tank top though.
October 21st, 2025 at 3:38 pm
Didn’t realize it at the time but not calling that blatant trip on Mayfield towards the end was ridiculous as well.
It all stunk last night. The announcers were slanted against us as well otherwise they would have called this crap out and they rarely did. On Deans penalty you could tell Aikman didn’t like it but he just let it go.
October 21st, 2025 at 3:44 pm
A real head coach would send this and all the other evidence of incompetent officiating to the League Office, demanding an explanation and action steps to see that significant improvements are made.
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NAWL!!!!!
thats what losers and birdbrains like yourself do!!!!!!
bowles has the BUCS preparing for the aints!!!!!
on to the next one!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 21st, 2025 at 4:03 pm
Gman Says:
October 21st, 2025 at 2:12 pm
Orlbucsfan….Bucs season ticket holder for 40 years. Have forgotten more about football than you will ever learn. Just not a low IQ myopic homer like some of you. Eff off
Gman Says:
October 21st, 2025 at 1:31 pm
Losers cry about the refs….especially after their teams gets it ass kicked
^^^^^
orlbucfan Says:
October 21st, 2025 at 1:42 pm
Oh really, Ron and Gman? I’m reading that the Lions’ fans are chanting that the refs suck, and their team is winning. You 2 aren’t Bucs’ fans so why are you (yawn) on here?
^^^^
I must say Gman that you are out of line. orlbucfan has a right to say what was said and was correct. You seem very sensitive for a man that has had season tickets for 40 years. Someone with those credentials, in my opinion, would possess more insight and class.
October 21st, 2025 at 4:20 pm
By the way Gman, having read orlbucfan’s post for quite some time and knowing what personal info that has been disclosed, low IQ myopic doesn’t fit the profile. As to the term “homer” if you mean biased home team fan that description applies to both orlbucfan and myself. Each of us has credibly documented our half century loyal following of the Bucs on these pages.
Question for you Gman; If having season tickets for 40 years doesn’t qualify you as a homer as well why do you use it as a pejorative ?
October 21st, 2025 at 4:28 pm
By the way Gman; Just in case you missed it.
Winny Testaverde Says:
October 21st, 2025 at 2:29 pm
Easy G-String man…we know you’re tough & stuff. The refs deserve a lot of criticism. They were awful…but not the reason The Bucs lost. They were outplayed and the Lions came in angry after facing similar fishy calls last week vs the Chiefs. No need to show us your tank top though.
October 21st, 2025 at 4:43 pm
While we’re ra ha hanting, would it be possible for defensive players not to all run down to the end zone act like a bunch of idiots every time they make a play?
October 21st, 2025 at 6:11 pm
I hate to say it but this is nothing new. The Eagles were out there flat out tackling WR’s before the ball got there for thr entire first half.
October 21st, 2025 at 6:13 pm
Its almost as if the refs were trying make it up to the Lions after last week’s weird overturned TD.
October 21st, 2025 at 6:25 pm
I need to look at the film again, but I noticed that a lot of Detroit’s blocks involved grabbing their opponent on the outside of both shoulders, which I thought was a holding penalty.
October 21st, 2025 at 6:37 pm
Evans was mugged on that play ! Egbuka was mugged on other plays !! Offensive holding by the Lions O Line was ignored the whole game !! Don’t take my word for it, look yourselves on the game replays of the long runs by Gibbs!!
Go Bucs !! Beat the Lions !!
October 21st, 2025 at 6:56 pm
It is sad that Evans was injured.
It is sad that the refereeing was so egregiously poor.
But, kudos for the Big Bang Theory (TB show ) reference!
October 21st, 2025 at 7:14 pm
Roscoe…a homer is not just someone that is a fan of a team…OrlBucs”fan” stated a lie and I corrected him. I am a Bucs fan. I am sitting in my car with a Bucs plate, wearing a Bucs shirt….wasting time responding to any of you. A homer is someone that thinks their team does no wrong and can’t emotionally anyone pointing out fact to the contrary. Blaming the refs for the loss last night and ignoring the horrible play on the field is what low IQ homers do. There are plenty in this comment section.
October 21st, 2025 at 7:36 pm
Gman… I hate to tell you this but I suspect that orlbucfan would eat your lunch in a real debate. Perhaps if you had been paying attention you would know that she is educated and is well versed in all things Bucs going back 46 years. That entitles her to an honest observation of the truth. I just responded to another commenter going by the handle gp on another thread stating my belief that the NFL is enacting a con on the fans. I suggested that the less fortunate are being robbed and the fans with disposable income are being coerced into turning it over for the perceived notion of status and prestige. Your sanctimony while wearing your Bucs apparel and getting your Bucs license plate washed is hilarious.