Todd Bowles Wary Of “Rat Poison”
October 20th, 2025
Agrees with Nick Saban.
Nearly a decade ago when Nick Saban ruled college football, he thought his Alabama players weren’t giving their best efforts because they were reading too many articles and watching too much BSPN telling them they were an unbeatable team.
Saban deemed the content lifting Alabama to unreachable heights without actually being there to be “rat poison” to players.
That phrase has resurfaced around One Buc Palace of late as Baker Mayfield called all the hype of him being NFL MVP “rat poison.”
Last week, BSPN ranked the Bucs as the best team in the NFL entering Week 7. (Joe thinks partially because BSPN wants to hype tonight’s Bucs’ game with the Lions.)
Todd Bowles tried to tap down those gaudy accolades and was asked last week if he believes in Saban’s “rat poison” philosophy.
“I do [believe the hype is rat poison],” Bowles said. “I understand it, but I do.
“It is only Week 7. We want to be the best and build to be the best – it takes time during the season. To build to be a good team, I think everyone is trying to do that right now.
“Rankings do not matter until the end of the year. Right now, we are just focused on the next game.”
Tonight shuld show if the Bucs might be eating the rat poison or have successfully tuned out the noise.
If the Bucs, banged up as they are on offenseare, can go up to Detroit and steal a win from the Lions, that will tell Joe these Bucs are not buying the hype.
@originsportstv RAT POISON ☠️ #bama #alabama #saban #nicksaban #rolltide #rolltideroll #bamafootball #alabamafootball #originsports #originsportstv #cfb #collegefootball #sports #football #ncaafootball #ncaafb #collegesports #fyp ♬ original sound – Origin Sports
October 20th, 2025 at 5:22 am
I love how this has become a thing! 💯 the right team mentality.
October 20th, 2025 at 5:31 am
Seems they have learned from the past mistakes, This Team is Different! LFG Bucs!
October 20th, 2025 at 5:31 am
Coach is too wise to allow any poison in our locker room. Bucs 38 Lions 27
October 20th, 2025 at 6:06 am
Nietherteam will be taking the other lightly.
October 20th, 2025 at 6:10 am
This is a team of dirty b rats and junkyard v dogs..
October 20th, 2025 at 7:14 am
Execute, make plays, DO YOUR JOB!
Bucs must focus on this and nothing else.
Standings mean nothing in week 7.
Any talk of, or belief in ‘best team’ right now is indeed Rat Poison
The Lions are a very good team with one of the best offenses in the league.
Bucs are going to have to bring their ‘A’ game into Detroit both Offensively and Defensively if they intend to get out of Motown with a win.
We need 30+ points from the Offense and 3+ sacks with at least 2 turnovers from the Defense.
October 20th, 2025 at 7:46 am
The Bucs look strong, but we all need to remember the breaks that helped them (deflection off a helmet, etc.). The team has the skills and hopefully hurt players will be on the field again soon. They can win tonight!!!!
October 20th, 2025 at 7:46 am
Evans gets 130 yards plus 2 TDs
EE gets 1 TD
Morrison gets his 1st INT
LVD gets one INT
Vita and Yaya each get a sack
Bucs win 31 – 27
October 20th, 2025 at 7:48 am
We have the more talented team- so it’s not stealing a win. It’s earning it.
October 20th, 2025 at 8:10 am
On any given Monday, I suppose. The network has to be thrilled with this game tonight. I’m sure FOX and NBC wanted it as well. Two good teams with the expectation that they will both play well. Detroit is headed into their bye week so you know Dan’s been talking about that poison as well. Hopefully the Bucs and Baker are ignoring all the hype like records, MVP, night games, etc. Just play good football boys.
October 20th, 2025 at 8:31 am
a tiny bit worried a drive or two will end because Baker tries to target Mike when others open. i think our top eight WRs could all get open tonight, so bad time for it. maybe they’ll get a pregame warning – i know you want to feed Mike, but you know, you were awesome last few games, so, whatever works.
October 20th, 2025 at 8:47 am
So the whole “rat poison” thing should work both ways. You write an piece about not looking at or listening to the hype and how it’s still early in the season. Then turn around and say somehow the Bucs must win this game to prove they really are a great team.
If the Bucs lose this game, I dont think they will come home with their heads down nor should the media draw any more conclusions based on this game. Just like if they win. The rat poison works both ways. Get healthy and then make your run after the bye.
October 20th, 2025 at 8:48 am
Better have an answer for Hutchinson or this is going to be a long night. So please dial in and take care of business up front, if so everything else will fall into place.
October 20th, 2025 at 9:27 am
This MNF game is winnable. The D is getting healthy. They need to step up and make plays, get off the field on 3rd and 4th downs more often than not. And figure out a way to stop Detroit’s run game.
The Buc’s O need to slow down Hutchinson, get the run game going, and control the clock. BM6 needs his A game again! Should be a great game! Get it done!!
October 20th, 2025 at 10:12 am
For this game I like how the Bucs are the underdog and they are in the lions den, literally. They will have to fight to win anything. An away game, on prime time and underdog mentality is all good.
October 20th, 2025 at 10:26 am
I’m kinda glad to hear that this is being fed to them. I mean we tend to get in our own way when the helium has inflated our heads. Only words, but how true they are and all the other things that upend a season. We are on setting sail into uncharted water tonight guys and that’s not a joke. We hopefully have Mike and Egbuka and we’ll see if Tez gets to do his flip again. Let’s have some fun, but keep our heads clear, and Tame a Lion tonight !!
Let’s Go Bucs!!!!
October 20th, 2025 at 10:34 am
The math is easy. Bucs have won 4 games by a total of 9 points, an average margin of victory of 2.25. Less than a field goal. Each of those 4 wins came as time expired except Atlanta, who drove down nearly winning it against the soft shell turtle then missing a FG as time expired.
This team is a blink from being 1-5. No one should be swelling up with how great they are. Except idiots with capital letters and exclamation marks.
A real coach would have the team understanding that. Let’s see if we have one.
October 20th, 2025 at 10:57 am
This game will come down to a few things. Can they game plan on offense to not allow Hutch to wreck havoc. Can they take care of the ball. And finally, can we pressure Goff wothoit having to blitz more then they want.
October 20th, 2025 at 11:23 am
6-1!!!!!!!
lets go!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 20th, 2025 at 11:28 am
the math is easy indeed!!!!!!!!
lions have only beaten 1 team with a winning record!!!!!!
lions 2 losses came from teams that have a winning record!!!!!
lions were held to under 20pts in both losses!!!!!!!!
the only folks that cant see a BUCS victory are the ones still picking feather out their mouth!!!!!!!!!
6-1!!!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!!
October 20th, 2025 at 12:04 pm
Bowles is right. But I think Baker will make sure the offense keeps its scoring attitude. The D is on Bowles and the players Detroit will be ready. We know that. So must we.
October 20th, 2025 at 12:27 pm
It’s great to see the team finally getting respect. However, we all know that if the defense does not improve quite a bit over the season, the playoffs are a different beast. Defense means a whole lot more, just like last years playoff game against the commanders. Our defense just could not get a stop. It was so hard to watch and I bet even harder for the players.
October 20th, 2025 at 12:54 pm
Understand that the fake media needed some “darlings” to fawn over, and BUCS with Baker and EE were ready to be embraced. Lose tonite BUCS can easily become “yesterday’s news”. LAR just had a big win and will be new media darlings in a flash unless someone from AFC fits that bill (Denver?).
October 20th, 2025 at 2:12 pm
It’s funny how people get on here and give some pep talk like the team is gonna read it and it’s gonna pump them up… we are fans, we simply observe… nothing we say or do is going to impact the game. No matter how much we cry or beat our chests, we have zero effect. If you wanna give analysis, cool… I saw some interesting numbers on Detroit losses and running the ball… which begs the question. Did they lose because they couldn’t run the ball or did they lose because they didn’t try to run the ball? Considering our defense… not being able to run the ball works well for us. Let’s hope that’s the reason.
October 20th, 2025 at 4:03 pm
I feel like our D-line is going to have an excellent game tonight. Detroit’s guards are green so Vita will cause some problems.
Go Bucs!!!
October 20th, 2025 at 4:19 pm
Even if they end up losing, it doesn’t mean they bought into the hype. It all depends on how they play. Are they competitive and doing their job or do they just look flat and clueless and get steam rolled?