Yahoo!: Bucs Offense Is Super Bowl-Worthy, But The Defense Isn’t
October 10th, 2025
Leader of a dangerous offense.
If last week in Seattle is any taste of what is to come, the Bucs absolutely have the offense to make a serious run at the Super Bowl.
But, oh, that defense.
Charles McDonald of Yahoo! Sports types that if the offense witnessed in Seattle is what the Bucs offense will morph into this season, absolutely the Bucs are a legit contender to play in Santa Clara in February.
But the Bucs defense? Yikes.
The fact that Tampa Bay’s offense could perform like this without being healthy is a great sign of what could be in its future once starters fully heal. The Bucs need it, too. Their defense is vulnerable and doesn’t have a bunch of talent like in years past. The Bucs can survive that as long as their offense plays closer to how it did in Seattle than in the first four games this season.
Joe likes to use the phrase, “Winning is the greatest perfume.” It’s true. When a team wins, people overlook the warts, and boy, were there plenty of warts Sunday.
The defense was horrendous in the second half. Lousy Lovie Smith bad. And the kick team, dang, you let an opponent in the playoffs start drives at or past midfield every time you’re likely going to get your doors blown out.
October 10th, 2025 at 5:13 am
These yahoo! Guys are clowns. They don’t have Baker as an mvp candidate, they have Allen, Mahomes and I think Lamar. I kinda skimmed when I saw they did the cookie cutter generic list.
October 10th, 2025 at 5:14 am
That being said, they are right about the defense. Todd needs to stop playing games and let the pass rushers rush the passer!
October 10th, 2025 at 5:26 am
Agree. If the Defense does not step up and play more aggressive in coverage and be more physical then we cant expect a long playoff run.
Soft and passive Defense cant win 3 or 4 good teams in a row.
Go Bucs
October 10th, 2025 at 5:27 am
Hendrickson….go get him Jason, 1st and 2nd….we’ll be picking late anyway. And we’ll still have our sweet spot of picks.
October 10th, 2025 at 5:40 am
Put Hendrickson next to VV and see Reddick and Diaby get better fast. Why allow Detroit to scoop Henderson who has 39 sacks in his last 39 games and make them that much tougher to beat?
October 10th, 2025 at 5:52 am
The defense- especially our best cover corners- are injured.
I wouldn’t expect as much from their backups. At least Dean is returning…
October 10th, 2025 at 6:08 am
Bucs don’t have the talent on defense? Our defense is loaded with high picks. Its the scheme that sucks. Bowles has Vea dropping in coverage. Has he ever made a play standing in zone? Vea should never run backwards at the snap of the ball. Our weakness is our defense, so what’s the point of Bowles? Coen is winning in J Ville. His defense is better than ours. They battered Purdy, and beat S.F. something Bowles has yet to do. His offense doesn’t have our talent, but you can see the improvement. We better not keep the wrong coach when teams come calling for Grizzard.
October 10th, 2025 at 6:24 am
Draft status doesn’t mean squat. Braswell SHOULD be a starter based on being a RD2 pick. Have you watched this guy? At best a special teams and rotational talent. JTS – ‘nuff said. Where’s the talent at ILB? LVD is my favorite Buc, and yeah he got the game changing INT Sunday. But have you WATCHED him? Tackling is just not as good and has noticeably slowed down. Dennis is just not the Hyped stud we’ve heard about. And Year three Kancey is where he’s been, not playing. AWJ, big contract, average play. Reddick, just not impressed. Diaby, all hype. Tell me again where all this talent is. Check the other side of the ball – that’s where we’ve made good investment.
October 10th, 2025 at 6:27 am
Its all about chatgpt now. Ask it.
October 10th, 2025 at 6:35 am
Getting hits on edge rushers is same as qb’s….rare
October 10th, 2025 at 6:38 am
I do not dispute the D’s horrid performance against Seattle. LVD the team leader on D said as much himself.
However I also believe that second half of the Eagles showed the “potential” of the Defense.
The D is still a work in progress with lots of young faces now expected to help out. The offense is truly LOADED as long as Bakers stays healthy! The D is thin and we saw last year what can happen if AW JR goes down. IMHO HE is the true lynchpin to this defense, the QB, the Baker of the D.
The two areas I have major concerns, DEPTH..but isn’t that always an issue in the violent NFL. Special teams are atrocious! At least Chase is back in form so it’s now down to coverage and BLOCKING for the time consuming punter. Given time though Dixen definitely has the leg.
FIX SPECIAL TEAMS!!!
October 10th, 2025 at 6:49 am
Seattle (let’s forget the past) was supposed to have one of the best defenses in the league. The Bucs defense made one more play than the Seahawks defense. And what a great play it was! Alot of folks here still don’t seem to get football.
October 10th, 2025 at 6:50 am
Special Teams are improving. Riley Dixon had a great game and when kick coverage mattered the most with the game tied we stopped them at the 22.
Depth on defense must be addressed as Reddick and Braswell are non factors. Diaby getting closer to what JL thought he could be. Go get Hendrickson and let’s get the party started.
October 10th, 2025 at 6:59 am
Jeffery Simmons, Titts 28 yo, 16 solos tackles, 3.5 Sacks, 1 FF, 6 TFL
1 year remaining on contract
– – – – – OR – – – – – –
Bradley Chubb, MIA 29 yo, 9 solos tackles, 4 Sacks, 1 FF, 4 TFL
FA in 2026
If you could only pick one, and we would be lucky if Licht coughed up draft picks for even one, I would choose Simmons.
We are more depleted on the DL and that is where Todd likes to attack – at the middle to get to the QB. Plus, Simmons is a year younger and has a year on his contract. In addition, we need some help on the interior DL.
Sure, I would love to have an edge rush with Chubb, but that does not seem to be important to Todd, so why waste the effort/draft picks. Besides, who are you going to sit to put in Chubb? It is a waste of talent to sit either Yaya or Reddick. Easy to sit someone for Simmons.
I don’t think either would cost too much in the way of draft picks (nothing like what the Packers gave up to the Cowboys for Parsons.
October 10th, 2025 at 7:01 am
I forgot to add, would you like a 2026 starting front 3 of Vita, Kancy and Simmons? Sounds pretty darn good to me.
October 10th, 2025 at 7:13 am
For you Hendickson obsessed: 30 yo, 10 solo tackles, 4 sacks, 1 FF
Id take Simmons
October 10th, 2025 at 7:16 am
100% true & has been for 5 straight years.
A qualified HC would have replaced his DC by now.
Bowles won’t hire a strong DC and get out of the way – hes going to ride with his substandard defense until it gets him fired.
October 10th, 2025 at 7:23 am
I could have told you that, no need to waste time reading yahoo!
October 10th, 2025 at 7:32 am
We need a ILB or Dennis to finally have “it” click for him. Lavonte is finally looking more like an 2nd team all-pro rather than a hall of famer (perfectly understandable for someone his age, he’s the best) but Sirvoce shows a flash here and an complete dud there.
October 10th, 2025 at 7:54 am
There goes my plan of trading for Brian Burns. Now that he had two sacks last night and the Giants beat the Eagles, they’ll never let him go.
October 10th, 2025 at 8:07 am
Step up and offer a boat load for #1 defender in NFL, TJ Watt. Yes, he is going to be expensive. Bucs spending $14mill a year on non entity Reddick. That would be a nice down payment on Watt next year. Off load some of these higher defensive salaries like Jamel Dean’s. Doubtful that LVD will be back next year so that is another salary drop. A couple of #1 and maybe a #2 might be enough for Pitts to part with Watt? Tampa will be picking very late in any event so certain they will not find a talent remotely close to TJ. Bus should have done this deal with Pitts in the off season. TJ is the real deal.
October 10th, 2025 at 8:13 am
One week the D shuts down the Superbowl champs for half a game. Another game they let the team score at will. One game at a time! Play consistently tough! This is another winnable game. The defense needs to play to their capabilities! 110% effort level for about 30 minutes (that’s about how long the D is actually on the field during any game). Get it done!
October 10th, 2025 at 8:21 am
Anyone who has watched this Defense for an extended period of time knows TWO things
-They are good at stopping the run
-They can’t stop the forward pass, even when they know it’s coming
Todd Blows Defensive scheme is AWFUL!!!
October 10th, 2025 at 8:33 am
Forget the Eagles game 2nd half. Eagles simply suck and were it not for Magoo and Todd, should have lost 3 in a row including last night against the GiNats.
Charles McDonald of Yahoo is simply reporting reality, but maroons like Area Code Girl and Idiot Reptile find reality uncomfortable and retreat to their fantasy world where they can cuddle with Todd and pet kittens.
October 10th, 2025 at 8:36 am
You can’t remove two starting corners and assess the D. That changed Bowles approach to blitzing. More to see in the coming weeks.
October 10th, 2025 at 8:55 am
Eagles D has suffered in the second half of all its games.. add in they were having a heat stroke in the Tampa heat and there’s your reason the Bucs D looked so awesome for 1/2 of 1 game.
October 10th, 2025 at 9:11 am
if the bucs ability to stop the pass doesnt improve significantly, they arent going anywhere in the playoffs. anyone and everyone can see it. having one good half against the eagles is meaningless. it is more than meaningless, its insulting as it shows everyone what they are capable of but cant or wont repeatedly do. for whatever reason. nobody is asking for -1 every half every game so dont be a goof. nobody expects that. but how bout a little bit better. a little less soft on a consistent basis….
but hey lets celebrate that culture and coaching, its fabulous.
October 10th, 2025 at 9:16 am
Gipper; T J Watt is 31 years old now. I think that would be a mistake. And injury prone the last couple years.
October 10th, 2025 at 9:21 am
The days of trying to find a Shaq clone should be over. Licht is delusional post draft. Braswell will shock the world? Yaya is still a concern. If trade deadline passes and we find there were guys to be had on the cheap but they did nothing and are one and done or can’t get out of the divisional round again. It would all be on Licht this year not Bowles
October 10th, 2025 at 9:25 am
LOL
first 2 weeks of the season, defense gave up 20 and 19 points and folks were complaining about the offense lol….
jets and eagles were mostly special teams lol…
the defense will get better as it gets healthier!!!
4-1!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 10th, 2025 at 9:29 am
Charles McDonald of Yahoo is simply reporting reality, but maroons like Area Code Girl and Idiot Reptile find reality uncomfortable and retreat to their fantasy world where they can cuddle with Todd and pet kittens.
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the reality is TODD has the bucs at 4-1 and he continues to shove crow stew down your throat!!!!!
4-1!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 10th, 2025 at 9:30 am
But the Bucs defense? Yikes
Completely agree!!!
The defense has more talent than most other teams…
It’s the DC that blows….
The Giants putting it to the Eagles last night shows even the Bucs Eagles game was not all that impressive for the Bucs….
The offense has been impressive!
The defense hasnt performed well against a decent offense YET!
October 10th, 2025 at 9:53 am
Really pisses me off that Detroit, Dallas and 49ers are all rumored to be interested in Hendrickson. If he goes to Detroit, and Bucs hold pat just go ahead and hand them the NFC championship. As Detroit gets healthy adding Hendrickson will put them over.
October 10th, 2025 at 10:00 am
This a terrible zone defense team they just can’t do it so many wide open receivers in that Seahawks game hopefully adding dean back helps. Front four can not bring consistent pressure always have to blitz to bring pressure pretty wild but kinda standard for the bucs.
October 10th, 2025 at 10:01 am
Is The defense guru Mike Macdonald and his talentt laiden defense being scrutinized as bad as Bowles?? Sometimes the other team, who also get paid, just have a better day.
I agree the defense needs to be better, but at 4-1, warts dont look as ugly.
October 10th, 2025 at 10:07 am
huge pass on tj watt lol…he wont play 12 games this year lol…he’s cooked
5-1!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 10th, 2025 at 10:10 am
Oscar,
Fully get it with TJ age. We should be trying to win SB in next couple of years. Brady was 40 something when he arrived in Tampa. We have a number of young defenders like SirV Dennis who don’t contribute much. TJ for next 2 or 3 years will be a difference maker providing he is unleashed to pressure QB’s.
October 10th, 2025 at 10:11 am
They are correct. Unless we can add an edge there’s no way we make it to the SB. Calling Jason Licht!
October 10th, 2025 at 10:36 am
813BUCBOI Says:
LOL
first 2 weeks of the season, defense gave up 20 and 19 points and folks were complaining about the offense lol….
jets and eagles were mostly special teams lol…
the defense will get better as it gets healthier!!!
4-1!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
You speak the truth.
I could say that I agree with you completely as I do but I shouldn’t have to because you are simply stating Facts.
I have made several winning wagers this year on Bucs games. Placing bets across the board on serval options (total points, over/under, winning specific quarters as well as different player props).
Now maybe I just got lucky playing hunch’s going with my gut but my wins
(over 70%) match up to the 16 out of 20 total quarters that the Bucs defense played well this year. No I didn’t predict when the defense was going to collapse nor did I predict when the offense was going to explode.
Now the reality of where we are with player health both good & bad on both sides of the ball has to be be realized.
As far as being a Buccaneer Football Fan it’s true Injuries are not an excuse.
Wins and losses are how we judge our team. But you do take in to account injuries when you consider points. The defense was the most consistent/predictable unit on our team at least for me to predict for the first 75% of this season so far. Now with impact players missing snaps at 2 of the 3 levels of our defense, things could get ugly. Great that the offense is picking up and I feel good about 11 wins on the season.
The Bucs & the defense is getting better but the next 20 quarters of play I feel the offense is going to be the most most consistent unit on the field. Just based on healthy personnel.
Check back in on the defense in the last 16-20 quarters of the year and see how much better their play will be.
Until then In Baker we Trust.
GO BUCS
October 10th, 2025 at 10:42 am
SAPP2 SAYS:
The Bucs & the defense is getting better but the next 20 quarters of play I feel the offense is going to be the most most consistent unit on the field. Just based on healthy personnel.
Check back in on the defense in the last 16-20 quarters of the year and see how much better their play will be.
Until then In Baker we Trust.
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BINGO!!!!!
I COMPLETELY AGREE!!!
SAY IT LOUDER FOR THE FOLKS IN THE BACK!!!!
5-1!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 10th, 2025 at 11:17 am
Nothing but faith in Todd he will figure it out
October 10th, 2025 at 12:03 pm
Very true statement Joe. At this point, we are simply outscoring everybody. That will not take us through an entire season. Our defense is going to have to step up big. I don’t know if they can.
October 10th, 2025 at 12:23 pm
Licht should trade for Calais Campbell, who is playing his final year before retirement on a one year $5.5 million deal in Arizona. He is big, scheme versatile, a well respected vet, who can play run and get some pass rush. He has never won a SB and might be eager to jump to a contender. Arizona would be crazy to turn down a third round pick for him. I know edge rush is an issue, but with Kancey out for the year, adding another DT will help both the pass rush and the run game.
October 10th, 2025 at 1:24 pm
One really good week of offense and now we’re back to no problems ?
Sorry but before Seattle, the offense was heroic but not that good.
Defense gave up yards and points but also had 2 huge turnovers that helped us win.
Even special teams pinned Seattle @ their 1 yard line.
Complimentary football wins games but it doesn’t always mean all 3 squads played equally well.
October 10th, 2025 at 1:59 pm
Crosby for a few picks?
October 10th, 2025 at 2:04 pm
Trade for Hendrickson?!?! Good grief.
Apparently many still don’t understand, if you are an OLB in His Geniusness’s “scheme(s),” you don’t sack the QB. You drop into coverage and cage rush to contain. What a waste of resources to trade the necessary assets for him, assume his salary and cap hit, all for half a sack and a pass defensed.
No way Jason ever does it, and no way He Dickson would agree to it. He knows what His Geniusness is all about. Just ask Reddick.