Chris Simms: Bucs’ Secondary “Cannot Cover”
November 25th, 2025
Former Bucs QB Chris Simms says he thought by now Todd Bowles “would have figured out how to save the secondary.”
Things are that bad, Simms told his NBC Sports audience this week.
“Man, their secondary just cannot cover,” Simms said after the Rams embarrassed the Bucs on Sunday. “They can’t make any plays, right? People are wide open everywhere. It doesn’t matter what you do. It’s like, you can surgically destroy them; and then when they try to stop the surgicality, you can just destroy them with bombs over the top like we’ve seen the last few weeks.”
Joe’s not sure “surgicality” is a word, but Joe gets what Simms is saying. The Bucs’ pass defense is failing every possible way. The secondary has issues and the pass rush is more fantasy than reality.
What’s the fix, Coach?
November 25th, 2025 at 3:46 pm
Play it better and coach it better.
November 25th, 2025 at 3:46 pm
Painful as a
Derek Sharp.. stick in the eye 👁️
OC are all seeing the same thing and the beating will continue until… most probably the rest of the season
Remember the first three games and the last second victory
Face the reality fans…
November 25th, 2025 at 3:46 pm
Can’t cover and we can’t get after the qb…. looks like 7 on 7 drills out there… pathetic
November 25th, 2025 at 3:53 pm
Time to put Tykee back at Nickel so he can cover the middle and take some names!!! He playing great at safety (our MVP) I really think him and Winfield don’t blend great back there together!! Move McCollum to safety , this can be done upon Deans return!!! Go Bucs
November 25th, 2025 at 3:54 pm
cannot cover…cannot rush!!!
GO BUCS!!!
November 25th, 2025 at 3:55 pm
C’mon Joe. Bowles is on the case. He knows what needs to be done.
Just got to play it better, coach it better.
Simple as that, everything will be fixed.
What exactly do you not understand???
The Glazers are now putting together another extension based on the surgical approach to coaching that Bowles displays on Sunday.
November 25th, 2025 at 3:59 pm
What’s the fix coach? Should be obvious by now Joe Bowles doesn’t know how to fix it. This isn’t new. Our secondary, like our pass rush has been horrible under Bowles. The year we won the SB was an exception. Remember though, Arians was the head coach. I’m sure he told Bowles what to do like he told Leftwich what to do. Arians made Bowles look like a defensive genius. Without Arians we’ve seen the true Bowles defense with all it’s flaws.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:05 pm
While true in many ways, Chris Simms couldn’t figure out secondary’s, either, so he should sit down and be quiet like a good little trust fund kid.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:05 pm
When will folks realize that the Secondary played MUCH better when Jamel Dean was in there & healthy.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:05 pm
While true in many ways, Chris Simms couldn’t figure out the secondary when he was QB, either.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:05 pm
It’s scheme related…not scheming to take advantage of whatever perceived strengths we have, which admittedly are difficult to quantify at this point. Winfield and Tykee simply can’t make plays in coverage. They’re either lost, lack ability or both. They’re usually good tacklers and can create turnovers in the run after catch game. But anything to do with actually preventing catches is astonishingly bad. LBs can’t cover and lack speed. CBs not named Dean can’t play zone and unfortunately get carved up by any legitimate WR when playing man.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:05 pm
The coaching on this team is and has been horrific. Just telling you like it is. Again.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:05 pm
Chris Simms isn’t one to talk.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:07 pm
Seeing as how Chris Simms had trouble throwing the ball against basic coverage in his career, he really shouldn’t be talking.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:08 pm
Yes Joe like I said I only tuned in to see Godwin hopefully catch a pass. I did get interested when Diaby got that sack. It was then 3rd and 18. I went ok Stafford will throw for a first down here and I can change the channel. Yep exactly what happened. It happened on the Ram game, the Buffalo game and this year it started in the Patriot game. Each week it gets worse. I am sure Counsins can’t wait to feast on the Bucs. Well at this point any Qb has a good chance to look great against the Bucs defense. I think McColumn needs to be benched for starters. I am wondering where has Winfield gone . You see Tykee Smith all over the place. Winfield you rarely see or hear his named called unless he is chasing someone from behind.
Anyway this defense is really unwatchable. I will not be surprised if they lose to Ariz.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:10 pm
We will lose of we get to the playoffs. Its time to move on from Todd. Everything the players stop listening and following directives. Its over. Give him that extension money and let’s move on. Vita Calijah, YaYa in a 4 3 is a good start as far as 8m concerned. Bowles is behind the times. I wanted him gone after last seasons Cris Godwin debacle. But I gave him a chance. N o more. The offense stinks right now and the defense is worse. This happening after tye bye!? Something is rotten.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:12 pm
The fix is: new coach.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:12 pm
Surgicality is considered a malapropism. But in today’s world where they coin new “words” every day it could be be considered a neologism, or newly coined word.
When I was young it took an awful lot to get a new word into the dictionary. Now it just takes an X account.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:12 pm
I meant just buy out the extension they gave him and let’s move. On Jire one of Mcvays assistants ans find a coordinator that marginal for christ sake. That would be better than Bowles putrid showings.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:13 pm
Simple solution
communicate better
LOLOLOLOLOL
November 25th, 2025 at 4:14 pm
It all starts up front. Gotta get after the QB. Vea needs some help.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:15 pm
A consistent pash rush will make your secondary look better.
That’s a FACT!!!
Problem is our pass rush without blitzing is putrid!!!!
November 25th, 2025 at 4:18 pm
One thing I do notice is the BUCS don’t always seem to pursue with a damn and they’re always trying to outsmart themselves
November 25th, 2025 at 4:27 pm
Can we ask Zyon for a refund? Asking for a fan.
His confidence is shot. I think we need to play Vildor (at least the Rams didn’t pick on him) and maybe Bryce Hall??? Got nothing to lose. Zyon got dusted by Puka and Adams. Not sure who’s left on the sched with great receivers, but he needs to get his swag back over the next few weeks. Or we need a refund.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:28 pm
Adams and Nakua are future Hall of Famers. No one in our secondary is going to the Hall. The team isn’t talented enough or skilled enough in the secondary. You can’t scheme your way to stopping that kind of talent. The roster isn’t good enough.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:32 pm
Play it better, coach it better
November 25th, 2025 at 4:34 pm
Bowles is a db coach and defensive genius, how can that happen?
Fire him!!!!!!!!!!
November 25th, 2025 at 4:44 pm
Been typing that since last year.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:52 pm
I’m beginning to think that Dean really is the cog. Can’t believe I just typed that. Zion is playing scared and has 0 dog in him. Watching the 9ers last night and they are a reflection of their DC, fiery and motivated!
November 25th, 2025 at 4:53 pm
we’ve not had any real passer rush since JPP left–even with our defensive genius as head coach . now we have Teddy to get us to the SB !!! what a genius move from our head coach .. WHY , Why is he still here ????
November 25th, 2025 at 4:54 pm
The lack of pressure is a big reason. Bad WRs can beat good corners every snap if they’re given enough time to get open.
But can’t cover anyone is pretty concerning considering it was a second and third round selection. Not exactly non premium picks.
Just like 6-2 wasn’t as good as it felt, 6-5 probably isn’t as bad as this feels.
November 25th, 2025 at 4:58 pm
play a 4-3
November 25th, 2025 at 5:01 pm
This is what happens when your HC/DC is teaching new exotic blitzes that don’t work every week. Its simple, Bowles is too busy trying to drop D lineman in coverage and blitzing DBs, that the guys simply dont have repetition. They should have they’re positions figured out by now. What infuriates me the most is Bowles to this day has NEVER taken responsibility of a loss because of his play calling or game management. No HC accountability = No player accountability.
November 25th, 2025 at 5:03 pm
Dean had a couple good play. But receivers a running wide open just like last year. A couple players were replaced and the middle is still wide open. Now teams are bombing them down field. Bowles doesn’t have a clue what’s wrong except communication.
What we have here is a failure to communicate!
November 25th, 2025 at 5:08 pm
I know one thing…
When you can’t cover, you make up for it by not being able to rush the passer, which can only be fixed by playing terrible special teams.
Go Bucs!
Happy Spanksgiving!!
November 25th, 2025 at 5:20 pm
THE FIX IS AN EDGE RUSH!!! ::Throws down Mic and storms off the podcast::
November 25th, 2025 at 5:27 pm
Our defensive wizard HC who was a DB in his playing days can’t figure out how to get his guys in better position and defend the pass.
Going on 4 years now. McCollum looks terrible, he’s got 2 rookies, Tykee, Izien, Winfield, Bryce Hall on the PS. Dean hasn’t missed that much time. What is the excuse!?
No pass rush… ok… these are Bowles and JL guys, Bowles only has himself to blame for personnel if that’s the problem.
There are guys you have never heard of and first round busts picked off the waiver wire playing great in different systems for different coaches.
November 25th, 2025 at 5:35 pm
If u did a shot every time Simms says the word “Right” you’d be drunk in 3 minutes
November 25th, 2025 at 5:37 pm
Bowles- we got to play better and coach better. It’s the only thing he knows how to say.
November 25th, 2025 at 5:39 pm
TIME FOR A LITTLE BUCS HC JOHN MCKAY …
“We didn’t tackle well, but we made up for it by not blocking.”
“Can’t stop the pass or the run. Otherwise, we’re in great shape.”
November 25th, 2025 at 5:48 pm
Scheme!!
Winfield, Smith, Parrish, Dean, Zyon, Morrison are good players. Morrison is learning & Zyon had a couple rough weeks. All these guys are not suddenly horrible, nor have they been horrible.
It is scheme and the lack of a pass rush. When a quarterback can stand there with no pressure and convert a deep out on third and 18, it’s the zone because of no pass rush.
The last couple weeks have made me firmly go into the category of… Time for a new DC / HC
November 25th, 2025 at 5:58 pm
Well that’s because he was watching the table of Yaya and Nelson playing corner – and he’s right. Simple solution, use your DE’s and EDGE rushers to rush the passer, not to play the ball 40 yards down the field.
November 25th, 2025 at 6:00 pm
We are giving Licht a pass. He hast drafted like ass on defense since 2020. Bowles has to coach the players but let’s be honest. If they aren’t good enough then how is Bowles expected to help bridge that gap?
November 25th, 2025 at 6:08 pm
Coaching, coaching and poor pass rush. Todd has no clue. This team is not contracted to compete against equal or better teams. The first six games were small and mirrors and several really lucky breaks. Todd has no clue, did I already say that? If so, it needs repeating.
November 25th, 2025 at 6:10 pm
DR called it many times before the season. Get another beast like Suh beside VV. If that had happened, YaYa would be getting sacks.
November 25th, 2025 at 6:17 pm
Is it the players or is it their coaching and system? Blaming the players while giving Bowles a pass is criminal. Losing, just like winning, starts at the top.
November 25th, 2025 at 6:18 pm
All of calling for a change were not crazy after all.
November 25th, 2025 at 6:23 pm
Hey Kidflo is that the new “HI Bob” game, LOL
OK for the youngers the old Bob Newhart show everytime someone walked in they said ‘HI Bob” Coulda been out of frame for 3 seconds, didn’t matter…. Speaking of outta the frame for 3 seconds, that fit’s our DB’s to a tee.