Emeka Egbuka Showing He Can Adjust
November 10th, 2025
Emeka Egbuka skips into the end zone yesterday for a touchdown.
It looked awfully easy for Bucs rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka early in the year. That’s because defenses were paranoid about Mike Evans and Bucky Irving.
Those guys didn’t last long as they both got injured and are still on the shelf. The Bucs are collecting all sorts of rabbit’s feet hoping Evans can return in December. Bucky? He’s still a mystery.
And along the way, when Chris Godwin returned from his torn-up ankle, he lasted just over a game with only 14 targets. His return, too, is cloaked in mystery and intrigue.
Initially, without those guys, defenses took Egbuka out. But like everything in the NFL, it’s a game of adjustments.
A week off at the bye did a hamstring good for Egbuka. Now healthy again, Egbuka looked like a No. 1 receiver yesterday. This Bucs team would be in sad shape without him.
After the game, Joe asked Egbuka how defenses have defended him differently with so many changes in the Bucs’ lineup.
“Varies from game to game,” Egbuka said. “Seeing some of the best corners like I saw today, [Christian] Gonzalez following me around.
“Double-coverage versus Detroit, a lot. Lot of shell and other sub[packages] versus the Saints. So it depends on their game plan.”
Mostly, Egbuka smoothly handled the adjustments. He’s on pace for 10 touchdowns. By comparison, only eight receivers in the NFL had 10 touchdowns last year.
Evans, as a rookie, had 12 touchdown catches.
Egbuka, who currently has 677 yards receiving, is on pace to finish with 1,203 yards receiving if he’s able to stay on the field.
For Bucs star receivers this season, that’s a dicey proposition at best.
November 10th, 2025 at 7:35 am
Looks like our best option is Tez at WR2, no idea if he can be that guy
November 10th, 2025 at 7:38 am
Todd Bowles shamed Tampa yesterday.
November 10th, 2025 at 7:39 am
Why do you write about anything else except the incompetence pf our coaching stuff?
November 10th, 2025 at 8:07 am
Pats smoothly adjusted their coverages on Egbuka in the 2nd half and basically took Emeka out of the equation , except for the garbage time 21 yard reception after the outcome was all but decided.
Egbuka cannot carry this team on offense. If you are under heavy pressure on most passing downs the normal remedies are draw plays and screen passes-how many of those types of plays did you see from the Bucs offense yesterday?
November 10th, 2025 at 8:11 am
The ball was being forced to him all game, and he got a third of the targets, but only caught half of them for 6 catches which is only 21% of the completions Mayfield had.
The rookie is good, but I don’t like force feeding him
November 10th, 2025 at 8:21 am
Gonna have to go hard after WR/TE in the draft and FA in the offseason.
DON’T even count on ME or CG to be a factor going forward.
Baker didn’t have ANYONE to throw to yesterday and the passing game was SHUTDOWN .
That is the game plan DC’s will be using for the rest of the season.
November 10th, 2025 at 8:24 am
If only we have a coach and OC that is competent enough to create plays that will make ways for Egbuka to be open. 🤦🏻♂️
November 10th, 2025 at 8:26 am
They double him every play. Unless someone ELSE pops up to counteract that, gonna be a long season for EE
November 10th, 2025 at 8:36 am
Thank God JL drafted him!!! Credit where credit is due. We ARE in first place despite the horrific injuries
November 10th, 2025 at 8:37 am
Bake was definitely force-feeding EE, Tez can make plays, surely. Payne Durham at 6’7″ can be a weapon in the red zone. Where is Culp? When Mike and Chris were out last year, Bake spread the ball around and we saw Culp and Miller make plays, do the coaches and Baker not trust them.
November 10th, 2025 at 8:41 am
I can’t help myself.
But 9 games:
— 677 yards.
On pace for 1279 yards thru 17 games.
—- 6 TDs
On pace for 11 TDs thru 17 games.
Guessing that Joe was using the old 16 game schedule.
November 10th, 2025 at 8:43 am
Ahh, yes… The good ol gift and a curse. While it’s true of the injuries hurting the offense, I still believe in this team. Playcalling is subpar… The o-line is playing subpar. Didn’t realize how bad Barton is. Gets blown up a lot. Damn. For me you gotta go big uglies in the draft… Draft talk? Yes, picking 32 means most good players will be off the board by then and..
November 10th, 2025 at 8:47 am
I would also like the Bucs to move on from Shepard next year. I guess he is as good as the other garbage we have as WR’s this year, but it seems pretty apparent he really does not help us win games and that offensive pass interference early in the 4th quarter is one of those losing plays that a 10-year veteran just can’t be making.
November 10th, 2025 at 8:54 am
Like I said yesterday, yesterday’s game was a huge wake up call. We were all hoping the Bucs could continue their magic , especially with Baker. However, Baker appears limited due to injury. We don’t have the receivers now, with not much hope of any returning on the horizon. Bucky , is out and who knows when he returns. Joe says not likely this week. Dennis in the middle still out of position and we are seeing replays of huge runs due to him not being in his gap. The stage is now set for 2 loses at least in the next two games with no guarantee we can beat an improved Car team, or sweep Atl. I am afraid this season may be in the rear view mirror. Teams have adjusted to Baker, he is now limited, with no depth at receiver. Unfortunately , it appears we will be seeing a lot more of what we saw yesterday. Do hope I am wrong, but yeaterday said probably not.
November 10th, 2025 at 9:09 am
FootBall1 – Good points. A couple of weeks ago when they couldn’t get the TD in the red zone after so many times, maybe should have been a wake-up call too. I think we were all counting on the bye to be a charm. Sometimes a bye can do the opposite. Still feeling next week we could be surprised in Buffalo. You never know.
November 10th, 2025 at 9:10 am
I blame Jason Licht for any shortcomings at LB as he could have chosen to deal for Jordyn Brooks who is the leading tackler in the NFL and one of the best coverage LB’s also , but Licht chose to stand pat which would indicate Licht hopes he has the horses to win the Super Bowl and we all know where hope gets you.
November 10th, 2025 at 9:11 am
Just need to win 4 out of the last 8 to win this division
Can’t expect much more from a Head Coach/DC who still struggles calling pass D, an inexperienced OC and a bunch of injuries
10 wins is the ceiling with this head coach, if you expect anything else you are just living in a fantasy
November 10th, 2025 at 9:39 am
Smarter than Joe, with a competent head coach, like a McVay or a Dan Campbell, this team could overcome injuries and could win 12 games but sadly, Bowles will likely find a way to lose to a team or 2 more than just the Bills and Rams. Bowles sux on Thursday nights so that rematch in the Creamsicles with Rah’s ATL could be an L (Rah’s last win as a head coach?) and the Bucs will probably get upset by someone else to limit the ceiling at 10 wins or so. Bowles had us fooled by postponing his mid-season swoon by 3 weeks or so. He is very fortunate that Rah is committing coaching malpractice in the ATL, Canales has heart but not much talent to work with and the Saints are irrelevant, but they can play spoiler as Canales found out yesterday. Right now the Bucs look like a #4 seed who will get someone like the Rams or Seahawks in the wildcard and knowing Bowles, his Bucs will be either underdogs like they were when Dallas rolled them or outcoached like when Washington eliminated them last season….. What has changed since last year besides losing a good offensive coordinator to the Jags (nice choke job by Liam’s lads BTW) and half the offensive starters to injuries?????? Not a thing, Todd is still Todd and it is weighing the team down like an anchor.
Joe needs to do a confidence poll for Todd so we fans can vent, and heck do one for Licht as well, some people are unhappy he did not even try to bring in any talent.
November 10th, 2025 at 9:45 am
I wouldn’t bet on Mr. Evans returning this year.
As he knows, and been told, he is already a Hall of Famer. The only thing left to make it official is a mere formality. And the warrior in him pulls him to making a comeback this year.
But Mr. Evans needs to be concerned with his health, both short-term and long-term. That is paramount for him and his family. Not a one-and-out in the playoffs.
Capisce, Mr. Evans?
November 10th, 2025 at 9:50 am
@FortMyers Dave
I am no fan of Bowles but if they can’t win 4 games with games against the Aints, Carolina (twice) ATL AZ and Miami then heads need to roll
Plenty of winnable games left on the schedule
Todd has not done enough to earn the extension he was given last off season, neither has Licht in my eyes. Bucs offense got worse with Coen leaving and the injuries, defense still sucks vs the pass and now with Coen gone they can’t run the ball
November 10th, 2025 at 9:52 am
While Licht generally likes the smell of his own farts, and values the draft a little too much – anyone still want to say we didn’t need a receiver? It still amazes me that going in to the season people assumed we were gnna have 2019 version of Evans and Godwin playing all 17 games. That was never going to happen. Yes, receiver was a need. Hell, we need another one. It’s a team full of slot guys. Even Ebuka is mostly a slot – a very high end one. Which is great. But another true X receiver, ala Mike Evans, a Davante Adams, a JaMarr Chase type of guy would be welcome next year
November 10th, 2025 at 10:12 am
Gofortheface30
That’s always Licht’s biggest struggle, he will always go for what he knows and HOPE and PRAY that a guy comes back from injury versus signing a proven player that can help
He falls in love with his picks and players and is reluctant to move off them, even when their play doesn’t deserve it or the injuries are too much for them to overcome
GM has to balance drafting well with adding the right players through trades and free agency
Can’t ONLY rely on the draft
November 10th, 2025 at 10:17 am
Ya’ll are talking like one player was going to be had on the trading block and make us better, without losing one of our better players just to critique Licht.
It’s drivel to be honest, we’re not one player away from being better on D or raising our ability to score CONSISTENTLY on offense.
November 10th, 2025 at 10:20 am
If you don’t think a Jakobi Meyers (who is an EXCELLENT receiver) would have made a difference, then you’re a drooling moron. He was had for essentially nothing
November 10th, 2025 at 10:22 am
WBL, you’re right sometimes.
November 10th, 2025 at 10:38 am
@JEHZSA Sounds like you would rather blo “MR.EVANS” rather than have him back helping his team like he gets paid to do.
November 10th, 2025 at 10:42 am
Bucs could’ve added a LB (kid from Miami) a WR Meyers from Vegas, Jeudy is being wasted in Cleveland
If you add another genuine WR defenses cannot roll coverage to Emeka consistently. Licht relied on an older Evans to be injury free, a Godwin coming back from a 2nd major injury and drafted 2 wrs, he thought he fixed the problem the only thing is he chose wrong
Resigning Godwin was a HUGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE mistake
November 10th, 2025 at 11:01 am
“If you don’t think a Jakobi Meyers (who is an EXCELLENT receiver) would have made a difference, then you’re a drooling moron.”
You’re an equal moron for thinking Licht would trade a 4th & 6th for one WR after *checks notes* 12 seasons on the job and after spending a 1st rounder on a pick this fan based BOOED on draft night. Maybe pay attention to reality and not Madden Ultimate Team type dealings
November 10th, 2025 at 1:23 pm
How about throw the ball to Tez when he’s open instead of staring down EE and forcing him the ball ?
THROW TEZ THE BALL 😡
November 10th, 2025 at 1:36 pm
OMG!!!
GoneGator actually using honest critique.
Who hacked his computer?
November 10th, 2025 at 2:28 pm
how about dedicating an offensive game plan around running the ball!!!!!
if baker is “off”, RUN THE BALL!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
November 10th, 2025 at 9:30 pm
He practically disappeared in the 4th quarter except for the final scoiring drive so I have no idea what you are talking about.c