“Teams Salivate When They Play The Bucs”
November 22nd, 2025
The Buccaneers’ pass defense has had a rough year.
It certainly hasn’t been all bad, but you’re generally sleeping well on Saturday nights knowing your fantasy football quarterback is facing Tampa Bay the next day.
The defense ranks seventh-worst in the NFL in yards per attempt and sixth-worst in total passing yards allowed.
Retired Rams and Patriots defensive end Chris Long says it’s not just about pass rush.
“Teams salivate when they play the Bucs,” Long noted on his popular Green Light podcast, which takes a very deep dive into most Bucs games.
“Even if they get healthy, that’s the one thing that the Bucs, defensively, even more than the lack of pass rush … if your linebackers don’t have a great feel or they’re not great in coverage in today’s NFL that’s a tough deal.”
Long has been a steady critic of Bucs inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis and, well, Lavonte David isn’t what he used to be. Long also was highly critical of Todd Bowles asking Anthony Nelson to cover Bills Pro Bowl running back James Cook last Sunday.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is not afraid to work the middle of the field, Long noted, and he expects plenty of that tomorrow night when the Bucs face the Rams on Sunday Night Football.
As for teams salivating facing the Bucs defense, it’s a sad reality right now.
November 22nd, 2025 at 8:33 pm
I don’t care what Bowles’ defense did against KC in the Super Bowl.
It sucks now and has sucked for quite awhile now.
DE’s dropping into coverage….what a effing yo yo.
November 22nd, 2025 at 8:34 pm
Todd has made a career of allowing MVP performances from QB’s of all shapes and sizes
Stafford and McVay have been drooling for this matchup
400 yards passing in the first half is not out of reason
November 22nd, 2025 at 8:36 pm
In case you don’t get the vibe, I am not a fan of the HC
He should have been canned two years ago
All the Glazers did in delay the inevitable
November 22nd, 2025 at 8:37 pm
Scheme is so easy to diagnose. Bowles is clueless.
November 22nd, 2025 at 8:57 pm
Defensive Ends NOT rushing the passer but instead dropping into coverage to chase running backs and wide receivers into futility; OF COURSE other teams salivate when they see the Bowles defense on their schedule….and that’s on Bowles and Licht now.
November 22nd, 2025 at 9:04 pm
Everyone is piling on at this point. So embarrassing.
November 22nd, 2025 at 9:14 pm
The topper for me was last weekend when Bowles elected to punt with just over seven minutes to play. Old story, but very telling …
Most coaches on earth who were watching his defense play against the Bills would’ve gone for it on 4th and 2.
But not Todd.
After witnessing his defense get torched for 3 1/2 quarters, Todd suddenly thought they could somehow get a stop with the game on the line.
So he punted to the Bills 15. Now most fan bases, those with confidence in their D would have called that a good move.
But not us, because we are from earth and Todd is from Mars. We thought “game over. The Bills will march 85 yards for an easy score.” And that’s the way it happened. How is it possible us cheap seat morons can see this and Todd cannot?
I like Todd, but he needs to go. Chalk him up to another reason why nice guys finish last.
And salivate the Rams will this Sunday night. McVay coached Baker for a short stint and he liked him. But not enough to keep him over Stafford, who some of you cretins believe inferior to Mayfield.
I give us little chance to win this week, but if I’m wrong I’ll eat crow and enjoy the meal.
November 22nd, 2025 at 9:17 pm
So we’re in the same boat as we were last year..and the year before that..and the year before..
In a passing league, under Todd, our defense is ALWAYS bottom 5 defending the pass. It’s not just the ludicrous idea of having 280lb DEs in coverage, it’s that our CBs line up 15 yards from the line of scrimmage and immediately backpedal at the snap. We literally couldn’t make it easier on opposing QBs.
Crazy as it sounds, this isn’t a bug, it’s a feature in Todd’s system. Fire this idiot into the sun.
November 22nd, 2025 at 9:20 pm
Because Todd Blowes is a LOSER.
November 22nd, 2025 at 9:27 pm
Hearty
Well said
November 22nd, 2025 at 9:27 pm
I wouldn’t call it piling on. This defense has been atrocious and trending worse while being relatively healthy. Bowles is the head coach and the Defensive Coordinator. If the defense is what we’ve seen against the Patriots and Bills, McVay & Stafford are going to put 50 points on us. Combine that with Bowles’s record against top tier teams and in prime time games during his tenure, his overall performance has become indefensible. I’ve supported him all along but, what I’ve seen this season so far from his overall job as a head coach and DC, this is the best he can do. It’s not good enough unfortunately. He’s a great guy by all measure. Not a great head coach. I’ve seen enough.
November 22nd, 2025 at 9:34 pm
Several games back tony romo was the announcer and he said everyone knows you can pass against bowles defense ….. I remember thinking then that if they didn’t well they do now…..
Hoping the Bucs can luck up and replace bowels with a winner at HC!
November 22nd, 2025 at 9:52 pm
Bowles needs have an epiphany and overhaul his wacky scheme tomorrow night. He better throw Stafford a curve ball, cause his heater has been piped down the middle with zero movement lately.
November 22nd, 2025 at 9:59 pm
Where’s non-binary LadyBoi to defend the most underachieving loser in Bucs coaching history.
November 22nd, 2025 at 10:04 pm
They hang 50 on his defense tomorrow and don’t even let him on the plane back. Fire him!
November 22nd, 2025 at 10:08 pm
Now
November 22nd, 2025 at 10:48 pm
Let’s face it. The defensive masturmind can play soft zone and give up long time consuming drives as well as giving up big scoring plays. So bend over and break or just break. At least the big plays don’t consume clock and get the offense back on the field — but with The Gizzer staring into the headlights and Baker playing like he’s in his last year with the Browns, so what.
November 22nd, 2025 at 10:53 pm
This Rams game is going to be an embarrassing fiasco. We need a new coach and defensive scheme. The Rams are going to show us what a super bowl contender looks like. I expect a massive blowout. I expect our players will get multiple injuries. Todd Bowles is an embarrassment, year after year. He seems like a nice person but damn he surrendered last week and is unable to win playoff games. No more wasted years. Fire him!!!!!!!!!!!
November 22nd, 2025 at 11:08 pm
If the secondary would learn to cover that that would be good or quit playing 10 yards off wait for the catch to make the tackle and miss that at times . They really need to time it up better .get there when the ball does and wac um ! Or knock it loose .
November 22nd, 2025 at 11:14 pm
47 20 rams tomorrow.
November 22nd, 2025 at 11:45 pm
Even Stevie Wonder can see why teams love our Defense, or lack thereof. The Texans sacked Josh Aleen 8. No misprint 8 times. We could not even get a sniff of the guy. Rams by 17. IF Bowles cannot run the table after this loss? It’s time for him to pack his Bags. Take Licht with you.
November 23rd, 2025 at 12:07 am
Tampa 2 defense>Tampa silliness defensieve. Defense wins championships. Just ask, Dilfer, Flacco, R Wilson, etc.
November 23rd, 2025 at 12:09 am
This is an indictment on Todd Bowles. His defense is an embarrassment, and he cannot or is too stubborn to try to make it better. This year the injury bug has bitten the defense hard but on D? Well, Kancey got hurt early but he has never put together an entire season, losing Jamel Dean hurts but before Dean got hurt Bowles stubbornly kept Benjie Morrison in the Pat game which helped contribute to that L. Reddick? Just another bust. Truth is Bowles never valued a strong pass rush and has to draw up complicated and complex schemes which confuse his own players but seems to be easily exploited by other offenses. All in all, Bowles is a bad DC and should be on the hot seat like Rah if Baker did not get the team 3 miraculous last-minute wins to start off the season.