Bad Pass, Bad Route Kills Potential Game-Winning Drive
December 7th, 2025
There’s much to pick on when it comes to the Bucs offfense, but the final throw on the final drive highlighted a recurring issue.
The Bucs got the ball back on their 20 yard line with plenty of time for a winning drive with 1:48 remaining and the Bucs trailing the slimy Saints 24-20.
The drive went nowhere. Receivers couldn’t get separation and Baker Mayfield scrambled on 3rd-and-10 for 6 yards. Up next, 4th-and-4 at the Tampa Bay 26 yard line.
Mayfield looked at his downfield options and then looked to tight end Cade Otton, who chipped a pass rusher at the line of scrimmage and promptly ran and turned back to Mayfield a yard short of the first-down marker.
Mayfield threw low to Otton who caught the ball — all together now — 1 yard short of the sticks and hit the turf.
Game over.
Afterwards, Mayfield admitted he should have thrown the ball higher, as that might have given Otton a chance to get the first down. Joe would counter that Otton never should have been short of the sticks. He had time to get deeper and Mayfield had another split second to release the ball.
Throwing short of the sticks on third or fourth downs is a major pet peeve of Joe’s, and something that happens far too often in the Josh Grizzard offense.
Man, the days of Mayfield’s late-game magic sure feel like ancient history.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:45 pm
No extension for Baker yet. Sorry way to up and down just like in Cleveland. The way he plays he will always be banged up.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:46 pm
It ended when Neon Dion Jones buttered an easy int. That’s as easy as they come…and would have been near midfield.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:46 pm
breaking down the last play against one of the worst teams in NFL is ridiculous!
Never should have been a close game to need a winning drive!
Bowels is a clown of a HC!
December 7th, 2025 at 5:47 pm
He won’t entertain extension talk with the current coaching situation. I expect he will have much input in the coaching search…
December 7th, 2025 at 5:47 pm
Losing the Division is the only slim hope to get rid of Bozo….Game winning….Joe….go away. You at least are earning your pay unlike our coach st5aff.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:48 pm
This is always happening. Thats on the players and coaches. It is a mf problem as of now
December 7th, 2025 at 5:49 pm
QBs don’t always makes tje perfect passes……but Baker wasn’t the problem today.
The problem is bad play calling and the rest of the team.
– Baker cannot make EGBUKA catch calls
– Baker cannot force the defense to do their jobs
………..it wasn’t for Baker this whole season, this team wouldn’t have done so well as they did at the beginning.
This team is rotten and the players are playing in self preservation “QUIT” mode…..we’ve all seen this Under Greg Shiano and Raheem Morris.
The Bucs are COOKED!
…..time to blow it up GLAZERS!!!!
December 7th, 2025 at 5:50 pm
The whole experiment with Grizz is over. He’s not very good and he sure isn’t getting any better. Won’t even learn from his mistakes. He can follow Bowles out the door.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:53 pm
Baker hasn’t played well since the bye week. On this same drive Baker threw a near pick to the DB on 2nd down. Theres no way you can give this $50 million a year.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:53 pm
Bad pass, Bad Route, Bad Coach.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:53 pm
Hope the Glazers go out and take some other teams OC
December 7th, 2025 at 5:54 pm
Joe it was a poor throw. I think Otten had to come back to the ball for a chance to catch it. With that said, yes he should have run a little deeper. Just not enough attention to details. A truly good playoff team and good offense wins that game on that drive and maybe that play. Yes the defense is really, really bad. Well now the offense is headed there too. I guess it is catching.
Well, I am finally seeing others coment on what I have been saying for weeks. That is where the heck is Winfield. He has been only making casual appearences for a while, and today, it seems he never appeared at all. Yes him and McColumn have been hurting the team and clearly not deserving of the pay they are getting. Yes, their are a lot more problems than those 2, but they are huge. Well sorry, most of the defense is a major problem. I should not just pick on them, but they were suppose to be big players this year. I sure am glad we have Dean and T Smith back there.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:54 pm
A top to bottom MRSA like cleaning. No half measures…an offensive head coach preferably…younger, energetic and not chosen by JLicht and Assoc. Get Rondè Barbers input.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:55 pm
The Bucs have less fire than any team in the league. That’s a direct reflection of the coach – and it seems they’ve tuned the staff out. The fact the special teams coach still has a job tells the players there is no accountability – no punishment for failure!
December 7th, 2025 at 5:55 pm
Kinda done with this team for the rest of the season after this, just seriously doubt Glazers will do anything about Todd Bowles–he is cheap and so are the Glazers. Nothing changes when nothing changes.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:55 pm
We didn’t look that good in the first few games. Baker saved us.
Then he got injured.
Now he can’t..
Team was trash before and after the bye week.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:55 pm
Bucky wide open on the screen. Not a Saint in sight.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:56 pm
I haven’t read any of Todds excuses for today. Anything new?
December 7th, 2025 at 5:58 pm
Has Bowels been fired yet?
December 7th, 2025 at 5:58 pm
A top NFL wide receiver can catch any ball thrown inside the volume of a two car garage. The Bucs have one of those guys but he’s hurt. Baker missed wide open EE for six.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:58 pm
There’s no accountability on coaches or players we’re the only ones that care!
December 7th, 2025 at 5:59 pm
Can Baker win big games? Can Baker stay healthy?
I don’t think we know. Doesn’t feel like it.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:59 pm
Baker run from these losers. This offensive line is crap, Tampa with Licht at the helm will never ever win a SB again. Lucky that Brady came with all that he brought. Licht is a Loser.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:59 pm
When you coach and play with 0 urgency for 3 quarters… it’s tough to turn it on and execute in the 4th.
This happens time and time again under Bowles and his staff.
Bucs miss the second 4th down try and give up 3rd and long for the 3rd time… people need their ass kicked on the sideline. Do or die time and Bowles is usually ok with dying.
December 7th, 2025 at 5:59 pm
Baker throwing to high most of the time…fire Todd
December 7th, 2025 at 6:01 pm
Bad play, bad weather, bad coach, bad team…. Bad day.
December 7th, 2025 at 6:02 pm
Let’s give 50 million a year to a QB who can’t win prime time games (look at his night game record) and can’t will his team to beat a 2 win team. The offense always will be a reflection of their QB and Mayfield has been playing AVG / Below AVG since after the 49ers game.
December 7th, 2025 at 6:03 pm
Let the new head coach decide Baker’s future. Let me get out in front of something: some fans, including myself, would have been happy if Bowles gave up DC play calling duties next year earlier this season. Now that is not enough, no decent coach will sign on to be a lame duck coach for Bowles. He has to go. The rot with this team starts with him. He is accountable for all facets for the game. As for Licht, he will survive but it is obvious that many of his picks on D are busts, was that because he drafting on Bowles advice? Either way, he should be on notice too. Hey Joe, it is time to start following the Lightning, how about revuving JoeBoltsFan?????
December 7th, 2025 at 6:09 pm
First, since I was in peewees, we were taught that on 3rd and 6, you run AT LEAST 8 yards deep… Period. Very tired of seeing us come up short – cannot tell if they are not running the right patterns, or if the play calls are designed for that. Does not help that we were CRAP at picking up blitzes today…
Second, on 3rd and 1 or 4th and 1 – WHY ARE WE PASSING? If we cannot get 1 yard… then we do not belong in the league. There are a LOT of possible plays to run in that situation, but we seem to think we’re smarter than the other team, and gonna fool them. We would have been better off running Baker on a rollout and running for the yard – with Tucker leading.
When we have Egbuka WIDE OPEN in End Zone, we DON’T need a bullet pass – especially in the rain.
McCollum – if you are gonna play him in press coverage, TEACH HIM TO GET HIS HANDS ON THE MAN AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. When he let’s the guy get off the line free, he’s TOAST…
We had a better pass rush today, but still cannot make tackles.. way, way too many missed tackles.
Still too leaving many guys wide open in the middle of the field.
Thought Chukwuma did a pretty good job overall..
The point is, there is plenty of blame enough to go around. One common theme is POOR COACHING
December 7th, 2025 at 6:11 pm
And I forgot that we need to teach kick coverage TO STAY IN THEIR LANES…
December 7th, 2025 at 6:21 pm
Otton is not a good TE. It was a mistake not to upgrade that position.
Reddick and Diaby and Braswell are not good pass rushers.
David is now just average. SVD is below average. Zyon is below average.
How many times did they hit passes down the middle? No adjustment.
They may go 1-3 in the next four. Or 0-4.
Carolina will sweep them.
December 7th, 2025 at 6:23 pm
In the spirit of the Bucs mediocrity I can only say “Ditto”.
December 7th, 2025 at 6:38 pm
Coaching matters, Mayfield thrived under previous 2 O coordinators, look what both are doing now. Coach G in over head. Lousy play designs, lousy routes
Go ahead let Mayfield walk at least 10 teams will jump at signing him.
December 7th, 2025 at 7:00 pm
Otton is a almost guy. Almost makes the catch, almost gets the first down, almost makes a play. D. Culp needs a look before adding someone else next year.
December 7th, 2025 at 7:09 pm
Baker has two games vs the Panthers, and now he needs to win them both. HE needs to win them, not give BS about the defense needing to hold opponents under 260 yards and 20 points to give a chance for the offense to win.
Anyways, get those wins vs the Panthers, then win vs the Dolphins or Falcons, and the Bucs are in.
Don’t do that, and next year is a lame duck year for Baker, Bowles and Licht.
December 7th, 2025 at 7:34 pm
I sure hope not. The consensus on Ira’s podcast way back when was how Baker must have given the thumbs up for Grizzard’s promotion to OC. How’s that working out?
December 7th, 2025 at 7:40 pm
ChiBuc Says:
The consensus on Ira’s podcast way back when was how Baker must have given the thumbs up for Grizzard’s promotion to OC. How’s that working out?
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I’m not Baker Boi, but what exactly is Baker supposed to say? Also the only way his input would matter is if Baker had been extremely strongly against it.
The big thing was continuing to run the same offensive scheme, and literally all Grizz has to do, is parrot what Coen was doing. Literally they can just input all the plays from last year in AI, and it will spit out exactly what Coen would do. I’ve all year called for Grizz to be replaced by CoenAI – but people dismiss it as if it’s ridiculous. Well, I know for certain it would do better than Grizz has so far.
With that said, if Baker was playing better, the offense would look better. It’s not 100% on either party, but also not 50-50, it’s mostly on Baker not often playing well for going on 2-months now. If he snaps out of it, the Bucs will have a shot. if he doesn’t, then they might not win again this year.
December 7th, 2025 at 7:46 pm
The fact that Tyler what’s his name, a rookie nobody beat Baker in Baker’s house is all the proof you need not to extend Baker. Did we not learn from Zyon, and Winfield? I’ve known for some time Bowles needed to go, but had been cutting Licht some slack. Not anymore. Maybe we need a complete house cleaning? Fresh set of eyes on this roster.
December 7th, 2025 at 7:58 pm
Here let me sum it up: EVERYONE except Baker sucks!!! The owner,HC, front office and the other 52 players on the team. Since 2023 (he entered the leauge in 2018) Baker is 3rd in passing yards and TD passes. As a pont if reference Jared Goff is #1 in both categories while going 35-12 over that time span. In the NFC North btw. My guy Baker is 26-21. But forget the fact this team has averaged 150 yards a game on the ground for 5 weeks and 1-4 on that span. Baker deserves a 60M a year contract or he will take his sub.500 talents to a 5th team. He can’t hit wide open guys because of the defense. So let’s blow up the cap to pay a extremely limit d QB 50M a year and hinder our ability to aquire more talent. Smart play! Take away last year(fluke) and Baker beat year in completion percentage he was 19th. Every other year including this one it’s 27th or LOWER. But I’m sure next year will be his break out year. Sign him up!!!It’s a HUGE market for short, inaccurate journeyman with a career losong record that’s been on several teams. Don’t want anyone to ” snatch him up”
December 7th, 2025 at 8:00 pm
But, damn, if we had a stud TE…how different would this season be?
December 7th, 2025 at 8:03 pm
Erickson Cobb Carrier Says:
I second the motion, All in favor say aye!
December 7th, 2025 at 8:15 pm
Yeah — time to get rid of Mayfield too. Especially after he was so greedy on his current contract. All he thinks about is himself.
December 7th, 2025 at 8:30 pm
50mil. MyA$$! Baker SUCKS & You all know it!!!!!
December 7th, 2025 at 9:21 pm
Coaching has taken all the life out of this team .. Bowleszo could make a group of hall of famers regress and play worse as the season wears on. Fire him tomorrow morning.
December 7th, 2025 at 9:54 pm
Erickson – for the past 8 games Baker sucks too. I think they need to break this apart now. Let Baker walk and start a rebuild. Licht and Bowles need to go. Get a new coach and find a DE and a QB. I’m done with all this mediocrity!
December 7th, 2025 at 10:05 pm
Baker is an ok QB who masks his many deficiencies with his toughness. He’s not a franchise QB.
December 7th, 2025 at 10:13 pm
Otton was only half a yard short of the sticks. Put the ball in his chest and he would have made it. No if’s and’s or but’s about it.
December 7th, 2025 at 10:26 pm
Shake and Baker: Fair assessment. He wasn’t really good the first 3 games like the Atlanta game:17/32 for 167 yards. He did run the ball and had 3td and 0 int. He’s only had 2 pro bowl caliber games this year vs Seattle and the 49ers. Both teams were besieged by defensive injuries but I and most ppl don’t do the injury excuse. I give Baker his credit for his scrambling, starting every game and only having 6 picks thru 13 games but I’m not a fan. Any other t am would make finding a young QB a VERY high priority if not the top priority. They can’t give this guy big money. Good Lord that would be a mistake
December 7th, 2025 at 11:05 pm
Too many times they are running routes short of the sticks. It’s simple math. This team just gets dumber and dumber.Fire over confident mistake prone clueless Bowles!
December 7th, 2025 at 11:37 pm
There was a DB closing in right behind Otten. He was in the right spot and would’ve easily had the 1st down had Baker thrown it to his chest with just average zip. He threw a weak low pass at Otten’s ankles and Otten had to go back and down low to get it. Otten couldn’t go any deeper than what he was on that play. Do you want him to go two yards deeper and then not be open enough to even be an option? What more do you want out of him. I’m not this huge Otten fan, but watch it AGAIN. He did his job on that one. Culp is unplayable though. Did everyone not see his pathetic attempt at trying to block a DB of all people, right after he completely missed, allowing his d-lineman to go scot free and blow up the entire play in the backfield for about a 7 yard loss on the 4th down call with a minute left in the first quarter, on the pitch back to Bucky. Horrible play call but Culp was even worse on the play. I was like oh now we know why he has barely played all year. He’s awful.
December 8th, 2025 at 1:18 am
+That Indiana QB sure looked good!
December 8th, 2025 at 1:33 am
Don’t matter. This organization will wait for a implosion before they make a aggressive move. I know ” it’s” don’t matter unless it’s in defense of Baker but just think if Atlanta was able to get their hands on Drake Maye instead of Penix. Good grief……Saints will probably get a guy in the first round and let’s hope he’s Penix or Bryce young. Unlikely all 3 young QBs will struggle but that’s what this organization does. Base everything off the competition sucking.
December 8th, 2025 at 2:10 am
We can’t keep depending on offense AND OCs to bail out Todd Bowles’s awful Head Coaching and Defensive Coordinating.
December 8th, 2025 at 3:05 am
Ex-Browns02 Says:
December 7th, 2025 at 8:15 pm
Yeah — time to get rid of Mayfield too. Especially after he was so greedy on his current contract. All he thinks about is himself.
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LOL! You’re acting like Baker took a pay cut to come back. He didn’t, the Bucs offered him the most money. Regardless of what you dopes think, Baker wasn’t great in 2023, he was middling, and he got middling money. Last year, with Coen, Baker mostly played great, until the playoff game when he fumbles the ball and loses the game.
This year he starts out great, not really with the stats which were middling, but considering the injuries, he was doing really well. Then, like he does every year, he goes on his mid-year skid, and stinks it up, and this year it’s an extended slide. That’s why teams aren’t breaking down the door to give up multiple picks to the Bucs to give Baker $50M/year.
Baker has 4-games left to get that big new deal or play it out on a lame duck contract, which seems the most likely scenario, unless he gets on fire, wins out, and wins in the playoffs. There’s still time for him to do that.
December 8th, 2025 at 3:09 am
Erickson Cobb Carrier Says:
December 7th, 2025 at 10:26 pm
Shake and Baker: Fair assessment. He wasn’t really good the first 3 games like the Atlanta game:17/32 for 167 yards. He did run the ball and had 3td and 0 int. He’s only had 2 pro bowl caliber games this year vs Seattle and the 49ers. Both teams were besieged by defensive injuries but I and most ppl don’t do the injury excuse. I give Baker his credit for his scrambling, starting every game and only having 6 picks thru 13 games but I’m not a fan. Any other t am would make finding a young QB a VERY high priority if not the top priority. They can’t give this guy big money. Good Lord that would be a mistake
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People don’t want to hear it, but that’s a fair take – but I do give me leeway on the early games due to all the offensive line injuries, and Baker did make some plays in crunch time.
But outside of that Seahawks game, in which Seattle lost two Pro-Bowl defensive backs, and a 3rd DB early in the game, Baker hasn’t done much this year and looks nothing like the guy we saw last year. Any sort of big money deal at this point only comes if he gets hot to end the season, gets into the playoffs and wins. Do that, and he’ll still get paid. Anything short of that, he’s going to have one year left on his deal and the Bucs will make him play it out — or trade him if the Bucs decide to start a rebuild, which I don’t see happening, they’ll give it one more go, the contracts are lined up for it, then that’s pretty much it if they don’t win a lot of games, including playoff games.
December 8th, 2025 at 3:18 am
The Baker slander is crazy.
December 8th, 2025 at 3:28 am
Baker Barely went over 4000 yards in 2023. 28td was good and the 10 pics was good, excellent for him. But ANY vet starts 17 games and throw 35 times a game, they will put up stats. Brissett has nearly as many passing yards as Baker this year . Guys like Flacco and Brissett prove that. You only need 235 yards a game to get 4000. The offense was ranked like 20th or 23rd. Godwin, Evans, Otton and White all played all 17 games. The defense allowed the 7th lowest PPG in the league, 5th in turnovers and Winfeild was a DPOY candidate. Ppl complained about Canales and said Godwin was on the decline. Started 4-7 and Late on the year done mock drafts had us taking a QB in the first round. Baker went 5-1 down the stretch. Still had a losing record against winning teams and outside the division. Went 9-8 in a weak division. As usual, he liked up some garbage time stats when the game was out of hand to barely get the 4000. And even 2024, started 4-6. Mediocre outside the division,losing record vs winning teams. He had a season that Dak Prescott and Kirk Cousins had multiple times with no fanfare. Giving him a extension will be the worst decision in franchise history.
December 8th, 2025 at 3:34 am
Alyssa: his last 4 games he is completing 54% of his passes,has 4 td and 4 int. He has around 530 passing yards and is averaging LESS then 6 yards per attempt. The team is running the ball VERY well during that span to the tune of about 140-150 yards a game. Yet he has been one of the worse QBs in the leauge and they are 1-3. This was before his ” injury”🧐🧐 on Sunday night football too.