Defensive Arrow Pointing Down
December 11th, 2025
Bucs’ defense makes Joe grimace.
This is not a December trend you want to see.
As Bill Belichick used to say, football begins in December. This is when teams separate. The good get ready for the playoffs in early January. The bad get ready for their Tulum vacations in early January.
Jacob Robinson of TheAthletic.com said there are multiple reasons for Bucs fans to worry about this December. One is the Bucs defense is just plain bad.
NFC South leaders this entire season, they have gone 1-4 since Week 9 [and are now tied with Carolina] … What to blame? Defense. Here’s every category in which the Buccaneers rank bottom-five during that span: defensive EPA, points allowed, yards allowed, passing yards allowed, yards after contact allowed per carry and defensive red-zone efficiency. Ouch.
That doesn’t say much for the defensive coordinator. Wonder if the head coach might search for a replacement next month?
The offense is lousy. The defense is lousy. The special teams are lousy. Other than that, Mrs. Kennedy, how did you enjoy the car ride?
The Bucs, as Joe sees them the past seven games, are just not a good team.
And as far as the defense goes, Joe just does not know how you fix a defense in December.
Guess the best thing is to bring stars from the past out of mothballs and pray they have a renaissance.
December 11th, 2025 at 8:04 am
Just curious. Will JPP play tonight or is he still on the practice squad?
December 11th, 2025 at 8:20 am
The worst play for the Defense in last Sunday’s game was Shough eluding 3 Buc defenders who had him all but sacked and then watching him run for a TD.
Really soft and pathetic
December 11th, 2025 at 8:20 am
Head coach search for a replacement? How about the Glazer’s clean house and start over. Open the checkbook and get a good offensive head coach and hire a good DC.
December 11th, 2025 at 8:22 am
yeah it all fell apart and not due to injuries imo….
the coaches have failed this team in just about every phase…
OC, DC & Special Teams coaches havent adjusted or been creative…
leadership is void…
the only way to fix this mess is you bring in a true bad @$$(JPP) to bully the loafers(Reddick,Winfield,Zyon)…but unfortunately it 6 weeks too late…
GO BUCS!!!!
December 11th, 2025 at 8:22 am
We either turn it around and go on a nice run, or it’s the end of the Todd Bowles era. Sounds like a win win to me!
December 11th, 2025 at 8:24 am
alan
reminded me of daniels and Kancey…
defense hasnt been right since then
GO BUCS!!!
December 11th, 2025 at 8:24 am
Alanbucsfan,
Yep. That was pathetic. I saw that and immediately the Benny Hill theme song popped in my head and I could hear the saints fans laugh and cheer.
December 11th, 2025 at 8:38 am
Bowles is the same coach that he was with the Jets. NOONE is surprised.
December 11th, 2025 at 8:50 am
They dang sure brought back the wrong star as Ndamakong Suh is always in football shape and would provide anchorage next to Vea to stop the run. Bowles entire defensive philosophy is about stopping the run.
December 11th, 2025 at 8:52 am
The D is the same lousy D it has been for the past half decade. LBs and DBs who can’t figure out who they’re supposed to cover; zero four-man pass rush; abysmal tackling; persistent boredom and loafing; COMMUNICATION issues. The only difference is that the degrees of “bad” sometimes shift from not as lousy to outright terrible.
But what’s really killing this team right here and now is the Byron X Marcus Arroyo-level of incompetence coming from the OC and overall lack of accountability for atrocities committed on Special Teams.
December 11th, 2025 at 8:53 am
He *could* be elevated but won’t know for sure until 90 minutes before kickoff. When is the last time he practiced football before this week? Man, that would be the ultimate sign of desperation.
December 11th, 2025 at 9:00 am
509 is already at the Licht house. He is ready to cook the defense. Bijan is next to him.
Third prize is tomorrow. SMH
December 11th, 2025 at 9:01 am
I think Licht and Bowles thought they could get away with average personnel on defense because the offense was going to be lights out. However, when injuries to the offense occurred the , defense was incapable of coming to rescue because they were below average to begin with. Injuries to the defense took the defense from average to very poor. The players playing are incapable of making plays and some other players like McColumn and Winfield seemed to have checked out. Special Teams has never been good and this year they are exceptionally bad. That appears to be the result of poor coaching and not being concerned or inattention about the play of special teams.
So there you have it. Poor play by all 3 units for one reason or the other. In the end no unit is playing even average and it appears the players have seen the writing on the wall and well packed it in, as Arians would say
December 11th, 2025 at 9:06 am
Keep Bowles, fire his defensive coordinator.
December 11th, 2025 at 9:21 am
Bucs knew they had major personnel issues on both sides of the ball, but especially on defense well before the trade deadline and chose to stand pat for no good reason other than intransigence.
An interesting and relevant poll question would certainly be”If the Bucs fire Todd Bowles after the season, should they retain Jason Licht?
The answer is no they should not.
December 11th, 2025 at 9:25 am
The next Bucs coach will be Seattle Offensive Coordinator Klint Kubiak
December 11th, 2025 at 9:38 am
The worst coaching I’ve ever seen the last 2 months. Just utter garbage. This team comes out flat every single week. Bowels has NEVER changed his pathetic scheme because he’s a one trick pony who can’t motivate. You see other HC interacting with players and coaches constantly in real time during games.
Apparently Bowles thinks that once he steps on the field it’s all on the players to figure it out. I’ve seen enough regardless of the last 4 games. He needs to be gone.
December 11th, 2025 at 10:05 am
Alan .. you’re right and it’s been happening for a long time.
Practices at One Buc must be light jogging and Orange slices that someone’s mom brings.
December 11th, 2025 at 10:06 am
We’ve seen a defensive renaissance before so there are things that can be done. I’m just not encouraged that these coaches know what those things might be. We may actually get worse. I think it would take one of these young guys suddenly playing like a star (Bustwell?) and bringing the defense along with him.
December 11th, 2025 at 10:32 am
Football is a brutal, violent sport. Winning requires heart, passion, courage and killer instinct. From what I can see, Bowles doesn’t display or inspire any of these qualities.
December 11th, 2025 at 10:50 am
the arrow has been pointing down for the past 5 years….nothing new here…..the problem is obvious
December 11th, 2025 at 10:56 am
“Other than that, Mrs. Kennedy, how did we enjoy the car ride?”. Joe. I know you’ve been a Bucs fan far longer than I have, but it’s not that bad. I’d say we’d have to miss the playoffs for it to get that bad.
December 11th, 2025 at 11:13 am
Bowles coaching has always been a little lackluster, but now he’s just old. He’s made plenty of money to just retire and that’s what he should do.
December 11th, 2025 at 11:50 am
“”Football is a brutal, violent sport. Winning requires heart, passion, courage and killer instinct. From what I can see, Bowles doesn’t display or inspire any of these qualities.””
Totally agree with your assessment.
December 11th, 2025 at 1:53 pm
The Bowles era has gone on two years too long, at best. Whole franchise was forced to stare down the barrel of a shotgun as soon as he was announced as BA’s replacement. The collective meltdown was inevitable, we’ve seen it every year since he took over but thankfully this one should be the final nail.
Front office also needs to look hard at the QB position this offseason, at least for consideration going into ’27. Thanks for the service Baker but I just don’t see him being THE guy after his contract is up. The floor is way too high on him.
December 11th, 2025 at 2:44 pm
The defense gives up 260 yards, gets a TO and 3 sacks, while making a key stop to give the ball back to the offense to win the game with 2 minutes left. Additionally all the TDs given up happened after the Saints got the ball from midfield, twice inside of Bucs territory. Meanwhile our QB throws for 122 yards, an INT, and has the ball with a chance to win the game and goes 4 and out. Yet 95% of headlines are about the defense, which, BTW, is literally ranked 10th in the NFL.
December 11th, 2025 at 2:56 pm
HC arrow pointing down more like it then!!!
Either way, it’s Todd’s fault.
December 11th, 2025 at 3:11 pm
They need to learn how to tackle. It’s atrocious.
December 11th, 2025 at 3:26 pm
They played better when half the team was injured.
December 11th, 2025 at 3:31 pm
Regardless, The vast majority of Buc fans want Todd Bowles gone at the end of this season.
December 11th, 2025 at 3:46 pm
The team liked what they had. I would like to hear an explanation as to why.