“I’d Be Lying If I Said I’m Not Really Concerned”
December 5th, 2025
The fixability of the Bucs defense is up for debate.
Can the defense recapture some of the magic seen in spurts this season, like when Tampa Bay held the Eagles to negative yardage in the second half, or when the high-octane Lions scored on only 4 of 13 drives in Detroit?
Bucs legend Rondé Barber isn’t sure. What he saw Sunday made him take pause.
“Tackling was horrendous,” the Hall of Fame cornerback said of the Bucs defense.
“You know, if it wasn’t for the two takeaways on defense, I don’t know that we look great at all. Right? Like we gave up so many hidden yards. I don’t even know what the numbers said it was. It just looked bad. So, they gotta get better. And they know they gotta get better, man.
“These guys can’t get stops when needed, but more importantly, there’s a lack of urgency right now. It just feels like there’s a lack of urgency. There were four or five plays that looked like tackles for loss in the backfield, then all of a sudden were six-, seven-, eight-yard games.”
The Bucs may not be playing with enough urgency on defense, but Barber certainly is feeling all kinds of urgency as it relates to the Bucs being competitive in January.
“You’re running out of time to get better on defense,” Barber pleaded. There’s only five weeks left in this season. It has to happen now. For me, I’d be lying if I said I’m not really concerned.”
It’s December. Can the Bucs flip a switch and have each defensive player perform like his life depends on it? It happens. But it’s rare.
December 5th, 2025 at 1:10 pm
I’m down with signing JPP and winning the Super Bowl
December 5th, 2025 at 1:12 pm
It’s the lacklusterness. Zyon and Winfield need to step it up.
And we need an OLB that can consistently tackle the QB
Then we’d be much more ok lol
December 5th, 2025 at 1:15 pm
Offseason after Santa Clara ..
Finally sign a sacking Edge and draft another CB, top TE, ILB to challenge Dennis and heir David
December 5th, 2025 at 1:16 pm
Time to force Bowels hands and make him allow someone else to call the defense. He calls plays not to lose and the guys are playing timid. If your coach shows some personality and aggression the players will do the same. He wanted ball hawks yet the DBs play off most of the time and give free run to the WRs off the line of scrimmage. I’d love to see this defense be in attack mode instead of react mode.
December 5th, 2025 at 1:18 pm
We got this. We got a defensive mastermind head coach. Nothing to worry about. In Bowles we trust?Fire over confident mistake prone clueless Bowles!
December 5th, 2025 at 1:22 pm
There is a reason why yards is still the number one metric used to measure how good a defense is. Not points – which is extremely misleading, and not turnovers. The most PURE way to determine how good a defense is at getting actual STOPS is if the opposing team either airs it out, and rams it straight up their asses constantly. You cannot bank on turnovers every week to bail you out, that is not sustainable
December 5th, 2025 at 1:31 pm
Unless Bowles simplifies the D and lets the Rushers actually do their job, I don’t see it changing. The weird blitz packages aren’t getting there and it’s leaving large coverage holes. We have big DBs, why are they 10 yards off the line? They are built for Press Man coverage but they can’t do that with all the blitzes. If the blitzes were getting home it would be ok, but reality is showing us otherwise.
December 5th, 2025 at 1:33 pm
The lack of urgency is nothing new for a Bowles led team that has basically backed into the playoffs every year under him in the weakest division in the NFL. We have this conversation every year, then it’s completely forgetten about once the season’s over. This team is going nowhere until we get a legit HC to lead these men.
December 5th, 2025 at 1:35 pm
Pass rush pass rush pass rush did I mention where’s the pass rush?
December 5th, 2025 at 1:37 pm
They shoud hire rinde barber as the defensive coordinator (if he could take the huge pay cut that it).
December 5th, 2025 at 1:41 pm
FlBoy84 Says:
December 5th, 2025 at 1:33 pm
The lack of urgency is nothing new for a Bowles led team that has basically backed into the playoffs every year under him in the weakest division in the NFL. We have this conversation every year, then it’s completely forgetten about once the season’s over. This team is going nowhere until we get a legit HC to lead these men.
_________
The only word I’d change in your very accurate observation is the last one.
That should be millionaires and you would think that alone would be enough of a motivator.
December 5th, 2025 at 1:48 pm
It’s hard to get a pass rush, when he always drops his pass rushers into coverage?
December 5th, 2025 at 1:54 pm
Just get to 9-5 before the Panthers game.
That should be an easy task even with Bowles at the helm.
As long as Bilgewater isn’t the QB.
I fully expect the Bucs to put belt to a$$ on Sunday.
And the Dixie Chicks are no competition at all.
If Bowles can’t deliver two wins against the drecks of the league then fire him immediately.
December 5th, 2025 at 1:57 pm
Urgency isn’t a word in Bowles’ vocabulary. He’s an energy vampire, and has sucked the life out of this entire team. We’re the Flaccidneers.
December 5th, 2025 at 1:58 pm
Lack of urgency, player bored, tackling fundamentals toast – all that is 100% on Bowles. That needs to change. I don’t want another year of this. Our standards should be higher than this.
December 5th, 2025 at 2:03 pm
We should win the next two games. The last 3 will be the tell. Miami is playing pretty good ball right now and is not the pushover everyone expected earlier in the season. And we know the Panthers have clicked it up a notch. So it’s definitely coming down to the bitter end again. Who would’ve thought after a 5-1 start?
December 5th, 2025 at 2:14 pm
it hasn’t been fixed for the past 5 years, what makes you think it is all the sudden going to get fixed? This “defensive guru” has to go.
December 5th, 2025 at 2:37 pm
Hey!
It is what it is
Blah blah blah on injuries
They don’t excuse the play and coaching for the players that have been playing.
There is something BIG missing in the chemistry of the 2025 roster, sidelines and locker room!
The stink will leak out when the season is over.
December 5th, 2025 at 2:42 pm
This is not anything new. This goes back to last season, specifically the playoff loss to Washington. This defense can NEVER get off the field. 99 times out of 100 we can only generate pressure if we blitz. I am so sick and tired of hearing every play by play guy or analyst rave about a “GREAT BUC DEFENSE” or “Todd Bowles led great defense that brings pressure, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.” Defense stinks. Defense has stunk for a few seasons now. No we are not Bengals bad but they are not good, certainly not Super Bowl worthy. Bucs just lucky to be in a crap division. Since SB win, Bucs have been the best turd in the bowl that is the NFC south. Same thing will happen in JAN – Bucs will win division and lose home Wildcard game because of the DEFENSE or lack of. It will be the same issues that have plagued this unit – no pressure, not getting off field on 3rd down. MARK MY WORDS
December 5th, 2025 at 2:43 pm
cant really find 1 lie from Barber…
one game at a time!!!!
#beatthesaints
GO BUCS!!!!