NFC Playoffs: One Spot Left
December 26th, 2025
Can he win out?
As a result of last night’s Vikings win over the Lions, Detroit was eliminated from postseason play. Green Bay, as a result of Detroit’s loss, clinched the 6th of 7 playoff spots in the NFC.
The only spot left goes to the NFC South champion.
The Bucs had this division by the balls. And the rotten Bucs defense choked like dogs down the stretch, losing three straight division games, including that galling 14-point lead in the fourth quarter at home against backup Joe Montana Kirk Cousins and the Dixie Chicks.
If the Bucs blow a game on Sunday to green as grass rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers and the Dolphins, the suits in high offices at One Buc Palace need to take a very, very hard look at the future of this franchise.
Even if the Bucs make the playoffs, there needs to be an overhaul not just in the front-seven of the defense, but a change in philosophy as well. This indifference to an edge rush is killing this team.
Good grief, if you have to hire Wade Phillips off his front porch rocking chair in South Texas just to be an edge rush coach, then do it! This is completely ridiculous how an edge rusher is not valued by this squad. Joe thinks YaYa Diaby is a solid player but he’s not (yet) the difference-maker needed at that position.
At the very least, YaYa needs help from the other side.
6 of the 7 NFC playoff teams are decided. All that remains is seeding and the NFC South champion, which can be determined this weekend.
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) December 26, 2025
December 26th, 2025 at 12:24 am
again I think Bucs lose, Panthers lose to Seahawks and it comes down to a shootout in the Bay and Baker makes a mistake and that takes Bowles and Gizzard off the hook. We lose, Bowles stays and Baker takes the blame.
December 26th, 2025 at 12:28 am
starting to hate this team (all the staff and owners and Licht and certainly Bowles and Gizzard) I will not be back for more of this sht next year if nothing changes in the coaching dept.. I know nobody cares but I am not the only one, there are many of us that feel Bowles is beyond bad and we deserve better.
December 26th, 2025 at 12:32 am
Bucs control their own destiny. If Baker can keep from choking away more victories, the Bucs are still the favorites to get the NFC South title.
December 26th, 2025 at 12:37 am
We are playing & coaching like dogcrap. What a waste to watch this team. Get rid of that crappy defensive staff. Foote & Caldwell (LB coach) I would give a pass to
December 26th, 2025 at 12:47 am
Gerald McCoy saying Todd Bowles isn’t to blame for players not doing their job makes me want to shove a cactus in my eyeball sideways.
Todd Bowles’ philosophy of not wanting to defend the pass and selling out to stop the run in a passing league makes me want to lather myself in raw ground beef and wander blindfolded into the dark woods of northern Wisconsin.
You ever hear of seasonal depression? I get it, but this year it isn’t from the cold and 16 hours of darkness I experience every winter in the great state up north; it’s from Todd Bowles and this sorry excuse of a defense that he trots out every week.
NEWSFLASH TODD: YOU AREN’T FOOLING ANYONE WHEN VITA VEA GOES INTO COVERAGE!!!
An offensive gameplan from last year to attack this years Carolina Panthers? I thought I was still drunk from the night before when I heard him say that. I can’t believe Todd Bowles literally sat there and said “Hey, I have an idea” then suggested they should run the ball 30 times against the Panthers because when teams did that last year the Panthers lost.
December 26th, 2025 at 12:54 am
Joe, I understand your point, but the Niners don’t have an edge rusher right now and they are the number 2 seed! They are dead last with sacks but they’re the number two seed! I think that if you don’t have a pass rusher, then you need to score lots of points, and that’s what San Francisco does! They score lots of points – it’s that simple!
December 26th, 2025 at 1:06 am
“The Bucs had this division by the balls. And the rotten Bucs defense choked like dogs down the stretch..” – Joe
Wasn’t only the defense.
December 26th, 2025 at 1:10 am
Joe, indifference concerning an edge rush is one thing. And we shouldn’t minimize that. Until coaches and players can deal with the elephant in the room we’re gonna have a problem. The elephant is Baker Mayfield. In the history of the NFL 9 players threw for over 40 tds in a season. Until 2024 Mayfield and Burrow joined that oh so rarified air making that number only 11. Brady, Rodgers, Manning, Mahomes, Marino, Brees, Stafford, Warner, Wilson, Burrow, Mayfield. What stands out on this list? They’ve all been to the Super Bowl and the majority have won Super Bowls. Mayfield is the only one on the list without a Super Bowl appearance. Those other 10 QBs teams designed their game plans AROUND those hall of fame QBs. We could get some Great trade value out of Mayfield. I guarantee it. I laugh when folks comment that Mayfield needs just the right circumstances around him to win. He doesn’t have that talent to… what? Give him a couple days practice with 10 new teammates and he sets NFL records. What? He takes 1-31 franchise and starts winning-and profusely. When he went to Carolina his opening game was against guess who? Cleveland! Of course I flew to Charlotte to watch that! Baker took that lousy Carolina team down the field to go up on Cleveland 24-23 with 40 seconds left. And that lousy defense let the Browns get in position for a 57 yard game winner with 0 seconds on the clock. If this team would game plan around Baker they’ll soon win. If they want to game plan a running game and defense that’s their prerogative but trade Baker. This ballclub is looking a gift horse in the mouth. You don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
December 26th, 2025 at 1:11 am
“The Bucs had this division by the balls. And the rotten Bucs defense choked like dogs down the stretch..”
———–
Baker vs NO throws for 122 yards, an INT, has the ball in his hand with 2 mins left, promptly goes 4 and out after throwing at Otton’s feet on 4th and 4 — somehow that’s spun into the defense not doing its job.
Baker vs Atlanta in the 4th quarter throws one of the all-time worst INTs, then the next series, everyone knows if the Bucs punt the ball, they lose the game, and he promptly chokes, misses an easy throw to e2 that basically puts the game away.
Baker vs Carolina throws for 145 yards and a game losing INT. No idea how that one is on the defense. They’re supposed to hold opponents under 20 points I guess for the Bucs offense to have a shot?
No, the last 3 loses are all on Baker. If he’s just a middling QB those three games, the Bucs go 3-0 in them. Baker has to snap out of it if the Bucs are to have any shot at all.
December 26th, 2025 at 1:11 am
Guys we all know who and what the problem is… fire Bowles!
December 26th, 2025 at 1:26 am
firethecannons Says
“starting to hate this team”
A little personal history here:
When I was 11 years old, my father decided he was going to be a fan of this new nfl team, the Buccaneers. He also decided I would be too.
At that age, I wasn’t into football so much as martial arts, writing, and Saturday morning cartoons. We didn’t have computers back then. Nor did we have cordless phones, much less cellphones. Entainment came in the form of outdoor bb gun fights and watching Creature Feature on Saturdays at noon.
But my father was insistent on us being Bucs fans. Even though they had an incredibly bad start.
When I was 13, my father was killed.
I never stopped being a fan…because it was what my father wanted.
So when I see someone say they hate the team, or are starting to…or when I see people complain we are not good enough after winning 3 division titles…or when I see fans wanting to quit on players after bad rookie years…it bugs me. A lot.
Fans from the beginning lived through the worst with this team. We witnessed the no win season. We remember every week being a blackout. We remember having a cheap bigoted owner. We remember the bill boards begging for change when it was truly needed.
The Glazers are a gift from heaven to us. Any winning season is a success. Media has never believed in the Bucs. Refs have always favored the other teams.
I know ‘Fan’ came from the word ‘fanatic’, but Bucs fans used to be families united in support of a team that needed us.
In today’s age of Internet, people hide behind many screen names and say whatever they want…but I miss the ‘united against the world’ feel.
I will never NEVER hate this team. It’s alright the express frustration. I feel it at times as well.
But I will not go down the hate road. Never.
December 26th, 2025 at 1:29 am
Rod, Peyton Manning had 251 interceptions. 2.7 interception rate if that means anything to you.
December 26th, 2025 at 1:34 am
🏈 Keep Mayfield
🏈 Fire the coaches
🏈 Keep Jason Licht
🏈 Hire Matt Nagy and have him pick his staff
🏈 Draft a pass rusher in round 1
🏈 Draft a QB in round 2 (chosen by Nagy)
🏈 Draft defense the rest of the way
December 26th, 2025 at 1:37 am
No doubt, Baker has made mistakes…but it could be blamed just much on OC, OL, Defense, and injuries.
Bake had those picks, but he also was injured and unprotected. I think Grizz affected his game in a negative was.
Constantly getting bad field position sucked too.
December 26th, 2025 at 1:55 am
Start teddy. What could go wrong?
December 26th, 2025 at 2:01 am
Without Brady…Jason Licht is just another suit. Nobody. A career loser.
FIRE JASON LICHT
December 26th, 2025 at 2:05 am
We’re terrible- we need to drop 45 points on Miami
December 26th, 2025 at 2:21 am
Ok, I know if the Bucs win out they make the playoffs but what other combinations of wins and losses will result in the Bucs getting into postseason play?
December 26th, 2025 at 2:45 am
Who cares at this point? Only good teams deserve to make the playoffs and show out good in them. Nothing to support or get excited about with a team that is struggling to even get in the playoffs and will be 1 and done in the playoffs. Just calling a spade a spade. I was very excited for this team during the draft and at the start of the season only to be let down YET AGAIN!
December 26th, 2025 at 2:57 am
funny how the elephant in the room used to baker that changed with Coen and now coen has changed another elephant in the room with lawrence. at the beginning of the season the posts from fans praising bowles for the pick of griz got to an annoying trask fan type of level and now it seems those fans just want to attack baker instead of bowles picking an offensive coordinator with zero experience with play calling at any level. bowles defense is not only bad its also the offense and special teams. it is not a well run team its not just the defense
December 26th, 2025 at 4:15 am
We seem to always be down to the wire! And yes, always in need of an edge rusher.
Let em bake Says: “Start teddy. What could go wrong?” Too funny! He ended up not being the answer as back-up either, and Trask wasn’t. Maybe he was brought in as a mentor. Well, it did not work. And I like Teddy! He nor Trask were answers for all the what-ifs. One what-if being Baker hurt.
Half-watched the games yesterday. And I don’t know if it is on my end, but Netflix and Prime are not always a great picture. Also, not everyone has Netflix and/or Prime either. The Bucs have the team and we can be great. Need to win now.
December 26th, 2025 at 5:05 am
Baker Sucks! Licht Sucks
December 26th, 2025 at 7:32 am
“Hire Matt Nagy and have him pick his staff”
Just Wow 😂
What the hell did I just read?!?!
December 26th, 2025 at 7:35 am
I’ll rephrase for some when they say they hate the Bucs. Maybe they mean they hate what’s happening with the Bucs? Some bad play, and coaching going on. When people get mad they say things they later regret. We were all hoping for a great season, and a long playoff run. What we got is a total collapse. Easy to get frustrated with this team. If you didn’t love them, you couldn’t hate them.
December 26th, 2025 at 8:18 am
Defensive scheme is the main problem not Licht. Licht definitely a keeper. But all the coaches are out the door!!!!!!!!
December 26th, 2025 at 8:56 am
You cannot keep having mid season collapses and keep your No!!
December 26th, 2025 at 9:08 am
Old Florida is GOAT Says:
“Hire Matt Nagy and have him pick his staff”
Just Wow 😂
What the hell did I just read?!?!
– – – – – – – – – – – – –
LMAO Old Goat. But its no different then saying hire Gruden, Schwartz, Monken, Mr Clean, etc. All retreads and almost all are defensive coaches. There are no Ben Johnsons or Jim Harbaughs this year. Next year could be the beginning of “Lost Decade II”
December 26th, 2025 at 9:26 am
JL was quitely on the Dr Pepper hot seat until TB and crew threw him a life line.
All we heard with BA was No Biscuit if you don’t risk it. Well JL forgot that real quick or he wasn’t making the personnel decisions, which I tend to think.
The Bucs from top to bottom have become happy with the status quo.
From my couch for years I have asked for some edge rushers. Those guys are cut from a different cloth. Never give me The JTS and Braswells of the world. There’s a reason Braswell sat for 3 years, Will Anderson! He’s a dawg. It was obvious when was at Bama. JTS opted out of football the covid year, that’s weak.
Look for the Haleys, Gastenaus, Bosas, Smiths, Dents, Parsons, Rice of the world. Edges are a certain mold. Ask me, I’ll give draft advice, I watch plenty of CFB.
December 26th, 2025 at 9:27 am
Matt Nagy, suck.
December 26th, 2025 at 9:36 am
Choked like dogs?
WTH does that even mean?
December 26th, 2025 at 10:28 am
Yup. The 49ers have more injuries than the Bucs. Yet they have a DC (Mr. Clean) who figured out a way to have a decent defense.
December 26th, 2025 at 10:40 am
If the Bucs can somehow sneak in that’s one less team that causes them a lot of trouble. They play a lot of man defense. Evans is a man beater, but he was hurt.
December 26th, 2025 at 10:59 am
Fire Todd
December 26th, 2025 at 11:46 am
Miami, against Todd Bowles soft defense will score almost every possession. The Bucs O needs to put up 40 points for a W! The game plan is to run and put up 23!! The results will speak for Todd Bowles’ destiny!! It’s so sad that the Bucs’ could have had L. Coen as their HC and instead have Todd! So sad!!!!! Send him packing after this game!!!!
December 26th, 2025 at 2:25 pm
Rod Munch needs to be traded for Todd Bowles and then be fired.
December 26th, 2025 at 6:24 pm
J
December 26th, 2025 at 10:18 pm
This franchise is an embarrassment
December 26th, 2025 at 10:45 pm
I’m curious. Who are we replacing Mayfield with? I haven’t heard THAT ONE yet. I just need the geniuses with that bright idea to explain which qb (that we can actually aquire) are we trading Mayfield for, that’s CLEARLY going to do a better job with “THIS O LINE”?
I need to know who YOU ARE and your “realistic plan” so that I can make fun of You for At Least a Month….
A fourteen point lead BLOWN is on the offense? And BTW… All of those throwing Baker under the bus seem to Forget, ALL THE DROPPED PASSES INCLUDING VERY CATCHABLE TOUCH DOWNS FROM ALL THESE STUD RECEIVERS! YOU WANT TO BLAME THE ONLY GUY ON THE TEAM WHO’S ACTUALLY TRYING TO WIN? EVEN WITH OUR RUNNING JOKE OF AN OC CALLING PLAYS THAT ARE BLOWN UP AS SOON AS THE GUY SAYS “HUT”…….! Dismissing ALL the mitigating factors… Well, THAT’S “RETARDED” LEVELED THINKING!
Let me guess Tracy Ulman is your Bright idea? RIGHT! BECAUSE THERE ISN’T ANOTHER AVAILABLE QB “THAT DESPERATELY WANTS TO WIN FOR HIS TEAM “THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS” !!!
If you people are going to blame “one guy” on the team for the last 3 loses (instead of the Actual Culprit) , THEN YOUR “GOING TO HAVE TO” BLAME BAKER FOR EVERY SINGLE “WIN” THAT WE DO HAVE!!!
December 27th, 2025 at 6:47 am
i thought Bake had more control of this offense- screw Grizz, let him call audibles all game and just play catch wiht his stud receivers- line up 4 or 5 wide, one of those guys is going to be wide a** open, forget the run game it’s not working, just let Bake improvise roll him out every other play, lately Bake acts like he has no chemistry wiht his receivers- Miami’s qb is going to make us look stupid