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 next month. Green Bay, as a result of Detroit’s loss, clinched the 6th of 7 playoff spots in the NFC.
The only one left is 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 you need 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 1:29 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