Which Is It: Todd Bowles, Baker Mayfield Or Injuries?
December 11th, 2025
Injuries torpedoed Bucs.
When peeling the onion skins back while analyzing the Bucs, Ben Solak of ESPN believes there are three issues fans can point to as why the team is on the verge of blowing the NFC South division race.
The Bucs have lost five of their last seven games and they have largely looked awful. Sometimes the defense plays OK but the offense cannot buy a first down. Sometimes the offense is moving the ball but the defense cannot stop Clearwater Central Catholic.
Never in the past seven games have the Bucs played both good offense and good defense.
Starting the season, the Bucs won five of their first six games and folks thought the team had a real shot at the No. 1 overall seed.
Now? The Bucs are in the fight for their lives, having to face three decent teams in the final four games, Carolina and a suddenly hot Miami.
It’s not looking good. Bucs fans are outraged like Joe hasn’t seen since the depths of the Bucs commander Greg Schiano regime.
Fans are hollering for Bucs coach Todd Bowles’ head on a platter like never before. Baker Mayfield is in a terrible rut, prompting hushed voices to wonder if he really is the Bucs’ future behind center. This, only a few weeks after fans chanted “MVP… MVP… MVP… ” at Mayfield.
While appearing on Mina Kimes’ podcast, ESPN analyst Ben Solak noted it’s fair to debate if the Bucs may need to move on from Bowles.
And he said it’s fair to debate if the Bucs ought to be looking for an option at quarterback besides Mayfield. But Solak noted what is not fair is to fully ignore the damage injuries have had on the Bucs and attack Bowles and/or Mayfield.
“I do think there’s a legitimate conversation about how good is Baker, actually?” Solak said. “And I do think there’s legitimate conversation where, like, what does Todd Bowles really bring to this team?
“But … the biggest piece of the pie issue is just the health.”
The key now is Mayfield’s health. Bucs types don’t deny publicly he’s been hurting. Just looking at Mayfield’s numbers, one could conclude maybe he shouldn’t be on the field. But he’s the heart and soul of the Bucs and if anyone can manufacture production even when less than 100 percent, it is Mayfield.
Yeah, injuries have killed this team. Mayfield has neither had his starting five offensive linemen on the field together, nor has he had his top-four receivers on the field together. And he’s missed his No. 1 running back for a couple of months.
Offensive injuries, however, have very little to do with the mostly leaky defense and the annually sorry pass defense.
And offensive injuries have nothing to do with a brewing locker room issue(s).
December 11th, 2025 at 3:58 am
The offense hasn’t been very good at all. The defense is even worse most of the time. With the exception of the kicker the special teams has been absolutely terrible. That points right at Bowlzo.
December 11th, 2025 at 4:20 am
All the fake fans are not allowed to enjoy the playoffs.
We are getting healthy on offense.
Chukwuma should be a starter. He’s amazing!
JPP is going to replace Logan Hall and actually make plays.
Deion Jones is going to be a huge upgrade over SVD.
Izien is getting healthy. We need his fire!
We are going to the playoffs again.
And all the fake fans on here shouldn’t be allowed to watch!
December 11th, 2025 at 4:29 am
Sometimes an individual has to hit “rock bottom” before they can get things turned around. I’m afraid that we haven’t quite hit “rock bottom yet”. And that’s a scary thought.
December 11th, 2025 at 4:34 am
Putrid pass defense and Bowles year after year after year. This offense healthy can compete with anybody. Plug some holes on defense and get rid of Bowles. The new HC will bring in a new staff. Even if we make the playoffs, the expectations aren’t good, being realistic. Bowles is just not a good DC. I don’t know what he’s good at, and I don’t look forward to seeing him running this team again.
December 11th, 2025 at 5:09 am
It is 1,000% TODD, we have to move on from this mess
He is the epitome of over-promoting a good mid level manager to an executive role – he just doesn’t have the intangibles and feel for the other areas of leadership required to win a championship
December 11th, 2025 at 5:10 am
other teams are peaking like the panthers and dolphins while we are in a bad slump and it’s for all 3 reasons above and more.
Baker is the only guy who can pull us out and I’m not sure he can… That 4th down dirt ball to Otter was so pathetic.
all the guys who were making plays when we were 5-1 are making mistakes now- it’s like the Rays in a bad baseball slump and nobody can pull them out and the slump is so bad they look pathetic in all 3 phases. Somebody save us tonight!
There were several plays against the Saints that doomed us. If Mek catches that TD, CG catches that 4th down, Nelly wraps up on Tyler, it was the combo of all those failures at critical moments late in the game
….but we should have put 30 on them there is no excuse with CG, Mek and Tez c’mon!!
we gave up easy in the playoffs late year on a fumble and a bad snap with Coen and the best offense we’ve ever had like we would be right back there this year and now I wonder if we’ll ever get back there! Reddick was our big signing and he’s been hurt so much… somebody end the nightmare tonight
December 11th, 2025 at 5:12 am
I know Grizz is inconsistent but he’s a rookie- he’s a smart guy, good communicator, motivator- maybe give him a shot at HC before we start from scratch??!!! Grizz needs to channel his inner Coen
December 11th, 2025 at 5:20 am
What are the three things again? Baker, Bowles and…Injuries?…Locker room left town? Grizz?… It rained Sunday? Just kidding on that last one.
Go Bucs!
December 11th, 2025 at 5:38 am
What happened to ‘Baler Mayfield finds a way to win’. Winners find a way. They make changes. They have contingency plans..they build the right depth, make smart trades… they don’t have EXCUSES.
December 11th, 2025 at 5:48 am
bowles and licht
December 11th, 2025 at 5:48 am
@MJ Just because Josh has an Ivy league education doesn’t mean he has common sense. He’s done nothing to show he’s Head Coach worthy.
I agree that the Bucs need a young coach but a young coach that has proven himself.
December 11th, 2025 at 5:50 am
bucs played lions when lions didnt have any starters in defensive backfield. which players just played for the saints it wasnt kamara or shaheed . injuries shouldnt even be brought up.
December 11th, 2025 at 6:18 am
Baker is hurt. It affects his play. He has to play because Bowles wanted so bad to get rid of Trask and hire The Big Blooper. It is Bowles.
December 11th, 2025 at 6:20 am
If after 7 years coaching the Defense we still get poor tackling, missed assignments, bad reads and lackluster performance it’s time for an overhaul. There’s been no significant improvement year after year and almost zero player development. That’s coaching.
On the O side – I’m convinced that Baker’s hurt. Last Sunday, he ran for a first down, dove to miss a tackle and landed on his left shoulder(again). I’ll give Grizz a mulligan this year (Canales had no experience playcalling before he landed here and didn’t have to deal with all the injuries).
No mention by BSPN on the not so stellar play of not so special teams.
December 11th, 2025 at 6:28 am
Baker has been hurt, for sure. Plus, so many others too.
BucsNbeer – Well said and absolutely agree. Grizz is not ready to be HC, Ivy league background is not a prerequisite for HC.
December 11th, 2025 at 6:31 am
Todd Bowles is a dead man walking. This organization has turned into an entire team embarrassment. His entire coaching career is on the line tonight. You lose tonight and you can start packing your bags. We’re sick of this garbage.
December 11th, 2025 at 6:37 am
I just looked at The NFL Database
Career record for Todd Bowles is 61 wins – 74 losses
Career record for Baker Mayfield is 59 wins – 60 losses
They are who their records say they are.
December 11th, 2025 at 6:39 am
Baker isn’t playing like last year, but he is still seventh in touchdowns despite all the dropped balls. receivers need to step it up. Grizz definitely not Canales nor Coen. Those two were special.
Bowles ok but the linebackers have been awful & secondary a sieve.
December 11th, 2025 at 6:44 am
The roster is trash. No coach could win with those bums
December 11th, 2025 at 7:04 am
Lessismore … ‘I’ll give Grizz a mulligan this year (Canales had no experience playcalling before he landed here and didn’t have to deal with all the injuries).’
Sorry, but even pro golfers don’t get mulligans. No way pro football teams do.
Grizz is in WAY over his head this season. Todd’s brilliant strategy of getting him OJT during the preseason was a joke. None of the starters even played during those 3 preseason games, so Grizz go minimal OJT there. Bucs started off strong despite several early injuries, going 3-0 but just squeaking out each victory (thanks to 3 last minute Baker comebacks). Yet we only scored 24 PPG average in those 3 wins.
Lost 31-25 to the Eagles, but then something happened in the Seahawks & 49ers games … Bucs scored over 30 pts in each of those games and came away with victories. Baker had an awesome game against the Seahawks: 29-of-33 (87.9%) for 379 yds, 2 TDs & 0 INTs, to include a last minute TD followed by a winning FG after an INT. ZBaker followed that with a decent game against the 49ers, completing 17-of-2 (73.9%) for 256 yds, 2 TDs & 0 INTs.
But then the Lions game hit, and the Bucs fell apart. We’ve never really recovered. That’s the game we lost Mike Evans in, and we’d already lost Bucky. The offense without those 2, and with a makeshift OLine, just couldn’t get untracked. Prior to the Lions game, our offense wa averaging 27.5 PPG and we were 5-1. Starting with the Lions game, we’ve averaged 19.1 PPG and are 2-5. All of those games we played without Mike Evans, mostly without Chris Godwin & Bucky Irwin, and almost always with a makeshift OLine. And oh ya, with a hurting Baker Mayfield.
I feel that Mike Evans makes a much bigger difference in this offense than most of us recognize. He stretches the field, and surely opens up opportunities for our other WRs & TEs to get open. It’ll be interesting to see how Grizz uses him in tonight’s game.
December 11th, 2025 at 7:09 am
Bowels
December 11th, 2025 at 7:21 am
Three issues with the Bucs. Todd Bowles, Todd Bowles, Todd Bowles!
December 11th, 2025 at 7:30 am
Its all of the above. Bowles and Baker are the leaders of this team and when this team has been healthy, how far has the team gone? How far did this healthy team go last year with a better OC? How many excuses are yall going to make for Baker? He’s not injured, hes just not that good. If hes injured, he shouldn’t be starting because hes not making many plays.
I’ve been saying it for years, as long as Baker and Bowles are in the leadership positions of the team, this team won’t go far. They’re not elite, at all.
December 11th, 2025 at 7:56 am
Baker is just not a top 10 QB ..Hopefully he takes a 30-35 Mill deal cause a top15 QB can not take 50-60 Mill in salary and a team expect to win
December 11th, 2025 at 8:01 am
im gonna say Reddick is the problem!!!
Reddick came in, saw that there were a bunch of nice guys on the team & no one was going to challenge him…not Licht, not bowles, not LVD, not Winfield, not Vita
he’s turned into a quite verse of swaggy/grimes/djax….we dont here or see much but he’s destroyed the professional culture that was once inside the locker room…
Reddick shouldve been released with an injury settlement weeks ago
GO BUCS!!!!
December 11th, 2025 at 8:02 am
It’s almost laughable that this has gotten this far. All of this stems from within. AND “without” (Terrible Coaching). But at the heart of it all….
It’s “within”. When the Entire Team takes a dive like this (which is rare), it always leads to the heart of the team. Aka, the locker room. And whatever the problem is it’s LITERALLY poisoned the entire team. THEY ARE SNAKE BIT. Apparently they aren’t listening to Bowles. Looks as they don’t trust him to listen. Probably he doesn’t treat them like men. They’re young, but they’re college graduated (for the most part) MEN.
I’m not so sure they would all say they love Bowles as much as they used to.
The leaders in the looker room have become toothless. Bringing in JPP Certainly WON’T BE enough. What’s he going to do? Get the crap kicked out of himself if he passes off a few at a time? I doubt he’s signing up to get his @$$ kicked.
All of the coaching shortcomings have come to a head for one. THAT’S what’s Obvious. What kicked this all off, Obviously isn’t as easy to pin down. Fingers are pointing in Any and Every direction. Until someone that IS FROM that locker room says “THIS” IS what’s going on, it’s just a guess fest. And apparently the head coach, nor Jason Licht, nor the water boy knows how to stop it.
But WE ALL KNOW that the ONLY WAY to Fix This IS to Cut the Cancer Out. It feels like it’s only getting worse as they try to hide just what that Cancer is… We only know that it started (in a Very Noticeable Way) somewhere around the trade deadline/ bi week. And has festered into a MONSTER since then.
I personally don’t give a dmn about the Glazers bottom line (it’s only served us with what seems to be knock offs or expired products lately and it’s left us without quality Fill In players like top of the line producing D ends) and I DON’T LIKE this current product anymore.
I’m quite done with Licht’s dollar store shopping habits. It’s CLEARLY left the team and the fans Wanting. I AM UNINSPIRED and THAT’S on Licht! And I’ve personally been a staunch supporter of his EXCEPT when he FAILED to produce Quality O linemen for Brady and in the end it RAN BRADY OUT OF TOWN! That was on BOTH BOWLES AND LICHT! And Now…. he seems to have bought into himself as a drafting guru. It REALLY DOESN’T LOOK IT at the moment… Instead he’s wasted the opportunity to secure depleted area’s that were CRUCIAL to winning so that he can gamble…..
And finally Todd Bowles. O Boy. How he wasn’t replaced almost immediately… Just proved to me From the Onset that the Glazers ARE LAZY OWNERS and they could care less about ACTUALLY WINNING! When Bowles came in he IMMEDIATELY THREW AWAY A SUPER BOWL WINNING FORMULA! And these movements WERE NOT in small measures. Oh NO, he CRASHED THE SYSTEM IMMEDIATELY! We only won what? 8 games/ 9, WITH OVER 80% of the Super Bowl winning players STILL only the team. The team that Won 13 games in the regular season before he threw up All Over it! I have had NO REASON TO LIKE THIS GUY AND WITH EACH PASSING YEAR I COULDN’T STAND WHAT HE WAS DOING TO THE TEAM “AND” WHAT HE DIDN’T DO FOR THE TEAM! This man HAS ruined this defense. It’s not only in shambles, it’s a total JOKE! Bowles seems to be an alright person. But he was NEVER head coach material.
We know this because we ALL witnessed what a true head coach can do JUST THE YEAR BEFORE…. Bowles has NEVER been even sort of in Arians league. Just because Arians suggested him, didn’t mean that Licht nor the Glazers should have kept him beyond a three year period. He ABSOLUTELY WOULDN’T have lasted three years if I owned the team. But then I’m not deaf, dumb, or BLIND! And more importantly, I WANT MY TEAM TO WIN! Winning was Malcolm’s. His children DO NOT carry the same passion for Winning OR this team that I do. In reality they seem to be more the “soccer types”. It “feels like” this team, our team, the Buccaneers aren’t appreciated as a passion to them. The team seems to merely be more of an “ATM” than anything else to them. They are CERTAINLY NOT PASSIONATE ABOUT WINNING or they’d would have Replaced Bowles for his Extremely Lousy coaching prowess and sh!t schemes and strategies that haven’t worked since day one of him taking over.
If they actually CARED about WINNING, they would have gotten rid of Bowles a few years back. And NOT HAVE EXTENDED HIM for such a Horrible product on the field Year after Year, after YEAR….
December 11th, 2025 at 8:07 am
What defensive talent has he developed? Lots of 1 and 2 round busts. I felt a few weeks ago da Bucs have tuned out Bowles. Most behavior and communication is non verbal, thus look at their actions/play.
Lastly, look at the results…. struggling in a weak division, yearly.
It comes down to their standards. Lots of lofty talk but average standards.
Time for a change
December 11th, 2025 at 8:08 am
The Eagles installed a “positivity rabbit” in their locker room this week
Maybe the Bucs can install a “positivity Captain Fear” in their locker room
December 11th, 2025 at 8:10 am
And Joe’s…
I KNOW you KNOW more than you’re saying about what’s going on in that looker room. You DO speak to the players and insiders “Daly” or MINIMUM every other day, DO YOU NOT?
Ever heard of the concept of “BREAKING A STORY”? That’s HOW the Big Dogs Roll and Become “insiders” with ALL the breaking news! You should try it. What do you have as a journalist to lose? Your local job I suppose because they’re scared of their shadows but do ANY OF YOU have HIGHER aspirations?
December 11th, 2025 at 8:34 am
Never seen a city with such flakey fair weather fans. And all these hyer critical non experts actually think they know football.
Its like Baker if you don’t play super all the time and save us from ourselves then we will just have to make you the scape/GOAT.
I got news for you braindead geeks. Baker has been saving your football team since he got here.
December 11th, 2025 at 8:42 am
Bee,
You don’t like Baker. The NFL uses QBR to rate quarterbacks. Dak Prescott is #1. Is he elite? Patrick Mahomes is #3. Is Partick elite? Their teams are struggling and may not make the playoffs.
Let’s have a couple of comparisons just for fun. Josh Allen has thrown 18 interceptions this season, been sacked 31 times and has thrown 22 TD. The guy you don’t like, Baker, has thrown 6 interceptions, been sacked 24 times and has thrown 20 TD. Is Jalen Hurts elite? The Eagles are leading their division. If the Bucs were 10-3 right now would Baker be elite?
December 11th, 2025 at 9:03 am
Bucsfan2023
Sir, it doesn’t matter if I like Baker or not. What are the results of his play? You’re comparing him to Allen and Hurts 2 QBs who’ve taken their teams to conference championship games and Superbowls. There is no comparison. Its bigger than stats. Baker can’t guide his team to beat a 2 win team at home when having the ball last. Couldn’t even get 10 yards on the last possession. Threw a near pick on 2nd down and a dirt ball on 4th.
That’s not me not liking him, thats me not liking his performance and having ppl like you mad I’m not accepting mediocrity. Baker at his healthiest in the playoffs lost to a rookie. Those other QBs get their teams deeper in the PLAYOFFS more CONSISTENTLY.
Baker is consistently inconsistent which makes him average at best.
December 11th, 2025 at 9:18 am
Anyone reading the dirty bird boards, lots if doom abd gloom over there as well, RAH has lost all of his goodwill capital and appears to have lost the team after the 2nd half meltdown at hone last Sunday
December 11th, 2025 at 9:52 am
MJ
Seriously? Grizz has shown absolutely nothing in his ability to run an offense and you want to give him a shot at the whole team?
The Bucs are one of the worst offenses in the league.
December 11th, 2025 at 9:57 am
I live in ATL. They want Ra and Pitts gone. They also are not fans of Penix.
December 11th, 2025 at 10:06 am
You can’t blame a specific area now….
Yeah the offense was crushed by injuries early and that’s really has an impact on Grizz’s ability to scheme guys open. We lost #1 thru #3 WR’s early and Ebuka had a ton of pressure put on him. Unfortunately he has wilted with dropped passes. He has a focus problem…
The “healthy” defense less Kancey has been Sieve all year. No excuse for that whatsoever…….
When you add those 2 together, you get a total crapshow comprised of bad coaching, bad offensive/defensive schemes, and a lack of energy/effort all around.
Now that the WR cavalry is coming back, can they savor the season at all and get their heads out of their a$$es ????
If they can’t beat Atlanta tonite on a short week at home when Falcons are reeling and without Drake London, the Bucs are TOAST!!!
This game will decide if the Bucs have checked out….
December 11th, 2025 at 2:24 pm
Injuries are no excuse for the defense being terrible.
That falls on the defensive coordinator… what’s his name again?
December 11th, 2025 at 2:25 pm
Can’t blame injuries for special teams being the worst in the entire league either.
It starts at the top! FIRE TODD BOWLES
December 11th, 2025 at 2:42 pm
Baker is almost certainly playing hurt, and even a minor injury to the wrong muscle(s) can disrupt passing accuracy. It’s not a “playing through pain” issue. The problem is that the style of play that makes him such an exciting player also exposes him to getting hurt. He’ll recover from whatever is going on at the moment and return to a high level of play, but can he stay healthy long enough to win consistently?
December 11th, 2025 at 3:07 pm
Love Baker, he’s the heart and soul of team. Problem is he’s hurt and we have no back up. Bowles has to go, been saying that since last year when we blew it in the playoffs.
December 11th, 2025 at 3:37 pm
Absolutely.