Loaf Watch: Bills-Buccaneers
June 29th, 2026
Yesterday, Joe brought the first installment of the Loaf Watch series.
Todd Bowles talked about Bucs “just taking plays off,” so Joe wants to look deeper into the Bucs’ post-bye games, the ones that sent Tampa Bay from a 6-2 record to a sad 7-9 finish.
Joe is seeking clarity beyond Lavonte David admitting to being called out for loafs and YaYa Diaby wagging a finger of shame at Bucs film.
Yesterday, Joe studied Bucs-Patriots in Week 10. Today, it’s Bucs-Bills in Week 11.
So who was loafing/taking plays off?
Well, in the fourth-quarter, Joe saw Chris Braswell and Lavonte David jogging while pursuing James Cook after he caught a pass in the flat. This was a one-score game at the time with 5 minutes on the clock.
Later in the fourth quarter, it was clear that Bucs rookie cornerback Benjamin Morrison was jogging in the red zone and not eager to shoot his head in the fan, aka Josh Allen, as Allen grinded to the end zone for the Bills’ final score.
Back to Braswell, Joe won’t throw the “loaf” label on him for additional plays, but he is very soft. He might be loafing, but it’s too hard to be sure. Braswell was late to the party with weak side help (didn’t seem motivated) on Allen’s slow-developing TD run to give the Bills a 37-32 lead. With average hustle, Braswell at least could have been in position to drill Allen at the goal line.
Braswell also is soft as a pass rusher and on special teams, just not effective for a young player with a lot of athletic ability.
Cornerback Zyon McCollum wouldn’t get any tough-guy awards in Buffalo. Soft. “Joggin'” Jamel Dean left this game early with a hip issue.
Receiver Tez Johnson often avoids blocking by design, because of his tiny size, Joe assumes. Sometimes that hurts the Bucs.
Unlike against the Patriots, left guard Michael Jordan toughened up against the Bills. And offensive lineman Dan Feeney and Graham Barton flashed some fire. Tristan Wirfs also is a menace, a player to be emulated.
Joe also will throw love at Rachaad White for running exceptionally hard.
White stiff-armed Bills linebacker Shaq Thompson on one run and simultaneously slam-dunked Thompson’s head into the turf. It never made the highlights or social media, per Joe’s observation, but it was a good example of White running with attitude all game. Sean Tucker had a whale of a game, too.
It’s on to Los Angeles!
June 29th, 2026 at 2:48 pm
Wait… you called out Chris Braswell for loafing in the first article. I was amazed he even got in the game
…you;re telling me that he got in the game twice last season?
And where’s Jason Licht in all of this? I specifically remember him talking Chris Braswell up.
June 29th, 2026 at 2:54 pm
I’ll tell you one name everyone knows will never show up on these lists: Baker Mayfield. That may not make him a great QB, but it makes me a fan.
June 29th, 2026 at 2:59 pm
This series has a very interesting start point lol
June 29th, 2026 at 3:01 pm
I’m not buying that all the “loafing” was just a Bucs thing. I blame it more on injuries, and a lack of depth. And, believe that you can go through and ‘nitpick’ EVERY NFL Team’s film, and catch players sometimes, maybe, taking a play or two off. It was like, everyone was saying that Winfield Junior QUIT on that big Chubb (I think it was) Run. Well, he had absolutely NO SHOT at catching HIM there, & HE KNEW IT. Where he initially FIRST flubbed up was as soon as when Chubb got the ball… He took a HORRIBLE ANGLE, from the JUMP. And, then there was NO. FREAKING. WAY. That HE was catching CHUBB there, as soon as he kicked the BURNERS ON. So, I think A LOT of this is just being waaayyy overblown right now, and just making excuses for A BAD DEFENSE. That, was poorly COACHED, with a lot of beat up and banged up, old, and inferior TALENT. And, DEPTH.
June 29th, 2026 at 3:01 pm
RWs usage, or lack of usage last season was one of the reasons our offense looked so pitiful most of the year. Inexcusable coaching.
Braswell is going to get buried on the depth chart if he doesn’t start playing with fire under his ass. We have his replacements in house now.
🤞🏼 With the CBs – my biggest concern on defense. I’m higher on Morrison than a lot of people but he has to stay healthy enough to stay on the field. Hopefully they’re focusing on turning his head around and seeing the ball 😳. I think our corners are pretty physical in run support as a general rule.
June 29th, 2026 at 3:03 pm
This is why I love JBF right here. Thanks to the loaf watch!
June 29th, 2026 at 3:04 pm
@ JustVisiting Says: “I’ll tell you one name everyone knows will never show up on these lists: Baker Mayfield. That may not make him a great QB, but it makes me a fan.”
No. I saw a Quarterback who was not focused, and was just going through the MOTIONS, just exactly like the rest of the team.
June 29th, 2026 at 3:08 pm
Yeah, Old RWhite was definitely NOT soft. He was one of only just a very small few, who looked FOCUSED and completely LOCKED-IN. He sure did. I still can’t understand WHY we didn’t feed him the ball a lot more.
June 29th, 2026 at 3:13 pm
You may run out of ink on the LA game. Happy hunting. Expose the frauds.
Thanks Joe.
June 29th, 2026 at 3:18 pm
“No. I saw a Quarterback who was not focused, and was just going through the MOTIONS, just exactly like the rest of the team.”
I knew this game was cooked after the Parrish pick at the BUF 5 yard line and we kicked a FG three plays later.
June 29th, 2026 at 3:18 pm
You can speculate on Evans all you want, but, R. White left because of Bowles cowardice. He had the guts to stand up and call him out for not honoring his word. White always played hard. He continued to get better. He will be missed.
June 29th, 2026 at 3:40 pm
I thought the record after the bye was all Baler’s fault.
June 29th, 2026 at 3:53 pm
I thought that when Bucky went out, White put together a highlight real for why the Bucs should keep him.
Instead, when Bucky came back and was ineffective, the Bucs put White on the shelf and seemed to try to forget about him.
June 29th, 2026 at 3:55 pm
I was never a huge fan of White. However, I think his best season was last year. I predict we will miss him.
June 29th, 2026 at 4:02 pm
I’m very glad you’re doing this Joe.
It’s been a thing with me ever since I started keying in on Durable Donnie doing the bare minimum and being hailed as a warrior.
I despise lazy players making millions.
Toughen up Bucs.
June 29th, 2026 at 4:03 pm
Joe is naming names! Way to go, Joe! Keep up the fine analysis. This list could get long……
June 29th, 2026 at 4:13 pm
Melvin and Warren: People can watch the same game and see different things, obviously, and I suspect you’re both better judges of football than I am. But I know effort when I see it, in any sport, and while I agree Baker lost focus, that’s a whole other thing from just going through the motions.
June 29th, 2026 at 4:16 pm
white was our best all rounder RB last year>
June 29th, 2026 at 4:22 pm
Joe:
You missed the biggest loaf of them all. That would be Todd Bowles.
He quit on his offense when he punted on the 40. Thought he could turn to his defense to get the ball back. Anyone watching that game knew what was going to happen.
Bowles threw in the towel. That’s a loaf.
June 29th, 2026 at 4:28 pm
Jamel Dean leaving a game injured like clockwork.
June 29th, 2026 at 4:36 pm
Past history, good read but I can’t replay the loafing and stupidity in my mind. I am going to bury this mess , whatever the reason, and try to focus on the upcoming season. Just hope Bowles goes hard on these players and makes them accountable this season. Is that too much to ask?
June 29th, 2026 at 4:42 pm
Chris Braswell is shocking the world. With his Bowles level loafing on the field.
Attitude reflects leadership. The players are simply taking on the ethics of the HC\DC.
We’ve seen the results and they are below what the standard should be.
I HOPE we wake up from this nightmare sooner rather than later.
Fire Bowles Now!!!
June 29th, 2026 at 4:57 pm
Remember Tasker when he ran down the clown DE for Dallas in the SB that had a TD and paraded into the end zone before Tasker caught him and knocked the ball through the end zone for a touchback? The game was for all intents and purposes over and that play should be played before every season as an expectation of what Buccaneer Pride should be and anything less gets your a** out the door. And yes it starts in practice.
June 29th, 2026 at 5:00 pm
Id say I’ll be astonished if Brasswell even makes the team this year. BTW where do you go to watch these games and are they free? Also. I see Terrion Arnold made bail, but the Lions released him anyway. Might he be worth a 1 year flier?