Bucs Fans Don’t Flinch
July 3rd, 2026
Collectively, Bucs fans are unwavering, much like this fan stuck at a Bucs home game in a sea of Eagles green.
Joe loves when Bucs fans have firm convictions and prove they’re not blowing in the wind.
On May 3, Joe polled fans here with a typical JoeBucsFan flash poll — open for roughly an hour be a true snapshot of fan opinion.
The question was simple: What’s your Bucs win-total prediction for 2026?
The top answer was 10 wins (33.3 percent). Next was 9 wins (22.8), followed by 11 wins (14.8).
Fast forward to today, and Joe ran the exact same poll — exactly two months after the last poll.
Again, 10 wins led the way at (32 percent). And next, yet again, was 9 wins (20.9) and then 11 wins (15.4). That’s nearly identical to the top responses of two months ago.
Two months ago, Bucs fans largely were high on the NFL Draft that brought Tampa Bay the Miami Mauler edge rusher Rueben Bain in Round 1, linebacker Josiah Trotter in Round 2 and receiver Ted Hurst in Round 3, plus nickel cornerback Keionte Scott in Round 4.
Optimism was high after the draft and it has not waned. Three quarters of Bucs fans envision a winning season ahead. (You can see today’s full poll results on the JoeBucsFan home page.)
The oddsmakers have had the Bucs as the 2026 favorite in the NFC South landfill for months.
It’s clear to Joe that Todd Bowles will be held to a very high standard to start the season. A revolt is likely if the Bucs somehow find their way to a 2-3 record after playing Dallas on Thursday Night Football in Week 5.
July 3rd, 2026 at 8:12 pm
Top of the turd pile. That’s the ceiling for a team led by Toad Bowels.
Sure, he can win a lousy division. Except for 2025 with a 6-2 record at the bye.
But in the playoffs he’s 1-3. A .250 win percentage for the arithmetic impaired. (#99) 🤣
The guy is inept and sucks at both of his jobs. He’s failing upwards.
Only Mina Kimes thinks he’s got a top ten defense. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
July 3rd, 2026 at 8:13 pm
Held to a very high standard? Perhaps he will fire his entire coaching staff and all of the office personnel at the end of the season. His coaching is perfect – it is everyone else!
July 3rd, 2026 at 8:27 pm
Among the worst HC of the NFL and can’t lead a team to any real championship!
2-3 playing Thursdays night game is more believable than anything better!
July 3rd, 2026 at 8:27 pm
High standards last year?!?!? NOT
HE IS STILL HERE ARTER THE INFAMOUS DECEMBER 2025.
SMH
July 3rd, 2026 at 8:27 pm
As a life long Bucs fan I am trying to be optimistic about the upcoming season and number of wins, but if I am truthful the defense still has a lot of questions and Bowles never seems to learn either as a HC, that constantly mis-manages the clock or as a DC that has the secondary play soft coverage and drops DL players in coverage. This is a defense that makes rookie QBs look all pro. I would be a lot more optimistic if the Bucs had a new DC and a few free agent veteran CBs.
July 3rd, 2026 at 8:43 pm
Lynch
You act like you’ve uncovered some hidden truth. Everyone knows Bowles has to win in January. The difference is some of us can evaluate the whole picture instead of recycling the same post every day.
July 3rd, 2026 at 8:53 pm
Can’t wait for the Article on the Article on your own poll.
July 3rd, 2026 at 8:59 pm
Stenchmob says:
“Top of the turd pile.”
Can’t think of a better description of you bro…. #1 troll = top turd on the poop crew.
July 3rd, 2026 at 9:02 pm
Slow ILB’s killed this team on defense last year. Hopefully, the LBers we have now are much faster. Teams took advantage of it all season long.
July 3rd, 2026 at 9:03 pm
@99
I am evaluating the whole picture. The picture sucks.
Playing well in September and then failing in December and January should not be enough.
But I guess you prefer low standards and acceptance of mediocrity.
Todd will give you all of that and more. He’s a guru!!!
July 3rd, 2026 at 9:24 pm
Lynch
I wanted Bowles gone and I think he sucks as a head coach
I’m actually looking forward to seeing all the new additions. This will definitely be his last season if we don’t win a playoff game. He is out of excuses for sure
July 3rd, 2026 at 9:40 pm
A revolt is likely if opponents are catching td passes with Bain in coverage
July 3rd, 2026 at 10:06 pm
À whole bunch of people got injured, Lynch. Will you please just go away and never come back? Please? Soooo tired of your nonsense.
July 3rd, 2026 at 11:25 pm
:/ 8…and then i got berated by a few, lol….ya’ll aint been bucfans since 1996, or newer…. if you really have, then you know when to reel it in and how lower the bar!!!! Its mindset. Set your expectations low, be surprised if they surpass them.
We aint nothing until we’re something! Said the same thing last year and got raked over the coals because i wasnt all rah, rah, rah like those mindless cheerleading males in skirts with palm palms….got called a wannabe GM (which i took as a compliment lol) but anyways GTFOH…
Believe me, Im pulling for us but I know reality and our history! The new D additions are going to be BEASTS! Especially Bain and Trotter and Keonte, but they will need a year…..so chill.
July 3rd, 2026 at 11:36 pm
@Floormatt
I’m not going anywhere big guy. You better strap in. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
As long as Toad Bowels and Faker Suckfield are poisoning the well I’ll be chiming in to point out all of their lesser points. Of which they have many.
You can continue your never ending Polly positive over the top lemming speak about the genius of the HC\DC.
July 3rd, 2026 at 11:46 pm
That’s interesting Joe’s…. Do you have the polls from just a few More months back concerning Bowles and Wins?
We “ALL WANT TO” Win. After we brought in likely the Best coach we ever had, Bruce Arians, it became CRYSTAL CLEAR just WHO IS the Most Important peice on the team. It’s not the QB, and It’s not the DE. It’s the HEAD COACH! Those who have been paying attention KNOW THIS AS A FACT!
Is anybody willing to put up all of their personal clout and money for that matter, (besides Bowles agent and family members) on Todd Bowles not to only get us there, BUT to WIN a SUPER BOWL “THIS YEAR”?? Is there a realistic and honest KNOWING DEEP DOWN, that Bowles gives us a STRONG SHOT, at going to and Wining a SUPER BOWL, ……. Any and Every year, starting 5 years ago?
I don’t know about you guys but I haven’t felt strong about that happening with Bowles for 4 years STRAIGHT! Coen is the last time I even saw a GLIMMER of hope since we were forced into Bozo’s clown car….
With Arians…. we weren’t literally SCARED that he was Going To, SCREW IT UP! No we didn’t feel like that AT ALL! What we ALL felt was, with a REAL head coach like Bruce Arians was that he WOULDN’T Screw it up! I
In fact, HE was GOING TO pull some AMAZING PLAYS right out of his pocket, and LOTS OF THEM! “THAT’S HOW” WE ALL FELT before bowles clown car came puttering up.
We ALL KNEW we had a REAL SHOT at competing for the Super Bowl EVERY YEAR with A MAN LIKE ARIANS leading the way! You see Arians LIVED FOR AND PLAYED FOR ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY! The Lombardi Trophy EVERY Single Year! Every One! And you JUST KNEW that, that man WAS GOING TO FIND AWAY TO GET US THERE…. WE ALL JUST KNEW IT!
Does ANYONE feel that way about Todd Bowles?
No Need to “pretend and play childish games” anymore because THERE… THAT… IS YOUR ANSWER. We have THE WRONG GUY coaching our team!
And unless you “just” showed up on the “Johnny come lately” Baker bus, YOU “KNOW” EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN! You new fans EXPOSE YOURSELVES so easily. Your not a long time fan and you Don’t Understand WHY we’re SO INSISTENT THAT this guy Bowles HAS TO GO.
You see, we’ve already Had THE taste of GREATNESS! And if you guys would like to taste that to, then you should REALIZE THAT TODD BOWLES IS YOUR WORST ENEMY VS GREATNESS AND A TRUE CHAMPIONSHIP SQUAD that CAN CERTAINLY INCLUDE BAKER! Remember, Bruce Arians LIKES Baker…. Why do you think bozo bowles wanted him in the first place? BRUCE “THE SUPER BOWL MAKER” ARIANS!
You Baker fans should want Bowles gone probably the MORE THAN anybody else, So that your hero has A REAL CHANCE at winning a ring… A REAL Chance!
July 4th, 2026 at 12:01 am
Floormatt and the Pom Pom lemmings really are that blind. Nauseating.
“Injuries.”
2020 playoffs when BA was the real head coach.
Puhleeeeze.
July 4th, 2026 at 12:05 am
LynchMob,
We agree on Most things Except Baker. He’s the best QB (even with his obvious faults) we’ve had in a long while besides Brady. Basing that on his “Full Body of work” since he’s been with us.
But.. I get where you’re coming from about it and respect your two cents about how you feel. BUT…. I haven’t tasted “BETTER” than what Bakers brought to us “Minus” the Colapse of the second half last year. He should have and Could’ve made better decisions during that time but then, I’m not the one getting smashed on the regular by some GIANT DUDES, and likely seeing ghosts towards the end there. I guess what I’m saying is if you haven’t “walked in those shoes”…
Remember Mahones in our last Super Bowl win? He didn’t have two of his most important linemen too. And he WAS DEFINITELY SEEING GHOSTS THAT DAY! RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE! He and Baker looked almost identical without their protection. Baker just got stuck for a Much Longer period of time without his protection than Mahones did in 2020. Otherwise, the cheifs Wouldn’t Have Been in the Super Bowl against us…
And man… what a Satisfying BLOW OUT! IT WAS AWESOME!
GO BUCS!
July 4th, 2026 at 12:11 am
MadMax,
I’m simply going to say, Amen..
July 4th, 2026 at 12:31 am
Max,
I’d add a thing or two to what you said though….
WE NEED A DEDICATED COACH! Not this, confused, part timer. We ALL NEED a Man with a “Hard Core DESIRE” to WIN IT ALL!
The “reason” we’re not unified is because WE HAVE THE WRONG GUY COACHING (if you really want to call it that) OUR TEAM! Bowles IS NOT the “ONE”! He’s had PPLLLEEENNNNTTTTYYYYYYY of time to make the miracle happen.
All we’ve gotten for our time and money is pathetically sad results. Arians WON US A SUPER BOWL WITHIN TWO YEARS! This guy bowles has only, and barely, won “one” lousy playoff game in TWICE the time….. And we’ve ALWAYS looked and “been” WEAK crossing our unglorious play offs line, with bowles. JUST PATHETICALLY WEAK! We scared NO ONE as they all kick the EMBARRASSING CRAP OUT OF US, each time we tried!
It’s just bad man! More than that…. It’s sad man..
July 4th, 2026 at 2:07 am
The Bucs have improved their roster with more talented more nasty, aggressive talented players. They should be at least as good on offense as they have been probably better. The whole key is staying healthy. The Bucs hired a new Strength & Conditioning staff, hope they will find & fix whatever the problem was last season that caused them to be sooooo injury prone, that is very important. Unfortunately what stayed the same?? The same old Defensive Coordinator that the team quit on last season , hope that doesn’t happen again this season. Personally I’m not convinced that Bowles is capable of being a HC/DC & IF he’s not which job does he neglect?? We need a FULL TIME DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR to call plays on game day, to tend to any problems that come up during the games plus to teach proper techniques on Defense especially the TACKLING & coverage. We need a coordinator that has his hand involved on all things that effects the teams Defense. The BUCS Also need a FULL TIME HEAD COACH, for all the obvious reasons . As of now & going into this season we don’t have either & I am afraid it’s gonna bite them in the arse. I’ll always be a Bucs fan & I,ll i’m 100% behind. The TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS no matter what.But if I had a vote I would want a FULL TIME DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR not a guy running the DEFENSE that the TEAM QUIT on last season.