How Valuable Was Week 18 Win To Todd Bowles, Baker Mayfield?
July 7th, 2026
Raise The Flags docuseries stars and Bucs co-owners Bryan and Joel Glazer.
On a breezy, rainy Tampa Saturday in January, the Bucs had their season on the line against a key rival.
And the Bucs won, dumping Carolina 16-14 after jumping out to a 16-7 lead.
Both teams finished the season at 8-9 and watched the Saints and Falcons play afterwards to decide the NFC South. If the Saints won, then the Bucs would land in the playoffs as division champs.
Instead, the Falcons won and the Panthers won the division on a three-way tiebreaker with the Bucs and Atlanta.
For former Raiders, Jags and Bills linebacker Kirk Morrison, that game told him something meaningful about Baker Mayfield and the Bucs.
Morrison co-hosts on SiriusXM NFL Radio and chatted with Todd Bowles after the season at the NFL Scouting Combine, Today, his show with Bruce Murray focused for nearly an hour on all things Bucs.
That season finale win stuck with Morrison.
“I mean, they beat the Carolina Panthers in the marquee game in Week 18. We all watched it and he found a way to win. And that to me holds a lot of weight,” Morrison said. “In terms of what I want from my quarterback when things — I know how it is when things are good with Baker — but I learned a lot more when things were bad and he still had the fight on a team that had a ton of injuries throughout.”
Yes, some teams do roll over and quit. The Bucs did not. And considering the Panthers went out a week later and nearly beat the Rams in the playoffs (Carolina led in the final minute), perhaps Week 18 acutally meant something.
Did it save Todd Bowles’ job? Did it cast Mayfield in a different light to the Bucs’ power brokers?
Joe can’t answer those questions.
Morrison went on to pick the Bucs to finish 9-8 this season. He is counting on another weak Tampa Bay finish: “Gotta bank some wins early on,” he said, noting the Bucs’ late schedule is “eerily similar” to what it encountered last year.
July 7th, 2026 at 9:22 pm
Looking back Yes, it was a late season collapse of epic proportions and yet the everybody gets fired except the head coach? Well, it is what it is. If this OC is the Real Deal-and I think he is-and the O-line stays healthy the Offense should be just fine. And the Putrid Pass Defense might just be a lot better with all the new faces and guys that are obvious big additions. Bain should be a Pain! Go Bucs!!
July 7th, 2026 at 9:45 pm
Anybody who picks the Bucs to finish 9-8 this season is either unaware or forgetting all the players we were missing last season to end up with that same record. Essentially they are saying adding Calijah Kancey and Cody Mauch and Ben Bredeson and Jalen McMillan and Chris Godwin for a full year and Bucky and all the new draftees and free agents will give us exactly the same record.
Nonsense!
If this team is healthy it’s completely different and way more talented than last season. We have Bain now instead of useless Reddick. We have more and better front 7 players. Our defense will apply lots of pressure and our excellent Offensive Line will protect Baker and open lots of holes in the run game! The offense should hum and the defense is built to attack. I for one foresee a much better season ahead! Let’s stay healthy and get it done!
July 7th, 2026 at 9:46 pm
The Carolina win was nothing spectacular. The Bucs figured out a way to defeat a bad team at home which they choked agianst on the road a couple of weeks earlier. It was like the AZ game, the Bucs won but were not impressive. They looked like a mediocre or bad team simply beating another mediocre or bad team. Problem is they could not do the same versus Carolina or Miami on the road and even worse, lost to a bad New Orleans teaam at home and add in the infamous 3rd and 28 loss which might have been the last straw for Evans. Question is? Were the right people held accountable for the 2-7 finish? Team Glazers seems to think so but a lot of fans and pundits disagree as Bowles is still HC and some also have doubts about the QB as he also contriibuted to the demise, albeit he was all busted up and should not have been on the field for a few games…….
July 7th, 2026 at 9:49 pm
I hope you are right Stpetematt. If the Bucs get all the players you mentioned back and the offensive stars you mentioned return to performing at their 2024 level and Kancey simply avoiding another round of game missing injuries, then I agree. The problem is “if”, nothing is ever certain but yeah the offense can reboound for sure but Todd’s D? That will be more of a challenge but the new players will not hurt. Go Bucs!
July 7th, 2026 at 9:54 pm
Bucs are improved in all areas except DBs. Zyon and Morrison will cost the Bucs games. Also no depth at db.
July 7th, 2026 at 9:58 pm
Todd’s D cannot function properly without a pass rush especially that is successful rushing 4. That way, blitzes are a surprise instead of expected. We now have lots of options to find 4 successful rushers. Of course, that makes everything easier for the secondary too and generates a lot more turnovers.
Stay healthy, Bucs! You will have a great season if you do.
July 7th, 2026 at 10:13 pm
Will the Bucs be a mediocre team that limps into the playoffs in a weak division or should they posture for a higher pick for a franchise QB? Either way, the fans win.
July 7th, 2026 at 11:05 pm
Game 18 was Bowles SB in 2025. That’s as close as he’s ever going to be.
Not sure anyone in history has coached a team to an 8-9 record, 2-7 after the bye, no playoffs, but is still lauded as a success.
Only in Tampa. 31 other teams would have fired Bowles for that nose dive.
He’s only successful against the drecks of the league.
Failing upwards is his superpower. The Sultan of Suck!
July 8th, 2026 at 12:51 am
On paper we “should” be better than last year. Just on talent alone. We got better coaches. If we are healthy we can be a top team. Go Bucs