Loaf Watch: Buccaneers-Rams
July 3rd, 2026
Head coach Todd Bowles recently talked about Bucs “just taking plays off,” so Joe wants to look deeper into Tampa Bay’s post-bye-week games, the ones that sent the Bucs from a 6-2 record to a sad 7-9 finish.
Joe’s calling the series “loaf watch” — a search for players “just taking plays off.” During last season and immediately following it, Bowles consistently said effort was not an issue with his team.
Joe brought the first installment of the Loaf Watch series (Bucs-Patriots) followed by Part II (Bucs-Bills). Now it’s time for Bucs-Rams, a game in which Tampa Bay was blown out 34-7.
This isn’t about playing gotcha. It’s about finding clarity after the comments from Bowles, Lavonte David admitting to being called out for loafs and YaYa Diaby wagging a finger of shame at Bucs film.
Bucs effort was actually strong in this game, stronger than Joe expected in a what was a shameful blowout. Props to the Bucs defense for playing very hard when the Rams got the ball late in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach. The get-off was there and Tykee Smith made a hell of an effort play to shoot a gap and get a tackle for loss.
Still, there was some questionable play.
Smith had a loaf near the goal line in the first quarter. A major pet peeve for Joe is defensive players not playing to the whistle in the red zone. That’s not how they’re coached and instincts should never allow it.
Joe also will tag Graham Barton with one blocking loaf. He pulled from his center position and then gave up on the play after his first block, and then he did the maybe-I-should-keep-balling move. Two speeds is never a good look.
Joe is not awarding any more loafs for this game, but Joe will wag a finger at Chris Braswell and Zyon McCollum for soft play. And for McCollum, that has nothing to do with him getting beaten twice for touchdowns. Puca Nacua breaking a McCollum tackle in the second half was one example.
Also detected by Joe was one very weak blocking effort by Cade Otton.
In all, better than expected in a game that was out of reach in a hurry.
July 3rd, 2026 at 9:28 pm
McCollum got used and abused in this game!!
July 3rd, 2026 at 10:21 pm
I just don’t want to rewatch this game at all. After that failed 4th down in own territory Bucs were so pathetic Rams just took the foot off the gas pedal to be respectful. Once Carolina beat them you could just tell Bucs were heading in the wrong direction. There hasn’t been any meaningful win since then to convince me anything has changed. Last ugly loss like that was against Denver the previous year. Bucs got one back against the Chargers that made Todd scream YEAH! In the locker room.
July 3rd, 2026 at 11:10 pm
Better than expected??? Bucs effort was strong in a blowout???
Lay off the sauce Joe, you’re not making any sense.
Can you do an article about Bowles loading during the 2-7 stretch run???
July 3rd, 2026 at 11:33 pm
The record shows 2-7 to close out the season. A glance at the games shows an 0-9 stretch. Beating the Cardinals by three points at home is an embarrassment by itself. And a close last game with everything on the line at home was not much of a success.
Top teams manhandle inferior opponents. The Bucs though are superior to no one.
Jags, Packers, Seahawks and 49ers all beat the Cardinals by three points or less last year.–Joe
July 3rd, 2026 at 11:52 pm
This is why the players won’t give 1 on 1 interviews with Joe. Only info he gets is mandatory media sessions where all media are in the room and from his “sources” . Joe loafed for 2 months writing ad nauseam about Mike Evans leaving.
LOL Ok. The archives are here for you to educate yourself if you’d prefer facts. –Joe
July 4th, 2026 at 12:05 am
Much prefer the Joe’s keeping it real, objective, instead of writing puff pieces to pander to the team in order to get those 1 on 1 sessions you’re craving.
Guys. Wake the F up. Joe doesn’t pander. Some think Joe’s honest opinion is always some form of pandering. It’s not. If nobody talked to Joe and Joe had no invitation to One Buc Palace, that would be absolutely fine. It wouldn’t change a darn thing around here, though Joe would have more time to watch film and write. Regardless, that wouldn’t happen. … … Many fans would be surprised to realize players can handle criticism and expect it when warranted. They are, you know, professionals. –Joe
July 4th, 2026 at 12:05 am
Great, ya, they got blown out but…..but what. Made a stop when the Rams were trying to avoid injury? Not to mention, McVay dominates Bowles. Every. Time.
This loser is your 2026 Twocoach. Woohoo.
July 4th, 2026 at 3:54 am
I am loosing sleep over the fact that McCollum is right now our number one corner! the dude gets bored playing! Yikes!
and they open with Joe Burrow!, Chase!, Higgins!
Unless the pass rush is on fire it don’t look good.
July 4th, 2026 at 4:38 am
Very surprised to hear a possible weak blocking effort from Otton! and a loaf from Barton.
July 4th, 2026 at 5:34 am
No one can possibly give 100 percent effort 100 percent of the time.
July 4th, 2026 at 6:35 am
AWESOME articles Joes. Might I suggest that you add this as a weekly article, a day or two after each game, once you have a chance to go back and review game film with any additional views that you might have access to that we don’t.
July 4th, 2026 at 6:36 am
Be honest Joe,
Do you think that you would be able to play at !00 % all the the time in the
oppressive Florida heat and humidity?
?? These are professional athletes that train year-round. The average play takes what, 6 seconds? Anyone watching the film can see plenty of players going 100 percent at all times. –Joe
July 4th, 2026 at 7:54 am
For your info practices are way harder than actual games.
July 4th, 2026 at 8:10 am
Hodad … ‘No one can possibly give 100 percent effort 100 percent of the time.’
Thank you Hodad, thank you. Anyone who’s ever played organized sports knows that from experience IMO. And I don’t care what level you’re talking about.
It’s strictly a numbers thing. Bucs-Rams game is a good example to use. Rams had 19 rushes for 70 yds, plus 35 passes (25 completed) for 273 yds. Stafford got sacked 1 time, so they had a total of 55 offensive plays. Thus our defense of 11 players was on the field for 55 X 11 = 605 total opportunities to make defensive plays (or to loaf).
You identified TWO of those 605 loafing opportunities Joe (Tykee Smith & Graham Barton), representing 0.33%. One-third of 1% loafed by your own analysis. Out of 605 opportunities, only TWO loafs, plus ‘one very weak blocking effort by Cade Otton’. Loafing wasn’t why the Rams were ahead 31-7 at the end of the first half.
So what DID cost us the game? Some factors that might have come into play are …
o Bucs are 1-9 in regular season night games over the past 3 years with Mayfield as our QB. Rams game was not only a night game, but it was also a West Coast game (historically we struggle in those) and it came on the heels of a major away loss to Buffalo the week prior (travel impact on preparations?).
o Rams had the #1 offense last season, playing against our #20 defense. An odds-makers’ dream?
o Baker didn’t do very good in that Rams’ game, going 9-of-19 for 41 total yards, with 1 TD & 2 INTs, and was sacked twice. He was replaced at the start of the 2nd half by Teddy Bridgewater who went 8-of-15 for 62 yds, 0 TD, 0 INT and was also sacked twice. Baker had no business being on the field that game (I’ll ASSUME that he was hurt), but neither did Teddy (he had no business being on the team, period). Our offense scored a total of 7 pts that game (for his part, 1 of Baker’s INTs was a Pick-6, so that kinda negated Baker’s 1 passing TD?).
The Rams only scored 1 FG in the 2nd half, so I don’t know if they just lost interest or if our defense tightened up. What I do see is that the Bucs WON the TOP Battle, 31:48 to 28:12 that game. Our defense held the Rams to only 70 yds in 19 rushing attempts (3.7 YPC). We also held them to 4-of-10 on 3rd Down Conversions, and 0-of-1 on 4th Down Conversions. But we couldn’t effectively stop their #1-ranked Passing Attack. Stafford was 3-of-4 deep in the 1st half, for 66 yds & 1 TD and THAT made a huge difference. With a better pass rush, our Secondary MIGHT have done considerably better.
And BTW, we last played the Rams in the 2022 season. We beat them 16-13 here at RayJay. Held the Rams to 9 first downs, sacked Stafford 4 times, and held him to 13-of-29 passing for 165 yds & 1 TD. Oh wait, did I mention that Todd Bowles was both our HC AND DC that season? Did I also mention that Tom Brady was our QB in that game? Oh rats, my bad.
July 4th, 2026 at 8:21 am
Think some are missing my point… I’m applauding the Joe’s for NOT pandering to the team and writing rose-colored pieces just to insure access. Instead, they’re giving the good, bad, and ugly, which is what we should all expect.
July 4th, 2026 at 8:22 am
I’m loving this series of articles. Many of you guys (?) are very sensitive.
July 4th, 2026 at 9:01 am
Flboy84 was backing you up Joes.
There is no place for loafing. Appreciate the articles and all that you do!
July 4th, 2026 at 9:39 am
I’m craving bread 🍞
July 4th, 2026 at 10:15 am
Bowles is a loaf!
July 4th, 2026 at 10:24 am
The obsession with statistics is ridiculous. It doesn’t matter how many rushing yards they held the Rams too, they got their asses kicked.
The only stat that matters was the score.
July 4th, 2026 at 10:34 am
AWjr was horrible last season. His primary role playing 15 yards deep was to trail many long runs and passes by opponents. Not sure why this guy gets protected status. He seemed totally disinterested last season.
July 4th, 2026 at 11:17 am
@Gipper,
Here, here! I see your baguette and raise you a boule on the AWJ loaf meter. AWJ, Goedeke, Licht, even Kancey to some degree seem protected. They rarely get a slice of the blame
July 4th, 2026 at 11:19 am
ModHairKen … ‘The obsession with statistics is ridiculous. It doesn’t matter how many rushing yards they held the Rams too, they got their asses kicked. The only stat that matters was the score.’
Statistics can point you to what went RIGHT, as well as what went WRONG. I’ve written many times that the bottom line is always POINTS, but I also feel it’s important to analyze WHY you won, or WHY you lost. That’s the only way IMO to improve and be competitive throughout the season AND the playoffs.
It doesn’t do a lick of good to paint the TEAM as a bunch of loafers, it in fact it’s just 1 or 2 or whatever. It also doesn’t do anyone justice to paint the coach as accepting ‘loafing’ if in fact more detailed look at game play doesn’t really support that. Emotions are a wonderful thing, but some let them run amok.
July 4th, 2026 at 11:44 am
@Joe
You guys should take a deep dive at the 6-2 games to see if there are no loafs or the same amount. Would be interesting to see the juxtaposition. If there were hardly any loafs in our 6-2 start, then you’re on to something.
July 4th, 2026 at 3:13 pm
Hmmm. The loaf watch has had a lot less examples than I would expect from a team that supposedly “quit” on the coach.
I imagine you can find similar low effort plays from any team and any game but the constant critics would like you to believe it’s just the Bucs and just Todd.
July 4th, 2026 at 6:16 pm
Simple T: Yes, other teams have players that loaf/quit, but a majority of the time the Head Coach is fired at the end of the year. The problem with Bowles is that it’s been happening for several years, Devin White loafed for at least 2 years under Bowles. Not good.
July 5th, 2026 at 10:29 am
Personally & first of all I want to thank Joe for calling out the loaf plays . As you say they are professionals & need to be called for the bad same as the good. It’s up to the position coaches & ultimately the Head Coach to correct the problems with his team. Our HC didn’t except to throw several under the bus . I still think the only reason goes is still at our HC /DC is due to money, the Glazier’s had just reupped him right before last season,the 1st season buy out would have been massive, (I actually read that posted somewhere.) I’m sure they also figured in all the injuries too but mostly it was money. This will be his last season if the team doesn’t respond to him after all the changes they made, he has some better players this season . I am sure people are tired of hearing this but I really think hiring a true DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR would have a big help to the TEAM, I really am not convinced CTB can do both jobs at a championship level, are you???!!