Fast Souring On The Bucs
August 9th, 2026
Tampa Bay is the clear favorite to win the NFC South at every sportsbook Joe has seen. However, the Bucs are sinking fast in the eyes of analysts.
A couple of wise ones hammered away on the Bucs last week.
Mike Florio, the NBC Sports insider and ProFootballTalk.com founder, has jumped off Tampa Bay. He questions the skills of the organization and coaching staff.
“If you can’t do anything to make it better while it’s happening, I’m not real confident you’re going to be able to do anything when you have seven months to make it better,” Florio said, referencing the Bucs’ late-season collapse last season.
“Something’s not working there. You’re going to bring in some new players; ok, fine. … I feel like they’re teetering, and this Baker Mayfield thing isn’t going to help. And the Vita Vea thing isn’t going to help.”
Florio said he’s leaning Falcons, if he were pressed now to predict the NFC South winner.
Sadly, ex-Bucs QB Chris Simms agreed on the Bucs with Florio, his NBC colleague. Simms was present at the critical Bucs choke job against Atlanta back in December. He watched the game in the Team Glazer luxury suite at The Licht House.
“I’m with you on the Bucs,” Simms told Florida. “I gotta see it to believe it a little bit. I do. That defense was so bad last year, I gotta see it be a little bit better.”
Simms added that he’s down on Zac Robinson. “I did not love the Falcons offense [under Robinson,] Simms said, adding he’ now place the Panthers and Falcons ahead of the Bucs.
Joe also has remained perplexed by the Bucs not responding after that Falcons collapse. So, Joe can’t knock Florio’s take there. Todd Bowles tore his players apart at the Falcons postgame news conference; that dominated NFL media coverage for the next 36 hours — and the Bucs (on 10 days rest) couldn’t beat the Panthers.
And then the Bucs came out and looked nearly lifeless in a loss to a tanking Dolphins team featuring a shaky rookie QB making his second start.
The Bucs have much to prove. However, it’s also rather easy to make a case the other NFC South teams have more hurdles to get over than the ones at One Buc Palace.
August 9th, 2026 at 9:07 am
Was worried when you said wise ones, then it was Florio and Simms and I felt better.
August 9th, 2026 at 9:16 am
“That defense was so bad last year”
….because Baker wasnt getting enough tackles and SACKS….JEEZE! When is he going to figure it out?
August 9th, 2026 at 9:16 am
7-10.
The only thing working in the Bucs favor?
The NFC South Division is an absolute dumpster fire…
The Bucs might win the NFC South with just 7 or 8 wins.
What a joke.
August 9th, 2026 at 9:19 am
So the two guys who built a reputation on the back of our qb are the great coaches that will lead their teams to a better record than the Bucs? Neither one of them has a playoff victory to their name (check the record on that Browns v Steelers game). Honestly Canales got his job because Baker didn’t suck and then he did his Power of Positive Thinking shtick on a cheap owner.
Notice none of my rant glazes our team or coach. Just that I am feeling a lot of 2023 vibes when the experts said we would win 3 games and made a mistake not drafting Will Levis
August 9th, 2026 at 9:20 am
Do you know what’s going to happen? The team will be playing pretty solidly or maybe even well and then Todd will rear his head and make some bone headed 1990s call.
It’ll probably happen week one in Cinci. The Bucs will be playing solid ball, probably hanging in there on the road and then there will be a critical third down on defense and he’ll drop defenders and give burrow enough time to keep the drive going. Or it will be offense and 4th and 3 at mid field and he’ll punt the ball.
I like how florio stated that they couldn’t get it right during the 2-7 stretch because it acknowledges that there’s something wrong with Todd’s program during the week. Something wrong with people and process management.
Those are his issues. He may be a coach but he’s not a good manager, of game, people or processes.
August 9th, 2026 at 9:23 am
Coaching matters in the NFL. Can bring in new players & a few new coaches, but you still have the same voice & mindset leading the show. Hard to expect different results when that guy who’s shown zero ability to lead a team beyond 10 wins going on 9 years as a HC (only 10 wins twice in that time as well) with a .446 career win%, don’t see that changing. Love how people are presented with years and mountains of evidence but refuse to accept the truth that’s in front of them. Always clinging to the hope that “this year will be different”, “he can change”, “that’s not really who he is”, “fake news”, etc lol.
August 9th, 2026 at 9:29 am
You quote a guy who is leaning “Falcons”??? Baaaaaah This site is the gift that just keeps on giving. Pure comedy show.
The Falcons?? You mean the only team in the division without a a healthy starting QB? The team that just fired their coaching staff? The Falcons who lost their promising young edge rusher for the year and who’s other promising young edge rusher is likely to get suspended??
What a joke. Stop “leaning” jackass and make a pick.
Give me the Bucs all day long over the Falcons. Heck, I’ll also take the Saints and Panthers over the Falcons.
These guys get paid to talk about football? Wow just wow
August 9th, 2026 at 9:29 am
I’m “leaning” on the Falcons finishing in last place.
August 9th, 2026 at 9:32 am
The Bucs are packed with a lot of young talented players on both side of the ball this year. I believe Vea will play for the Bucs this year, if nothing more than to audition for his last and final contract, he can’t afford to sit out, next year he’s even older and will hurt the $$$.
Last year the Glazers stripped Bowles of much of his coaching staff and for a guy that prides himself on loyalty, they basically pigeon holed him and his new staff with a 1 year prove it or lose it. That combined with Baker also working to drive his cost up for his next contract .
We will see the very best that they have. Go BUCS!!!
August 9th, 2026 at 9:35 am
Bucs have alot of good individual players, nothing more than that. Bowles is an awful leader, defensive coordinator, loser, mediocre at best, not a good coach ever. Zach Robinson has history in league with piss poor results. Simms is right Bucs defense was awful last year and as a result the stupid Glazers kept Bowles. In fact they rewarded his mediocrity with a contract extension earlier before last season.Why do any of you think anything will be different? Even Baker sucked bad last year–definitely do not give him another contract after his collapse on the season. Bucs could not even beat the dolphins with their college rookie quarterback. last year the Bucs loafed and lost so much they would not could not even beat a high school team. No way I am starting this season expecting anything but losses. week 1==loss and there will be 6-8 wins on the year. Glazers will choke and finally fire Bowles late and Licht will have to scramble and find a college coach to take over. Bucs need major overhaul next season, not a good time to extend Baker–tag him if there is any reason to do that.
August 9th, 2026 at 9:38 am
Atlanta and Carolina will be fighting for last place…..Screenshot this 🙂
August 9th, 2026 at 9:41 am
“Something’s not working there.“ Correct. It’s the HC\DC that doesn’t work here.
After the Hindenburg collapse of the 2025 season Bowles would have been fired from 31 other teams. But not in Tampa with the Glazer kids in charge.
This year will mark the halfway point in the lost decade 2.0.
The ship is on fire and we decided to douse the flames with kerosene.
August 9th, 2026 at 9:53 am
That last sentence sums it up for me.
We Would have to totally blow the Vea Mayfield issues and we would also have to have gotten worse over the off season defensively. I really don’t think that will be the case. Has he even looked at the Falcons?
Surprised the Glazers didn’t pull Simms’ press credentials. Been a long time since he said anything that I respected as honest and truthful.
We have a couple of talking heads looking at the Bucs from miles away here. Listening to their “sources”. Same old story. It will give our dudes some Bulletin board material though.
Go Bucs!
August 9th, 2026 at 9:55 am
Whats so special about Carolina and the Falcons?
August 9th, 2026 at 9:56 am
Not
A
Florio
Fan.
Take Vegas over a lawyer any day.
August 9th, 2026 at 9:58 am
HMMMM…..There are no coincidences. Here is a clue.
What two events “coincided” last year ?
The team collapsed. The defense quit. Star players left. The QB is disgruntled. And more….
AND
John Spytek left to join the Raiders as GM.
August 9th, 2026 at 10:00 am
HMMMM…. There are no coincidences.
Everything has turned to crap.
AND
Spytek left to GM the Raiders.
August 9th, 2026 at 10:03 am
Falcons are going to be down 2 edge rushers and have an undrafted QB taking first team reps at training camp. Their coach is a blowhard who is as unaccountable as Todd Bowles judging by how he ran the Browns into the ground. I do not know if the Bucs can get to 8 or 9 wins to edge out Carolina and the saints for a home playoff loss but I am confident that the Falcons will be in the Arch Manning sweepstakes and will finish last in the putrid NFC South.
August 9th, 2026 at 10:04 am
I have to admit…when they hired Zac Robinson I was skeptical. His offense was not great in Atlanta.
But…I do believe in second chances and in improvement with experience. So I’m willing to wait and see.
Honestly, I think our last guy would have done better if the team had stayed healthy, but a fall guy was needs…right?
August 9th, 2026 at 10:07 am
Marine Buc Says:
“7-10”
I’m not going to make a win prediction because it feels like every time I do I jinx the team…but I feel comfortable saying you are wrong. Not a gambling man, but if I were I would take the over.
Just curious…are you the kind of person who likes to expect less to avoid disappointment?
August 9th, 2026 at 10:09 am
No credibility, that’s right ! You would think Sims being a ” franchise qb” that he was lol,would say ” when your Oline is destroyed by injuries and you go to a plug in place with guys with no cohesion your team will collapse” it’s not rocket science people
August 9th, 2026 at 10:09 am
I’m actually feeling pretty good about the Offense, Defense AND the Special Teams this year. So long as the bug doesn’t hit us like last year, I feel like we’ll see what we expected to see at the start of last year.
August 9th, 2026 at 10:11 am
Steve V
/signed
August 9th, 2026 at 10:14 am
I getting tired hearing Buccaneers fans complaining about how bad the NFC South division is!! If you check your history and go back and look 👀 at the record of teams in the AFC East when the PATRIOTS were winning Super Bowls (2019,2017,2015,2005,2004 and 20002) the SECOND BEST TEAMS in that division won:2019 /DOLPHINS 7 wins.2017/DOLPHINS 10 wins.2015/BILLS 9wins DOLPHINS 8 wins.2005 /JETS 10 wins BILLS 9 wins. 2004/DOLPHINS 10 win BILLS 6 wins JETS 6 wins.. that AFC EAST DIVISION was one of the worst division in all of NFL FOOTBALL 🏈🇱🇷 I think that this year the NFL SOUTH will probably be the SECOND BEST DIVISION IN ALL OF NFL this YEAR!! 🏈❤️🇱🇷 it will EASILY be the MOST improve division and all of NFL FOOTBALL 😊
August 9th, 2026 at 10:15 am
Florio is no one to take predictions from. He has TDS. This Joe printing a negative about the Bucs is just commonplace anymore. I will say I’m disappointed the team has not addressed either contract to take some
Of the negative publicity away. But I think owners are predicting this as Bowles last season and therefore no Licht, Baker, Vita etc. etc. after this year . Next 10 years will suck.
August 9th, 2026 at 10:18 am
I’m happy they saw the same problems I did and addressed them thoroughly
August 9th, 2026 at 10:19 am
A left hook of common sense from Harold!! Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!…A real solid post Harold! Nice!
August 9th, 2026 at 10:23 am
@Harold
The key is the Patriots won SB’s coming out of a lousy division.
Only when Brady was here and a real HC was employed did we follow suit.
That will NEVER happen with Bowles as the HC\DC, and you know that.
If the NFC Least does improve it won’t make Todd’s record better.
That much I promise you.
August 9th, 2026 at 10:25 am
Bucs have the best roster in recent years…
However Bowles is still here
He should have been canned at the end of 2024
August 9th, 2026 at 10:34 am
With this HC, we are likely a 6-7 win team…with any other one, we likely win 10
Todd just can’t get out of his own way at in-game management and keeping the players bought in…
August 9th, 2026 at 10:36 am
I predict that all the teams in the NFCS will finish the season at 7-10.
August 9th, 2026 at 10:38 am
There’s only one thing that can derail the Bucs from winning the division and making a playoff run. Health. Just like the last 2 seasons, injuries control how well we do. We need Wirfs back 100%. Health of the offensive line is everything because it is the engine that makes the offense run correctly.
August 9th, 2026 at 10:38 am
Florio should be fired as an analyst. Needs to go back to be a lawyer
August 9th, 2026 at 10:43 am
Aqua, we agree, the guy is a joke. But then again all these shows are the same clamoring for likes, looks and takes and are full themselves as deep sea blow-holes.
August 9th, 2026 at 10:44 am
@ Bonzai
“Just curious…are you the kind of person who likes to expect less to avoid disappointment?”
This is such an awesome question. Thank-you.
It actually made me think for a moment…
My answer after several seconds of contemplation – NO.
I am a realistic fan of a historically bad to mediocre football team. Who has NEVER had a franchise QB or franchise head coach who is playing in a historically small TV audience region and has never been fully respected until Tom Brady came aboard…
I have seen championship teams built and succeed over my past lifetime as a Buc fan and I can tell you with confidence my friend…
This is NOT a championship team.
My highest expectations at this point is a 9 win team and a first round play-off loss.
I hope I am wrong amigo.
August 9th, 2026 at 10:46 am
News flash we were awful on defense last year because we had awful players on defense in all three levels. We started out hot because we had a good offense that was coming through in the clutch to win games. The defense was giving those games away also. The jets, Texans, falcons game we should have lost koo missed a 49 yard field goal that would have won it for them. But baker bailed us out in 4 of those first 8 games with last minute heroics. How quickly all the baker bashers forgot about that. Then injuries galore happened on offense and they couldn’t bail the defense out anymore. We had horrible corner, linebacker and pass rush play. Everytime we needed a stop 6 minutes later the drive was ending with points or not enough time for us to do anything. Then baker has to play hero ball because you have to force every ball do to the time left. And guess what every NFL qb is going to throw interceptions playing from behind with little time left for wasted plays. Normal throws you wouldn’t make you now have to take a chance on. It’s pretty simple qb has to take chances interceptions sack fumbles happen. But a lot of baker haters in here can’t seem to grasp that concept. He is actually being a team player and saying F my stats I have to try and force balls into tight windows double coverage. Where as stats watcher qbs like Rodgers would have still not taken chances and ran out of downs instead of hurting there precious stats with a turnover. But a turnover on downs is the same thing just doesn’t get added to the qb stats that llots of qbs like to pad. Because then average fans just see 6 interceptions on the year and think oh he is great. No he is a pre Madonna who is a me first stat chaser. Unlike baker.
August 9th, 2026 at 10:48 am
I am not confident in Robinson at this point. I hope he proves me wrong. He seems too positive. I want him to be a bit of a hard ass with the players.
August 9th, 2026 at 10:52 am
@ aqua and ball
“Florio”
Let’s be honest – the dude got paid @ $10 million (allegedly) by NBC for his website PFT.
His current net worth is @ $13M so that makes sense.
Follow the money.
NBC is garbage.
August 9th, 2026 at 10:53 am
@cosmo..I disagree, the Bucs were stacked on both sides of the ball thats why Brady went to tampa same thing when manning went to denver
August 9th, 2026 at 11:00 am
@ Steve
Our GM made some of his best moves in free agency when he traded for JPP and signed Suh.
Then drafted Wirfs and AWJ rounds one and two.
That set the table for TB12, Gronk, AB and Fournette to join the party and creative the most nasty offense Tampa Bay has ever witnessed…
Since then?
CRICKETS…
August 9th, 2026 at 11:04 am
Sorry Marine , but Tampa has the 11th largest TV Market in the United States and that is not small.
August 9th, 2026 at 11:16 am
@ Todd
I guess I am comparing it to the TV markets in places like LA and New York…
I can’t believe the Jets have been this horrible for this long.
I hope Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani will finally take FULL CONTROL of the NY Jets and turn them into the financial juggernaut they are supposed to be!
POWER to the PEOPLE!
August 9th, 2026 at 11:18 am
@ Todd
One more question.
Why are there 4 teams in LA and NY?
August 9th, 2026 at 11:18 am
Saints will win the south. Bucs will hardly squeeze past atl and Carolina maybe if they are lucky.
I am praying everyday that Gruden is our head coach next season…but I dont know why he would want to work for these owners
August 9th, 2026 at 11:19 am
On defense the secondary is still worrisome so I hope the Dline can bring the heat. Offense really has no weaknesses except if the injury bug hits the O line again. Special Teams has to be better. The OC, no matter what Simms says will be much better. Bucs can win 10 games.
August 9th, 2026 at 11:45 am
@marine
The whole thing is a crap shoot, much like you guys predicting division winners,
loosers, won /loss records ..sames goes with drafting/ trading
August 9th, 2026 at 11:54 am
@marine…No comment on mamdani! I’m staying in Florida
August 9th, 2026 at 12:05 pm
@ Steve
The “mamdani” stuff was just “tongue-in-cheek”.
You probably already knew that – but I wanted to clarify it because we have a few below average IQ folks out there and I don’t want to confuse nor offend those folks.
August 9th, 2026 at 12:07 pm
Marine,with all do respect like you got a filter lol !!
August 9th, 2026 at 12:44 pm
Bonzai … ‘I’m not going to make a win prediction because it feels like every time I do I jinx the team…but I feel comfortable saying you are wrong.’
I’m not big on predictions either Bonzai, but I’m not worried about jinxing the team, so I’ll continue to go with 10-7, but with the caveat that we remain reasonably healthy this season. We had some devastating injuries last season, and close to no depth to help us out (in just about all position groups).
The only teams that I think we’ll really struggle with will be the Lions, Ravens, Chargers, Rams & possibly the Jaguars. Those teams have seemed to play us very tough in recent years, but you still never know how they’ll be this season.
August 9th, 2026 at 12:45 pm
I absolutely wanted Bowles fired at the end of 2025. I think Parcells or some other HOF coach said “If you’re not sure you want to keep a guy, get rid of him now instead of waiting around to do it later.”
There’s a fine line between NFL owners who have knee jerk reactions and fire coaches too soon, and the ones who are too passive and let a bad coach last too long. The Glazers have moved firmly into the latter category.
The Bucs will fire Bowles at the end of 2026. I say that without bothering with predictions or anything else. The players quit on him last year. Once that happens with any leader it becomes an instant priority to replace them and find a new one. The Bucs are a year late getting that done.
August 9th, 2026 at 12:57 pm
@ Steve
I’m just speaking truth to power…
Whatever the heck that means.
LOL!
August 9th, 2026 at 1:17 pm
Fans of Bucs are the only fans that I seen that won’t pick their team to sweep their division. I think the Bucs will be good enough to do just that if they stay healthy. So there is 6 wins right there.
August 9th, 2026 at 1:51 pm
Flboy – exactly. Perfectly stated
August 9th, 2026 at 3:59 pm
zack did not score many points in atl hope he’s better here but it’s a short passing offense that bogs down alot
August 9th, 2026 at 4:39 pm
If the Bucs have a regression to the mean on injuries (they were one of the most injured), then the defense will be better, especially since it looks like they have more leadership.
The big concern should be the lack of depth on the OL.
Also, Zac Robinson. How do you get shutout by Carolina when you have Bijan Robinson and Drake London?
August 9th, 2026 at 5:00 pm
I’m sorry but these guys have no credibility. Picking the Falcons and Panthers? The Falcons have no QB, the Panthers have no able bodied players. The Saints at least have a decent QB, solid backfield and some intriguing receivers, not to mention a perennially stout defense. No idea what trip these guys are on.
August 9th, 2026 at 6:58 pm
If the Bucs finish worse than the Falcons, it means they are in last place. There is no way I can see the Falcons winning the division. They have three players on offense and a defense that is nothing to write home about. Surely, even a bad defensive coordinator can scheme a way to stop three players.
August 9th, 2026 at 11:05 pm
These guys don’t know, it was obviously injuries and bad luck. Bowles is the mastermind and he’ll show the world in 2026. Top 10 offense, top 5 defense, top 3 special teams unit, 15-2. First round bye. Bet the farm.