Alex Anzalone Talks “Fever Dream” Start In Week 1, Todd Bowles
September 19th, 2026
Bucs special teams got a gold star for Week 1. The other units got whatever is awarded for stunning inconsistency.
Fans know it, and so does Bucs inside linebacker and captain Alex Anzalone.
Anzalone sat down with Peter Blake on The Sports Web yesterday and addressed the mess that was against the Bengals.
“It was one of those games where it kind of felt like a little fever dream,” Anzalone said. “Obviously, defensively we didn’t play how we wanted to. I didn’t play how I wanted to. Offense didn’t play how they wanted to. It’s just one of those games you got chalk it up as Week 1.
“There really are no excuses for it. You’re just trying to figure out what went wrong and go from there.”
Was Anzalone just adjusting to a new coach? He is the green dot guy taking the defensive signals and play calls directly from Todd Bowles.
Anzalone said he feels very comfortable in the Bucs defense and he got close with coaches through the spring and summer. But “nothing really gets you fully adjusted [like] game day,” he added.
As for Bowles, Anzalone said he knows Bowles is not super popular with fans and some of the chatter is misguided.
“It’s funny. Like you hear some of the outside noise as a player,” Anzalone said. “Yeah, there is a little bit of misconception when it comes to Coach Bowles, when it comes to how he leads, how he keeps people accountable. When it’s really time to get on someone, he will get on someone. Obviously, the playcalling and the defensive guru he is goes without saying.”
Anazalone was steaming with confidence during the interview and noted how happy he playing for Tampa Bay, where he’s lived during the offseason for several years.
He said he chose “happiness over money” when he signed with the Bucs, and it was “not worth chasing the extra bag” when he knew this is where he watned to play.
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September 19th, 2026 at 2:26 pm
Hopefully he just had a bad game and is not near as washed as he looked against the Bengals.
September 19th, 2026 at 2:42 pm
I don’t believe another team offered Anzalone more more than the Bucs
September 19th, 2026 at 2:44 pm
Let’s see how he looks Sunday. This is the perfect test because this game comes down to stopping their TE and RB.
September 19th, 2026 at 2:45 pm
Rewatching the key plays of the game, you could tell that Alex was slipping & sliding all over that field Sunday (several others were too BTW, but not to the extent that he was). Todd Bowles threw up the ‘overcitement’ excuse, but I don’t buy that in a veteran like Anzalone is. Sure do wish someone in the media had asked him about his footing.
I’m admittedly still unsure what we’ve got in Alex, especially as the defensive captain. He (and the Bucs) needs a big game this Sunday against the Browns. So do our other 2 defensive team captains, Vea & Winfield.
September 19th, 2026 at 3:00 pm
He just needs to cover someone. The question is, is he old and washed up?
September 19th, 2026 at 3:09 pm
Bowles is 12-48, in his career against teams that ended season with a winning record. 1-7 after bye. In 2025, last in NFL redzone D, gave up Tds 70% of time. In 2025, last in NFL with 4 man rush. In 2023, was 5th against run, but 2025 was 15th against run, and 27th against pass.
September 19th, 2026 at 3:19 pm
There’s that “Defensive Guru” moniker again! LOLOLOLOL!
That’s like calling the Statue of Liberty the liveliest gal on the planet
September 19th, 2026 at 3:22 pm
“There really are no excuses for it.”
Thank you, enough said. Just go ball out from here and we will all chalk it up to a Game 1 crapfest.
Keep it up and get the SVD treatment from the fans. Kind of that simple.
September 19th, 2026 at 3:44 pm
Yeah on Barber’s podcast, he mentioned how the field was filled with those pellets to the brim and made the surface slippery! He said it would most likely get better with use, but that is no help to the Bucs now…Anzolone was sliding all over the place…Baker was too on his drop backs, and Bucky slide awkwardly on the play he fumbled…So hopefully Ray Jay is a nice change week two! I mean they can’t slip any worse…unless it pours maybe
September 19th, 2026 at 3:53 pm
He lost me when he refferd to Bowles as a defensive guru.
September 19th, 2026 at 4:01 pm
Mike was the only smart player when He jumped the ship. When 3 & 28 happened, Mike knew it was time to leave. Wish him the best of luck.
September 19th, 2026 at 4:04 pm
All summer we were force fed the lie that this guy was the answer to our LB problem.
There’s a reason Detroit moved on. He might have made their defense worse.
He fits the Bowles scheme perfectly. Cover no one especially the TE.
Maybe the worst team in the NFL can make him look good on Sunday.
September 19th, 2026 at 4:17 pm
“Obviously, the playcalling and the defensive guru he is goes without saying.”…Anzalone
Right! Now I question his intelligence.
September 19th, 2026 at 4:25 pm
His words make it clear that Bowles has a reputation around the league as a milquetoast coach that has no clue how to lay down the law…Team kinda reflects that reputation most weeks
September 19th, 2026 at 4:31 pm
A majority of you all remind me of my wife telling the mechanic what’s wrong with her car lol
September 19th, 2026 at 4:34 pm
“Obviously, defensively we didn’t play how we wanted to.”
We? The rest of the defense did their job. You were the Baker Mayfield of the defense, truly terrible.
September 19th, 2026 at 5:20 pm
Yep, onto drafting another ILB next….all good, im on it! I liked Sammy Brown last year but I dont know yet recently, need to see more from him or its a no.
September 19th, 2026 at 5:54 pm
Maybe you should work on tackling someone instead of throwing yourself around like a ding dong and going no where. It was hysterical to watch a wanna be Fabio. You Anzalone are a lot of talk like Boweles you both talk a good game. Let’s see you walk your talk
September 19th, 2026 at 6:38 pm
There’s that word again…”guru”! Give me a break! 3rd and 28!
September 19th, 2026 at 9:45 pm
Wow! This guy is just plain stupid. He has no idea he played a superlatively poor game.
Way to go, Licht!
September 19th, 2026 at 10:35 pm
If Bucs lose tomorrow they need to be renamed. Tampon Bay
September 19th, 2026 at 10:37 pm
3rd and 28 3rd and 28 3rd and 28 ,evans left Bradys my hero! Booo hooo hooo! UGH!!
September 19th, 2026 at 10:47 pm
After the 6-2 start last season Bowles told the players to fake injuries and “tank” the rest of the season,To draft Mendoza !
September 19th, 2026 at 11:29 pm
This dude here needs to tighten up against cleveland
September 20th, 2026 at 4:58 am
Players again trying to gaslight us about toilet bowles