Season On The Brink; Undefeated Vikings Up Next
September 20th, 2026
Baker Mayfield noted tonight after his team’s humiliating loss that the Bucs must regroup quickly because they have a pretty good opponent next week.
Joe will take that a step further. Next Sunday’s game against the Vikings is against a damn good opponent, a 2-0 team that plays hard and has an angry-mentality defense.
Minnesota beat the Bears in Chicago today 9-6. The Bears scored 59 points a week ago. On opening day, the Vikings took out the Packers 39-22 with a ferocious fourth-quarter comeback after trailing 22-17.
If the Bucs play like they did in Cincinnati, or like they did today when the team performed far worse, the Bucs will lose Sunday. Falling to 0-3 isn’t a death sentence in the NFL, but it certainly gets you a cell on death row.
Joe hopes Todd Bowles acknowledges his team is in crisis mode. Time to pull all the rabbits out of your hat. Get Bruce Arians in the building for a couple of days. Fly in Ryan Jensen to talk to the offensive line about playing with rage.
Shake up the starting lineup.
The status quo will to send Bucs fans to draft talk by Halloween.
September 20th, 2026 at 6:59 pm
Garbage.
September 20th, 2026 at 6:59 pm
BAKER ISN’T HEALTHY, IT’S NOT HIS FAULT!
September 20th, 2026 at 6:59 pm
Put this one in the loss column for sure.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Well, maybe people shouldn’t have been talking about the “revenge” factor in this game with Baker against his former team.
Maybe he should change his name to Kiffin after that comeuppance.
Baker Kiffin.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Amazing… Baker literally had a wide open WR to win the game, and yet the stories are about next week, and Bowles – not Bum Baker, the NFL’s 3rd highest paid player, who is a cap hit against the Bucs for $65M for the next 3 seasons (not $55M kiddos).
September 20th, 2026 at 7:00 pm
We’re already talking about the draft this season is over if you can’t beat the Browns at home.
Who are you going to beat????
September 20th, 2026 at 7:01 pm
We’re going to have great draft picks.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:01 pm
The Vikings line opened at vikings -2.5
Easy money
September 20th, 2026 at 7:01 pm
Fly in Jensen to give the oline a pep talk? C’mon, that’s almost as ridiculous as signing 37 year old JPP
How about firing Bowles?
September 20th, 2026 at 7:01 pm
Let Chucky and Ronde take over for the rest of the year. This team is doing its mid season fall apart to start the year so you might as well make changes now.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:01 pm
Does anyone actually believe that the Bucs suddenly grow a pair this week or this season?
September 20th, 2026 at 7:01 pm
Bowles should go on ‘Whats my line’ TV show. No one would guess he is a football coach.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:02 pm
I say we go Jeremiah Smith….
September 20th, 2026 at 7:02 pm
Asked before the game why the Bucs were an 8.5-point favorite consider Baker had the Bucs 2-8 in the previous 10 games, while even the Browns were 3-7.
Also asked why you’d pay Baker considering he was coming off an awful season where he singlehandedly cost the Bucs the playoffs, and got his entire offensive staff fired.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:02 pm
Fire Todd.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:03 pm
That chip on the shoulder must be awfully bad.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:03 pm
Oh and 5 is definitely in play…………
September 20th, 2026 at 7:03 pm
The season was done when our incompetent gm extended the average overhyped qb.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:03 pm
Got to coach better , play it better, throw the deep ball better, block it better, tackle better……….😔
September 20th, 2026 at 7:03 pm
You know so Baker can over throw him and maybe people will finally admit it’s not the WR that it’s an uncatchable terrible throw….
Or maybe he will get PI calls unlike Hurst or Godwin….
September 20th, 2026 at 7:04 pm
Here is who sucks:
Baker
Wirfs
Winfield
Vea
Hurst
Kancey
Bain
Anzalone
Barton
Otten
Morrison
Nunez
Muhammad
Zyon
Dixon
Gainwell
Robinson
Bowles
Licht
September 20th, 2026 at 7:04 pm
I honestly had a bad feeling about this season. We don’t have leaders on the field, we have a complacent coach who is really bad at hiring assistants, we have a GM who can’t draft d lineman or consistently hire good coaches.What’s going on here? Hey Glazers do you admit there is a problem?
September 20th, 2026 at 7:04 pm
This is Bakers team!!! We are the Krewe!! Go Bucs!!!
September 20th, 2026 at 7:05 pm
Joe is so desperate he wants BA to come back. Lol. That ship has sailed. I told you, this is the tank year. With Baker and Bowles making the most important decisions, this is what you get.
2-9 in the past 11 games. 4 TOs in the past 2 games from one player! But hey, hes a franchise QB so its ok, losses dont matter. He just needs to play. Not play well, no, just play.
Tell me why this is better than a new young HC and new young rookie QB?
September 20th, 2026 at 7:06 pm
Ryan Miller just scored a huge long TD for the Dolphins.
But before people whine and complain about him not being a Buc, there is NO chance that Baker makes that long throw on target. None.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:06 pm
I honestly feel like there’s a massive disconnect between Bowles and the players. They don’t want to play for him or he’s simply not capable of coaching this team.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:06 pm
The bucs are among the worst teams in the NFL this year. will be in the running for first pick
For sure
September 20th, 2026 at 7:07 pm
I agree why did we pay VV and Baker. Fire Bowels. I like Jason but he made mistakes.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:08 pm
Regroup… lmfao… cash your checks and STFU… garbage
September 20th, 2026 at 7:08 pm
Yep. Then the cheese heads will invade. Great decision Team Glazer for keeping this regime.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:08 pm
Considering the new deal for Baker…
How long until we at least see Daniels take some snaps?
I’m not at all calling for that, the Bucs are stuck with Baker for years, they can not move on. But at some point we’ll see Daniels take some snaps, at least hoping to spark something with Bum Baker.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:08 pm
does it really matter who we play at this point?
September 20th, 2026 at 7:08 pm
Baker isn’t embarrassed, he is very rich and laughing all the way to the bank. The team owners are the fools.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:09 pm
Bowles needs to go.
The whole team looks like crap.
That’s on Todd. Period.
Two loses – all on Todd.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:09 pm
@IrishTony I think the players love playing for Bowles because he never holds any of them accountable and lets them get away with anything. Bowles isn’t a head coach and his time in the NFL needs to be over
September 20th, 2026 at 7:09 pm
Lean into it. Embrace the suck.
Baker is the most lovable loser.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:10 pm
This is getting bad quickly
GO BUCS
September 20th, 2026 at 7:10 pm
The clown show is back in Tampa for awhile.
Fire Bowels.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:10 pm
The season is over. Todd is not capable of turning around an 0-2 team.
He took a 5-1 team to 8-9. And the Glazers love him for it.
The WIDE OPEN SOFT AS BUTTER PEE WEE LEAGUE CALIBER SWISS CHEESE scheme has been fully exposed.
You cannot have a HC\DC that cannot coach defense.
Added with an OC that sucks out loud. We are doomed.
MIKE KNOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 20th, 2026 at 7:11 pm
Bowles should save ownership the uncomfortable conversation and just pack up his office. They have invested in him and given him a chance. Unfortunately, he has let them (and the players) down. Man up and retire.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:11 pm
Extending Baker was the equivalent of paying a shady contractor before he even started the job. Why would he care? He basically was given the worst contract ( team-wise) since…Deshaun Watson. This franchise has once again entered their dark ages.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:11 pm
just a total team loss if i’ve ever seen one. o-line bad today. all though baker made enough plays to win the game, he still has to be a lot better. ted hurst has to catch that game winning touchdown, defense has got to lock in. special teams has looked improved, probably the only part of the team that looks better than last season so far
September 20th, 2026 at 7:11 pm
Defense game up 23 points, with 3 off a turnover in Bucs territory.
If our franchise QB, our highest paid player in team history, the 3rd highest paid player in the NFL, can be counted on to score 24 points – can’t be counted on to miss a wide open WR to win a game, then why did they pay him.
This loss, like 6 of our last 7 games, is 100% on Bum Baker.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:13 pm
if i’m the bucs, i wouldn’t want daniels taking snaps behind this o-line right now. it would just be setting him up to fail. the team has to get better and quick, minus special teams. offense and defense both look awful right now
September 20th, 2026 at 7:13 pm
chad Says:
September 20th, 2026 at 7:11 pm
just a total team loss if i’ve ever seen one.
———
LOL!
No, it was Baker Mayfield.
He had a guy open to win the game, missed the throw.
Trying to claim that Hurst not making a circus catch with a guy all over him, on a wet field, is why it’s not Baker’s fault is laughable.
But then again, what do you expect from a Baker Boi.
Baker lost this game, just like he lost last week, just like he lost the Dolphins game, the Panthers game, the Falcons game, the Saints, the Rams game.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:14 pm
It’s disgusting that Baker can’t own up to his mistakes. He thinks the team has to play better. He needs to play enter.
The Vikings have a good Defense, do t think Baker should play. Bench his 55 million clown ass
September 20th, 2026 at 7:14 pm
season he already tanked last season. hes the worst coach in the league. he should have been cut lose for coen. he damn sure should have been fired after what he did last year. the first two games are just a continuonce.
cant wait for lixht to tell his side in 10 years from now. saying he wanted to fire bowles but the glazers were too cheap to do it
September 20th, 2026 at 7:15 pm
I didn’t even watch today and I’m glad.
Fire Bowles
Fire Licht
Clown Show Dumpster Fire
September 20th, 2026 at 7:15 pm
no it’s not rod, ted don’t drop the touchdown pass for the game winner, it’s a different discussion. the defense your bragging about gave up back to back touchdowns to watson on their last 2 defensive possessions. does that sound like a great defense. baker has to be better, but this o-line is getting pushed around and both sides of the ball have to be better
September 20th, 2026 at 7:16 pm
I’m going to start saying this on every new article….
BENCH BAKER
START JALON DANIELS!!!
Simple as that 🤷🏻♂️
September 20th, 2026 at 7:16 pm
We are what we are, and that isn’t good. We all believed the preseason hype that we had a talented team. Unfortunately, it was just hype.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:17 pm
That game next week will be over by the end of the first quarter the Vikings will blow them out. I am not sure this team is going to win a game. The best chance they have is against Atlanta which may be as bad as them.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:19 pm
so your giving ted hurst excuses for the dropped touchdown? ok got it. wet field, defense on him, wet ball. got it completely. i’m gonna give baker excuses which is something i haven’t done this season yet, cuz he has to be a lot better. the ball was wet so baker could get better control of the game, emeka slipped coming off the line of scrimmage. rain got in bakers eye. give me a break. your willing to ignore blaming the team as a whole so you can put sole blame on baker. but what do you expect from a baker hater
September 20th, 2026 at 7:19 pm
“Falling to 0-3 isn’t a death sentence in the NFL, but it certainly gets you a cell on death row.”
Dead man walking!
September 20th, 2026 at 7:20 pm
Many of us saw this coming.
Our owners, who can’t tell the difference between a soccer ball and a football, extended a coach who nobody in their right mind would have done anything but fire. If that wasn’t the topper, they went into crazyland by extending a quarterback who was willing to play out the year so the Bucs, and others, could gauge his worth. A great deal for ownership, right?
Nope!
Not where the Glazers were concerned. They decided our average QB was worth a Josh Allen contract.
Meanwhile, off in the shadows, our Ring of Honor GM is living vicariously through his overpaid QB. Nothing like sticking your foot in your mouth, Jason. Do interceptions and fumbles turn you on?
With that a given, ya gotta to hand it to both Baker and Todd. Those two not only grifted ownership, they publicly raked them over the coals.
Fools rush in, but the Glazers had time to think before making these bonehead decisions. Bigger fools?
Most owners think us fans are a stupid lot. Many of us fork over large sums of money to support the team we love, and we don’t know squat about football.
Really?
Who looks stupid now?
September 20th, 2026 at 7:20 pm
If Gas Licht had refused to give into Baker’s whining, we could all be saying “Wow, at least we avoided that disaster. The new coach will have cap space and the flexibility to choose his own QB.” But nope, we’re now stuck with him for another 3 years. This is the worst case scenario.
Licht pushed all his chips to the center of the table with a pair of fours.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:22 pm
Rod, you could also make the case Baker threw a perfect ball to Hurst to win the game right before…also seemed like pass interference and no call, first and goal there we win the game then too and things feel slightly better right now
September 20th, 2026 at 7:22 pm
Tanking more now for pick number 1….
September 20th, 2026 at 7:25 pm
Kidfloflo Says:
September 20th, 2026 at 7:22 pm
Rod, you could also make the case Baker threw a perfect ball to Hurst to win the game right before…also seemed like pass interference and no call, first and goal there we win the game then too and things feel slightly better right now
————-
It would have been a circus catch, and yes, it was PI.
However excuses are what you get when you got a discount bargain basement QB.
When your QB spends all offseason complaining about how they’re disrespected and demand to be one of the highest paid players in the NFL, and they have a wide open WR on 4th down, in the end zone, to win the game, and they miss what is a pretty easy throw for an NFL QB… You expect the 3rd highest paid player in the NFL make that throw. Heck, you expect Mike Glennon to make that throw.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:26 pm
I predicted a slow start for this team. However thought like everyone else they would beat the Browns. I was at the game today here is what I observed. The offensive and defensive lines like last week were lackluster. They are losing the game in the trenches. They missed Parrish today. Morrison looked like Morrison and McColumn looked like MaColumn. A weak pass rush did not help. I saw missed tackles and sloppy play from Analzone. I think he is not who we thought he was. He appears to be like Reddick last year. Baker is off to many throws. The pick was a very bad throw and he was really lucky on a few others. The defense could have put the Browns away after the Bucs last score. However they made several poor plays and no tackling in a row and let the Browns run down the field. The offense when they did get going on final drive shot themselves with holding call at the perfectly wrong time.
Bucky was excellent but was not fed the ball enough. Gainwell did not play well.
The ending well the Browns werethe better team today and yes that is pretty sad. I initially thought this team with all the changes needed time to gel. I was wrong they simply play with no heart at all. Presently they are just like the team last year . I am sure Bowles is replaced by mid season.
They are just simply not playing .
September 20th, 2026 at 7:26 pm
JOE!!!!
After today I can seriously see us going winless.
Mark it down!!!
September 20th, 2026 at 7:28 pm
We have the Vikings, the Packers and then the Cowboys in Dallas on Thursday night. After the way they have played the last two weeks this looks like an 0-5 football team. No coming back from that.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:31 pm
i dont even know what the spread is but i bet the vikings are favored by 8 or more points. here we go 0-3
September 20th, 2026 at 7:33 pm
I guess the Glazers have to be brught to their Knees….And they will.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:36 pm
Why did we re sign Baker. What coach is going to want to come here knowing they are strapped with him as qb? What a dumb panic move. One that threw away the rest of the 2020s for this team. I guess we at least all know why Mike left. The dark days are back in Tampa.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:38 pm
Doesn’t matter to Mayfield and the rest of the folks in the building, those direct deposits are still hitting on payday.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:39 pm
Right now I see the Den Of Depression showing up this year too.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:40 pm
TANK FOR ARCH
September 20th, 2026 at 7:43 pm
Oh the Baker apologist are scrambling.
All on Bowles???
Bowles made Baker fumble 4 times.
Baker made Baker miss open WRs all day and throw a terrible pick.
Bowles sucks, but this is not “all on Bowles”, it’s as much if not more on Baker.
Time for the Baker lovers to remove their Baker colored shades..he’s not even a top 20 QB. He absolutely sucks
September 20th, 2026 at 7:45 pm
Why wait for Halloween? I’m starting to look at D-Line and LBs to draft now.
September 20th, 2026 at 7:47 pm
Bring in Arians? Seriously? Why? He is the one who saddled this franchise with this miserable bowel movement. And now all he does is collect a paycheck.
There is no one you can bring in to save this team from the Glazers. I really wish this team had different owners, but since that will never happen, I wish they would just move to a different city. St. Louis maybe.
September 20th, 2026 at 8:04 pm
This season was over in January. Retaining Bowles was the worst move since hiring him in the first place.
I have wanted Bowles gone since year one and have been disappointed every season he wasn’t fired. Hopefully this is the last one.
September 20th, 2026 at 8:07 pm
1st man out…Licht followed close by Bowles. Time to cut the losses. Bench Baker and put Daniels in to take the abuse. But the owners have no clue.
September 20th, 2026 at 8:17 pm
Bosch Says:
There is no one you can bring in to save this team from the Glazers. I really wish this team had different owners, but since that will never happen, I wish they would just move to a different city. St. Louis maybe.
—————————————————————————————–
Be careful what you wish for. In the past 24 years, only 2 teams have won more Super Bowls than the Bucs: the Patriots and the Chiefs.
The Bucs won two, something that 25 other teams have failed to accomplish during that period.
September 20th, 2026 at 8:24 pm
and bring back JPP?
they tried to save the sinking ship a year ago, they are incapable.
September 20th, 2026 at 8:29 pm
And now we go against a top five coach in this league. Welcome to 0-3. I just threw up in my mouth. Ugh
September 20th, 2026 at 8:32 pm
Guess joe can stop writing and the speculation can end on why Mike left the bucs for less money.
September 20th, 2026 at 8:37 pm
Bucs will lose the next 3 games – 0-5 incoming. This team is garbage. 🗑️ by far the worst team in the league.
September 20th, 2026 at 8:38 pm
Todd Bowles is too arrogant to take any of those suggestions and will happily go down with the ship. He won’t do something as simple as give up play calling duties to focus on the overall game day health of the team. 0-3 here we come because no one is dumb enough to trust Bowles except the Glazers
September 20th, 2026 at 9:07 pm
He should have never been promoted to head coach, a DEI HIRE, AT BEST, LOVIE 2.0
September 20th, 2026 at 9:12 pm
We will beat the Vikings because it’s a big game. Todd will actually care and not sleep.like a baby yhe night before the game. He will be rocused do some push ups maybe a sit up or 2 and really dissect the Vikings. Todd is a D.C. NOT an Head Coach. He will let Zac be Zac and after the win he will take all the credit.
September 20th, 2026 at 10:06 pm
Hey Rod, I get the anger with Baker, he lost 2 games almost single-handedly but who signed off on making him the franchise qb for the next 2 or 3 years? Todd Bowles! Whose defense can not adjust at halftime or make a crucial stop? Todd Bowles! Who chooses to kick field goals on 4th and 1? Todd Bowles! Who has a mentality to play not to lose and keep a game close so that either the offense or more likely the defense wins it late? Todd Bowles! Who is 2-9 over his last 11 games, never beaten an AFC North team, is 1-3 in playoff appearances and never has his team playing with intensity? Todd Bowles!
So Rod, while I share your outrage at Baker, remember that Bowles is also a big part of the problem. He has contributed to this culture of losing right along with Baker and Anzalone.
It is pretty obvious that while Baker and Anzalone are key contributors to losses that should be Ws, one man should be held accountable at the end, yet he is not. Who is he? Todd Bowles! I do not think Baker alone, is the only problem with this team. The rot starts higher up the food chain.
September 20th, 2026 at 10:17 pm
hey how about this ? replace Graham Barton with Ryan Jensen and replace Bowles with Arians after Arians chugs a fifth of bourbon and smokes a blunt – that might be an improvement and makes as much sense as bringing in Arians or Jensen in for a “consult” –
September 20th, 2026 at 10:39 pm
FortMyersDave Says:
September 20th, 2026 at 10:06 pm
Hey Rod, I get the anger with Baker, he lost 2 games almost single-handedly but who signed off on making him the franchise qb for the next 2 or 3 years?
———-
The last time the Bucs had a HC making personnel decisions was Jon Gruden with this stooge GM Bruce Allen.
Joe had a story on what happened with Baker. Licht was pretty clearly intent on letting the season play out and dealing with Baker next year, and the owners got antsy, listened to the nonsense in the media about Baker being a franchise QB, and meddled the weekend before the season began, and directly talked with Baker’s rep, going over the head of Licht to force a deal to get done. That’s what I took from it anyways. In any case, I don’t believe for a moment Bowles has the power to get the Glazers to make that deal.
September 20th, 2026 at 10:45 pm
Just have to ride this out until the next HC is hired after the season ends. I’m just waiting for the players to have a meltdown soon and go nuclear on Bowles.
September 20th, 2026 at 10:46 pm
i’ve had the vikings as my interesting team to watch this year…like my sleeper team…
i was thinking they can even potentially win their division…
but honestly i had it all happening with kyler murray at qb and leading the way…
nevertheless, they are 2-0 with good wins under their belt and their ginger qb is potentially also having a revival as well…
i had murray being the guy to have the revival…go figure…
we are in deep doo next week…
this team is ready…we are not…
we just got browned, and have doo doo all over us…
next week the vikings are gonna try to spit grape kool aid all over our nice white unis and i don’t think we can stop it from happening