The Bucs And Winning Road Games Late
September 16th, 2025
Baker Mayfield stretches for a first down as he is pulled to the turf by Houston DE Will Anderson.
There are a lot of crazy stats floating around social media about how the Bucs are one of a handful of teams to do this or do that in the final minutes of a game on the road… you can drive yourself crazy with this stuff.
For example, last night Joe was tagged by some stats outfit Joe never heard of claiming the Bucs are only the second team in 20 years to win two straight road games when trailing in the final minute.
But if something comes from the Elias Sports Bureau, the official numbers crunchers of the NFL, it’s both legit and official.
And by way of Jenna Laine of ESPN, here is what Elias dug up about the Bucs winning two straight road games to begin the season on their final drives.
Key stat to know: Per Elias, the Bucs are the fifth team since the 1970 merger to win each of its first two games of a season after trailing in the final two minutes of regulation in both games. But the previous four teams — Philadelphia Eagles (2012), Bucs (1980), Cleveland Browns (1979) and Chicago Bears (1971) — failed to make the playoffs.
Well, that’s not a good omen. But Joe thinks Baker Mayfield is the best quarterback of the five teams, and we all know without a good quarterback you won’t do squat in the NFL.
2012 Eagles: The Eagles had Michael Vick but he only played in 10 games. And that season the Eagles lost 11 of their final 12 games. Joe doesn’t believe the Bucs will collapse like that.
1980 Bucs: Doug Williams was a good quarterback but Mayfield was and is better.
1979 Browns: Brian Sipe was a really good quarterback and it wasn’t like the 1979 Browns were terrible. They finished 9-7. Under current expanded playoff fields, the Browns likely would have been in the playoffs.
1971 Bears: To compare the 1971 Bears to the Bucs is truly a howler. Bobby Douglass was their quarterback and he may be the absolute worst starting quarterback in NFL history. Imagine having Payne Durham behind center. That was Douglass. This Douglass was a misplaced wishbone QB or a misplaced tight end or linebacker. In 1971, Douglass had a 40 percent completion percentage! FORTY PERCENT! Douglass threw for five touchdowns and 12 picks.
Joe won’t get all twisted up because some really bad teams 40 or 50 years ago pulled off two late wins on the road in consecutive weeks like the Bucs just did.
No, the fact that since the playoffs expanded in 2021 teams opening 2-0 have made the playoffs 77 percent of the time, that’s what Joe is focused on.
September 16th, 2025 at 9:13 am
Brian Sipe is the best comparison. Cardiac Bucs. Also Brian had no running game and a lousy defense.
September 16th, 2025 at 9:20 am
Browns could run the ball with Mike Pruitt, very underrated. Sam R. just didn’t like to run the ball so it all fell on Sipe.
September 16th, 2025 at 9:32 am
Shoutout to Lavonte, 200 games as a Buc is some legendary sh*t!!!
September 16th, 2025 at 9:32 am
Feels great being 2-0 but to keep winning they need to
-Make their kicks!!!
-Get a pass rush!!!!! Or maybe let the pass rushers, rush the passer
-Get healthy
Glad to see Baker and the offense being turnover free but the offense feels so disjointed and just a bit off
September 16th, 2025 at 9:33 am
“Doug Williams was a good quarterback but Mayfield was and is better”.
LOL
September 16th, 2025 at 9:34 am
Joe, why do you keep saying Egbuka caught the game winner against the Falcons with 1:18 left when everyone else saw it with 0:59 remaining? Twice in the past few posts you mention this and I’m not sure where it’s coming from.
September 16th, 2025 at 9:34 am
Doug had a faster and better long ball than Baker. He also took a lot more punishment because his O line was horrible. He did have a better TE than the Bucs have ever had since but his WRs weren’t close to what Baker has.
September 16th, 2025 at 9:36 am
Winning last night without Wirfs and Goedeke was impressive.
September 16th, 2025 at 9:40 am
You can’t just an odd snap defines a trend when you don’t look deep enough to identify the underlying cause and effect. Elias’s stat may be official and legit, but it is also meaningless.
September 16th, 2025 at 9:42 am
You can’t just say an odd stat…. Sorry.
September 16th, 2025 at 9:49 am
Not sure if the Bucs will ever admit it, but it sure looked like they let Chubb walk right in from 25 yards out. That took a lot of guts if so! Otherwise, the Texans would have sat on the ball and kicked a game-winning field goal. That gave Mayfield the ball with over 2 minutes and all their timeouts. Huge gamble, but obviously it paid off in the end. Nice Job!
September 16th, 2025 at 10:02 am
Until baker wears a Super Bowl ring as Doug Williams does he will not be even as good as Williams, much less better-Preesh Joe do better.
September 16th, 2025 at 10:12 am
Made me laugh Bucsfan.
Ok, to have your opinion — but it made me laugh.
September 16th, 2025 at 10:25 am
Concerned with our pass rush, Gaines showed up. But the rest of the line didn’t really disappointed in Yaya Diaby, he was supposed to be a double digit sack guy. Hasn’t had 1 yet.
September 16th, 2025 at 10:29 am
Bucnjim Says:
September 16th, 2025 at 9:49 am
Not sure if the Bucs will ever admit it, but it sure looked like they let Chubb walk right in from 25 yards out. That took a lot of guts if so! Otherwise, the Texans would have sat on the ball and kicked a game-winning field goal. That gave Mayfield the ball with over 2 minutes and all their timeouts. Huge gamble, but obviously it paid off in the end. Nice Job!
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Yep Winfield completely pulled up at the end. He could have easily made that tackle. If he would have tackled, Chubb, Texans they could run the clock down and force Tampa to burn timeouts before kicking a field goal. It just shows how smart Winfield is. A lot of defenders would have tried to make that tackle. Winfield is just that smart of a player, he knew the offense would need to score and needed that time.
September 16th, 2025 at 10:31 am
Gaines can’t spell Vita anymore, new guy (whose name eludes me) has to succeed
September 16th, 2025 at 10:32 am
Doug Williams WON 5 regular season games after he Left the BUCS. Was 5-9 and 4-0 in Playoffs with the Redskins but yes he did win a Super Bowl like Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson but they won Super Bowls and went to Pro Bowl so by the logic on here they were better QBS …Also Doug still holds the NFL Playoff Record for worst QB rating with one team at 18.6
September 16th, 2025 at 10:36 am
Baker Mayfield putting on a master class on clutch
September 16th, 2025 at 10:43 am
Picking up the flag on the return at the end… that was..funny.
And the suit’s quick explanation that it was good to pick up the flag, funnier.
The nfl likes drama.
Winfield seemed to know it.
Bucs didn’t deserve to be in that position late, and overcame.
Good stuff
September 16th, 2025 at 10:45 am
Any truth to R. White getting traded to the commanders for a 3rd and chase Edmonds back to Bucs?
As always Go Bucs.
September 16th, 2025 at 10:53 am
The amazing thing is after all our injuries Mayfield drove 80 yards in the final 2 min. On a top 3 defense. Simply as clutch and badssa as a quarterback can get. Where are the haters today? I don’t know maybe they didn’t watch the game! Maybe they aren’t aware of what Mayfield and the boys did. Who knows but they are definitely in hiding
September 16th, 2025 at 10:54 am
The fact that there is an exception to the horse collar penalty if a QB is in the tackle box is an ignorant non penalty and will result in QB injuries.
September 16th, 2025 at 10:57 am
Wonder what Trask was doing Sunday?
September 16th, 2025 at 11:00 am
Bucsfan, don’t let these people change your POV. You are on the money dude. I would definitely take Doug over Dan Marino, right? LOL the stupid things people say in here.
September 16th, 2025 at 11:08 am
The Bucs and Winning Road Games Late !!! I’m all for winning road games any way we can !! Of course the late wins are always much more exciting!!
Go Bucs !!
September 16th, 2025 at 11:15 am
Bucs started 2-0 in 2018. We know how that ended.
In both 2023 and 2024 Bucs started 2-0. Then the patented Bowles Swoon happens. It’s probably gonna happen again.
Very happy for one win at a time. Do not sleep on the Jets, they can play defense and have to be looking at the Bucs OL shuffle and licking their chops like starving dogs.
September 16th, 2025 at 11:20 am
1980 Bucs: Doug Williams was a good quarterback but Mayfield was and is better.
————-
For sure. Not even close. Mayfield is a MUCH better QB than 1980 Doug Williams.
Williams has benefited from revisionist history during his time in TB. Saw it w/ my own eyes. Not pretty.
September 16th, 2025 at 11:24 am
I’d hate to see the success rate of your self help group people. Not much positive in much of what I just read from these guys Joe. I think two things could help, one is some motivation for Chase someone to challenge him.. reassert himself to challenge his own self and whatever. We need a tackle on the defense if Kancey is hurt bad enough. The offense gets better with Wirfs back and the left side as well as Barton are back in place. I hope Luke isn’t terrible
Let’s Go Bucs!!!! .
September 16th, 2025 at 11:32 am
that game looked like the brady era when we were never out of it, baker is awesome and showing he’s elite, he killed a bunch of demons last night in his home state, great game so stoked!!
September 16th, 2025 at 11:56 am
Last season we lost a few close ones late… so its refreshing to have some luck go our way this soon.
The team’s confidence can rise now…
Can’t wait for Godwin to return… Wirfs too…
September 16th, 2025 at 12:31 pm
Hopefully Kancey isn’t out for the year but the defense gave up way too many explosive plays. Several busts in coverage and a misfit on the running touchdown by Houston towards the end. The offense if it can get the O-line healthy and Godwin comes back will be really good again this year. These first two games were gritty gut check wins but maybe later in the season we will have a couple of blowout wins if the offense comes together like it should.
September 16th, 2025 at 12:35 pm
Man I’m standing on 12-5
Go Bucs
September 16th, 2025 at 1:29 pm
I was at all the 1979 playoff ballgames at Tampa Stadium. Incredible. Bucs had only been around for 4 years. Back then, new NFL franchises did not get the cream of the crop in terms of draft position like they do now. Think about that. And the owner was the curse named Culverhouse. That bozo spent more $$ on his whores than he did on the team. I never thought I would live long enough to see this franchise turn into a top quality outfit. It has. Go Cardiac Bucs, 3-0!!