Bucs Catch A Break (Maybe)
October 14th, 2025
Suspended?
With Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka and Bucky Irving expected out for the Bucs’ Week 7 game at Detroit on Monday night, and Mike Evans’ availability up in the air, the Bucs are going to need all the help they can get.
They may have gotten some from the NFL.
Sunday night, after a loss to the Chiefs, Lions Pro Bowl safety Brian Branch got into a hassle with nitwit receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster of the Chiefs. For this, the NFL suspended Branch one game, meaning Branch will have to sit out the Bucs game on Monday.
Maybe.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, Branch has already appealed the verdict handed down by the NFL. Per the creator, curator and overall guru of Pro Football Talk, the great Mike Florio, there is precedent in defense of Branch.
So cross your fingers NFL warden Roger Goodell puts his foot down on Branch. The Bucs will need all the help they can get.
October 14th, 2025 at 12:32 am
He 100% deserves to be suspended for a game. The game was over. They were shaking hands and he threw a punch. Immature POS.
October 14th, 2025 at 12:34 am
This probably isn’t getting reversed, he threw a strike at a player after the game was over, in a year that the NFL is trying to emphasize sportsmanship and reduce unsportsmanlike conducts.
October 14th, 2025 at 12:39 am
I agree David. Not a good look for the logo. He also has multiple fines already in his career so I bet this sticks.
Bucs are still 4.5 point dogs. That’s an odd line to me. This one might be trouble for us. Hope I’m wrong. I hope the Bucs go in there as hungry as last season.
October 14th, 2025 at 12:53 am
Hopefully Aidan Hutchinson decides to call in sick next week because that would really help.
October 14th, 2025 at 12:58 am
He might be able to play against the Bucs unless Goodell upholds the suspension quickly and doesn’t wait til next week. Hopefully he’s out, but screw it if he’s not. He’s the kind of scum that can gas Bake up and propel us to victory if he starts running his mouth.
October 14th, 2025 at 1:08 am
If Branch is out, then they might be out their entire 1st string secondary!!
Starting corner Terrion Arnold has shoulder injury,
Starting corner DJ Reed is on IR
Kirby Joseph has a bad knee injury and he was walking around in immense pain last nite. I swear I think they injected his knee with something. He went from barely being able to walk to running sprints within 10 minutes. Supposedly “wrapped the knee up” but I don’t believe it was just that 🤷🏻♂️……
This is going to be all about the bucks offensive line being able to pass block and give Mayfield a little time to shred that secondary.
October 14th, 2025 at 1:33 am
KC exposed some Lions defensive weaknesses that happen to be Evans’ strengths. Hopefully he’s back.
October 14th, 2025 at 1:44 am
David Says:
October 14th, 2025 at 12:32 am
He 100% deserves to be suspended for a game. The game was over. They were shaking hands and he threw a punch. Immature POS.
^^^^^^^
While I agree that Branch should be suspended (and I’ll be glad if he is), his frustration was caused by the NFL letting the Chiefs get away with dirty play (see Shuster’s illegal block in the back of Branch). I believe the Chiefs had zero penalties for the game. Any team in the NFL that has ZERO penalties called on them for the game was aided by the refs.
October 14th, 2025 at 1:49 am
No Excuse for unprovoked violence.
October 14th, 2025 at 3:06 am
The guy has been fined 10x in the last two years for unacceptable hits and behavior so I would think it would be unlikely the NFL will reverse his suspension. Especially since what he did was after the game and demonstrates poor sportsmanship on MNF.
October 14th, 2025 at 4:02 am
One poster here is trying to rationalize Branch’s response even though Branch’s coach Campbell won’t. Not surprising since there are enough whack jobs out there that some were rationalizing a recent political assasination. This is pathetic.
October 14th, 2025 at 4:22 am
Gipper Says:
October 14th, 2025 at 4:02 am
One poster here is trying to rationalize Branch’s response even though Branch’s coach Campbell won’t. Not surprising since there are enough whack jobs out there that some were rationalizing a recent political assasination. This is pathetic.
^^^^^^^^
Quite the stretch.
October 14th, 2025 at 6:59 am
Mike Evans got suspended twice ..so I think it will stick
October 14th, 2025 at 7:15 am
Lions defense with their secondary injuries were already SORRY as hell with Branch, and we need to stop looking at our schedule and cower in fear like we’re going against the big bad wolf. Look at the Bills. Soft. SOOFFFFFFFT. No talent, no defense, no receivers. Packers – not on our schedule but yet another overrated, and not exactly awe inspiring team. This inferiority complex Bucs fans have is incredible. Give me a healthy-ish Bucs team over anyone, there is literally no reason to not be confident, no reason to think we’re going to go up to Detroit and lose 40-17
October 14th, 2025 at 7:35 am
Branch is appealing which means he’ll play on Monday.
October 14th, 2025 at 7:39 am
Trying to get into the head of the commish maybe he’s thinking “Yeah, pulling this crap on one prime time game gives me a chance to flex since you have another the next week”.
Having the MNF crew bring up the fact that he’s missing a few times will have an impact.
October 14th, 2025 at 7:57 am
Instead of extending the olive branch, he did the exact opposite. He is probably the best safety in the league. But he will not be on the field Monday night.
October 14th, 2025 at 8:03 am
If Evans is healthy and plays, we can win this game. The Johnson’s and Shepherd did a great job last week but I don’t think success without one of our top 4 receivers is sustainable against a top team like Detroit in their crib.
October 14th, 2025 at 8:08 am
johnnythemoon
That’s what I’m thinking, M1K3 got suspended for doing the exact same thing against Lattimore and lost the Packers game and that made all the difference.
How does he have a chance of not being suspended?
October 14th, 2025 at 8:30 am
Are we ever gonna see our top 4 receivers and Irving on the field at the same time? Sure would be awesome! Goedeke too. This team would put up 56 with that group.
Where do you get this nonsense, Jeff? The suspension will hold because Branch has a long record of being a ninny.
October 14th, 2025 at 8:51 am
Branch won’t play. He’ll be suspended and he earned it. Goodell and other NFL potentates are sensing a lot of anger and disgust leveled at the officiating which has really deteriorated this season. Whether they actually do something about it is another story. Money is God in this country. Definition of Capitalism, good and bad. We’ve had some really good articles and comment threads on here lately. They discuss player character, and you guys/gals on here have made some excellent observations. Kudos to you all, and Joe, too. Go Bucs, 6-1!!