BSPN: Bucs Are No. 1
October 14th, 2025
The best!
We are living in Bizarro World.
When Joe saw the following (texted to him this morning by Joe’s good friend Dr. David Wenk of Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute), Joe just blindly stared into space the same way Yosemite Sam or Forhorn Leghorn or Daffy Duck stare ahead immediately after a bomb explodes in their face.
BSPN has the Bucs ranked as the No. 1 team in the NFL based on Week 7’s Power Rankings.
Jenna Laine of BSPN had the honor to type up this summary:
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1)
Week 6 result: Beat the 49ers 30-19
Week 6 ranking: 4Lesson learned: The Bucs are far better equipped to weather injuries.
The Bucs lost three games last season without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin Jr., and yet the past two weeks, Baker Mayfield and this defense have pulled off back-to-back victories without both receivers. In fact, Mayfield delivered this past Sunday’s win with just one healthy starting skill player by the game’s end in tight end Cade Otton. The Bucs were down to the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth wide receivers — two of whom scored their first NFL touchdowns. And the defense might be short at corner again, but its depth and ability to get takeaways has catapulted Tampa Bay to the top of the NFC.
With the possible exception of BSPN’s power rankings immediately after the Bucs’ Super Bowl win in February 2021, Joe doesn’t ever remember the four-letter ranking the Bucs first in their power rankings. The Mouse Outfit may have. Joe generally doesn’t monitor power rankings because it is usually the same drivel being pushed by BSPN.
Either they get behind a team they want to be No. 1 (Atlanta), or they usually circle jerk a predictable team like the Eagles or the Crows or Cowboys or Rams or Patriots or Steelers or Packers.
For a team quarterbacked by Baker Mayfield, not a team from the northeast or a team that has a monster following, to be labeled as the best in the land by BSPN, folks, we are truly living in strange times.
October 14th, 2025 at 8:53 am
Gus’s got it boys
October 14th, 2025 at 8:57 am
Now flex all the games to prime time!
October 14th, 2025 at 8:57 am
Swayze knows the way.
October 14th, 2025 at 9:12 am
The new NFL order: NFC South now has three teams that could make the playoffs–better than AFC North, AFC East, NFC East. Atlanta looking like a legitimate contender.
October 14th, 2025 at 9:18 am
I love it! Gett em Gus
October 14th, 2025 at 9:20 am
Buddha.. agreed
The bye must’ve done Atlanta a lot of good. They looked pretty fierce last night. Carolina sitting right there too…
Now would not be the time for counting chickens… 🐣 🐣 🐣
At least reading Laine is better than listening to the terrible questions she asks on a presser..
October 14th, 2025 at 9:23 am
Remember, we lost to Philly because we allowed a blocked punt. They are a little on the pretenders side right now. It is very likely that Detroit won’t drop two straight, plus I think this week the injuries will finally catch up to us. If so bring on it and let’s move on to kicking the Saints in the a$$. 6 and 2 isn’t bad, but if we can pull out a win in Michigan look the hell out. We will get a lot of our players back after the bye week and the less stressful part of the schedule is staring us right in the face.
October 14th, 2025 at 9:23 am
I don’t want our games flexed. Routi9ne is important.
October 14th, 2025 at 9:28 am
Rankings are opinions; wins are facts. Just give me the facts.
October 14th, 2025 at 9:29 am
People put down Baker from bouncing from team to team even within a season but didn’t realize he was developing TWO skill sets
1) The ability to pick up and process playbooks usually in a relatively short time.
2) The ability to work with any player he is given within that offense.
put that together with Licht’s ability to find good WRs from the first round to the seventh means the offense always has a chance against just about anyone regardless of a few being injured.
October 14th, 2025 at 9:35 am
We can win that Detroit game if we get creative.
Just fly in that Fan from Seattle.
October 14th, 2025 at 9:38 am
Gotta beat the Kittens on Monday night!!!! Let’s F’ing go!!!! I told my wife on Sunday that this is the best team we’ve had since the early 2000’s. It just feels different. We have almost no weaknesses. 6-1 folks. Let’s believe it! Go BUCS!!!!!
October 14th, 2025 at 9:42 am
Another little caveat that occurred to me yesterday was we just went 2-0 against teams that both had 10 days rest. Not bad.
October 14th, 2025 at 9:53 am
They have Detroit listed at #2 so you can imagine all the hype building up to kickoff. Hopefully the Bucs stay in their own “bubble” and away from media influences.
October 14th, 2025 at 9:55 am
DET is beatable…we match up well vs DET…
the RAMS give us match-up problems…thats the team im worried about the most…
1game at a time!!!!!
6-1!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 14th, 2025 at 10:03 am
Thank you Coach Bowles and Jason Licht!
October 14th, 2025 at 10:06 am
Where is the trophy for winning the BSPN blogger opinion awards? Long season left. Good start.
October 14th, 2025 at 10:10 am
You are what your record says you are!! So far so good! One game at a time! Next up… Detroit! Get it done!! LFG!!
October 14th, 2025 at 10:17 am
Pay no attention. Focus on the Lions and nothing else. They will feel the need to make a rebound.
October 14th, 2025 at 10:19 am
I remember us fans worrying over all the #1 hype going to the Bucs’ head. I don’t think that’s happening here. These guys are all business and on a mission. They are a TEAM, and they get that. Lions may have Hutchinson (who still gives me the willies), but their secondary is beat up. Branch indicates character issues, too. So, they aren’t the juggernaut right now. Bucs, walking wounded and all, have a real chance to win this one. And, if not, well then the pitiful (and they are) Saints, and FINALLY a very welcomed Bye Week. Nothing wrong with 7-2. Go Bucs, 6-1!!!!
October 14th, 2025 at 10:27 am
Go Bucs!!!
October 14th, 2025 at 10:31 am
Ignore the hype. Those dismissing the Lions need to eat their Pom Poms.
Bucs can win but will need their best game of the year on defense. At least Goff isn’t very mobile. AmonRa St Brown is a dude who reminds me of Godwin when Chris is healthy. An excellent human being also.
Evans back would be huge, he’ll take all the doubles and that should spring Shep and maybe open up an opportunity for the J&J pair.
October 14th, 2025 at 10:32 am
It’s not even Halloween
Slow your roll
Yes they have a great start on the marathon that is the NFL road to the Super Bowl
October 14th, 2025 at 11:21 am
We Probably WILL beat Detroit. I know it seems scary and the Lions, Bill’s, or Rams “seem to” be the big bad wolf, BUT You SHOULD LOOK AT THE OUTSIDE AND IN AT US… WE! WE ARE THE BIG BAD WOLF!!! AND IT IS “THEY” WHO ARE TRERRIFIED OF US! Look at where we’re coming from and think about the “possibilities” AND KNOW, It’s TRUE! WE ARE RANKED NUMBER 1 FOR REAL REASONS!
Besides, did you see the scary Bills get PUMMELED by the falcons? NOT SO BIG AND BAD AFTER ALL!!!! Or the Lions LOSE to the 3 and 3 chiefs?? NOT BLOWN AWAY BY THAT EITHER! SO YEAH! “WE” ARE THE “BIG BAD WOLF”! NOT THEM!
I’d say our Chances are Pretty Good to come out of the game with the BIG W…
At this point in time REGARDLESS of injuries, WE ARE the NUMBER 1 RANKED TEAM FOR A REASON! INCLUDING…. LUCK.
We have the skilled players THROUGHOUT the Entire roster On BOTH SIDES of the ball… The “depth” IS REAL! And WE Are Week After Week GOING TO get our Best Skilled players Back starting with this very next game WITH a little Extra time for that to happen. It’s a Monday Night game after all..
AND…
We ABSOLUTELY HAVE Luck On Our Side… As CRAZY as I KNOW IT SOUNDS, take a look at the conclusions of ALL our games INCLUDING the last, LUCK HAS BEEN ON OUR SIDE.
We Tried to give Big Advantages and “Game Changing” opportunities to the 49ers, at least twice! Like when Vea got called for roughing the kicker on 4th and 8 and we GAVE THEM the ball back with a 15yd penalty and a Brand New set of downs… But Guess What? They COULDN’T DO ANYTHING with the GIFT we gave them to score on us with a short field! I sense some Luck is DEFINITELY ON OUR SIDE….
And BAKER MAYFIELD Coming BACK WITH A VENGEANCE TOUR is Blowing EVERYBODY’S MINDS! A man that was Literally On The Brink of Total Career Destruction just three years back IS THE HOTTEST QB IN ALL OF FOOTBALL AROUND THE ENTIRE PLANET!
Grizz… I’m just going to say it Sure Looks Like the guy Has What It Takes and I LOVE the Long Ball Sprinkled in there! The ONE KNOCK on him is the USELESS “UP THE GUT” WHEN HE “COULD” MAKE BETTER CALLS THAN THAT…. I hate that. Over All Baker and Grizz seems to Have It Under Control…
And Finally… A New Man? Has Todd Bowles Really done it? This makes two games IN A ROW that Bowles HAS Changed his Style and Tactics… It’s NOT BEEN the “same old Todd”… And in this last game there was a MARKED DIFFERENCE in his “Personal Aggressiveness”.. A HUGE DIFFERENCE in his Play Calling and for the first time EVER Todd Bowles UTTERLY OUT COACH Shanahan! Bowles was bouncing ON HIS TOES and POPPING Shanahan in the Mouth with Fast Snapping Jabs and DROPPING Shanahan TO THE GROUND with the OVER HAND RIGHT! … I COULD NOT BELIEVE MY LYING EYES! Todd out Flexed him and out Manuvered him! He Remained Flexible and Aggressive PLAY TO PLAY.. “Instead Of” the deer in the head lights we’ve grown accustomed to until the usual “half time adjustments”… And IF Bowles keeps that up… WATCH OUT! BECAUSE NOW, WE’RE DANGEROUS!
Have Faith… Because if you open yourself up to the “FACTS”, You’ll See that it’s ALL REAL. Sure we “might” get beat by Any given team, BUT the law of Adverages ARE OUT THE DOOR FOR OUR TEAM THIS YEAR!
OUR TEAM… US… Have PROVEN THAT WE CAN BEAT ANYBODY on ANY DAY!
Now we Only NEED to BRAKE Our “Night Game Curse”! And if so, I’M ALL IN!
October 14th, 2025 at 11:21 am
Is it April 1st?
October 14th, 2025 at 11:24 am
Looking like we will need yet another OC after this year. Bet one of the ones we lost will return.
October 14th, 2025 at 11:37 am
I told my buddies up here in the Philly market the Bucs are the best team in the league. Well, now this backs it up !
October 14th, 2025 at 11:55 am
Someone is super excited can you guess who?
October 14th, 2025 at 12:22 pm
ohhhh…the team is starting to look even better than my 11-6 initial prediction…
we are fun and #1
October 14th, 2025 at 12:22 pm
#WeAreFunAndNumberOne
October 14th, 2025 at 12:45 pm
Bucs are #1 in nfl.com rankings too!!!
October 14th, 2025 at 1:39 pm
During the game last night the announcers mentioned that Bills OC and Josh Allen have to adapt to different plan without their TE Kincaid. Seems that Allen struggles when he is down his favorite targets. Contrast that to Mayfield. I think last year Mayfield HAD to learn not love 1-2 targets and “spread the love.” This year with so many hurt he is definitely doing that and I think that is making the difference on top of Mayfield having more on field responsibilities. Mayfield has grown lot and it shows. These rankings are meaningless and we need to focus on one game at a time.
October 14th, 2025 at 1:42 pm
“Looking like we will need yet another OC after this year. Bet one of the ones we lost will return.”
One thing we got going for is is Grizz barely looks old enough to deliver pizza
October 14th, 2025 at 1:44 pm
MikeBuc is 👍🏼😂
October 14th, 2025 at 3:31 pm
WaPo has Bucs listed at…. #12. These rankings are silly; Baker’s going to keep them focused. Detroit should be a barnburner!
October 14th, 2025 at 5:08 pm
Remember when we were So upset when El Serpiente jerked us around?
Yay GRIZZ and LICHT! We don’t even remember those times!
October 14th, 2025 at 5:40 pm
In week 6 of 2020, the Packers were #1 in the power poll. The Bucs were 12th.
Winning the power poll in week 6 doesn’t mean much.
October 14th, 2025 at 5:52 pm
Timbucs2 Says:
October 14th, 2025 at 3:31 pm
WaPo has Bucs listed at…. #12. These rankings are silly; Baker’s going to keep them focused.
——–
Good, that’s what I like to see. Also here’s what the fake news WaPo has to say…
Despite a 5-1 record, Tampa Bay remains outside the top 10 in our model. That’s in part because of the Buccaneers’ success being driven by unsustainably high non-red-zone offensive performance (43.9 expected points added, fifth most per TruMedia). Their red-zone efficiency (minus-1.8 EPA) and negative success-rate differential (minus-2 percent) indicate a reliance on explosive plays and defense rather than consistent offensive execution. They will be tested by an upcoming schedule that includes four of five games on the road, including against the Lions, Bills and Rams.
October 14th, 2025 at 5:56 pm
I’m looking at this fake news WaPo power poll, and it’s pretty hilarious…
It has the Texans (2-3), 3 spots above the Bucs (I seem to remember Tampa going to Houston and beating them straight up).
It also has the Seahawks (4-2), 8 spots above the Bucs (I seem to remember Tampa going to Seattle and beating them straight up).
October 14th, 2025 at 6:06 pm
Jack Burton Mercer … ‘Rankings are opinions; wins are facts. Just give me the facts.’
Perfectly stated Jack! Let’s see who’s still standing at the end of the season THEN we can talk about rankings.
October 14th, 2025 at 6:22 pm
We lose Sunday and half the folks on this forum are back to “Bowles sucks”