Uphill Battle For Bucs In The First Quarter
November 21st, 2025
Need points early.
Joe has heard the “start fast” line so often the past few years, it goes in one ear and out the other.
Of course you want to start fast. This is fundamental football. It’s so obvious it really shouldn’t be spoken. It’s like saying an offense wants to convert first downs. You don’t say?
But Sunday night, the starting-fast line may be no truer than it will be all season.
Per Rich Hribar of Sharp Football Analysis, the Rams really pound teams in the first quarter. The Bucs? They’re one of the worst teams to get in gear right away.
*The Rams have outscored opponents 69-26 (+43) in the first quarter, the largest margin in the league.
*The Bucs have been outscored 33-58 (-25) in the first quarter, 28th in the league.
And the Bucs aren’t the greatest team in coming from behind, especially without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
So Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard better be on point with his scripted plays. And please, guys, don’t go chasing points early in the game by being cute with two-point attempts. Save the Harry High School plays until you really need them.
November 21st, 2025 at 9:11 am
Let’s see…. Minus 25 points in the opening quarter. Mediocre or worse Colin from behind. And I would add that they are at negative net points overall.
Turning this around against the Rams, while not impossible (on any given Sunday) is too much to expect. But it better start against the cardinals or it may be too late.
November 21st, 2025 at 9:28 am
Yes, first I don’t consider even a remote possibility that the Bucs even keep the score close , much less winning. With that said if the Bucs don’t start fast in this game it could be over and will likely be over by the end of the first quarter. I don’t mean to be a pessimist. However, the Bucs have noooo defense currently. The offense, still missing to many players. The Rams on the other hand are peaking while the Bucs are headed toward losing their division. Yes these teams are heading in opposite directions and the score is likely to reflect such. The highlight for the Bucs maybe actually seeing Chris Godwin get back on the field even if only on a limited basis. That would be great.
Yes, this is now the season that could have been.
November 21st, 2025 at 9:28 am
Stafford vs Defensive Guru and master decision maker Todd Bowls….. we got this. What could go wrong?
November 21st, 2025 at 9:39 am
Our coaching staff has proven that it has no idea when and why you should go for two.
November 21st, 2025 at 9:40 am
First quarter points are important. But, just as important is establishing the run and controlling the time of possession.
If Tampa throws six passes, possesses the ball two and a-half minutes, and scores three times in the first half, the Bucs are going to lose when the Rams respond three times with six minute complimentary scoring drives. The defense will be sucking air by the end of the first half, and too slow and tired to stop anything in the second half.
The Bucs strength with this offensive line is running the football. So, run the football!
November 21st, 2025 at 9:46 am
At least we’ll know if we can go to bed early or not
November 21st, 2025 at 9:47 am
If its 10-0 Rams after Q1, I would call that a success.
November 21st, 2025 at 9:54 am
Not going to watch it. I will check the open thread to see the crying . Next morning we’ll see if Bowles Hot Seat is heating up. Hopefully it is.
November 21st, 2025 at 9:54 am
Two rules to stick with against the Rams …
1 – Go for TDs, don’t settle for FGs.
2 – Go for it on 4th down unless there’s obviously zero chance of making it. Punting is for the birds.
Rams are sporting a 64.4% Red Zone TD percentage. They’re holding their opponents to only a 43.8% Red Zone TD percentage (their defense ranks #2 in that category).
November 21st, 2025 at 9:54 am
“You don’t hate the media enough. You think you do, but you don’t.”
November 21st, 2025 at 9:55 am
The real question is am I going to drink more beers than we score points
November 21st, 2025 at 10:21 am
For those of you who missed it, I watched the Bill vs Texans last night. That great QB Josh Aleen who we made look all world was sacked not 1, 2, 3, or 4 times. He was sacked 8 times. You heard it right 8 times by the Texans Defense. Se what GREAT DEFENSIVE PRESSURE DOES? Josh sat in the pocket and made Sub sanwiches against us and serve them up. Ohhh, and The Bills were Defeated by the TExans. Don’t tell me what a great Offense can do. We have a good Offense and look at us. DEFENSE STILL WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS.. Hello? Paging Todd Bowles, a so called Defensive Guru.
November 21st, 2025 at 10:26 am
If we had half a defense, we wouldn’t need to worry so much.
The Texans sacked Josh Allen 8 times……we had ZERO……..think about that.
Our offense was absolutely good enough to win.
November 21st, 2025 at 10:31 am
This HAS to be an emphasis. If the Bucs can flip the script they have a chance. It’s no coincidence the Rams boast the best D in the league and hold the highest 1st Qtr scoring margin. Those stats go hand in hand. It’s much easier to play D when your force your opponent to chase the game. Flip it!
November 21st, 2025 at 10:32 am
If they can’t get special teams fixed by this weekend, it won’t matter how fast you start. Give the Rams the ball at the 50 every series and we will be down 28-7 by halftime.
November 21st, 2025 at 10:33 am
This is the kind of game we sometimes inexplicably win
Happens maybe once a year
November 21st, 2025 at 10:39 am
Speaking of Texans sacks, Vea is really starting to drop off on our DL. Did he even have one tackle in the Bills game?!
November 21st, 2025 at 10:53 am
Clearly the bucs are heading to the Bowleszone. .500 We must hope the Panters take a nose dive. We may eek out 10 wins but more Bowleslike is 8 or 9 and never forget a possible tie game.
November 21st, 2025 at 11:03 am
Joe for me personally you have today to clear the air with the Bucky Irving situation. After that, I will no longer come to your website, as that’s the only way I can push back against this narrative of, “Well, it’s off the record, but we have information,” which then leads people to run rampant with speculation. This is completely unprofessional, and until Florio did what he did, it *was* off the record. Now people with supposed “real information” need to clear the air so I can stop reading that he’s a druggie, hippie, religious nutcase—unless that’s actually the truth.
He’s a professional athlete in the public eye; that’s part of why they get paid so much. Nothing is private, and that’s what comes with the territory.
November 21st, 2025 at 11:23 am
Defense Rules…Punt or go for it on 4th down.
I have been wondering about this all year. Is this driven by stats?? Seems much more common than in the past.
November 21st, 2025 at 11:25 am
Once again last night proved that nothing is a given in the NFL. The Bucs are smarting after that beat down humiliation. The boys are chastened and humble. They may just come out and punch the Rams in the mouth .Don’t sell the Bucs short yet. “Get mad at them damned eggs” !
November 21st, 2025 at 11:38 am
We’ve only scored 3 first quarter TDs through 10 games. All in seperate games, and rank 27th in 1st qtr TDs.
That one line about trying to ice-skate uphill comes to mind.
November 21st, 2025 at 11:44 am
I am going to go 17-0 after the first quarter rams are going to tear this defense apart and it is not going to take long. This game will be over by time we get to the second quarter.
November 21st, 2025 at 11:44 am
Brandin Cooks available sign him. No draft pick needed!! CG and BI, and maybe McMillan out for season. Hopefully Vea can do good in coverage against Nacua and Adams. I know I sound very dour, but I’ve seen no signs of hope. A good pass rush and we could’ve beat the Bills. But the front office’s hair is not on fire for a pass rush like Lee is. Sacks are drive killers.
November 21st, 2025 at 11:45 am
WBL. We’ve scored 5 tds first qtr this year. Not good but where are you getting your bogus info?
November 21st, 2025 at 11:54 am
This team needs investigated with the way they handle injuries. Is Joe going to do an article on that? Lots of rumors saying Bucky has mental health problems and it is way bigger than any injury. Rumors that Mike Evans is not really that hurt as he was seen at an Orlando Magic game the other night. What is going on with this team.
November 21st, 2025 at 11:57 am
Kenton the only games we’ve scored first quarter offensive TDs were against
Houston 20 yard pass to Ryan Miller
San Fran 2 yard Rachaad White run
England 21 yard TD pass to Egbuka
Fact check me, you hump
November 21st, 2025 at 11:57 am
lol…
some of you havent been BUCS fans long enough to know these are the type of games the BUCS win lol
GO BUCS!!!!
November 21st, 2025 at 11:58 am
Bucs Fan81
Respect Buckys privacy. You aren’t a shareholder so you deserve no answers. If that bothers you, don’t buy tickets and root for the Jags
Thanks
November 21st, 2025 at 12:00 pm
Warren Brooks Lynch Says:
November 21st, 2025 at 11:38 am
We’ve only scored 3 first quarter TDs through 10 games. All in seperate games, and rank 27th in 1st qtr TDs.
***********************************************
Blame bowles & the defense lol
GO BUCS!!!!
November 21st, 2025 at 12:05 pm
We are averaging 25.2 points per game, tied for 10th in the league with the Ravens. We are giving up 25 points per game, tied for 21st in the league with the Saints. Top third offense and bottom third defense. That’s without our top three receivers, a different Oline every week, and a starting running back out most of the year. Baker Mayfield and Todd Bowles are going to do what they always do. Give us a chance to win every game.
November 21st, 2025 at 12:07 pm
Baker Mayfield and Todd Bowles are going to do what they always do. Give us a chance to win every game.
hopefully the not so special teams coach joins the party!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
November 21st, 2025 at 12:19 pm
Todd spent all week studying up on excuses. He leads the league in excuses.
November 21st, 2025 at 12:21 pm
“We are averaging 25.2 points per game, tied for 10th in the league with the Ravens”
This average is inflated by at least 2 defensive scores and a safety.
Our real average is 23.6 ppg, which in REALITY puts us between San Fran 23.7ppg at 15th & Philly 23.4 ppg at 16th.
November 21st, 2025 at 12:22 pm
WBL. That 25.2 points a game is 7 points a game more than Brady’s last season here. When they finished 8-9 and were blown out first playoff game. Blown out like quitters. Luckily Baker came in toppled all Vegas predictions and all league projections. Turned the future around for this team. Some of you guys are getting your jollies while you think Baker is down. I’d suggest you get while the getting is good.
November 21st, 2025 at 12:28 pm
“WBL. That 25.2 points a game is 7 points a game more than Brady’s last season here.”
Irrelevant, unless this notion is fueled by who our QB is now versus then and you’re trying to make an indirect comparison with the two. Brady is 17 years older than Mayfield.
Also, still waiting for you to pull those extra 2 first qtr TDs we didn’t score out of your butt.
November 21st, 2025 at 1:24 pm
6-5. Bowles will find a way to screw the game up. Grizzard can even get in on the action.
November 21st, 2025 at 1:33 pm
Josh Allen sacked 8 times by Texans-
So are Bucs going to trade Mayfield back to Browns for 3 #1 picks?
November 21st, 2025 at 2:14 pm
looks to me like bake is doing no shave november…
you ain’t winning any games…switch it up my dude…get freshly cut
November 21st, 2025 at 2:19 pm
yeah i was thinking the same thing last night about the texan’s game…
watching them get to allen and all…
the texans are a pretty darn good football team tho…they just got off to the bad 0-3 start…i could see them winning 9…
if they win 10 after 0-3, they’re almost legit contenders, if stroud is back and they squeak into the playoffs
November 21st, 2025 at 2:51 pm
Pressure creates diamonds.
Baker has proven that he is not a pressure player.
Sure he can cobble together enough wins in a putrid division to limp into the postseason and bow out early.
But he is far from the player Brad Johnson and especially Tom Brady were.
Those guys were able to meet the moment without making excuses.
November 21st, 2025 at 4:36 pm
HC Grover … ‘Punt or go for it on 4th down. Is this driven by stats??’
Teams like the Rams are high-scoring. In their 2 losses they’ve surrendered the most points of any 2 games they’ve played … 59 points (round that off to it takes 30 points per game for opponents to whupp them).
Bucs are averaging 25 PPG, so we’re not that far off. Turn ONE drive from a punt to a TD and we’ve got the 30 points we need.
Bucs have punted 40 times this year in just 10 games (average of 4 punts per game). Rams have only punted 32 times this year in their 10 games (average of slightly over 3 punts per game).
We’re not that far off of the Rams in terms of scoring. Bucs have scored 252 points & the Rams 272 points. That’s like 3 TDs. Punt less & go for it more. No guts no glory. I’d rather see the outcome in the hands of Baker & this offense than in the hands of this defense right now.
November 21st, 2025 at 5:12 pm
Thinking 28-6 at half, 38-20 end…
Everyone thinks it’s 5-1 run coming
We are no better than the Panthers, Cardinals, or Dolphins if we are being honest
Atlanta is a coin toss but the have Raheem so we win
We got the Saints, maybe
November 21st, 2025 at 5:12 pm
Sad for the players but everything points to a bloodbath: Night game, injuries, terrible coaching, broken spirits, etc. At some point the owners will realize mumble mouth Todd is not the answer. His teams regress during the season, he blames everyone but himself and his excuses are repetitive.
November 21st, 2025 at 5:21 pm
When you think about the game against the Bills a week later. No sacks, one pressure and no defender close enough to sniff in the same zip code as Josh Allen. Last night, Houston with a different coach and general manager managed to sack Josh Allen eight times, add eleven additional pressures, interception to seal the game, etc. What does that say about there Bucs head coach / defensive coordinator? Bucs draft philosophy? Bucs player development? One team regresses (the Bucs) the other wins four in a row and seems headed in the right direction. The other squeaks into the playoffs (maybe) then craps out the first game. So much to consider.
November 21st, 2025 at 5:49 pm
“Last night, Houston with a different coach and general manager managed to sack Josh Allen eight times, add eleven additional pressures, interception to seal the game, etc”
Weird how different players was totally left out, lol you want Houston results with Tampas roster?
November 21st, 2025 at 10:23 pm
Wiz Kid did a terrible job to open the Bills game, but give him credit, I think it was the 3rd drive where he actually mixed things up, used 2 back sets, misdirection, looked more like Coen’s offense than the nonsense he’s been running. To give him some slack, which probably isn’t warranted, but perhaps those complex run schemes (and they are legit complex) have been derailed by so many injuries on the offensive line, where they seemingly end up missing at least one starter every week. Maybe in practice the backup guards are improving, actually know what they should be doing. Then again everyone runs the ball at will on Buffalo, but that’s only about the results — Wiz Kid wasn’t even calling the stuff before.
Anyways, this Rams game will be a disaster, it just always is, but I’d like to see some coherent play calling that is setting up stuff – that is mimicking what Coen was doing, not the ultra predictable garbage he’s called for most of the year.
November 22nd, 2025 at 7:55 am
“Atlanta is a coin toss but the have Raheem so we win”
Careful, they have Trask waiting in the wings. 🐓
November 22nd, 2025 at 10:31 am
Looks like the Bowles apologists are gearing up to make Grizzard a sacrificial lamb. Yep! Grizzard.lol. A first year OC whose unit has almost been decimated with injuries. So desperate to protect their messiah.
The Bowles apologists aka “The gang who couldn’t shoot straight.”
November 22nd, 2025 at 2:27 pm
I predict 28-0 first Quarter. Final 59-14
November 22nd, 2025 at 9:26 pm
Bloweszo = Loser