The Todd Bowles “Wall”
November 24th, 2025
In reality, the Bucs are in a very similar cylcle to what they were in during the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons. So perhaps a fan freakout now is borderline ridiculous?
Joe doesn’t think it’s ridiculous, but it is reasonable to assert that a major midseason swoon in play after a very strong season start is a hallmark of a Todd Bowles coached team.
There are no coincidences in the NFL, Joe believes, and this current Bucs situation, a 6-5 record after a 5-1 start, is more more than a one-off. It’s familar territory.
With Tom Brady in 2022, the Bucs started 2-0, found their way to 3-5, and clinched the NFC South title with an 8-8 record before tanking the Week 18 game of that season.
In 2023, the Bucs were again 2-0 and fell to 4-7 before making the playoffs with a 9-8 record. Last year, the Bucs were 3-1, then 4-6 and 10-7 when the regular season ended.
The common thread is not the offensive coordinator or the quarterback, it’s the head coach.
Bowles teams hit “a wall.” That’s how Bucs backup QB Teddy Bridgewater described it after tonight’s national embarrassment against the Rams. Bridgewater only arrived in Tampa in August, but he referenced the Bucs’ past midseason slumps and believes fans will see a very different team next week.
History says Bridgewater is on the money. It also helps that the next opponent is the three-win Cardinals and their backup quarterback.
The Joe typing here picked the Bucs to win 10 games season. And while tonight’s quit-like effort against the Rams was inexcusable and disturbing, the big picture is probably exactly what every fan should have expected to this point.
November 24th, 2025 at 12:32 am
I don’t think the cardinals will come impressed with Bucs and in a hard fought game of backups Brissett is currently better than Teddy. Probably better coached too.
November 24th, 2025 at 12:35 am
Those are cheerful thoughts Joe!
Embrace the mediocrity and bask in it.
Nothing more inspiring than a string of embarrassing losses.
We need to just accept it and move on.
Todd Bowles will likely get a raise after tonight.
It really was that good of a performance! Yay!!!!
November 24th, 2025 at 12:36 am
enough time and games to fairly evaluate that Bowels is NOT a goods HC and the Bucs can do WAY better….. the pattern of the past 3 seasons is an indictment against Bowels showing lack of improvement and growth…..
Under Bowels the Bucs will NEVER get over the hump!
November 24th, 2025 at 12:37 am
Bowles has lost this team. There’s no turning back from that.
November 24th, 2025 at 12:38 am
That was a suicidal coaching performance.
November 24th, 2025 at 12:39 am
Hey this the first time in the Baker /Bowles era that they/we are over.500 after 11 games!!! 2023:4-7. Last year 5-6. This year 6-5. Because after TB12, we celebrate mediocrity around here and being the king of the worst division every year.
November 24th, 2025 at 12:40 am
Rams guys were running through walls, Bucs just chillin
November 24th, 2025 at 12:41 am
If mayfield misses the rest of the season we wont win another game with checkdown bridgewater
November 24th, 2025 at 12:42 am
Ya think?
November 24th, 2025 at 12:42 am
Outside of the respectable job that the OL coaches have done this year, I’d be hard pressed to find another area of this team that is coached well. Maybe the WR room? We’re so far from the Rams organization (top to bottom), it’s depressing. We’re so satisfied with mediocrity, winning a garbage division, that we can’t see what we really are- a middling team that can’t execute in all three phases during a game, much less take the next step.
But for last year’s offense, we would’ve been in the basement. Everyone said that you can’t fire a coach after a 10 win season and a division crown. Okay, sure. Except Todd’s D was terrible then. It’s terrible now. There’s zero accountability. And no improvement. Worse, the guy responsible for our success is now leading a woebegone Jags team that is head and shoulders above us.
November 24th, 2025 at 12:44 am
Also cut Otton, and Dennis, and whoever 22 and 58 were
November 24th, 2025 at 12:45 am
And, Jesus, McCollum, his sunburn’s gonna hurt bad tomm
November 24th, 2025 at 12:46 am
Mayfield is done for the season. That is what happens when you have a junior varsity O line and receivers who were borderline to even make the team out of camp. No QB could stand in there and take the pounding that was administered today. Mayfield will probably have surgery sometime in the next ten days. Even Tristan Wirfs allowed a crushing 3rd down sack as the pocket continually collapsed. The defense was vintage Tampa—laughable. Opposing QB’s are circling their date with Tampa with glee.
November 24th, 2025 at 12:49 am
If this turns out to be another Bowels champion of the worst devision, who on this site is satisfied with that?
The sad part is theat is best case scenario. But take a look at this team. Very poor defense with an offense that rises and falls on an injured Baker Mayfield is a formula for collapse. Best we can hope for is that this is the end for Bowels
November 24th, 2025 at 12:51 am
Who cares when they play teams that don’t suck they show there true colors Toilet Bowl has to go NOW!!
November 24th, 2025 at 12:52 am
No, It is valid. The pass rush is worse than it has been this decade. They’re on pace for their least amount of sacks since at least since 2020. All the good DBs we have can’t seem to figure out how to cover within 10 yards and if they do then they’re incapable of covering 15 to 20 yards down field.
And to cap it off, the run defense isn’t as good as it used to be
Offense is mainly a health issue, everyone talks about receivers, but the real problem is guards. The interior of the O line gets blown up every other play, at least it seems that way.
November 24th, 2025 at 12:57 am
The underhanded blooper by Bilgewater that was almost int is just a hint of what is in store for us the rest of the year.
November 24th, 2025 at 1:03 am
They have a coaching problem, but wirfs/barton getting manslaughered need another level of analysis, they were absolutely bouncer-beat
November 24th, 2025 at 1:06 am
The did quit tonight
No heart
No passion
……the players were playing in “self-preservation” mode….and I get it, they’re playing to not get themselves hurt, meaning they’re slowing themselves down big time in order to prevent injuries and to extend their playing careers.
I can’t say that I don’t blame the players one bit in a lost cause
November 24th, 2025 at 1:09 am
Besides Vea they have no front 7, its a fukin problem
November 24th, 2025 at 1:10 am
David’s walkin in quicksand a year too late for his gold watch
November 24th, 2025 at 1:12 am
No other player on their front 7 would play on another contender
November 24th, 2025 at 1:13 am
It’s a gm problem
November 24th, 2025 at 1:15 am
Dont draft good linebackers: fine, here’s what you get
November 24th, 2025 at 1:24 am
Cards are looking at their 4th win next week. And you know, if it takes a total collapse to can Bowles, so be it. He is never going to get Tampa over the hump. One playoff win is his ceiling. I think we are about to see his floor.
November 24th, 2025 at 1:28 am
But it’s almost like who cares. We can beat pheonix, charlotten and atlanta? Awesome
November 24th, 2025 at 1:29 am
Straight middle of the road team
November 24th, 2025 at 1:53 am
Bowles has got to go. We need a real HC, and we need a real DC. Nothing is going to improve with Bowles failing at both. Licht didn’t pick him. The team would be better off without him, and before some suggests it, absolutely NO to Gruden. He lies too much. Just get rid of Bowles ASAP.
November 24th, 2025 at 2:28 am
A direct reflection of our coaching no fire
No passion and helpless out there. Zion McCollum is over paid and 🗑️🗑️ too our OC is 🗑️🗑️ and Todd Bowles is trash and mediocre as well we also need a makeover on defense is horrible to watch especially when we supposedly have a “defensive guru” he’s a loser no matter how you slice it 🗑️🗑️ 🤬🤬🤬
November 24th, 2025 at 4:36 am
Next week we will be welcomed back to the Den of Depression. If Teddy has to play we will lose. His legs, and arm are shot. Tonight he moved in slow motion, and his passes had no zip. Stick a fork in him, and the Bucs they’re done. Overrated roster, a joke of a coach, this team is going nowhere.
November 24th, 2025 at 6:44 am
The usual mid season slump the Bucs are competitive. This year is different, they are getting smoked. Not competitive. Bills was competitive until 4th qtr, but last night was a curb stomping
November 24th, 2025 at 6:58 am
Wow, what a loser mentality article.
November 24th, 2025 at 7:11 am
No team handles success worse than us.
November 24th, 2025 at 7:20 am
Moving forward, how do we win? By hoping we face vastly inferior teams? That says it all,
November 24th, 2025 at 8:27 am
Even if they can beat,the dumpster fire teams on their schedule, what difference does it make?
Look at the NFC seeding right now – which playoff teams would you confidently say the Bucs could beat? Not the Rams, Eagles, or Lions, for sure. The Seahawks, 9ers, Packers, and Bears all have a coaching advantage, so I wouldn’t bet on a Bucs win in the playoffs. If they’re even good enough to sneak in.
November 24th, 2025 at 8:56 am
Bucs had their opportunity. Should have kept Coen and dropped Bowles. He had WAY more promise than Bowles ever will. The team is what it is 100% because of him… it’s culture.
November 24th, 2025 at 10:29 am
Really disgraceful performance by Bowkes, his coaching staff, and the players. We might even lose to Arizona come Sunday. They are okay hard.