Sticking To What Is Not Working
November 25th, 2025
Repeating failed plays.
Joe has held off wagging a finger at rookie playcaller Josh Grizzard. He’s pretty much in a no-win situation.
The guy has had to deal with more injuries than a hospital ER after a trainwreck. With his starting line up constantly changing, it’s hard to build cohesion or consistency or rhythm.
But the Laugher in Los Angeles brought up issues with Grizzard that Joe cannot look the other way on. We’re 11 games into the season and Grizzard should be more comfortable finding what works and what doesn’t and at the very least, adjust and stay away from what is not working.
Grizzard did not do that Sunday night.
By way of closet Bucs fan and former “Good Morning Football” co-host Peter Schrager, the Bucs constantly targeted Rams corner Emmanuel Forbes.
Not once were the Bucs successful but that didn’t stop Grizzard from throwing at him.
One would think after the fifth time targeting Forbes and coming up empty, someone among the staff of hundreds the Bucs have, may have said, “Hey, yo, Josh. Don’t throw near Forbes. Try someone else.”
Bad enough opposing quarterbacks are constantly setting personal records against Todd Bowles’ defense. Now we’ve got offensive coaches setting marks of ineptitude against opposing defenses.
Football shouldn’t be this difficult, fellas.
November 25th, 2025 at 7:03 am
Dont think this year will end well đ
November 25th, 2025 at 7:12 am
Fans have to understand that when you get down by 14 or 21 points, your playbook for the game gets thrown out the window. I think this is where Grizzard starts to struggle. The Bucs simply don’t have the horses to get back in a game when down by that much. This is why fans get so frustrated by the defense. Everyone in the organization knew with the injuries on the offense that the D needed to pull it’s weight. Besides parts of the NE game it really hasn’t.
November 25th, 2025 at 7:13 am
This coaching staff sucks so bad its utterly embarrassing to be a fan of this train wreck season. Wait till the Cardinals beat up this farce of a team. Players have given up. No passion. No hunger. Going thru the motions. Sound familiar? Describes Todd Bowles to a tee. Worst coach in the NFL. Maybe after we get embarrassed at home Sunday they’ll send his sorry azz packing.
November 25th, 2025 at 7:20 am
Joe … ‘He (Grizz) is pretty much in a no-win situation.’
Can’t disagree Joe; we’ve gone down in flames 3 games in a row now.
Injuries are obviously a major consideration, but can’t be used as excuses. The Lions have been impacted injury-wise even more than we have, yet they have the #2 offense & the #12 defense. And that’s with a new OC AND a new DC this year.
I think what I’m seeing is that Grizz doesn’t have the ‘feel’ for the Run Game that Coen had, and it’s costing us big time because we’re wasting valuable downs. Grizz also doesn’t seem to have a good feel for how to most effectively set up the short passing game; we’ve wasted a LOT of downs there.
The proof is in the stats, specifically in our average Yards Per Play. Overall we’re at a woeful 5.1 YPP as opposed to having a 6.2 YPP average last year. Monstrous difference.
We’re mych less productive in the Run Game AND in our Pass Game. We’re running at a 4.2 YPC clip this season, as opposed to running at a 5.3 YPC average last season. Our passing has actually fallen off even further. Bucs are averaging 5.8 Yards per Pass Attempt this season, whereas last season we averaged 7.0 Yards per Pass Attempt. Huge difference.
Yes our OLine has been in turmoil much of the year. Yes our top WRs (Evans, Godwin & McMillan) have only played in 7 games TOTAL. And yes our top RB (Bucky) has only played in 4 games. But we’ve still got some decent weapons & our OLine is solidifying. Grizz needs to learn to ‘play to our strengths’.
November 25th, 2025 at 7:21 am
You sure are an angry person. Remember, itâs just a game and find a hobby before you get an ulcer.
Bucs will be fine down the stretch run.
November 25th, 2025 at 7:23 am
(Not you DR lol)
November 25th, 2025 at 7:28 am
The Lost Season as we see it?
November 25th, 2025 at 7:30 am
I think Grizzard will be a good (not great) OC that would complement a very good defense. He just needs a little more time to learn. Sadly, we don’t have a good defense, and he doesn’t have time to learn. I like G, but this is a business, and he is not cutting it.
November 25th, 2025 at 7:32 am
gee i wonder if we’re predictable
November 25th, 2025 at 7:32 am
It’s the same thing with the D & the scheme there. Nothing’s changing but yet you’re still sticking with it. There’s no way you should have this D struggling as much as it is with some of the talent that’s there. Between Vita, Kancey, Yaya, Antoine, Tykee, Lavonte & a couple others. They seriously should consider moving Kancey to DE & get him to lose 10 or 15 lbs. Then put him with Yaya & keep Roberts with Vita. There were a couple of times in that LA game when Yaya wasn’t dropping out & he had a sack & I think a TFL & a PBU. Stop dropping them out.
November 25th, 2025 at 7:36 am
Bucs would be 8-4 with Coen as the HC. Any D coordinator would be better and Coen is an offensive genius. Look what he did last year with Baker. Baker! The trash QB nobody wanted.
November 25th, 2025 at 7:38 am
Both our OC & DC do not seem to have a feel for the game, throughout the game. They are tone deaf to the talents of players and continue trying to jam square pegs into round holes, game after game, quarter after quarter, play after play. Top that off with an emotional vacuum from the ownership down to team captains (come on LVD, ME, CG, Wirfs, AWJ are NOT guys who are gonna fire you up), and wrap it in a facade of aging superstars and serviceable starters with a steep drop off in depth courtesy of a maliable and apathetic GM. You are left holding a sh!t taco. Bon appetit
November 25th, 2025 at 7:50 am
Thank you. To Joe and DR! Very well said! God bless you all and our poor struggling coaches and players!
November 25th, 2025 at 7:51 am
Months ago, multiple posters on this site said this was not the Bucs year. The posters said this year was a “warm up” and next year (2026) was the Bucs best chance at a Superbowl. I was not one of them. I thought this year was it. I was wrong – they were right.
November 25th, 2025 at 7:54 am
Grizz relies too much on screens, both WR and RB. Everybody knows theyâre coming. Run game drops off after the D adjusts to our game plans and Grizz doesnât counter well. To be fair, WRâs arenât getting separation and the O line looks weak. Wirfs and Goedecke are still hurting and both guards are practice squad players. But this has been a rookie year performance by a rookie OC, no doubt about it.
November 25th, 2025 at 7:57 am
i disagree regarding Grizz being in a no win situation…
Grizz was on the staff last year and he was apart of the creating offensive game plans and 3rd down calls….
he knows the personnel and the playbook….
no reason why our offense should be this bad…
GO BUCS!!!!
November 25th, 2025 at 8:01 am
He gives up on the run too quickly.
November 25th, 2025 at 8:05 am
The reason is 2 out of our top 3 WRâs are still out and the remaining one isnât quite 100% yet but getting close. Add those remaining 2 weapons and Baker will amazingly be Baker again. Receivers will be open. And the shroud of darkness lifted.
November 25th, 2025 at 8:15 am
How many of those plays were just Mayfield choosing that receiver he happened to be covering? Is Grizzard to blame here?
November 25th, 2025 at 8:28 am
Toddâs stubbornness rubs off on one and all.
November 25th, 2025 at 8:29 am
There was no or almost no talk about Captain Yale being in a no win situation at the start of the year. Lots of yammering about a bowles coaching tree (shrub) and oh grizz is on to better and bigger things.
Now with a few injuries his useless unimaginative unexperienced playcalling is exposed and he’s in a no win situation?
Even bowles says he suc ks as far as bowles ever goes to criticize anyone. The collapse against the rams was just another iteration.
November 25th, 2025 at 8:31 am
Something I’ve been wondering about. Multiple guys on the team and coaching staff have been quoted saying that the offense runs through Evans. Coach Bowles, Grizz, Baker and others have all said something along those lines.
Last year, if memory serves the Bucs lost the 4 games that Mike didn’t play in. Admittedly, Godwin and Dean also missed those games (again, if memory serves) so you have to factor that in as well.
What I wonder is if the team “loses hope” when Evans is out/injured? The effort has not been there from this team on either side of the ball. Joes reported yesterday that YaYa was the only guy on defense that showed up with solid effort.
I just can’t shake the thought that this is somehow related to Mike not being in the game.
Or maybe Coach Bowles has lost the locker room for some reason.
I know we have a lot of injuries to key players but this is still a talented team. We should be showing up better than we are.
Go Bucs!
November 25th, 2025 at 8:32 am
âWe outside, but we inside. We outside, but we inside. I want everyone to go outside of their boundaries and do whatever it takes to pull a win. We gotta be desperate for greatness.â
November 25th, 2025 at 8:33 am
Liam Cohen would look real nice running this team right about now.
November 25th, 2025 at 8:45 am
Perhaps if we had a sports media and journalists in Tampa that would hold the owners, GM, and coaches to a higher standard we might see a better product.
Unfortunately all I hear are scared mice asking soft ball questions and never following up after a word salad answer is given to them.
During the offseason this site and others were very much like communist block propaganda machines for the management and coaches.
I was told 11 wins was the low water mark and that weâd get a first round bye and NFC championship game at the least.
That sure didnât age well.
November 25th, 2025 at 8:59 am
Hereâs a great idea. Donât change anything. Bring back the same head coach and the same offensive coordinator. Bring back the same players.
Everything will be better next year.
Jesus. God.
November 25th, 2025 at 9:00 am
Whatâs worse is that the routes were honestly jog up to the corner and turn around once you closed the gap. The DB never took a step back. They never felt challenged over the top so you canât get any separation on a short route. Additionally that sort 4th and 2 call, really that was out gotta have it play? A I hope Sheppard can win on a slant.
November 25th, 2025 at 9:03 am
Wouldnât Bridgewaterâs check downs have factored into this trend as well?
November 25th, 2025 at 9:18 am
This gamble came up snake eyes
November 25th, 2025 at 9:24 am
Maybe the QB should look for a diff target was Grizz playing QB ..Like a 2nd or 3rd read ..The guy is great so obviously he was going to be covering somebody.
November 25th, 2025 at 9:25 am
“Sticking To What Is Not Working”
Todd Bowels as HC comes to mind…..
Nobody at One Bucs is concerned with reaching the Super Bowl or even going deep in the playoffs as long as Their HC remains bottom of the barrel!
November 25th, 2025 at 10:04 am
Grizzard is not a good OC. Plain and simple.
We need to upgrade next year with someone else from the McVay tree, in my opinion.
November 25th, 2025 at 10:04 am
I hope Grizzard was paying attention to how the 49ers attacked the Panthers’ defense. There has been a lack of imagination and creative play design all year so far, a clear difference from Coen last year. Unfortunately they need MORE creativity this year because the injuries take away some automatically successful elements, like Evans in the end zone. You cannot use Egbuka in the same way as he doesn’t have the size or experience. There has been a persistent lack of separation for our receivers which is partly lack of speed and moves, but this is where Grizzard has to do better at play design to open things up. One glaring issue is not going for 20 to 30 yard routes where Baker is very effective, especially when he rolls out and gives receivers a chance to improvise and come back. The Oline has been decent on run blocking but bad on pass protection which obviously limits what they can do.
November 25th, 2025 at 10:21 am
Do the coaches not watch game film of their opponents? Maybe see what works? Or are they so stubborn that they stick to their same schemes/plays and believe it will work? I know this is a stupid question, but it seems like they have no ability to adjust. If they donât win 5 of the next 6, the coaching staff and GM need to be punted during the season. If they do, then just wait to fire them after the home playoff loss.
November 25th, 2025 at 10:32 am
He is no better than Byron Leftnut….
November 25th, 2025 at 10:36 am
Just think⌠IF, Bowles is fired at the end of the season⌠The chances of the new head coach ever retaining Grizzard as OC, is very slim to none. Itâs not happenin. Just think⌠The Owners and FO will do everything they can do to try saving face for LOSING Cohen. They look like total idiots and fools. Just as âIâ said at the time, actually with still 4-5 games left, during LAST season (that âthey should already be making their decision on what theyâre gonna do to KEEP HIM – because whatever it takes, they canNOT lose HIMâ).
So, I would NOT be surprised if they brought back both, Bowles AND Grizzard. I can totally see THEM âdoubling-downâ and forcing all of this BS down OUR throats, over their OWN egos. the Glazers will use âinjuriesâ as the excuse, and will put a band-aide over-it and âselling-itâ to the fans that they are giving Todd some âhelp,â by hiring him a new full-time Defensive Coordinator Lmao.
November 25th, 2025 at 10:36 am
Grizz is no Liam Coen. Niether is Bowles.
November 25th, 2025 at 10:43 am
“The Lions have been impacted injury-wise even more than we have, yet they have the #2 offense & the #12 defense.”
AWESOME POINT DR, and it must be repeated. We should have beat both the Colts and the Bills. Evidence:
Bills only scored 13 vs Dolphins
Bills score 19 vs Texans
Bucs they score 44 friggin points
Bucs gaining over 5 ypc so we pass the ball on 3rd and 3 then on 4th and 3???
F-ing OLBs chasing RBs and WRs…. sorry, our BEST OLB chasing WR instead of QBs
And on, and on and on and on.
A good coach should get you a couple of wins per year. Our coach gets us Ls
Sorry, but it is clear our coaching staff sucks.
November 25th, 2025 at 10:49 am
Seems like the league figured out what Grizz was doing early on and he can’t adjust. The Oline tanking isn;t helping. Baker looks confused and scared on every drop back.
November 25th, 2025 at 11:08 am
Lt. Dan Says: âMonths ago, multiple posters on this site said this was not the Bucs year. The posters said this year was a âwarm upâ and next year (2026) was the Bucs best chance at a Superbowl. I was not one of them. I thought this year was it. I was wrong â they were right.â
I was one of the ones LoL⌠Iâd been saying for a couple of years now, that 2026 was going to be âOUR YEAR.â I thought for SURE that our defense would be completely âREBUILTâ by then, and would be hitting on ALL cylinders. And for a few reasons, that Iâm not going to get into right now. BUT, after watching THIS GROUP and seeing what Iâm seeing NOW⌠Not. A. Chance. In HELL
November 25th, 2025 at 11:10 am
JASON LIGHT SCREWED US . COEN SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE LOGICAL CHOICE AFTER THE YEAR HE HAD HERE ! TIRNED THE OFFENCE AROUND !: JAGS SAW IT ! BUCS DID NOT ! GIY WAS SMART AND FULL OF FIRE UNLIKE BOWLES . WHILE BUCS WERE PLAYING CHECKERS JAGS WERE PLAYING CHESS ! COEN ALREADY TURNED THAT TEAM AROUND AND WE ARE STUCK WITH MR. EXCITEMENT . A TEAM HAS TO BE A REFLECTION OF THERE COACH . BOWLES IS NOT IT .
November 25th, 2025 at 11:11 am
We were supposed to use the bye week to evaluate the playbook and get rid of the stuff that clearly isnât working. We shouldâve shortened the routes and leaned on more slants and underneath concepts. Look at the Rams â they barely went deep early. They just took whatever we gave them on every snap.
November 25th, 2025 at 11:11 am
Problem with pulling from these coaching trees, where the HC is actually calling the plays, most times you’ll find yourself in another Grizz situation. Which is, this guy has been IN THE ROOM with some brilliant minds, and yet he’s never schemed an entire season of working his play book based off the oppositions trends and weakness and then when things break down or that opposition is giving you a different look, it’s then having that experience to adjust and adapt. That is probably the biggest thing missing from Grizzard’s repertoire
Coen was an ideal candidate, not only did he acquire McVay’s offense being a part of his coaching tree, but he then utilized it for (2) seasons in the SEC. The idea that this guy spent 2 seasons with an inferior team going against the best teams in college football, using a prostyle offense, just tells me the leap to OC in the pros wasn’t going to be a tall order. I don’t think Coen was perfect with us, but it would have been interesting to see him work in year 2 here in Tampa, especially given all the injury challenges we’ve dealt with, would could have really seen what this guy was made of as far adjusting to adversity.
November 25th, 2025 at 11:26 am
They are soooo FAR OFF now, itâs sad. PATHETIC, actually. Dennis and McCollum are both, DUMBERN A ROCK. They have ZERO instincts and canNOT process information, at all. I mean, you can watch Zionâs entire game tape from Sunday Nightâs game with him playing 10-YARDS OFF, and âallowingâ Rams WRâs to literally DESTROY HIM. They just âtoyedâ with him and they already KNEW-OT going into the game, obviously. I mean, you CANâT âallowâ those guys a free-release. You HAVE TO jam them at the line of scrimmage to throw them off. Period.
BUT, if any of yâall have access and get a chance⌠Go to the play on the Rams first RedZone play with about 5:20 remaining in the 1st (mightâve been 2nd-quarter – LoL canât completely remember, but I know 1st-half, 1st-RedZone play, and about 5:20 on the game-clock). It was an EMBARRASSMENT (typical Todd, and typical Dennis)⌠Junior was COOKED on it (terribly misplayed-it, AGAIN), and youâve got to SEE THIS⌠Dennis was SO âCOMICALâ on it! Lmao a total EMBARRASSMENT. Didnât know WHERE HE WAS⌠Literally, turned HIS BACK to the receiver, and was completely LOST LoL. It was SO HILARIOUS. I had to rewatch-it 10-TIMES HahaHAH. He is AWFUL. Just exactly like McCollum, he has ZERO âinstinctsâ and ALWAYS âguessesâ WRONG. Itâs a huge JOKE. They were both, COMICAL. Would you not just HATE to be THEM having to sit-through, film-session after film-session, and being embarrassed in such a way, like THAT!? Every single week in front of your own peers⌠And, in front of a NATIONAL Audience. Shew. It is SO Horrible.
November 25th, 2025 at 11:32 am
@ Conte Piscatelli – EXACTLY. Baker âpanickedâ on the play, and got rid of it too quick (the pocket was plenty clean enough), and he totally MISSED EE breaking wide-ass open just above Shep downfield. He HAS TO do a much better job reading everything PRE-snap. Heâs just NOT seeing-it this season. It is SO BAD.
November 25th, 2025 at 11:53 am
Like passing on 3rd / 4th and 2 – using the empty backfield formation!!!
November 25th, 2025 at 12:10 pm
Iâm sure they âtalked about ânot throwing at Forbes.
November 25th, 2025 at 12:46 pm
We’ve certainly looked stale on Offense. Grizz isn’t out on the field though. The practice squad guards look like, well, practice squad guards, no changing that. What was Wirfs’ excuse last week? Grizz can call a play, but if none of the 4,5,6th string WRs can get open, then what? He can’t help Otten catch a pass. Mayfield has been banged up for weeks and can’t hit a guy more than about 10-15 yards downfield, the long ball is gone. Sorta limits the playbook. Our #1 WR is a rook ( a real one, but still a rook) and the rest we all weren’t even sure would make the roster.
November 25th, 2025 at 1:56 pm
BUCS are overrated both on the players and coaches. They are the team everybody wants to play and break records with … how embarrassing !!!
November 25th, 2025 at 2:02 pm
Was any of it the corner, or just terrible QB play?
November 25th, 2025 at 2:22 pm
@ Lt Dan
Spoken like a man.
I didn’t think that 2026 was gonna be the magic year however. FAR TOO MANY holes (mainly leadership loses Godwin, Evans, David etc. are ALL possible loses) after this year to feel good about the next. Let me ask. WHAT LINE BACKERS? For 2026? It was this year or bust….
@ PLawson
Spot on for the most part buddy. Well said.
Gizzard is FAR OUT of his depth. Bowles “was” batting almost a thousand on his OC picks. He Must Have gotten lazy and a bit Over Confident because he Struck Out with this choice for OC. Like someone else said, he has no feel for the job. Not only that but he’s not cleaver enough. His play book is WOEFULLY THIN and has No Imagination to ad more. What was Grizzard doing for Two Weeks during the bye week? CLEARLY HE WASN’T COMING UP WITH NEW MATERIAL OR AN EFFECTIVE GAME PLAN THAT “WORKS” WITH WHAT HE GOT ON ANY DECENT LEVEL OF EFFECTIVENESS! He’s simply NOT QUALIFIED! Poor Choice Mr. Bowles… This guy WON’T SAVE YOU this time….. Your luck has run out in that area.. We’re all just waiting to see just how much of your luck remains. Will it be enough to crawl across the playoff line just one more time (mostly due to other teams loses. NOT because you’ll dominate ANYTHING “except the lunch line” Mr. Bowles) or has your luck finally run out? So far there’s No Offense to save you this time….. We Will See!
November 25th, 2025 at 6:12 pm
Speaking of things that aren’t working…
The constant WR screens are getting blown up almost every time we run them…and that’s too effin much.
Goes for Toad, too…
Every time Buffalo had a back or receiver go to the flats and they saw an OLB drop, they immediately knocked off the route and ran a wheel.
November 26th, 2025 at 12:48 pm
hire chucky he will bring the fire back f the emails