A Sign That Bucs Defense Has Improved
November 30th, 2025
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
There’s no way you can expect to win a playoff game with defense like this.
Since the bye, the Bucs are 0-3 and the defense has been getting lit up. It’s so painful Joe has been having flashbacks of “Communication” Mike Smith and lousy Lovie Smith. Simple as that.
Not just during the bye week, but for this season, the Bucs’ red zone defense has been atrocious. Once opponents get in the red zone, the light turns green, types Rich Hribar of Sharp Football Analysis.
Tampa Bay has allowed opponents to convert 66.7% (18 of 27) of red zone trips into touchdowns, 29th in the league.
So two out of every three trips inside the Bucs-20, opponents score a touchdown.
If the Bucs can make some defensive stops in the red zone, that will be a sign the defense is getting better. But two out of three trips to the red zone by opponents turn into six? That simply must improve.
Bad enough the Bucs are getting gashed by big plays, to bend over and give up so many touchdowns in the red zone, teams simply don’t win playing like that in the playoffs.
If the Bucs make the playoffs.
November 30th, 2025 at 12:08 am
I am no longer looking at the playoffs. This defense is no where near playoff caliber. Our ‘defensive mastermind’ needs to put out a defense that’s capable of making a tackle. That’s it, that’s all I want. I’m sick of QB pressures and -3 yard rushes turn into 15. SVD has to be better, DLine has to finish. I’m sick of the injury excuse when everyone in the league is hurt right now.
This is the game of the year until next week and is a huge litmus test. If this game looks competitive at all, the Panthers’ series makes me very worried, especially considering how we usually look against the Panthers.
Unfortunately, making he playoffs as a division champ I think give Bowles more time, and as much as I tried to put my chips back in his basket this season, I can;t anymore. The collapse was almost expected. Super Bowl caliber team just absolutely ruined. Ridiculous.
November 30th, 2025 at 12:34 am
Outside of Tykee and Parrish there just isn’t much talent on this Defense.
That’s on Licht.
November 30th, 2025 at 1:44 am
How about some stats on how many TDs that Bowles D has allowed on explosive plays from beyond the red zone? I bet the D is near or at the bottom of the NFL on those. Bowles better hope his D can make a few stops tomorrow or the calls to fire him might not just be from irate fans like myself but perhaps the media might quit defending him and the Glazers will start to question their investment in him as well.
November 30th, 2025 at 2:18 am
Jamel Dean surprisingly was making plays before he was hurt. Yaya doesn’t look as bad as his stats say. Anthony Nelson is also a performer. Vea is always consistent. McCollum is the biggest disappointment. His rush defensive angles r so bad u can see his insecurity. His lineup can feel it and offensive coordinators r game planning against it n it’s working. I think he’s allowed the most big plays this year in the league. Lavonte is trying 2 cheat 2 his side n it looks like he’s lost a step in coverage n he can’t trust his mlb2 so he’s kinda dekcuf. Tykee smith is a huge help he’s flying around like Winfield was a few years ago. We can pull off a couple wins in the playoffs. Maybe SVD needs 2 be benched along with McCollum. Im not giving up. Bowles doesn’t wanna bench McCollum cuz that’s a career xuicidal move 4 the coach n gm. He’s gotta do something tho.
November 30th, 2025 at 3:25 am
If we are going to win we need to score at least 40 points.
November 30th, 2025 at 4:11 am
I told ya’ll before the 49ers game. But no we have a championship defense, articles on this site praising the defense. If there was game we should have won
It was the pats, if you guys thought we were going to beat the Bills or the Rams
Delusional. Better win out.
November 30th, 2025 at 5:34 am
swiss cheese
November 30th, 2025 at 5:57 am
wow low bar. how about they move from almost worst in the league to somewhere in the middle, thats an improvement. one or two red zone stops against a bad team is nothing.
spin spin spin
November 30th, 2025 at 6:07 am
It’s hard for me to bash Licht’s defensive picks when I don’t know how much say Bowles had with making those picks. At the very least I would think Licht never forced a defensive pick on Bowles. Is it Licht who likes drafting DEs, Hall, Roberts, than moving them inside to DTs? My guess is that’s the genius of Todd Bowles. Like he don’t care about edge rush, as much as edge cover in zone. Is that why we drafted JTS, Todd’s chess piece? Before you blame Licht for his defensive drafts, remember Todd’s hand is in that too.
November 30th, 2025 at 6:48 am
Time for Bucs Front office to say goodbye to Bowles and say hello to Lane Kiffin.
November 30th, 2025 at 7:07 am
I think this Bu s team is Really MIssing Kancey with him out teams are Doubling Vita Alot more an he has had a down season due to that need someone on the DLine to step up an give Vita some one on ones he can man handle
November 30th, 2025 at 7:07 am
Hmmm, what to do, what to do. I know — lets go for 2!
November 30th, 2025 at 7:16 am
Winfield = Loser. No more talk about this dude. He took the money and ran.
November 30th, 2025 at 8:13 am
The Bucs ‘bend-but-don’t-break’ defense from years past has turned into a ‘bend-over’ defense this year.
It’s the scheme, coaching AND the players. We simply need more dawgs on defense.
November 30th, 2025 at 8:48 am
It’s become an ongoing issue during Bowles tenure with the exception of Super Bowl year. Crappy defensive approach from a so called “defensive guru” and like ronde said how the hell do you have edge rushers back peddling in coverage when they should be pinning their ears back getting to the QB? Stupid philosophy and as much as the defense has been getting torched on his watch it’s getting old very fast 🗑️🗑️🗑️🗑️
November 30th, 2025 at 8:50 am
Bowles is soft on his players and coaches, being Mr Nice Guy. The players react with their soft, uninspired play. McCollum and AW3 should have been benched by now.
November 30th, 2025 at 9:53 am
Nothing will change until Bowles gives up the defense to a DC, which he will not do. I know the players like him and he is best suited for a “CEO” coach role, but good CEOs know when to delegate and be hands off. His ego just won’t allow it, which speaks to why he has “The Meathead” label. Don’t think because he is quite and reserved out in public he isn’t causing a lot of problems in OBP with his poor decision making.
November 30th, 2025 at 9:58 am
They’ll make the playoffs but so what It’s a participation trophy Bowles defense is trash no matter what you give him and Licht is too cheap to go out and get difference makers. Two flawed individual they are a bad mix, light worked well with BA an offensive coach
November 30th, 2025 at 10:17 am
One coment from Delson above is spot on. I agree with him a 100 percent. I have been saying all week, McColumn is now a huge libility and needs to be benched!!, Sorry, I don’t care how fast and what kind of elite alhlete he is, he is getting tourched, Yes Dennis is a big libility as well. Boy , I sure don’t get why Licht did not get a middle linebacker! Bowles is a defensive how does he go into a season with MLB questionable.These are coaching decisions now. If a player continues to not play a change must be made.
With that said while T Smith is playing lights out, where did Winfield go?. It is as if he lis on vacation and shows up now and then making a cameo appearence. Last year it was supposeably injuries, now it is starting to look like he just doesn’t want to play, or playing not to get hurt.
Yes agree , you can’t take this defense to the playoffs!!. With that said with a defense like this the team won’t make the playoffs. I guess we will see today, because the Cardinals can score points.
November 30th, 2025 at 12:13 pm
AKA there NO signs the Bucs defense has improved yet. Duh.