Loaf Mode; Hero Mode
December 1st, 2025
Logan Hall fought his way off the turf yesterday on this play to force a fumble from No. 20, Cardinals running back Bam Knight, as he entered Hall’s gap.
Joe would love the amateur and professional film gurus reading to turn on the All-22 and tell Joe two Bucs defensive players were not loafing on the first play from scrimmage in the second half yesterday.
It was Arizona ball at their 42 yard line.
Again, first play from scrimmage in the third quarter. Everybody is rested.
Everybody is seemingly pumped up on sidelines after a coach or player speech, or from the energy that comes following the refreshment of halftime.
Cardinals running back Bam Knight took a handoff and escaped Tykee Smith, who was in the backfield on a run blitz. Knight stiff-armed cornerback Zyon McCollum at the line of scrimmage and broke the run outside.
McCollum got up and, rather than sprint after the guy who broke his tackle, McCollum jogged in the direction of Knight to feign chasing him down. This was not a young and hungry defender playing with his hair on fire. Frankly, it should embarrass any fan watching.
Vita Vea was hustling on the play. YaYa Diaby was not.
Joe challenges anyone to watch the film detail how Diaby and McCollum were giving acceptable effort. This was not the fourth quarter with players gassed.
The Bucs need to figure out how this happens and pull the plug on it.
Ironically, on the very next play, defensive tackle Logan Hall personified heart and want-to.
He was double-teamed on a run play and lost his footing, and was then pinned to the ground by Cardinals guard Isaiah Adams. Hall kept fighting, found his way off the ground and knocked the ball out of Knight’s hands has he ran into hole created in Hall’s gap. Smith recovered for a Bucs turnover.
It was the most underrated defensive play of the game.
The Bucs defense, Joe believes, would benefit from a much hungrier workforce.
December 1st, 2025 at 3:44 pm
Coaches who allow loafing will get loafing. Simple as that.
December 1st, 2025 at 3:47 pm
Agree wholeheartedly, Joe. Bowles does not do an adequate job of holding players accountable. Only on a Bowles defense can players get paid and disappear in big games while players who get big pay cuts play out of their minds! Not sure if this is happening elsewhere but I know it’s happening here. Bowles has had plenty of time to develop and coach these defensive players into pros and some should be stars during primetimes but they’re not! But go easy on the pro analysts vs amateur analysts, Joe. Professionals built the Titanic. Noah, an amateur, built the ark. I’m definitely an amateur but I’ve watched enough Buccaneer football to know what I’m talking about.
December 1st, 2025 at 3:58 pm
Players really like bowels though you can really tell by the inspired play and the fans get the pleasure of watching the inspired play week to week. Yay us.
December 1st, 2025 at 4:00 pm
Owners will drag this mediocre subpar coaching out just to pacify media or whatever…
Hopefully by 2027 the Bucs have a better Hc/coaching staff and a championship team ..
December 1st, 2025 at 4:01 pm
Is that a case of coach it better or play it better oh well either way say the whole thing and we got both sides covered gotta play it better gotta coach it better problem solved.
December 1st, 2025 at 4:01 pm
This team does not swarm to the ball
December 1st, 2025 at 4:05 pm
Zyon has 48 million reasons to lallygag. Perhaps he was bored with the show after intermission. Where’s Warren Sapp and/or Hardy Nickerson when you need them? Bowles is a players coach and some players simply don’t fear being replaced…it seems at least.
December 1st, 2025 at 4:10 pm
Are you sure you are not confused with loafing going on on the Cards first drive (or any teams’ initial first drive against us in the first quarter (minus the INT)?
December 1st, 2025 at 4:11 pm
Next time Todd meets the press, ask him why he tolerates this. You are what you practice. They must loaf in practice. Pitiful.
McCollum needs his contract torn up for breech.
December 1st, 2025 at 4:13 pm
Zion has been a surprise. He worked his tail off since being drafted.
He got the bag and shut it down.
December 1st, 2025 at 4:15 pm
McFollowum is bored
December 1st, 2025 at 4:25 pm
I want John gruden back coaching this team..I said it..I love his energy and love for this team and the game of football.
I think.all tampa buc fans need to start the chants for gruden..dude was at the game turning the f up and had more fire in him then most the team did.
That fire is contagious
December 1st, 2025 at 4:46 pm
It was obvious, to the naked eye, that some defenders were loafing, so I started looking for it. Our veteran leader, Vea, loafed more than once. It was disgusting!
December 1st, 2025 at 5:02 pm
On the better teams when a player is loafing he gets pulled out of the game and has to stand on the sidelines and watch. That’s called accountability. Todd prefers to leave him in the game and make excuses for him if he’s asked about during the post game presser. A true players coach.
December 1st, 2025 at 5:04 pm
Where are all the McCollum fans? This was the guy who was going to save the defensive backfield. He was great. He was so ready. An up-and-coming.
That’s what everybody was saying. Not me. I said he sucked then.
December 1st, 2025 at 5:04 pm
McCollum also had that egregious missed tackle on 3rd and 3. Can’t cover anyone. He needs to ride the pine.
December 1st, 2025 at 5:06 pm
I wonder if things would be different if the coaches had Baker and lavonte fire in their souls? I just don’t see it. I believe love of the game isn’t the main motivation for the $ interests, almost feels like a reality show anymore. And we all know those are scripted.
December 1st, 2025 at 5:25 pm
The whole defense seemed to be loafing on the Cardinals first drive of the game. They got bailed out with the interception.
December 1st, 2025 at 5:25 pm
I remember thinking the exact same thing on that play. Winfield ended up making the tackle. That play exemplified the reason why our defense is playing so poorly, they have checked out on Bowles. They don’t believe in his game plan or scheme
December 1st, 2025 at 5:26 pm
I’ve noticed the defense not swarming to the ball several times during the season. Bowles needs to tell his players to play with 100% intensity until after the whistle and at full speed or be benched. Also to wrap and tackle of be benched. Simple.
December 1st, 2025 at 5:29 pm
John Gruden’s offense is 30 years out of date. He’s entertaining and knowledgeable, but not a particularly good offensive coach. He’s better off where he is.
December 1st, 2025 at 5:31 pm
Someone needs to ask the coach straight out if he thinks his defensive scheme is a little too exotic for their players to figure out or is it pure cluelessness!!! Please!!! Go Bucs!!!
December 1st, 2025 at 5:32 pm
If they are swarming to the ball lots more gang tackling and sometimes fumbles occur. There’s lots of good reasons to do it and none not to.
December 1st, 2025 at 5:37 pm
i’ve been warning about zyon for some time now. he was all full of dawg talk early in the year, at training camp. now that his bank account is full he is a l@zy @ss.
December 1st, 2025 at 5:38 pm
Perhaps something is wrong with his contract…. Play with heart or you Don get paid WAS NOT included in the wording. Seems IT’S TIME to go to a Much More “Performance Based” contract than the “hourly” type they’ve been signing!
What happened to these Bucs contract negotiators? Did that skill leave with Greenburg? Because the product doesn’t seem to have to ACTUALLY PRODUCE to HIT THE LOTTERY on a Yearly bases! NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME! Somebody with some higher thinking should be working out the details concerning the ACTUAL PERFORMANCE versus ACTUAL ACHIEVEMENT! What we’re ALL witnessing IS A JOKE!
These guys are Barely playing and it’s Clear that the Pathetic effort they put on the field HAS NO HEART! NO URGENCY! NO RELIABILITY! AND NO NOTICEABLE EFFORT! And THAT ALL EQUALS = No SUBSTANTIAL WINNING!
Concerning our Defense….
Boys and Girls, DON’T hold your breath for a Super Bowl. Nobody (except maybe 4 guys on defense) CARES ANYTHING ABOUT THAT! They are acting like SPOILED CHILDREN that Never had to clean their room, wash a dish, vacuum, or Any One thing to help the family out! SPOILED CHILDREN! They’ll have the maid clean it up because they have the lottery winnings each year that They Aren’t “EARNING” from playing “PRETEND BALL”!
We don’t have a man running this team that has A CLUE about how to run A FAMILY!
December 1st, 2025 at 5:38 pm
i was big on zyon for a couple years…really liked his game…but yeah, since he got the bag it seems like the dude dgaf…it’s weird how he has regressed, or just went into like cruise control…and cruise control X the nfl simply doesn’t work…
and for the people who get on hall, he’s a very solid player…gotta have guys on the squad like him…he’s no star and never will be, but he’s really like a will gholston…he could have a solid 10 year nfl career…
and yaya…we keep expecting stardom and he will break out – but he doesn’t…as a #3 guy, he’d be great…as a #1, no way…and even as a #2 he’s somewhat debatable at times…but i don’t want to be too critical…he’s a #2………….and as a #3 on a team with a loaded line, he’d be perfect…
pro tip: if you want a loaf…go to the outback – that little brown loaf of free warm bread with the butter is always great when waiting for your steak and potato
December 1st, 2025 at 5:40 pm
Maybe if Bowles sits all the defensive starters on the sidelines during the first series next week. The only thing bad that could happen is they give up a score. Well that happens on the opening drive almost every game against our defense. Maybe these guys need to sit their behind on the bench before they start playing with some want to. Not like a bunch of guys who can’t wait for the end of the season so they can go in vacation.
December 1st, 2025 at 5:41 pm
Upstate
I hate his scheme. I hate that these guys are just here to pick up a check and he does absolutely NOTHING about it even more. I saw enough of Joggin’ Joe Tryon. Now we have another one (or more). Apparently the scheme is a scam.
Bud Licht is to blame too. He thinks this “culture” of slackers is a good thing.
December 1st, 2025 at 5:41 pm
That dang D-Coordinator allows this to happen. He’s just standing there with his vapid approach to the game while players go to sleep after the break. You see it anytime they have a 2 score lead.
Show Me the TDs, I think saying Vea was loafing is a stretch, you could see him sprinting down field on plays trying to catch RBs to cover for the loafers. If you think he was loafing, he was likely catching his breath after the wind sprints.
#noconfidence
December 1st, 2025 at 5:42 pm
They should seriously give Rice or Ronde a call to see about being the defensive coordinator since Brooks is at USF now & since Lynch is at SF. They need to do what NE did with Vrabel. Bring somebody in that’s familiar with the organization. I think I’d have more faith in the guy working at the concession stand right now running the D.
December 1st, 2025 at 5:42 pm
LL Steve
Wouldn’t accomplish a thing , they’d just put their feet up and chillax.
December 1st, 2025 at 5:53 pm
Joe … ‘The Bucs defense, Joe believes, would benefit from a much hungrier workforce.’
YEAH VERILY JOE! Watching this defense ‘up close & personal’ at yesterday’s game, I came to the same conclusion you did: too many of our defenders just aren’t hungry enough. Their pass coverage is ridiculous; they always seem to be trailing the play, and that might be because they’re misdiagnosing it. Their tackling is beyond ridiculous; I saw more Missed Tackles yesterday than will ever be reported, and many were multiple Missed Tackles on the same play.
John Lynch was always my tackling hero. His philosophy was to ‘tackle THROUGH the ball carrier’; you could hear the collision anywhere in the stadium, and rarely did that ball carrier fall FORWARD. He was dropped in his tracks.
Yesterday none of those type tackles existed. Saw way too much ‘arm tackling’, and usually the result was either that the ball carrier made substantial additional yardage BEFORE the tackler brought him down, OR the arm tackle turned into a Missed Tackle. When a mid-tier rushing team like the Cardinals gains 95 yds rushing on only 19 attempts (5.0 YPC average) against a team like the Bucs that supposedly prides itself in Run Defense being Job #1, SOMETHING’S BAD WRONG.
And yesterday it wasn’t hard to see what that SOMETHING is. The front-end defenders were getting knocked out of their gaps too easily, and the ILBs & Secondary behind them weren’t filling in the holes. And they sure weren’t tackling very well. So ya, the problem is part coaching for sure, but the bigger part IMO is the talent, or maybe the ‘want-to’, of the players. It’ll almost surely take a change of coaches AND some players to fix this mess.
December 1st, 2025 at 5:54 pm
Lakeland Steve – excellent point. Bowles allows an opening scoring drive to the opposition. Every. Game. For four years now.
December 1st, 2025 at 5:58 pm
Logan Hall making an impactful play not involving Jensen’s knee is something to truly celebrate. There’s something very ‘off’ about 27’s overally effort level and caliber of play. Put simply, he has stunk up the joint.
December 1st, 2025 at 6:08 pm
Why is anyone shocked ? How many players have to roll through here under Bowles before someone figures it out? Fireballs in college and then they get here and turn into softies?
December 1st, 2025 at 6:19 pm
Why is it when you watch other teams play defence the players swarm to the ball and you can hear the hits through the tv? Our defence never looks mad, hungry or angry just lost and confused!
Clearly there is something not right, how many times can you “need to coach it better”?
If they’ve not figured it out by now don’t you think it might be an idea to change the scheme or at least simplify it so they can play fast and hungry!! Sick of seeing teams needing 8 yards so we give them a 12 yard cushion…
December 1st, 2025 at 6:27 pm
Paying McCollum was a mistake.
December 1st, 2025 at 6:33 pm
Your statement tells you everything you need to know. Maybe 2 players didn’t loaf. The defense needs a leader that will hold his guys accountable in real time I on the field. Do you think Ray Lewis would have allowed a player on his defense to loaf, let alone 6 or 7. I love LVD but he isn’t that kind of leader that holds his players to a standard.
December 1st, 2025 at 6:47 pm
Anthony Nelson did the same thing when Brisset scrambled to his right, instead of taking and angle and going hard at him he just jogged parallel…he had help behind him so he could have gone haters at Brisset
December 1st, 2025 at 6:55 pm
Well I’m not saying I agree with it but players on both sides of the ball take plays off from time to time. That’s just the nature of the game. You can’t bench them ….there is no one else to replace them and they know it.
They are still my Bucs, they look to me like they are playing tough football, forcing fumbles making interceptions holding the Cards to 17 points etc. What the heck do you want ??
Go Bucs !! Beat the Slimy Saints !! 8-5 !!
December 1st, 2025 at 7:26 pm
“The Bucs need to figure out how this happens and pull the plug on it”. It’s been a hallmark of the Bowles defense ever since he became HC. No fundamentals, no fire, no gang tackling and no leadership. Every year, same lifeless, clueless defense that has communication and tackling issues in WEEK 14! Defense needs a total overhaul and when the Bucs get eliminated by the panthers, maybe the Glazers will finally get the hint.
December 1st, 2025 at 7:29 pm
They’re not loafing. They’re thinking about all the non-linear simultaneous differential equations they need to solve to know their assignments on the next play.
December 1st, 2025 at 7:31 pm
By the way, the final defensive stand was surprisingly incredible. From the looks of that defensive stop on four downs, when the Cardinals were fighting for a first down, things are starting to come together, maybe coaching it and playing it is finally working!!
I read comments like “you gotta hold them accountable” what the heck do you mean by that ? These are professional athletes who occasionally get beat by other professional athletes. You sure can’t yell at them too much, they will all quit playing. If they break team rules, then yes they can be held accountable. If they can’t play at all then eventually it will be time to say goodbye. But football players have to execute, or you lose. It’s really as simple as that.
I remember Tong Dungy saying, we have to execute better, and no one believed him. Eventually Tony was fired, only to go to Indianapolis and Win a Superbowl.
The situation we are in now is similar with coach Todd Bowles saying “we have to coach it better and they have to play it better” it’s exactly the same as saying, we have to execute in order to win.
I wish Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers the best this season !! I am confident we have some exciting Bucs games to watch through the season and hopefully into the playoffs!!
Go Bucs !! Beat the Slimy Saints!!
December 1st, 2025 at 7:33 pm
McCollum sure looks like he got paid and the best we’ll ever see is last years tape. When your coach comes out and says you get bored after being paid millions you know there’s a giant problem. The way he’s getting burnt this year, if you can unload him and his money I would. Dean deserves the money more than McCollum, but he always gets hurt. I saw Riddick do the same loaf job and then he decided not to help tackle. All the greats in the house yesterday and that’s how you want them to see you?!?! Embarrassing!!! There’s people in that building working for the Bucs that probably make $30k a year and they have more self pride and don’t want to embarrass themselves like these guys did! What a joke!
December 1st, 2025 at 7:37 pm
McCollum’s twin brother got cut from the Eagles. Apparently athleticism doesn’t matter to them so much. Or they can actually see what he is.
December 1st, 2025 at 7:41 pm
Bartow
The talent level of players that Tony Dungy had were far and away more than what we have here. His coaching staff got the most out of them.
Tony’s team actually did just need to play a little better, but they were well coached.
Bowles isn’t 25% of the coach Dungy was, and Bud Licht hasn’t assembled anywhere near the talent.
December 1st, 2025 at 8:12 pm
How many passes did Brissettdump to backs with no one in the same zip code?
December 1st, 2025 at 8:19 pm
Makes sense why the players love him… There’s no accountability and they are allowed to slack off with no real consequences…
December 1st, 2025 at 8:39 pm
Soft team defensively. We have seen it since the bye week.
December 1st, 2025 at 9:01 pm
Yeah the guys loafing def need to see if we can afford to rotate them out more and some outright bench for a bit if possible. Can’t believe guys who make millions do that so much sometimes. Just start taking stuff for granted. People would love to be playing at that level and their pride would not allow loafing
December 1st, 2025 at 9:06 pm
Defensively, no doubt. Not offense (go look at the 2001 offensive roster and 2002 — only Alstott, Dunn and the tight ends were clearly better than what the Bucs currently have on offense).
December 1st, 2025 at 9:08 pm
Todd Bowles for coach of the year. Just for the Rams game performance alone. It takes a special double coach masturmind to come up with that kind of result on national TV against one of the best teams. Yay Todd.
December 1st, 2025 at 9:26 pm
Hopefully there will be some whollsale changes on the defense next season. Start from the front and work to the back. Currently we are doing it the other way and not very well at that. Find a new DC while your at it.
December 1st, 2025 at 9:31 pm
Well actually the Bucs defense holding the Cardinals to 17 points is not soft, it’s really good defense !! It’s bend but don’t break D.
The win would have been prettier if CG 14 had caught the TD pass in the promise land. Score should’ve been 17-3 at the half, 27-17 final.
Go Bucs !! Beat the slimy Saints !!
December 1st, 2025 at 9:57 pm
I saw and have seen the same on blitzes. The DBs seem to loaf coverage under assumption the blitz package will affect the QB meanwhile the moment the QB escapes the receivers are a step ahead of the DBs. I saw this on several plays. I don’t think this is a coach issue as much as a captain issue. The captain of the D needs to address this crap because as some guys are balling, some are loafing. That crap would NEVER happen with the ring of honor crew. It simply would not ever need to be addressed by the coach. I’d be embarrassed as defensive captain that my coach had to address it.
December 1st, 2025 at 10:09 pm
yes we needed the CG touchdown to make it a feel good game at something like a 27-17 final score…
watching the game was like having just a hot dog in a bun…no mustard, kraut or relish to kick it up a notch…
yes the game was really like just having a dog in a bun, with no toppings or condiments…
it didn’t leave you starving, but didn’t hit the spot either
December 1st, 2025 at 10:15 pm
main thing is we didn’t lose the game…a loss could have been a real setback from so many different angles…
at least it’s something to build on…
a solid performance and a handy beating of the saints, might just rile the boys up for the orange atlanta game…and that might be just the medicine we need…and the proper way to ramp it up for carolina…
take down the saints…beat the falcons, while rocking orange…then get ready for 2 carolina games in 3 weeks which could decide the division…
they’ve gotta go on a heater…catch fire…get frothy…if they only had a frothy dude like sapp in the locker room these days
December 1st, 2025 at 10:27 pm
There is nothing to build on. That game was a “dead cat bounce” before the corpse stiffens from rigor mortis.
December 1st, 2025 at 10:44 pm
Joe
Fun fact… Dungys offenses here averaged less than one point per game less than Jon Grudens offenses did.
December 1st, 2025 at 11:05 pm
Obvious defense plays soft because Todd is soft.
December 1st, 2025 at 11:14 pm
It’s the Sta Puff marshmallow defense.
Name me one Badass on this defense. I’ll wait.
December 1st, 2025 at 11:17 pm
Gruden’s offenses in the playoffs averaged 30ppg.
December 1st, 2025 at 11:49 pm
Hall’s Gap sounds like a North Carolina sightseeing map.
December 2nd, 2025 at 2:55 am
Whoever said they want Jon Gruden back as the coach of this team… You’re smoking that Michael Irvin crack rock. Seriously.
One of the most overrated coaches in history. An “offensive mind” carried by Monte Kiffin’s defense and numerous Hall of Famers. Our offense was at best a pedestrian unit with Gruden at the helm.
We won the superbowl with one of the top 5 greatest defenses of all time, and then missed the playoffs for the first time since 1998 (7-9, injury riddled season with Keshawn Johnson drama) and then the following year we go 5-11 after running Warren Sapp and John Lynch out of town… not to mention GM Rich McKay who drafted a bunch of HOF players for us… then goes and drafts HOF players for the Falcons… meanwhile, we didn’t draft a HOF caliber player again until maybe Gerald McCoy (2010) and Levonte David (2015).
Warren Sapp put up 10 sacks in 2006. He absolutely would have put better numbers up flanked by Simeon Rice.
John Lynch who offered to take a pay cut to stay with us — he made 4 probowls in a row (2 deserved).
Meanwhile the shining light of Jon Gruden’s offense was what, Cadillac Williams rookie season?
Honestly, get that Gruden garbage tf out of here. Loved his fire. Loved his passion. Hated his ego, over-complicated offense, and all the hype around him like he wasn’t riding the coattails of Monte Kiffin’s defense.
Imho, he was hot garbage. I was ecstatic when the Raiders hired him and we dodged that bullet. I knew that it would be an epic disaster.
People hang on to a comment a player or two made after our superbowl that Gruden gave the Bucs the “necessary fire” to get over the hump, and I don’t believe that for a minute.
I understand why some players might feel that way because of how it played out, but a team that makes numerous NFC championships… you’re already on that line.
The fact that we added Gruden to our Ring of Honor before Monte Kiffin still makes me f’king sick to this day.
I’m not a Gruden hater. I’m just realistic with what I saw. Mediocre coach at best. Firing him (and not re-hiring him) was the smartest thing we’ve ever done outside of recruiting Brady.
December 2nd, 2025 at 4:43 am
I agree with Defense Rules, “SOMETHINGS BAD WRONG. It’s been looking that way since the break.
December 2nd, 2025 at 5:29 am
Zyon has looked like a lazy loafer all season. I also noticed Reddick not closing in for run stops but maybe he is preserving his body. These players are not fools. Not all of them can be a tackling machine like LVD and be in the league this long. They are playing it smart when they can, but gosh dang just get off by making a tackle
December 2nd, 2025 at 6:20 am
Zion has played like garbage
December 2nd, 2025 at 7:55 am
Joe, I texted one of my friends about loafing on that and other plays in the second half. I saw Sir Vocea Dennis loaf a few times.
December 2nd, 2025 at 7:58 am
This article has the right idea. I was watching the defense pre-snap and thinking just how lethargic the d appeared as they got themselves in position—and ready to back pedal. No energy whatsoever. They just prepared to “absorb” what was to come at them. Its disgusting. Totally got bailed out by some timely turnovers—but we alll know the d can’t make a living expecting the other team to cough it up.
December 2nd, 2025 at 8:11 am
Great detail Joe on hall. He’s a lot like Otton in the way he just shows up and does his job but yet gets hated on. Hes not flashy but does the dirty work. Very under appreciated by the fan base