“Got To Be Aggressive”
December 7th, 2025
Talks game-winning stop.
YaYa Diaby is starting to rise to the occasion.
The Bucs’ edge rusher has a sack in each of the Bucs’ last two games. He now has six this season. With five games left, if YaYa isn’t careful, he may just hit double-digit sacks.
Naturally, it would help if the rest of the defense played on fire like Diaby seems to most of the time. The big problem with the Bucs losing three straight and registering a flaccid three-point win over a garbage team like the Cardinals is largely because the Bucs’ defense was, well, sad throughout the month of November.
Bucs coach Todd Bowles seemed fed up when he unloaded on his defense just before they took the field on Arizona’s final drive last week.
The Bucs got a rare four-and-out and it was time for the victory formation.
YaYa said the film of last week’s win showed him a major difference in play on that final stop.
“Everybody wanted it,” YaYa said. “That last drive, we knew we had to get that one. Watching the film [of the final stop], you could tell how bad everyone wanted it.”
Joe heard Bowles challenged the Bucs’ defense on that last stand. YaYa had a different version.
“Got to be aggressive, that’s all,” YaYa said of Bowles’ message. “Not to let them come back. That’s all it was, aggressiveness.”
Well, Joe hopes the defense is as aggressive against the slimy Saints today as it was the first time the teams played this season in Lincoln’s Tomb. The Bucs offense struggled that day but the defense sure didn’t.
The defense dominated so much in that game, Antoine Winfield had two touchdowns stolen from him by the zebras and still the Bucs locked down New Orleans.
Seeing that same defense return today would be welcome.
December 7th, 2025 at 12:46 am
So he could see the difference on the LAST drive? Does he not see that that’s the actual problem?
December 7th, 2025 at 1:11 am
So basically, the entire rest of the game, the defense didn’t want it?
Only at the last drive of the game when they get chewed out is when they wanted it?
This team has issues man.
December 7th, 2025 at 1:29 am
So, Yaya is telling everyone that he and many of his fellow defenders did not want “it” through the first 58 minutes of the Cards’ game. That is telling. I guess the talks by Baker and LVD were tuned out by Yaya and his crew. Yaya should be balling out 110% each play if he wants to get that big pay day like his buddies Zyon and Winfield have. Of course, both have played well below their potential since getting the fat contract, so I hope Jason thinks long and hard before he rewards anyone on the D with another contract extension.
December 7th, 2025 at 4:45 am
Putting Zion and Winfield in the same category is unfounded. Winfield is
is where he is supposed to be making sacks,getting Int’s and as Joe pointed out robbed of td’s. Zyon usually isn’t. When I see Ya Ya way downfield near the endzone with Zion trying to cover a receiver I ask myself how and why does
Ya Ya have to cover a receiver on the opposite side of the field.
December 7th, 2025 at 6:19 am
“Everybody wanted it.” Sounds like that is the exception and not the rule.
December 7th, 2025 at 7:26 am
Maybe this is week that Braswell starts “shocking the world.” Signs point to No.
December 7th, 2025 at 8:28 am
I’ll believe it when I see it.
December 7th, 2025 at 8:39 am
All bark no bite
December 7th, 2025 at 8:41 am
Todd was mad last week and the players heard him. Thinking the Bucs will come out a lot stronger this week throughout the entire game.
December 7th, 2025 at 10:17 am
The lack of aggression should have been identified long ago and continued to be hammered into them ever since but was not. I don’t see that aggressive, flying to the ball, hard hitting defense that we see with some other teams such as the Texans, Chiefs and even the Panthers, Falcons and Saints. Bowles focus has been on teaching the players the X’s and O’s of his defense but seems to have left out the most important thing, which is to motivate them to play hard and aggressive.
December 7th, 2025 at 10:29 am
Just ignore Bowles when he tells you to drop in coverage, and you’ll be fine.
December 7th, 2025 at 10:33 am
Speaking of aggressive Defense, I’m looking at all you guys in the Secondary. You’re relatively healthy (a rare one for the Bucs), and everyone is suited up and playing. Outplay the refs. How about several pick6s? I notice that there isn’t a lot of complaining about SVD. No reason why this D can’t nail the Saints. Go Bucs!!
December 7th, 2025 at 10:34 am
I think the offense has a little bit of the same problem as the defense. Other than Baker they don’t play as physically as they did last year under Cohen. Hence, no killer instinct. It’s not so much an X’s and O’s problem, it’s a lack of aggression. We saw that killer instinct on offense a few times last year such as that 55 point explosion against the Saints with almost 600 yards of offense and the 48 points put up against the Panthers in the second meeting with them. Yes, the injuries have been a huge factor but I think they are also less physical than last years offense. Look at what Cohen has done with that Jags running game this season. They have done a 360 with the running game, the same as Cohen did with the Bucs running game. Remember, we were almost last running the ball in 2023 and were top 5 in 2024. That physical style on offense is a Mcvay thing and that’s where Cohen’s roots are.
December 7th, 2025 at 11:09 am
Yaya and the rest of the defense pays lifeless for 58 minutes then decide they want it. SMH! They should look at film at how the Patriots play.
December 7th, 2025 at 11:39 am
I watched that Ohio State/Indiana and it seemed like both teams played like their hair was on fire. Maybe because it was college or good college teams, but I sure don’t see the same fire from the Bucs. I got the same feelings watching Dallas/Detroit.
December 7th, 2025 at 11:42 am
Would love to see how this defense could perform under a more traditional scheme instead of all the fufu stuff Bowles masterminds up. Tell the Corners to press up and the line to have have their ears laid back and rush all out. Safeties doing what Safeties do.
It would probably confuse everyone because of the madman defense whisperer programming since training camp.
As I told my son who plays 4th grade football. Football is a game where you can go out and hit someone and not get into trouble. It is better to be aggressive and be the hitter instead of being hit. One of the smaller kids on the team but is the best hitter.
Why do pros take plays off, especially on the Bucs? I thought Licht drafted character guys. Taking plays off is not good character.
December 7th, 2025 at 3:43 pm
They aggressively suck. That’s about it.
It is time to fire Bowles. This team is too soft and too cowardly.