Another Sad Piece Of History For Bucs Defense
December 9th, 2025
Another bad defensive game.
Is Joe the only guy who has had it with opposing quarterbacks reaching milestones against the Bucs’ defense?
Every year it seems like some quarterback has a personal-best against the Bucs’ defense or sets a season-high against a Todd Bowles defense? Well, it happened again Sunday.
This intel comes from Next Gen Stats. And this time, a quarterback didn’t make a mark against the Bucs’ defense with his arm. He did it with his legs.
Next Gen Stats Insight for Saints-Buccaneers (via NFL Pro): Tyler Shough rushed seven times for a career-high 55 yards and two touchdowns in Week 14 against the Buccaneers, becoming the first player this season with touchdowns on both a designed run and a scramble in the same game.
Gee, and here Joe thought the Bucs stressed run defense.
Joe is out of answers just like it appears Bowles is. The only thing Joe can concoct about why the Bucs’ defense has broken down so badly (Joe has a very good idea why the pass defense is lousy) is that whatever coaching Bowles and his assistants are doing, it’s going in one ear and out the other of the players.
Joe thought a disgusted Lavonte David leaving the Bucs’ locker room early before it was opened to the local pen and mic club spoke volumes. Joe has never seen David do that before.
Even David is fed up. Aren’t we all?
And, oh look! Here comes Kirk “509” Cousins in two days. Yay!
December 9th, 2025 at 5:22 am
Time for a change.
The Glazers are probably making phone calls this week.
Todd lost his defense and special teams.
Is time to punt!
7-10 is coming
December 9th, 2025 at 5:31 am
We have a habbit of making QBs look like all pros. Now we have Cousins next QB up who had his only career day against us last season. How do you like that?
December 9th, 2025 at 5:34 am
Bucs fans always sound the same. When we start losing it’s always the defense and Todd Bowles fault. Broken record every time.
December 9th, 2025 at 5:43 am
The problem, one of many, is that the Glazers probably aren’t making any phone calls this week.
December 9th, 2025 at 5:48 am
The problem the Bucs are dealing with is lack of coaching. If u notice in the locker room after a win, TB is so phony of trying to get the players fired up. Who is the special teams coach, he SUCKS! Larry Foote is trash. Real coaching is what Sean Payton n Mike Vrabel are doing with their perspective team. You most coach n hold the players accountable. Broncos, Patriots defense rally to the ball. They all hustle from every angle n level. Contrary to the Bucs, if our defender is in motion to make what appear to be a sure tackle, the second level defender will assume the runner will be tackled n just don’t give effort to follow up on the play. A sign of poor coaching. And other teams such as Monday night Eagles game. Their players hustle from every level run hard to make a tackle. Hassan Reddick, Logan Hall, Chris Braswell, n even Jamel Dean does not give maximum effort. That is our problem. Sean Payton would bench Dean. He’s a fluke with his sometimes playing style. TB need to go, now!!
December 9th, 2025 at 5:50 am
I think the most frustrating thing comes from “coverage” over the middle.
Let’s say this defense plays well for downs one and two, making it third and long. We at home (or at the game) just know those first two plays went for naught.
Why?
Because it is almost a guarantee that Quarterback ‘Anybody’ will find a wide open receiver over the middle for a first down. We’ve become so numb to this redundant failure we stopped throwing beer cans at our TV years ago.
When our receivers run identical routes against Team ‘Anybody’ they are usually well covered.
Again, why?
Could it be our players forgot how to play defense, or black out after the snap of the ball and forget where they’re supposed to be, or is the defensive coaching just so bad opposing offenses sit back all game week laughing at how easy it is to manipulate Todd’s crazy bad zone to get wide open?
“Hey, look here. Vita Vea is dropping into coverage again—hahaha! What a horrible scheme! Let’s go get ‘em before the Glazers are smart enough to make a change.”
Watching this ongoing failure, time and time and time again is enough to make a true fan sick to his stomach. Through the years the Bucs have had a few great defenses. Now we are little more than a laughing stock!
Please Glazers, fire this guy! Then slap yourself in the face for listening to Licht, extending Bowles and allowing Coen to walk!
December 9th, 2025 at 6:01 am
You have to wonder over the last few years how much this team was propped up by Canales and Coen. Bowles may have simply ran out of luck at finding OCs to mask his incompetence. We’ve been complaining about a lot of the same issues for 4 yrs now. Losing to inferior teams, making backup and rookie QBs look capable, no pass rush, questionable coaching by assistants, poor game management, playing “flat”, mid season losing streaks….these aren’t new problems, it’s been a thing since Brady was here. Unfortunately we don’t have an offense to mask the ineffectiveness of our defense and now we face the reality of letting young, dynamic offensive coaches leave. The league is built for offense and we stuck with an outdated defensive coach that frankly has hovered right .500 nearly every season. Good teams don’t change their OC every year for 4 yrs in a row. It’s unfortunately going to bite us in the rear this year.
December 9th, 2025 at 6:05 am
Why would anyone think the owners are consulting anyone about a new HC. They are in the hook for millions of dollars with Bowles and Licht? It’s easy to say the Bucs have lost the fan base, but have seen Ray Jay? It’s filled with crazed Bucs fans. We have 3 more years to hear about our defensive guru. BTW, do you remember Brady had notebooks filled with data about every opponent’s tendencies and other details. Hmmm, does the HC do his homework or does he rely on what seemed to work over the years regardless of opponent? Just a thought.
December 9th, 2025 at 6:12 am
There is no point in running the same failing scheme on defense week after week. Even the bad teams like the Aints knew where the weak spots were. How about a tight man coverage and a five man rush for starters? It won’t take long to see who shouldn’t be on the field
December 9th, 2025 at 6:16 am
Let’s hope the Glaziers are noticing
December 9th, 2025 at 6:21 am
It’s clear to 99% of Buc Nation that this team has QUIT. Bowles is a lazy, old, worn out, clueless fraud who knows nothing about preparing a team for an opponent. His one size fits all defense is an absolute embarrassment. And in his latest press conference what does he say? “We have to execute better”. He needs to be gone 10 minutes after the last game of the season. We’ve had enough of his incompetence.
December 9th, 2025 at 6:26 am
I agree Dmatt, I think the Bucs are having a coaching problem. Nevertheless, I watch every game and was at 2 games this year including that mess Sunday. I mean I sit in the rain to see the defense totally collapse and offense was almost none existent in that loss to the worst team in the NFC. The worst part is, it’s been the same thing for at least the last 3 years, we look like we are contenders then all over sudden the team collapse and that has really gotten frustrating
December 9th, 2025 at 6:31 am
Dmatt is right.
Call Gruden.
December 9th, 2025 at 6:32 am
Fire the whole staff. Bring in Mike LaFleur from the Rams or Klint Kubiak from Seattle. Jason Licht can go, too. We don’t need a GM who’s scared to make trades to improve the roster. He also can’t draft a pass rusher, which is why he signed an old JPP out of desperation. Bring in a new GM, or hire Derrick Brooks.
December 9th, 2025 at 6:32 am
Dean is in self preservation mode, protecting himself for next year’s big contract, which he will get by the way. Just not here …
In the history of the NFL, I’m guessing no other player has ever agreed to an 8 million salary reduction just to get outta town ASAP by becoming a free agent.
That’s a lot of disrespect directed at one man, Todd Bowles.
His 2025 contract now reads: I’LL GLADLY PAY YOU 8 MILLION DOLLARS. JUST PLEASE, GET ME AWAY FROM THIS GUY!
Dean is the best cover corner we have, and among the worst tacklers. But I suspect the latter assessment will change when he goes to a team that focuses on his strengths instead of standing around in Todd’s crazy zone packages designed to allow all opposing receivers to become wide open.
Is Dean’s attitude correct? My guess is no. He should still give 100% on every play.
But he will get paid next year. And if he steps it up and becomes All Pro, that’s on Todd.
December 9th, 2025 at 6:40 am
I have said this already!!!
Bowles has no value to us. He’s a HC that calls the plays as a DC & the play calling & scheme stink!!! IF we had an actual DC he would have been fired so Bowles in my view has corned himself on this alone.
You could add a DC but why bother? That should have happened the day he took the HC gig.
December 9th, 2025 at 6:45 am
@Bobby M
No, you don’t have to wonder. The answer has been slapping many of us in the face for a long time. The rest of you are just catching on now.
December 9th, 2025 at 6:55 am
Even if it has a high $ cost to change coaches, it would be well worth it.
December 9th, 2025 at 7:02 am
It reminds me of the TB Rays. It seems that at least three times a week they faced a Cy Young laureate.
December 9th, 2025 at 7:09 am
Even if we had Parsons we’d still be getting beat in the middle of the field. Zyon can’t press nor can he run stride for stride. Bench zyon bench SVD. Cover the first 7 – 10 yards n see what that does 4 ur dline. Why rush anybody if the QB is gonna get rid of it in 2-3 steps if he takes a 5th step breathes n launches it over zyon? Give zyon help over top if he wants to trail his receiver. What kills me is his run defense. At least slow the runner down grab him n hold him so the lbs can clean that sh.. up.
December 9th, 2025 at 7:19 am
Bowles doesn’t have the guts to bench a corner who told him “ he’s bored “
December 9th, 2025 at 7:28 am
What is Tykees status? Him and Vita do work.
December 9th, 2025 at 7:48 am
Whenever we do cover we’ll there is never a spy on the qb been happening for years once the lbs turn backs to cover the qb takes off with no one in angel to stop it…nothing that can be coached players need to have instincts and on defense we lack that
December 9th, 2025 at 7:52 am
Not to give Licht a pass by any means, but would a coach like McVay, Harbaugh, Vrabel, Payton be able to get more out of this squad than Bowles? Of course they would. Time to move on from this .500 defensive genius
December 9th, 2025 at 8:11 am
😂
I remember when the no name ( yet ) Bret Farve made his first start against the Bucs and I thought , Oh this should be easy!
But yes the list is very long !
December 9th, 2025 at 8:32 am
No Joe, we are all fed up with this guy scaming us as def coordinator guru
December 9th, 2025 at 9:06 am
Obviously the defense doesn’t believe in the system. There are too many moving parts that prevent the player from just naturally reacting. Everything requires a though before attacking and many times, they re a 1/2 step late or out of position.
Old coaches are reluctant to try anything new or outside the box. They are determined to do it their way come hell or high water. The players are no longer buying into it.
December 9th, 2025 at 9:20 am
The Defense is filled with fossils and quitters.
December 9th, 2025 at 9:28 am
We have been bleeding in the secondary and the edge for quite some time now.
December 9th, 2025 at 9:36 am
Maybe the Buc players miss Kacy Rodgers, seems like his departure caused a shuffling of duties with the assistants and everything has gotten worse. Bowles has lost the team, he makes them play a scheme they know is not working and still goes back to it again and again; Todd Bowles has turned into the defensive counterpart of Byron Leftwich. That ought to make Bruce Arians feel proud of himself, both of his hand-picked successors are epic fails. I hope the Glazers are scouting coaches, you know Artie Blank is as well as the G-Men, Tennessee and probably Vegas. Tampa is probably not going to be the first choice of the available teams to good candidates due to the lack of talent on defense and some key components of the offense are old and/or injury prone thought at least Licht has hoarded all of the ****ing draft picks while the ATL traded their 2026 first rounder away to the Rams away for some bust of an edge rusher. .
December 9th, 2025 at 9:51 am
Mhystc Says:
December 9th, 2025 at 6:32 am
Fire the whole staff. Bring in Mike LaFleur from the Rams or Klint Kubiak from Seattle. Jason Licht can go, too. We don’t need a GM who’s scared to make trades to improve the roster. He also can’t draft a pass rusher, which is why he signed an old JPP out of desperation. Bring in a new GM, or hire Derrick Brooks.
BINGO!!!!!!!….give me Klint Kubiak
GO BUCS!!!!!
December 9th, 2025 at 9:52 am
FortMyersDave Says:
December 9th, 2025 at 9:36 am
Maybe the Buc players miss Kacy Rodgers, seems like his departure caused a shuffling of duties with the assistants and everything has gotten worse.
GREAT POINT!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
December 9th, 2025 at 9:53 am
Years of watching rookie quarterbacks have their best game against this Todd Bowles led defense. It will be the same this Thursday. There will be cushions all throughout the defense. The entire league will watch this Thursday night. #firetoddbowles
December 9th, 2025 at 9:58 am
It’ll be 555 Cousins after this game.
December 9th, 2025 at 10:02 am
Since Todd has been here for nearly 7 full seasons his defense has had more AWFUL performances than truly great ones
The personnel doesn’t matter
It’s the scheme, he doesn’t know how to fix this scheme that makes it look like 7 on 7 for the opponent
FIRE TODD!!!!!!!!
December 9th, 2025 at 10:13 am
It’s not necessary losing that bothers me, it is the way in which the Bucs are losing. Does not feel like the off, def, or spec teams is playing with heart or a sense of urgency. These things are in most cases indicative of the coaching. Teams have a tendency to take on the personality of the HC. See McVay, Vrabel, Peyton, Macdonald, Ryans… hell Coen. Most likely time for a change.
December 9th, 2025 at 10:44 am
If you’re a defensive head coach in an offensive league and your defense stinks, what are you even doing?
December 9th, 2025 at 11:00 am
Answer is this dope should be gone!!!!
Should have never been hired. I knew it when they made the decision what makes it worse you had a really good replacement right there right fricken there n let him go for this guy
December 9th, 2025 at 11:10 am
When will some balless reporter ask Licht or Bowles when are they going to fire the Defensive Coordinator. You all stand around and are afraid to offend people with your questions. Good ole Boys Club.
December 9th, 2025 at 12:34 pm
Agreed this team has completely quit on Bowles. They will be lucky to win one more game this season. Defense was horrible against the Saints but I actually think the offense was worse. Bowles continually gave his crappy defense a short field by failing on 5 out of 7 4th downs around midfield. If Bowles would’ve punted every time we would’ve won the damn game. In addition to that we gave up a 55 yd kickoff return and Baker threw a pick in our territory.
December 9th, 2025 at 12:44 pm
Shame because Bowles is a good man who treats his players like grown men. They might be grown but they are not very talented. 2025 draft was supposed to fix the talent issue. No evidence it did. Winfield Jr epitomizes everything wrong with the D. Time to clean house including our DC and HC.
December 9th, 2025 at 1:35 pm
Let’s hope the Glazer’s are noticing all those empty seats at Ray J.
December 9th, 2025 at 9:36 pm
Gruden can’t fix the defense. Pathetic pass defense has become Todd Bowles’ trademark. Plug some holes on defense. Get the Offense healthy. Make the appropriate coaching changes, and move on. Get JPP four more sacks and focus on 2026.
December 9th, 2025 at 10:21 pm
Todd Bowles is not a defensive guru. I am taking nothing away from the Bucs Super Bowl. But Patrick Mahomes had a foot injury. Was that more of a factor than Bowles supposed genius? We were the better team. But that game did not cement Bowles history. The past four seasons did… and his time with the Jets. Can we please end this nightmare?