Basic Stats Explain How Awful Josh Grizzard Was Today
December 21st, 2025
“Ed, now you know what burning money smells like.”
Unless Bucs coach Todd Bowles ordered offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard not to throw the ball or Grizzard and Bowles were so scared Baker Mayfield would lose the game, there is no way to explain the passing stats of the Bucs today.
Or Joe should type “lack of passing stats.”
A team that today had a quarterback who six weeks ago was discussed by sober minds as a legitimate MVP candidate — with a future Hall of Fame receiver, a Pro Bowl receiver, a guy who until today was thought to be the leading candidate for Offensive Rookie of the Year and a promising second-year receiver all healthy — Grizzard stuck to the ground.
The few times he passed, it was mostly, by far mostly, in front of the sticks.
Does Grizzard have a weird clause in his contract that fines him for every pass beyond the sticks? Who does he think he is, Mike Glennon?
The damning stat of all was that at halftime, despite completing 7 of 10 pass attempts, Baker Mayfield had a grand total of 41 yards. Repeat, Mayfield had 41 yards at halftime! And make that 60 yards after three quarters.
What was this, a Michigan-Notre Dame game from 1947? Or the service academies running a triple-option?
With all of those healthy receivers, you cannot tell Joe they were always covered, every one of them. If so, who the hell was playing in the Stinking Panthers’ secondary? A combination of Mel Blount, Ronnie Lott, Deion Sanders and John Lynch?
Just so irresponsible!
Joe has to wonder when Team Glazer gathers in the next few days to celebrate the holidays, how many bottles of Caymus do they have to drain to get the stench of burnt money out of their nostrils, watching their coaching staff light fire to tens of millions of dollars of their hard-earned loot paying quality receivers to run routes just for the hell of it? Their team is circling the drain.
December 21st, 2025 at 5:57 pm
Are you all BLIND!? We have a bad o line that’s why they ran the ball. Baker had time on one play and it was a 40 yard completion.
December 21st, 2025 at 5:58 pm
We were in 12 personnel for most of the game.
Grizzard sucks. Todd sucks. Jason sucks.
CLEAN DA HOUSE
December 21st, 2025 at 5:58 pm
🎯
December 21st, 2025 at 5:58 pm
At least the 50th year will be one for the history books!
December 21st, 2025 at 5:58 pm
He sucks might be book smart but calls plays like a scared pansy time to find a real offensive coordinator
December 21st, 2025 at 5:58 pm
Nobody likes this team and the staff. They all stink.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:00 pm
horrendous. Players make the plays, but this game on both sides of the ball was clear evidence of bad coaching, bad strategy.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:03 pm
Joe
I’ve been saying this for MONTHS now……
…..Jeff Grizzard is the worst offensive coordinator in the league….he doesn’t belong in the NFL and he definitely isn’t a whiz kid either
December 21st, 2025 at 6:04 pm
If the Offensive Line held,…. some of those plays that failed miserably, would have worked
Grizz is not the problem, the defense is the problem and it failed terribly today
December 21st, 2025 at 6:04 pm
All fans need to get wise as I did and just quit watching this garbage. I had a wonderful afternoon watching raise the flags.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:05 pm
Liam is slugging it out with Denver!
Even more painful that SO MANY saw this last year!
December 21st, 2025 at 6:05 pm
Run Bucky up middle. Watch Bucky get squashed. Give Bucky no space. Watch Bucky get neutralized.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:05 pm
The glaziers had a coaching staff that used three running backs as most of their offense today which cost them probably 10 million altogether and yet they have wide receivers and a quarterback just three of them then make a combined 70 million a season and you hand the ball off
WTF?????
December 21st, 2025 at 6:08 pm
ANYONE defending Bowles does not understand football or the NFL. Bowles must be fired the minute after they lose the season finale to Carolina.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:08 pm
For the first time in my life, I am no longer enjoying watching Bucs games. – Even hate-watching isn’t fun.
This team has no excuse to be this bad and it’s honestly just depressing.
Apathy
December 21st, 2025 at 6:09 pm
The entire team is playing bad ball. The defense is terrible and Mayfield has made several game losing mistakes the last 4 games. I am not a NFL personnel guy but, I don’t see any other choice but to change the HC. The Bucs have a very talented team and in a division as bad as the NFC South no way should they be out of the playoffs this year. Be honest here, it’s no way the Bucs make the playoffs
December 21st, 2025 at 6:10 pm
Sitting here watching the 10-4 Jags play a competitive 12-2 Broncos. Currently the Jags are winning 24-17 on the road. This could have been us this year. Did the Jags have better players than us at the beginning of the year? Hell no, they only have 1 decent WR. Eteinne looks like Bucky did last year and having a break out year. Lawrence is playing better than Baker ever has. He was almost considered a bust of a draft pick. The Jags defense is night and day better than ours. We let the wrong coach leave the team. It’s coaching. It’s always coaching. What could have Cohen done in year 2 with the Bucs? We will never know.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:11 pm
Throwing behind the sticks has been going on for weeks….and they look like they are designed plays.
!0 passes to Evans and Godwin in the game averaged 6 yards per completion.
EVANS & GODWIN……..Where is Jameis?
December 21st, 2025 at 6:11 pm
Everyone says they are “very talented” and they have “leaders” – but really?
December 21st, 2025 at 6:13 pm
I have stopped watching the bucs until Bowels is fired.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:13 pm
Ever since week 7………
It just seems like watching this team plays feels like one misery after another everytime the Bucs play a game
This team looks soulless…… looks lost and is playing with no heart….
All DEDICATED Bucs fans knows what looks right and what a good team is and this Bucs team does not look that way at all…….
December 21st, 2025 at 6:13 pm
Today was rediculous!!!!! Bahhhhhh!! This looked like the dolphins offense of the early 70s!!!!our right guard needs to lose the kazoo helmet!!! He obviously couldn’t hear the snap count, he came out of his stance wayyyyyy too early! They couldn’t protect Baker worth a damn,the DBs blew 2 coverages REALY BADLY!!!! DEPRESSING!!! FIRE BOWLES! GRIZZARD!! THE SPECIAL TEAMS COACH AS WELL! TELL OUR GM STOP DRAFTING NO TALENT BUMS JUST CAUSE THEIR CHARACTER IS SOOOOOGREAT!!!!
December 21st, 2025 at 6:14 pm
Doesn’t look like a very talented team with leaders.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:14 pm
“Even hate watching isn’t even fun” lol ElioT
So true.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:15 pm
7-10 is coming!!!!
SMH
December 21st, 2025 at 6:15 pm
I’m with Pa Privateer.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:16 pm
The exact opposite happen today. The D held there own. I thought the offence was going to be on fire. Baker was going to throw for over 300 yards and 3 TD’s. Was I fooled.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:18 pm
Get an edge rusher. A top tier oc. Healthy guards. Second place schedule. Next year looks bright .
December 21st, 2025 at 6:22 pm
Come on Joe: you really think Josh G. was really game planning this crap. Todd kept him so he could control the young man and the offense. So people would blame Baker oh wait the are. When Liam Cohan was hire he came one 1 condition it was him calling the plays. You wrote about that over and over. Look no farther than Jacksonville what Trevor is all of the sudden the next great quarterback. Give any of these guys time and they can play at this high level. No way in hell Todd was not calling both offense and defensive. How can Bucs fans not see this. It drives me frickin crazy. Its this guy’s fault or that guy. Bowels is pulling all the strings look back at the jets, he no good at it. OMG
December 21st, 2025 at 6:25 pm
And yet the Bucs were going to win it if Baker doesn’t again fail with the game on the line.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:25 pm
This is the exact same team that was winning close games earlier in the season. With the same OC, the problem isn’t Grizzard. The problem is they’re not closing out these games anymore. They are making a ton of mistakes now in critical moments of the game. Baker Mayfield is turning the ball over now in the 4th quarter.
No more game winning drives
December 21st, 2025 at 6:27 pm
Bowles was both the offensive and defensive coordinator in today’s game. I would fire Bowles immediately. I would make Teddy Bridgewater head coach, at least he won the state championship in his first year. It sure couldn’t be any worse than Bowles. I am not kidding.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:32 pm
Rod Munch: You’re correct in blaming the loss on Baker. I’m sure that everyone else agrees that Baker was definitely not in it to win.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:35 pm
The problem is it’s not week 2 vs the Jets anymore. It’s crunch time and Baker is doing what he does in the playoffs – and that is fail miserable when it matters the most. There’s a reason no one signed him to the big money deal he wanted a couple of years ago and he took a middling deal with the Bucs. Last year Coen did an exceptional job getting the most out of Baker – but this year we see why Baker was on 4 teams in 12 months before he got here.
Still – 2 more weeks to turn it around. Still in it; and if Baker heats up, the Bucs can outscore anyone. But that’s a huge IF at this point.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:38 pm
Do you Joe’s not watch the pressers? Theo Bowles said that the panthers don’t perform well if they face 30 or more rushes. Theo had a hand in the offensive game plan.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:39 pm
WERE WAS THE PASSING GAME ? IF BAKER SHOULDER IS THE PROBLEM .PUT IN TEDDY . COULD NOT BE ANY WORSE .
December 21st, 2025 at 6:42 pm
The idea that Grizz, coming off the best game he’s called all year, was the architect of this game is pure nonsense. This was Bowles mad that the last 2 weeks they put the ball in Bakers hand in the fourth quarter and he failed miserably. This was we are going to run the ball and control the clock – it was 100% Bowles giving Grizz his marching orders.
And again I’ll point out it was actually working – the Bucs were going down to win the game – and at worst kick a FG when Baker again threw a 4th quarter INT. Next week against a Dolphins team that gives up a ton on the ground – guess what the Bucs are going to do.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:48 pm
Baker had no time because our O line is a trainwreck. Grizz has been put in a very difficult situation.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:50 pm
There goes Rod Munch again…can’t be one and done. The know-it-all can’t shut up.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:53 pm
Not going to defend Grizzard, but the offensive line can’t pass block.
December 21st, 2025 at 6:57 pm
I don’t think slants or digs even exist in Grizz playbook. Its all outside..I think they may have tried a few longer routes but no time from oline. All you had to do was cover outside short to mid at most. Very small part of the field to defend..also knew 90% of first down would be runs. Was like 2 first down passes until late
December 21st, 2025 at 6:59 pm
There is a huge riff between Baker and Bowles. He is clearly not all in on this scheme and is playing like a backup at best.
December 21st, 2025 at 7:00 pm
The sideline reporter said she spoke to Todd at the half, and he said the game plan was do run it even more in the second half. Bowles took the air out of the ball before the game even started. This was his plan today. He needs to go. Why wait till the end of the season. No one would blame you Glazers.
December 21st, 2025 at 7:00 pm
The problem is both the OC n HC, both have to be dismissed. Why did the Hlazers let Liam Coen walk. Bowles continues to bring this team down. He has the job because of BA. After a 5-11 season, BA took over the team in 2019 n took them to 7-9, 11-5, 12-4. Bowles inherited a winning team n took them to 8-9,9-8,10-7, n declining. Grizz doesn’t know how to use his weapons n Bowles continues to lack clock management skills. I knew we would lose after halftime when we showed no urgency to push the ball down the field. Grizz run those simple n predictable short passes that result to 2yds or less. He’s outta his league. Baker is inaccurate and lately has played like a rookie qb in the pocket, easily rattled. I’d take Bo Nix, Drake Maye, n Jaxson Dart over him any day. And, when will our special teams coach be fired cause he’s lucky Sean McVay is not our coach.
December 21st, 2025 at 7:04 pm
If you only pass on passing downs and in the 2 minute drill you are going to see pressure.
Unless you play the Bucs. Then you’ll see a soft zone
December 21st, 2025 at 7:12 pm
“Are you all BLIND!? We have a bad o line that’s why they ran the ball.”
Not all of us . There is no mystery. The people in the know watch this line all week
December 21st, 2025 at 7:19 pm
That’s correct Hodad.
I heard that too.
December 21st, 2025 at 7:20 pm
I was thinking they brought Baker Mayfield to Tampa Bay to “be Baker Mayfield”. Now he’s supposed to be operating a ground and pound oriented offense? How’s that working out for us?
December 21st, 2025 at 7:27 pm
Hey ElioT, you’re lucky you missed the Bucs first 26 games 50 years ago if you think this was bad, because this seems like deja vu to me! The only difference is the problem back then wasn’t the coaches, the roster sucked!
December 21st, 2025 at 7:29 pm
With this group of receivers, the Bucs need to be passing. Baker is rattled; he’s thinking too much and he’s playing scared, but the only way past that is to play through it.
December 21st, 2025 at 7:36 pm
And the headline of this story fingers Grizzard. But Todd has his hands all over today’s play calling. And if that’s true than it’s not Grizzards fault. And even though I like Coach Bowles he has no business being the HC, DC, and OC at the same time. The defense needs a game plan. The offense needs a game plan. Bowles should be content with the defensive game plan. And leave Grizzard in charge of the offensive game plan. Be great to have info into how much Bowles tells Grizzard about running the offense. Because it’s beginning to look damn near as inept as the defense.
December 21st, 2025 at 7:42 pm
I thought that Baker played with much more composure today. He looked more like himself. I didn’t even know who the QB was last Sunday.
December 21st, 2025 at 7:56 pm
Chuckys Bucs … don’t give me that.
Did anyone watch Seahawks Rams Thursday night? Seahawks down their RT (? Maybe LT) and have Anthony Bradford at guard.
Pick routes (without actually running into the guy), pre snap motion, play action bootlegs … we ran a play action bootleg and Baker went to the underneath for a loss of yards Baker been bad and no patience… but I digress, Darnold behind possibly a worse OL and with less WR talent did way more cause the scheme allowed him to. He threw 2 picks and they won. It’s what coaching in a must win game looks like. A coach on the losing side go lt fired the next day! Real coaching.
December 21st, 2025 at 7:58 pm
Baker seeing ghosts in the pocket.
Bowles coaching scared. No doubt he told Grizzard they were going run heavy.
December 21st, 2025 at 8:03 pm
Mmmm… Caymus 🍷
December 21st, 2025 at 8:08 pm
Injuries aside, 4 OCs in 5 years? That’s a lot of instability in a major position. Off-season will be focused on Defense and A Backup QB.
December 21st, 2025 at 8:10 pm
These coaches didn’t watch the Thursday game otherwise they would have learned something about a must win for the division.
A potent offense that is confident in slinging it can turn the ball over and still win the game. Bowles doesn’t understand this. Never has. Only way to win games is to be aggressive and be going for the win. From the 1st series to the last. Bowles still coaches scared and as if there is 6 quarters.
No urgency, no killer instinct.
No play action on 1st down is insane. All those runs on 1st down, insane. No deep shots to Evans. No read options for Baker. No creativity. I would be shocked if defenses didn’t know what was coming based on our personnel. It’s embarrassing.
December 21st, 2025 at 8:11 pm
“I was thinking they brought Baker Mayfield to Tampa Bay to “be Baker Mayfield”. Now he’s supposed to be operating a ground and pound oriented offense? How’s that working out for us?“
Lmao, that’s the thing, that’s EXACTLY who he’s been since arriving here.
December 21st, 2025 at 8:12 pm
Please draft a quarterback Baker Mayfield is a choke artist at this point of his career and we will never win a Superbowl with Baker Mayfield. We have a good young receiver cor and young runningbacks. Keep Baker at this point is useless
December 21st, 2025 at 8:14 pm
“A potent offense that is confident in slinging it can turn the ball over and still win the game.“
Nah dude, turnovers can drop your chances to win % almost in half just being -1 depending on the situation and scenario. Like that pick today, limited time to do anything on either side, was a killer. Also, look around, when’s the last time this offense was explosive 2 games in a row, let alone once.
Slinging it around, ha 😂
December 21st, 2025 at 8:16 pm
Blah, blah, blah…the entire coaching staff needs to be fired!
December 21st, 2025 at 8:22 pm
Head coach throttled the offense today
December 21st, 2025 at 8:31 pm
He’s not seeing the field, or the reads pre-snap. I’ve been saying it for weeks, if not months, now. He is who he is! Streaky and Inconsistent. He’s been that way for throughout his entire career. You just have to live with it and GO. You can’t be scared. It is what it is. And, that could be a big part of the problem… They have obsessed over not turning the ball over. Sometimes, you just gotta let it RIP and FLY, regardless. You gotta GO. This was another HORRIBLE game-plan, against another HORRIBLE team.
December 21st, 2025 at 8:36 pm
You. CAN’T. Coach. SCARED. Grizz only has about 2-games left, and he’s probably GONE. He needs to just go ahead, and coach them with the attitude of having nothing else to lose… Cause he really doesn’t at this point. He needs to put together 2 real good games on tape for HIS freakin future.
December 21st, 2025 at 8:42 pm
At halftime, Bowles said something like… “Well, we’re winning the time-of-possession, so it will eventually show on the scoreboard.”
December 21st, 2025 at 8:45 pm
He had 10-days, and he came up with THAT gameplan. Joe, you’re right… SOMEONE, must answer to THAT. I want to know WHO put that BS together, all week!?
December 21st, 2025 at 8:47 pm
It’s not Bakers fault. Bowles just has to go. Our OC too.
December 21st, 2025 at 10:10 pm
Gizzard is absolutely horrid. Bye bye.
December 21st, 2025 at 10:14 pm
Artie Smith. Hands down. No-brainer.