FIve Things
December 22nd, 2025
Fateful slogan?
This is a depressing column and Joe fears a more depressing one is on the way within the next two weeks.
Josh Grizzard Channeled Byron Leftwich
Maybe — well, there is no “maybe” about it — the dumbest gameplan Joe ever saw came in 2022, Todd Bowles’ first year as Bucs head coach. He inherited Byron Leftwich as offensive coordinator. And boy, was that arrogant, condescending liar offensive. And so was his offense.
The Bucs were playing the Steelers in Pittsburgh and it didn’t take too long to figure out what was wrong: Leftwich no longer had Bucco Bruce Arians looking over his shoulder.
The Steelers, the week before playing the Bucs, had their secondary nearly wiped out with injuries. The Steelers were pulling guys off the street to play in the secondary.
This was perfect: Let the Steelers try to stop Mike Evans. Joe laughed, Evans against camp meat to fill the Steelers’ roster is an M&Mer, bay-BEE!.
So what did Leftwich do? Facing one of the best run defenses in the league but with a horrible pass defense, Leftwich tried to run against the mighty Steelers defense — 25 times with poor results before opening the offense up to catch up in the fourth quarter.
A victory for the Bucs was just tossed out the window.
Yesterday was right up there.
From Bucs front office types down to the towel boys, everyone at One Buc Palace was waiting all year for the Bucs to get healthy at receiver. “Wait till we get healthy, we’ll show teams how to score!”
Last week, even Grizzard said what the Bucs did two Thursdays ago against Atlanta was a taste of what he envisioned the offense to look like.
With 10 days to prepare and his receivers now healthy and deep, Joe thought sure Baker Mayfield would sling the ball.
Nope, Grizzard chose to keep the ball mostly on the ground and often short of the sticks. His gameplan largely was to forget about the Bucs’ excellent receivers and run the ball behind two inferior backup guards. Brilliant!
Nothing like paying a pair of receivers, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, tens of millions of dollars to be decoys rather than getting them the ball.
That was an absolutely irresponsible gameplan. Almost as bad as Leftwich.
Worse Than Dink-And-Dunk
So let’s get this straight: The Bucs have a quarterback who just a month ago was in serious discussion for becoming league MVP, and had a Hall of Fame receiver, a Pro Bowl receiver, a guy who until yesterday was in the running for Offensive Rookie of the Year and a promising second-year receiver, and Grizzard decided to go ground-and-pound? Really?
Joe is not a hypocrite. Joe wrote before the game that Bucky Irving had a chance to destroy the Stinking Panthers so feed him the ball — but Joe never dreamed Grizzard would go overboard on that.
The Bucs had a total of 41 yards passing at halftime and 60 yards passing after three quarters. Yes, 60! Good grief, Joe is pretty sure Barry Switzer’s wishbone offenses at Oklahoma had more passing yards. Disgraceful!
Then check out the throws. The Bucs had just one completed pass longer than 13 yards. That was the 40-yard bomb to Emeka Egbuka late.
Talk about fully wasting what may be the best wide receiver room in the league now that its healthy. What is it with Grizzard being too scared to throw past the sticks?
There is simply no way you can tell Joe that all four Bucs receivers were all covered every play.
Joe is just about convinced either Mayfield is so hurt that he cannot play close to 100 percent, or the Bucs have lost faith in him.
As for Grizzard, he sure loves east-to-west football. Remember all the chatter coming from him before training camp opened that he wanted to open up Liam Coen’s offense with more deep shots?
Yeah.
Bowles Defense Again Helps Quarterback In Need
So yesterday, midget runaround quarterback Bryce Young, who at best has very much had an up and down career, got good against a Bowles’ defense. Same ol’ song, week after week after week.
Young, per NFL.com and NextGen Stats, when he did throw against Bowles’ zones, completed some 81 percent of his passes. Can you imagine?
Young’s two touchdown passes were both against man coverage. In short, Bowles had no answer for the guy.
Bryce Young, everybody.
Tolerating Dumb Mistakes
Todd Bowles has lamented in recent weeks how some players guys don’t give enough of a shiite about the game and until they do, things won’t get much better.
Well, Joe thinks there is evidence Bowles tolerates stupid plays.
Take yesterday and that horrendously stupid penalty by backup linebacker John Bullock when he head-butted a Carolina player as the Bucs were receiving the kickoff for their final drive.
Some head coaches that would have cut the culprit last night after the game for such a stupid stunt. You could argue that move may cost the Bucs the playoffs. The Bucs would have been in field goal range without that penalty.
Bullock is a backup who cannot beat out SirVocea Dennis; let’s not think this guy is the next Lawrence Taylor. That tells Joe that Bowles tolerates stupid play that costs a team a possible chance of a playoff berth.
Over the weekend, the Rams fired their special teams coach Chase Blackburn, less than a week from Christmas.
We know the Bucs, aside from Chase McLaughlin, have had horrible special teams this year yet Bucs’ special teams coach Thomas McGaughey is still working.
Apparently, not until Bowles demands better from his coaches and players — or else — will these guys have incentive to bust their tail. If they knew they’d be losing cash or their jobs by loafing and having their head up their tailpipe, maybe that would shake things up?
Doing nothing reinforces that tolerance and acceptance are more virtuous than winning.
Leaders, Pppfffttt…
Yesterday Bucs coach Todd Bowles declared the Bucs have great leaders and they will make sure the Bucs make the playoffs by winning the next two games.
You sure about that?
This leaders crap is banal sports radio filler. Only folks who believe this pap are the folks who cannot break down X’s and O’s.
So what are the Bucs’ main problems? Apparently, enough players don’t give a shiite about the game and are half-arsing it way too often.
But leaders will lead the Bucs to the playoffs.
Sure.
If, as Bowles claims, the Bucs have “great” leaders, Joe wouldn’t be typing right now how the Bucs have turned into choking dogs the past two months and how there could be a coaching change in two weeks. These phantom leaders would have nipped the half-arse practice habits and half-arsed play in the bud the moment they caught a teammate dogging it.
But those phantom leaders did nothing or led poorly. Apathy in the locker room festered and grew and got worse despite several tongue-lashings from Baker Mayfield, Lavonte David and (at least) twice from Bowles.
If the Bucs had real leaders, they’d already have the division wrapped up and wouldn’t be shooting their mouths off about mirror, mirror on the wall and other fractured fairy tales.
December 22nd, 2025 at 4:07 am
Clean house. Bowles and his complete coaching staff needs to be fired.
David should retire, keep the rest of the team together for one more year. Make Winfield, Goedeke, Vea earn their moneys worth, if not, trade them. Keep all young players <26 and build around them. Gather draftpicks, make Licht turn them into solid choices.
Let Mayfield play one his last year and make him earn an extension.
For HC, give me Kubiak, the OC of the Seahawks. Could be the next Coen.
December 22nd, 2025 at 4:09 am
The Bucs are like Angel Soft tissue just like their coaches and teams are wiping their butts with them all
December 22nd, 2025 at 4:17 am
Think about this
Baker, former first half MVP, had 145 yards, 1 TD, 1Int and 2 sacks.
Sheduer Sanders, browns 4th starting QB this season, had 157 yards, 1 TD, 2 Int and 2 sacks.
……
December 22nd, 2025 at 4:34 am
Bowles took the air out of the ball, not Grizz. This game plan was all his. If you asked Todd he’d tell you he wished he wouldn’t have let Baker throw that last pass, and kicked the FG to tie. We all know what would’ve happened had we’d tied them. They’d just beat us in O.T.. Todd needs to go, Licht right with him.
December 22nd, 2025 at 4:39 am
I saw a clip on X of Bowles (I try to avoid his pressers at all costs) where he mumbled something about running the ball 30 times and time of possession…I don’t think Bowles understands that scoring more points than the opposition is the goal.
December 22nd, 2025 at 4:56 am
Joe, where’s the Baker poll buddy? Don’t be scared that fans won’t like the “greatest free agent signing in Bucs history”. Lol…your words not mine.
Of course the coaches don’t trust Baker. Did you watch that final drive? That would’ve been the whole game if they tried to air it out. Baker is inaccurate and can’t push the ball. That’s why I knew injuries wasn’t the biggest problem on offense, it’s Bakers decision making.
Baker isn’t injured, hes just good. And he’ll be worse next year, he’ll be older and more expensive. Smart fans knew Bowles wasn’t the answer after that debacle in the Rams playoffs game. Time to move on from both of them.
December 22nd, 2025 at 4:58 am
Wow, Joe you are on fire and are 100% correct on every single thing.
Such a heartbreaking game, again. Still hoping for a miracle.
December 22nd, 2025 at 5:08 am
Good top 5 Joes, especially the Leftwich analogy and how Bowles tolerates multiple mistakes (ie, no accountability)!
Tim, along with the coaching staff, I think a lot of the medical and physical training staff needs to be looked at. Too many injuries this year and every year it is a problem for Tampa. Perhaps it is Camp Cupcake but then we also had the situation with Wirfs, until it would impact the Bucs OL to start the season? Also, Licht is not immune to scrutiny.
December 22nd, 2025 at 5:39 am
Taylen Green Arkansas Qb make it happen Licht 🙏🏽
December 22nd, 2025 at 6:07 am
The bucs ran on every first down in the first half except, ironically, the first and goal from the one. That is the game plan of LOSERS!
December 22nd, 2025 at 6:09 am
I’m over this crap show for the year. We just lost to all 3 division opponents in two weeks! Merry X-mas everyone.
December 22nd, 2025 at 6:31 am
This team is 1 – 6 in their last 7 games played……….that is just unacceptable.
This is just a bad team period!
December 22nd, 2025 at 6:34 am
This team is truly at the bottom of barrel.
Nothing in these last 7 games played gives any Bucs fans hope anymore……..they just awful to watch.
December 22nd, 2025 at 6:35 am
Laughingstock
December 22nd, 2025 at 6:46 am
It was REAL bad, but Todd Bowles says “You just wait til after Christmas and our Leaders will guide us to the promised land”-REALLY????????????????
Sounds like another leader that tells me prices are way down and gas is 1.99?
December 22nd, 2025 at 6:54 am
GM. HC. & Baker. Have to be let go……, new HC. will bring in his own OC, & DC, and ST coordinator, it’s no only way to get back to Respectability! Go Bucs!!
December 22nd, 2025 at 6:55 am
I absolutely despise the 2025 Buccaneers. Losers. Quitters. At least this entire coaching staff will be gone. I can’t imagine in any universe that this awful so called HC/DC retains his job. Then we have the players. Soft. Uninterested. Lazy.
I hate the 2025 Buccaneers.
December 22nd, 2025 at 6:59 am
The trend I see is the Bucs offense looks pretty good on the first drive or two, but then the opposing defense figures us out and we make zero adjustments and keep running the same stuff over and over again. Grizzard might be a good game *planner*, but he’s a terrible game *caller*.
December 22nd, 2025 at 7:05 am
At this point, if the Bucs stumble into the playoffs, so what?
December 22nd, 2025 at 7:13 am
I see some comments about how Bowles should be fired right now, instead of 2 weeks from now. Really? And elevate who? Grizzard?! Ha.
December 22nd, 2025 at 7:30 am
There was talk of the Bucs running the ball 30 times before the game even began. This had to come from Bowles to try and slow the game down for his defense. There isn’t an NFL offensive Coordinator that goes into a game wanting to run the ball 30 or 40 times. We don’t have the horses on the Offensive line to even consider dominating the run game. Four of the best WRs in the NFL and this is what they came up with?
December 22nd, 2025 at 7:30 am
ONE THING!
December 22nd, 2025 at 7:33 am
Honestly this season is the most disappointing season I’ve ever had as a fan. And I’ve been watching this team for over 30 years.
How are you going to tease us with 6-2 and then orchestrate the biggest mid season choke in the history of the team?
This coach deserves to be fired. No accountability, no holding players or coaches feet to the fire, no passion until his job is on the line. GOOD BYE!
December 22nd, 2025 at 7:36 am
Bowles was asked at halftime time about the emphasis on running….he responded that they are controlling the clock and the payoff would come as the game continued. That tells me he was influencing the offense to burn clock, keep his defense off the field and once again play to not lose vs play to win. What’s perplexing is we took that approach until the last two minutes of the half then suddenly shift to passing and end up leaving Carolina over a minute to eventually score a TD.
December 22nd, 2025 at 7:52 am
Everything starts with Bowles. Nothing can happen until he is gone.
Fired, retired or whatever. There is no evaluation of anyone until Bowles is gone. I read that Baker sucks. Yet just last year he played great. What happened? Todd Bowles happened. Bowles has no where to hide anymore. He has no OC to hide behind. Jason Licht? People want Licht gone. Todd Bowles can’t develop players. Until Bowles is gone nothing else can be done. Bowles is the cancer until that cancer is removed there is no recovery. It. concerns me when Joe suggests the Glazers may not be onboard with Bowles being gone. That worries me. Also remember we are only one year removed from listening to Ira Kaufman advocate for a Todd Bowles contact extension. Kaufman has the ear of the Glazers. When you are dealing with that level of stupidity and influence it worries me what could happen next.
December 22nd, 2025 at 7:55 am
I think Bilichek’s time has passed, but one thing he always used to talk about is taking what the opponent’s defense gives you. The raw talent we have at WR is almost indisputably the best in football, and Carolina’s pass defense is ranked between the lower third to middling at best. Hello?!! Grizzard wobbles between predictable and nonsensical, seemingly freelancing (without experience) after the first drive. The only disagreement I have with Joe’s take here is that Grizzard is nearly as bad as Leftwich. I know he’s not a total d!ck like Leftwich was, but still, that’s a very charitable assessment for Grizzard.
December 22nd, 2025 at 8:13 am
Bowles as the head coach would approve both the game plan and any half time adjustments, this run heavy approach has his fingerprints all over it, time for a change in leadership
December 22nd, 2025 at 8:23 am
Yup, yesterday was Bowles game plan, not our coordinator. Bowles told the booth he wanted to run it 30 times. He’s so afraid of his own D that he wants to keep them off the field
December 22nd, 2025 at 8:40 am
Need a dog for DC. I loved Brian Flores in NE and that dolphins team was starting to make the turn when he was in charge. Just throw him in at DC, Kubiak as HC. I think that will at least help the leaky defense and not up to standard offensive playcalling/play in general
December 22nd, 2025 at 8:41 am
Coach Todd must be out of curse words.
December 22nd, 2025 at 8:45 am
The Bucs may have good leaders but Todd Bowles is not one of them!!!
December 22nd, 2025 at 8:46 am
Crime does pay. lying Coen left and he got rewarded for it. Many on this board were saying sack Bowles and elevate Coen. That is looking good right about now. The defemse sucks bjt Coen is not here to bail them out. We need a young offensive minded coach like the Rams and Seahawks have. Old man ex Seahawk coach is making a mockery of the raiders just like Bowles is here.
December 22nd, 2025 at 8:48 am
Todd Says:
Sounds like another leader that tells me prices are way down and gas is 1.99?
Posting politics on a sports blog ain’t cool, Todd.
December 22nd, 2025 at 8:54 am
Joe Says: Nope, Grizzard chose to keep the ball mostly on the ground and often short of the sticks.
————————————————————————————-
While I agree that the gameplan was extremely dumb, I doubt it was Grizzard’s choice; I bet he felt significant pressure to execute that game plan.
While Grizzard IS the playcaller, and ultimately responsible for the results on the field, other coaches are involved with creating the gameplan besides the OC.
My guess is that the emphasis on the run was to dominate the time of possession to keep their own defense off the field. The coaching staff realized that their defense wouldn’t be stopping the Panthers, so they attempted to minimize the time their defense would be on the field.
Grizzard is still learning as a rookie OC, but he was chosen for that position because of a high football IQ he possesses. No way would he choose that gameplan on his own.
December 22nd, 2025 at 9:13 am
“…because of a high football IQ he possesses.”
Having a hard time seeing the “high football IQ.” His pedigree from a marquee university translates to jack f’ing spit, so try not to get swept up in that. I’ve personally seen it time and again in my own line of work, with some of my peers going gaga over diplomas from supposedly esteemed institutions. And these kids actually know next to nothing, where we still have to train them for months and years like anyone else. Anyway, a high football IQ would seemingly know when to say when if confronted by competing pressure from others, and have backup game plans ready to go if the first one isn’t working, or even just being able to see the f’ing obvious right in front of your nose when you have the best group of WR’s in football against an opponent’s garbage secondary.
December 22nd, 2025 at 9:21 am
Bowles has to be fired- the more I think about it-
Grizz had his shot and blew it- he has to go-cant let Bowles fire the OC and survive
Baker gets a 1 year extension and we get serious about drafting a QB
December 22nd, 2025 at 9:26 am
Correct BucsFanSince1996 Says:
“My guess is that the emphasis on the run was to dominate the time of possession to keep their own defense off the field. The coaching staff realized that their defense wouldn’t be stopping the Panthers, so they attempted to minimize the time their defense would be on the field.”
Just like kicking the ball into the end zone everytime to prevent any long returns. Same principal, hide another bad area of the team instead of correcting the problem.
December 22nd, 2025 at 9:40 am
When your leaders don’t say anything the message is loud and clear!
INSPIRED CHANGE for 2026!!!!!!!!!
December 22nd, 2025 at 9:43 am
Lmao… accountability, we can’t bench anyone on this team because they are not good enough… so then you’ll hate Bowles for benching the more talented player which leads to a worse result… you can’t make it up.
EX. Morrison was a healthy scratch against the Falcons… there’s accountability! That same game, moron Zyon gets injured after doing just enough damage to help us lose, then Vildor, a replacement for Morrison leads to the Falcons converting on a 4th and 14. Bowles fault. I’m ready for a change, but this team got its coaches fired.
December 22nd, 2025 at 9:49 am
I totally agree with @Joe with the Gizzard to Leftwich comparison… it was coaching malpractice but is there a possibility of Bowles having some game plan design in saying the D is so bad we have to win 1970’s style by running 80% of the time because we can’t stop a college offense on the defensive side of the ball?