Dolphins May Make Bucs Defense Look Good
December 26th, 2025
Every little bit helps.
Sunday’s game just might be exactly what the doctor ordered for Bucs coach/defensive coordinator Todd Bowles.
Even when Tua was the Dolphins’ quarterback and even before the Dolphins decided to tank the season and possibly try to trade up in the draft for Fernando Mendoza, the Dolphins have been poor at converting third downs, according to Rich Hribar of Sharp Football Analysis.
Miami has converted a league-worst 25.7% (18 of 70) of third downs since Week 9.
The Bucs defense can use all the help it can get.
While the defense, specifically the pass defense, has been downright sad (again), the Bucs aren’t horrible on third-down defense and rank No. 23 in preventing conversions.
No, that’s not good but it could be a whole lot worse.
December 26th, 2025 at 7:09 am
Cross our fingers we can beat a tanking team. They starting that 3rd string rookie QB? Cause we can use all the help we can get. We’re the mighty, mighty Buccaneers!
December 26th, 2025 at 7:16 am
Bucs win the last two games! How do I know? That’s just how they work.
December 26th, 2025 at 7:25 am
Not fooling anyone!
We have seen what this squad and coaching staff has to offer!
Fool’s gold!
Do you think they are capable of winning out including the Super Bowl?
We are not seeing progress and that equates to FAILURE!
🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮
December 26th, 2025 at 7:29 am
@BucnJim
Yeah watch they probably will end up winning the last two & then probably losing their first game & then we’ll probably get stuck with the same things all over again.
December 26th, 2025 at 7:31 am
@BucnJim
This is on all of them though not just Bowles. This is on him the Glazers & Licht & I’d even question Arians as to why he thought Bowles should be the one.
December 26th, 2025 at 7:36 am
Blah blah blah the only thing a vast majority want is for Bowles to be replaced, beating a 7th round rookie in his 2nd start on a tanking team isn’t that impressive, losing probably won’t even get us eliminated, but Joes got to write about something
December 26th, 2025 at 7:49 am
Tony,
Yes that’s exactly my point! They’ll get you excited thinking they’ve turned the corner then the Rams come to town and beat us 40-17. I still cheer for a win, but like someone posted…..Fools Gold!
December 26th, 2025 at 7:54 am
Classic Bucs – have no business being in the playoffs, and have been given a lifeline by playing a team that is somehow in shambles even greater than Tampa (by just a little.) And while being in a no win scenario is cause for sympathy. I have zero for Tampa because of you win then co feats – you beat Quinn f’ing Ewers with no Tyreek and defensive players traded. Am I supposed to say co feats for possibly BACKDOORING your way to the playoffs? Again. But if they lose then it would also be “classic Bucs” because you made Quinn Ewers look good. This may be a moment in time where the Bucs are the first scenario that have covered all their bases where they are completely unlikeable no matter the scenario. Great job Tampa!
December 26th, 2025 at 8:00 am
I am viewing this as a post season game
December 26th, 2025 at 8:02 am
Don’t sell their qb short. Ewers is a pretty good qb. He left Texas because of Manning.
December 26th, 2025 at 8:03 am
Don’t sell their qb short. Ewers is a pretty good qb. He left Texas because of Manning. Go Bucs.
December 26th, 2025 at 8:09 am
The Dolphins game doesn’t matter. (Unless the Bucs lose and the Panthers defeat the Seahawks which isn’t happening) The final regular season game against the Panthers is the game that matters. Lose and they go home, win and they are in.
December 26th, 2025 at 8:10 am
Don’t count on it.
December 26th, 2025 at 8:11 am
Opti
Matters for what?
This season needs to end with dignity and just close the book !
Unmitigated FAILURE!
December 26th, 2025 at 8:15 am
The mighty Lions were eliminated from the playoffs last night. How did this happen when they were a lock for a playoff spot not that long ago?
The answer is they have offensive linemen and defensive backs on IR or chronically injured. Goff looked bad last night but his pocket was collapsing on him.
Sound familiar? It should. This is the same issue the Bucs are dealing with. Other teams have injuries but their backups are far better than the Buccaneers second and third string players.
December 26th, 2025 at 8:23 am
The thought that Bowles will probably return next season is more depressing than anything that’s happened this year.
December 26th, 2025 at 8:24 am
7-10 is coming!!!!
Stay neutral. Don’t destroy your liver with hate or alcohol.
The victory is a complete overhaul and is coming too.
We will get a late Christmas gift.
December 26th, 2025 at 8:30 am
Remember the first 3 games with last possession, last second wins?
We must factor those performances into the equation now that we have seen how they have played.
Fool’s Gold!
This is and has been a bad football team all year!
December 26th, 2025 at 8:36 am
I’ve been pondering is there ANY defensive scheme that could make use of our personnel?
December 26th, 2025 at 8:40 am
I wouldn’t count on it. 🙁
December 26th, 2025 at 8:43 am
What does “co feats” mean?
December 26th, 2025 at 8:45 am
And the Cow may jump over the Moon.
December 26th, 2025 at 9:05 am
Zero percent chance the defense does anything positive
December 26th, 2025 at 9:07 am
Not if the Dolphins run screens, slants and running plays off tackle. Bowles scheme is fundamentally flawed and literally any team in the NFL can and has exploited them over and over again. Bring Clueless Todd back next year and the same shat will happen again.
December 26th, 2025 at 9:22 am
Yeah, right!! lol My money is on the Dolphins looking like a playoff team, going against this lifeless looking team!
December 26th, 2025 at 9:29 am
Why blow smoke up our skirts Joe? Grasping at straws of optimism doesn’t change the facts. 3rd and 28………
December 26th, 2025 at 9:45 am
And that’s what’s what happens with all of Tampa, the media, the fans, Licht and the glazers. Bucs play a team without these type of stats or teams known for giving up the most sacks in the league and people go crazy when Bucs got a bunch of sacks just for one week. Things like this have people riding this emotional roller coaster so glazers will probably see Bucs defense shut down Miami and be like oh everything is ok now this defense of fixed. Todd Bowles is Mr. October and his scheme has been figured out. The team probably struggles because he’s scrambling trying to put in new things because he’s running this old throwback defense from the 80’s
December 26th, 2025 at 9:51 am
Bucsfan2023
“Other teams have injuries but their backups are far better than the Buccaneers second and third string players.”
– – – – – – – –
The Lions scored 10 points last night. How are their backups any better than the Bucs? I think\nOur backup should have done a very commendable job. Do you expect to have a Wirfs on the bench, ready to come in and play for someone, or maybe a Godeke?
There is a lot of blame to go around, starting with the horrendous defense and the poor coaching, and some of it is on Baker as well. But the backups , I think done a very good job. Just my opinion
December 26th, 2025 at 10:15 am
Welp, there it is..
The Joebucsfan kiss of death…
December 26th, 2025 at 10:31 am
Backup guards are awful.
December 26th, 2025 at 10:42 am
Fins rookie QB will probably have a coming out party at the Bucs’ D expense because Bowles’ game plan is so predictable; blitz a lot and leave your guys in the backfield exposed when the blitzers fail to get to the QB and the Miami O gets explosive plays as a result. It is a simple formula, every team has been using it as Bowles’ refuses to (or does not know how to) adapt…..
December 26th, 2025 at 11:06 am
Dolphins cannot make Bucs defense look good because it just isn’t. How many Bucs defenders could start for the Rams or Eagles? Maybe one, Vita Vea. Otherwise, most of these guys are duds including Winfield Jr. who led league in trailing explosive opponent TD’s.