CBS: Experience Will Prevail For Bucs
January 2nd, 2026
“Pete, I really hope you’re right!”
Being veterans of playoff wars will pay off for the Bucs tomorrow.
That’s the word from prickly Pete Prisco of CBS. Prisco was one of the very few — maybe only — national NFL scribe who was high on the Bucs’ chances to do damage this year and play for the NFC title.
The Bucs did damage all right — damage to their reputations, damage to the Tampa community and damage to Team Glazer’s revenue streams at The Licht House.
Well done, gentlemen!
Still, despite playing hot potato with the division lead, Prisco thinks the Bucs come out on top tomorrow in their riveting, highly anticipated showdown with the Stinking Panthers.
And why is that? Prisco believes all the Bucs’ experience in postseason pressure cookers will pay off on Saturday.
This might be for the division title — it is if Carolina wins — even if both teams are limping into this game. The Bucs have dragged in the second half of the season, but they are at home and have guys who have played in a lot of big games. Look for the offense to get it going here as Baker Mayfield gets the better of Bryce Young.
Joe can’t go there and it pains Joe to type that. No matter what may be on the line, Joe simply has zero faith in the Bucs’ defense to make a play late in the game to secure a win.
Time after time, week after week, the Bucs defense has bent over late in games for weak opponents. Why should Joe trust that all of a sudden, the defense will give a collective s(p)it and rise up and stop the Stinking Panthers in the fourth quarter?
The Bucs’ defense has earned its sorry 2025 reputation that now bleeds into 2026.
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:05 pm
I don’t have faith the defense or the offense can make a play late in the game.
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:10 pm
They lost my faith. Too little, too late. Even if they miraculously get in. Same ending (losing in the 1st round). Gotta do better or same ending, different season. Nothing to be proud of.
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:12 pm
I’m not rooting against the Bucs but they ain’t winning tomorrow.
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:13 pm
This is really kinda sad because, if our Bucs win, they limp into the playoffs as the only team there with a losing record. It just seems as though no team with a losing record deserves any playoffs. And secondly, If we win tomorrow, Todd Bowles probably keeps his job. And that means another season of Mediocrity next yr.
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:14 pm
We’ve been hearing this for weeks. First it was a schedule that would get a bit easier in the 2nd half of the year AND we were getting healthy on offense. Then it was there’s no way we don’t beat the Saints, Falcons, Panthers, Dolphins, etc….particularly two being at home.
This team doesn’t do anything consistently well and it Q4 of the season. I have zero faith the Bucs can suddenly pull it together….why would anyone logical think the trend suddenly changes course. Maybe from a statistical standpoint you could argue the more one loses the more likely an eventual win comes to fruition but for one game, I don’t see us doing anything different. The players have thrown in the towel on Bowles, there’s no accountability on special teams and the offense has terrible line play that can’t be masked. Basically whatever team screws up the least finds themselves on top but I don’t see either team winning convincingly.
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:15 pm
The Bucs winning and the Saints letting us down,……….sounds about right!
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:16 pm
Once again having to rely on what another team does in order to back into the playoffs. There’s no circumstance where I’m pulling for the Saints, either.
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:22 pm
We will just see about that
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:23 pm
There is no heart on this particular team… no way they win…Atlanta beats up NO anyways
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:24 pm
DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE BUCS’ SUPERPOWER
The Bucs super power has been creatively finding ways to lose. A muffed kickoff, ST headbutt penalty on a touchback, a timely hold, forgetting to cover guys on 3-28 and 4-14 …
Of course our new Brand Identity: 4th Quarter INTs on game winning drives.
All Carolina has to do is play clean football and the Bucs will find a way to lose.
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:27 pm
Bucs are veterans of one and done!
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:28 pm
Well, the way the offense is playing the defense basically has to shut a team out
We know that’s not going to happen
Between the “Low Scoring” offense turning the ball over multiple times a game
And a Special Team unit giving up long kickoff/punt returns
The defense has really played well during the past four games
Games which were lost by a total of 11 POINTS
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:29 pm
No NFL for me. Thanks NFL, no wonder fans are on the rum. Too hard and too expensive to watch for fun. Only betting.
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:29 pm
Bucs becoming one of those teams that prove the NFL needs to change playoff format… Losing teams host winning teams makes no sense … And winning a putrid division is no reward…
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:30 pm
To the ones saying Bowles won’t be fired due to his contract: if I remember correctly, Gruden had several years left on his contract when he was fired. And what he was fired for was very small compared to what we’re going through now.
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:30 pm
Atlanta has it all going their way. I predict Falcons.
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:38 pm
I was born in Clearwater in 1983.
My parents met at Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
We will win and so will the Saints!
Go Bucs!
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:40 pm
In one half we will hold them to 0-3 points, but in the other they will give up 21+ and that is the Todd Bowles era in a nutshell
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:43 pm
The NFL is won in the trenches.
Our offensive line sucks.
Our defensive line sucks
Of course we suck!
And our special teams is easily one of the worst in the NFL.
Bowles is too loyal.
He can’t fire the special teams coordinator because they are “friends.”
In buddhism, we call it “stupid compassion”
Bowles has hurt himself by being TOO loyal.
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:43 pm
Yeah, I just don’t see it happening. Would be cool, but I honestly believe we squandered away our playoff chances weeks ago. We probably won’t beat Carolina, and New Orleans is definitely not beating Atlanta. I don’t even think ESPN knows what’s going on. They posted an article that said we needed Atlanta to win, but then I realized it had to be a misprint, and that ESPN has a bunch of morons working there. Seems like the misprint just goes right along with how the season has went. Got real excited for a second, then suddenly realized, oh yeah. The season really is over. GO BUCS!!!………NEXT SEASON!!!
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:44 pm
TWO RANGZ
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:54 pm
Did that experience help against the last three losses? Even if we win Todd Bowles teams don’t have that extra playoff mentality gear needed to go to the next level.
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:55 pm
Teacherman he’s loyal for one reason and one reason only
January 2nd, 2026 at 12:57 pm
Experience in what exactly?
We’re going to see more of the same tomorrow.
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:00 pm
even if they win it is unlikely they make the playoffs due to their ineptitude, so who cares at this point.
for everyone involved it is actually better if they lose, then there is no ambiguity that massive change is required.
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:00 pm
No it won’t, making more plays that matter than the Panthers will. Quite frankly, I’d be a little pissed off is this is the game the put together a complete-ish game and we still miss the playoffs.
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:01 pm
Bucs are done!
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:01 pm
Falcons will beat Saints so does NOT matter.
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:05 pm
They have experience in winning one playoff game during the past 4 years
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:08 pm
Any long term Buc fan knows all about Buc experience and what is going to prevail.
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:13 pm
Time for regime change.
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:15 pm
7-10 FIRE Todd Blows!!!
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:18 pm
Falcons main motivation will be the o put an end to the Bucs repeat division crown and that will be enough: Saints 17 – Falcons 31
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:19 pm
ATL will prob win anyway. CLEAN HOUSE
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:19 pm
Bucs would be hard pressed to win the Puppy Bowl.
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:20 pm
I think we should just keep doing the same thing despite the results.
The issue is not Bowles or his scheme. He needs better players.
If he had hall of fame players at every level of the defense, we’d be impossible to beat.
He’s a defensive guru just ask all the talking heads.
We are gifted with a nationally televised game on Saturday to put his genius on full display.
I’m sure we’ll be quite thrilled with the outcome. Sign Bowles to another extension please!
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:22 pm
I know that nobody is going to believe me but I have inside intell that the Bucs are talking to Jon Gruden. I hope it’s true!
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:25 pm
The Glazers has to see something in Todd Bowles
He’s been the Defensive Coordinator for 7 seasons
Benn the HC for 4 seasons
And they gave him an extension twice
Once as DC, once as HC
The fans may not like him
But it’s obvious, the Glazers don’t care what the fans think
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:27 pm
CBS covering the Buc’s like they cover politics: TERRIBLY!
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:29 pm
BAHA HA HA HA HA HA
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:36 pm
Go, Bucs! Hoping that Baker, in particular, gets some redemption tomorrow.
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:38 pm
Special teams will RISE up for the occasion. They’ve been soooo close all year!
Kickoff return for TD. Punt return for TD. Forced fumbles from our outstanding gunners. Like Bowles D, they’re ready to execute to perfection!
Zzzzzzzzzz…….
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:42 pm
🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:43 pm
Bucs will ham and egg their way to another three point loss.
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:44 pm
A 7-9 team don’t deserve to be in the playoffs
It’s ridiculous
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:47 pm
If they win their last game against Carolina
And they both are 8-9
It shouldn’t matter what the Falcons/Saints do
An 8-9 team don’t belongs in the playoffs
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:57 pm
NEVER Say NEVER!!!!!!
January 2nd, 2026 at 1:59 pm
Experience hasn’t helped so far, the Bucs keep losing to rookie QBs
January 2nd, 2026 at 2:01 pm
Saints ain’t beating atl
January 2nd, 2026 at 2:12 pm
[Joe should be happy with the current state of the Bucs? Do tell. — Joe]
January 2nd, 2026 at 2:28 pm
Mock draft time!
January 2nd, 2026 at 2:35 pm
BUCS & FALCONS WIN!!!!
which means bucs are losers!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
January 2nd, 2026 at 2:46 pm
We lost against the dolphins
January 2nd, 2026 at 2:46 pm
Good for CBS. Hope Prisco is right. Go Bucs!
January 2nd, 2026 at 2:51 pm
There’s a very real chance they get blanked 17-0 or something like that
January 2nd, 2026 at 2:55 pm
The Bucs are their own worst enemy
Hence they will win tomorrow and cost a better 2026 draft position!
They ain’t going anywhere in the playoffs!
This is and has been a BAD team All year!
January 2nd, 2026 at 3:00 pm
Joe, it seems to me that none of the above commenters fully read and comprehended your words. You put out some very strong and truthful words. You cannot be accused of being soft. Thank you for saying what needs to be said. I want to see the owners standing at the podium and answering the hard questions. They have an obligation (in my mind) to do that. If they think the documentary, which I did not watch and don’t plan to watch, absolves them of the responsibility to answer to the community they serve they are wrong.
January 2nd, 2026 at 3:08 pm
Wow talk about a fundamental lack of understanding about the way things work. Owners very rarely stand in front of podiums and explain themselves, that’s what they have a GM for. Ultimately the gym is responsible for the operation of the team. That’s why Licht has to go.
While we would like to think that they serve the community, the bottom line is it’s a business, they’re here to make money, they sell a product.
But thanks Joe for “beautiful words“ lol