Calijah Kancey Said A Standard Had To Be Set
January 3rd, 2026
Difference maker.
As Joe pointed out, midget Stinking Panthers quarterback Bryce Young dropped back 35 times against the Bucs. He was touched once.
That one touch was a quarterback hit by Calijah Kancey.
If Saturday night is the final game for Bucs coach Todd Bowles, the fact his defense faced Young dropping back 35 times with no sacks and just one quarterback hit is just perfect for Bowles’ swan song.
Stinking Panthers running backs Rico Dowdle and Chubba Hubbard each had 10 yards rushing. That’s all the Stinking Panthers got on the ground from their running backs.
So the Bucs’ run defense was simply fantastic. The pass rush… nevermind.
So why did the run defense work so well? And why did Kancey, just off injured reserve, help the run defense so much? Why was Kancey the only man to make a blip on the radar in the pass rush?
Kancey said a level of play had to be established and insinuated the Bucs had not been playing to that standard in recent weeks.
“It is really about knowing what the standard is on defense and on the team,” Kancey said. “We had to find that and bring the juice to the game today — and we did it.”
Bowles thought Kancey’s return brought physicality back to the defense.
“Kancey is a big part of that,” Bowles said. “When he came back and practiced this week, everything picked up.
“With him coming back, from an energy standpoint, it really took practice to another level and it carried over into the game.”
The defense did look like it played with more energy and hustle. And for the first time in weeks, Joe noticed Winfield flying around and having fun.
Joe was suspicious that Kancey could return and make a difference. Joe’s happy to be wrong if it means a Bucs win.
January 3rd, 2026 at 9:36 pm
Fire Todd
January 3rd, 2026 at 9:39 pm
How about the standard of making that damn tackle so the RB doesn’t go off on a 23-yard run Calijah!!!
January 3rd, 2026 at 9:48 pm
NFL stat geeks love to talk about how bad he is against run. Anyone who actually watches the games knows Kancey is a good run defender.
January 3rd, 2026 at 9:49 pm
The Bucs having to rely on an outside element to come in and influence the team’s core is fundamentally problematic.
It should be the opposite. It says this team is rotting from the bones.
January 3rd, 2026 at 9:50 pm
14 points, 3 turnovers… that’s what I care about.
Good to have Kancey back – hopefully he plays a big role in the playoffs.
January 3rd, 2026 at 9:52 pm
I’m with Vegasbuc
January 3rd, 2026 at 9:58 pm
That was a helluva play for Kancey to even be near that RB on that run Zoo, that was all the outside contain that got blocked. It was a good play by the Panthers and a few Bucs had their shot but sometimes a team has a good play
January 3rd, 2026 at 9:59 pm
Right on Rod. We won. What’s wrong with enjoying a win?
January 3rd, 2026 at 10:00 pm
Can he set a new standard of playing at least 1/2 the season?
January 3rd, 2026 at 10:00 pm
The way Seattle plays defense is the way Defense should be played.
Fire Bowles
January 3rd, 2026 at 10:03 pm
What exactly was the standard. Zero sacks? Getting saved by penalties, a wet field and the rain? Letting that diminutive midget of a quarterback with a noodle arm rack up passing yards? Watching that game, I saw two unwatchable football teams. Two bad teams that deserve nothing more than to be as far away from the playoffs as possible. Someone please advise me of this standard that was set
January 3rd, 2026 at 10:09 pm
Did anyone askhim if they’ve ever considered having any pass rush standards?
January 3rd, 2026 at 10:11 pm
999999999999BSBS999999999999999
January 3rd, 2026 at 10:11 pm
Yeah , I thought Kancy would make a difference. He and Vea really make the interior stout. It showed tonight. I think his returning picked up the whole defense.
I also thought the Bucs would win because sweeping division opponents with this much parady is tough. Thus far nobody has swept any other team in this division this year. So while it appears that Atl should beat NO. Don’t be surprised if some how N O wins. That would mean all teams in this division split this year.
January 3rd, 2026 at 10:13 pm
The defense has been playing good football for weeks
Pay attention
January 3rd, 2026 at 10:24 pm
Holding a team to under 20 yards a game would win you 90 percent of the games, in the 80s and 90s; but this is not that league. Back then if you couldn’t run, well you weren’t getting passing yards either. Today you don’t really need to run the football to win, you need to throw the ball. This is the league Roger G has put before us. Stopping the run really doesn’t matter. It helps, but teams don’t need to be proficient at it. It’s about stopping the pass. How do you do that? I’m glad you asked. First, how about a pass rush and put the quarterback under pressure and put him on his backside occasionally and get your defense off the field; and second is cover the other teams receivers and not let them run wide open and not try to make your pass rusher cover a receiver and make a tackle in the open field down field. Defensive line just rush the passer maybe make a sack, secondary cover your guy and punt team on the bal please. Todd has tried to reinvent the wheel, or at least turn back the clocks to the first 40 years of football and worry about stopping the run. Damn, I really like Todd he seems like a fantastic person and pretty good coach. Unfortunately I think his ego stands in the way and he is still trying to prove everyone wrong. I have thought it for a few years he needs to be just the head coach and not the defensive coordinator. I know Joe says he would just be a figure head; but sometimes you need a figure head to keep the team together and others too coach. If this defense is SO complicated than it should be dumbed down, because you can’t be the head coach and try to push “CALCULUS” on the players on a part time bases you must put all your effort into that scheme. I am not sure if Glazers should keep Bowles and have him turn the defense over that it would work now, as the damage is done and I’m not sure the team has confidence in their head coach. Go BUCS I’m rooting for this team no matter what, I just don’t want to go back the den of depression and a decade of tanking for a high draft pick.
January 3rd, 2026 at 10:32 pm
I want Bowles fired as much as the next guy but I want Jason gone more so. His defensive drafts suck. Time to overhaul this team. Starting with the GM.
January 3rd, 2026 at 10:47 pm
TODD BOWLES COACH OF THE YEAR NOW BABY!
January 3rd, 2026 at 10:56 pm
@ Bucnbeers – Yep. It’s pointless to fire Todd and not Lickt. You gotta fire ‘em BOTH. Makes ZERO sense to retain JL. He’s not landing any ‘top-tier’ head coach. And, there’s no-way that ANYONE could’ve constructed this roster any worse, or failed as HARD in the draft and free-agency. No way! No ‘top-tier’ head coach is coming to play under him. HE extended TODD. They are joined at the hip. It’s ALL he’s got. He has to PAY.
January 3rd, 2026 at 10:59 pm
Yeah Calijah isn’t a real issue in rush D as many like to say and it’s because he is slippery. He keeps his eye on the assignment and can shed blocks, not much else to it.
Size and strength helps of course but you don’t have to be Vita Vea to be good vs the run.
January 3rd, 2026 at 11:04 pm
Hopefully the Glazers watched the Seattle game. That’s how a team with a defensive coach should play defense.
January 3rd, 2026 at 11:21 pm
Bonehead defensive call of the game:
Panthers have 2nd and goal in 4th quarter and both Vea and Kancey are on the sidelines and Young drops back and throws a clean pocket TD pass against a worthless blitz.
January 3rd, 2026 at 11:21 pm
Anyone crazy enough to fire Licht will cause this team to lose for 20 years. Licht hasn’t had a lot of high draft picks, but he’s sure gotten a lot of good players from the picks he had. It’s nearly impossible to get a top tier edge rusher past about the 5th to 8th pick. After that they are either a great athlete with little production or an underperforming athlete with really good production. And that’s just in the first round. Nothing assured after a few picks in.
January 3rd, 2026 at 11:29 pm
Give bowles credit I didn’t see Kancey 30 yards downhill trying to cover receivers. There’s one positive
January 3rd, 2026 at 11:46 pm
Bowles can’t set the standard is what Todd is saying. Dude is a BUM. These guys are proud they got an ugly win that probably won’t even matter. 7 weeks too late
January 4th, 2026 at 7:38 am
Jason Licht has had too many swings and misses on his defensive, drat picks. But firing him at his point could be risky. As others have stated, it could set the organization back a number of years. I am for firing Todd and retaining Jason. The Glazers should consider bringing in consultant(s) to advise on the HC search and draft pick selections.
January 4th, 2026 at 12:44 pm
Lakeland Says:
January 3rd, 2026 at 10:13 pm
The defense has been playing good football for weeks
________________________________________________________
In what world is giving up 15 points to Atlanta in less than 8 minutes good? Or letting Dolphins rookie QB throw 80 yard TD passes?
Maybe you should, “Pay attention” a little more.
January 4th, 2026 at 1:41 pm
Still the clowns want the GM fired 😂😂😂😂😂😂 🤡 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡 yall take clown show to a new level 😂😂