A Complete Collapse
February 16th, 2026
Talkin’ Bucs.
It’s one thing for Joe to bang on a keyboard about the Bucs’ problems in 2025. It’s also another thing for Joe to hop on a podcast and holler.
But what about a guy who has many decades working in the NFL?
Former Bucs scout, Jets linebackers coach and player personnel director Pat Kirwan summarized what he thought happened with the Bucs last season.
In short, it was a complete collapse from all corners, Kirwan noted on “Movin’ the Chains” last week, heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio. No, it wasn’t just one thing, but Kirwan seemed a bit troubled that Bucs coach Todd Bowles had so many problems with his defense.
“On offense, they [ranked] 21st, which is below mediocre,” Kirwan began. “Their defense finished 19th, which was their signature. You got a defensive-minded head coach, so that thing fell apart.”
So what jumped out to Kirwan? Weirdly, he said the return of Mike Evans appeared to mess up the Bucs offense.
“To me, they didn’t have the ability to adjust to when Mike Evans was there,” Kirwan said.
Now on face value that seems preposterous. A Hall of Fame receiver returns and the offense cannot take advantage? But how many times have you read or heard other NFL talking heads say they couldn’t figure out how the Bucs got healthy on offense late last season but got worse?
So in a sick way, Kirwan might be onto something.
Playing Mayfield when he was hurt did the Bucs offense no favors, Kirwan said.
“I think the quarterback took a beating,” Kirwan said of Baker Mayfield. “He was playing way less than 100 percent on a number of occasions because he’s too tough. He just keeps going. But you could see he wasn’t the same guy.”
On defense, Kirwan said not having a legit edge rusher was worse than most think.
“I thought they were very good at scheduling blitzes,” Kirwan began. “And then after a while, people were on to that. ‘Hey, they can’t really rush. They’ve got to blitz.’ And [opposing offenses] started dealing with it.”
Blitzing is awesome so long as the blitzer gets home. That didn’t happen near enough.
February 16th, 2026 at 6:13 am
“On offense, they [ranked] 21st, which is below mediocre,” Kirwan began. “Their defense finished 19th, which was their signature. You got a defensive-minded head coach, so that thing fell apart.”
The Mediocre Offense Captain gets fired, but the Dumpster Fire DC is still with us!!!???!!! Great Googly Moogly!
February 16th, 2026 at 6:27 am
Oh. It’s been brought out on these pages numerous times how when our star receivers returned the offense actually got worse. I say the whole team just quit. They would have lost that last game too if it weren’t being played in a typhoon. The only reason they beat Arizona was because the Cards wanted to lose worse than the BUCS did. It reminded me of Raheem Morris’s team that went 4-2 and never won another game. Morris got fired. Bowlzo got another chance.
February 16th, 2026 at 6:30 am
The big Bowzo Blundervwas Blooper Bilgewater. Bowzo is an idiot not a Guru.
February 16th, 2026 at 6:31 am
Just another perspective from Kirwan that illustrates the pathetic owners cowardness of not wanting to fire their “friend”. “We love the guy”.
(VOMIT)
February 16th, 2026 at 6:59 am
Glazers don’t love Todd, they love money. When it comes to money there’s nothing better than a BOGO, 2 for the same price as one. No DC, no DC salary. Simple.
February 16th, 2026 at 7:35 am
Clearly, it was everyone else’s fault but Bowles.’
Thankful he still has both those jobs he’s so great at, and now as a bonus we have two Todds .
Good times Buc fans.
February 16th, 2026 at 7:42 am
Todd Bowles Jr to the rescue!
February 16th, 2026 at 7:46 am
Someone still needs to provide the reason that Todd still has his job? Stability? Continuity of what 8-9 seasons and one of the worst Pass Defenses in the league every year? What am I Missing? Please HELP!
February 16th, 2026 at 8:32 am
Truth….. money
February 16th, 2026 at 8:37 am
No team wins in the NFL if their Offensive Line is not effective, unless you get the Patriots’ schedule.
February 16th, 2026 at 9:07 am
Total collapse, we went from a Superbowl contender to the door mat of the NFL. I’m a huge a Todd supporter but the buc stops with the head coach. Pun intended This was the biggest collapse I can remember in sports The Red Sox September collapse to the Yankees is memorable. Never a Sox fan but that one shocked me too.Todd remaining the head coach should have required him to hire a defensive coordinator. I really don’t get it. Injuries hurt the team performance but something else push us to regularly looking abysmal. It was Todd’s job to fix it. We looked sloppy and lethargic from the Patriots game to the end. That is a long time to fix sloppy and attitude issues. It felt like a cancer set in. We have talented players.
Todd is in the prove you deserve to be a head coach category for me. I.beleive I’m one one of many fans not too jazzed up about 2026.
February 16th, 2026 at 9:26 am
It’s impossible to feel “jazzed up” for the 26 season….the Glazers and Bud Licht took a hammer to all Buc fans!!!! Keeping Bowles was the most stupid decision I can ever remember and I’ve been around nfl football since the 1950’s…a bucs season ticket holder for 30 years! I’ll continue my rant…”a good coach has his team playing their best when the best is needed” I don’t know how the Glazers and Bud Licht can look in the mirror cuz the man in the mirror doesn’t lie!!!!
February 16th, 2026 at 9:30 am
The Glazers have brought us 2 Super Bowls
All the hate is stupid. . Yes.
February 16th, 2026 at 10:15 am
Fire Todd and his fat kid
February 16th, 2026 at 10:36 am
Bucs just hit me up for season tickets for 2026.
I said, “nah. Pass.”
They don’t want to spend their money putting a good team on the field.
Yet they want to charge the same or more as last year? Sure. Hard pass.
February 16th, 2026 at 10:39 am
I think when Mike came back we felt we “ had to” make him the focal point. Messed up the chemistry we had. He demands the ball. Let him walk. Godwin/EE/Jmac/Tez and maybe some affordable free agents
February 16th, 2026 at 11:08 am
Blitzing is also awesome when it’s a surprise, not expected
February 16th, 2026 at 11:10 am
“I think when Mike came back we felt we “ had to” make him the focal point. Messed up the chemistry we had.”
Chemistry!? What chemistry?
February 16th, 2026 at 11:36 am
When our receivers returned our guards went out. That was the kiss of death for the team.
February 16th, 2026 at 11:57 am
In a way this is a rebuilding year for the Bucs. The offense needs backup linemen, a legit Tightend, a bigger Running back who can also catch, and a reliable backup Quarterback when Mayfield gets hurt.
The defense needs a real edge rusher, Interior Linebacks and Defensiveback(s) who can cover those season ending backs we have every year..
February 16th, 2026 at 12:38 pm
ModHairKen Says:
February 16th, 2026 at 10:36 am
Bucs just hit me up for season tickets for 2026.
I said, “nah. Pass
The above is the best post of the day. If more would do it maybe something can change for the better.
February 16th, 2026 at 12:56 pm
“They can’t rush”
Because all the rushes are in pass coverage
February 16th, 2026 at 1:07 pm
Trust me, Pat, we know, but we’ve been told to move on and ignore the multiple elephants in the room.
This head coach wasn’t the problem, most of the assistant coaching staff and strength and condition staff were the real problem.
Now on defense we’ll hit the ground running with the assistants of the former assistants taking over at those positions. Should see major philosophical changes with those kinds of upgrades.
February 16th, 2026 at 1:08 pm
grow a pair licht. hire a competent dc and tell todd the fraud he’s no longer in charge of the defense. if he doesn’t like it he can walk. aren’t you in charge ????
February 16th, 2026 at 1:17 pm
It’s not Todd’s fault the offensive guards gave up 3rd and 28 / 4th and 14. That was on the guards.
February 16th, 2026 at 3:07 pm
I have (3) season tickets in the second level. As last year’s debacle of a season wound down I told my ticket rep not to bother following up with me for renewal requests if the same head coach is in place. I have not heard from her.
February 16th, 2026 at 5:31 pm
Blah blah blah blah.
2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026……..
Same ole HC\DC same old issues every year.
But Todd is fabulous!!! Extend him again please!!!
We better act fast before the Chiefs fire Reed and steal Bowles!!!!
February 16th, 2026 at 9:11 pm
Oh great, tee up ButtMunch…”It’s all Baker…single handedly…”
February 16th, 2026 at 10:14 pm
Could this guy have a more generic and boring take.
I’m going to guess he didn’t see a min of Bucs footage after the Bucs v Jets game.
February 16th, 2026 at 10:14 pm
Hugh Glazerhouse Says:
February 16th, 2026 at 9:11 pm
Oh great, tee up ButtMunch…”It’s all Baker…single handedly…”
———
Why don’t you do your shtick? That was entertaining.
February 17th, 2026 at 1:40 pm
For a team with good but not elite talent, the difference between a great season and a disappointing one is probably 50-60 plays. The QB forces a risky pass instead of conceding an incompletion. A DB just misses tipping a pass that goes for a long gain. A lineman misses a block or tackle he usually makes. A bad season is the result. Make most of those plays and it’s a double figure win year. Looking forward to 2026 with the Bucs, hoping the balance sheet on critical plays ends up on the plus side.
February 18th, 2026 at 1:11 am
No answers anywhere.