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.