Reason To Mope
February 21st, 2026
Bucs defense triggers reporter.
Each season every NFL team gives fans a reason for hope and a reason to break out in the shivers.
And Matt Verderame of SI.com tried to address both issues for the Bucs. Yesterday Joe offered up Verderame’s reason for Bucs fans to smile. It was the offense.
And now, Verderame gives Bucs fans a reason to gnaw on their SirVocea Dennis jersey. And Verderame thinks the Bucs’ defense is a reason to keep fans up at night.
Mope: The Buccaneers’ defense ranked 19th in yards and 20th in points permitted, and the front seven doesn’t have any substantial young talent to build around.
Well, Joe gets where Verderame is coming from and he’s not exactly wrong. The defense was dreadful last year and someone at One Buc Palace needs to inspire change there. Do they have the muscle to do so?
Joe won’t exactly pile on Calijah Kancey. He’s a damn good player. Yeah, Joe gets why fans are upset with him. He cannot stay on the field. You could be Warren Sapp II and it doesn’t matter if you’re watching the game in street clothes.
Aside from Kancey and maybe an aging Vita Vea, the front-seven of the Bucs (sans Lavonte David) is damn barren of production.
February 21st, 2026 at 12:46 am
Their is NO greater grievance or reason to mope than keeping IBS as the Bucs HC!
Bucs are doomed to fail until that is changed!!!
February 21st, 2026 at 12:56 am
In Kancy’s defense, Gerald McCoy started his career much the same way.
On the metric of points allowed- that is a real reason to mope. Despite near league-worst totals in pass yards and other defensive metrics being at the bottom of the league for years, points allowed and rush defense were something to point to and feel well about the Bucs going back to Schiano. Freshly resigned Todd Bowles spent the off-season in his “lab” and we got what we got…
The Seahawks won the Super Bowl with sound fundamental football in the Bowles ideal but the Seachickens scheme, teach and train it more simply and repetitively. Less time is spent on blitz voodoo in meetings- pregame warm-ups include basic tackling drills- the differences are too many to lay out but it is not hard to see how Mike MacDonald’s (wrong spelling, sorry Coach, auto correct is fighting me) teaching methods brought the Ravens and Seahawks success and how the Ravens became a farce without him and justifiably let go of Harbaugh.
The Texans win and own Josh Allen with draft capital sent to the front 7 and a basic scheme. They fail on offense because they have no O line. The Bucs may have the O line we expected with injury luck so if they go all in on defense smart in this draft this team might meet last year’s mid season expectations.
Moping? I see no real opportunity here.
February 21st, 2026 at 1:10 am
Surprised Joe doesn’t think YaYa didn’t have production?
February 21st, 2026 at 1:12 am
3rd & 28
February 21st, 2026 at 1:14 am
If we miss on Styles and Ioane, trade back a few spots and grab Kayden Mcdonald…he can rest big V at times and learn from him….or go Lee Hunter in the 4th.
February 21st, 2026 at 2:25 am
The HC is so reviled by the majority of the fanbase, nothing less than an NFC championship appearance, if even that, will satisfy them. And that’s not happening.The owners know this and normally would have made a change.The defensive scheme and coaching has already assured another losing season. The owners know that too. Which is why I maintain this is an intentional tanking to draft a franchise QB in 2027.
February 21st, 2026 at 3:31 am
Kancey needs a shot at DE. I have No doubt he’d turn heads if given a real shot at it. He’s a bit small on the inside. On the outside however…..
Draft a BIG Man for the inside front seven to spell VV and get flexible with Kancey to help solve some of our DE problems. Well… of course I’m dreaming. I start to get excited at a few “obvious” ideas and get dragged back to this nightmare of a reality when after 2 seconds I’m quickly reminded of just who’s calling one of the Very Worse defenses in All of Football…
Up… the warm feelings and the bright light of a great idea fading away now…..
Somebody please get rid of the buffet line at One Buc so Bowles will quite on his own accord. Because he SURE WONT do it for the Good of the team…