The Middle Six
May 15th, 2026
Snapping mid-season slumps.
You may have heard of the “middle eight.” It’s a phrase former NFL suit Mike Lombardi sort of made famous.
Lombardi used to preach on his former podcast that whatever team wins the “middle eight” likely wins the game. The middle eight is the last four minutes of a half and the first four minutes of the second half.
Bobby Bowden had this figured out long before Lombardi, though Bowden never referred to the middle eight. But it was the same philosophy.
Bowden always kicked off to start games. Why? He wanted to win the middle eight. If you can score late in the half, get the ball to start the second half and score again, you can either pull away from your opponent or if you are trailing, get back in the game quickly.
With the Bucs, it’s struggling in the middle eight. Not so much the game, but the season.
Jenna Laine of ESPN dug up a great stat showing how the Bucs shoot themselves in the foot every year in the middle of the season with the “middle six” games of the season.
Since [Baker] Mayfield arrived in Tampa in 2023, in Weeks 1-6, the Bucs own a 12-5 record, third best in the NFL in that span. Then in Weeks 13-18, they’ve gone 12-6 — fifth best in the league. While they’ve enjoyed hot starts and sizzling finishes, in Weeks 7-12 they’ve gone just 3-13 — 30th in the league.
So here is the Bucs’ schedule in the middle six:
Week 7: at Carolina
Week 8: Atlanta
Week 9: at Chicago
Week 10: bye.
Week 11: at Detroit
Week 12: Carolina
If the Bucs are going to win the middle six, they’ve got to come away with three wins. Just three wins in that span. Outside of Chicago, none of those teams is unbeatable.
(Joe’s not saying the Bears are unbeatable, but Chicago has really crummy weather in early November and given how the Bears have a really good team and a really good quarterback, that game will be an uphill climb. Given how the Bucs blow chunks in primetime games, Joe’s already chalking this game up with an L.)
If the Bucs can somehow beat the Bears and find a way to get two other wins in the middle six, Joe’s going to go ahead and call it: Bucs win the NFC South.
May 15th, 2026 at 5:14 am
What’s with the Week 12 Monday night game against Carolina?
Other than here and Charlotte, who will be watching?
This is so atypical from the NFL money machine I’m wondering if NASA informed Roger they’ve scheduled their first televised moonwalk in 50+ years for prime time that night …
May 15th, 2026 at 6:17 am
Who doesn’t watch Monday Night Football, no matter who the teams are? There have been far crappier matchups than Carolina/Bucs. Last year’s Jets vs. Dolphins and Dolphins vs. Steelers games are two good examples.
May 15th, 2026 at 6:26 am
The Bucs weren’t as bad in the Brady years, but they weren’t great, either. Their record during the “middle six” from 2020-2022 was 8-8.
May 15th, 2026 at 6:39 am
Win our 2 home games and get a W on the road against who?
May 15th, 2026 at 6:55 am
Middle-schmiddle. They had better win those four intra-division games from 12-17. Plus a win over the stinkin’ Rams would make it even better.
May 15th, 2026 at 7:19 am
I blame Mayfield’s low threshold for boredom. He’s great in the first and fourth quarters. He gets bored with a lead and loves a comeback situation.
May 15th, 2026 at 7:24 am
If you can keep the opponent from taking the opening kickoff from scoring. If you can score before the half. A lotta if’s. To many times we deferred, and let the opposition score first, and played catch up the rest of the game. Bobby had better talent than the teams he went up against, so it worked for him. Not so much for Bowles.
May 15th, 2026 at 7:29 am
This team has been nothing but a miserable mid season slumping garbage since Bowles has been in charge ! What do we expect , except more of the same !
May 15th, 2026 at 8:11 am
Winning those middle six games means having a backup QB that actually gets on the field and plays like it’s not his first time on the field. Those are the games when Baker gets banged up and starts throwing the ball in the stands and in the dirt. I believe this kid from Kansas could develop nicely and be that person. But Baker will refuse to not play.
May 15th, 2026 at 8:51 am
With a top notch head coach the buccaneers could easily enter the postseason with just a few losses…. I’ve completely lost faith in the head coach. Players generally do not quit on great coaches… The bucs have been handed a great schedule, too bad we have a joke for a coach
May 15th, 2026 at 9:03 am
im tired of the low bar!!!!
BUCS, BOWLES & BAKER need to sweep the division, BEAT THE Rams and split the NFC & AFC games!!!!!
BUCS have the talent to win 12games
GO BUCS!!!!
May 15th, 2026 at 9:06 am
Bowles will find a way to be mediocre. He simply is incapable of change or critical thinking.
Every year we get a long sustained losing streak. 2-7 in the last nine of 2025.
It’s time to call a spade a spade. The sooner we get a new HC and new DC, the faster we start competing for more than the worthless NFC South crown.
Todd survives in a dumpster fire division. Outside of that he’s absolutely worthless.
May 15th, 2026 at 9:35 am
We just have to be consistent. I mean, we beat the seahawks last year…
May 15th, 2026 at 10:13 am
It’s a new season, one filled with hope. This coach will have the team ready to be different. They’ll lose for the first part of the season, but then they’ll circle the wagons and make the post-bye swoon of 2025 look like good football. At least they’ll finish strong by losing their final four games also. It’s gonna be epic.
May 15th, 2026 at 11:40 am
Schedule is kind to the bucs this year. Home field heat advantage with northeast teams coming to tampa early in the season, catching detriot returning from europe on the second leg of a 3 game/11 games grind, and the cold weather games in later november and early december, plus the only back2back aways games and between our week 10 bye
May 15th, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Win the 3 division games
May 15th, 2026 at 12:16 pm
It’s time to call a spade a spade? Call me woke but Lynchmob50 you’ve reached a new low. I have pretty low confidence in Bowles myself but draw the line well before you do. Add racist to your troll profile.
May 15th, 2026 at 12:23 pm
It’s time to call a spade a spade? Call me woke but Lynchmob50 you’ve reached a new low. I have pretty low confidence in Bowles myself but draw the line well before you do. Add raci$t to your troll profile.
May 15th, 2026 at 12:41 pm
I am a Big BIG BIGGGGG “Middle-8” guy! Pay attention to all the great head coaches. LOTS of games ‘won and lost’ right there. Can completely turn a game around and change all the momentum. For both sides.
May 15th, 2026 at 3:17 pm
Uh, shouldn’t there be 6 teams listed for the “middle 6”?
I see 6 weeks, but one of those is a bye…
That said, going 3-3 is obviously more ideal than our normal mid season slump of 1-5 or whatever
May 15th, 2026 at 3:18 pm
“Middle Six” Is that what Todd is showing off in that pic?