“That’s The First Time It Was That Bad”
September 13th, 2026
The NFL has countless billions of dollars and can play games in Australia and track players via satellite, but it can’t figure out how to make sure a speaker in a helmet doesn’t glitch out.
It’s shameful. And it was on display today repeatedly in the Bucs-Bengals game. The TV crew addressed it and fans could see Baker Mayfield changing helmets and the team scrambling on the sideline.
Home team shenanigans? That’s unclear. But Joe didn’t see Joe Burrow having an issue.
Mayfield and the broadcast crew noted how tests of the equipment were smooth, but then came multiple malfunctions.
“It’s not an excuse but when they’re testing them on the sidelines and they work perfectly fine, and then you get out to in between the hashes and it’s not working, it’s unfortunate,” Mayfield said after the Bengals’ 33-26 victory. “But it wasn’t the whole [game]. First drive, for sure, and then sporadically through the rest of the game.”
How bad was it? Mayfield was asked. “That’s the first time it was that bad,” he replied.
A faulty headset is not why the Bucs lost, but in a one-score game, everything is on the table for scrutiny.
September 13th, 2026 at 5:42 pm
I think you can say Baker lost that gme.
September 13th, 2026 at 5:43 pm
Ohh, now the headset affects ball security. Got it. Didn’t seem to affect the Bengals much. So many excuses with Baker and we’re stuck with this guy for 3 more years. Let’s the good times roll man
September 13th, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Baker lost us this game period if he didn’t fumble those 3 times it’s at least 9 points more
September 13th, 2026 at 5:45 pm
Will Baker lead the league turnovers after game 1?
September 13th, 2026 at 5:47 pm
I told you guys here for the last 3 weeks this was not a winnable game and to take the Bengals straight up. I just cashed an easy money $500 winning ticket at Hard Rock. Whatever points they give the Browns next week, TAKE them. Free money. This is a mid-level talent team with Bad coaching. It’s a 7-10 season.
September 13th, 2026 at 5:47 pm
Hey at least the punter wasn’t bad this game right guys?….
September 13th, 2026 at 5:48 pm
The $55m man lost the game.
September 13th, 2026 at 5:49 pm
Curse and to make matters worse vea was also a ghost and was run at a few times with success
September 13th, 2026 at 5:51 pm
No pass rush again. We looked tentative and slow
September 13th, 2026 at 5:51 pm
I’m a baker fan but he was terrible and it’s not looking good. This team sucks ass fire bowles already how much worse can it get
September 13th, 2026 at 5:52 pm
All aboard the excuse train! Admission is $55 million a year.
September 13th, 2026 at 5:52 pm
Faker Fumblefield. Stop holding the ball, throw downfield. I’d rather you throw picks then fumble. At least it’s further down the field. No TD passes, three fumbles.. Damn headset.
September 13th, 2026 at 5:54 pm
Poor Equipment?? LOL Good Grief
My quick recap even though, I did not see the full game…. could only watch it on Red Zone
Nice to see Trotter get his first sack… he looked pretty good overall
Bucs O Line Sucks! Almost got Baker killed a few times
The Bucs overall did not look sharp
Nice to see the new Offensive Coordinator get so much use of Bucky Irving in catching the ball out of the backfield
There were some positives…… but the Bucs did not look crisp!!
Did Vita Vea even play? He had no tackles
The run defense stunk and I just don’t get how easily long field goals are made
I thought the Bungals were going to punt several times, instead they made several long field goals and made it look easy
That is just baffling to me!!!!
September 13th, 2026 at 5:55 pm
Here come de excuses.
September 13th, 2026 at 6:00 pm
uhhh, jammers anyone? hello
September 13th, 2026 at 6:02 pm
Not gonna go too crazy on the first game of the season but joe keeps saying this a top 5 oline unit and no it isn’t bakers awareness was trash get the ball out of your hands buddy change the batteries on that internal clock. Three turnovers including a pick up td by the defense that’s the game folks can’t have that baker.
September 13th, 2026 at 6:10 pm
Dear lord. Yes the offense lost that game and Baker needs better awareness but you can chalk that up to bad luck as much as anything else.
None were as bad as Burrows pick 6. He didn’t throw 3 4th quarter picks like Drake Maye… you know, supposed MVP candidates. Burrow was pedestrian without his TE which in hindsight we all should have seen coming. Same LB coverage woes on TEs.
2 were tackles from behind that could have happened to anyone. Too bad our AllPro LT got abused out there by Mafe, any comment on him instead of Baker bashing?
On the fumble by the goalline, Baker tried to secure it, defender got his hand on the tip of the ball and made a great play.
Painful to watch the turnovers which clearly cost the game but no one is honest and objective here anymore. This board has become America at large. Just a bunch of people yelling at each other while billionaires rake it. I say it too much and haven’t left but eventually I’ll be gone from the stupidity here. Online is cancer.
September 13th, 2026 at 6:14 pm
So, will the malfunctioning helmet speakers be the new Baker’s injured excuse?
September 13th, 2026 at 6:14 pm
Mayfield is just an expensive Jameis Winston. Should have brought him back for dimes on the dollar
September 13th, 2026 at 6:19 pm
Good for the billionaires.
September 13th, 2026 at 6:24 pm
No need to explain the turnovers, they happened at terrible points on the field and terrible points in time. Don’t put it on luck, it’s bad ball security. Like Canales said back on ‘23 “you don’t want bears chasing you? Don’t get caught holding the ham”
Also, before today Baker led the league since joining this team fumbling the ball away with 33(playoff included), but only losing 8. Today would bump him up to 36 times he out the ball on the ground and 11 times the other team came away with it. Now added a defensive touchdown scored to that glorious stat line lol
September 13th, 2026 at 6:31 pm
This team is consistent weekly on one thing, and that.is finding ways to lose.
September 13th, 2026 at 6:39 pm
WBL
Helluva stat line. Thats most certainly worth $165 million. Cant wait to see more the next 3 years
September 13th, 2026 at 6:40 pm
When will the Bucs’ front office announce SB tickets go on sale? Just asking for the Pollyannas here.
September 13th, 2026 at 6:46 pm
We should have let Baker play out his contract and drafted a QB. We should have traded Via when asked for a trade. A new coach could have had draft picks, cap money and a clean slate. This team does not have the horses to make a playoff run. We needed to rebuild with a coach that has some some discipline and accountability. This coach can even control how much he puts in his pie hole.
September 13th, 2026 at 6:53 pm
DOES ROBINSON KNOW WE HAVE MORE RECIEVERS THAN JUST EBUKA FOR DOWN THE FIELD ? GODWIN , TEZ, HURST , NEED J MAC BACK BIG TIME . THIS DINK L PASSING IS NOT GOING TO GET IT . DINK, DINK,RUN ,RUN, 😠
September 13th, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Chill out people. One bad game …by offense and defense!
The first time we won the Super Bowl we lost our first game of the season. Six years ago with Tom Brady’s are quarterback we won the Super Bowl, but we lost our first game of the season.
Are you noticing anything here? Chill out and relax there are still 16 games left to go.
September 13th, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Where is Gipper , Kenton , Mike C . This is what I be talking about they disappear every time Baker plays bad. It’s just one game Baker will play good next week against the Browns you guys don’t have to hide every time Baker plays bad.
September 13th, 2026 at 6:57 pm
When Baker play good i don’t want to see you guy’s on here talking noise to everybody.
September 13th, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Oh yeah Bakerfan you to stop running when he plays bad I see you next week when he plays good.
September 13th, 2026 at 7:18 pm
Sloppy like the coach.
September 13th, 2026 at 7:25 pm
The Bucs looked rusty. Offense didn’t run anything like a well oiled machine. Timing was off. I hope the coaches will be sincere enough to make changes in how they prepare the team for next week’s outing. The fumbles were not on them but I guess the players need more reps addressing ball control and tackling techniques.GO BUCS!
September 13th, 2026 at 7:53 pm
Bengals are CHEATERS!! Next time, stop the game until the shenanigans stop.
September 13th, 2026 at 7:55 pm
Winston was electrifying also turnovers got him run. Mayfield, his turnovers will get Licht run after signing that shaky contract, qb that’s electrifying but kills the teams chances. Same old Bucs.
September 13th, 2026 at 8:07 pm
Where’s St Pete Matt and the rest of the clowns that said “We must sign Baker!!”????
Why not let him play out the season?
I still think they can turn things around, but what we saw from Baker was what he’s done his entire career. He holds the ball too long and take stupid chances.
His 3 fumbles absolutely cost the Bucs this game.
Go ahead and make all the excuses you want. But guys getting paid like too 5 QBs don’t turn the ball over recklessly like Baker did.
Also, did AW Jr play today? Has he done anything in 2 years?
Did Vita, another guy who demanded money play??
You’re 3 highest paid guys in AW Jr, Baker and Vita were trash today.
Everyone was so worried about the CBs, who played solid today. But it was your high paid “leaders$ who didn’t show up.
September 13th, 2026 at 8:32 pm
Oneilbuc Says:
September 13th, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Where is Gipper , Kenton , Mike C . This is what I be talking about they disappear every time Baker plays bad. It’s just one game Baker will play good next week against the Browns you guys don’t have to hide every time Baker plays bad.
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Oneilbuc: Nobody is hiding. We’re all disappointed in the loss. As to Mayfield’s turnovers, the only one that I would tag 100% on him was when he held the ball for 4.5 and got nabbed from behind; otherwise, just good (and lucky) defense by Cinci in recovering the fumbles. The thing that most concerned me about Mayfield headed into this game was his passing accuracy. His passing game was good today overall. Not worried about Mayfield moving on to next week.
We came back within 3, but similar to last year, our defense forfeited the middle of the field to Burrows, their kicker booted two 55 yarders, and everything in general went the Bengals way — especially with the strip-fumbles.
Otherwise, I saw a lot of contrasts-to-expectations in this game. Our previously-vaunted O-line didn’t look so “top five”, our pass rush was not effective, our corners – predicted to be sieves, actually performed well, and Anzalone looked like he maybe should’ve retired.
Cincinnati got the breaks with the turnovers, but I also think that their team has really improved from last year.
So, we missed on the opener. Let’s move on to next week.
Go Bucs!!
September 13th, 2026 at 8:48 pm
Baker will bounce back but I can’t stand when people talk noise about everyone who don’t agree with them about Baker on everything and then call everyone a hater just because you hold Baker accountable for playing bad .And then they disappear when he dose have a bad game because they just can’t say he played bad but they love to act like they call it how they see it. This won’t be the last bad game Baker have this year and that’s ok because no player regardless of the sport plays good every game. Baker will be ok but I think the bucs should have waited until the season was over. I was never against bringing him back I was against giving him a franchise quarterback contract.
September 13th, 2026 at 9:00 pm
My guess is they had a rogue transmitter stepping on the Bucs frequency. They would tested everything as fine and then during the game they turned it on and that was it.
September 13th, 2026 at 9:02 pm
exBrowns02 Says: Your comment is awaiting moderation.
September 13th, 2026 at 8:32 pm
Oneilbuc Says:
September 13th, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Where is Gipper , Kenton , Mike C . This is what I be talking about they disappear every time Baker plays bad. It’s just one game Baker will play good next week against the Browns you guys don’t have to hide every time Baker plays bad.
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Oneilbuc: Nobody is hiding. We’re all disappointed in the loss. As to Mayfield’s turnovers, the only one that I would tag 100% on him was when he held the ball for 4.5 and got nabbed from behind; otherwise, just good (and lucky) defense by Cinci in recovering the fumbles. The thing that most concerned me about Mayfield headed into this game was his passing accuracy. His passing game was good today overall. Not worried about Mayfield moving on to next week.
We came back within 3, but similar to last year, our defense forfeited the middle of the field to Burrows, their kicker booted two 55 yarders, and everything in general went the Bengals way — especially with the strip-fumbles.
Otherwise, I saw a lot of contrasts-to-expectations in this game. Our previously-vaunted O-line didn’t look so “top five”, our pass rush was not effective, our corners – predicted to be sieves, actually performed well, and Anzalone looked like he maybe should’ve retired.
Cincinnati got the breaks with the turnovers, but I also think that their team has really improved from last year.
So, we missed on the opener. Let’s move on to next week.
Go Bucs!!
September 13th, 2026 at 9:23 pm
Related to the strips – other than the costly 4.5 second from behind — were just really good defensive moves. I don’t think that Baker played bad otherwise.
September 13th, 2026 at 9:49 pm
Oneilbuc: Objective, constructive criticism is beyond reproach. It’s obvious personal dislike bias that draws the ire.
Baker Mayfield is QB1 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If you are a Buccaneers fan, you are supporting your team and your quarterback. If you feel that it is necessary to continuously attack Mayfield, it looks like you are not a fan.
I know that many posters personally do not like Mayfield. That’s not my problem and I don’t want to hear about it. Try being objective, instead of simply attacking Mayfield. That would enable more thoughtful debate instead of a toxic environment.
September 13th, 2026 at 11:07 pm
This was a complete fail by the NFL. Crooked referees and allowing helmet call interference. Bus won that game and Baker played great. Bowles coaches great. Haters hate. Is what is.
September 14th, 2026 at 3:02 am
There was nothing wrong with the helmet speakers. It was that ridiculous, loud, unnecessary rap/hip-hop music blasting on the field thru training camp and practices. It made most of the players lose most their hearing. Tell me I am wrong?
September 14th, 2026 at 8:44 am
Scotty in Fat Antonio Says:
September 13th, 2026 at 5:42 pm
I think you can say Baker lost that gme.
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You could, but you could also say that poor OL play did. Two of the three fumbles were off blindside hits. An extra second out of the OL and maybe one of those two doesn’t got for a TD and the Bucs win.
September 14th, 2026 at 9:39 am
Baker is here to stay, adjust, get used to it.🤣