Jon Gruden Appalled By Bucs Turnovers
September 18th, 2026
Chucky details Bucs technique issues.
Did the Bucs look well coached on Sunday?
Sloppy ball security. Presnap penalties. Shaky adjustment to a bad headset. Their top receiver not getting the ball in the second half. Veteran leaders playing with their heads in the clouds. A bad defensive line misalignment that led to a long Bengals run and a personal foul.
Tampa Bay played an ugly game but only lost by six points at Cincinnati. That says something, but Joe’s not quite sure what that is.
Jon Gruden, aka Chucky, and his brother Jay Gruden seemed somewhat down on the Bengals’ performance.
Jay Gruden was barking on the The Gruden Family Football Show about how Ja’Marr Chase was open multiple times against the Bucs and Bengals QB Joe Burrow inexplicably didn’t see him.
Chucky called the Bengals a “paper champion” after Week 1 because that game was more about the Bucs’ screwups.
“They were really careless turnovers by the Bucs. I mean, the guys are swinging the ball. They’re changing it in traffic. You got the ball in the wrong hand,” Chucky said.
“Let me tell you, Bucky Irving catches a pass. He’s got the ball in his left arm, and he cuts it back in here to the left — right into the left. Fumble. Duh! And the Baker Mayfield is running in for a touchdown, he switches the ball. Fumble, no sh**.”
Jay Gruden needled Chucky about how mighty Rueben Bain “didn’t even get a fingerprint” on Burrow.
Chucky went on to talk about how ball security will be addressed and Cleveland is exactly what the Bucs need after a rough Week 1.
September 18th, 2026 at 10:35 am
Double Agent Chunky perhaps pining for his old job back. He loves the Bucs until he doesn’t. When you become a Barstool Fool…anything goes.
September 18th, 2026 at 10:39 am
It’s okay, they’re going to be coached up better this week. They’ve worked on technique and fundamentals. Put the right cleats in the equipment case. No one will be overly excited each series.
September 18th, 2026 at 10:42 am
Joe … ‘A bad defensive line misalignment that led to a long Bengals run and a personal foul.’
Please explain this Joe. I haven’t seen anything written about that particular play but it sounds like it might have been a game-changer.
September 18th, 2026 at 10:43 am
Yes the fumbles were the reason for the loss. But Buccaneers averaged 5.2 yards per play and shut down the Bengals two biggest weapons. Losing all four fumbles was bad luck. Look it up. On average the offensive team recovers 55-60 per cent of fumbles.
September 18th, 2026 at 10:49 am
Give coaching a break, Bowles is trying to “coach it better.” I heard him say it at least 35 times since being in Tampa . Baker and Bowles were having fun this week. They both celebrated career mulestones. 35 fumbles as Buc for Baker, and Bowles got his 35th loss as Bucs head coach.
September 18th, 2026 at 10:51 am
This loss was all on the offense
The defense shouldn’t be mention in a negative way
The offense gifted the Bengals 3 consecutive fumbles
Which the Bengals converted into 21 unanswered points
The defense only allowed a total of 4 FGs after that
While the defense was giving up 4 FGs, the offense fumbled sway the ball again
The defense even scored on a pick 6
The offense stunk
The defense kept the game close
By allowing only 9 points in the second half
September 18th, 2026 at 10:56 am
“Joe … ‘A bad defensive line misalignment that led to a long Bengals run and a personal foul.’
Please explain this Joe. I haven’t seen anything written about that particular play but it sounds like it might have been a game-changer.”
Only play he can be talking about is the Burrow scramble where Tykee drew a PF, but idk about the D-Line part when the tape shows both ILBs showed their assignment pre-snap adjusting to the motion in man coverage thus abandoning the middle of the defense. They spread themselves thin and it got exploited.
Also, I partly loathe Jon Gruden but he’s absolutely right here:
“Let me tell you, Bucky Irving catches a pass. He’s got the ball in his left arm, and he cuts it back in here to the left — right into the left. Fumble. Duh!”
might be an instance of confirmation of a bias on my part but, yea:
“Warren Brooks Lynch Says:
September 17th, 2026 at 6:12 pm
Irving plants and head inside, that CB played contain right there and probably got kudos in the film room because that’s what they teach boundary defenders-funnel the ball back into the pursuit.
My thing is having watched it at varying speed and more time Í care to admit. Is that Bucky had leverage to pick up the same 6-7 yards he got going inside with a fraction of the contact. Not calling Bucky trash, but that particular instance where a on the fly decision was made it worked out in the worst way.”
September 18th, 2026 at 11:10 am
Budda says:
Yes the fumbles were the reason for the loss. But Buccaneers averaged 5.2 yards per play and shut down the Bengals two biggest weapons. Losing all four fumbles was bad luck. Look it up. On average the offensive team recovers 55-60 per cent of fumbles
I heard teams, when they don’t fumble, keep the ball 100% of the time.
September 18th, 2026 at 11:16 am
If you can only beat the teams that somehow suck worse than a Bowles lead team that doesn’t make you a contender for anything.
Except for maybe the top of the turd pile. A Bowles tradition.
No one wants to say the obvious reason for the collapse of the franchise.
But eventually they won’t have any other choice than to tell the truth.
They just prefer the comfortable lie as long as they can spin it.
September 18th, 2026 at 11:28 am
The Bucs embarrassed themselves with 4 fumbles that all lead to scores for the Bengals. Without those fumbles the Bucs would have added 2 additional touchdowns. enough to have won the game.
Are the Bucs better than what they did on the playing field. Yes. Were they the better than Bengals- No – They Lost.
It was the Bucs beating themselves, a similar storyline we’ve experienced in the past.
Let’s keep the past we’re it belongs – im the past – and show the NFL who the Bucs really are- a winning franchise.
September 18th, 2026 at 11:31 am
FIRE RUBBER BALLS AND BRING CHUCKY BACK, NEVER SHOULD HAVE FIRED JON GRUDEN IN THE FIRST PLACE !!!
September 18th, 2026 at 11:39 am
DR the run by Burrow when he slid and we hit him.
At least I think that is what they are talking about.
There were several runs up the middle but no personal foul.
September 18th, 2026 at 11:49 am
Like a new born trying to walk for the first time is what it looked like. You would think these guys have never played football before. This game is going to be a key turning point in the season already at week 2. If the Browns keep this game close at all then you know the season is done for.
September 18th, 2026 at 12:47 pm
Chucky, Cleveland is exactly what the Bucs need. Careful what you wish for.