“Tampa’s D Stinks”
September 25th, 2026
Former Bucs QB Chris Simms was a special guest in the Team Glazer suite last December and is a well-known figure in franchise history — in part because he nearly died on the field 20 years ago this week.
Now and NBC Sports Xs and Os guru, Simms spoke publicly this week about his spleen after a hit in a Bucs uniform. He also talked about the sad state of his beloved Buccaneers.
Simms is no fan of Zac Robinson’s offense and he doesn’t see Baker Mayfield snapping out of his funk soon.
But he saved his harshest words for the other side of the ball.
“Tampa’s D stinks,” Simms said. “It stinks. It’s not good. The front-4 is a huge letdown. They’ve been non-existent.”
Two years ago, Simms and NBC colleague Devin McCourty, the former Belicheats defensive back, torched the Bucs defense in great detail as one that does not adjust to opponents and they together pointed a finger of shame at Todd Bowles. That’s counter to most national analysts, which continue to laud Bowles defenses even when they’re bad.
All Joe can do his hope with fellow Bucs fans that a magic fix is coming soon.
Simms picks the Bucs to lose to the Vikings on Sunday, 28-17, and drop to 0-3.
September 25th, 2026 at 3:01 pm
It just gets better and better.
September 25th, 2026 at 3:03 pm
Tell us something we don’t already know Simms!
September 25th, 2026 at 3:06 pm
Mike Evans saw the writing on the wall. He could smell the odor, the filth, the rot. Him bolting looks more and more savvy by the day
September 25th, 2026 at 3:08 pm
Simms has had Bowles defense pegged for a loooong time. The illusion that Bowles is an aggressive coach because he calls blitzes is blown out of proportion. Most of his blitz packages are just run fits. Its trash.
September 25th, 2026 at 3:13 pm
Anyone watching football in the 1980’s when the prevent defense came into prevalence was played by many teams trying to protect leads, knows that the prevent defense prevented wins way to much by the team playing scared pus*y football. Todd Bowles normal scheme is the PREVENT DEFENSE
“Hey lets line up and gift first downs as a normal way of playing defense by the Cornerbacks” If you have a fierce pass rush, you might get away with it, but a pass rush is scarce as hens teeth around one Buccaneer palace.
Whatever happened to a defense dictating to the offense??? Every offense dictates to the Bucs Defense how the game will be played.
The is playing from behind the 8ball based on mentality and scheme alone.
September 25th, 2026 at 3:15 pm
The magic fix will start when Bowles is fired..
Licht should probably be included as well.
If Sean McVay doesn’t re-up his contract with Rams, HE SHOULD BE THE GLAZERS SOLE TARGET!!! Give him anything he wants!!!
Let him pick his GM as well…
September 25th, 2026 at 3:19 pm
Thanks captin obvious 🙄 what a story 🙄
September 25th, 2026 at 3:22 pm
I watch Simms pretty religiously on PFT and his own show. He’s usually very sparing with criticism against his original team, and if he cut loose with that statement that’s a sign he thinks the building is burning down.
But this is nothing new. We now know this Bucs team is horrid without being told by someone else. 0-3 is coming soon unless a lot of players do a 180.
September 25th, 2026 at 3:26 pm
I’ve watched the all 22, they snapped the ball, you count 1001, 2002, and the ball is out. How did Watson find somebody so fast? Because we surrender any pass less than 8 or 9 yards, and the pass rush is never gonna get home that fast. Why do we never do press man, and give the pass rush an opportunity to get home?
September 25th, 2026 at 3:27 pm
Other than a playoff run and SB, the Bucs D has been pretty poor under Bowles. If anything it’s gotten worse, no matter the draft picks and FAs thrown in to it.
September 25th, 2026 at 3:30 pm
@BEEEJ I wrote the same thing on a Bucs Facebook fan page yesterday and got suspended for 30 days from the site. Someone’s a little sensitive!
September 25th, 2026 at 3:32 pm
All of the focus in the off season was on the D, especially on the front 4 and LB’s. This years defense stinks as bad as last years and they both have one thing in common.
September 25th, 2026 at 3:32 pm
Truth
September 25th, 2026 at 3:34 pm
88
Why would McVay leave LA to come here?
September 25th, 2026 at 3:35 pm
Apparently, players say the Bucs locker room “stinks” too. 2025, 44% players say there is plumbing issues, and bad odors. 2026, Glazers got D- grade for locker room, and D grade for treatment of families. Throw a F- grade for the playing field. Heck, they used to charge players for daycare. Then there is Bowles his base rate of $3 million is way under average just like his stats. So the cheap owners are also at fault.
September 25th, 2026 at 3:37 pm
The Bucs are actually 11th in Total Defense
That should tell people that Most Defenses stinks
This is a offensive driven league
September 25th, 2026 at 3:45 pm
In the NFC South
Carolina gave up 59 points to Chicago
Atlanta face up 34 points to Carolina
New Orleans gave up 31 points to Detroit
We gave up 33 points to Cincinnati
Even though 7 points were on the offense
My point is most NFL defenses are incapable of stopping NFL offenses
You have to have balance in the NFL to win
Bottom Line
We need to score more and give up less
But, that’s what every team need to do
September 25th, 2026 at 3:55 pm
SHHHHHHHH!!!! NO! GOD, NO!! ITS ALL BAKERS FAULT!!! SINGLEHANDEDLY!!!!
September 25th, 2026 at 3:58 pm
It’s Baker fault for not SCORING points
He has nothing to do with giving up points
September 25th, 2026 at 3:58 pm
Well he did give up 7 points on the fumble
So he have a hand in it
September 25th, 2026 at 3:59 pm
“Tampa’s D Stinks”
Just like their HC!
September 25th, 2026 at 4:05 pm
I am numb to this team, the soft defense, the inept head coach and the turnover prone QB
Let me know when this team is serious about winning and I’ll watch again
September 25th, 2026 at 4:06 pm
Even John Spytek’s Raiders with Klint Kubiak a first time head coach and Kirk cousins as QB are 2-0. Todd Bowles is trash and you can make up all the excuses you want but they don’t have a roster like the Bucs so that just leaves the coaching staff.
September 25th, 2026 at 4:08 pm
Lakeland? Against Cincinnati, Bucs D only gave up 26 points, not 33.
Remember, Baker fumbled and it was run back for a TD…
Soooo we haven’t given up 30 points on defense yet.
September 25th, 2026 at 4:09 pm
The issues this year are more on offense than defense up til now….
It’s gonna be a crap-show everywhere within a couple weeks when all the players mentally check out from Bowles scheme.
September 25th, 2026 at 4:18 pm
True Bucfan1988
September 25th, 2026 at 4:22 pm
Tampa’s B stinks
Fraud Bowels
Jason Lite
Glazers franchise with 5 steering wheels
Group think diluted by DEI considerations
It’s Freaking hard azz FOOTBALL!
This is the WORST chapter in 50 years!
The Emperor has No Clothes… if only we had an Emperor instead of insecure group think!
Sell the freaking team!
September 25th, 2026 at 4:27 pm
Nostradamus would be impressed by Simms ability to find the truth.
It’s been clear as day since Todd blew the game vs the Rams in the playoffs.
Dead fish Bowles scheming up fresh cow dung quality defense.
2-9 in our last 11. How’d we ever win 2? Did someone put those in their will and leave them to Todd??
He certainly is never the cause of victory. He walks a$$ backwards into them like how he got the HC spot in Tampa.
September 25th, 2026 at 4:27 pm
Last week this fanbase, the local sports media, and most national talking heads
They all were predicting a blowout of the Cleveland Browns
But, they could only score 19 points
The defense gave up 23 points, that’s not many points
Not in this ERA
September 25th, 2026 at 4:28 pm
Bowles needs to relinquish his position as defense coordinator and be a true coach. Regardless, this defense is injured 24/7. Perhaps Bowles’s style is getting his players injured more often. Also his defense is not a sectet anymore. Every team has figured it out and clearly we can see that the team still can’t function to be perfect, so bring in the next coach.
September 25th, 2026 at 4:28 pm
We aren’t losing Sunday so shut the hell up with all the whining and fire everybody all y’all do is cry and complain about everything
September 25th, 2026 at 4:30 pm
Dr. Bill Barry saved Mr. Simms with superior quality Trauma surgery at St. Josephs Main on MLK. Chris was fortunate the hospital was so near. Dr. Barry also saved Wife by performing a 4 hour surgery for a cecal volvulus at the same hospital. Dr. Barry was one of the best surgeons to ever live. Thanks Dr. Barry.
September 25th, 2026 at 4:34 pm
Chris Simms picked the Bucs to win 27-17 against the Browns
He even went as far as to say, Baker Mayfield will have a ….bounce back game
The guy is a fraud
He’s a worst analyst than he was QB
September 25th, 2026 at 4:38 pm
Glazers are eathSantis supporters.. spare me the DEI BS.
September 25th, 2026 at 4:41 pm
Todd… I was at that game when Simms had his spleen ruptured.
September 25th, 2026 at 4:43 pm
Mikw Says:
September 25th, 2026 at 4:28 pm
We aren’t losing Sunday so shut the hell up with all the whining and fire everybody all y’all do is cry and complain about everything
______
How long have you followed this team?
They have been circling the freaking drain for almost 20 years.
September 25th, 2026 at 4:47 pm
I thought that our coach was a defensive GURU?
September 25th, 2026 at 4:53 pm
The defense guru has been exposed for many years! Hope the Glazers do what they should done last year!! Change is LOOOOOONG overdue!!!
September 25th, 2026 at 4:54 pm
Everyone involved with the Bucs are overrated
Well only to this fanbase, because Bucs players don’t get respect nationally
Todd Bowles and Jason Licht are ranked below average
Baker Mayfield is ranked below average
September 25th, 2026 at 5:02 pm
Just ask Cooper Kupp about ‘The Guru’s’ Defence.
September 25th, 2026 at 5:04 pm
MIKW “we aren’t losing Sunday ” yea that’s what I said last Sunday against Cleveland.
September 25th, 2026 at 5:04 pm
Bucs need 35 to win
September 25th, 2026 at 5:05 pm
Baker con artist
September 25th, 2026 at 5:12 pm
Go figure…
The coach with a below .500 winning record before taking over as the HC in Tampa has a .500 record now; who would’ve thought. smh
September 25th, 2026 at 5:15 pm
Any comment by Simms as rating Baker his #10 QB (highest of any analyst I found)? Oh, Deshawn Watson was rated #39.
September 25th, 2026 at 5:21 pm
Simms also called Bowles a “Meathead” once. He wasn’t wrong for saying it, since it really does describe Bowles well. Everyone knows Bowles is the #1 problem right now. Even Playoff Lenny said its time for a change and the team culture went right back to what it was before BA and Brady showed up. ME would say the same thing if he wasn’t still playing. Its coming, but don’t expect the Glazers to fire him until the season ends.
September 25th, 2026 at 5:28 pm
Glazers need to fire Bowles now. They can still save this season. How well did it work when they kept Raheem (to hire Schiano), kept Schiano (to hire Lovie), and kept Lovie to hire Koetter that they could have elevated mid-season anyway. Wake up, Glazer Family!
September 25th, 2026 at 5:30 pm
I remember the 80’s games when you could get an end zone seat for a pack of generic cigarettes. We aren’t THAT bad yet
September 25th, 2026 at 5:34 pm
Chris Simms said that Baker will roll over the Browns
He said Deshaun Watson was thru as a NFL QB
But, he was dead wrong
Deshaun Watson outplayed his boy Baker
So, he’s mad at the Bucs defense
But he’s wrong most of the time
He’s no where near his father, as a player or analyst
He’s just riding his father name
If his name was Chris Slocum
He would be a unknown
September 25th, 2026 at 5:37 pm
Fans have said for years that Todd Bowles cannot adapt in game, and frankly is too stubborn. Just can’t him next Monday morning.
September 25th, 2026 at 5:40 pm
@Hopes, the Glazers SUCK at picking head coaches. So many whiffs between Dungy, Gruden, and Arians. Heck, learn from the hiring of those guys and what they brought you!
September 25th, 2026 at 5:44 pm
QB guru Rod Munch should be in great demand , Herbert, Maye, Rogers, Jones, Nix all with QB ratings lower than Mayfield, you would think his phone is constantly ringing with requests for his sage advice.
September 25th, 2026 at 6:01 pm
@Rocket, trust Rod. Baker is the only problem on this team and Rod is obviously smarter than every analyst dissing ALL parts of this team.
September 25th, 2026 at 6:06 pm
Nothing will change until after the season then the Glazier’s will spend so much time making a decision on weather to fire their Rock Star GM that all the quality HCs will be hired. Same ole same o,le SOBs. This franchise is terribly owned & operated.
September 25th, 2026 at 6:22 pm
But but but they love Todd Bowles
September 25th, 2026 at 6:27 pm
I spent a large chunk of last year suggesting that the biggest weakness on this team isn’t the pass-rush, it’s the secondary. And after this offseason and 2 weeks of football, I’m more convinced than ever that I’m right. If you can’t cover receivers, it doesn’t matter how good your pass rush is.
September 25th, 2026 at 6:29 pm
A dead skunk in the road at night only lasts a little while as uou drive past the stink zone.
September 25th, 2026 at 6:38 pm
Lakeland Says:
Last week this fanbase, the local sports media, and most national talking heads
They all were predicting a blowout of the Cleveland Browns
*****************
No, not the local fanbase. Nor myself.
I posted a ‘they could easily lose to the Browns’ post that included a ‘watch the reaction if they do’ on this site. I was not alone in that perspective.
It’s the NFL after all.
September 25th, 2026 at 6:44 pm
green bay looked like sh!t last night…
if we can just somehow get a win sunday, we have a legit shot to bounce back to 2-2…
a revival would be in play…
we just need this first winnerooski to get the ball rolling
September 25th, 2026 at 6:45 pm
Joe, playing off the receivers and backing up at the snap is soft. A 10 play drive with a TD is no different than a long pass TD, and Bowles wants to keep the d off the field. I’m not surprised the team has had enough. Complicated blitzes means you have a weak d or poor coaching.
September 25th, 2026 at 6:47 pm
the problem is…
we can beat green bay next week…
(not good to look ahead, i know)
but if we lose to minnesota and then get our azzes handed to us in dallas – (as usual) – we still find ourselves at 1-4…which basically means season over…
if we lose 2 of the next 3…season over…
so we must win a minimum of 2 of the next 3…
minn
gb
dal
September 25th, 2026 at 7:03 pm
Ghost of McKay. When you’re shlt yourself like our defense did with 3 and a half minutes left in the game, it lasts alot longer than that.
September 25th, 2026 at 7:05 pm
Tomlin is lining up…..thats the best option imo, then whatever he needs after that…..tell him hes got two weeks to get ready….its about to happen…and against his old team.
Back to basics, they know basics….get it done Jason.
September 25th, 2026 at 7:06 pm
I could see us at 0-9 at the bye. And we know what Bowles does after the bye week.
September 25th, 2026 at 7:09 pm
Wait…. Bowles isn’t a defensive genius??
September 25th, 2026 at 7:13 pm
Missing a tackle, or fumbling, or throwing a pick- chalk those up to physical mistakes, they happen. Let a third string TE , on 3rd and 2 with under 4 minutes to play , catch it, fall down , then get up and ramble into the end zone untouched? I think our defense is better. There is the possibility that they can be. But that play was unforgivable and cost us the ballgame. Simms played at Texas, he doesn’t know much. But if he saw that one play, he’s one of many that agrees that this defense sucks. Far too many mental mistakes.
September 25th, 2026 at 7:15 pm
Tampa quarterback is not good and he’s 80 percent of the reason why we are 0-2 . Simms is a Baker apologist so he trying to take the focus off Baker’s bad play . The defense held the Browns offense to 6 points the whole first half including most of the 3rd quarter and Baker couldn’t close out the game.
September 25th, 2026 at 7:16 pm
Kenton. Your boy Baker is not a franchise quarterback just like I said..
September 25th, 2026 at 7:18 pm
^ oh boy, the short bus just dropped someone off……
September 25th, 2026 at 7:21 pm
I have been saying this since he has been here. He lines up his defensive the same every week. He doesn’t change anything for the opponent. Just thinks his defensive is good enough for them not to change for each opponent. Oh it’s a vertical team, a quick passing team, a screen team. Bowles don’t care he is just going to run his same tired corners 9 yards from the receivers one linebacker and one safety treating a fake blitz so there out of assignment playing catchup right at the snap. While the slants and outs are easy picking. He thinks it 2001 and playing bend but don’t break. But all we do is break. Like a 270 pound blocking tight end catching a 20 yard touchdown where he damn near falls when he catches it because he is so agile and runs in untouched. Linebackers playing so close to the line of scrimmage to sell out for the run there running backwards out of position when the tight ends are already behind them. There running with there back to the qb. It’s middle school football.