Five Things
October 26th, 2026
Bucs defensive tackle Calijah Kancey does a backflop after he crosses the goal line on a scoop-and-score touchdown on Sunday. (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.)
Welcome to Victory Monday! The first one of the year! Remember, the only other win before yesterday came on Thursday night. So there was no Victory Monday. Until today. Grab your Todd Bowles coffee mug and make sure to fill it up. Going to be fun!
Playoff Race
We’ve seen the Bucs win the NFC South landfill with a losing record, 8-9. Who is to say the Bucs cannot do it again?
After yesterday’s curb-stomping of Carolina, “this Joe” has the thought of Bucs’ playoff games dancing in his head!
The Bucs are one game out in the win column from first place in the NFC South landfill. The Stinking Panthers are 3-3. The Dixie Chicks are 3-4. The Bucs and slimy Saints are 2-5.
The Bucs host the Dixie Chicks on Sunday. A win over Atlanta would put the Bucs in a tie for second place with nine games left.
It’s crazy but true: The Bucs are very much in the thick of a division race with a 2-5 record. Who woulda thunk it?
There are 10 games left. The way Joe looks at it, ***if*** yesterday at Carolina was not a fluke and that was the real Bucs, Joe doesn’t think it is nuts for the Bucs to go 6-4 the rest of the way.
That would give the Bucs an 8-9 record. Again, the Bucs have proven under KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles that can be enough to win the NFC South landfill.
Stranger things have happened.
Props To Zac Robinson
Joe has been really tough on first-year Bucs offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. And for good reason, Joe believes. Until yesterday, the offense was horrific through for six games. Maybe the worst Bucs offense Joe has seen.
Joe isn’t sure what happened specifically yesterday. But Joe does know Robinson had a come-to-Jesus meeting with his offense Monday. Robinson described it as “tough.” Baker Mayfield said words were spoken and it needed to happen.
Joe doesn’t know if the arse-chewing (where Robinson said he scolded the Bucs offense for a lack of attention to the small details) directly resulted in yesterday’s impressive ground-and-pound assault.
But why did Robinson wait so long? It was almost too late.
Now on the FOX broadcast, “Moose” Johnston suggested Robinson had changed or tinkered with the blocking schemes for Sunday. That could have been why the run game looked so fantastic.
Regardless, Joe has to give Robinson props. You helped your offense earn a win. Now keep it up. And please do not delay if you have to verbally crack heads to get players to play right.
Sack Machine
Look out now, but the Bucs are coming after opposing quarterbacks. And no, it’s not IRS agents posing as Bucs defenders.
Five sacks (!) yesterday matches last week’s total of five sacks (in a loss). That’s 10 sacks in the last two games.
Who let the dogs out?
Even Todd Bowles is liking it. When YaYa Diaby got his first sack of the season, FOX cameras cut to Bowles on the Bucs sideline giving YaYa a low-five. And this is a man who has been very public in his disdain for sacks.
The Bucs are now on pace for 39 sacks this season. They had 37 sacks last season and 46 sacks in the 2024 season, after 48 in 2023.
Has Bowles changed his tune on sacks not meaning much and not leading to turnovers and wins? Joe sure hopes so!
Calijah Kancey’s Backflop
Joe nearly had a heart attack yesterday. And no, it wasn’t because the Bucs were making tremendous defensive plays right and left in the win over the Stinking Panthers.
It happened when Bucs defensive tackle Calijah Kancey did what Joe called a backflop.
Kancey scooped up a Bryce Young fumble when he was sacked by Al-Quadin Muhammad. As soon as Kancey crossed the goal line, he attempted a frontflip, perhaps influenced by Tez Johnson’s many successful ones in the end zone.
Instead, Joe called Kancey’s move a backflop. You know, like a bellyflop, Kancey landed on the turf square on his back and didn’t stick the landing like Johnson does every time.
Kancey, you may recall, has had difficulty staying healthy and staying on the field. When he landed square on his back after the touchdown, Joe thought for sure Kancey got hurt. Joe nearly fell out of his chair.
If anyone remembers a bellyflop, those things are painful. But doing that on your back on the concrete underneath the turf of Bank of America Stadium, Joe cannot imagine how much that must have hurt.
If Joe hears today Kancey is visiting a chiropractor, it wouldn’t shocking. That was a nasty fall.
So Joe has fingers crossed to not see Kancey on the injury report Wednesday with a sore back of some sort.
Todd Bowles’ Job Security
Joe thought the following before yesterday’s blowout victory and the thought was sent into overdriv after the Bucs won:
Tons of Bucs fans want KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles gone. Right now. Today. Bowles seems to be the least popular Bucs coach since Joe launched this here corner of the interwebs back in August 2008. The offense, up until yesterday, was grotesque.
However, the Bucs defense under Bowles has quietly been playing very strong ball of late. Too good for some Bucs fans.
That got Joe thinking, perhaps Team Glazer would use the clear defensive progress as a rationale for bringing Bowles back in 2027. Team Glazer might say, ‘all we need is a good offensive coordinator and the team would be set.’ Why get rid of a coach who has crafted a good defense this year, Team Glazer could rationalize.
After the Bucs completely throttled the Stinking Panthers 43-13 yesterday, it’s not crazy today to think Team Glazer may want to run it back with Bowles again in 2027.
Calijah Kancey with the scoop and score 🗣️
TBvsCAR on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/Qz80nMfjih— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2026
October 26th, 2026 at 4:02 am
The team will finish with 4-6 wins this year. Yesterday was fun but it changes nothing.
Anyone who lets anything from yesterday change their mind about Todd’s resume and ability isn’t using logic.
October 26th, 2026 at 4:03 am
Feel great for the players, they deserved a day where literally EVERYTHING went right for them for a change. This doesn’t affect the way I feel about this team though. Hopefully it quiets the “this team has no talent” crowd a bit, but personally don’t believe that’s been the problem these last 5 years. We’ve simply lacked the leadership & coaching to get it to play up to or above it’s ability consistently. While no team out there will execute like this week-in/out 100% of the time, we need a HC & staff that can coax 75% of that performance on a regular basis and demand their best. We won’t see consistency until that happens.
October 26th, 2026 at 4:33 am
Sixth Thing—The Refs finally let em’ play!
Other than a team victory, what can be more entertaining than the Refs not making the game about them? NOTHING!
-Most Penalized Game: The Broncos vs. Cardinals matchup featured a week-high 20 combined penalties costing a massive 173 total yards.
—Cleanest Game: The Chiefs (2 against the angelic Mahomes) vs. Seahawks (4) game on Sunday night saw just 6 total flags for a meager 35 yards.
The Bucs game had 10 (Bucs 6) which is a very low considering that they had 14 in the Dallas game, a game they won.
Flag happy refs make the game unwatchable. Listened to Brady go off yesterday during a roughing the passer call against the Packers that did not happen. But calls like that happen week in and week out. And it ruins the NFL.
A dominant win during a relatively clean game makes for a good Sunday.
Keep ‘em coming!
October 26th, 2026 at 5:30 am
Buc’s SPANKED the Panthers!!!
LFG!!!
October 26th, 2026 at 5:37 am
Weirdest team in the NFL…
I’m sticking with my initial 7-10 prediction.
October 26th, 2026 at 5:39 am
The Bucs have been a great run blocking team all year.
It’s Zack Robinson who refused to commit to the run.
Again. I’ve said it all year.
This team can’t pass block, and can’t rush the passer without blitzing.
But it is a great run blocking line.
And Todd Bowles is one of the very best in the NFL at drawing up Creative blitzes. It is his absolute fortay!
SO RUN. SO BLITZ!
We did in Dallas. We did in Carolina. Obvious results.
The year Bowles had his worst coaching record with the Bucs was last year.
The year he had the lowest sack total as the Bucs head Coach.
That should get his attention.
Todd Bowles has taken the Bucs to the Playoffs 3 of 4 years. Winning the NFC South twice in 4 years.
If, IF, he gets the team back on track this year, and we end up in the playoffs,
Why in Gawds earth would you want to replace him?
Every team in the league DREAMS about a coach who gets them in the playoffs 4 outta 5 years.
There is no one out there with a record that compares. Not even close
But that’s a big if.
This team is deeply flawed.
But the line is crippled by Barton, who Licht has forced into the center position.
Barton sucks as a Center.
And Bredesen. Shortest arms ever measured on an Olinemen at the combine.
Doesn’t hurt his run blocking. But I believe it’s a major contributor to his very poor pass blocking. He’s a T Rex trying get hands on the D lineman.
Mauch has sucked this year- but played better yesterday.
I think he’s bouncing back from the injury last year.
But the offensive line problems are personal.
How many first or second round picks has Jason Licht wasted on bad, tweener Defensive linemen?
Noah Spence. Joe Tryon. Logan Hall, Chris Braswell, Calijah Kancey, etc, etc. .
That is all on Licht.
The GM builds the team. He scouts, drafts, signs, resigns, and signs all the free agents.
The Coach coaches the team he is given. That’s the system.
Licht has failed at his job, worse than Bowles has failed at his.
And we played a 4 man D line more Yesterday.
Calijah Kancey is too small to be a 3-4 D linemen. He will always get hurt.
I said that the week we drafted him. Still say it.
But he could be effective in a 4 man line. Hope we see more of that.
October 26th, 2026 at 5:44 am
One strong win does not erase 3 prior seasons of mediocrity. The Bowles fiasco needs to end this season regardless of how it ends.
October 26th, 2026 at 5:49 am
This was a Bucs team I didn’t recognize. They’ve dug a very deep hole. Can they crawl their way out?
October 26th, 2026 at 5:49 am
I bet kancey will be injured next game. Stpid flip
October 26th, 2026 at 6:00 am
Know this site and others often like to use the “least liked coach in Bucs history, etc.” take, but some of that sentiment really isn’t directed at todd. It’s also aimed at the Glazers and many in the local & national media for being completely obtuse re: todd’s lack of needed intangibles & ability as a HC, completely dimissing the massive inconsistency & play of his team from the previous season & claiming “this is going to be todd’s year”, after having NINE years of evidence to the contrary. Most of us just don’t get that closed-eye mindset, but sadly that same obtuseness is prevalent in other aspects in our society as well currently.
October 26th, 2026 at 6:05 am
And the “I’m only concerned about his record in Tampa” crowd is a mindnumber as well lol. It’s like hiring someone just based on them “being a nice person” without even reviewing their past work history, criminal record, etc., and then making excuses for the red flags that pop up later. Baffling.
October 26th, 2026 at 6:05 am
You clowns always calling for loses instead of supporting this team because you hate bowles and would rather lose every game so you can finally get your wish choke on it because it’s not happening
October 26th, 2026 at 6:08 am
All of you on this site that wanted to talk fire sale…I said last week nothing will be done before the 2 division games. We won yesterday and if we beat Atlanta they will hold to see how the rest of the season goes. Too many pessimistic people on JBF
October 26th, 2026 at 6:09 am
Joe, I don’t know if I’d rather be a team that loses three by 30 and wins three or loses five by 4 points and wins 2. I almost feel there’s more hope for the 4-point losers. But both are bad.