“I Think This Bucs Team Is Due For A Run”
November 7th, 2026
Slumpbuster needed?
Has BSPN been infiltrated by another Bucs fan?
Joe has long believed good guy Peter Schrager is a closet Bucs fan. He knows too much about the Bucs. Too much for a guy who just happens to cover the NFL from a spaceship view.
Even when the Bucs are lousy, he always finds a way to chatter about them on various hollering shows.
We all know former Bucs All-Pro defensive tackle Gerald McCoy still bleeds pewter and red. So that’s two folks on the BSPN payroll who have the Bucs’ backs.
And Joe is thinking there is now a third.
Kevin Clark has worked at the four-letter for years. And while Clark doesn’t talk about the Bucs a bunch, he does talk more about them than most at that outfit.
Joe saw Clark’s appearance this week on BSPN with Dan Orlovsky and Field Yates. And Joe started doing the math.
* Clark had a sitdown a year or so ago with Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht and he rarely rips the Bucs. That’s rare. Another example is how he defended Lavonte David as one of the best linebackers to ever snap on a chin strap.
* Clark grew up in Orlando. When Clark was young, Orlando always piped in Bucs games on TV. And Clark has mentioned how he always went to Hurricanes games — still does. He was such a Hurricanes fan, he eventually attended and got his degree from Miami. So if Clark saw fit to travel to Miami games, driving 90 minutes down I-4 to watch the Bucs on occasion doesn’t seem a stretch.
Anyway, Clark told Orlovsky he hasn’t given up on the Bucs (3-5) as a playoff team. He seems to think the Bucs only need four more wins out of the remaining nine games, and they could win the NFC South landfill and host a wild card game.
“You know, I never sold my Tampa Buccaneers stock,” Clark said. “I was really high on them in August, even September, and I’m glad I’m seeing [the Bucs turn the corner] because in the NFC South, what’s the old line? If the bear is chasing you, you just need to outrun your buddy.
“You don’t need to outrun the bear. In the NFC South, you just need to outrun a couple of seven-win teams. Okay, no one’s going to go out and grab that division and win 14 games. Just outrun the Panthers and the Saints. You’ll get there, right? The Falcons, and I think they can do that.”
If the Bucs (2-0 in division play) can sweep the division, they would have the tiebreaker on every division rival. So if the Bucs end up in a three-way division tie (what happened last year) with an 7-10 record, the Bucs would be the division winner.
Clark added the doesn’t think one has to be in a drunken stupor to connect the dots on how the Bucs could upset Chicago tomorrow night.
“I mean, they’re going to be able to run the ball,” Clark said. “I think, how do you beat Caleb Williams?”
Then, Clark laid out how the Bucs could win on Sunday night.
“Number one, you get home on the blitzes,” Clark began. “OK, that’s the number one thing: get him on the ground. Caleb Williams can dice up zone coverage when it’s there and when he’s not pressured.
“So Rueben Bain, who’s had multiple pressures the last three weeks, he needs to make an impact. You know, Todd Bowles needs to scheme this one up. I think it’s possible, and I actually think maybe I pick an upset here because I just think that this Bucs team is due for a run.
“They’ve had young players on both sides of the ball: Bain and Keionte Scott, Josiah Trotter. Those guys are going to be stars eventually and have flashed this year. And so that’s what I’m looking for.
“Obviously, Baker Mayfield’s getting healthier every single week, but I feel great about owning my Tampa stock.”
Joe is leery banking on Baker Mayfield to get the Bucs out of a jam.
First, not in any quarter this season — half or full game — have the Bucs displayed an ability to move the ball successfully down the field by way of the pass for two consecutive possessions. Dinking and dunking and throwing four air-yard passes behind the line of scrimmage isn’t going to cut it.
Until the Bucs demonstrate they can throw, Joe cannot put any faith in this Zac Robinson pee wee passing attack and, as a result, Joe expects the Bucs to be a one-trick pony running team — but a very good pony.
The other reason Joe has scant faith in the Bucs’ passing game is: when was the last good game Mayfield had that resulted in a win? San Francisco last October. That’s over a full calendar year ago.
So the Bucs will be banking on a quarterback in a terrible slump, who isn’t yet fully recovered from a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. And they’ll bank on him leading a nickel-and-dime pee wee passing attack in primetime (where the Bucs struggle) to guide the Bucs to a win over the hottest team in the NFL.
That’s a whole lotta hoping and wishing for Joe to feel comfortable.
@danorlovsky7 and @bykevinclark weigh in ahead of the Bucs-Bears matchup 👀 pic.twitter.com/PIlmITxjrp
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 6, 2026
November 7th, 2026 at 2:12 pm
the Bucs can lose @ CHI DET ATL and probably home CAR LAR and still make the playoffs – they would still need to win LAC BAL NOx2 – maybe some JBF guru could run that through AI and see if that is mathematically possible but it is intuitively plausible
November 7th, 2026 at 2:15 pm
All this Buc love is kind of ridiculous! Yeah, they’ve won two in a row… but look who they were against! Now if they go beat the Bears tomorrow…then I’ll shut up!
November 7th, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Does Baker having a sore thumb REALLY affect how well he throws the ball?
November 7th, 2026 at 2:37 pm
🙂 Be nice. LOL
November 7th, 2026 at 2:42 pm
Duh! If you can’t grip it, you can’t rip it!
November 7th, 2026 at 2:46 pm
Joes, I’ve said this before, this is the greatest Bucs site ever, but two changes I would make. I would show the amount of total comments that people/usernames have made and be able to do thumbs up or thumbs down on the post. I think that would be cool and would take your site to a whole new level.
November 7th, 2026 at 2:54 pm
How about O line provides some pass protection, WR get open and hold on to passes? Those are things in short supply this year.
Hurst drop of a perfect TD pass was illustrative of the way things have gone this year.
November 7th, 2026 at 2:59 pm
Cometowin2, I second that!
November 7th, 2026 at 3:22 pm
the run they are due for is the mid season losing streak, the hallmark of todd bowles.
November 7th, 2026 at 3:28 pm
If he can’t grip the ball…then he shouldn’t be playing.
November 7th, 2026 at 3:29 pm
“Buc1987 Says:
November 7th, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Does Baker having a sore thumb REALLY affect how well he throws the ball?“
Could be a thing like that one pass play he tripped and delivered an accurate pass downfield. Blade of grass had to jump up and nip’em just to correct his mechanics 🤣
November 7th, 2026 at 3:32 pm
“Joe is leery of banking on Mayfield…(every single written word until)…for Joe to feel comfortable”.
What is? Answer-A crock of shlt!
November 7th, 2026 at 3:47 pm
Their is a clear path for the Bucs to pass the football.
Look at every run play they used against Dallas, Carolina, and Atlanta. And, for each play, ask, from the moment of the snap, how do we pass to a WR or TE from this position while creating and maintaining an opportunity for Baker to either run (and slide or get out of bounds) or pitch or toss the ball to the RB to get the ball going to where it would have gone on the actual run play.
Guards, TE’s, and WR’s who are not targets pull and block just as on the run plays, but no OL players can go past the allowable “downfield” distance until they count to two Mississippi as they do on a screen pass and WR’s get their one shot within five yards.
The WR and TE routes must be designed for very quick separation.
TE’s must give legitimate blocks: blast a shoulder into their man trying to knock their opponent down before heading into empty space; using both hands to rip their opponent forward to the ground or toss them to one side before heading into empty space.
WR’s must be physical or use hard cuts right out of their breaks to gain leverage.
If a targeted TE or WR does not gain an immediate advantage, stay disciplined and move on to the toss or QB run if the targeted route is not open on time.
November 7th, 2026 at 4:02 pm
Baker is in a slump no doubt but I doubt he has forgotten how to sling it, been doing it his whole life for cripes sake. Is he due a big game? I believe so. The beginning of the season, they were running a new offense with a new blocking scheme I think. One of two things happened, either they dumped the new scheme or finally it all sunk in. Either way, I am predicting a huge Bucs win. Hope they don’t disappoint.
November 7th, 2026 at 4:49 pm
As QB, Baker is the leader of the offense. When he drops/fumbles three times a game, the receivers try to emulate him.
November 7th, 2026 at 5:34 pm
Wake me up when Mr Mid QB actually passes for 100 yards.
Clearly they made a huge mistake signing him to that ridiculous deal.
He’s not worth the money he makes now. $55 million a year for fumbles, hand offs, and losses.
The Glazers have way more money than sense. Building a losing dynasty.
And the zoom zoom squad thinks 3-5 equals 7-1. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
November 7th, 2026 at 5:34 pm
Pom Pom
November 7th, 2026 at 5:48 pm
Bowles said earlier that the running was successful because they ran various plays from the same formations which keeps the defense guessing. You can do the same thing when passing the ball. Pass from run formations and vice versa. Some folks on this site and have said that todays NFL defenses are built to stop the RPO and not the run first, head banging old style run game. I agree. I thing Aaron Rogers did us a solid after that game by saying you should beat the teams you’re expected to beat. Maybe that pissed the Bucs off and they had a Sapp/Brooks moment and said collectively “Oh hell no”, cause they have played solid and nasty since then. Keep that mentality and let it sink in every freaking week.
November 7th, 2026 at 5:49 pm
Prophylactic Von Brain.They missed the playoffs just last year ,due to an injury epidemic!
November 7th, 2026 at 6:38 pm
An injury epidemic!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Yeah that’s what it was!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
No wonder Cousins looked like Marino in his prime!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Ewers looked like a 1st overall pick!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Steve must have hit the dispensary hard today!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
November 7th, 2026 at 6:49 pm
If was truly going to bank on the run game King Henry would have to be back there
November 7th, 2026 at 6:58 pm
Im banking on Todd’s defense!
Good pitching stops great hitting!
Either you have it or don’t
Tampa has an elite defense..
The mighty bears are gonna have to fight!
Go Bucs !
Shock The world !
Any Given Sunday!
November 7th, 2026 at 7:00 pm
They win on the road!
AGAIN!
Hell Yeah!