“Heroic” Bucs Defense
November 9th, 2026
Monumental effort wasted.
Joe was having flashbacks to 27 years ago.
Late in the Bucs’ loss to the Bears tonight, pinch-hitting NBC play-by-play man Noah Eagle referred to the Bucs’ defense as “heroic.” (For those unaware, Eagle does Saturday night Notre Dame/Big Ten games for NBC and Joe has heard him several times. He is excellent and will someday replace Mike Tirico when the veteran broadcaster retires.)
The performance reminded Joe of the 1999 NFC title game when the Bucs lost to the Rams, when the Bucs defense may have played the best game Joe had ever seen. The Bucs lost 11-6.
No, tonight’s defense was not perfect or as good as the aforementioned defense. It gave up two quick touchdowns in the first nine minutes, and it gave up a busted play late to set the Bears up for a game-winning field goal.
But for about 49 minutes, the last time Joe saw a Bucs defense play this well was the Super Bowl for the 2020 season. Or the 1999 NFC title game.
It was obscene how the Bucs offense pissed away this game. Time after time, the defense forced the Bears off the field, forced five turnovers, and the special teams got a blocked punt.
And the Bucs could not capitalize.
Joe wanted to throw up. Talk about a disgusting offense. Shameful. Irresponsible. A fireable offense.
Back in 1999, Team Glazer was so outraged about the offense, just a couple of days after the loss, they ran then-offensive coordinator Mike Shula.
Team Glazer needs to seriously consider the same fate for current Bucs offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. Because this guy is going to drag this team down, and it’s NFC South landfill title hopes with him.
November 9th, 2026 at 12:10 am
Hey Joe…. Still thinking the Bears are the “Big Boys”? All you experts had the Bears running away with it. But never mind what you wrote on with the next NFL narrative.
November 9th, 2026 at 12:11 am
Agreed…
But replace him with who?
November 9th, 2026 at 12:12 am
Who cares. They lost.
November 9th, 2026 at 12:12 am
Defense gets 5 turnovers, gives up 20 points, and they’re the issue – not the bum QB who is a $65M cap hit for the next three years.
No wonder my posts are all moderated.
November 9th, 2026 at 12:12 am
It was brilliant coaching and quarterbacking that got the Bucs close to the win.
November 9th, 2026 at 12:13 am
Maybe go for TD’s instead of Field Goals. That would of won the game if converted a least one of them.
November 9th, 2026 at 12:13 am
It would be a heroic defensive effort except once again in a prime time game the Bucs weren’t prepared at the start of the game. 2 quick TDs at the outset sunk them. Show up prepared and we can call it a heroic defensive effort.
November 9th, 2026 at 12:14 am
Have to give credit, where it’s due.. Bowles has the defense playing elite. Now have the courage Bowles to force, licht and the glazers to fire Robinson. Promote the QB coach.
November 9th, 2026 at 12:14 am
Can’t be made at Todd about this one. I think we have the best defense in the NFL. Wtf do we do about the offense? I wouldn’t have a clue what to do. I know the QB don’t help.
November 9th, 2026 at 12:16 am
Yes, this reminds me of the Dungy days, crazy elite defense and complete garbage offense
November 9th, 2026 at 12:17 am
Winning the worst division in professional sports is so meaningless to us fans. But if the glazers think that firing Robinson will net them the few million that come with the home playoff game I’m sure they’ll tell Bowles to do it. Not that it means anything. I’d prefer them to just let Todd finish the job of getting us a top 10 pick and then get with the times and hire an offensive HC.
November 9th, 2026 at 12:17 am
5 turnovers and you lose the game…?
that’s almost all but impossible…
offense, the OL, and the OC flopped out tonight…
5 turnovers = win win win
——
now we find ourselves 3-6….that is horrendous…it means you lose 2 out of every 3 games you play all year…
prorate it, and it’s approx equal to: a 6-11 record…even potentially 5-12…sad
November 9th, 2026 at 12:19 am
Between the OC, Baker triple clutching the ball, and the offensive line pass blocking, it was very bad offense.
I’d give the OC a D minus, Baker a D, and the pass blocking offensive line a D plus.
Wasted the heroic effort of the defense against a great offensive coach with some very good weapons and offensive line.
November 9th, 2026 at 12:20 am
As much as I am disappointed with Bowles and his overly conservative coaching, his defense is putting up the numbers and I doubt he’s going anywhere.
Our offense, on the otherhand is lousy at best, regardless of Bowles influence on the playcalling. Robinson might not make it to the end of the year but, who can we put in his place?
November 9th, 2026 at 12:20 am
now we must….must…win in detroit….it’s a must…
then go home and win 2 in a row….at least…
we need a win streak after the bye or it’s a lost season…
ok i’m done griping…you know i love this damn team….
gnite
November 9th, 2026 at 12:20 am
This Defense Can win you a CHIP. No seriously it that freakin’ good
November 9th, 2026 at 12:24 am
A fired Oklahoma OC made all the difference the next game. They had a drive that lasted almost 13 minutes with a Touchdown score.
Change can be good when under performing.
November 9th, 2026 at 12:25 am
@Rod Munch — your posts are moderated because you’re an anti-Bucs d!ckbag lmao. Did you really not know this 🤔🤔🤔
November 9th, 2026 at 12:25 am
Gotta do something Bowles/Licht!!!
Fire Robinson!!
Promote Chandler Whitmer to OC.
Still got Ken Zampisi on staff to help with play design…
If Baker keeps sucking after this change, bench him.
Play Daniels for rest of year….
November 9th, 2026 at 12:36 am
The Bucs are competing, and I think can really do some damage. The defense is a lot of fun to watch.
It is the bye week. I wonder if they dare tinker with the offense or the coaches?
November 9th, 2026 at 12:37 am
Ya gotta hand it to Todd Bowles. Dude can build defenses. But, dear Lord, where were the multiple tight end formations we crushed Atlanta with? Devin Culp blocked everybody in sight last week; was he even active? We have exactly one X-receiver, his name is Ted Hurst; was he even active?
Oh well. This is obviously the best team in its division, for what that is worth. We have a full two months to figure out how to impose our will on the West runner-up in the first round.
And for those who sneer at another 9-8 division crown: Would you really rather have Lost Decade III?
November 9th, 2026 at 12:37 am
Thinking about the $165 million the Bucs just paid for our qb is enough to make you puke 🤮 he literally got on the mic this offseason and guaranteed a fire season from him ! We got fooled and scammed! Baker pulled the biggest heist in sports history! No reason we shouldn’t have won this game ! The way the defense left everything out on the field I wouldn’t be surprised if this lost causes friction in the locker room between the offense and defense 5 takeaways and a blocked punt!!! Baker literally had one job don’t turn the ball over and we would have won
November 9th, 2026 at 12:39 am
If you are going to throw Zac th hack over board include.mayfoeld and Licht too. Why Licht? Because of his STUPID contracts,
November 9th, 2026 at 12:43 am
By the way:
The Bears sure are “the big boys”. Wouldn’t surprise me at all to see them in the Super Bowl. What did surprise me was to see the Bucs take the ball away five (five!) times.
November 9th, 2026 at 1:55 am
Especially heroic was the final defensive stand. They held the Bears to a FG and only had one coverage bust, and a blitz on 3rd and four that worked except the refs missed the holding and called the pass complete even when the ball hit the ground. The Bucs won that game.