Weeks ago Joe wrote about how expecting an improved season from Baker Mayfield is unfair and unrealistic after his stunning 2024 campaign. [read more]

Don’t poke the bear.

Tristan Wirfs is one of the kindest guys Joe has ever met. That doesn’t mean Wirfs has no bad moments. [read more]

Baker Mayfield scrambles against the Eagles yesterday. (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com)

What a bummer of a game. It was bad enough seeing that invasion of Eagles fans. Joe’s good friend Rock Riley, who has been covering the Bucs for some three decades, said it was the largest contingent of visiting fans he’s ever seen. The Sage of Tampa Bay sports, Ira Kaufman, thought 40 percent of the crowd was Eagles fans. Joe thought that was a conservative estimate. Joe remembers in 2023 Lions fans coming out of the woodwork to fill The Licht House. And back in 2010, the Terrible Towel-waving Steelers fans took over the Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway. Yesterday was right up there.

Walking up to the stadium, Joe briefly thought he was transported to Philadelphia. The place was that green.

But enough of that. Let’s look back at what may have been yesterday and how that impacts the future. [read more]

Addresses team after loss.

Almost to a man, everyone Joe spoke to yesterday in the Bucs’ locker room was of the same mind: The Bucs dug their own grave yesterday by coughing up 14 quick points to the defending Super Bowl champions and not answering on offense. [read more]

Need to be ready to play.

When Joe spoke with right tackle Charlie Heck in the locker room following the game yesterday, he summed up the loss to the Eagles very simply: [read more]

Full-time workload today for Chris Godwin.

Even though Bucs receiver Chris Godwin didn’t play near his elite standard today, it was fantastic seeing him back on the field after tearing up his ankle 11 months ago. [read more]

Click through to shop the incredible September offers at BillCurrieFord.com. Family-owned in Tampa since 1960! Bill Currie Ford GM Sean Sullivan is ready to help you PERSONALLY and give you the Ira Kaufman discount on top of their sale prices. Don’t Worry, Drive Currie!

BY IRA KAUFMAN

The masters of the late comeback failed to show up early. [read more]

“Mr. Glazer, we need a new line item in the budget. We’ll take it out of Greenberg’s 2026 raise.”

Literally from the opening kickoff today, one the Bucs botched and let bounce at the 15 yard line and roll into the back of the end zone for a start-at-the-20 touchback, the Tampa Bay special teams were a wild roller coaster ride. [read more]

Laments missed opportunties.

The Bucs, unfortunately, gave Joe and Bucs fans several ways to pick apart this ugly loss, the first of the season. [read more]

Bucky Irving’s fumble gave the Eagles a very short field. Baker Mayfield’s needless red zone interception channeled the ghost of Jameis Winston. And the Eagles’ opening drive punt block for a touchdown is the kind of stuff that happens in JV high school games. [read more]

Slow start doomed Bucs.

The defense woke up in the second half. One Bucs tackle says the game shouldn’t have needed a heroic effort by the defense if the offense only did its job. [read more]

Bucs offensive coordiantor Josh Grizzard.

So in the 20 Eagles games prior to today’s Philadelphia beating of the Bucs, only one team put more yards on the Philly defense than the Bucs did today. [read more]

The division standings shifted this afternoon. [read more]

NFL record.

At least the Bucs got something right with the special teams today. [read more]

Will we see this scene again?

Joe is not trying to be mean; it’s just reality in the NFL.

“Your best ability is your availability.” [read more]

No flag on the play as Chris Godwin has his jersey used as a leash by an Eagles defensive player.

As bad as the officiating was today, Joe has to wonder if the NFL wants the Eagles back in the Super Bowl as the NFC representative. [read more]

Sad plays in first half.

SirVocea Dennis may look like a grad assistant biology professor at USF, but he played the first half against the Eagles like a dropout from Manatee High School. [read more]

The painful 31-25 loss to the Eagles today featured the return of Tristan Wirfs, and the All-World left tackle looked strong, fast and dominant.

Joe was so damn fired up. [read more]

The world champion Eagles punted six times in the second half against the Bucs today.

Joe was in glorious disbelief. The Bucs defense was a swarming, body-moving beast. [read more]

What a game! More blood pressure spikes across the Tampa Bay area.

If the Bucs’ special teams wasn’t so damn leaky, the Bucs probably would have knocked off the world champs.

The Bucs defense lost Jamel Dean, Haason Reddick and Greg Gaines in the second half and still clamped down on the Eagles to help mount a big-time comeback. [read more]