Another overtime game, another overtime loss without Baker Mayfield and the offense getting a chance to touch the ball. The Bucs went in to Kansas City to face the undefeated Chiefs and gave them everything they could handle - but it still wasn’t enough.
Let’s Pick Six.
1.) Todd Bowles Should Have Gone For Two. The reality of the situation was that the Bucs had the Chiefs on the ropes. It took 1:49 for the Buccaneers to go 71 yards and get into the end zone. On the road, in the rain, a heavy underdog, without their top two offensive players - the Bucs had all the momentum and needed to go for the win rather than the tie. Bowles told the media afterwards that because of the “wet conditions” they felt it was best to play for overtime - which makes absolutely no sense. Because of adverse conditions, you think it’s better to play more than go for the win and leave the game in the hands of your offense to gain two yards? That’s just poor decision making. Twice this season the Bucs have lost in overtime because the defense couldn’t get a stop and get the ball back for the offense. Most Bucs fans could have lived with a loss going for a win than the way they lost instead.
2.) This Team Is Still Going To Make The Playoffs. Yes, they’ve lost three in a row and four of their last five - but they’re still going to make the playoffs. They’ll make it even if they lose to the 49ers Sunday. They would head into the bye at 4-6, get Mike Evans back, then their remaining schedule has a combined .319 winning percentage, by far the worst winning percentage of any remaining schedule in the NFL. The closest is the Miami Dolphins at .409. The Giants, Panthers twice, Saints, Chargers, Cowboys, and Raiders means the Bucs are likely going to end up with double-digit wins, probably 10-7 and in the playoffs as a wild card team. So this season is far from lost.
3.) Where Is Sean Tucker? I understand that Tucker isn’t the pass blocker that Rachaad White is, but he needs more opportunities to carry the ball. Liam Coen even said last week that he needs to find a way to get Tucker on the field more. Three carries isn’t enough. He’s the bruiser - the guy that’s going to wear down a defense and open things up for the quicker, more elusive backs like White and Bucky Irving. He’s going to punish opposing defensive players and it’s going to take two or three guys to take him down. When you don’t have your top two receivers and you’re in a game where the receivers you have left aren’t getting targets, you have to employ all the weapons you have. Tucker has been really good when given the chance - just give him more chances.
4.) This Team Has No Quit. Much like last year, the Bucs are going through a rough stretch right now. And while injuries are playing a big role in that, they aren’t getting blown out. They aren’t hanging their heads on the sideline and admitting defeat - this team is still fighting tooth and nail down to the last second. That speaks to the character of the team, the leadership in the locker room, the belief in the coaching staff - and that’s important. It’s going to be something that helps springboard them into the postseason for the fifth straight year. It’s what’s going to help them go on a run after the bye week and get back to the team we saw earlier this season. And that’s not something Bucs fans are used to seeing when the chips are down.
5.) Todd Bowles Is Not Getting Fired In Season. I know Bucs fans are angry and frustrated and many are calling for Bowles’ head - it’s not happening this season. Now, that’s not to say it may not happen after the season. Liam Coen has been incredible and he’s going to get head coaching offers from around the league. The Bucs are going to be in a situation where they may need to choose between the guy that led a top five offense or a guy that led a bottom five defense - and they’ll choose the guy that led the side of the ball that carried the team. But the Glazers don’t fire coaches in season. They never have and they aren’t going to start now. Bowles still has the respect of the players, he still has the respect of the coaches, he’s been holding a team together that’s been ravaged by injury and taken away a lot of the players they were going to rely on. You can question and disagree with his decisions all you want, he isn’t going anywhere this season.
6.) Prepare Yourself For The Beating Of A Dead Horse. I’m warning all of you now - the offseason is going to be a nightmare for fans that don’t like draft talk. This draft - as well as free agency, to a certain extent - is vital to taking the Bucs from a playoff team to a championship contender. For those that have listened to me on Locked On Bucs, you know that was the message being sent all offseason last year. That this team was going to be firmly entrenched in the championship conversation heading into the 2025 season. That said, there are three spots where all the Bucs’ resources need to go in getting themselves there - cornerback, edge rusher, and inside linebacker. That’s where the Bucs need to use all their draft capital, where they need to spend all their money after Chris Godwin is taken care of - those are the glaring areas of this team where they just aren’t getting enough production. Zyon McCollum is fine. Yaya Diaby and Chris Braswell are fine. Lavonte David is hopefully going to return - but you need a lot of pieces to help those guys out. If the Bucs hit on their picks and signings in those three areas, with Coen and Baker leading the offense? Yeah, that’s going to be a championship caliber team.
3 - Consecutive games where Cade Otton has 8 or more receptions, a franchise record
5 - Sacks by Vita Vea this season, most on the team and most among nose tackles in the NFL this season
93.5 - Chase McLaughlin’s field goal percentage since joining the Bucs in 2023
9 - Players since 2000 with eight rushing and eight receiving touchdowns in the first three seasons of their career - now including Rachaad White
25 - Total touchdowns by Baker Mayfield this season, most in the NFL
.319 - Combined winning percentage of the Bucs’ opponents left on the schedule
1.) Kansas City Chiefs - Hopkins getting comfortable? Bad news for the NFL
2.) Detroit Lions - Adding an edge rusher at the deadline with that offense on fire? They might actually get to the big game…
3.) Baltimore Ravens - Lamar and Henry on the same team isn’t fair
4.) Buffalo Bills - Just wait until they get Amari Cooper going
5.) Washington Commanders - A rookie quarterback might just lead his team to the Super Bowl and it’s fascinating to watch
15.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Evans will be back, but the defense isn’t one you can rely on
Another overtime game, another overtime loss without Baker Mayfield and the offense getting a chance to touch the ball. The Bucs went in to Kansas City to face the undefeated Chiefs and gave them everything they could handle - but it still wasn’t enough.
Let’s Pick Six.
1.) Todd Bowles Should Have Gone For Two. The reality of the situation was that the Bucs had the Chiefs on the ropes. It took 1:49 for the Buccaneers to go 71 yards and get into the end zone. On the road, in the rain, a heavy underdog, without their top two offensive players - the Bucs had all the momentum and needed to go for the win rather than the tie. Bowles told the media afterwards that because of the “wet conditions” they felt it was best to play for overtime - which makes absolutely no sense. Because of adverse conditions, you think it’s better to play more than go for the win and leave the game in the hands of your offense to gain two yards? That’s just poor decision making. Twice this season the Bucs have lost in overtime because the defense couldn’t get a stop and get the ball back for the offense. Most Bucs fans could have lived with a loss going for a win than the way they lost instead.
2.) This Team Is Still Going To Make The Playoffs. Yes, they’ve lost three in a row and four of their last five - but they’re still going to make the playoffs. They’ll make it even if they lose to the 49ers Sunday. They would head into the bye at 4-6, get Mike Evans back, then their remaining schedule has a combined .319 winning percentage, by far the worst winning percentage of any remaining schedule in the NFL. The closest is the Miami Dolphins at .409. The Giants, Panthers twice, Saints, Chargers, Cowboys, and Raiders means the Bucs are likely going to end up with double-digit wins, probably 10-7 and in the playoffs as a wild card team. So this season is far from lost.
3.) Where Is Sean Tucker? I understand that Tucker isn’t the pass blocker that Rachaad White is, but he needs more opportunities to carry the ball. Liam Coen even said last week that he needs to find a way to get Tucker on the field more. Three carries isn’t enough. He’s the bruiser - the guy that’s going to wear down a defense and open things up for the quicker, more elusive backs like White and Bucky Irving. He’s going to punish opposing defensive players and it’s going to take two or three guys to take him down. When you don’t have your top two receivers and you’re in a game where the receivers you have left aren’t getting targets, you have to employ all the weapons you have. Tucker has been really good when given the chance - just give him more chances.
4.) This Team Has No Quit. Much like last year, the Bucs are going through a rough stretch right now. And while injuries are playing a big role in that, they aren’t getting blown out. They aren’t hanging their heads on the sideline and admitting defeat - this team is still fighting tooth and nail down to the last second. That speaks to the character of the team, the leadership in the locker room, the belief in the coaching staff - and that’s important. It’s going to be something that helps springboard them into the postseason for the fifth straight year. It’s what’s going to help them go on a run after the bye week and get back to the team we saw earlier this season. And that’s not something Bucs fans are used to seeing when the chips are down.
5.) Todd Bowles Is Not Getting Fired In Season. I know Bucs fans are angry and frustrated and many are calling for Bowles’ head - it’s not happening this season. Now, that’s not to say it may not happen after the season. Liam Coen has been incredible and he’s going to get head coaching offers from around the league. The Bucs are going to be in a situation where they may need to choose between the guy that led a top five offense or a guy that led a bottom five defense - and they’ll choose the guy that led the side of the ball that carried the team. But the Glazers don’t fire coaches in season. They never have and they aren’t going to start now. Bowles still has the respect of the players, he still has the respect of the coaches, he’s been holding a team together that’s been ravaged by injury and taken away a lot of the players they were going to rely on. You can question and disagree with his decisions all you want, he isn’t going anywhere this season.
6.) Prepare Yourself For The Beating Of A Dead Horse. I’m warning all of you now - the offseason is going to be a nightmare for fans that don’t like draft talk. This draft - as well as free agency, to a certain extent - is vital to taking the Bucs from a playoff team to a championship contender. For those that have listened to me on Locked On Bucs, you know that was the message being sent all offseason last year. That this team was going to be firmly entrenched in the championship conversation heading into the 2025 season. That said, there are three spots where all the Bucs’ resources need to go in getting themselves there - cornerback, edge rusher, and inside linebacker. That’s where the Bucs need to use all their draft capital, where they need to spend all their money after Chris Godwin is taken care of - those are the glaring areas of this team where they just aren’t getting enough production. Zyon McCollum is fine. Yaya Diaby and Chris Braswell are fine. Lavonte David is hopefully going to return - but you need a lot of pieces to help those guys out. If the Bucs hit on their picks and signings in those three areas, with Coen and Baker leading the offense? Yeah, that’s going to be a championship caliber team.
3 - Consecutive games where Cade Otton has 8 or more receptions, a franchise record
5 - Sacks by Vita Vea this season, most on the team and most among nose tackles in the NFL this season
93.5 - Chase McLaughlin’s field goal percentage since joining the Bucs in 2023
9 - Players since 2000 with eight rushing and eight receiving touchdowns in the first three seasons of their career - now including Rachaad White
25 - Total touchdowns by Baker Mayfield this season, most in the NFL
.319 - Combined winning percentage of the Bucs’ opponents left on the schedule
1.) Kansas City Chiefs - Hopkins getting comfortable? Bad news for the NFL
2.) Detroit Lions - Adding an edge rusher at the deadline with that offense on fire? They might actually get to the big game…
3.) Baltimore Ravens - Lamar and Henry on the same team isn’t fair
4.) Buffalo Bills - Just wait until they get Amari Cooper going
5.) Washington Commanders - A rookie quarterback might just lead his team to the Super Bowl and it’s fascinating to watch
15.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Evans will be back, but the defense isn’t one you can rely on
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