Charlie Weis: Bucs Are Contenders
September 26th, 2023
The Bucs got their butts kicked last night at The Licht House but no Bucs fan should be hanging a head.
That was the message this morning from often-cranky Charlie Weis, the savvy retired playcaller who guided young Tom Brady before leaving New England and turning Matt Cassell (Chiefs) and Vinny Testaverde (Jets) into Pro Bowl quarterbacks as their offensive coordinator.
Weis is a co-host on SiriusXM NFL Radio and he was wagging a finger at Bucs stud receiver Mike Evans today.
That impressive Bucs drive against the Eagles in the second quarter? The one in which Baker Mayfield begain 5-0f-5 passing before a Cade Otton drop? It’s under the skin of Weis.
Weis watched it end with what he felt was a dropped touchdown pass by Mike Evans.
Joe’s film review shows the defender’s hand was in with Evans’ two hands, so Joe can’t call it a drop. But it certainly was catchable; Joe has seen Evans muscle much more difficult throws into his mitts.
Tampa Bay settled for a field goal to tie the game at 3. Weis thinks seven points there could have been a game-changer for the Bucs.
“A [touchdown] score early in the game, you don’t know how things are going to be different,” he said.
What most intrigued Joe was how adamant Weis is about the Bucs being contenders for the NFC South crown — not because of their record but because of the team they put on the field.
“There isn’t any reason Tampa can’t hang in this division,” Weis said.
Of course, Weis is correct. Win against a backup quarterback on Sunday in New Orleans and the Bucs are in great shape.
September 26th, 2023 at 12:27 pm
Contenders for the NFC South is like the being the tallest midget.
September 26th, 2023 at 12:27 pm
Blah blah blah. White noise.
September 26th, 2023 at 12:28 pm
I am not discouraged at all. I am with Coach Weis, the Bucs are contenders. On to the slimy Saints!
September 26th, 2023 at 12:29 pm
Cobra
Ding Ding Ding Ding!
We have a winner!
September 26th, 2023 at 12:41 pm
Watching that game against the Eagles was like watching my barn cat playing with a mouse before she eats it…
And when the injuries start to mount up it will only get worse.
The bye week can’t come soon enough for this team.
September 26th, 2023 at 12:41 pm
Argh. A backup.
September 26th, 2023 at 12:42 pm
Saints are 3 point favorites as of now and it’s a low O/U which makes sense with both teams being defensive and struggling on offense.
I think we have the edge with Baker over Winston but we’ll see. They and the rest of the NFL have a RB/rushing edge on us
September 26th, 2023 at 12:42 pm
@ Cobra
LOL!
I agree bud.
September 26th, 2023 at 12:42 pm
I hate the Saints with a passion but their defense is just as good as ours. If the offense can’t find some easier scores guys like fat Peter King will be right back on their season predictions and i really don’t want to hear it. This is a short turnaround so not going to be easy
September 26th, 2023 at 12:44 pm
“That impressive Bucs drive against the Eagles in the second quarter? The one in which Baker Mayfield begain 5-0f-5 passing before a Cade Otton drop? It’s under the skin of Weis.”
LOL. Impressive drive. Game was already decided. Eagles were in soft defensive mode just to wrap up the game being up with three scores. That was a garbage drive by a garbage qb who was 10-19 pass completions and a pick and three points before that drive. It took an incredible catch by Mike E. to keep that drive alive as Baker was off on his throw as he was in the entire game. Mike E. drops were mostly to Baker’s inaccurate passes. Baker Sucks. REAL GARBAGE BAKER SHOWS UP AS MORE PASS PLAYS ARE CALLED IN. THAT IS WHY THERE ARE NOT MANY EXPLOSIVE PLAYS IN THE PAST THREE GAMES. BENCH BAKER BEFORE WASTING ANOTHER SEASON FOR THE BUCS FANS.
September 26th, 2023 at 12:48 pm
Baker and Toilet Bowl will win enough games to lower Bucs draft picks. Bench Baker and play Trask so we know what we have in him for the next year.
September 26th, 2023 at 12:56 pm
The Evans non TD-play is a total drop in ‘my book’ 💯. I’m NOT giving him a pass JUST because the defender got an arm in there, since it should never had come to that, in the first place. I rewound it to rewatch 5-TIMES last night right after it, & just as Keyshawn stated earlier today, that you have go atop the ball, attack it, and grab it… You CAN’T be falling back and down to the ground. I mean, labeling it a “drop” is really, being nice. Cause, what else are you going to call-it, then… Laziness, Unmotivated, Weak, Tired, Passive, Fatigued, Unaggressive, Poor Technique, Bad Habit, Mental Lapse(s), Unprepared, Unengaged, IDK!?
September 26th, 2023 at 12:56 pm
BM held the ball too long. Maybe the reason they won’t start Trask is they know ME is washed up and can’t run routes or catch the ball. He seriously usually only catches curl routes…AND NOW HE EVEN DROPS THOSE!!
Trask would get killed back there. Won’t be long before BM get LITT up and Trask is needed though. We will see what Trask has soon. Thats the good news.
September 26th, 2023 at 12:58 pm
David, wrong drive….. read carefully next time.
September 26th, 2023 at 1:00 pm
Charlie Weis: Bucs Are Contenders
where do these clawns come from to comment in social media ?????
Bucs might be contender in the same toilet bowl as NFC South but they are just a trash team with an DC as head coach, average defense, rookie OC and a garbage obsolete qb.
Toilet Bowl couldn’t even have wining record or win a playoff game last season let alone now with younger and less experience roster.
Three points at the half was the lowest score since 2020 season and the second for lowest for the past 10 years. The defense kept them in the game and gradually gave up as the offense continued with worthless drives with blanks.
September 26th, 2023 at 1:02 pm
We lose one game against the best team in the NFC and the haters are out in full force. Freaking take it easy! Go win against the Saints and start the first quarter of the season 3-1. Kind of makes me wonder how many posters here are even Bucs fans? I guess the Super Bowl with Brady has some people with unrealistic expectations.
September 26th, 2023 at 1:04 pm
Anyone who understands the game and even more that this is a new OC trying to train and direct them knows that this season will have highs and lows more than usual….
The Bucs kept the Eagle from running up the score AND IF the Bucs had even a glimmer of a run game, the game would have ended MUCH differently… Holding Eagles to 25 points is something!
September 26th, 2023 at 1:04 pm
If Todd Bowles can fix the run blocking and swiss cheese defense then we are Super Bowl contenders
September 26th, 2023 at 1:06 pm
Cobraboy Says:
Contenders for the NFC South is like the being the tallest midget.
^^^^
FR … but I love owning this division. The humiliation of winning the NFCS with a $4M QB after the Saints dropped $100M on Carr and Carolina gave away this years 1st round pick for Young. OMG!
September 26th, 2023 at 1:13 pm
Good enough to split with the Aints, possible to take 2 off the dirty birds, almost a lock to win both against the Punt(h)ers. 49ers game will be ugly, Lions game us a tossup IMO. Really possible to win the division and then who knows? Lot of young talent and a new offensive system, they could gel or fall apart. Super Bowl? Not likely. Playoff win? Its in play
September 26th, 2023 at 1:14 pm
David you are coming off as just another hater. Evans dropped multiple passes and they weren’t on Baker. I’m not a Baker guy, I think he’s too short, but he has a rocket of an arm and he is pretty darn accurate.
It was 1 loss out of 17 games, early in the season. A lot of room to improve through the season.
I believe we are going to roll the Stinks this Sunday, hopefully we start running the ball over our left tackle.
September 26th, 2023 at 1:17 pm
Marlon Brando……On The Waterfront ” I could have been a contender”
September 26th, 2023 at 1:22 pm
I will take being the tallest midget. That team still gets to go to the playoffs. Every season- Plan A Win Championship, Plan B Play spoiler in NFC South.
September 26th, 2023 at 1:23 pm
Devin White said, “We’re going to the playoffs.” He’s 100% correct. The Bucs have shown they are better than average teams. The Bucs play mostly less than average teams the rest of the year.
Season Breakdown:
1. Winnable: NOx2, ATLx2, CARx2, HOU, TEN, IND (9 games)
2. Marginal: GB, JAX (2 games)
3. Losable: DET, BUF, SF (3 games)
Win 8/11 from 1-2 and that’s 10 wins and a likely division title. Playoffs.
September 26th, 2023 at 1:26 pm
If you think Baker is “pretty darn accurate,” I have a mountain house in Palm Harbor to sell you.
Baker to his credit is a playmaker and is mobile in the pocket (which man you better be behind this line rn) which are his needed strengths at the moment. While he does make SOME throws, he misses targets inaccurately more often.
If you’re looking for a franchise QB, the search continues.
September 26th, 2023 at 1:26 pm
Contender to get blown out in the first round of the playoffs sporting a 7-10 record? Yes, we are….
September 26th, 2023 at 1:27 pm
David is a troll everyone. Just ignore him, he gets off on your comments.
September 26th, 2023 at 1:28 pm
What a great day for our Chicken Littles how dare Weiss rain on their parade.
Give our trolls and haters a day to lick their wounds and savor a Buc defeat.
Now reality check. Are we surprised by the outcome? Not really. Clearly at this point in time Philly is simply a better team, on paper, and on the field. Did anybody expect a SB this year? Even if the Bucs still had Brady? NO the vast majority of all but Bucs fans (and some of them as well) thought the Bucs would totally suck.
Imagine this team with just ONE addition…Bijon Robinson! That’s pie in the sky. But perhaps next season if the Bucs don’t spring any other leaks.
This team has the potential for in season growth and significant improvement.
Baker is not the problem. A couple of drops by ME13 are not the problem. The Bucs were overmatched last night and need ALL hands on deck.
And therein lies my biggest fear. Healthy this team could easily reach the playoffs and perhaps even duplicate Baker’s season with the Browns where they won a first round game. Clearly this team is not YET one of the 3-4 most talented teams in the league. They are not SB contenders but they are contenders to be exciting to watch and fun to cheer.
AGAIN…when they are fully HEALTHY. So no Davis…anybody think he’s going to risk turf toe on N.O.’s dome astro? DW45 one of 3-4 legitimate stars playing with a groin so bad he couldn’t cash in on a TD? Vita with a sore pec. The always dinged Jamel Dean?
Adjustments can be made going forward but without the horses to implement it won’t mean much. The Bucs simply MUST regain their health on D.
September 26th, 2023 at 1:31 pm
bucnjim Says:
September 26th, 2023 at 1:02 pm
“We lose one game against the best team in the NFC and the haters are out in full force.
Yes, you are correct in losing just one game but how you lose the game is the most important part of any sport. Getting humiliated on national TV against a good team proof that your team is not good and perhaps an average team at its best.
So far Bucs were predicted to defat Chicago which they did at the last minute. They were expected to lose to Eagles. The only variance was Bucs defeating Vikings who are a winless team at 0-3 with another overrated trash qb, Cousins.
Cousin is premium version of Baker and another useless qb who hasn’t accomplish anything in this league.
Toilet Bowl changes the entire system post Brady, benches thier second round draft pick and hires a wortless qb who can play on primetime or defeat playoff teams.
September 26th, 2023 at 1:41 pm
Cheeseburger Charlie? BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Peter King has more cred that that guy.
Pretenders. Bowles last year as a head coach.
September 26th, 2023 at 1:56 pm
“You do a lot of praying, but most of the time the answer is no.”
“Three or four plane crashes and we’re in the playoffs.”
So, here is where I might surprise a couple people.
I believe we will beat the Saints, putting us at 3-1 going into the bye week. Not what I foresaw at the start of the season, but things just sort of fell into place for us.
So there we are…3-1. We would have to lose out the rest of the season to get a top 5 pick…so we can toss that out the window (barring a trade).
May as well start hoping for the best if we win next week.
Our defense is good enough to get us to 6 or more wins, and they will only get better (barring injuries).
The big question to find the answer to: Can Baker Mayfield lead this team into the future?
If we hit the Bye at 3-1, I’m willing to at least entertain the thought that he can at least get us to the playoffs this year. Maybe. Especially with the injury to Carr. Jameis Winston would have to go on an amazing run to save their season now. Not impossible…but pretty close.
Panthers are not going to do well. Falcons? Heh. They’ll blow it as usual.
So winning the division is pretty much likely if we win next week.
But…
…to me, just making the playoffs is not enough…especially if we just walk in without a lot of effort. We’ll just lose in the first round.
We need at least 10 wins to be worthy…11 wins if we want to be a competitive team in the playoffs.
The times has come for me to re-evaluate my stance over the next week and beyond.
On a side note, Mayfield DID NOT impress last night. Fans will blame the offensive line and the RBs of course…the offensive line had a lot to do with it.
I was personally hoping for a good enough show from Mayfield to change my opinion of him…and I didn’t get that.
To be fair though…I am pretty certain Trask would have faired no better behind that line.
My thinking has always been that the line would need 6-8 games to gel. They’ve shown some good signs…but not last night.
September 26th, 2023 at 2:05 pm
Gotta let the defeatist’s b!tch and cry Joe. They’ve waited patiently through 2 victories. Let them have their moment.
September 26th, 2023 at 2:12 pm
I agree they can contend if the get Baker out FAST and get Trask in ASAP
September 26th, 2023 at 2:13 pm
This team needs a rebuild. Zero game breaking players, lousy offensive and defensive lines, and no qb. Sign wirfs and trade Evans and white.
September 26th, 2023 at 2:15 pm
Contenders? Hardly.
However, now that people got the crybaby out of their system, the Bucs do have something going for them.
I picked the Bucs to win the Eagles games because, as I said all along, BAD Bucs teams always win that game, then finish the year 5-12.
But instead they lost – which clearly then means they’re NOT a bad team, and aren’t destined to go 5-12.
The biggest hurdle they face is still having Todd Bowles as head coach, he’s just terrible. Why, again, do you take your biggest weakness, the run game, and decide this is the week to establish it vs the NFL’s best run defense (not my opinion, those are the stats). Only a complete idiot would think that is a winning formula, and that’s exactly what Bowles did.
Will Bowles learn from this? Absolutely not. He still thinks it’s 1972, just like one of the two Joe’s, and that you win by playing 3-yards and a cloud dust on offense.
So that will keep the Bucs from being contenders, but they still could be a 7 or 8, perhaps even 9 win team if everything breaks perfectly.
Basically it all comes down to this Saints game. Lose this next game, and you’re 2-2, and at the start of a huge downward spiral as the Bucs never ever ever beat the Lions at home, so lose that Saints game and you’re 2-3. But win it, and you’re 3-2 going into the bye, and you’ve got a chance.
September 26th, 2023 at 2:18 pm
Dang it, I keep thinking we play the Lions and then have the bye week – so that should be reversed. Dang – I dun jinx them again, the season is over based on that typo. Sorry folks.
September 26th, 2023 at 2:20 pm
Trade ME, go get a good RB NOW and a serviceable WR
we might get a 4th for ME or take a flier on another WR…….as it is his stock is dropping FAST!
Put Trey in @ #1, move CG back to the slot and put some other tall, fast wr that “wants it” on the other side and start Trask
September 26th, 2023 at 3:15 pm
Evans has had way too many drops this year. They are drive killers and momentum killers. If you want to beat the top team in the NFC then you had better bring your A game. He made an amazing catch later that led to a TD but by then it was too little too late. Now we see why he hasn’t sniffed a new contract yet
September 26th, 2023 at 3:20 pm
Bowles forgot what got him a win on the road in week. Believe you can win! Make adjustments! Pressure the QB! Play 60 minutes!!!!!
During MNF Bowles gave up after the Bucs first or second drive in the second half. He believes the game is lost and doesn’t play to win. With 9 minutes left in the game, it’s only a 2 scores deficit! The Bucs hav some sort of momentum because they just scored. But Bowles refuses to manage the game clock he has decided the game was lost! Does he try to make something happen with his D. NO! The offense gets the ball back with around 3 minutes plus time outs. Do the Bucs try to finish the game ??? NO. Do they use their timeouts and try to make something happen? NO. Bowles already conseeded the W!
Todd Bowles I have news for you… the game is 60 minutes long! It is not over until the clock expires! If you quit, so do the some of the players!!!! That was your biggest problem last year, you decide you can’t win the game and you quit setting a quitt attitude with some of the players. That is all on you!!! Every good team plays 60 minutes ! You quit!
September 26th, 2023 at 3:33 pm
As we grasp at every straw. Good grief. They are a average or less team. NO they are not going to the Super Bowl….Bowles is not Don Shula and Mayfield is a Journyman run of mill QB. Try to get a .500 record.
September 26th, 2023 at 3:45 pm
Oline and d line got bullied all night
September 26th, 2023 at 3:48 pm
Listen the eagles are a really good team and we played much of the game without our two top corners which means the defense turns vanilla. I recall we got corn stomped by the chiefs is 2020 and beat them in the playoffs. We learn we get better. Hopefully
September 26th, 2023 at 3:58 pm
It was rough to watch but it was one loss to a very good team while the bucs are still trying to figure out who they are, bucs fans are something else. Go bucs.
September 26th, 2023 at 4:01 pm
I also heard Charlie and the co-host criticize Devin White for running out of bounds on the INT – do a little homework, there were only two games on Monday and they would have known about the groin injury
September 26th, 2023 at 4:22 pm
I’m getting really sick of the SB rant. Bucs have won 2 of the da## games. The second one was a record as they did it in their OWN crib! I wish it had been w/o Brady cos all they needed was a QB who didn’t turn the ball over 500 times like Jameis was doing. I wish the idiot owners would go back to the NFL Championship setup. Bucs have a good team, period. Next week will be the 4th game, people. That’s right: the FOURTH game. Then we hit the Bye week. We will be 3-1. And we’ll settle a few scores in NOLA, too.
September 26th, 2023 at 4:45 pm
Everyone expected us to lose this game. Let’s see what we do against the saints
September 26th, 2023 at 5:58 pm
Here we go with all the Trask talk again. Trasklodytes unite, lol…
September 26th, 2023 at 6:11 pm
Let’s remember the Eagles were coming off what 10 days of rest? Some things bothered me like on Special Teams. Nobody to could tackle that returner? The guy did one move and 75% of Tampa’s special teams ran past him. Then he would peel off 25yds.The dropped balls didn’t help either. I thought overall Mayfield played well. Although I think the first two weeks Mayfield was getting the ball out much faster. I think in this game he held onto the ball a little longer. Probably due to the olines success the first two weeks. I kinda figured heading into this game the offense was going to have to win this one. With Vea and White banged up and Davis out. The defense had an injury to the best player in each position group. Hell White ran out of bounds with an interception rather than stay in bounds and fight for yards. No idea if that was because of his groin. So some bad things got exposed like special teams. The defense will be ok. But I don’t see this offense winning any shoot outs.
September 26th, 2023 at 7:23 pm
Lol Mike C I’m gonna guess reading comprehension isn’t David’s strong suit!
September 26th, 2023 at 10:29 pm
@ David
Tell me you don’t watch the games without actually saying it.🤣🤣🤣 the score was 10-3 n the drive Weiss is speaking off still in the 1st half. Evans dropped the game tying TD.
September 26th, 2023 at 10:30 pm
@ what ShakeandBaker said🤣🤣🤣🤣
September 27th, 2023 at 8:12 am
I think Evans just got sloppy and maybe listened to all the national pundits that are saying, “pay the man.” There were two definite drops, but even if you think a defender’s hand was in on this one, ME13 for-sure did Baker no favors; if he comes back for that ball even a little bit instead of falling away, it at least takes the defender out of the equation. Whether he catches it or not though….
I get wanting the tuddie (especially after last year!), but coming back for the ball is better for everyone, even if he goes out at the 1.
We remember Dirk and BA blaming receivers for Jameis’ interceptions because they didn’t flatten out their routes, leading to east pick-6s, right? It looks to me like Mike did the same thing here.
September 27th, 2023 at 8:20 am
To be able to compete with 45% of our cap allocated to guys not on the team would be a masterful job by Licht and even Bowles. Whatever happens this year we should be in great position next year when the dead cap numbers roll off a little. Licht has to be a top 3 GM in the league at this point. No rebuilds in Tampa under his watch just retool
September 27th, 2023 at 2:40 pm
Disagree with above comments relating to cap. Licht drafted offense for Brady but his running backs White is terrible and his 2 highly drafted linemen Goedke and Hainsey can’t run block. His last 2 defensive linemen, JTS and Hall are soft