Bears Provided Some Relief
November 28th, 2023
Got help last night.
No, Joe had zero desire to watch Josh Dobbs against the rotten Bears last night.
Joe loves football, but not that much. Why torture yourself with Bears-Vikings when with a few clicks you can watch all kinds of good games with quality teams and quarterbacks?
(Joe must vent: If Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy is all that, why does Jim Harbaugh use him as if he’s Mike Glennon? Doesn’t throw a pass in the entire second half against Penn State? Longest Michigan pass against Ohio State came from a running back? What’s going on here?)
Anyway, for those who did not want to stick a wet finger in a light socket to watch that, um, NFL game last night, the Vikings lost. The Bears upset their NFC North rival. And that’s good news for the Bucs.
Bucs fans still clinging to the hope of a wild card, the Vikings currently are the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoff chase. The Purple Persimmon Eaters dropped to 6-6.
So yeah, that means the Bucs, theoretically, are 1 1/2 games out of the wild card chase with six games to play, and they own a head-to-head tiebreaker with the Vikings. And yes, the Bucs are still one game out of first place in the dreadful NFC South.
Hey, Joe’s trying to be optimistic. Cut Joe some slack, eh?
By the way, can the networks please spare America with all of these Bears and Jets and Giants games on TV? Yes, Joe knows they are in two of the three biggest TV markets in the land, that doesn’t mean you must slap football fans across the nation in the face every other week with this tripe.
Constantly assaulting innocent Americans with these three wretched franchises in prime time does more to chase fans away from the game and push consumers away from the products advertised. Stop it. Stop it now!
November 28th, 2023 at 9:34 am
I thought the Bears won 12-10???
November 28th, 2023 at 9:34 am
Bears won.
November 28th, 2023 at 9:35 am
Santos with the game winner?
November 28th, 2023 at 9:37 am
Umm, Joe…the Vikings didn’t win. Anyway, I loved that game. Excellent defence from both sides all game long. Reminded me of old time Bucball.
November 28th, 2023 at 9:38 am
“why does Jim Harbaugh use him as if he’s Mike Glennon?”
Probably because he likes to win. Jim Harbaugh has won 70% of his games in both college and the NFL. I never fell for the polical uproar over Kaepernik but while I respected his talent I never thought he was a world beater. Harbaugh got the max out of him.
Someone here posted get Harbaugh and J.J. McCarthy. I’m with Joe on this one. Why? IF through a miracle the Bucs got Harbaugh to come to Tampa he clearly will demand and deserve roster control and certainly at QB a position he played 14 years for 4 NFL teams. IF Harbaugh wanted him OK. I trust Harbaugh. At this point I trust very few others across the entire league to beat the odds…
There have been 38 quarterbacks drafted in the first round since 2011, the year the NFL changed the collective bargaining agreement to set a wage scale for rookie deals, making it extremely affordable to draft a quarterback.
These 38 first round quarterbacks have made a total of 1,909 starts. Their record? 1034-1035-7. For the mathmatically challenged that is a LOSING record! So IF you’re going to go for a QB in the first round please tell me who you trust to mortgage the franchise for another five years?
November 28th, 2023 at 9:41 am
BTW The Bucs overall #1 pick in the draft managed to contribute mightily to that stat of one game under .500
Fameis was 28-42 a dazzling 40% win ratio.
November 28th, 2023 at 9:41 am
If you want to win, you use your best talent. If J.J. McCarthy is such a good talent, why keep him chained? Makes no sense. Why does Harbaugh not trust him? If Joe is an NFL GM, sure would like to know why he isn’t used if he is so good.
November 28th, 2023 at 9:57 am
The good thing out of last night’s game is the same thing which happened with the Giants and Titans: the Bears won their 4th game. Suddenly there are not many teams with fewer wins than the Bucs which means is they continue to lose week after week they could be in the top 5 for the draft before long though you can bet some of these other 4 win teams may not win another game this season like Ron Rivera’s squad up in DC.
BTW: Joe has mentioned that the Glazers have not ever had a head coach fired during the season and that is basically set in stone but the Steelers never fired any head coach or coordinator during the season since WWII but the launched their OC Canada. Hey Glazers, if Rooney can break 80 years of tradition, you can break your streak.
In addition, Rivera fired his buddy Del Rio (probably to keep his own job until the end of the season) and this is a lot like the Bucs firing Mike Smith as DC.
So is it possible that the Glazers demand that Bowles quit calling plays on the defense and if that were to occur, who would take over the play calling?
Grasping at straws here, trying to find anything positive about our 2023 Bucs.
November 28th, 2023 at 9:58 am
Just stop. We aren’t and shouldn’t even be thinking about playoff’s. We are a terrible team. We are 1-6 in our last games we need to be playing the youngsters and Trask to see who will make the roster. This is ridiculous. Anyone that thinks we can turn this around is just not being honest. Maybe our loss to the panthers will finally show you the light.
November 28th, 2023 at 9:59 am
What if McCarthy is the best talent he has right now?
I may be in a real minority here but I always liked Dirk Koetter. Like he said “our guys are our guys”.
Perhaps Harbaugh looking at the entire picture thought McCarthy played a style he knew he could win with.
I’m like you I do not see overwhelming talent in McCarthy. But just like 1st round picks at QB in the NFL overall have a losing record…many top recruits also disappoint. Perhaps Harbaugh had a bad recruiting year?
BTW Blake Corum is a Michigan guy I’d love to see the Bucs get. He runs a 4.4 and he has a 4.0 GPA! I grew up with Paul Brown and the old Browns/Bengals.
He was the very first to recognize the value of INTELLIGENCE in a football players and the first to give tests to propects to eliminate the cement heads.
November 28th, 2023 at 10:04 am
In theory, in the big picture, agree. However, good luck telling the coaching staff and players that.
November 28th, 2023 at 10:10 am
No they don’t!
4 wins going into December!
Stop with this pathetic loser mentality!
November 28th, 2023 at 10:11 am
let it set in…
let it sink in…
we are 4-7…
it’s a long hard road of many wins in a row just to get back to .500…
we are starting to flirt with one of the worst records in the league…
we def can’t beat any powerhouses…
we are showing we can’t beat middle of the roaders either…
it looks like we can only beat some bottom feeders at this point…
which makes no sense because we’ve got some talent on this team…
there’s only one man to blame, and his first name i toilet…
#EauDeToilette
November 28th, 2023 at 10:11 am
I say trade back and turn out soon to be top 5 pick into multiple players. Draft a QB in the second or third to compete with Trask. Use the extra picks to rebuild and accept that we may have another top 10 pick in 2025
November 28th, 2023 at 10:12 am
What would Big Dog be saying!!!
November 28th, 2023 at 10:25 am
Josh Dobbs last night gave me flashbacks of Josh Freemans Vikings stint on MNF
November 28th, 2023 at 10:26 am
I thought it was good news because if the Bears win one more game and the Bucs lose one more, the Bucs move up in draft order.
November 28th, 2023 at 10:28 am
Don’t think the Vikings are the team to watch. Packers are looking like one of the best NFC teams in the hunt. Vikings have to play them and the Lions twice.
There is a reason why Dobbs has been bounced around but if anybody can coach him up it is KO’C. Dobbs is the midseason story much like Mayfield was at the start of the season. Like Love will be going into the Playoffs probably.
When looking at the ‘who is ahead of who’ it is disturbing that the Bucs are only one game ahead of the Giants. Same Giants that are being led by a QB signed off his Mother’s couch and the only signal he’s shouted in months is ‘Mom make me a sandwich’. Please of Course.
Based on what I see other teams going into games with the Bucs have some value in Trask whether he plays this season or not.
As more QB’s that are tossed in the fire year one flop and QB’s like Love that have had time to learn Succeed Trask will have plenty of offers coming his way.
November 28th, 2023 at 10:31 am
Nothing will help the Bucs more than losing two to the panthers. If the panthers get to 4 wins that puts Tampa likely in the top 3-5 in the draft. Note if only we could play the Pats and Cardinals.
November 28th, 2023 at 10:37 am
Imagine winning 2 more games, getting a playoff spot and going from the 5th pick in the draft to the 21st just to get smashed by whatever team they play in the wild card
November 28th, 2023 at 10:38 am
only thing we should be thinking about is Draft position. I don’t want to see us sneak into the playoffs again to only get blown out. This team is the worst team I have seen since the 2014 Lovie Smith days with McCown and a crap defense.
November 28th, 2023 at 10:39 am
If the Bucs beat the Caroline Panthers, the Saints lose to the Lions, and the Falcons lose to the Jets next week then we will be tied for first place!
#TEAMPOSITIVE
November 28th, 2023 at 10:51 am
How do you spell relief….Fire Bowles
November 28th, 2023 at 10:55 am
If we make the playoffs they will lose the wildcard and keep Bozo and Co……Glosers will not fire him if we win the division. There it is.
November 28th, 2023 at 10:55 am
My strategy
Let Evans and Devin go in FA
Trade down with the first pick
REBUILD
with the compensatory picks and the extra draft picks from trading down, take extra picks in the 2025 draft too
Start Trask next year
Oh …. Selll the team please
Ronde as GM
November 28th, 2023 at 10:57 am
@stpetebucfan
You are nor alone there Bro, I loved and still love Koetter, miss his offensive approach to the game…..
November 28th, 2023 at 11:00 am
I was more happy the bears won to help with draft position
November 28th, 2023 at 11:06 am
That game last night was so terrible. NFL product is not even close to what it was in 2010 and prior. I’d like NFL to the way role the rules to bring back to the way they were in say 2000. Bring the violence and physicality back to the game. The need a new collective bargaining agreement that allows more practices and tackling in the offseason so that football playing fundamentals can come back to professional football player quality. With the exception of a few Qbs now, NFL QBs are not good anymore. But none of that is going to happen. By the way I’m still interested in the Bucs taking a flyer on Justin Fields. Go Bucs!
November 28th, 2023 at 11:07 am
It appears to me that the players know they’re going absolutely nowhere.
Abysmal coaching and player apathy make for a team that’s in free fall. We have eyes. We see the product put forth every week. And we all agree it’s absolute garbage.
November 28th, 2023 at 11:12 am
The players are playing like they expect to be playing golf during the first round of playoffs, not like they want to be there. How embarrassing to even be talking about playoffs.
November 28th, 2023 at 11:14 am
So hard to be excited about this team. Bowles’ strength is supposed to be defense, yet this team has consistently underperformed. Watching the D give away yards like a closeout sale, the O grinding & plodding just to score three, or the coaching staff flunking clock management & challenges, what’s there to be excited about? Please run the table or finish 0-6; otherwise it’s a wasted season.
November 28th, 2023 at 11:15 am
Jack@ that is more realistic than many think. First Bucs need to take care of business against Carolina. If Bucs lose next week, game over they will officially suck arse. Lions coming off a bad loss and Jets D is pretty good unfortunately the O is worse than the Bucs, no QB. Sad Bucs fans are counting on other team losses, injuries etc instead of their team doing what they are paid to do. In previous posts many point out Baker is good for 2 td’s per game, if that were his average that would be great but at some point a NFL qb has to throw 3 or 4 to win, that’s what Baker lacks, consistency. If the D continues as is Bucs fans are looking at a long season.
November 28th, 2023 at 11:26 am
No one wants this bad Bucs team to get the wild card spot, that would be pointless and hurt us big time in the draft. The reason this Bears win was good is because now the Bucs could potentially have a better draft spot if the Bears pass us in the standings.
Although there is still a chance we win the NFC South outright. Yikes.
November 28th, 2023 at 11:31 am
Making the playoffs only to get crushed at home in the first round is not winning. That is called losing because you go back 10 spots in the draft order
November 28th, 2023 at 11:31 am
Playoffs? We’re talking about playoffs? …… Playoffs?
November 28th, 2023 at 11:34 am
It’s almost baffling how badly this fan base wants to get back to another lost decade…
How pathetic to still root for the Bucs to tank when they virtually have no shot to get a top 5 pick
Losing destroy’s cultures….I would much rather be a 1st round playoff exit than tank for a measly 7th ovr pick.
At the end of the day, it doesnt matter where we pick cause Licht will screw it up…..but at least he’ll draft a decent guard of out D3 Hobart College in the 6th round so every still thinks he’s a genius
November 28th, 2023 at 11:35 am
NE Fan Says:
November 28th, 2023 at 11:15 am
Jack@ that is more realistic than many think. First Bucs need to take care of business against Carolina. If Bucs lose next week, game over they will officially suck arse. Lions coming off a bad loss and Jets D is pretty good unfortunately the O is worse than the Bucs, no QB. Sad Bucs fans are counting on other team losses, injuries etc instead of their team doing what they are paid to do. In previous posts many point out Baker is good for 2 td’s per game, if that were his average that would be great but at some point a NFL qb has to throw 3 or 4 to win, that’s what Baker lacks, consistency. If the D continues as is Bucs fans are looking at a long season.
^^^^
Facts, I 100% agree with your statements
November 28th, 2023 at 11:35 am
In any other division a playoff discussion at 4-7 would be insane.
In the dungeon of the NFL that is the NFC South, we’re still technically in contention.
But it is only a technicality. And should be treated as such.
The 1-10 Panthers will be itching to make us look bad on our home field.
Perhaps that would end the clown car that is the Bowles led 2022-2023 Bucs.
November 28th, 2023 at 11:47 am
Wildcard
Is
Not The Playoffs!
November 28th, 2023 at 11:49 am
“ No one wants this bad Bucs team to get the wild card spot”
Translation- everyone should root against the team their supposedly a “fan” of if they dont have a clear shot at a superbowl….we really have the worst fan base in pro sports.
Heres the tremendous downside of tanking….it guarantees nothing (aka Panthers), destroys cultures and doesn’t attract quality free agents just the aging free agents looking for a last second payday.
The Bucs are most certainly not out taking the Panthers, Patriots, Giants, Cardinals or Bears so rooting to tank when you have no shot a top 5 pick is as pathetic as it gets.
November 28th, 2023 at 11:50 am
Jeebs the Honey Bear Says:
November 28th, 2023 at 11:26 am
Bucs could potentially have a better draft spot if the Bears pass us in the standings.
Perhaps Bucs would get a better pick than the Bears second pick in the first round.
Bears have Carolina’s Pick in the first round via trade which is looking like the number one overall.
Can just imagine Bear’s GM saying to someone ‘ You get Bo. Say it with me you pancake eating MFer’ and coming away with another handful of Draft Picks.
November 28th, 2023 at 11:54 am
If the last game is any indication of Trask’s overall talent, he must be traded. His lack of touch probably cost us the game. In summary, if Trask makes a better throw in the end zone, and Palmer catches Baker’s perfect throw (which caught him in stride and was a TD), we win the game. The Bucs players aren’t tanking, but their “fans” certainly are. But there’s nothing new about that is there?
RESIGN BAKER.
November 28th, 2023 at 11:54 am
Clearly tanking will not solve the Bozo problem. A bit higher draft pick will not help. Licht always makes awful 1st round picks.
November 28th, 2023 at 11:54 am
“3 or 4 plane crashes, and we’re in the playoffs”…. John Mckay
November 28th, 2023 at 12:04 pm
I never root or hope the Bucs lose, but geesh if you can’t see how poorly they play it’s only logical to look forward.
They are playing horrible football and obviously have only won 4 games.
So strategy for next season is at the top of the list!
To make matters worse we were having the very same conversation this time last year.
That translates to a failed season.
November 28th, 2023 at 12:15 pm
When you haven’t won many games, bringing back that QB can’t be too important.
November 28th, 2023 at 12:24 pm
Only relief for us Bucs fans is the end of the season, which can’t come soon enough. Tired of Bowles and Canales incompetence and excuses not to mention seeing the players half assing the entire season. Shameful.
November 28th, 2023 at 12:30 pm
What’s the point of having the option to flex games if you don’t use that option on games like last night? Kinda dumb
November 28th, 2023 at 1:08 pm
Hire the new coach and let him decide how he wants to build the team.
If he wants to keep one or both of the current QB’s fine. If he wants to use the draft or trade or sign an FA fine.
Again…bottom line…WHO do you trust who is currently in the Bucs organization to use a top ten draft pick wisely?
November 28th, 2023 at 1:09 pm
Pelsbuc61. 100% the only relief for Bucs and our Buc fans is the end of the season. For the last 3 weeks I’ve been optimistic the Bucs can and are gonna win these games. Then the games start, We all know what happened next
November 28th, 2023 at 1:19 pm
Bring on a shiny new coach with a shiny new QB!
November 28th, 2023 at 1:37 pm
Nfc south have the worse head coaches in the nfl. If the division winner has a losing record again the other 3 head coaches deserve to be fired along with Reich.
November 28th, 2023 at 1:39 pm
EVERYONE BASHED THIS TEAM ALL SUMMER, BUT NOW LOOK! WE’RE GOING INTO DECEMBER AND WE’RE JUST ONE GAME OUT OF FIRST PLACE! THIS SHOWS WHAT AN AMAZING COACH TODD BOWLES HAS BEEN, AND THAT THE TEAM MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE WITH BAKER MAYFIELD HAVING A CAREER YEAR! THE BUCS ARE RIGHT ON TRACK, READY TO BEGIN THEIR RUN TO THE SUPER BOWL THIS SUNDAY BY BLOWING OUT THE STINKIN’ PANTHERS! BUCS 55, PANTHERS 3 – BET YOUR HOUSE ON IT, THIS WILL BE A LAUGHER!
#TEAMPOSITIVE!
November 28th, 2023 at 1:50 pm
Of course draft position is a renowned guarantee of success. Remember that time we took a QB first overall a few years back.?
November 28th, 2023 at 1:52 pm
Joe, the Bucs are no more watchful than the Jets, Giants, Arizona or Carolina. We suck, our HC is clearly over his head and our 5 foot something QB is quickly becoming a career back up.
I’ll find something to do Sunday but it won’t be wasted watching the Bucs.
November 28th, 2023 at 1:54 pm
If you root for the team to tank/lose, you’re not a fan. I know you wanna pretend you are. I know you’ll tell yourself and everyone else that it’s about short term pain for longer term gain, but you’re only kidding yourself since the draft is a crapshoot. You might get ‘the guy’ from a top 5 position, sure. Or you might get him at 20. Or you might get him at 154. Or in free agency. Or you might not get him for the next decade.
Play the game to win.
November 28th, 2023 at 2:00 pm
Also if you want a young, early pick QB, you might also want to consider protecting him. There’s a reason Andrew Luck was the biggest waste of talent I’ve seen in the past 30 years.
November 28th, 2023 at 2:04 pm
Rod Munch Says:
November 28th, 2023 at 1:39 pm
BUCS 55, PANTHERS 3
Let’s give Baker 3 @ 80 yard TD Bombs. That leaves 34 Points to Go. With a 17% Red Zone TD Success Rate at Home that gives the Bucs one more TD and leaves 27 Points or 9 Field Goals. Could be 2 pick 6’s in there so maybe only 5 FG’s.
I can see now how you can come to a Super Bowl outcome.
My optimism goes as far as 4-2 record down the stretch.
Bet the House? Bet the Farm? Bet you Ashe?
Only thing I have agreed with was written by a Baker Homer and after bragging about retiring at 45 stated Gambling is not the way to Go.
Although you want to lay out a 6 TD spread someone might take that action.
Go Bucs.
November 28th, 2023 at 2:12 pm
The “Baker Mayfield Gestapo” is very adamant about keeping Baker.
They like erratic, inaccurate passing, untimely turnovers, and losing games.
But hey, he’s ranked 15th, in a year of bad QB’s and bad QB play, imo
November 28th, 2023 at 2:12 pm
Dwayne Cone – Let’s give Baker 3 @ 80 yard TD Bombs. That leaves 34 Points to Go. With a 17% Red Zone TD Success Rate at Home that gives the Bucs one more TD and leaves 27 Points or 9 Field Goals. Could be 2 pick 6’s in there so maybe only 5 FG’s. I can see now how you can come to a Super Bowl outcome.
————-
THE MOVEMENT IS GROWING, AND WITH THE POWER OF POSITIVITY, WE’LL POWER THE BUCS IN THE PLAYOFFS!
#TEAMPOSITIVE!
November 28th, 2023 at 2:23 pm
The Bucs will get to the playoffs like the rest of us, they’ll have to buy tickets, lol
November 28th, 2023 at 2:31 pm
It’s still onboard……..
#TEAMPOSITIVE!
November 28th, 2023 at 2:48 pm
Didn’t know there were still fans confident we can make the playoffs after getting beat by the colts everyone thought was sorry but already had a better record than us at kickoff……God bless you all!
I’m not sure how losing 6 of the last 7 games says we can still do this but ok let’s go there.
Do you have Faith in the coach? Ok dumb question
faith in the defense? We used to
Faith in the offense? Ok you want positivity, It’s a safe to say if you throw a pass to Rachaad white he will catch it.
November 28th, 2023 at 3:10 pm
The Beer Whisperer Says:
M
The “Baker Mayfield Gestapo” is very adamant about keeping Baker.
They like erratic, inaccurate passing, untimely turnovers, and losing games.
—————————————-
He’s essentially a slightly better version of Jameis Winston. Career numbers are ridiculously similar.
But sure. Let’s tank for a QB, because it guarantees success.
November 28th, 2023 at 3:26 pm
Dwayne: No brag, just fact. My statement wasn’t bragging, trust me, but it must really be eating at you. My suggestion is that you stop bitching and do some creative thinking, but that’s me. At least it was 10 years ago.
Pertaining to football, Palmer needs to catch that TD pass from Mayfield. He was in full stride and would have scored. Just how many Baker TD passes were dropped so far this season? Hmmmm… at least 4. Not just passes, TOUCHDOWN PASSES! Catch those 4 TD passes and the Bucs have a chance to be 7-4. Oh, and add the TD pass that your boy Trask missed on in the first drive. That would give Baker 22 on the season. Isn’t that Top 3 in the NFL?
November 28th, 2023 at 3:29 pm
If you watched that crap, you have my sympathies.
Todays NFL has achieved mediocrity.
Poorly trained players, and a
FKING PENALTY FLAG ON EVERY PLAY!
Fifteen years ago,I watched every game I could.
Now, I regret watching the games I do watch.
November 28th, 2023 at 3:36 pm
Who could possibly consider that game last night”Entertainment”?
Todays NFL has achieved mediocrity, and is committing suicide.
Poorly trained, egotistical players
And the strange desire to
THROW A DAMN FLAG ON EVERY PLAY!!
Fifteen years ago, I watched every game I could.
Now, I regret watching the few games I do watch.
Dobbs and Fields. What a joke. Its like they picked two drunks outta the stands.
Who could be entertained by that?
November 28th, 2023 at 3:40 pm
This. Watching Ohio State-Michigan on Saturday, there may have been two penalties in first half. Someone at halftime wrote, “If this were an NFL game there’d be 8-10 flags thrown by now.” The flow of the game was really good (i.e. no constant interruptions for penalties).
Football is a so much better televised product when the referees quit butting in.
November 28th, 2023 at 3:52 pm
Talk about winning the Division.
Talk about the Wild Card.
In the meantime we have as many wins as the Bears. Just think about that.
We dont have a good enough team to be in the Playoffs so if by a chance we get in it wont matter.
This team is not good.
This team does not play good.
This team has zero improvement over the season.
But we can talk about the Playoffs, ok sure.
Go Bucs
November 28th, 2023 at 4:28 pm
WyomingJoe Says:
November 28th, 2023 at 3:26 pm
Dwayne: No brag, just fact. My statement wasn’t bragging, trust me, but it must really be eating at you.
Not at all. I can appreciate it. My Gramps retired from the Military at 38 and spent the next 30 years taking advantage of Suckers and Fools. Now all I have to do is 8 Hours of volunteer work in the community and a check is sent each month.
Haven’t put in a hard days work since High school.
November 28th, 2023 at 4:47 pm
Rick… Bingo. Might be one more game revenue for the Glazers, but with the 20 something pick, you won’t likely get one of the best QB. Can a blind pig find an acorn every so often? Sure. But it won’t get the fan or season ticket base exited to get another JTS, or longshot, or to see the team get flamed by 30 or 40 points in the first round of the playoffs.