Will The Real Bucs Show Up?
October 3rd, 2024
“Million dollar question.”
Not quite two weeks ago, after a huge win at Detroit, the Bucs hosted the lowly Broncos with a struggling rookie quarterback.
Easy win, right? Maybe that’s what the Bucs thought.
Instead, the Broncos kicked the tar out of the Bucs from the very first snap. The Bucs looked like a Sun Belt team, not an NFL team. It was awful — from the game plans to the execution or lack thereof.
As John McKay once said when asked about his team’s execution, “I’m all for it.”
Then, against the Eagles on Sunday, a team that is still a darling of the northeast media corridor, the Bucs curb-stomped the Eagles.
There couldn’t have been a wider margin of how the Bucs played in a span of seven days. Against Denver they were absolutely putrid. Against Philadelphia the Bucs looked dominant.
What happened?
Joe asked Bucs right guard Cody Mauch that very question. He summed it up saying the Bucs can’t worry about the past. They have to learn and move on.
“You know, that’s kind of a million dollar question,” Mauch said. “How can you have a great team, which we feel we have, come out and play as poorly as we did against Denver?
“I think the biggest thing is, it happened and you can’t do much about it. Not exactly sure what caused it. But we got back on the right track against the Eagles.”
Learn. That’s what Mauch said he can only take away from the last two games.
Learn. Learn that you have to put out on every snap and don’t look back.
“You can only learn about all the bad stuff that happened against the Denver game,” Mauch said. “And keep powering forward.
“It shows if you don’t bring your A-game, things can go wrong pretty quickly.”
So will the Bucs be ready to play tonight from the opening kickoff? Or will the same rotten squad that blew chunks against a terrible team 11 days ago show up?
October 3rd, 2024 at 1:15 pm
Will the real Bucs show up tonight? I sure hope so!!!
October 3rd, 2024 at 1:22 pm
So how does the weekly schedule go when there’s a Thunderstorm night game.
Monday is usually a physical checkup day, Tuesday is league mandated day off. Wednesday is a travel day?
So essentially no practice?
October 3rd, 2024 at 1:26 pm
Certainly better not be a repeat of the Broncos game. Division game vs the team everyone picked to dethrone you.
The Bucs thought the same we did against Denver. Winless AFC team, coming cross country to the heat. Bad rookie QB so we should coast. I’m sure that wasn’t the team message but it invaded too many individual mindsets.
Of course you need your A game every week every snap. It’s the NFL. The guys all know this, it’s not a lesson to be learned every year but teams get complacent and the above mindset seeps in and boom, you get crushed.
This game tonight will be in the middle. We won’t wanna turn the tv off like Denver but we won’t be cruising 24-0. Yards will be tougher to come by. Not because the Bucs aren’t up for it but because Atlanta has its top weapons and they have a secondary that won’t get continuously roasted and miss tackles like the Eagles.
October 3rd, 2024 at 1:26 pm
I sure damn hope so. Go Bucs!
October 3rd, 2024 at 1:28 pm
Please stand up!
October 3rd, 2024 at 1:28 pm
Please show up tonight !!! We will all know within the first 5 mins of game.
The letter E is for effort !
October 3rd, 2024 at 1:38 pm
The Bucs are not a great team
They are a very inconsistent, shaky team
Last year we were 3-1, then went on a 4 game losing streak
You have to play great football EVERY game, to be a great team
And they haven’t done that, as of yet
500 teams are what they record are…..middle of the pack
They need to play hard every game
And the greatness will come
October 3rd, 2024 at 1:42 pm
Regardless of what happens it will be the real Bucs. We might not like it and it might show a plethora of things that are awesome, but the REALITY of the team will come into Full View.
October 3rd, 2024 at 1:43 pm
The Bucs have not yet sent out their media advisory for the coming week yet so Joe is still waiting on the practice schedule.
If the Bucs stick to the regular season script, Friday will be like a Monday and the Bucs will get Saturday and Sunday off and return on Monday.
Perhaps if the Bucs win, Bowles may give them a Victory Monday off.
October 3rd, 2024 at 1:44 pm
Broncos and WTF are much better teams than you think….WTF only Lisa is to us & Broncos beat Jets 10-9 at Jets.
October 3rd, 2024 at 1:48 pm
letdowns dont happen with a brady on the team
October 3rd, 2024 at 2:00 pm
Last year after a 3 and 1 start went on a losing streak. Hopefully this year they’ve learned a lesson from last year and change the dynamics of 2023
October 3rd, 2024 at 2:11 pm
Oxycondomns Says:
October 3rd, 2024 at 1:48 pm
letdowns dont happen with a brady on the team
Give me a break….. Brady’s last year with the Buc’s was really pathetic. Even though Buc’s won the NFC, his performance was not spot on every game, not even close.
October 3rd, 2024 at 2:18 pm
Hope the usual Methuselah12 worship doesn’t hex this game. I’ll be listening to BucsRadio at least for the first quarter. I’m curious to see what Coen does with the offense. Will he get creative or not?
October 3rd, 2024 at 2:39 pm
Thanks Joe
It should have read “Thursday” night game.
So I was referring to the week leading up to tonight… do they just not practice except maybe a walk through on Wednesday morning?
October 3rd, 2024 at 2:50 pm
Joe never heard of on any given Sunday? I’m sure the Jets felt the same way we did last week. Would you bet your house we’d beat Washington again if we played them? It’s the NFL.
October 3rd, 2024 at 3:06 pm
The Bucs are simply a reflection of the coaching they get and their preparation. Todd has a track record of his teams coming out flat as a pool table in critical games. This is a chance for him to show he’s turned a corner. So was the Denver game.
Hopefully the butt chewing the players (and coaches) received after the Broncos fiasco have continued. Instead of looking at Eagles game film they should be forced to re-watch Broncos game footage like the Eagles game never happened.
October 3rd, 2024 at 3:34 pm
“””The Bucs thought the same we did against Denver. Winless AFC team, coming cross country to the heat. Bad rookie QB so we should coast. I’m sure that wasn’t the team message but it invaded too many individual mindsets”””
Boy aint that the truth!
October 3rd, 2024 at 3:41 pm
Denver, and Washington are showing they were/are better than most people thought.
I don’t think we have established a true identity yet, especially offensively.
We are getting there….. Our run game is showing signs of life, Coen has shown he can/will adapt game to game. We should continue to improve 🤞🏼
Would friggin love it if we could lose the Jekyll and Hyde crap. A dominant performance tonight would be a great start 🤘🏼
October 3rd, 2024 at 4:12 pm
The Broncos game is a dead horse (24 hour rule ). I think Bowles’ 24 hour rule is a great way to handle a loss !! I am confident the Bucs will execute well, and give it all they have. Hopefully, the Bucs will win. But it’s going to be tough. Atlanta’s 12th man will be there, and they will throw everything they have at us. This will be a very emotional game !! Morris wants it , Cousins wants it !! Hopefully we want it more !!
Do I have confidence in our coaches and players ? Absolutely!!
It’s going be a great game to watch !! Can’t wait!!
Go Bucs !! L G !!
October 3rd, 2024 at 4:13 pm
Yes
October 3rd, 2024 at 4:27 pm
32 – 13 Bucs over The Sparrows.
But listening to most on here and in big media I am picking the wrong team.
Statement game for Baker and the Bucs no matter who wins, will be sending a statement. Primetime Team or Pretender?
October 3rd, 2024 at 4:39 pm
They will play hard tonight ,,, win or lose ,,, it won’t be because of effort ! My money (literally ) is on the Bucs ,,, Division match means no let down or looking past for either team. Whatever the Denver game was, it’s a ugly looking Out of Conference loss,,,,,, win tonight and we are 4-1 ,,,,, 4-0 in conference
October 3rd, 2024 at 5:12 pm
You are what your record says you are. Last year the Bucs were Divsion Champs, won a first round playoff game and competed hard on the road at Detroit.
This year the Bucs are 3-1 so their record says they are in first place. There are no style points.
Perhaps we could invent some style points. Tomorrow everybody come back and tell us what you think of the style of the game which begs a question.
Would you rather the team play great but get beat by Falcons also having a great team or play like spit and win over a team that chokes.
I gotta take the W every time. At the end of the season they ask how…they ask how many.
October 3rd, 2024 at 5:22 pm
Not sure bout this one. Going to have to put a lot of pressure on Cousins hopefully through disguised blitzes. If defense can prevent long, clock eating drives, feel good about Baker getting ball to ME, Godwin, and Otton. Expect each to have 6 receptions. If that happens, Bucs win easily. Baker tonight 3TD and 1 INT off a tipped pass. Would love to see Vita as fullback in a goal line rushing TD.
October 3rd, 2024 at 5:34 pm
Stpetebucfan – they “ don’t “ ask how…they ask how many.
October 3rd, 2024 at 5:48 pm
Cousins bad against bowels ,,, Payton great against him ,,,, glad he isn’t w NO anymore
October 3rd, 2024 at 5:52 pm
Should we lose tonight many will write us off. Should we win people will overdramatize with a lot of oohs and ahs.
One at a time and Bucs win. That’s all we can ask. I am optimistic that the better i.e. the real Bucs will show up tonight.
October 3rd, 2024 at 6:13 pm
Honestly I would have preferred him to say something like “we came out flat, took them for granted” vs ” I dunno”…
Let’s hope they don’t lay another egg today. Need to string together more than 1 win at a time to go to the SB.
October 3rd, 2024 at 6:14 pm
Oxycondomns Says:
October 3rd, 2024 at 1:48 pm
letdowns dont happen with a brady on the team
——————-
Yep – that 38-3 beat down by the Saints in our own crib led by Brady was awesome.
October 3rd, 2024 at 7:38 pm
Joe, hyperbole sells, but a thoughtful analysis is worth more. I n this case , I think that you are missing an interesting story with the “putrid Broncos” spiel.
The Broncos, with the sixth quarterback picked in this year’ draft, are 2-2.
They lost by six points after giving up a halftime lead in week one to the Seahawks who are now 3-1 and leading their division.
They lost by seven points in week two after giving up 13 points to the Steelers who are now 3-1 and leading their division.
With the help of a first drive pass interference no call, they were opportunistic and ran up the score on an injury depleted Bucs team who are now 3-1 and leading their division.
And, in week four, they ground out a 1 point victory over the Jets who are now 2-2 and second place in their division.
To me, the Broncos are last year’s Texans; a grossly underrated team in the preseason who surprised everyone by winning their division with a 10-7 record.
Just saying, you may want to ease up on the “putrid Broncos” mantra for a couple of weeks. Maybe you will want to pick it up again; maybe you will want to be ahead of the crowd with a “surprising Broncos” mantra. As a long time Bucs fan, I can remember many seasons when I would have been happier to be where the Broncos are now than where we were then; some seasons when “putrid”, while unkind and unfair, was a good bit more apropos.