Bucs Defense Was Clutch As Usual — For The Opponent
December 1st, 2024
Defensive progress invisible.
Anthony Nelson saved the season. That’s great, but for Joe, it’s like a dude standing in the middle of his burning house hollering, “It’s fine, it’s all fine!”
One fantastic play for the ages isn’t going to make Joe forget the s(p)it show Joe witnessed this afternoon. Again.
The Bucs defense was on the cusp of giving up its fourth loss of the season on the final Stinking Panthers drive of the game. Then Nelson rose up, stripped a ball from Chubba Hubbard, and YaYa Diaby pounced on it and held on for dear life.
That play may have saved the Bucs’ season.
Joe knows this was a win, but man, if this came against Baltimore or Pittsburgh or Kansas City, that’s one thing. But dang, the Bucs had to fight for their very lives — against the Stinking Panthers!
Good grief!
Credit to the Bucs offense on the second drive of overtime after the Nelson strip. Rachaad White had one of his best runs in a long time to set up a chip shot field goal by Chase McLaughlin.
Still, against a garbage team like the Stinking Panthers, the edge rush couldn’t breathe on Bryce Young? In the abstract, this doesn’t surprise Joe because even the Bucs’ defensive line coach less than a month ago admitted the Bucs don’t care about an edge rush.
But to play so flaccidly on defense as to not have any edge rush against a quarterback who was benched this year, well, Joe’s at wit’s end and has reached the very bottom of his deep well of patience about an edge rush.
That is coaching malpractice and that twisted mentality about not caring about sacks from the edge damn near sunk the Bucs’ pirate ship today.
“They didn’t blink, they fought,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said of his defense in the fourth quarter and overtime.
They may not have blinked because they were sleepwalking.
Joe can never remember being close to angry after a win. But that’s right about where Joe is right now. There is no way in hell with all that was at stake for this Bucs team that they shouldn’t have destroyed the Stinking Panthers.
The Bucs won. They probably shouldn’t have and likely wouldn’t have playing like that against any other team.
This defense has a long way to go if the Bucs want to make any kind of postseason dent.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:25 pm
AGREED!! CRAP Show.
Tired of seeing that soft zone.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:26 pm
It was a bad day. No more than that. Just like last week was a good week.
They won.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:27 pm
It’s the incompetent play calling and situational fb that continue to make u want to scream. First off why is jj Russell covering adam freaking theilen…..especially on a play we don’t allow anything deep. It’s insane. We are not a smart football team or coaching staff. Baker needs to get the ball out on time. And stop throwing stupid interceptions.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:27 pm
if the owners want a tewam that are constant contenders, Bowels HAS GOT TO GO!!!
Hopefully he is coaching his final games!
December 1st, 2024 at 8:29 pm
Fire Bowles yesterday! I truly believe if the Bucs had lost he wouldn’t be the Head Coach next week.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:30 pm
So TRENTON FREAKING GILL is what you cut Jake Camarda your vaunted 4th Rd Draft Pick for Jason Licht?? Give me a FREAKING BREAK this bum Gill will cost us games and tried darn hard to do it today. Cut this idiot and get us an NFL caliber punter-NOWWWW!!!!
December 1st, 2024 at 8:31 pm
If Piniero kicks like he normally does, and the refs don’t screw up the Thielen TD, Kitties win by 2 scores.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:31 pm
In all fairness, even the 2 time defending Super Bowl Champion Chiefs barely beat the stinking panthers. Also winning on a last second field goal.
Maybe the stinking panthers are better then we think they are.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:32 pm
Problem is the defense looks the same every week, soft zone, middle of the field open, I mean there are no week to week adjustments, just the same tho g every week from the defense
December 1st, 2024 at 8:32 pm
I mean. I really got tired of watching Dean playing 15 yards off
December 1st, 2024 at 8:32 pm
Injuries stacking up putting third and fourth string players in on crucial plays (all of them). Russell and Thomas both played badly. Plenty of missed sacks on defense. Plays made when they needed to be by Carolina (until the end). Agree with the assessment the offense was getting ‘too cute’ with the play calling at crucial times.
Build on the win and improve next week. Make it three in a row.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:32 pm
Bowles is stubborn and keeps going back to the soft zone D. He does not believe in a pass rush. He does not own the shortcomings but would rather give us word salad and cite lack of communication. The coach should be “encouraged” by Team Glazer to retire at the end of the season to avoid being launched. The game has passes him ny.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:34 pm
Thats how division games go. See Chiefs vs Raiders on Friday night. I’m sure Chiefs fan weren’t crying and saying “this feels like a loss”…. F@cking weak a$$ fans.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:34 pm
Stop lobbying against the coach, there is some games left, when the season ends theirs going to be a bunch of time to make decisions…..Nobody is gonna fire Bowles now…..
Doesn’t make any sense to complaining and crying like baby’s since the beginning of the season against the coach…
Boring predictable and stupid…..
Some fans and some stupid local journalist seem to hate the Bucs
December 1st, 2024 at 8:36 pm
Cut Gill now
December 1st, 2024 at 8:38 pm
To the fans that understand the panthers are not as bad of a team as they record says what y’all want from the store? They just did the same exact thing to the panthers. We supposed to win two more games just like this
December 1st, 2024 at 8:38 pm
Oh, this week the defense is clutch. Joe, you are all over the place this year. I don’t blame you though. The Bucs get the win. Good teams (Chiefs) have a way of working it out at the end. That is how our Bucs win. I still predict that they run the table and make the Super Bowl. Keeping it real in Ireland.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:39 pm
if Canales was not obsessed running up the middle they would have scored a lot more LOL
December 1st, 2024 at 8:39 pm
Bowles should be a healthy scratch.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:40 pm
That’s a good way to put it Joe so angry at a win that look like a s()it show.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:42 pm
I’d still fire Bowles tonight . We will lose in the 1st game , if we make it .
The NFL has figured out Bowles and he has no idea how to adjust . Only time our D looks good is when we play man which we don’t do that often . Where was Vita and Clancy today after such a good game last week. This game was actual team let down with plenty of blame to go around and when that’s the case it’s your head coach not having team ready.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:42 pm
With a decent HC this team would be at least 7-5
December 1st, 2024 at 8:42 pm
It looked like YaYa was thinking about trying to pick it up and run. I think the neighbors heard me scream “Fall on it!!.”
December 1st, 2024 at 8:43 pm
Well a win is a win,,,, lucky it was but still a win!
Get back to Tampa and give the guys some treatment
December 1st, 2024 at 8:44 pm
SORE WINNERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cry me a river boys.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:44 pm
Chiefs didn’t have fun either. Take a breath – we won a very ugly game. Perhaps we should focus on the gritty win. Still though – that was ugly.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:47 pm
Bojim Says:
December 1st, 2024 at 8:42 pm
It looked like YaYa was thinking about trying to pick it up and run. I think the neighbors heard me scream “Fall on it!!.”
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Ha! I scared my dog!
December 1st, 2024 at 8:47 pm
The Panthers aren’t as bad as they looked earlier this season. This was Can Do Canales’ Super Bowl.
The Bucs make QBs ( Kirk Cousins vs today-4ints ) and now Pop Warner wanna be Bryce Young had his best day as a pro ( basically given up on earlier this season ). It’s a hard watch.
What happened to the once promising Camarda that he was replaced by this light weight Gill? I was starting to worry he’s bobble a snap on the late FG attempts.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:47 pm
If Bowles blitzes took any longer to develop they’d be Kodak 35mm film.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:51 pm
I didn’t understand the soft zone when the Panthers were in the red zone. That has to stop.
Overall the Bucs defense can play better but these can be addressed. But the play calling of soft/quarter coverage in the red zone/key third down is brutal.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:52 pm
BOJIM I felt the same way. I was screaming fall on it. He almost lost that fumble recovery and essentially the game. Thankfully he did finally fall on it and eventually led to us winning. Ugly Wins are still Wins at the end of the day. On to the Raiders!
December 1st, 2024 at 8:53 pm
Outrageous – we only won by three.
And we gave up over 20 first downs and 334 yards of offense.
Wait, I am sorry, I looked at the wrong game. It was the CHIEFS that gave up 21 first downs and 334 yards to the Panthers. We gave up 19 first downs and 367 yards. Given this I am sure the geniuses here will want the CHIEFS defensive staff fired.
I used to like to come here to talk about the Bucs. But this site has degenerated into a bunch of people who I suspect are actually cheering against the team and whose only thought is FIRE BOWLES NOW!
It’s boring.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:55 pm
I came to this here site to see what happened in Carolina today. Thankfully I didn’t waste a beautiful cool afternoon watching or listening to the game. This old cynic with “battered (fan) syndrome” smelled this one coming. I expected a loss, however an ugly win is a win.
Perhaps the Glazers will pull a Chicago Bears tomorrow but I doubt it. That’s just not their modus operandi. If the Panthers are so bereft of talent and are playing well enough to take the Chiefs to the brink, then it looks like Canales is a better coach than Bowles. The Glazers let him get away. What will they do with Coen ?
December 1st, 2024 at 8:55 pm
This team simply doesn’t have talent on the edge. Thats on Light. Bowles’ biggest flaw and something that he can control is okaying his back 7 15 yards off WRs every single game, every single snap.
They don’t jam at the line of scrimmage. They don’t challenge the ball in the air, much less get within 10 yards of a receiver until that ball has been caught – seemingly by design. It’s absolutely baffling. It’s no wonder we haven’t had an interception in like 8 games.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:57 pm
For the most part the defense played pretty decent today. Mayfield handing them a short field with his 2 interceptions didn’t help the cause. Neither did the stupid kickoff that gave them the ball at the 40. Young was getting the ball out fast today. They were all over him but but it’s hard to get sacks when he is releasing it that quickly.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:58 pm
‘ Still, against a garbage team like the Stinking Panthers ‘
Maybe, 3 or 4 weeks ago, they were dead but they gave the Chiefs a run for the money. They currently are not pushovers, but I wish we had played stronger. No excuses.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:58 pm
KC is having trouble with just about eveyone this year. Maybe they are not as good as some people think they are.
December 1st, 2024 at 8:59 pm
Bowles has to go .trying to get bucky hurt returning kicks at the end of game ? Has learned nothing about Godwin getting hurt . Whst was that play call in the end for a yard ? Bucky on that whole drive ,then you put in white ? Ro go sideways ? Wtf ? Sneek baker for a damn yard . Bowles makes it tougher than itches to be .
December 1st, 2024 at 9:01 pm
Les say what?
December 1st, 2024 at 9:04 pm
Why do we keep playing 10 yards off the ball ? Waiting for the catch then trying to make a tackle and still can’t wrap up half the time . Get there when the ball does ! Knock it away .I don’t get bowles defence they play way to off and soft zone sucks .
December 1st, 2024 at 9:23 pm
Did the Bucs lose, did they finally have to make clutch plays to win a close game… Usually it’s the other way around. Mayfield made mistakes, but clutch when it counted, overcame bad play calling inside the 5, use Baker and Mike, get creative and where was the White screen passes that have been effective. Is SeanTucker that bad, that he can’t get on the field. Our kicker is solid, now our punter leaves something to be desired. Defense (Nelson) did make a play which hasn’t happened in a while… This could be the game that makes this team truly go on a run, they stuck together as a team
December 1st, 2024 at 9:24 pm
Les Says:
December 1st, 2024 at 9:04 pm
Why do we keep playing 10 yards off the ball ? Waiting for the catch then trying to make a tackle and still can’t wrap up half the time . Get there when the ball does ! Knock it away .I don’t get bowles defence they play way to off and soft zone sucks .
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Les,
We don’t always play soft zone. Sometimes we mix it up with zero man coverage that also gets torched. To borrow from Spinal Tap, Bowle’s amps have two settings. 1 and 11.
December 1st, 2024 at 9:24 pm
I thought Bowles mostly did admirably today. Panthers have been playing better, and we held them to 16 before that last drive where Bryce made some really nice plays. This one was on the offense today. Coen didn’t call a good game, and Baker had an off game (although was unsurprisingly clutch when we really needed it). Coen should have been able to score at will today with our running game clicking, but he couldn’t get out of his own way with some poor decisions. The worst decision was the 3rd and 1 run play called at the goal line that we ended up losing several yards. The formation and personnel told the Panthers the play, and they predictably stuffed it. I knew when he lined it up it would fail. Our defense has issues that Bowles can’t figure out. It’s going to be up to the offense, and we are going to need better from Baker and Coen moving forward.
December 1st, 2024 at 9:25 pm
This defense has a long way to go if the Bucs want to make any kind of postseason dent.
Nope they’ve got 5 games and trash teams don’t get you ready for playoffs offenses. Look what Carolina did to Todd Bowles. Go to the playoffs to do what? Just to say they got in because status quo middle of the pack football is ok for the front office and Bucs fans it seems.
December 1st, 2024 at 9:26 pm
We have one linebacker the rest are garbage
I would play Treek when he returns at lb
December 1st, 2024 at 9:30 pm
It’s truly baffles me that some post here making excuses for the sorry heap of iexcrement we call coach. 6-6 is not a juggernaut and it’s one bone headed decision after another. Let’s hope Bucky isn’t to seriously hurt from returning kicks late in this game. His let’s play a mile off the receiver soft zones are mind numbing. Absolutely baffling anyone would come to his defense. He’s a loser…I don’t care that the players love him…I want a coach players win for him. He doesn’t have it not at all . His stupid decisions have already cost us Chris Godwin and probably wins this season.. I can’t wait for the day he clears out his office
December 1st, 2024 at 10:35 pm
The reason why this team struggles is piss poor defensive play. Offense in general is much improved, defense is not. Who’s the defensive coordinator?
December 1st, 2024 at 10:38 pm
What’s with the zone defense that continues to get torched week after week. At some point an idiot can see what works and does not.
December 1st, 2024 at 10:58 pm
Pass rush isn’t as much an issue. Joe’s need to gather the plethora of evidence, all 22 vids, and specify targeted questions to the cover who off-zone wide open everyone scheme. Why just give up all the yards into the red zone? In past seasons he’s been lucky . This year the points given up are atrocious as are the yards given up.
He will never change.
Bill, Saleh, Liam.
The dream team.
December 1st, 2024 at 11:35 pm
Panthers players get paid over 200 million a year to play football. Division games are always going to be tight. Winning on the road is hard in the Nfl.
December 2nd, 2024 at 12:13 am
Joes and Ira, and anyone else in the press – PLEASE — for the sake of the fans, your fans — put the man on the spot and don’t let him escape the data and the facts.
His defense makes every QB look like a Hall of Famer. Kirk Cousins can’t play, but against Todd he threw for a combined 800+ and 16 touchdowns (or so – the point is obvious). Bo Nix had his confidence launched after he conquered Bowels Syndrome. Bryce Young……even Dismal Desmond Ridder slaughtered the Todd. Name the QB, their best game ever came against Bowlerama.
Injuries are not an excuse. No one can play his zones, no one. His starters bust, the backups bust. He apparently can’t teach it, or they can’t learn it. Either way, incompetence is the result, but the same behavior and results continue.
Why?
If he says “to win” please point out he has a losing record as a head coach with two NFL franchises. So winning is something he doesn’t do.
Thank you.
December 2nd, 2024 at 9:32 am
Anyhony Says:
December 1st, 2024 at 8:44 pm
SORE WINNERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cry me a river boys.
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Naah, the usual SOS on here. Citrus Co,: I can’t speak for you, but don’t give up on the Bucs. I’m more battered as a Bucs fan than you are. BTW, I’ll take Bowles over Canales any day of the week plus Sunday. Did you go riding yesterday? Beautiful biker weather. I’ve sat on the back long enough to know as my old man is a true, though now retired, Biker.
December 2nd, 2024 at 11:35 am
ColonelAngus says I agree100% THESE R NOT FANS THEY R FAKE F***ERS
December 2nd, 2024 at 11:37 am
Dave pear oh really last time I checked BOWLES HAS A SUPERBIWL RING MORON!!!
December 2nd, 2024 at 11:43 am
You people r jokers baker had an off the standard day but he is the reason we r averaging almost 30 points a game go back to last year when yall said if we get more than 20 points game we in well th qb is doing his job & doing it as good as anyone so shut u r useless pie holes