Defense Couldn’t Get Off The Field
January 13th, 2025
Not good enough.
The defense wasn’t awful tonight. It wasn’t good but it wasn’t vintage Mike Smith, either.
There was one big problem, Bucs corner Zyon McCollum told Joe after the game.
“We couldn’t get off the field,” he said.
That was it in a nutshell. Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels was really good, carving up the Bucs’ zone defense early. In the first two Commandos possessions, per NextGen Stats, Daniels was perfect throwing the ball against the Bucs weak-arse zone.
And because the defense couldn’t get off the field, the Commandos were playing keepaway. The high-powered Tampa Bay offense couldn’t do a damn thing standing on the sideline watching the game.
That’s why the screwed up handoff between Baker Mayfield and Jalen McMillan was so critical. It appeared the Bucs were about to take over the game when that took place.
One major thing the Bucs must address is why the team was so soft on defense too often. Find out why and start collecting players who can resolve these issues.
January 13th, 2025 at 12:14 am
Which means he should go 🤷🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️
January 13th, 2025 at 12:15 am
Fire Bowles
January 13th, 2025 at 12:17 am
Lots of holes to fill this off season.
January 13th, 2025 at 12:18 am
4th and 3 from the 20. Instead of putting the game into the hands of the top 5 offense, Bowles kicked the FG and put the game in the hands of a bottom 5 defense that hadn’t forced a punt all game. Tells you all you need to know about the ceiling this team has with its current head coach.
January 13th, 2025 at 12:19 am
Surely the only time this season the Commanders never punted in a game. Crazy.
January 13th, 2025 at 12:20 am
The defense was terrible i remember the Sabby Piscitelli years and this was worse to watch because the offense gave you hope just to be crapped all over….
January 13th, 2025 at 12:21 am
We are cowards
January 13th, 2025 at 12:21 am
We have seen this all year. Defense does not make many stops in most of the games against good teams.
Today we never saw the punter.
Soft defense, missed tackles, no coverage.
We have seen it all year.
But let me guess.
We will learn from this. Next season will be different or else changes are needed.
Ok sure.
After 3 years suddenly we will decide to play tight coverage and not be soft.
Sure, because what we have seen is that we always learn from this.
January 13th, 2025 at 12:23 am
A Bowles defense never got off the field all year long
January 13th, 2025 at 12:23 am
Joe, I thought the defense played well enough for us to win the game. The offensive mistakes hurt us tonight. They prevented us from scoring our typical 30 or so points. If the Bucs don’t turn the ball over, they very likely would have won the game !!
Go Bucs !!!!
January 13th, 2025 at 12:24 am
We didn’t play good. Didn’t dominate. Played soft at times. Made mistakes. Played for a tie. Came out flat. Outcoached. Played to lose. Other team played to win. Was it youth? Yes. Was it coaching? Yes. Our qb did not play good. Questionable play calling. Offense wasn’t ready. Defense did what we expected. Offense, our strength struggled. It’s a BUCS life!
January 13th, 2025 at 12:24 am
I would like to move on from Bowles sadly. He just isn’t it. Dean sucks too. Cut him or trade him. We need corner help, safety linebacker depth and a TRUE edge rusher. They also need to retain Coen and Godwin at all costs.
January 13th, 2025 at 12:24 am
It’s the extent of the Jameis like gaffes. It gets way too ugly often
January 13th, 2025 at 12:25 am
Defense couldn’t get off the field. Put that on Todd’s tomestone. It was the story of the season. We need a new direction on defense, can’t replace all the players Joe, but you can get a new coach with a new scheme. Todd has been running our D for five seasons, he’s been figured out. Time for a change.
January 13th, 2025 at 12:25 am
Really, our defensive coordinator is the reason why we always play so soft in coverage. Oh yeah he’s the head Coach too. So don’t fire the Head Coach, fire the defensive coordinator.
January 13th, 2025 at 12:28 am
This team plays soft because the head coach / defensive coordinator plays soft. How many times this have Bucs given up late game drives to lose games?
This team needs a defensive revamp with a demanding coach not someone who looks like he shat his pants on the sidelines.
January 13th, 2025 at 12:28 am
The commandos did not punt the entire game! Granted they had 5 attempted 4th down attempts. But they were all on the Bucs side of the field. I don’t think the defense had a single three and out. Not one! Bowles must go if this team is to progress.
January 13th, 2025 at 12:28 am
Offense had 7 possessions the whole game, ran 44 plays. Defense couldn’t get off the field BARTOW BUC, this loss is more on the defense than the offense, I put the blame 60/40 with defense deserving more blame. Washington didn’t punt and completed 3 of 5 4th downs. Defense has to be better
January 13th, 2025 at 12:30 am
Can our DC win a Night game tho
January 13th, 2025 at 12:33 am
Oh give me a frigging break Joe! Your being way too kind . This is a team that lacks playmakers on defense. A defense that we all know can not get off the field on 3rd & forth downs . A defense that can not and will not create turnovers . They go through the motions . That’s it . We all know watching this season it was our defense that was going to lose this game to a rookie QB . Soft zone crap ! They lack play makers on the defense & todd has to try and make up for it ..draft time it’s defense and more defense! This defense is trash
January 13th, 2025 at 12:34 am
And the offense couldn’t stay in the field
January 13th, 2025 at 12:36 am
It is really funny how bad the calls were, and a half inch doink from OT…. thin line in the playoffs.
January 13th, 2025 at 12:37 am
JD is an amazing rookie QB……he made plays
The commanders were the better team and did what they had to do to win.
The Secondary was awful again and Dean & Winfield are not playing up to their contracts.
January 13th, 2025 at 12:38 am
The refs took a strip interception away from us where the receiver was not down by contact when he gave up the ball.
7 points
Strangely similar to another call a few games back when MacMillan had a ball stripped away from him after he possessed it IN TH ENDZONE.
7 points
Both calls technically INCORRECT by the refs and both calls cost us the game.
January 13th, 2025 at 12:47 am
Would take a Mike Tomlin swap for our DC in heartbeat. All he needs is an Offense and a defensive draft. We must get a new HC or this will be our rhythm and best case case result all next year. Seen enough
January 13th, 2025 at 12:49 am
Bucs had 2 drives in the 4th to go ahead by as much 7 – 14 points, and got 3 total.
Mayfield fumbles. Barton blows it. Dunzo.
And the offense had a number of drops and penalties through the game as well.
Not prepare for prime time. Shocking. Hallmark of a Todd Bowles team. Just like the soft defense. But tbh only giving up 23 to them wasn’t bad. They just couldn’t get off the field on 3rd or 4th down. Wide open always.
January 13th, 2025 at 1:03 am
The offense blew it tonight but Quinn knew how to beat us. Use 4th down all night and play keep away like you said. Why try to stop the 4th ranked offense when you can be out there vs the 28th ranked D?
The offense blew it though because the team takes on its HC mentality in crunch time. Don’t lose guys! Don’t fumble or throw a pick guys! Run – run – run , don’t go for a kill shot cause we might throw a pick. That’s loser stuff and you better believe it corrupts the mindset. Be aggressive, trust your guys to execute and they will trust themselves. He does it with the D but didn’t have the talent. It’s a problem if the HC doesn’t know where his teams strengths are.
January 13th, 2025 at 1:20 am
Defense will look like trash with anyone calling plays until our “rockstar” gm decides to address our defensive ends (non existent pass rush) and our horrid cornerbacks (Dean is literally injured garbage).
If your D-Ends can’t disengage and rush the passer then Zone defense will get eaten alive. Unfortunately we only have 1 corner capable of playing Man, so we end up in zone a lot, and pray they don’t pick on that backup corner who should be wearing a Target uniform.
January 13th, 2025 at 2:07 am
Remember all the people saying Shaq Barrett was going to come back and make a difference? Lol
As usual, we get the Todd Bowles’ special: 0 interceptions, 0 forced fumbles, 1 sack, while giving up countless completions to a rookie QB. Can’t wait for 2025.
January 13th, 2025 at 2:07 am
Tough loss the drive home from the stadium was not a good drive my kids were in tears I told welcome to being a bucs fan boys, hopefully some of our issues are addressed in f.a. and the draft this is a a tough loss no other way to say it.
January 13th, 2025 at 5:04 am
Fire Lovie Bowles
January 13th, 2025 at 6:31 am
Nice nighttime national TV performances this season Todd.
Nice home record this season Todd.
I’m sick of this team underperforming with this guy.
I’m glad it’s over. I don’t have to get disgusted every other Sunday now.
January 13th, 2025 at 6:42 am
Bye Bowles! Done with the cheaper version of Tony Dungy!! Now charisma at all!!
January 13th, 2025 at 7:40 am
The defense made the game winnable.
The offense didn’t win it because they fumbled the ball away ten yards from the goal line. Even three points from there, you still have a ball game. But, from there, you really should get seven. The play that was called looked good. But, even the greatest are human and make mistakes. Without Mayfield and McMillan this year, the Bucs would never have won the division.
Losing sucks!
Good game!
Good season!
Get some rest, draft a great linebacker backer, bring Lavonte back to teach him NFL football, get healthy and plug some gaps in the draft and free agency.
The Bucs should have an even better year next year!
January 13th, 2025 at 7:56 am
The offense cost us this game. What game did you guys watch? We still had a chance to put it away, but a fumble did us in. I’m not blaming anyone since we got this far and almost moved on. Bowles stays and we regroup and go for it again next year. We almost won this game you dolts lol, stop your whining.
January 13th, 2025 at 8:01 am
NO S^!T. Been Bucs problem all season long. And I even cited that would be our biggest issue going into game.
Washington didnt punt. NO TOs.
Plays – Washington 69 TB 44
Lopsided TOP of 36 to 24.
January 13th, 2025 at 8:53 am
Toopanca
We where on our own 10 yard line when we fumbled.
Hard to kick a field goal from there.