Tristan Wirfs: Self-Inflicted Mistakes Doomed The Bucs
January 13th, 2025
Not dodging.
Today at One Buc Palace, Joe saw dudes carry out their belongings in trash bags. Rachaad White, for example had so much stuff he needed a wagon-like cart to haul his stuff.
Some Bucs walked out of that locker room for the last time. Some like K.J. Britt, a free agent, have an uncertain future. He really has no idea what uniform he will wear when OTAs begin across the NFL in April.
The Bucs are in that situation — and booking trips to the DR to escape the unusually gloomy, chilly Tampa Bay weather — because they puked on themselves last night. That’s the way Tristan Wirfs saw it after the game.
He came right out and said the Bucs lassoed themselves with dumb mistakes.
“We had some penalties, put us behind the sticks a couple times,” Wirfs said. “That’s hard to overcome in a tight ballgame like that. We knew it was going to be close. … We just have to be cleaner.
“That’s what stings – we know we can be better, and that’s the hard part about it. We have a long time to think about this one and that’s going to suck, but the work continues.”
Wirfs vowed the team will be better next year. But will it?
Since the NFL created the NFC South in 2002, only one coach has ever won four division titles in a row. That was Sean Payton.
Bucs coach Todd Bowles has three consecutive NFC titles. So just based on history, the odds of Bowles having a fourth-straight division title aren’t in his favor.
And as many players have told Joe in the past 24 hours, this Bucs team will be different. By natural attrition — retirement, the draft and free agency — they could have a dozen or more different players on the 53-man roster come September.
Will that team be able to all row as one? It’s anyone’s guess.
January 13th, 2025 at 3:45 pm
Keep us up to date Joe. I will be watching.
January 13th, 2025 at 3:50 pm
Duh! You sure did! Penalties, drops, fumbles, bad snaps. A little bit of everything helped us snatch defeat from the jaws of victory!
Good thing we stopped using Rachaad White 3 weeks ago, our offense has been stuck in the mud ever since but hey it’s not like that was the only thing winning us games all season or anything…
Oh well, on to the draft and FA.
– Still need a real edge rusher. Diaby is a #2 at best.
– Need 2 ILBs
– Need at least 1 CB and 1 S.
Offense seems pretty well set, though it’s never a bad idea to a draft another lineman or two.
January 13th, 2025 at 3:52 pm
Bowles will be in his best position yet to win the division. Barring worse injuries than this season, if he doesn’t make the playoffs with the same O and a reloaded D…. I will be dishing out so much TOLD YOU SO soup.
January 13th, 2025 at 3:53 pm
The Bucs can have a 3-headed Monster at WR next year (Evans, Godwin, McMillan).
You have an entire summer to game plan with Bucky as your feature back.
Use free agency to find the best EDGE or CB out there and then draft the one you don’t get.
The Falcons still have Raheem Morris as their albatross and Dave Canales is exactly who we thought he was. Not to mention New Orleans is still years removed from contention (and will have a new coach).
The South is still very winnable next season.
January 13th, 2025 at 3:57 pm
That last possession before the field goal was brutal. We snap the ball on the wrong count, and then no clue what Baker was trying to do on second.
Little mistakes on O just killed us in the end. There was’t margin for error – Wash won 12 games for a reason. Still dissapointing.
January 13th, 2025 at 3:59 pm
COME GLAZERS FOLLOW DALLAS COWBOYS FOOT STEPS BOWLES AINT GONNA GET IT DONE SO LETS MOVE ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 13th, 2025 at 4:01 pm
Bowles a clown same crap every press conference he has been part of this team for years if he hasn’t fixed the little things yet he never will
January 13th, 2025 at 4:03 pm
The entire offense will be back next year. Even the bottom of the depth on offense. Now the defense, that’s a different story. New edge rushers, corners, safeties and ILB’s via FA and draft. I see the casual football fans talk about trading for Garrett and Crosby. Those teams will want a ransom for them. We will have money to spend on names like Azeez Ojulari, J. Alexander, Charvarius Ward J. Sweat and others. Plus another solid draft by our front office and we are in there.
January 13th, 2025 at 4:17 pm
Diaby jr year I believe he will be what we wished for this year
January 13th, 2025 at 4:22 pm
😢😢😢😢😢😢😢 Going to be a long fun off season.
January 13th, 2025 at 4:27 pm
The difference is having a leader in the huddle (Tom Brady) who makes everybody aware of situational football and would call dudes out for making mistakes. Baker is a tough competitor, but he makes inexcusable mistakes at critical times. That’s why Brady won 7 SB’s and Baker will never win one. Attention to details and holding other players accountable.
January 13th, 2025 at 4:48 pm
@LVMYBUCS who do you think is going to do it better? And whats the plan? – fire bowles, hire a new DC and HC and hope Liam is cool with these moves?
Fire Bowles, promote Liam to HC prematurely and hire up and coming DC…. some obscure LB coach thats now going to call plays?
Seriously, bowles is better than who’s on the market. only one id be onboard with would be Tomlin if he leaves the steelers.
January 13th, 2025 at 4:50 pm
And so as is frequently the case a turnover in a playoff game can be critical a turnover in the RED ZONE can swing the game. Only ONE int or fumble last night.
Apparently most here think the Commanders suck! I OTOH respect them and viewed last night’s game as a pickem. If Baker doesn’t fumble the Bucs win!
It’s as simple as that. A red zone fumble is frequently the kiss of death. I’m not busting Baker though he also had some runs that kept the Bucs in the game but they pay the other guys too and if Mahomes may be the only guy to ever challenge Brady for GOAT status, Jayden Daniels will be the next QB to challenge Mahomes for top dog.
Meanwhile speaking of red zone turnovers and what they can do to a team’s momentum and chances in a playoff game. Do we forget Baker’s predecessor?
Same setup, first round playoff game for a losing team and the Cowboys jumped out first. As the Buccaneers tried to respond to the Cowboys striking first, TOM BRADY threw a costly RED-ZONE interception, which gave the ball back to the Cowboys and the Buccaneers defense began to struggle.
Of course some guys here will bring up the “fact” that Brady’s int was BOWLes fault. Apologies I forgot the cutsey 3rd grade spelling…Bowels was the culprit.
January 13th, 2025 at 4:53 pm
Every year they vow to be better and the next year it the same old mistakes
January 13th, 2025 at 5:02 pm
Wild card next year with 11 wins
January 13th, 2025 at 5:08 pm
Joe writes, “And as many players have told Joe in the past 24 hours, this Bucs team will be different. By natural attrition — retirement, the draft and free agency — they could have a dozen or more different players on the 53-man roster come September.”
I don’t look at this as a bad thing but a positive. Our Offense is set for next year, especially if we can sign Godwin to a team friendly contract. As for our defense, we need new players, both from free agency and the draft. A shutdown corner, one or two inside linebackers and an edge rusher would be ideal. At number 19, a shutdown corner should still be on the board and in the second round, the Bucs should be able to find starting inside linebacker. After that, Licht should be able to work his magic and find a couple of sleepers or steals in the draft. He has become one of the best draft evaluators and I see good things coming in this year’s draft.
January 13th, 2025 at 5:12 pm
@unbelievable Three head monster will be really good if Godwin can come back 100% and not need a full year to get there like his other injury. The other part of that offense will be the TE. Otton did a good job stepping up this year and we even got to see some flashes from his backup. As long as Bucky can stay healthy the offense should be ready to roll!
January 13th, 2025 at 5:17 pm
Three consecutive NFC SOUTH titles Joe. If we had 3 consecutive NFC titles there wouldn’t be quite as much Kvetching on this here comment board!
January 13th, 2025 at 5:31 pm
Every year they should get better and have gotten better under Bowles. I anticipate, if we keep Coen, we will be better next season. We need another stellar draft from Licht & Co. as usual but I don’t see a problem with Bowles like everyone else does. Issues, yes but man could it be worse as we have seen as Bucs fans.
January 13th, 2025 at 5:38 pm
What good is the NFC South title with the scarecrow at the helm?
One more game than the lowly Panthers, Saints, and Falcons.
And that was an absolute gut punch to all the fans.
I knew it was over when Bowles went limp in the first quarter and settled for the FG after the 5 yard penalty was denied. My GF told me I was crazy.
Crazy like a mad genius that knows this team.
No matter how much talent you bring in, the result under Bowles will ALWAYS be the same.
Playing scared will always snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
January 13th, 2025 at 6:15 pm
next year we will be going up against a confident Bryce Young and Michael Penix so we will need a very hearty defense. Hope Jason Licht will make that happen.
January 13th, 2025 at 6:15 pm
I hope Barton takes a huge step next year. He left a lot to be desired.
January 13th, 2025 at 6:31 pm
You mean a man of character? Someone with tremendous football knowledge and experience? A man who’s objectively done a great job keeping TB competitive? Or do you mean…ehmm…you know, that other thing about him that you really don’t like.
January 13th, 2025 at 6:33 pm
We need a really good defensive draft. Our defense plays way to many snaps.Even still. We were one botched snap count from winning that game last night.
January 13th, 2025 at 6:59 pm
I miss brady yelling at our Oline
January 13th, 2025 at 8:23 pm
Hard to win when you do not force the opponent to Punt.
Washington ZERO PUNTS!!!!!!
The Bucs ran 44 plays……44 offensive plays
Simply unacceptable, that you cannot get stops and give the ball back to the offense.
No the offense did not look that great, but come on, where is the Defense.
January 13th, 2025 at 8:43 pm
Isn’t stopping them on 4th down basically a punt with better field positions?
January 13th, 2025 at 9:09 pm
stpete
If Baker doesn’t fumble the Bucs win!
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There is a possibility that you are right here.
On the other hand…
There were at least 5 game changing bad calls by the refs last night, any one of which, on their own, could of changed the outcome. Two of them absolutely changed the outcome.
But we’re not supposed to question the officiating…….
January 13th, 2025 at 9:14 pm
Pmike
Inside our own 5 yard line isn’t great field position.
Better than a score, sure. Remember that we didn’t get very far before the fumble though.
Yes, field position does matter.
January 13th, 2025 at 9:29 pm
Oline was not up to the task. Defense was downright shameful.
January 13th, 2025 at 10:09 pm
Panthers and Falcons are going to be much improved. I don’t see us winning division. The only good thing about that is next year is likely Bowles last in Tampa if that happens. Over the mediocrity. This team deserves so much more and needs to be pushed. Not given off two days a week and walk throughs all week long.
January 13th, 2025 at 11:06 pm
August 1976 Buc Says:
January 13th, 2025 at 8:23 pm
Hard to win when you do not force the opponent to Punt.
Washington ZERO PUNTS!!!!!!
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Actually…
There was a play, I think it was in the second quarter, where YaYa sacked Daniels but it was negated by a “non” holding call against McCollum. So, instead of a third and twenty plus, they got 5 or 10 yards and a first.
McCollum was victimized by the refs a couple of times. I think YaYa was the one who stripped the ball from a washington receiver before he was down by contact as well. Also reversed by the refs, so YaYa was victimized several times too.
January 13th, 2025 at 11:47 pm
Very hard to outplay the refs because they have the “rules” on their side.
And sometimes, they’ve been known to make them up as they go along.
I’m sure y’all remember the birth of the “Tuck rule”
I know that raiders fans do.