October 11, 2025 • 26 mins
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter Week 6 facing a major test against the San Francisco 49ers, and they’ll have to do it short-handed. With wide receivers Mike Evans (hamstring) and Chris Godwin (fibula) both ruled out, the Bucs’ offense will lean heavily on rookie sensation Emeka Egbuka, who’s been on a historic five-game tear to start his NFL career. Baker Mayfield leads a 4-1 Tampa Bay team looking to prove their resilience on the road, while the 49ers are also banged up — quarterback Brock Purdy is out and Mac Jones remains questionable.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
On today's show, the Bucks pick up a big thirty
eight to thirty five victory over the Seahawks due to
some late game heroics. Do the Bucks have what it
takes to win an easy game over the forty nine Ers.
I'll discuss next on this edition of The Box Report.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Let's get out.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Well. Hello end, Welcome into this edition of the Box Report,
part of the Box Report podcast network. I'm so glad
you decided to join me today. As always, this podcast
is free and available on all the major platforms. You
can find us online. It's at Bucksreport dot com and
the best way that you can help with this show
is to subscribe to The Bucks Report on YouTube and
(01:17):
comment anything down below. So in this edition of The
Bucks Report, we talk about the injured Bucks as they
prepare to take on the forty nine Ers. It just
seems to be the theme that follows this roster the
entire season that there's injuries and then new injuries added
to it. Do they have what it takes? Then we'll
(01:38):
talk about the Bucks taking down the Seahawks again requiring
some late game heroics, and one of the things I
asked Steve versnikon here a couple of weeks ago, was
is it sustainable these late game heroics and he said, well,
it's not. But it seems like that is the only
way that the Buccaneers know how to win these games
(01:59):
is to really pull it out towards the end of
the game. I guess I don't care how they get there,
just so long as they get there. So let's get
into it, And first, I guess it would be a
good place to talk about the injured bucks on this
team this week, So let's take a look at it.
Mike Evans out, Chris Godwin out, Bucky Irving out, Zion
(02:22):
McCollum out, Benjamin Morris out, Josh Williams out, and Christian
is ian as questionable. The big thing surrounding the forty
nine ers is who's going to start at QB. It
does appear that it might be mac Jones, but we
know for certain that Brock Purdy is out, So a question, right,
(02:45):
You take a look at the Buccaneers, you take a
look at the forty nine Ers, two really good teams
and two teams that are facing a decent amount of injuries.
So do they have what it takes? But I think
before I get into what is going to happen this
weekend against the forty nine ers. I think it's important
to take a moment and just talk about the last
(03:08):
game against the Seahawks, and Wow, what a game. And
it's about Baker Mayfield. It's about the Bucks digging deep
and picking up the dub here because they pick up
that thirty eight to thirty five victory over the Seahawks.
And as it turns out, my crystal ball must hold
true because I said that last week that my crystal
(03:28):
ball said that the Buccaneers wore going to win the game,
and they did that. Baker Mayfield twenty nine of thirty three,
three hundred and seventy nine yards and who stepped up
big time Rashad White, who we know has had to
take on a bigger role minus Bucky Irving two touchdowns
(03:50):
a big game for him, and a Mecca Agbuca with
the touchdown, Sterling Shepherd with a touchdown. But one player
I think that has really popped off the page for
me is a Mecca Abuka. And you know, you take
a look at him, there was hopes surrounding him. I
think that we all had hoped that he was going
(04:11):
to be as good as Baker Mayfield and Jason Light
and everyone else said that he was going to be,
and man, he has been all of that and then
some You gotta love a rookie who just shows up
and makes you look smart for drafting him. And there
was some question marks. If we remember back when the
(04:31):
Buccaneers drafted a wide receiver and they drafted Abuca, that
many fans thought there was a different position and a
different player that they should have gone after. But at
Buka has been straight up electric. In his first five games.
He's got twenty five catches, four hundred and forty five
yards and five touchdowns over that span. That makes him
(04:56):
the first player in NFL history to hit at least
twenty five catches in five receiving scores in his first
five career games. So I wonder if those same people
that were questioning if it was the right thing to
do question it now considering what he's done, considering the
(05:17):
lingering issues with Evans, and now God went on the
shelf again that it seemed like a really good thing
because had it not been for Abuka, and you also
factor in Jalen nick Millan being injured, I think the
Bucks would have been in a really tough spot, but
crazy stuff and that's not me just typing him, that's
what the numbers say. He's also picked up Offensive Rookie
(05:40):
of the Month honors for September, So yeah, this is real.
And I guess I'm gonna say, if I'm going to
go out and get a Bucks jersey here coming up,
it very well might be an Abuka one. So and
while he's doing it, while the Bucks are banged up,
Chris Godwin missed the first four weeks with that ink.
As we find out today he is going to be
(06:02):
injured as well. Mike Evans has been dealing with a
hamstring issue since week three. So Abuka the Man has
been asked to step up far sooner than anyone expected.
And I think if you look at the depth chart,
I don't think anyone really had him projected to be
taking on such a big role as early as he has.
But he's not just filling a hole. He's making clutch plays,
(06:26):
game winners, go ahead touchdowns. You've seen it. I saw
it live, you felt it with us. He's got the
feel and that's what's really exciting for me is to
just see him step up. And when I say I
saw it live. That very often I don't get a
chance to see the games live, but in this opportunity,
I was able to catch the games live. To be
(06:48):
completely honest with you guys, I have NFL Plus, so
generally nine times out of ten I have to wait
for the games to conclude. But when you take a
look at him a short play by play recap the
Seahawks game, Baker found him when it mattered at Guka
Torch Seattle Secondary four one hundred and sixty three yards
in that matchup, that thirty eight to thirty five shootout
(07:10):
reminded me when the Bucks are healthy enough on offense,
they can hang with anybody anybody, but health has been
a problem, and you know, it is kind of the
story of the Bucks this year. You know, you saw
Tristan Wurfs that was kind of, you know, the big
one to start the season, and how are they going
to be able to rally around him out of the lineup,
And then Godwin, which we knew who was going to
(07:32):
be out, and then in the preseason Jalen McMillan. They
just continue to find a way to keep getting it done.
The one thing that is very apparent to me is
that you do not want to poke the bear. And
who is the bear that I'm talking about. I am
talking about Baker Mayfield. I'm talking about the Shenanigans and
(07:55):
the tunnel before he went out onto the field, Like,
look at the score at halftime and then we'll see
that you don't want to provoke Baker Mayfield if you
are the opponent. And Tristan Wurfs had talked about it
as well. He said, Tristan Worfs had some interesting things
to say about the heckling in Baker Mayfield getting trash talk.
He broke it down like this, the noise, the chirps,
(08:18):
it can get you into it. But the way he
framed it makes me think this team is brushing it
off and using it as fuel. And that's important. You
want your locker room to be locked in, not rattled.
And from the sound of it, Worfs is that kind
of guy, steady, physical, not going to let the noise
change the plan. And if you want exemplification of that,
(08:41):
it's the late game heroics. I think that if you
were less of a quarterback mentally and your team was
down by a deficit in a lot of the games
this season, that you would fold like we're out of it.
I almost think that Baker Mayfield thrives in those situations,
that if it was a low out he wouldn't know
how to handle himself. That he thrives under stressful situations. Now, look,
(09:07):
Baker has taken his lumps in public opinion. He's also
been making plays. The whole team's personality is starting to show.
We see a group that's not going to fold under pressure.
They actually kind of thrive in that chaos, which is
a weird thing to say, but it's true. You saw
it against Seattle, you saw clutch moments from Abuca. The
right chemistry is there, the grit, we're seeing it start
(09:31):
to develop. So again, before you think about Polk and
the bear there, you better think again because, like I said,
Baker Mayfield is the kind of guy that thrives in
those situations. But final thought on that, the team is
in a real moment. We have a rookie tearing it up,
we have a schedule window to make moves. We have
a locker room that seemed to respond to heat instead
(09:54):
of folding. And if you're a Bucks fan, you should
be cautiously excited. Don't get go overboard. But feel good
that we've earned that right now that you know. It
has gone down to the wire in a lot of games,
but the Buccaneers have continued to remain victorious and against
you know, some quite great odds, I guess I'm gonna say.
(10:15):
And when I say great odds, I know that in
the preseason more people had kind of come around on
the Bucks thinking that they're going to be a better team.
But they've had big setbacks in the injury department, more
than I've seen in years before. So that really speaks
to the depth of this team. It also speaks to
(10:36):
the master class at the draft, you know, just to
marvel at Abuca. I mean, I'm gonna just be honest
with you, in your heart of hearts, where would the
Buccaneers be right now had they not had a Buka.
I know they were Sterling Shepherd in there, right and
other options. And I'll talk about some of the other
options that the Bucks do have, and then what lies
ahead on Sunday as the Bucks prepare to take on
(10:59):
the forty nine, I'll discuss straight ahead. All right, Welcome
back into this edition of the Bucks Report podcast, part
of the Bucks Report podcast network also simulcast on the
Bucks Minute cast feed, a part of the Fans for
(11:20):
Sports Network. So let's get into it. The Buccaneers taking
on the Seahawks on Sunday, or excuse me, the forty
nine Ers on Sunday. My mind was so caught up
in that game. It was one of those games that
you know, it's kind of really stuck with me. But
they have a tough opponent this weekend against the forty
nine ers. And the big thing that we know is
(11:42):
that Brock Party is out and mac Jones himself is
listed as questionable. So there's real uncertainty at the QB
position for San Fran that changes how you defend them
and what kind of pressure package that you run for
the Bucks. Yeah, I know that there is, you know,
(12:03):
a pretty decent amount of pregame prep. You know. I
guess I'm going to say probably comparable to any other
team around the NFL. But I think knowing the quarterback,
knowing their strengths, knowing their weaknesses is of course important.
But Rock Party mister irrelevant that we know for sure
that he is going to be out. But to the
(12:26):
Tampa Bay Bucket back end in Antoine Winfield Junior my man.
This is a guy that is a game changer for
the Bucks. And when he's in the lineup, I mean,
he's very noticeable. He makes a huge impact and when
he's injured, you definitely feel his absence. And Winfield is
(12:47):
the kind of safety who can erase chunk plays and
flip the field with turnovers. If he's making plays over
the top. The forty nine ers just can't run deep
and breathe. That's the defensive X factor. He has to
be the playmaker in the back. So you know, we
hear about the injured players. Having Antoine Winfield Junior in
(13:10):
the mix is going to be a part of the
Buccaneers' success on Sunday. You can book that for sure.
Now the forty nine ers will create explosive plays even
when banged up. They've been hitting big completions this year,
so don't sleep on their passing game just because party
is out. Expect them to find ways to get chunk yardage.
That's why limiting explosive plays is step one for Tampa
(13:35):
and we hope it doesn't have to go too you
know late in the game that there's no late game heroics.
I mean, like I said, I'm happy that they're winning
these games. I just wish it didn't come to that
because that kind of draws into question what kind of
team they're built for, what they're built of. Right that,
I'm glad that they're able to come back and win
lad In games, but it's also kind of a coin
(13:56):
flip that the game could have gone one way or
the other. But offensively, for the Bucks, we have to
be realistic. Mike Evans is listed out, Chris Godwin is out,
Bucky Irving is out. Those are real hits, So the
Bucks will need other guys to step into roles and
create space for Baker Mayfield to operate. And the one
(14:19):
thing that we know about this team is that it
is always the next man up. Same goes here. I mean,
the Buccaneers still have some weapons in their arsenal, and
I will talk about that here coming up here. But
who are the realistic focal points right now? Of course,
like I talked about right off the top top there,
a Mecca Abuka is the team's leading receiver by yards,
(14:44):
so far, whatever we do, by all means, we must
protect this man. Because you know, I think that the
Buccaneers have found a way to rise above minus Evans,
minus Godwin, minus McMillan. But that would be a really
tough blow if a guy like Abuca got injured. So,
(15:04):
like I said there, we must do whatever we have
to do to keep that guy safe and healthy. But
use him in a lot of ways, get him in space,
let him run after the catch. And another name as well,
TEDZ Johnson, is a rookie who will see more snaps
Sterling Shepherd. Yes, I still am a fan of Sterling Shepherd,
even though I get goofed to dunked on by a
(15:26):
lot of people. Like Sterling Shepherd, what year do you
think this is? He has been an excellent option, a reliable,
steady eddy for the Buccaneers and not to go unmentioned
as well as Kate Otten will be involved in the
intermediate game and the backs Rashad White especially have to
be playmakers in the passing game. Those are your go
(15:47):
to pieces. With Evans and god went out. So despite
the fact that god Win's out, and to be clear
here when he was in, he wasn't at one hundred percent.
Will we see a Chris Godwin at one hundred percent
this season? Not entirely sure. And you take a look
at Mike Evans, who has had a history of hamstring
(16:08):
issues that I expect him to come back, but you
know what kind of return are we going to see?
And then the word out there is that Jalen Nickmillan
should be back after the bye week. So at least
ostensibly the Buccaneers will be getting a lot better with
the wide receivers. But defensively, again it comes back to
(16:29):
pressure and coverage balance. You want pressure that influences throws
without sending your whole house. You want coverage that keeps
Winfield available to make game changing plays. Again, circle Winfield's name,
know it. He is going to make an impact. That's
the high level. So a recap here is there is
(16:51):
quarterback uncertainty for San Fran Winfield as the X factor
for Tampa Bay. Bucks offense will lean on a BUCA,
the backs and the game excuse me, the quick game
concepts with Evans and God went out. That is the
matchup picture, all right. So coming up here after the break,
we'll talk about too the next man and who the
(17:14):
next men up for the Buccaneers will be. I'll discuss
straight ahead, all right. Welcome back into this edition of
the Bucks Report podcast, part of the Bucks Report podcast
network simulcast on the Bucks Minute cast feed, part of
(17:36):
the Fans for Sports Network. So let's dive into it
here talking about injuries, and that's kind of the theme
of this show. They are definitely going to impact the
outcome of the game. So that's one side of the coin.
The other side of the coin is what players step
up in their absence. We have seen that all season long,
(17:58):
that this team faces that and it is the next
man up to get the Buccaneers into the win columns.
So let's talk about that here. And I pulled the
injury report from the Buck site, so these are official statuses.
Like I said, God went out, Evans is listed out,
Bucky Irving is out. On top of that, Zion the column,
(18:19):
Benjamin Morrison are listed out among the deep DB's that
depth lost in the secondary. So what are the Bucks
need to do? Number One, lean on Abuka. He's been
the top yardage guy this year and he's going to
see a lot of looks. Get him in space and
let him play Abuca football. The guy is a force
(18:42):
to be reckoned with. And I mean I might be
you know, wearing a pair of creamsicle glasses on right now,
but I think that Abuka is one of the best
receivers in the league, and I know there's some good
ones out there, but that's my take on it. Number Two,
Tedes Johnson and Sterling Shepherd have to help move the chains.
Tes is young and this is a chance for him
(19:04):
to show he belongs. Shepherd brings veteran savvy in the slot.
I'm looking for a big game from Tes Johnson, and
you know the glimpses that we have seen of him
in the past. I think that, at least potentially ostensibly
that he can be a dynamic receiver in his own right.
Number Three, the backs pick up more past game work.
(19:27):
Rashad White and any active running backs must be a
part of the quick game plan, screen swing passes, checkdowns
that offsets losing two man receivers. Now the forty nine ers,
like I said, the report confirms Purdy is out. Mac
Jones is questionable, so Sanfran maybe working with a different
(19:48):
temple or different plays depending on Mac's status. They also
have some receiver question marks, but remain dangerous. Respect them.
That's the one thing that I want you to line there.
Coaching adjustments you should expect. Todd Bowles will probably simplify
early short completions, run to set up play, use pre
snout motion to get mismatches. On defense, He'll look and
(20:12):
try to keep Winfield clean so he can make the
splash plays. That's the short practical plan. But players to
watch for. Like I said, Antoine Winfield junior defensive playmaker.
He is the one who can change a game with
a turnover, a Mecca Abuka team receiving leader. Expect him
to be targeted early and off and Tz Johnson next
(20:34):
man up important week this weekend. And that's the injury reality.
You cannot pretend those names aren't missing. That the Buccaneers
of course, of course would be better with Godwin, with Evans,
with McMillan in the mix. They're not. And the Buccaneers
are not in a unique position. There are a lot
(20:54):
of teams around the NFL that are dealing with these
kind issues. Not an easy thing. So let's next talk
about how the Buccaneers need to win these games. And
like I said, I would like a game that's you know,
and I know this is a lofty goal considering their opponent,
but I would like, at least in this game for
them to be able to win it where it doesn't
(21:17):
have to come down to the wire here. But one
of the big keys here is limit explosive plays. San
Francisco still gets chunk completions when banged up. Make them
earn yards, keep winfield clean, over the top fours forty
nine ers to drive, key to win the turnover battle.
This is obvious, but it matters even more when your
roster is patchwork short fields, beat long drives, be aggressive
(21:40):
and smart on defense, protect the football on offense. Key
three create playmakers in space, use quick passes, screens, motion,
RB targets and tight end concepts with Mike Evans and
God went out the box nd yards after catch and
easy completions. For Baker to man the game, Abuka and
(22:02):
the backs must be involved. So it is the players
that are healthy. We know that they're going to have
to elevate their play that we're out key players. But
that has been the story of the Buccaneers all season.
Key four execute situational football, third down conversions, red zone efficiency,
penalty avoidance on the fourth quarter. That's how you close
(22:25):
out these type games. Tactical nuggets to toss into here
one early, get a booka the ball on intermediate routes
and screen to see how the forty nine ers adjust
If they bracket him, that opens up things for Shepherd,
Oughton and Backs to rotate looks on defense to keep
mac Jones or anyone else off balance. You want the
(22:46):
quarterback guessing and Winfield free to roam. Again, we circle
back to Winfield. There's a reason for that. Three special
teams and field position. When there's a big play team
on the other side, you cannot give them with a
short field punt and kickoff execution matters here. Special teams
has come under fire this year for the Bucks. Chase
(23:11):
McLoughlin does appear that he has fixed what was ever
that blip on the radar in that one game or
so that he's back, but we need to see the
punts a little bit better those kind of things. So
my quick take is if the Bucks protect the ball,
if Antoine Winfield Junior makes splash plays, if Abuca and
the Backs can keep drives alive, then the Bucks have
(23:33):
a real shot to win a close one. Yes, I
said I didn't want it to be close, but just
taking a look at the opponent, which is the forty
nine Ers, it seems all but apparent. If those things
do not happen, however, the forty nine Ers will hit
the chunk plays that decide the game. That's the big
takeaway from that is that the Buccaneers it's the next
man up, It is rallying. And do they, as a
(23:56):
matter of fact, have what it takes to win this game.
I think they do, but if you take a look
at it, they're going to have to dig deep. But
the Buccaneers are in a good position right now. This
is the part where the season starts to feel real.
After Monday night's shocker, the Eagles losing to the Giants,
Tampa Bays position and NFC got a little brighter. The
(24:19):
Bucks are now four and one and are tied for
the best record in the conference with the forty nine
Ers and the Lions. That gives us a chance to
really control over the next few weeks. If we can
get through them, We're looking at a very nice path
the Bucks. The banged up Bucks continuing to get it done.
The Bucks play San Fran this weekend in Detroit. Next
(24:42):
win both and we're sitting pretty The good news is
both those teams have question marks right now. The forty
nine Ers are without party. They're dealing with injuries around
the offense. George Kittle is being pushed back, So yeah,
timing may be on our side, and the Lions aren't
exactly at full strength either. They might be missing both
(25:04):
starters in their comeback room excuse me, cornerback room. That
is a huge advantage for us if Mike Evans gets
healthy in time. Again, really too early to say, but
to state the obvious here, the Buccaneers are much better
with good old Mike Evans in the lineup. So we're
talking about out comes where depth and timing matter. The
(25:26):
Bucks could honestly take control of the NFC setings if
everything breaks right over the next two or three weeks.
So that's the narrative. Now control your destiny when your
games don't panic. That is the big thing to underline that.
I think the Buccaneers are in a really good position.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
You know.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
Again, like I said, I hate the fact that I
say that it's going to have to come down to
late game heroics, but that is kind of the lay
of the land and where the Bucks are right now.
The next men up, I talked about Tesz Johnson. I
talked about Abuka taking on a bigger role that Rashad
White is going to have to prove that. I know
I was supplanted by Bucky Irving, but I still have
(26:09):
a valuable skill set to this Bucks team. They've done that,
I have no reason to doubt them. What we want
to see is a whole lot more of that going forward. Listen,
I want to thank you for joining me on this
edition of The Box Report podcast. Again. The best way
that you can help grow this show is to subscribe
to The Box Report on YouTube and comment anything down below. Otherwise,
(26:31):
you're home for all Buccaneers news, bookmarket. Put it on
your phone. Your computer is the box Report dot Com.
All right, I'll talk to you guys again next time.
Let's hope for a dub
On today's show, the Bucks pick up a big thirty
eight to thirty five victory over the Seahawks due to
some late game heroics. Do the Bucks have what it
takes to win an easy game over the forty nine Ers.
I'll discuss next on this edition of The Box Report.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Let's get out.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Well. Hello end, Welcome into this edition of the Box Report,
part of the Box Report podcast network. I'm so glad
you decided to join me today. As always, this podcast
is free and available on all the major platforms. You
can find us online. It's at Bucksreport dot com and
the best way that you can help with this show
is to subscribe to The Bucks Report on YouTube and
(01:17):
comment anything down below. So in this edition of The
Bucks Report, we talk about the injured Bucks as they
prepare to take on the forty nine Ers. It just
seems to be the theme that follows this roster the
entire season that there's injuries and then new injuries added
to it. Do they have what it takes? Then we'll
(01:38):
talk about the Bucks taking down the Seahawks again requiring
some late game heroics, and one of the things I
asked Steve versnikon here a couple of weeks ago, was
is it sustainable these late game heroics and he said, well,
it's not. But it seems like that is the only
way that the Buccaneers know how to win these games
(01:59):
is to really pull it out towards the end of
the game. I guess I don't care how they get there,
just so long as they get there. So let's get
into it, And first, I guess it would be a
good place to talk about the injured bucks on this
team this week, So let's take a look at it.
Mike Evans out, Chris Godwin out, Bucky Irving out, Zion
(02:22):
McCollum out, Benjamin Morris out, Josh Williams out, and Christian
is ian as questionable. The big thing surrounding the forty
nine ers is who's going to start at QB. It
does appear that it might be mac Jones, but we
know for certain that Brock Purdy is out, So a question, right,
(02:45):
You take a look at the Buccaneers, you take a
look at the forty nine Ers, two really good teams
and two teams that are facing a decent amount of injuries.
So do they have what it takes? But I think
before I get into what is going to happen this
weekend against the forty nine ers. I think it's important
to take a moment and just talk about the last
(03:08):
game against the Seahawks, and Wow, what a game. And
it's about Baker Mayfield. It's about the Bucks digging deep
and picking up the dub here because they pick up
that thirty eight to thirty five victory over the Seahawks.
And as it turns out, my crystal ball must hold
true because I said that last week that my crystal
(03:28):
ball said that the Buccaneers wore going to win the game,
and they did that. Baker Mayfield twenty nine of thirty three,
three hundred and seventy nine yards and who stepped up
big time Rashad White, who we know has had to
take on a bigger role minus Bucky Irving two touchdowns
(03:50):
a big game for him, and a Mecca Agbuca with
the touchdown, Sterling Shepherd with a touchdown. But one player
I think that has really popped off the page for
me is a Mecca Abuka. And you know, you take
a look at him, there was hopes surrounding him. I
think that we all had hoped that he was going
(04:11):
to be as good as Baker Mayfield and Jason Light
and everyone else said that he was going to be,
and man, he has been all of that and then
some You gotta love a rookie who just shows up
and makes you look smart for drafting him. And there
was some question marks. If we remember back when the
(04:31):
Buccaneers drafted a wide receiver and they drafted Abuca, that
many fans thought there was a different position and a
different player that they should have gone after. But at
Buka has been straight up electric. In his first five games.
He's got twenty five catches, four hundred and forty five
yards and five touchdowns over that span. That makes him
(04:56):
the first player in NFL history to hit at least
twenty five catches in five receiving scores in his first
five career games. So I wonder if those same people
that were questioning if it was the right thing to
do question it now considering what he's done, considering the
(05:17):
lingering issues with Evans, and now God went on the
shelf again that it seemed like a really good thing
because had it not been for Abuka, and you also
factor in Jalen nick Millan being injured, I think the
Bucks would have been in a really tough spot, but
crazy stuff and that's not me just typing him, that's
what the numbers say. He's also picked up Offensive Rookie
(05:40):
of the Month honors for September, So yeah, this is real.
And I guess I'm gonna say, if I'm going to
go out and get a Bucks jersey here coming up,
it very well might be an Abuka one. So and
while he's doing it, while the Bucks are banged up,
Chris Godwin missed the first four weeks with that ink.
As we find out today he is going to be
(06:02):
injured as well. Mike Evans has been dealing with a
hamstring issue since week three. So Abuka the Man has
been asked to step up far sooner than anyone expected.
And I think if you look at the depth chart,
I don't think anyone really had him projected to be
taking on such a big role as early as he has.
But he's not just filling a hole. He's making clutch plays,
(06:26):
game winners, go ahead touchdowns. You've seen it. I saw
it live, you felt it with us. He's got the
feel and that's what's really exciting for me is to
just see him step up. And when I say I
saw it live. That very often I don't get a
chance to see the games live, but in this opportunity,
I was able to catch the games live. To be
(06:48):
completely honest with you guys, I have NFL Plus, so
generally nine times out of ten I have to wait
for the games to conclude. But when you take a
look at him a short play by play recap the
Seahawks game, Baker found him when it mattered at Guka
Torch Seattle Secondary four one hundred and sixty three yards
in that matchup, that thirty eight to thirty five shootout
(07:10):
reminded me when the Bucks are healthy enough on offense,
they can hang with anybody anybody, but health has been
a problem, and you know, it is kind of the
story of the Bucks this year. You know, you saw
Tristan Wurfs that was kind of, you know, the big
one to start the season, and how are they going
to be able to rally around him out of the lineup,
And then Godwin, which we knew who was going to
(07:32):
be out, and then in the preseason Jalen McMillan. They
just continue to find a way to keep getting it done.
The one thing that is very apparent to me is
that you do not want to poke the bear. And
who is the bear that I'm talking about. I am
talking about Baker Mayfield. I'm talking about the Shenanigans and
(07:55):
the tunnel before he went out onto the field, Like,
look at the score at halftime and then we'll see
that you don't want to provoke Baker Mayfield if you
are the opponent. And Tristan Wurfs had talked about it
as well. He said, Tristan Worfs had some interesting things
to say about the heckling in Baker Mayfield getting trash talk.
He broke it down like this, the noise, the chirps,
(08:18):
it can get you into it. But the way he
framed it makes me think this team is brushing it
off and using it as fuel. And that's important. You
want your locker room to be locked in, not rattled.
And from the sound of it, Worfs is that kind
of guy, steady, physical, not going to let the noise
change the plan. And if you want exemplification of that,
(08:41):
it's the late game heroics. I think that if you
were less of a quarterback mentally and your team was
down by a deficit in a lot of the games
this season, that you would fold like we're out of it.
I almost think that Baker Mayfield thrives in those situations,
that if it was a low out he wouldn't know
how to handle himself. That he thrives under stressful situations. Now, look,
(09:07):
Baker has taken his lumps in public opinion. He's also
been making plays. The whole team's personality is starting to show.
We see a group that's not going to fold under pressure.
They actually kind of thrive in that chaos, which is
a weird thing to say, but it's true. You saw
it against Seattle, you saw clutch moments from Abuca. The
right chemistry is there, the grit, we're seeing it start
(09:31):
to develop. So again, before you think about Polk and
the bear there, you better think again because, like I said,
Baker Mayfield is the kind of guy that thrives in
those situations. But final thought on that, the team is
in a real moment. We have a rookie tearing it up,
we have a schedule window to make moves. We have
a locker room that seemed to respond to heat instead
(09:54):
of folding. And if you're a Bucks fan, you should
be cautiously excited. Don't get go overboard. But feel good
that we've earned that right now that you know. It
has gone down to the wire in a lot of games,
but the Buccaneers have continued to remain victorious and against
you know, some quite great odds, I guess I'm gonna say.
(10:15):
And when I say great odds, I know that in
the preseason more people had kind of come around on
the Bucks thinking that they're going to be a better team.
But they've had big setbacks in the injury department, more
than I've seen in years before. So that really speaks
to the depth of this team. It also speaks to
(10:36):
the master class at the draft, you know, just to
marvel at Abuca. I mean, I'm gonna just be honest
with you, in your heart of hearts, where would the
Buccaneers be right now had they not had a Buka.
I know they were Sterling Shepherd in there, right and
other options. And I'll talk about some of the other
options that the Bucks do have, and then what lies
ahead on Sunday as the Bucks prepare to take on
(10:59):
the forty nine, I'll discuss straight ahead. All right, Welcome
back into this edition of the Bucks Report podcast, part
of the Bucks Report podcast network also simulcast on the
Bucks Minute cast feed, a part of the Fans for
(11:20):
Sports Network. So let's get into it. The Buccaneers taking
on the Seahawks on Sunday, or excuse me, the forty
nine Ers on Sunday. My mind was so caught up
in that game. It was one of those games that
you know, it's kind of really stuck with me. But
they have a tough opponent this weekend against the forty
nine ers. And the big thing that we know is
(11:42):
that Brock Party is out and mac Jones himself is
listed as questionable. So there's real uncertainty at the QB
position for San Fran that changes how you defend them
and what kind of pressure package that you run for
the Bucks. Yeah, I know that there is, you know,
(12:03):
a pretty decent amount of pregame prep. You know. I
guess I'm going to say probably comparable to any other
team around the NFL. But I think knowing the quarterback,
knowing their strengths, knowing their weaknesses is of course important.
But Rock Party mister irrelevant that we know for sure
that he is going to be out. But to the
(12:26):
Tampa Bay Bucket back end in Antoine Winfield Junior my man.
This is a guy that is a game changer for
the Bucks. And when he's in the lineup, I mean,
he's very noticeable. He makes a huge impact and when
he's injured, you definitely feel his absence. And Winfield is
(12:47):
the kind of safety who can erase chunk plays and
flip the field with turnovers. If he's making plays over
the top. The forty nine ers just can't run deep
and breathe. That's the defensive X factor. He has to
be the playmaker in the back. So you know, we
hear about the injured players. Having Antoine Winfield Junior in
(13:10):
the mix is going to be a part of the
Buccaneers' success on Sunday. You can book that for sure.
Now the forty nine ers will create explosive plays even
when banged up. They've been hitting big completions this year,
so don't sleep on their passing game just because party
is out. Expect them to find ways to get chunk yardage.
That's why limiting explosive plays is step one for Tampa
(13:35):
and we hope it doesn't have to go too you
know late in the game that there's no late game heroics.
I mean, like I said, I'm happy that they're winning
these games. I just wish it didn't come to that
because that kind of draws into question what kind of
team they're built for, what they're built of. Right that,
I'm glad that they're able to come back and win
lad In games, but it's also kind of a coin
(13:56):
flip that the game could have gone one way or
the other. But offensively, for the Bucks, we have to
be realistic. Mike Evans is listed out, Chris Godwin is out,
Bucky Irving is out. Those are real hits, So the
Bucks will need other guys to step into roles and
create space for Baker Mayfield to operate. And the one
(14:19):
thing that we know about this team is that it
is always the next man up. Same goes here. I mean,
the Buccaneers still have some weapons in their arsenal, and
I will talk about that here coming up here. But
who are the realistic focal points right now? Of course,
like I talked about right off the top top there,
a Mecca Abuka is the team's leading receiver by yards,
(14:44):
so far, whatever we do, by all means, we must
protect this man. Because you know, I think that the
Buccaneers have found a way to rise above minus Evans,
minus Godwin, minus McMillan. But that would be a really
tough blow if a guy like Abuca got injured. So,
(15:04):
like I said there, we must do whatever we have
to do to keep that guy safe and healthy. But
use him in a lot of ways, get him in space,
let him run after the catch. And another name as well,
TEDZ Johnson, is a rookie who will see more snaps
Sterling Shepherd. Yes, I still am a fan of Sterling Shepherd,
even though I get goofed to dunked on by a
(15:26):
lot of people. Like Sterling Shepherd, what year do you
think this is? He has been an excellent option, a reliable,
steady eddy for the Buccaneers and not to go unmentioned
as well as Kate Otten will be involved in the
intermediate game and the backs Rashad White especially have to
be playmakers in the passing game. Those are your go
(15:47):
to pieces. With Evans and god went out. So despite
the fact that god Win's out, and to be clear
here when he was in, he wasn't at one hundred percent.
Will we see a Chris Godwin at one hundred percent
this season? Not entirely sure. And you take a look
at Mike Evans, who has had a history of hamstring
(16:08):
issues that I expect him to come back, but you
know what kind of return are we going to see?
And then the word out there is that Jalen Nickmillan
should be back after the bye week. So at least
ostensibly the Buccaneers will be getting a lot better with
the wide receivers. But defensively, again it comes back to
(16:29):
pressure and coverage balance. You want pressure that influences throws
without sending your whole house. You want coverage that keeps
Winfield available to make game changing plays. Again, circle Winfield's name,
know it. He is going to make an impact. That's
the high level. So a recap here is there is
(16:51):
quarterback uncertainty for San Fran Winfield as the X factor
for Tampa Bay. Bucks offense will lean on a BUCA,
the backs and the game excuse me, the quick game
concepts with Evans and God went out. That is the
matchup picture, all right. So coming up here after the break,
we'll talk about too the next man and who the
(17:14):
next men up for the Buccaneers will be. I'll discuss
straight ahead, all right. Welcome back into this edition of
the Bucks Report podcast, part of the Bucks Report podcast
network simulcast on the Bucks Minute cast feed, part of
(17:36):
the Fans for Sports Network. So let's dive into it
here talking about injuries, and that's kind of the theme
of this show. They are definitely going to impact the
outcome of the game. So that's one side of the coin.
The other side of the coin is what players step
up in their absence. We have seen that all season long,
(17:58):
that this team faces that and it is the next
man up to get the Buccaneers into the win columns.
So let's talk about that here. And I pulled the
injury report from the Buck site, so these are official statuses.
Like I said, God went out, Evans is listed out,
Bucky Irving is out. On top of that, Zion the column,
(18:19):
Benjamin Morrison are listed out among the deep DB's that
depth lost in the secondary. So what are the Bucks
need to do? Number One, lean on Abuka. He's been
the top yardage guy this year and he's going to
see a lot of looks. Get him in space and
let him play Abuca football. The guy is a force
(18:42):
to be reckoned with. And I mean I might be
you know, wearing a pair of creamsicle glasses on right now,
but I think that Abuka is one of the best
receivers in the league, and I know there's some good
ones out there, but that's my take on it. Number Two,
Tedes Johnson and Sterling Shepherd have to help move the chains.
Tes is young and this is a chance for him
(19:04):
to show he belongs. Shepherd brings veteran savvy in the slot.
I'm looking for a big game from Tes Johnson, and
you know the glimpses that we have seen of him
in the past. I think that, at least potentially ostensibly
that he can be a dynamic receiver in his own right.
Number Three, the backs pick up more past game work.
(19:27):
Rashad White and any active running backs must be a
part of the quick game plan, screen swing passes, checkdowns
that offsets losing two man receivers. Now the forty nine ers,
like I said, the report confirms Purdy is out. Mac
Jones is questionable, so Sanfran maybe working with a different
(19:48):
temple or different plays depending on Mac's status. They also
have some receiver question marks, but remain dangerous. Respect them.
That's the one thing that I want you to line there.
Coaching adjustments you should expect. Todd Bowles will probably simplify
early short completions, run to set up play, use pre
snout motion to get mismatches. On defense, He'll look and
(20:12):
try to keep Winfield clean so he can make the
splash plays. That's the short practical plan. But players to
watch for. Like I said, Antoine Winfield junior defensive playmaker.
He is the one who can change a game with
a turnover, a Mecca Abuka team receiving leader. Expect him
to be targeted early and off and Tz Johnson next
(20:34):
man up important week this weekend. And that's the injury reality.
You cannot pretend those names aren't missing. That the Buccaneers
of course, of course would be better with Godwin, with Evans,
with McMillan in the mix. They're not. And the Buccaneers
are not in a unique position. There are a lot
(20:54):
of teams around the NFL that are dealing with these
kind issues. Not an easy thing. So let's next talk
about how the Buccaneers need to win these games. And
like I said, I would like a game that's you know,
and I know this is a lofty goal considering their opponent,
but I would like, at least in this game for
them to be able to win it where it doesn't
(21:17):
have to come down to the wire here. But one
of the big keys here is limit explosive plays. San
Francisco still gets chunk completions when banged up. Make them
earn yards, keep winfield clean, over the top fours forty
nine ers to drive, key to win the turnover battle.
This is obvious, but it matters even more when your
roster is patchwork short fields, beat long drives, be aggressive
(21:40):
and smart on defense, protect the football on offense. Key
three create playmakers in space, use quick passes, screens, motion,
RB targets and tight end concepts with Mike Evans and
God went out the box nd yards after catch and
easy completions. For Baker to man the game, Abuka and
(22:02):
the backs must be involved. So it is the players
that are healthy. We know that they're going to have
to elevate their play that we're out key players. But
that has been the story of the Buccaneers all season.
Key four execute situational football, third down conversions, red zone efficiency,
penalty avoidance on the fourth quarter. That's how you close
(22:25):
out these type games. Tactical nuggets to toss into here
one early, get a booka the ball on intermediate routes
and screen to see how the forty nine ers adjust
If they bracket him, that opens up things for Shepherd,
Oughton and Backs to rotate looks on defense to keep
mac Jones or anyone else off balance. You want the
(22:46):
quarterback guessing and Winfield free to roam. Again, we circle
back to Winfield. There's a reason for that. Three special
teams and field position. When there's a big play team
on the other side, you cannot give them with a
short field punt and kickoff execution matters here. Special teams
has come under fire this year for the Bucks. Chase
(23:11):
McLoughlin does appear that he has fixed what was ever
that blip on the radar in that one game or
so that he's back, but we need to see the
punts a little bit better those kind of things. So
my quick take is if the Bucks protect the ball,
if Antoine Winfield Junior makes splash plays, if Abuca and
the Backs can keep drives alive, then the Bucks have
(23:33):
a real shot to win a close one. Yes, I
said I didn't want it to be close, but just
taking a look at the opponent, which is the forty
nine Ers, it seems all but apparent. If those things
do not happen, however, the forty nine Ers will hit
the chunk plays that decide the game. That's the big
takeaway from that is that the Buccaneers it's the next
man up, It is rallying. And do they, as a
(23:56):
matter of fact, have what it takes to win this game.
I think they do, but if you take a look
at it, they're going to have to dig deep. But
the Buccaneers are in a good position right now. This
is the part where the season starts to feel real.
After Monday night's shocker, the Eagles losing to the Giants,
Tampa Bays position and NFC got a little brighter. The
(24:19):
Bucks are now four and one and are tied for
the best record in the conference with the forty nine
Ers and the Lions. That gives us a chance to
really control over the next few weeks. If we can
get through them, We're looking at a very nice path
the Bucks. The banged up Bucks continuing to get it done.
The Bucks play San Fran this weekend in Detroit. Next
(24:42):
win both and we're sitting pretty The good news is
both those teams have question marks right now. The forty
nine Ers are without party. They're dealing with injuries around
the offense. George Kittle is being pushed back, So yeah,
timing may be on our side, and the Lions aren't
exactly at full strength either. They might be missing both
(25:04):
starters in their comeback room excuse me, cornerback room. That
is a huge advantage for us if Mike Evans gets
healthy in time. Again, really too early to say, but
to state the obvious here, the Buccaneers are much better
with good old Mike Evans in the lineup. So we're
talking about out comes where depth and timing matter. The
(25:26):
Bucks could honestly take control of the NFC setings if
everything breaks right over the next two or three weeks.
So that's the narrative. Now control your destiny when your
games don't panic. That is the big thing to underline that.
I think the Buccaneers are in a really good position.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
You know.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
Again, like I said, I hate the fact that I
say that it's going to have to come down to
late game heroics, but that is kind of the lay
of the land and where the Bucks are right now.
The next men up, I talked about Tesz Johnson. I
talked about Abuka taking on a bigger role that Rashad
White is going to have to prove that. I know
I was supplanted by Bucky Irving, but I still have
(26:09):
a valuable skill set to this Bucks team. They've done that,
I have no reason to doubt them. What we want
to see is a whole lot more of that going forward. Listen,
I want to thank you for joining me on this
edition of The Box Report podcast. Again. The best way
that you can help grow this show is to subscribe
to The Box Report on YouTube and comment anything down below. Otherwise,
(26:31):
you're home for all Buccaneers news, bookmarket. Put it on
your phone. Your computer is the box Report dot Com.
All right, I'll talk to you guys again next time.
Let's hope for a dub
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