The Tampa Bay Buccaneers delivered a dominant 23-3 victory over the New Orleans Saints, showcasing one of their best defensive performances of the season. Anthony Nelson led the charge with two sacks, a forced fumble, and a pick-six that shifted the game’s momentum early. Antoine Winfield Jr. added an interception and a fumble recovery as the Buccaneers defense forced four turnovers and completely dismantled the Saints’ rhythm. Quarterbacks Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough struggled to find consistency under relentless pressure as the Superdome crowd watched Tampa Bay take full control.On the offensive side, Baker Mayfield protected the football and managed the game well, while kicker Chase McLaughlin hit multiple long field goals to extend the Buccaneers’ lead. With the win, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers improved to 5-3 heading into their Week 9 bye, remaining firmly in contention for the NFC South crown. The team will look to build on this strong defensive showing when they return to host the New England Patriots, aiming to keep their momentum rolling through the second half of the season.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
On today's show, the Buccaneers pick up a big twenty
three to three victory over their nemesis New Orleans Saints.
It's the bye week, it's the halfway point of the season.
What to expect from the Box in the second half
of the season. I'll discuss next this edition of the
Box Report. Let's get out then.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Then then.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Well, hello, endo, welcome into this edition of the Box Report.
I'm so glad you decided to join me today as
this podcast is free and available on all the major platforms.
My name is Dan Holmy. You can find me on
Twitter It's at Dan Capps two and eight. And the
best way that you can help grow this show is
to subscribe to The Bucks Report on YouTube. Like the videos,
(01:15):
comment anything down below. So in this edition of the
Bucks Report podcast, the Bucks are rolling as they pick
up a big win over the Saints. Send to be
clear here, this is not the Saints that we remember
from years ago. This is not Drew Brees at the Helm.
(01:38):
This is the one and seven Norland Saints are Narlin Saints,
as they like to say it down there. But the
Bucks riding high in the bye week, the midway point
of the season with a six and two record, And
just to take a look at the lay of the
land here a little bit in the NFC South, the
(01:58):
Carolinas are in second place, a five hundred record. Tell
me if you had that on your Bengo card to
start the season. So wow, how things are shaping up.
And you know, you take a look at the Bucks.
It was a nice victory. But let's just bring it
back down to earth. Come on, let's take it back
down to the earth here. This was a horrible New
(02:21):
Orleans Saints team. And I understand that they're bitter rivals.
I understand that Baker Mayfield hates the Saints. But at
the end of the day, let's take it for what
it is. And the Bucks, you know, how many opportunities.
Wasn't it like eight opportunities that they were right on
the cusp and they couldn't drive it in the end zone.
That it was a good game. It was not a
(02:42):
perfect game by any stretch. And if you take a
look at the box score, for example, Baker Mayfield was
fifteen of twenty four, one hundred and fifty two yards,
zero touchdowns. Let's see who did score. Sean Tucker a
touchdown in the game. And one Winfield Junior and Anthony
(03:02):
Nelson my man, what a game he had stepping up
in a huge role and all instrumental in the Buccaneers victory.
So it's all about tempering expectations. It's all about having
the chips squarely on your shoulder and not getting too confident.
Right that the Buccaneers have played well, But this is
(03:23):
a team that is still besieged with injuries and they're
finding a way to rise above. And I guess that's
ultimately what is encouraging for me. You know the thing
I always talk about on the show, it's Baker Mayfield.
We must protect this man at all costs, because the
Buccaneers have found a way to rise up. Minus Godwin
(03:44):
and Evans and Jalen McMillan and Bucky Irving, this is
going to be a completely different Buccaneers team if it's
Teddy Bridgewater football. Let's say, but let's talk about the
Bucks and what we saw in the game versus New
Orleans and just let's dig into it here. So let's
dive into that game. A twenty three to three victory
(04:07):
on paper, you think to yourself, wow, that was a
shlacking of the arch nemesis of the Buccaneers. If you
look at it in a little bit closer detail, I'm
here to tell you that Rattler is not on par
with a Drew Brees that we saw from years ago.
Really quick take. If there's any Saints fans out there
watching or listening to this, you guys need a new quarterback,
(04:30):
a true number one. You know. The Buccaneers to start
the season, we're like, is it gonna be Baker Mayfield?
Is it's gonna be tracked? I mean, you take a
look at the Saints. They don't even have a really
great number one option. And it's interesting, isn't it that
you know, a team that historically has done great things
for years has been the thorn in the side of
the buckety Buccaneers more than one case. They don't have
(04:52):
a true number one. And I know they've tried to
retread that tire. They brought in quarterbacks post Drew Brees,
and none of them have been and the right fit.
Something to address. Ultimately, I hope they don't fix it,
but just something that I think about when I watch
them play. Well. Like I said, it was not the
smoothest offensive day for Tampa. They had some struggles converting
(05:12):
on third downs, only hitting three out of thirteen. So
it's the truth in the numbers. You really got to
kind of drill down on it to understand it at
more of a granular level. And they even failed on
the fourth and goal from the one yard line. Let
that sink in. So it's not as good per se
(05:34):
as the box score indicates. And I understand at the
end of the day, it's all about w's and losses,
and that's what it's all about. And the Buccaneers, well
they won this game, but the defense man, they really
stole the show. And if there's one guy that needs
his flowers and all of this, Anthony Nelson. This guy
had one of the best games of his entire career.
(05:59):
He notched an in, he returned for a touchdown, force
to fumble, and added two sacks in what was an
incredible game for Anthony Nelson. And that's the depth I'm
talking about stepping up. And you know the funny thing is,
Nelson even admitted he couldn't fully remember the interception play itself.
He said, he just went for the ball, caught it,
(06:19):
and the next thing he knew he was in the end zone.
Those are all those feel good stories, those warm fuzzies
that you get when you watch the game. That it
wasn't you know, Mike Evans in the end zone. It
wasn't Godwin. It was a guy Anthony Nelson, who in
that moment was on top of the earth. Antwine Winfield
Junior also a huge impact and the impact of this
(06:42):
guy is not spoke of often enough. That the Buccaneers
are exponentially better with Antoine Winfield in the game in general,
recovering a fumble and snagging an interception of his own.
So overall, the Bucks forced four turnovers against the Ants.
Those turnovers forced New Orleans to pull their starting quarterback
(07:04):
Rattler later in the third quarter. And let's just say
that the guy behind him, well he was no better,
came in. But it didn't really turn things around for
the struggling Saints. Ha ha. I got to laugh at it, because,
like I said, a team that has been a thorn
in the side of the Buccaneers for years now sit
(07:24):
at one and seven and tied for the worst record
in the league. Wow, you know how far that team
has fallen. Their first year coach said, they're trying to
find the right formula to get the offense going. But
it's clearly been a tough road. And you know, kind
of like I've said on the show before different podcasts,
(07:45):
that I do do I put a lot of the
pressure on the head coach. I don't. It's hiring someone
to build your deck and go, well, this is what
we got. You got the job contractor to build us
the deck. And you're like, wow, I am building a
deck or in this cach ca, I am the head
coach of an NFL team, But not so fast. Let
me see that drill, let me see that saw, let
(08:06):
me see those fasteners. And you're like, I thought you
wanted me to build your deck. I do, but I
want you to do it without those tools. The same thing,
the same thing this head coach must face is wow,
I'm the head coach of an NFL team. Bad news.
It is a horrendous Saints team, one of the worst
I've seen in years. But back to bucks. In the offense,
(08:28):
Baker Mayfield threw for one hundred and fifty two yards,
zero tuddies and no interceptions, and like I said, though,
the offense was a bit inconsistent, and Mayfield himself said
they have to be better. The Saints defense did hold
Tampa scoreless at the goal line multiple times in the
second quarter, stuffing for goal to go attempts from the
(08:51):
one yard line that they tried to stuff it in there,
they just couldn't do it. All things that need to
get cleaned up, and they have some time to rest,
to reset and hopefully get some players back. That play
was a massive momentum shift. Ratler was rolling right, look
for tight end, but Nelson tipped the pass, caught it himself,
and took it back for a score. The man himself.
(09:15):
Baker Mayfield praised Nelson's performance, saying he was lights out
all game and I'll talk about later he got recognized
for that, but stat wise, Nelson, what he did was
pretty rare. He became the first player since since twenty
twenty three to have an interception or turn for a touchdown,
a sack, and a forced fumble. And this is a
(09:36):
kind of a depth guy. At the end of the day,
there was even a chance for a second defensive touchdown
when Winfield recovered a football and ran it back. But
you know, it's always the details, and early whistle killed
that play. But you know, the Saints they forced Mayfield
fumble shortly after and converted into a field goal to
make it seven to three at halftime. In the second half,
(09:58):
another guy that's been hughes after I'm gonna say one
off game, Chase McLoughlin hit three long field goals from
fifty two yards or more, helping the Bucks pull away.
For the Saints, Rattler finished fifteen for twenty one passing
for one hundred and thirty six yards, but lost that
crucial fumble and and a lot of ways unless they
(10:18):
get a better option in there. They really need a
better option. The backup seventeen to thirty passes for one
hundred and twenty eight yards, but through an interception picked
off by Winfield. The injuries were too serious weren't too
serious for the Bucks. Cornerback Jacob Parrish got some treatment
late but walked off on his own. The Saints had
(10:40):
some concerns as well, but looking ahead, the Bucks get
a bye week nine here before hosting the New England
Patriots on November ninth. So you take a look at it.
The Saints are off to the Rams next, and that's
the state of where the Bucks are at at the
bye week here. That all things considered good. It wasn't
(11:02):
as great of a victory as it should be as
a team. The Saints tied for the worst team in
all of the NFL, so it's important to understand the
win for what it is. I'm glad that they won.
It wasn't a perfect win, but at the end of
the day, I'll take it, all right. So coming up
here after the Bark, we'll talk about player of the
(11:23):
week's players on the Bucks getting players of the week
something that hasn't been done. Two players who are they
I'll discuss straight ahead. All right, Welcome back into this
edition of the Bucks Report podcast, simulcast on the Bucks
(11:46):
Minute cast feed part of the Fans First Sports Network.
So let's dive into segment two here and talking about
two players recognized for their outstanding play. And it's not
the sex names that you're used to hearing. You know, Oh,
is it Baker Mayfield? Nope? Was it Evans Nope? Was
a Godwin Nope? Was a Bucky Nope? Was Let's break
(12:08):
it down here in the second segment and just really
speaking about depth and speaking about special teams and how
the Buccaneers have have it in spades this year. A
success on all fronts, and it's a Player of Week
double dip. Anthony Nelson and Chase McLoughlin both snagged the
(12:28):
NFC Player of the Week honors for Week eight. Nelson
took home the defensive award and McLoughlin handled the business
on special teams. As they look, here, something that hasn't
been done since way back in eight. Pretty rare stuff,
So let's unpack how they pulled it off. The Bucks dominated,
at least on the score sheet, twenty three to three.
(12:49):
This was a statement game, a game where both defense
and special teams took turns putting the Saints in a box.
Anthony Nelson, my man, this guy went off two sacks,
a forced fumble, a pick six all in one game.
Actually not just that, all in the first half. And
(13:10):
that's the kind of defensive chaos you only see once
every few years. In fact, Nelson became the first NFL
player since seven to record multiple sacks, a forced fumble,
and a pick six in the same game. And if
you're outside of the Buccaneers circle, out of the Tampa area,
out a Bucks fan, I'm gonna go ahead and say
(13:31):
maybe a name you're not too familiar with, the last
guy to do something similar to that was Chicago's Khalil
Mack back in eighteen. That is a lead company. But
let's talk about special teams. And you know, Chase McLaughlin
had that bad outing, bad game a few games ago.
Time flies here and there was already talk about it.
(13:53):
They're going to work out somebody else, you know, And
you know what was important was to understand that players
you know are going to have bad games now and again.
And Chase McLoughlin, big picture, thirty thousand foot view has
saved the Bucks on many occasions and is one of
the best in the game. He was nails in this game.
(14:13):
Three field goals, all from deep fifty five, fifty four,
and fifty two, just to show off at the end
of the day, if you know what I mean. And
he hit all of them in the second half, which
is huge because those long kicks kept Tampa in control
as they pulled away. McLoughlin, excuse me, also added two
extra points, finishing with eleven total for the day. So
(14:36):
you know, when you see a big win like that,
you think Mayfield, think McLoughlin. In this case, He's now
perfect eight for eight this season from fifty yards or more,
which by the way, leads all of the NFL the
National footballgau If you're wondering how rare that is only
one kicker this year, Chris Boswell from Pittsburgh hit three
field goals over fifty in the same game. McLoughlin's one
(15:01):
of just four players to make three fifty yarders in
a single half since twenty twenty. So, yeah, he is
in a serious groove and a guy, another player that
we must protect at all costs because when they talked
about when they spoke about maybe the Buccaneers need to
try someone else out, it was quite apparent that there's
(15:22):
not a lot of McLoughlin's out on the market right now.
We need him healthy as he is instrumental and part
of the secret sauce of the Bucks success. It's also
Nelson's first ever Defensive Player of the Week. McLaughlin been
there once before, he won one with the Colts back
in twenty twenty two. But get this, the last time
(15:44):
two Buccaneers grabbed this weekly honor in the same week
was seventeen years ago. Derek Brooks and Matt Bryant pulled
it off in eight So you know, when I say
a good game. When I say it's rare before that,
you'd have to go back to the combinations of Rendez
Barber and Brian in O six or Donnie Abraham back
(16:05):
in ninety nine. So yeah, Nelson and McLoughlin just joined
a pretty exclusive club. And it's all about the depth,
right And you know, like I say, you don't think
about Anthony Nelson and Chase McLaughlin, I think when you
generalize the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But as far as the Bucks,
they didn't win. They completely shut down the Saints. The
defense held them to three points. Nelson was living in
(16:28):
the backfield. That pick six was something that I've thought about,
you know, when I've thought about the Bucks play that, Wow,
that was a momentum changer. That despite the fact that
the Saints are horrible, that definitely stimied any progress that
they had, and that pick six ultimately flipped the momentum
(16:49):
right after New Orleans had a goal line stand. Talk
about a turnaround, and thanks to McLoughlin's long range accuracy,
Tampa just kept extending the lead and shutting the door
or in the Saints' phase. So a lot to be
happy about here, And you know, talking about special teams
player of the Week award this season or remember Week
(17:09):
one punter and return man Cameron Johnson snake the title then.
And for defense, Nelson's the first to earn the honor
this year. The last time was ya Ya Dyabi in
week seventeen of twenty four. So it's safe to say
the defense keeps finding playmakers and a pretty special team
that the Buccaneers have this year. Right that it's important
(17:32):
to understand the lay of the land and how great
this Buccaneers team is. How deep do they go? Right?
Can they win the NFC South? It seems like a
foregone conclusion. But if this team makes it to the playoffs,
are they built of the kind of fabric that is
a Super Bowl contender? I guess it depends on how
healthy they are. I guess time will only tell, all right,
(17:54):
So coming up here after the break, we'll talk about
the Buccaneers at the halfway point of the season. And
we're halfway up the mountain looking up? Is there dreams
of grandeur? And are those dreams of grandeur? Are they
based in any type of reality? I'll discuss straight ahead,
(18:18):
all right, Welcome back into this edition of the Bucks Report. Podcast,
your weekly water cooler. Stop to sit here and get
down to one knee and listen to everything about the Buccaneers,
the lay of the land. And I'm so glad that
you guys decided to join me today again. Subscribe, follow
wherever you found your podcast, primarily on YouTube. Let's blow
(18:39):
it up here, get it really big. And also, like
I said, simulcast on the Bucks Minticast podcast feed. But
let's talk about segment three. And it's kind of just
you know, where we're at right now, the measuring stick
of where the Buccaneers are pretty good all things considered,
but you know, you take a look at it. I'm
a realist sometimes I've been a cute to being a
(19:00):
glass half empty kind of guy. That the Bucks are
six and two sitting a top of the NFC South,
but the NFC South is surrounded by some subpar teams.
I'm just gonna be honest here Tampa King of the Hill.
But in that breath, Carolina four and four, Atlanta three
and four, in New Orleans one and seven, things are
(19:23):
going well. And the Buccaneers don't have a choice of
where they play. They play in the NFC South. But
to contrast, you know other teams, you know, you take
a look at Green Bay five and one in the north,
Philadelphia six and two in the East. But the Buccaneers,
you know, six and two on par with the Eagles.
They stand and they reign supreme. And what I'm going
(19:43):
to say is a pretty poor NFC cell. So let's
dive into the final segment of the show, and we're
at the halfway point to the twenty twenty five NFL season.
The Bucks, I think they're for real. You know, they've
had to overcome a lot. They've had to overcome a
lot of injuries to some key players, and it's Todd
Bowles having to prove who he is yet again that
(20:07):
you know, we could talk about in seasons before, you know,
not going for it when he should go for it,
you know, like, hey, should we go for the field
goal or should we go for the touchdown? And he
would always go for the safe thing or clock management.
That we need to put that all in the rear
view mirror. That the Buccaneers are playing well and Todd
Bowles deserves a lot of the credit despite what you
(20:28):
might think of him. And there were questions about injury,
some roster depth, all of that. But Bulls has this
team locked in. They're proving and they can hang with
anybody in the league. And to be honest, they're not
just hanging around. Their winning and even when things gets
dice in games, the Buccaneers find ways to win. That
toughness Bulls keeps preaching, it's showing up every single Sunday.
(20:53):
The comeback kings. Through eight weeks, Tampa has pulled off
four fourth quarter comebacks. Four that's the most in all
of the NFL. And you know, I don't like it
that way because those are not decisive victories. Again, to
circle back to the first segment, it's all about wins
and losses, right, But those games where they were comebacks,
(21:14):
they were kind of a coin toss, right, They could
have gone either way. The Buccaneers might not have that
luxury in the second half of the season where you're
going to need to deliver that we can't see what
we saw against the Saints where you had the opportunity
that just sometimes it was one or two yards to
get it in there and you couldn't convert. Those are
(21:34):
going to be costly in the latter part of the season.
That I'm glad that in a lot of ways. They
got lucky in the first half of the season a
lot of those games, but they need to slam the
door on their opponents when given the opportunity. And when
you look at that stat alone, I'm talking about those
four fourth quarter comebacks, they're trailing by a touchdown or
(21:56):
locked in a tight one, they keep their composure and
that's what defines good teams, mental toughness. And again, you
know they're doing it in you know, the high water
mark here in the last ten years, of course, was
the Brady era, right when it brought a Super Bowl
back to Tampa, and there was a lot of questions
(22:16):
about who this Buccaneers team was going to be. Right
after that, they're answering those questions and Bull's message about
staying poised and physical and how Baker Mayfield the leader
on this team. Make no mistake about it, the driving
force of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is Baker Mayfield. And
he's standing in quite a big shadow but in a
(22:39):
lot of ways, and you take a look at the analytics.
I hate to say it, I don't hate to say it. It
is what it is that Baker's even the better quarterback
than Brady and that winning culture. It's part of their DNA. Now.
The defense has been clutch making stops when it matters,
and the offense they've learned to thrive and chaotic situations.
(23:01):
Players like Rashad White, Tes Johnson, a Mecca at Buka
have all stepped up when the stars have sidelined Backy
Irving out. Take a look at the wide receiver around
you know, Godwin, Evans, McMillan greatly diminished and Abuka tes Johnson,
these guys stepping up. And remember in the past when
(23:21):
we've been out with Evans, Godwin before, what that's meant
years before, and Bucky Irving what that's meant. Rashad White
trying to bring prominence back to his name right, And
that's one of the things to factor in. And that
speaks to depth, That speaks to trust in the systems.
And look, this isn't about flukes or lucky bounces. I
don't want it to be that way. It's about a
(23:43):
team that is built to compete, that there's contingencies in
there that this player got injured. Oh for a lot
of other teams that's over It's it. The Buccaneers have
the depth to overcome. You watch them. You see the confidence,
the kind of confidence that usually belongs to teams that
(24:03):
know they're headed to January football? Is that the Buccaneers.
I think that's the case. Baker Mayfield making the case
as an MVP. Let's talk about Baker. The man's been quietly,
and I mean quietly, putting together one of the best
seasons of his career. Despite dealing with nagging injuries and
rotating cast of receivers. He's keeping the defense humming. He's
(24:24):
thrown for over one nine hundred yards already, thirteen touchdowns,
just two picks, and completing about sixty thirty percent of
his passes. The ghosts of interceptions past have not come
back to haunt him the way they have before. But
what we've seen from him, the efficiency, the leadership, the
clutch play all rolled into one quarterback, and the Buccaneers
(24:48):
were lucky enough to land him. He was sneered at,
snickered at, like, Oh, Baker Mayfield, you got that guy
that's bounced around the NFL. You're damn right, and I
would have it no other way. And you know the
thing about Baker, He's not just putting up the numbers.
He's setting the tone for the locker room. He's the leader,
and you can see it, and how the team feeds
(25:08):
off his energy, the way he carries himself late in games.
He's become the steadying hand in Tampa after so many
turnovers that we saw from him in years before. And honestly,
if we're talking MVB candidates right now, you simply cannot
keep his name out of the conversation. Not with the
way he's performing in crunch time. And look at the
(25:30):
fourth back hornor comebacks alone, taking this team on his
back and carrying him across the finish line, putting himself
in great peril. If this man is not in the
hunt for MVP, conversation, I don't know when that will be.
He's the reason Tampa's playoff chances look as strong as
(25:50):
they do heading into November. I don't want to get
to head two ahead of myself here, but where we're at.
But big picture, let's take it up thirty thousand foot view.
The NFC South is there for the taking. The Saints, well,
they're staying nice and chili down in the cellar. The
Falcons are inconsistent, and Carolina is well surprising, right, I
(26:12):
don't think anyone saw that after the horrendous seasons that
we've seen from them in the past, Tampa is sitting
pretty with a balanced team, discipline, defense, a quarterback playing
with heart, and a coaching staff that finally figured it
out if they stay even moderately healthy at some point,
you know, say you see Evans and Godwin and McMillan,
(26:32):
you know in the talk there, and not to mention Bucky,
you're looking at a team that can go toe to
toe with the best teams in the NFL. And that's
not hyperbole. That is not me being a homer for
the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And I'm telling you right now,
no one's going to want to draw the Buccaneers in January,
not when they're this gritty, not when they you know,
(26:53):
they're playing like this. And like I said, Bull deserves
series credit too. He's adapted, he's adjusted. And you start
hearing his name and coach of the year chatter. Can
you believe it? The guy that's been on the hot
seat every damn year that he's been the head coach,
there's chatter about that that this team has the makings
(27:13):
of truly great things. That's the big thing. He's the
one that's orchestrating all of it. So the elephant in
the room is what is next for Tampa. They got
some big tests coming up, tough defenses, conference matchups that
will really show if they're ready to take it to
the next step. But the first half of the season,
if it's shown us anything, it's this team can respond.
(27:35):
They might bend, but they damn will not break. That's
when you drain the goddamn whole wide receiver pond and
it's the Johnson and Johnson out there and still and
still finding ways to win football games. If Baker keeps
doing Baker things and the defense keeps delivering in those
crucial stops, we could be talking about the Bucks as
(27:56):
one of the NFC's most complete teams by Christmas. So, yeah,
the Bucks are back, baby, and they're not just a
fun story. They're a legitimate threat. All right. I want
to thank you guys for joining me on this edition
of the Box Report. Let's get hyped. We're in a
bye week, but you know, at the halfway point of
(28:17):
the season, we've got to be feeling good about this team.
There's been a tremendous amount of obstacles put in their
way and in yet, and yet the Buccaneers continue to
find a way to reign supreme. All right, Once again,
I want to thank you for joining me on this
edition of the Bucks Report podcast, part of the Bus
(28:37):
Report podcast network. And I'll talk to again next time.
On today's show, the Buccaneers pick up a big twenty
three to three victory over their nemesis New Orleans Saints.
It's the bye week, it's the halfway point of the season.
What to expect from the Box in the second half
of the season. I'll discuss next this edition of the
Box Report. Let's get out then.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Then then.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Well, hello, endo, welcome into this edition of the Box Report.
I'm so glad you decided to join me today as
this podcast is free and available on all the major platforms.
My name is Dan Holmy. You can find me on
Twitter It's at Dan Capps two and eight. And the
best way that you can help grow this show is
to subscribe to The Bucks Report on YouTube. Like the videos,
(01:15):
comment anything down below. So in this edition of the
Bucks Report podcast, the Bucks are rolling as they pick
up a big win over the Saints. Send to be
clear here, this is not the Saints that we remember
from years ago. This is not Drew Brees at the Helm.
(01:38):
This is the one and seven Norland Saints are Narlin Saints,
as they like to say it down there. But the
Bucks riding high in the bye week, the midway point
of the season with a six and two record, And
just to take a look at the lay of the
land here a little bit in the NFC South, the
(01:58):
Carolinas are in second place, a five hundred record. Tell
me if you had that on your Bengo card to
start the season. So wow, how things are shaping up.
And you know, you take a look at the Bucks.
It was a nice victory. But let's just bring it
back down to earth. Come on, let's take it back
down to the earth here. This was a horrible New
(02:21):
Orleans Saints team. And I understand that they're bitter rivals.
I understand that Baker Mayfield hates the Saints. But at
the end of the day, let's take it for what
it is. And the Bucks, you know, how many opportunities.
Wasn't it like eight opportunities that they were right on
the cusp and they couldn't drive it in the end zone.
That it was a good game. It was not a
(02:42):
perfect game by any stretch. And if you take a
look at the box score, for example, Baker Mayfield was
fifteen of twenty four, one hundred and fifty two yards,
zero touchdowns. Let's see who did score. Sean Tucker a
touchdown in the game. And one Winfield Junior and Anthony
(03:02):
Nelson my man, what a game he had stepping up
in a huge role and all instrumental in the Buccaneers victory.
So it's all about tempering expectations. It's all about having
the chips squarely on your shoulder and not getting too confident.
Right that the Buccaneers have played well, But this is
(03:23):
a team that is still besieged with injuries and they're
finding a way to rise above. And I guess that's
ultimately what is encouraging for me. You know the thing
I always talk about on the show, it's Baker Mayfield.
We must protect this man at all costs, because the
Buccaneers have found a way to rise up. Minus Godwin
(03:44):
and Evans and Jalen McMillan and Bucky Irving, this is
going to be a completely different Buccaneers team if it's
Teddy Bridgewater football. Let's say, but let's talk about the
Bucks and what we saw in the game versus New
Orleans and just let's dig into it here. So let's
dive into that game. A twenty three to three victory
(04:07):
on paper, you think to yourself, wow, that was a
shlacking of the arch nemesis of the Buccaneers. If you
look at it in a little bit closer detail, I'm
here to tell you that Rattler is not on par
with a Drew Brees that we saw from years ago.
Really quick take. If there's any Saints fans out there
watching or listening to this, you guys need a new quarterback,
(04:30):
a true number one. You know. The Buccaneers to start
the season, we're like, is it gonna be Baker Mayfield?
Is it's gonna be tracked? I mean, you take a
look at the Saints. They don't even have a really
great number one option. And it's interesting, isn't it that
you know, a team that historically has done great things
for years has been the thorn in the side of
the buckety Buccaneers more than one case. They don't have
(04:52):
a true number one. And I know they've tried to
retread that tire. They brought in quarterbacks post Drew Brees,
and none of them have been and the right fit.
Something to address. Ultimately, I hope they don't fix it,
but just something that I think about when I watch
them play. Well. Like I said, it was not the
smoothest offensive day for Tampa. They had some struggles converting
(05:12):
on third downs, only hitting three out of thirteen. So
it's the truth in the numbers. You really got to
kind of drill down on it to understand it at
more of a granular level. And they even failed on
the fourth and goal from the one yard line. Let
that sink in. So it's not as good per se
(05:34):
as the box score indicates. And I understand at the
end of the day, it's all about w's and losses,
and that's what it's all about. And the Buccaneers, well
they won this game, but the defense man, they really
stole the show. And if there's one guy that needs
his flowers and all of this, Anthony Nelson. This guy
had one of the best games of his entire career.
(05:59):
He notched an in, he returned for a touchdown, force
to fumble, and added two sacks in what was an
incredible game for Anthony Nelson. And that's the depth I'm
talking about stepping up. And you know the funny thing is,
Nelson even admitted he couldn't fully remember the interception play itself.
He said, he just went for the ball, caught it,
(06:19):
and the next thing he knew he was in the end zone.
Those are all those feel good stories, those warm fuzzies
that you get when you watch the game. That it
wasn't you know, Mike Evans in the end zone. It
wasn't Godwin. It was a guy Anthony Nelson, who in
that moment was on top of the earth. Antwine Winfield
Junior also a huge impact and the impact of this
(06:42):
guy is not spoke of often enough. That the Buccaneers
are exponentially better with Antoine Winfield in the game in general,
recovering a fumble and snagging an interception of his own.
So overall, the Bucks forced four turnovers against the Ants.
Those turnovers forced New Orleans to pull their starting quarterback
(07:04):
Rattler later in the third quarter. And let's just say
that the guy behind him, well he was no better,
came in. But it didn't really turn things around for
the struggling Saints. Ha ha. I got to laugh at it, because,
like I said, a team that has been a thorn
in the side of the Buccaneers for years now sit
(07:24):
at one and seven and tied for the worst record
in the league. Wow, you know how far that team
has fallen. Their first year coach said, they're trying to
find the right formula to get the offense going. But
it's clearly been a tough road. And you know, kind
of like I've said on the show before different podcasts,
(07:45):
that I do do I put a lot of the
pressure on the head coach. I don't. It's hiring someone
to build your deck and go, well, this is what
we got. You got the job contractor to build us
the deck. And you're like, wow, I am building a
deck or in this cach ca, I am the head
coach of an NFL team, But not so fast. Let
me see that drill, let me see that saw, let
(08:06):
me see those fasteners. And you're like, I thought you
wanted me to build your deck. I do, but I
want you to do it without those tools. The same thing,
the same thing this head coach must face is wow,
I'm the head coach of an NFL team. Bad news.
It is a horrendous Saints team, one of the worst
I've seen in years. But back to bucks. In the offense,
(08:28):
Baker Mayfield threw for one hundred and fifty two yards,
zero tuddies and no interceptions, and like I said, though,
the offense was a bit inconsistent, and Mayfield himself said
they have to be better. The Saints defense did hold
Tampa scoreless at the goal line multiple times in the
second quarter, stuffing for goal to go attempts from the
(08:51):
one yard line that they tried to stuff it in there,
they just couldn't do it. All things that need to
get cleaned up, and they have some time to rest,
to reset and hopefully get some players back. That play
was a massive momentum shift. Ratler was rolling right, look
for tight end, but Nelson tipped the pass, caught it himself,
and took it back for a score. The man himself.
(09:15):
Baker Mayfield praised Nelson's performance, saying he was lights out
all game and I'll talk about later he got recognized
for that, but stat wise, Nelson, what he did was
pretty rare. He became the first player since since twenty
twenty three to have an interception or turn for a touchdown,
a sack, and a forced fumble. And this is a
(09:36):
kind of a depth guy. At the end of the day,
there was even a chance for a second defensive touchdown
when Winfield recovered a football and ran it back. But
you know, it's always the details, and early whistle killed
that play. But you know, the Saints they forced Mayfield
fumble shortly after and converted into a field goal to
make it seven to three at halftime. In the second half,
(09:58):
another guy that's been hughes after I'm gonna say one
off game, Chase McLoughlin hit three long field goals from
fifty two yards or more, helping the Bucks pull away.
For the Saints, Rattler finished fifteen for twenty one passing
for one hundred and thirty six yards, but lost that
crucial fumble and and a lot of ways unless they
(10:18):
get a better option in there. They really need a
better option. The backup seventeen to thirty passes for one
hundred and twenty eight yards, but through an interception picked
off by Winfield. The injuries were too serious weren't too
serious for the Bucks. Cornerback Jacob Parrish got some treatment
late but walked off on his own. The Saints had
(10:40):
some concerns as well, but looking ahead, the Bucks get
a bye week nine here before hosting the New England
Patriots on November ninth. So you take a look at it.
The Saints are off to the Rams next, and that's
the state of where the Bucks are at at the
bye week here. That all things considered good. It wasn't
(11:02):
as great of a victory as it should be as
a team. The Saints tied for the worst team in
all of the NFL, so it's important to understand the
win for what it is. I'm glad that they won.
It wasn't a perfect win, but at the end of
the day, I'll take it, all right. So coming up
here after the Bark, we'll talk about player of the
(11:23):
week's players on the Bucks getting players of the week
something that hasn't been done. Two players who are they
I'll discuss straight ahead. All right, Welcome back into this
edition of the Bucks Report podcast, simulcast on the Bucks
(11:46):
Minute cast feed part of the Fans First Sports Network.
So let's dive into segment two here and talking about
two players recognized for their outstanding play. And it's not
the sex names that you're used to hearing. You know, Oh,
is it Baker Mayfield? Nope? Was it Evans Nope? Was
a Godwin Nope? Was a Bucky Nope? Was Let's break
(12:08):
it down here in the second segment and just really
speaking about depth and speaking about special teams and how
the Buccaneers have have it in spades this year. A
success on all fronts, and it's a Player of Week
double dip. Anthony Nelson and Chase McLoughlin both snagged the
(12:28):
NFC Player of the Week honors for Week eight. Nelson
took home the defensive award and McLoughlin handled the business
on special teams. As they look, here, something that hasn't
been done since way back in eight. Pretty rare stuff,
So let's unpack how they pulled it off. The Bucks dominated,
at least on the score sheet, twenty three to three.
(12:49):
This was a statement game, a game where both defense
and special teams took turns putting the Saints in a box.
Anthony Nelson, my man, this guy went off two sacks,
a forced fumble, a pick six all in one game.
Actually not just that, all in the first half. And
(13:10):
that's the kind of defensive chaos you only see once
every few years. In fact, Nelson became the first NFL
player since seven to record multiple sacks, a forced fumble,
and a pick six in the same game. And if
you're outside of the Buccaneers circle, out of the Tampa area,
out a Bucks fan, I'm gonna go ahead and say
(13:31):
maybe a name you're not too familiar with, the last
guy to do something similar to that was Chicago's Khalil
Mack back in eighteen. That is a lead company. But
let's talk about special teams. And you know, Chase McLaughlin
had that bad outing, bad game a few games ago.
Time flies here and there was already talk about it.
(13:53):
They're going to work out somebody else, you know, And
you know what was important was to understand that players
you know are going to have bad games now and again.
And Chase McLoughlin, big picture, thirty thousand foot view has
saved the Bucks on many occasions and is one of
the best in the game. He was nails in this game.
(14:13):
Three field goals, all from deep fifty five, fifty four,
and fifty two, just to show off at the end
of the day, if you know what I mean. And
he hit all of them in the second half, which
is huge because those long kicks kept Tampa in control
as they pulled away. McLoughlin, excuse me, also added two
extra points, finishing with eleven total for the day. So
(14:36):
you know, when you see a big win like that,
you think Mayfield, think McLoughlin. In this case, He's now
perfect eight for eight this season from fifty yards or more,
which by the way, leads all of the NFL the
National footballgau If you're wondering how rare that is only
one kicker this year, Chris Boswell from Pittsburgh hit three
field goals over fifty in the same game. McLoughlin's one
(15:01):
of just four players to make three fifty yarders in
a single half since twenty twenty. So, yeah, he is
in a serious groove and a guy, another player that
we must protect at all costs because when they talked
about when they spoke about maybe the Buccaneers need to
try someone else out, it was quite apparent that there's
(15:22):
not a lot of McLoughlin's out on the market right now.
We need him healthy as he is instrumental and part
of the secret sauce of the Bucks success. It's also
Nelson's first ever Defensive Player of the Week. McLaughlin been
there once before, he won one with the Colts back
in twenty twenty two. But get this, the last time
(15:44):
two Buccaneers grabbed this weekly honor in the same week
was seventeen years ago. Derek Brooks and Matt Bryant pulled
it off in eight So you know, when I say
a good game. When I say it's rare before that,
you'd have to go back to the combinations of Rendez
Barber and Brian in O six or Donnie Abraham back
(16:05):
in ninety nine. So yeah, Nelson and McLoughlin just joined
a pretty exclusive club. And it's all about the depth,
right And you know, like I say, you don't think
about Anthony Nelson and Chase McLaughlin, I think when you
generalize the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But as far as the Bucks,
they didn't win. They completely shut down the Saints. The
defense held them to three points. Nelson was living in
(16:28):
the backfield. That pick six was something that I've thought about,
you know, when I've thought about the Bucks play that, Wow,
that was a momentum changer. That despite the fact that
the Saints are horrible, that definitely stimied any progress that
they had, and that pick six ultimately flipped the momentum
(16:49):
right after New Orleans had a goal line stand. Talk
about a turnaround, and thanks to McLoughlin's long range accuracy,
Tampa just kept extending the lead and shutting the door
or in the Saints' phase. So a lot to be
happy about here, And you know, talking about special teams
player of the Week award this season or remember Week
(17:09):
one punter and return man Cameron Johnson snake the title then.
And for defense, Nelson's the first to earn the honor
this year. The last time was ya Ya Dyabi in
week seventeen of twenty four. So it's safe to say
the defense keeps finding playmakers and a pretty special team
that the Buccaneers have this year. Right that it's important
(17:32):
to understand the lay of the land and how great
this Buccaneers team is. How deep do they go? Right?
Can they win the NFC South? It seems like a
foregone conclusion. But if this team makes it to the playoffs,
are they built of the kind of fabric that is
a Super Bowl contender? I guess it depends on how
healthy they are. I guess time will only tell, all right,
(17:54):
So coming up here after the break, we'll talk about
the Buccaneers at the halfway point of the season. And
we're halfway up the mountain looking up? Is there dreams
of grandeur? And are those dreams of grandeur? Are they
based in any type of reality? I'll discuss straight ahead,
(18:18):
all right, Welcome back into this edition of the Bucks Report. Podcast,
your weekly water cooler. Stop to sit here and get
down to one knee and listen to everything about the Buccaneers,
the lay of the land. And I'm so glad that
you guys decided to join me today again. Subscribe, follow
wherever you found your podcast, primarily on YouTube. Let's blow
(18:39):
it up here, get it really big. And also, like
I said, simulcast on the Bucks Minticast podcast feed. But
let's talk about segment three. And it's kind of just
you know, where we're at right now, the measuring stick
of where the Buccaneers are pretty good all things considered,
but you know, you take a look at it. I'm
a realist sometimes I've been a cute to being a
(19:00):
glass half empty kind of guy. That the Bucks are
six and two sitting a top of the NFC South,
but the NFC South is surrounded by some subpar teams.
I'm just gonna be honest here Tampa King of the Hill.
But in that breath, Carolina four and four, Atlanta three
and four, in New Orleans one and seven, things are
(19:23):
going well. And the Buccaneers don't have a choice of
where they play. They play in the NFC South. But
to contrast, you know other teams, you know, you take
a look at Green Bay five and one in the north,
Philadelphia six and two in the East. But the Buccaneers,
you know, six and two on par with the Eagles.
They stand and they reign supreme. And what I'm going
(19:43):
to say is a pretty poor NFC cell. So let's
dive into the final segment of the show, and we're
at the halfway point to the twenty twenty five NFL season.
The Bucks, I think they're for real. You know, they've
had to overcome a lot. They've had to overcome a
lot of injuries to some key players, and it's Todd
Bowles having to prove who he is yet again that
(20:07):
you know, we could talk about in seasons before, you know,
not going for it when he should go for it,
you know, like, hey, should we go for the field
goal or should we go for the touchdown? And he
would always go for the safe thing or clock management.
That we need to put that all in the rear
view mirror. That the Buccaneers are playing well and Todd
Bowles deserves a lot of the credit despite what you
(20:28):
might think of him. And there were questions about injury,
some roster depth, all of that. But Bulls has this
team locked in. They're proving and they can hang with
anybody in the league. And to be honest, they're not
just hanging around. Their winning and even when things gets
dice in games, the Buccaneers find ways to win. That
toughness Bulls keeps preaching, it's showing up every single Sunday.
(20:53):
The comeback kings. Through eight weeks, Tampa has pulled off
four fourth quarter comebacks. Four that's the most in all
of the NFL. And you know, I don't like it
that way because those are not decisive victories. Again, to
circle back to the first segment, it's all about wins
and losses, right, But those games where they were comebacks,
(21:14):
they were kind of a coin toss, right, They could
have gone either way. The Buccaneers might not have that
luxury in the second half of the season where you're
going to need to deliver that we can't see what
we saw against the Saints where you had the opportunity
that just sometimes it was one or two yards to
get it in there and you couldn't convert. Those are
(21:34):
going to be costly in the latter part of the season.
That I'm glad that in a lot of ways. They
got lucky in the first half of the season a
lot of those games, but they need to slam the
door on their opponents when given the opportunity. And when
you look at that stat alone, I'm talking about those
four fourth quarter comebacks, they're trailing by a touchdown or
(21:56):
locked in a tight one, they keep their composure and
that's what defines good teams, mental toughness. And again, you
know they're doing it in you know, the high water
mark here in the last ten years, of course, was
the Brady era, right when it brought a Super Bowl
back to Tampa, and there was a lot of questions
(22:16):
about who this Buccaneers team was going to be. Right
after that, they're answering those questions and Bull's message about
staying poised and physical and how Baker Mayfield the leader
on this team. Make no mistake about it, the driving
force of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is Baker Mayfield. And
he's standing in quite a big shadow but in a
(22:39):
lot of ways, and you take a look at the analytics.
I hate to say it, I don't hate to say it. It
is what it is that Baker's even the better quarterback
than Brady and that winning culture. It's part of their DNA. Now.
The defense has been clutch making stops when it matters,
and the offense they've learned to thrive and chaotic situations.
(23:01):
Players like Rashad White, Tes Johnson, a Mecca at Buka
have all stepped up when the stars have sidelined Backy
Irving out. Take a look at the wide receiver around
you know, Godwin, Evans, McMillan greatly diminished and Abuka tes Johnson,
these guys stepping up. And remember in the past when
(23:21):
we've been out with Evans, Godwin before, what that's meant
years before, and Bucky Irving what that's meant. Rashad White
trying to bring prominence back to his name right, And
that's one of the things to factor in. And that
speaks to depth, That speaks to trust in the systems.
And look, this isn't about flukes or lucky bounces. I
don't want it to be that way. It's about a
(23:43):
team that is built to compete, that there's contingencies in
there that this player got injured. Oh for a lot
of other teams that's over It's it. The Buccaneers have
the depth to overcome. You watch them. You see the confidence,
the kind of confidence that usually belongs to teams that
(24:03):
know they're headed to January football? Is that the Buccaneers.
I think that's the case. Baker Mayfield making the case
as an MVP. Let's talk about Baker. The man's been quietly,
and I mean quietly, putting together one of the best
seasons of his career. Despite dealing with nagging injuries and
rotating cast of receivers. He's keeping the defense humming. He's
(24:24):
thrown for over one nine hundred yards already, thirteen touchdowns,
just two picks, and completing about sixty thirty percent of
his passes. The ghosts of interceptions past have not come
back to haunt him the way they have before. But
what we've seen from him, the efficiency, the leadership, the
clutch play all rolled into one quarterback, and the Buccaneers
(24:48):
were lucky enough to land him. He was sneered at,
snickered at, like, Oh, Baker Mayfield, you got that guy
that's bounced around the NFL. You're damn right, and I
would have it no other way. And you know the
thing about Baker, He's not just putting up the numbers.
He's setting the tone for the locker room. He's the leader,
and you can see it, and how the team feeds
(25:08):
off his energy, the way he carries himself late in games.
He's become the steadying hand in Tampa after so many
turnovers that we saw from him in years before. And honestly,
if we're talking MVB candidates right now, you simply cannot
keep his name out of the conversation. Not with the
way he's performing in crunch time. And look at the
(25:30):
fourth back hornor comebacks alone, taking this team on his
back and carrying him across the finish line, putting himself
in great peril. If this man is not in the
hunt for MVP, conversation, I don't know when that will be.
He's the reason Tampa's playoff chances look as strong as
(25:50):
they do heading into November. I don't want to get
to head two ahead of myself here, but where we're at.
But big picture, let's take it up thirty thousand foot view.
The NFC South is there for the taking. The Saints, well,
they're staying nice and chili down in the cellar. The
Falcons are inconsistent, and Carolina is well surprising, right, I
(26:12):
don't think anyone saw that after the horrendous seasons that
we've seen from them in the past, Tampa is sitting
pretty with a balanced team, discipline, defense, a quarterback playing
with heart, and a coaching staff that finally figured it
out if they stay even moderately healthy at some point,
you know, say you see Evans and Godwin and McMillan,
(26:32):
you know in the talk there, and not to mention Bucky,
you're looking at a team that can go toe to
toe with the best teams in the NFL. And that's
not hyperbole. That is not me being a homer for
the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And I'm telling you right now,
no one's going to want to draw the Buccaneers in January,
not when they're this gritty, not when they you know,
(26:53):
they're playing like this. And like I said, Bull deserves
series credit too. He's adapted, he's adjusted. And you start
hearing his name and coach of the year chatter. Can
you believe it? The guy that's been on the hot
seat every damn year that he's been the head coach,
there's chatter about that that this team has the makings
(27:13):
of truly great things. That's the big thing. He's the
one that's orchestrating all of it. So the elephant in
the room is what is next for Tampa. They got
some big tests coming up, tough defenses, conference matchups that
will really show if they're ready to take it to
the next step. But the first half of the season,
if it's shown us anything, it's this team can respond.
(27:35):
They might bend, but they damn will not break. That's
when you drain the goddamn whole wide receiver pond and
it's the Johnson and Johnson out there and still and
still finding ways to win football games. If Baker keeps
doing Baker things and the defense keeps delivering in those
crucial stops, we could be talking about the Bucks as
(27:56):
one of the NFC's most complete teams by Christmas. So, yeah,
the Bucks are back, baby, and they're not just a
fun story. They're a legitimate threat. All right. I want
to thank you guys for joining me on this edition
of the Box Report. Let's get hyped. We're in a
bye week, but you know, at the halfway point of
(28:17):
the season, we've got to be feeling good about this team.
There's been a tremendous amount of obstacles put in their
way and in yet, and yet the Buccaneers continue to
find a way to reign supreme. All right, Once again,
I want to thank you for joining me on this
edition of the Bucks Report podcast, part of the Bus
(28:37):
Report podcast network. And I'll talk to again next time.
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I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.