December 16, 2025 • 25 mins
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter the final stretch of the 2025 NFL season tied atop the NFC South after a chaotic Week 15 that saw them lose a heartbreaker to the Atlanta Falcons, only to regain first place when the Carolina Panthers fell to the Saints. Despite blowing a two-touchdown fourth-quarter lead on Thursday Night Football, the Bucs still control their destiny with three games remaining and need just two wins to secure a fifth straight NFC South title. With critical matchups against Carolina and Miami ahead, Tampa Bay’s path to the playoffs is clear, but the margin for error is razor thin.
The return of Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan provided a major boost for the Buccaneers offense, as Evans posted 132 receiving yards in his first game back and immediately changed how defenses played Tampa Bay. Along with strong contributions from Baker Mayfield, Sean Tucker, and rookie Emeka Egbuka, the Bucs showed signs of life despite the loss. As the NFC playoff picture continues to shift weekly, Tampa Bay’s experience, star power, and control of key tiebreakers keep them firmly in the playoff hunt heading into a season-defining showdown with the Panthers.
The return of Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan provided a major boost for the Buccaneers offense, as Evans posted 132 receiving yards in his first game back and immediately changed how defenses played Tampa Bay. Along with strong contributions from Baker Mayfield, Sean Tucker, and rookie Emeka Egbuka, the Bucs showed signs of life despite the loss. As the NFC playoff picture continues to shift weekly, Tampa Bay’s experience, star power, and control of key tiebreakers keep them firmly in the playoff hunt heading into a season-defining showdown with the Panthers.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
On today's show, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers blew a lead,
lost a game, and still woke up in first place.
That's the NFC South in December, and the buck season
is officially down to three games, two wins and zero excuses.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Then then then then then.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Well, hello and welcome into this edition of the Box
Report podcast, part of the Bucks 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.
My name is Dan Holmie. You can find me on Twitter.
It's at Dan Caps two and eight. You can find
(01:17):
us online bucksreport dot com. And the best way that
you can help grow this show is to subscribe to
the Box Report on YouTube, like the videos and comment
anything down below. So in this edition of the Bucks Report,
things are about as bad as they possibly can be
(01:37):
for this team. I did not have an episode for
you guys last week as I was sick along with
my children. But my how much a difference, you know,
a week or so can make that the team was
playing so well and it doesn't seem like it was
that long ago that the Buccaneers were on top of
the world, top of the NFC South, which they still
(02:00):
are if you can believe it. It speaks to how
bad the NFC seuth truly is. But complacency, poor play, injuries,
bad coaching have all been drawn into focus and the
future of this season is definitely into question, being drawn
into question. And some people might say, Dan, have you
(02:23):
taken a look at the standings The last I checked,
the Buccaneers are in first place? Yeah, And to that
I would say, how confident and how good do you
feel about this team right now? Despite the box score
line about this team? And that's ultimately what it is
where the standings rather lying about this team that had they,
(02:44):
you know, played in a different division, that they would
not be faring too well right now. Because they started
out really hot. They overcame adversity to the wide receiver
position and the running back position and you know Tristan
Wurfs to start the season that they found a way
to overcome. But now as players have started to trickle back,
(03:06):
we saw Evans in the last game, we saw Jalen
McMillan that this team, you know, the feeling was I
was saying it as well, is that this team is
going to be unstoppable. What we have seen as Baker
Mayfield is fallible. He's not as bulletproof or I hate
to say it, maybe as great as we initially thought.
Now we could talk about that being a poor supporting cast.
(03:31):
And you know, when you start hearing people saying it's
the creamsickle jerseys, burn those things. And when you start
pointing to the jersey that your team's wearing and putting
a you know, pinning that on while your team lost,
well then I think things are really doom and gloom
for your team. But let's dive into it here talking
about how ugly things went here and in a lot
(03:53):
of ways, how lucky the Buccaneers are that Carolina, Yes,
that Carolina team lost to the Saints here. So the
big takeaway to start segment one here is the Buccaneers
still control their destiny and that matters more than how
ugly it feels right now. And this is a team
(04:14):
that is going to have to dig the deepest that
it's ever had to dig because they're playing Carolina. And
if you guys don't know, I'll catch you up. The
Carolina Panthers are actually pretty good. Yes, this is in
some fever dream, this team that was an absolute dumpster
fire last season is good under the leadership in tutelage
of a former coach and Dave Canalis, if you can
(04:37):
believe that. But let's slow this down for a second,
because the noise around the team right now is loud,
really loud. Loss is piling up late game collapses. Remember
those early season late game heroics, And I talked about
with Steve Steve Versnick if it's sustainable. Well, as it
(04:58):
turns out that maybe the Buccany got lucky to start
this season. And I talked about that as well. Is
that when it comes to late game heroics and it's
a coin flip if your team's gonna win or lose,
that you can feel confident that you won. But even
in the beginning of the season where the Buccaneers had
to eke out victories, I think that maybe we're seeing
that that the Bucks as a matter of fact, got
(05:19):
lucky to start this season because the fans right now frustrated.
You listen to Rick Stroud who says that he's not
a fan of the team. Rick Stroud and Steve Wursnick
on Sports Day Tampa Bay always says, listen, I'm not
a fan of the Bucks. Well, I'm here to tell
you he sound pretty pissed off for a guy that's
not a fan of a team that he covers. If
(05:40):
he was just someone talking about his team as a journalist,
I don't think he'd care that much, and you could
tell that he does care. But the biggest takeaway heading
into the week sixteen is still this. The Buccaneers control
their own destiny in the NFC self rate now and
(06:00):
it's the games Atlanta. There is no reason, there is
no reason that the Buccaneers should have lost that game,
and there is no reason that they should have lost
the game the week before to the Saints. In my
last episode, I said that, you know you don't want
to fall into a trap game, and what happened. The
Bucks lost to the lowly Saints, a team that has
(06:23):
absolutely nothing to play for other than to be spoiler
to a team that's in contention, in this case the Buccaneers.
And same goes for Kirk Cousins and the Falcons who
took it to the Buccaneers. And I know it doesn't
feel good saying that. After a blowing a two touchdown
lead at home on Thursday night, the Falcons loss stung,
(06:47):
and there's no way around it. Your up late, the
rain is coming down, and the crowd is ready to celebrate,
and then suddenly Atlanta walks you off with a field goal.
Brutal season defining tighte moment, or at least it felt
like it that the lowest point around this team and
the questions if Carolina, as a matter of fact, does
(07:08):
win the NFC South. And I'll talk about a little
bit later in this episode in another episode this week
about Todd Bowles on the hot seat, the hottest of
seats right now and despite you know, whatever happens with
the Buccaneers this season, unless they win a Super Bowl
or make it really a deep push, I think that
(07:28):
he has coached his last season in Tampa. But then
you take a look at it, the way this team
has struggled, and for a few days it was like
the Bucks fell into second place for the first time
in over a year, three hundred and seventy six days
without looking up at someone else in the division. That's
(07:49):
not nothing. But then Sunday hits the Saints beat Carolina.
It's not often that as a Bucks fan you're rooting
for the Saints, but in this case we were, and
just like that, everything flipped back Bucks five hundred Football
right now, wasn't it five and one? Not too long ago?
Bucks seven and seven, Panthers seven and seven. Tampa Bay
(08:11):
holds the tiebreaker. Do we want it to come down
to this? Do we want to back into victory? I've
been to this movie before when it comes to the Bucks,
and you know ultimately why Bowl still has his job
because the resume, but the clock management and the poor
decision making are still something that he struggles with. And
(08:32):
that's the part people keep glossing over. Tampa Bay is
technically in first place, not because someone gifted it to them,
but because of their earlier work that matters. Those late
game heroics, which I spoke to you guys about, is
why we're in the position that we're in. If those
games obviously had flipped the other way, I would be
talking to about a Buccaneers team on the outside looking in.
(08:55):
But now here's where the season really tightens. The next
three weeks are not abstract, not hypothetical. They're crystal clear.
Win any two of the next three games and you
win the NFC South Sweet Carolina and it's over. That's
not going to be easy. I think they maybe win one,
but I wouldn't be surprised at this point based on
(09:15):
trajectory and what we've seen here that they lose them
both split Carolina beat Miami, still over. You know, there's
no weird math, no prank for help, no scoreboard watching,
and let's be honest, right, this division has been a
mess all year. If you want to know what I'm
talking about, just take a look around the NFL, you know,
(09:38):
and what kind of how many wins first place looks
like in the AFC East eleven and three, Steelers eight
and six in the AFC North, Jaggs ten and four
in the AFC South, and the Broncos twelve and two.
And then you take a look at the NFC South,
the Buccaneers seven and seven, five hundred football in first place,
(10:00):
you know, Bears ten and four, Eagles nine and five.
That I mean, it's not hyperbole. If the Buccaneers were
not in this division, they would be out of it,
right or definitely on the outside looking in. But there's
a lot at steak and they ultimately have to and
hope that they can find a way to dig deep,
(10:20):
because let's be honest, this division, like I said, has
been a mess. Nobody has taken it and said this
is mine. Atlanta has blown opportunities. They were a favorite
to do bigger things this year with Penix Junior right.
New Orleans blew opportunities. They need a quarterback. Carolina has
been up and down, and Tampa Bay has not capitalized
(10:41):
fully either, but they're still here. Confidence level vibe Checkbucks fans,
how confident do you feel about this team sitting atop
of the NFC South. It's like stealing a kid's lunch money. Good,
you have a couple dollars in your wallet, but you
stole it from a kid. That's kind of where I feel,
or how I feel about the Buccaneers right now. Going
(11:03):
to Carolina this week, that's the swing game. Bank of
America Stadium, one pm kickoff, Divisional Football. You win that
game and suddenly the pressure flips. Carolina becomes the chaser,
Tampa Bay becomes the closer. Lose it, and now you're
on the rope. So yeah, it's uncomfortable, but it's also
very simple. The Bucks are not out of anything. They're
(11:26):
standing right in the middle of it. And that's not
something every team can say. In late December. Again, it
is what it is. It feels a bit to me
like stolen valor, but not really. I understand the lay
of the land that the Buccaneers are in the position
that they're in due to pulling rabbits out of their
hat to start the season. There have not been a
(11:47):
whole lot of rabbits coming out of said hats when
they should have. Right that, the Saints should have been
a win, the Falcons should have been a win. They
were not. So ultimately, Buccaneers will have to dig extra deep.
All right. So coming up here after the break, we'll
talk about Mike Evans didn't just return, he stabilized the
(12:09):
entire offense. 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 you can find this
podcast on the Bucks Minutecast podcast feed, a part of
(12:31):
the Fans for Sports Network. So in segment two here
Mike Evans returning, and that gave us the vibes that, Wow,
we're back, Jalen McMillan back, Wow we are back, baby.
Well not so fast that seeing Mike Evans out there
felt good, right, it really did, But ultimately it was
(12:52):
not enough to get it done. So let's just talk
about the box score. Baker Mayfield a nineteen for thirty
four passing, two touchdowns, one interception. We take a look
at the game, Sean Tucker a touchdown in this game,
but Mike Evans for receiving six receptions one hundred and
thirty two yards. And then you take a look at Abuca.
(13:15):
You know who has been not the Abuka that we
remember from earlier this season, Jalen McMillan, who made his
return after he was injured. What was it preseason against
the Steelers, if memory serves, two receptions thirty eight yards,
and you know that that's not too surprising to me,
honestly that the Buccaneers were floundering, Baker was floundering, and
(13:39):
it was the first game back in a while for
Evans and McMillan. That you have to limit expectations, right,
but they're back and that should have been the positive
push that you need. So let's talk about what actually
looked good, because there was good on Thursday night, and
it starts with Mike Evans. If anyone forgot who might
(14:00):
Evans is, he reminded you real quick. First came back
from injury, and he immediately becomes the engine of the
offense again. And like I said, it was a good feeling.
But again, you know, Mike Evans is often thought that
you know he's going to do it all. He can't
do it all. But what did he do? Six catches,
one hundred and thirty two yards, explosive plays downfield, drawing
(14:23):
coverage on every snap, and those chunk plays weren't accidents.
Thirty three yards, forty five yards. That's not schemed fluff.
That's Mike Evans being Mike Evans and a guy I
think that it's safe to say on the back nine
of his football career still has that kind of swigger
(14:45):
and is ultimately able to draw coverage every time that
he's out there. And the thing that stood out most
to me wasn't the numbers, It was the confidence shift
that I think that the Buccaneers play more confidently when
Evans is in the mix, because I think that when
you looked at the game, Baker Mayfield looked different with
(15:06):
Evans out there, more decisive at points, more willing to
push it, more trust in what he's seeing, because you know,
when Evans is on the field, defenses have to respect
it or he'll make them pay. You see safety shade
corners play, softer windows open and then layer and Jalen McMillan,
like I said, who was really great to see him
(15:27):
back in there and suddenly this offense looks like it
has shape again again. It was so close. If you
didn't watch the game that you know, I hate to
keep banging the drum on it again and again, but
it was twenty nine twenty eight falcons taken this one
that I think that is what stings the most is
(15:49):
that it was right there for the taking and they
weren't able to do it. But you know, McMillan didn't
blow up the statute, but he mattered physical in the
run game, smart route run, pre snap motion, creating leverage
and nearly had a touchdown. And that's, you know, again,
quite a statement for a guy that has missed a
chunk of time here and Tristan Wurf's talked about the
(16:11):
energy these guys brought in the real broken collarbone, broken neck,
that's not week to week, that's months of rehab. And
if you remember back, I'm having to check my mind
here if I remember right, he was jumping up to
catch a football football by Teddy Bridgewater and did not
go so well for him. And when guys come back
(16:33):
from that and immediately bring juice, the locker room feels it.
And you know, take a look at the ripple down.
In fact, Chris Godwin finds the end zone again, a
Mecca Abuka continues his rookie surge, Devin Culp finally gets
a tight end touchdown on the season, and Sean Tucker
keeps finding the end zone at a ridiculous rate. So
(16:55):
you know, when you take a look at the players
that stepped up, you know, like I said, Godwin four
receptions twenty yards a tuddy in the game, those are
good things. So you know, when you just take a
look at the players as like a chess match, right
that you had Evans, you have Godwin out there, and
you have Jalen McMillan, you have a mecha Abuka that
(17:17):
you know, the excuses really aren't there. You have your weaponry,
you have every receiver that you need out there, and
still can't pull down the dub. I think that is
what is especially frustrating for me because this offense isn't elite,
but it's not dead either. It's been wounded and that's
the difference and how the Buccaneers won games earlier in
(17:38):
the season quite dinged up and Mike Evans specifically, we
can't just gloss over the historical stuff. Forty three career
one hundred yard games including playoffs, third most among active players,
closing in on thirteen thousand career yards, top ten all
time in receiving touchdowns, and that's Hall of Fame stuff, right,
(18:03):
that's franchise cornerstone stuff. So that if Evan stays healthy
over these next three weeks, the buccaneers ceiling rises immediately.
But we're going to need these guys to dig deep
because suddenly defenses can't cheat. Suddenly Baker has has answers.
Suddenly the run game has space. But we need Baker
(18:23):
to be Baker. We need the defense to step up,
which has been the achilles of this team for large
swaths of the season as well, and in December football,
that matters more than the flashy numbers. So that is
what we're ultimately hoping for, right guys, That the Buccaneers
can do what they did earlier in the season, and
hopefully that breed success. Hopefully is the operative word, all right,
(18:47):
So coming up here after the break, the road is clear,
but the Bucks have zero margin for air. I'll discuss
straight to all right, Welcome back into this edition of
the Bucks Report podcast. Part of the Bucks Report podcast
(19:09):
again simulcast on the Bucks Minutecast podcast feed, a part
of the Fans' first sports network. So let's dive into
the final segment of today's show. The road is clear,
but the Bucks have zero margin for air. Because let's
zoom out and bring it all together, because that's what
it's all about. I talked about the game, I talked
(19:31):
about the additions, right back to the team, Evans, McMillan,
Godwin playing a good game ultimately not enough to win.
But now let's talk about what matters, and that is
the path to the playoffs and not just making the playoffs.
This team has got to play better or you made
(19:52):
it to the playoffs and will be sniffed out in
a hurry, just like a snuff film you're gonna get
just it's gonna end in a hurry. And right now,
you know if the Buccaneers, you know, just based on
playing in a truly horrible division, somehow, some way find
a way to make it to the playoffs. And I
understand they're gonna have to win games to get to
send playoffs, but they need to play better on all fronts, offensively, defensively.
(20:16):
That it was good to see Evans. Hopefully that's amplified
Godwin McMillan to see more from Abuca, Bucky Tucker, but
more most importantly here Baker. We need vintage early season
Baker Mayfield, a guy that's going to lift this team
on his shoulders and carry him across the finish line.
(20:38):
That's where we're at right now, folks, because the path
is clear, no mystery, no debate, but the margin for
air is razor thin. Carolina twice, Miami once. That is
your season. And Carolina is not a pushover. They're right
there for a reason. They know if they sweep Tampa,
(20:58):
they take the division. That's their motivation, a dumpster fire
to winning the NFC. Sell. If you want to talk
about a rags to riches story, that is what Dave
Canalis has put together in Carolina. And that's playoff football
in December. And you know, meanwhile in NFC, you know
there's chaos everywhere. If you didn't know, if you take
(21:20):
a look at Mahomes, Oh, I feel so bad for
Kansas city. I don't that has turned into a soap opera.
But the Bears bouncing up and down in the standings,
Rams and Seahawks heading for a heavyweight showdown, Packers banged
up but dangerous, and the forty Niners lurking. That's the
thirty thousand foot view of the NFL right now, But
(21:42):
none of that matters for US Bucks fans. If Tampa
doesn't handle their own business defensively, there are still plays
being made even if the consistency hasn't been there. Hassan
Reddick strips sacking quarterbacks, Levante David's ill forcing fumbles like
its second nature. Chase McLoughlin being historically reliable from deep
(22:07):
that kicker is money from fifty plus. But the success
rate ever in tight December games, that's not a footnote,
that's a weapon. And how many games are won and
loss based on field goal either making it or not
making it, And the pressure is tremendous on the not
so sexy names in the NFL. But make no mistake
(22:29):
about it, Chase McLoughlin could be a secret weapon for
the Bucks. Should come as no surprise. And I don't
like games that are won based on a field goal.
At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what
I like. A win is a win and a loss
is a loss. But when it comes down to, you know,
making a field goal to win a game, it just
(22:50):
to me, it feels like it needs to be cleaner.
Here's the part that gets overlooked. The Core has done
this before, winning the NFC self titles multiple times, play
football every year. Veterans who understand the December pressure. You
know Levante David right that he has been here before,
Evans Godwin, They're no stranger to this. And you know
(23:13):
Sterling Shepherd said it perfectly. Everything they want is right
in front of them, in front of them, not hidden,
not complicated, just do the damn thing that you did
to start the season. But wanting it and taking it
are two different things. Right this week in Carolina sets
the tone for everything when and suddenly the Bucks can
(23:35):
smell it again, lose and the pressure becomes suffocating. The
wheel that was wobbling a little bit is going like
this now down the road. And what happens when that
wheel wobbles too much It falls off. I don't want
this to season to go out in a whimper again,
to circle back to what I talked about in the
first segment. You know, Todd Bowles, you know, and I'll
(23:58):
talk about it that in the next episode is really
going to have to hope that his team is going
to pull a rabbit out of its hat because he
is on the hottest of seats right now. And I
expect big change. Expect big changes. I think the Glazers
have seen enough that you know, you see where the
Buccaneers started, and you know, somehow, some way they missed
(24:21):
the playoffs or don't make a deep push, then I
think things will get ugly for this organization in a hurry.
Expect changes at the head coaching position, those kind of things,
you know, and just all everything that's associated was Grizzard
the right guy. So buckle up because this season isn't
(24:41):
fading out quietly. It's ending with Division Football, meaningful games
and a chance to make it five straight NFC seuth titles.
Two wins, just two wins, that is ultimately all it takes.
But like I said, it's ultimately up to the Bucks
to get it done. The future is in their hands.
(25:02):
Will they seize the day? Will Baker Mayfield reprise his
role as Superman again? And swoop in and help this
team win again. The weapons are there, Evans, Godwin McMillan,
Abuka Irving, Tucker, Chase McLaughlin, a great quarterback, a defense
(25:22):
that's a bit suspect. That's what's going to have to
clamp down. Let the offense. Hopefully that offense can can
rekindle those early season vibes and ultimately help lift this
Buccaneers team into victory lane. All Right, once again, I
want to thank you for joining me on this edition
of The Bucks Report, part of The Bucks Report podcast network,
(25:44):
and also on the Bucks Minicast part of the Fans
for Sports Network. And I'll talk to you guys again
next time.
On today's show, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers blew a lead,
lost a game, and still woke up in first place.
That's the NFC South in December, and the buck season
is officially down to three games, two wins and zero excuses.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Then then then then then.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Well, hello and welcome into this edition of the Box
Report podcast, part of the Bucks 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.
My name is Dan Holmie. You can find me on Twitter.
It's at Dan Caps two and eight. You can find
(01:17):
us online bucksreport dot com. And the best way that
you can help grow this show is to subscribe to
the Box Report on YouTube, like the videos and comment
anything down below. So in this edition of the Bucks Report,
things are about as bad as they possibly can be
(01:37):
for this team. I did not have an episode for
you guys last week as I was sick along with
my children. But my how much a difference, you know,
a week or so can make that the team was
playing so well and it doesn't seem like it was
that long ago that the Buccaneers were on top of
the world, top of the NFC South, which they still
(02:00):
are if you can believe it. It speaks to how
bad the NFC seuth truly is. But complacency, poor play, injuries,
bad coaching have all been drawn into focus and the
future of this season is definitely into question, being drawn
into question. And some people might say, Dan, have you
(02:23):
taken a look at the standings The last I checked,
the Buccaneers are in first place? Yeah, And to that
I would say, how confident and how good do you
feel about this team right now? Despite the box score
line about this team? And that's ultimately what it is
where the standings rather lying about this team that had they,
(02:44):
you know, played in a different division, that they would
not be faring too well right now. Because they started
out really hot. They overcame adversity to the wide receiver
position and the running back position and you know Tristan
Wurfs to start the season that they found a way
to overcome. But now as players have started to trickle back,
(03:06):
we saw Evans in the last game, we saw Jalen
McMillan that this team, you know, the feeling was I
was saying it as well, is that this team is
going to be unstoppable. What we have seen as Baker
Mayfield is fallible. He's not as bulletproof or I hate
to say it, maybe as great as we initially thought.
Now we could talk about that being a poor supporting cast.
(03:31):
And you know, when you start hearing people saying it's
the creamsickle jerseys, burn those things. And when you start
pointing to the jersey that your team's wearing and putting
a you know, pinning that on while your team lost,
well then I think things are really doom and gloom
for your team. But let's dive into it here talking
about how ugly things went here and in a lot
(03:53):
of ways, how lucky the Buccaneers are that Carolina, Yes,
that Carolina team lost to the Saints here. So the
big takeaway to start segment one here is the Buccaneers
still control their destiny and that matters more than how
ugly it feels right now. And this is a team
(04:14):
that is going to have to dig the deepest that
it's ever had to dig because they're playing Carolina. And
if you guys don't know, I'll catch you up. The
Carolina Panthers are actually pretty good. Yes, this is in
some fever dream, this team that was an absolute dumpster
fire last season is good under the leadership in tutelage
of a former coach and Dave Canalis, if you can
(04:37):
believe that. But let's slow this down for a second,
because the noise around the team right now is loud,
really loud. Loss is piling up late game collapses. Remember
those early season late game heroics, And I talked about
with Steve Steve Versnick if it's sustainable. Well, as it
(04:58):
turns out that maybe the Buccany got lucky to start
this season. And I talked about that as well. Is
that when it comes to late game heroics and it's
a coin flip if your team's gonna win or lose,
that you can feel confident that you won. But even
in the beginning of the season where the Buccaneers had
to eke out victories, I think that maybe we're seeing
that that the Bucks as a matter of fact, got
(05:19):
lucky to start this season because the fans right now frustrated.
You listen to Rick Stroud who says that he's not
a fan of the team. Rick Stroud and Steve Wursnick
on Sports Day Tampa Bay always says, listen, I'm not
a fan of the Bucks. Well, I'm here to tell
you he sound pretty pissed off for a guy that's
not a fan of a team that he covers. If
(05:40):
he was just someone talking about his team as a journalist,
I don't think he'd care that much, and you could
tell that he does care. But the biggest takeaway heading
into the week sixteen is still this. The Buccaneers control
their own destiny in the NFC self rate now and
(06:00):
it's the games Atlanta. There is no reason, there is
no reason that the Buccaneers should have lost that game,
and there is no reason that they should have lost
the game the week before to the Saints. In my
last episode, I said that, you know you don't want
to fall into a trap game, and what happened. The
Bucks lost to the lowly Saints, a team that has
(06:23):
absolutely nothing to play for other than to be spoiler
to a team that's in contention, in this case the Buccaneers.
And same goes for Kirk Cousins and the Falcons who
took it to the Buccaneers. And I know it doesn't
feel good saying that. After a blowing a two touchdown
lead at home on Thursday night, the Falcons loss stung,
(06:47):
and there's no way around it. Your up late, the
rain is coming down, and the crowd is ready to celebrate,
and then suddenly Atlanta walks you off with a field goal.
Brutal season defining tighte moment, or at least it felt
like it that the lowest point around this team and
the questions if Carolina, as a matter of fact, does
(07:08):
win the NFC South. And I'll talk about a little
bit later in this episode in another episode this week
about Todd Bowles on the hot seat, the hottest of
seats right now and despite you know, whatever happens with
the Buccaneers this season, unless they win a Super Bowl
or make it really a deep push, I think that
(07:28):
he has coached his last season in Tampa. But then
you take a look at it, the way this team
has struggled, and for a few days it was like
the Bucks fell into second place for the first time
in over a year, three hundred and seventy six days
without looking up at someone else in the division. That's
(07:49):
not nothing. But then Sunday hits the Saints beat Carolina.
It's not often that as a Bucks fan you're rooting
for the Saints, but in this case we were, and
just like that, everything flipped back Bucks five hundred Football
right now, wasn't it five and one? Not too long ago?
Bucks seven and seven, Panthers seven and seven. Tampa Bay
(08:11):
holds the tiebreaker. Do we want it to come down
to this? Do we want to back into victory? I've
been to this movie before when it comes to the Bucks,
and you know ultimately why Bowl still has his job
because the resume, but the clock management and the poor
decision making are still something that he struggles with. And
(08:32):
that's the part people keep glossing over. Tampa Bay is
technically in first place, not because someone gifted it to them,
but because of their earlier work that matters. Those late
game heroics, which I spoke to you guys about, is
why we're in the position that we're in. If those
games obviously had flipped the other way, I would be
talking to about a Buccaneers team on the outside looking in.
(08:55):
But now here's where the season really tightens. The next
three weeks are not abstract, not hypothetical. They're crystal clear.
Win any two of the next three games and you
win the NFC South Sweet Carolina and it's over. That's
not going to be easy. I think they maybe win one,
but I wouldn't be surprised at this point based on
(09:15):
trajectory and what we've seen here that they lose them
both split Carolina beat Miami, still over. You know, there's
no weird math, no prank for help, no scoreboard watching,
and let's be honest, right, this division has been a
mess all year. If you want to know what I'm
talking about, just take a look around the NFL, you know,
(09:38):
and what kind of how many wins first place looks
like in the AFC East eleven and three, Steelers eight
and six in the AFC North, Jaggs ten and four
in the AFC South, and the Broncos twelve and two.
And then you take a look at the NFC South,
the Buccaneers seven and seven, five hundred football in first place,
(10:00):
you know, Bears ten and four, Eagles nine and five.
That I mean, it's not hyperbole. If the Buccaneers were
not in this division, they would be out of it,
right or definitely on the outside looking in. But there's
a lot at steak and they ultimately have to and
hope that they can find a way to dig deep,
(10:20):
because let's be honest, this division, like I said, has
been a mess. Nobody has taken it and said this
is mine. Atlanta has blown opportunities. They were a favorite
to do bigger things this year with Penix Junior right.
New Orleans blew opportunities. They need a quarterback. Carolina has
been up and down, and Tampa Bay has not capitalized
(10:41):
fully either, but they're still here. Confidence level vibe Checkbucks fans,
how confident do you feel about this team sitting atop
of the NFC South. It's like stealing a kid's lunch money. Good,
you have a couple dollars in your wallet, but you
stole it from a kid. That's kind of where I feel,
or how I feel about the Buccaneers right now. Going
(11:03):
to Carolina this week, that's the swing game. Bank of
America Stadium, one pm kickoff, Divisional Football. You win that
game and suddenly the pressure flips. Carolina becomes the chaser,
Tampa Bay becomes the closer. Lose it, and now you're
on the rope. So yeah, it's uncomfortable, but it's also
very simple. The Bucks are not out of anything. They're
(11:26):
standing right in the middle of it. And that's not
something every team can say. In late December. Again, it
is what it is. It feels a bit to me
like stolen valor, but not really. I understand the lay
of the land that the Buccaneers are in the position
that they're in due to pulling rabbits out of their
hat to start the season. There have not been a
(11:47):
whole lot of rabbits coming out of said hats when
they should have. Right that, the Saints should have been
a win, the Falcons should have been a win. They
were not. So ultimately, Buccaneers will have to dig extra deep.
All right. So coming up here after the break, we'll
talk about Mike Evans didn't just return, he stabilized the
(12:09):
entire offense. 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 you can find this
podcast on the Bucks Minutecast podcast feed, a part of
(12:31):
the Fans for Sports Network. So in segment two here
Mike Evans returning, and that gave us the vibes that, Wow,
we're back, Jalen McMillan back, Wow we are back, baby.
Well not so fast that seeing Mike Evans out there
felt good, right, it really did, But ultimately it was
(12:52):
not enough to get it done. So let's just talk
about the box score. Baker Mayfield a nineteen for thirty
four passing, two touchdowns, one interception. We take a look
at the game, Sean Tucker a touchdown in this game,
but Mike Evans for receiving six receptions one hundred and
thirty two yards. And then you take a look at Abuca.
(13:15):
You know who has been not the Abuka that we
remember from earlier this season, Jalen McMillan, who made his
return after he was injured. What was it preseason against
the Steelers, if memory serves, two receptions thirty eight yards,
and you know that that's not too surprising to me,
honestly that the Buccaneers were floundering, Baker was floundering, and
(13:39):
it was the first game back in a while for
Evans and McMillan. That you have to limit expectations, right,
but they're back and that should have been the positive
push that you need. So let's talk about what actually
looked good, because there was good on Thursday night, and
it starts with Mike Evans. If anyone forgot who might
(14:00):
Evans is, he reminded you real quick. First came back
from injury, and he immediately becomes the engine of the
offense again. And like I said, it was a good feeling.
But again, you know, Mike Evans is often thought that
you know he's going to do it all. He can't
do it all. But what did he do? Six catches,
one hundred and thirty two yards, explosive plays downfield, drawing
(14:23):
coverage on every snap, and those chunk plays weren't accidents.
Thirty three yards, forty five yards. That's not schemed fluff.
That's Mike Evans being Mike Evans and a guy I
think that it's safe to say on the back nine
of his football career still has that kind of swigger
(14:45):
and is ultimately able to draw coverage every time that
he's out there. And the thing that stood out most
to me wasn't the numbers, It was the confidence shift
that I think that the Buccaneers play more confidently when
Evans is in the mix, because I think that when
you looked at the game, Baker Mayfield looked different with
(15:06):
Evans out there, more decisive at points, more willing to
push it, more trust in what he's seeing, because you know,
when Evans is on the field, defenses have to respect
it or he'll make them pay. You see safety shade
corners play, softer windows open and then layer and Jalen McMillan,
like I said, who was really great to see him
(15:27):
back in there and suddenly this offense looks like it
has shape again again. It was so close. If you
didn't watch the game that you know, I hate to
keep banging the drum on it again and again, but
it was twenty nine twenty eight falcons taken this one
that I think that is what stings the most is
(15:49):
that it was right there for the taking and they
weren't able to do it. But you know, McMillan didn't
blow up the statute, but he mattered physical in the
run game, smart route run, pre snap motion, creating leverage
and nearly had a touchdown. And that's, you know, again,
quite a statement for a guy that has missed a
chunk of time here and Tristan Wurf's talked about the
(16:11):
energy these guys brought in the real broken collarbone, broken neck,
that's not week to week, that's months of rehab. And
if you remember back, I'm having to check my mind
here if I remember right, he was jumping up to
catch a football football by Teddy Bridgewater and did not
go so well for him. And when guys come back
(16:33):
from that and immediately bring juice, the locker room feels it.
And you know, take a look at the ripple down.
In fact, Chris Godwin finds the end zone again, a
Mecca Abuka continues his rookie surge, Devin Culp finally gets
a tight end touchdown on the season, and Sean Tucker
keeps finding the end zone at a ridiculous rate. So
(16:55):
you know, when you take a look at the players
that stepped up, you know, like I said, Godwin four
receptions twenty yards a tuddy in the game, those are
good things. So you know, when you just take a
look at the players as like a chess match, right
that you had Evans, you have Godwin out there, and
you have Jalen McMillan, you have a mecha Abuka that
(17:17):
you know, the excuses really aren't there. You have your weaponry,
you have every receiver that you need out there, and
still can't pull down the dub. I think that is
what is especially frustrating for me because this offense isn't elite,
but it's not dead either. It's been wounded and that's
the difference and how the Buccaneers won games earlier in
(17:38):
the season quite dinged up and Mike Evans specifically, we
can't just gloss over the historical stuff. Forty three career
one hundred yard games including playoffs, third most among active players,
closing in on thirteen thousand career yards, top ten all
time in receiving touchdowns, and that's Hall of Fame stuff, right,
(18:03):
that's franchise cornerstone stuff. So that if Evan stays healthy
over these next three weeks, the buccaneers ceiling rises immediately.
But we're going to need these guys to dig deep
because suddenly defenses can't cheat. Suddenly Baker has has answers.
Suddenly the run game has space. But we need Baker
(18:23):
to be Baker. We need the defense to step up,
which has been the achilles of this team for large
swaths of the season as well, and in December football,
that matters more than the flashy numbers. So that is
what we're ultimately hoping for, right guys, That the Buccaneers
can do what they did earlier in the season, and
hopefully that breed success. Hopefully is the operative word, all right,
(18:47):
So coming up here after the break, the road is clear,
but the Bucks have zero margin for air. I'll discuss
straight to all right, Welcome back into this edition of
the Bucks Report podcast. Part of the Bucks Report podcast
(19:09):
again simulcast on the Bucks Minutecast podcast feed, a part
of the Fans' first sports network. So let's dive into
the final segment of today's show. The road is clear,
but the Bucks have zero margin for air. Because let's
zoom out and bring it all together, because that's what
it's all about. I talked about the game, I talked
(19:31):
about the additions, right back to the team, Evans, McMillan,
Godwin playing a good game ultimately not enough to win.
But now let's talk about what matters, and that is
the path to the playoffs and not just making the playoffs.
This team has got to play better or you made
(19:52):
it to the playoffs and will be sniffed out in
a hurry, just like a snuff film you're gonna get
just it's gonna end in a hurry. And right now,
you know if the Buccaneers, you know, just based on
playing in a truly horrible division, somehow, some way find
a way to make it to the playoffs. And I
understand they're gonna have to win games to get to
send playoffs, but they need to play better on all fronts, offensively, defensively.
(20:16):
That it was good to see Evans. Hopefully that's amplified
Godwin McMillan to see more from Abuca, Bucky Tucker, but
more most importantly here Baker. We need vintage early season
Baker Mayfield, a guy that's going to lift this team
on his shoulders and carry him across the finish line.
(20:38):
That's where we're at right now, folks, because the path
is clear, no mystery, no debate, but the margin for
air is razor thin. Carolina twice, Miami once. That is
your season. And Carolina is not a pushover. They're right
there for a reason. They know if they sweep Tampa,
(20:58):
they take the division. That's their motivation, a dumpster fire
to winning the NFC. Sell. If you want to talk
about a rags to riches story, that is what Dave
Canalis has put together in Carolina. And that's playoff football
in December. And you know, meanwhile in NFC, you know
there's chaos everywhere. If you didn't know, if you take
(21:20):
a look at Mahomes, Oh, I feel so bad for
Kansas city. I don't that has turned into a soap opera.
But the Bears bouncing up and down in the standings,
Rams and Seahawks heading for a heavyweight showdown, Packers banged
up but dangerous, and the forty Niners lurking. That's the
thirty thousand foot view of the NFL right now, But
(21:42):
none of that matters for US Bucks fans. If Tampa
doesn't handle their own business defensively, there are still plays
being made even if the consistency hasn't been there. Hassan
Reddick strips sacking quarterbacks, Levante David's ill forcing fumbles like
its second nature. Chase McLoughlin being historically reliable from deep
(22:07):
that kicker is money from fifty plus. But the success
rate ever in tight December games, that's not a footnote,
that's a weapon. And how many games are won and
loss based on field goal either making it or not
making it, And the pressure is tremendous on the not
so sexy names in the NFL. But make no mistake
(22:29):
about it, Chase McLoughlin could be a secret weapon for
the Bucks. Should come as no surprise. And I don't
like games that are won based on a field goal.
At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what
I like. A win is a win and a loss
is a loss. But when it comes down to, you know,
making a field goal to win a game, it just
(22:50):
to me, it feels like it needs to be cleaner.
Here's the part that gets overlooked. The Core has done
this before, winning the NFC self titles multiple times, play
football every year. Veterans who understand the December pressure. You
know Levante David right that he has been here before,
Evans Godwin, They're no stranger to this. And you know
(23:13):
Sterling Shepherd said it perfectly. Everything they want is right
in front of them, in front of them, not hidden,
not complicated, just do the damn thing that you did
to start the season. But wanting it and taking it
are two different things. Right this week in Carolina sets
the tone for everything when and suddenly the Bucks can
(23:35):
smell it again, lose and the pressure becomes suffocating. The
wheel that was wobbling a little bit is going like
this now down the road. And what happens when that
wheel wobbles too much It falls off. I don't want
this to season to go out in a whimper again,
to circle back to what I talked about in the
first segment. You know, Todd Bowles, you know, and I'll
(23:58):
talk about it that in the next episode is really
going to have to hope that his team is going
to pull a rabbit out of its hat because he
is on the hottest of seats right now. And I
expect big change. Expect big changes. I think the Glazers
have seen enough that you know, you see where the
Buccaneers started, and you know, somehow, some way they missed
(24:21):
the playoffs or don't make a deep push, then I
think things will get ugly for this organization in a hurry.
Expect changes at the head coaching position, those kind of things,
you know, and just all everything that's associated was Grizzard
the right guy. So buckle up because this season isn't
(24:41):
fading out quietly. It's ending with Division Football, meaningful games
and a chance to make it five straight NFC seuth titles.
Two wins, just two wins, that is ultimately all it takes.
But like I said, it's ultimately up to the Bucks
to get it done. The future is in their hands.
(25:02):
Will they seize the day? Will Baker Mayfield reprise his
role as Superman again? And swoop in and help this
team win again. The weapons are there, Evans, Godwin McMillan,
Abuka Irving, Tucker, Chase McLaughlin, a great quarterback, a defense
(25:22):
that's a bit suspect. That's what's going to have to
clamp down. Let the offense. Hopefully that offense can can
rekindle those early season vibes and ultimately help lift this
Buccaneers team into victory lane. All Right, once again, I
want to thank you for joining me on this edition
of The Bucks Report, part of The Bucks Report podcast network,
(25:44):
and also on the Bucks Minicast part of the Fans
for Sports Network. And I'll talk to you guys again
next time.
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