The Bucs just wrapped up their 2026 preseason slate with one of the more hideous displays of football you’ll ever see on an NFL field, reserves or not. They lost 19-0 to the Jaguars at EverBank Stadium, and very little went right for Todd Bowles and his team.

The offense was bad from the jump and never got better. Rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels was 8-of-15 for 57 yards and lost a fumble. He was also sacked three times. Jake Browning eventually relieved him in the third quarter and went 2-of-4 for 2 yards and was sacked twice in his very brief cameo. Speaking of brief cameos, Connor Bazelak was 2-of-2 for 5 yards.

The run game didn’t get going, either, with Sean Tucker averaging 3 yards per carry and Josh Williams averaging a paltry 2.6 yards per attempt.

Overall, the offense totaled 87 net yards and just six first downs. The unit averaged 1.9 yards per play and went 2-of-12 on third downs. In the end, that resulted in the Bucs getting shut out in a preseason game for the first time since 1989, when they suffered a 30-0 exhibition loss to the Colts.

Bucs QB Jalon Daniels – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Tampa Bay’s special teams unit – particularly the punt team – didn’t help matters, either. Riley Dixon had to punt 10 times, which is a problem itself. Missed tackles, bad angles and, at times, poor effort plagued the Bucs all night, as the Jaguars came up with returns of 15, 11, 12, 29 and 15 yards. And that’s without even getting to the 63-yard punt return touchdown the unit allowed to Michael Wortham.

The only glint of positivity Friday night for Todd Bowles and Co. was the play of the defense. Early on, it was a great collective effort by the group, as Jacksonville only put up 122 total net yards and was 0-for-6 on third downs during the first half. The only points against Bowles’ defense came on a 61-yard field goal that capped off a 15-yard drive.

There were strong individual performances early, too, with Anthony Nelson, Elijah Roberts, Caden Fordham, Ayden Garnes, DeMonte Capehart, Keionte Scott and Elijah Simmons all having their moments. And while the defense allowed a long touchdown drive in the third quarter, it largely did its part to keep Tampa Bay in the game over the final 30 minutes, too. Jack Pyburn was a huge standout with two sacks, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup.

Bucs OLB Anthony Nelson – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

So, generally speaking, the defense was a plus Friday night. But with two negatives – the offense and special teams – out of a possible three, you’re not going to win many games. And that’s something head coach Todd Bowles was very straightforward about following the game.

Todd Bowles Gives A Blunt Assessment Of Bucs’ Performance

So, what did Todd Bowles have to say after his team’s 19-0 loss to Liam Coen and his Jacksonville squad?

“Not good enough,” Bowles said. “Any time you get shut out… I didn’t think we protected the quarterback enough. We couldn’t run the ball. We gave up a special teams touchdown. The defense fought. They had some mistakes, but at least they fought. I thought two out of three phases didn’t show up.”

Bucs HC Todd Bowles and Jaguars HC Liam Coen – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

Two out of three phases “not showing up” in a preseason finale in which many were fighting for their jobs – whether with Tampa Bay or elsewhere – is a tough look. Because this game wasn’t a reflection on Bowles and those expected to contribute at a high level for the 2026 Bucs. This was a reflection of guys trying to stick in the NFL and achieve their dreams, and most of those guys fell short.

Again, that’s a tough look. But if there’s any silver lining to it, maybe it helps Todd Bowles, general manager Jason Licht and their respective staffs on some of the decisions they’ll need to make to cut the roster down from 90 players to 53 by Sunday evening. Granted, the overall body of work is going to be taken into consideration more than just the preseason finale. But for so many, the final chance to make an impression before these decisions are made went to waste.

Friday night wasn’t good enough for the Bucs, but they got some valuable work in during their week in Jacksonville, especially with joint practices Tuesday and Wednesday. Now, it’s time to make those roster decisions and set sights on Week 1 in Cincinnati on Sept. 13.

In other words…