INTRO: We got some really good stuff and some very candid comments from the Bucs players and coaches this week, including some exclusive quotes I got from cornerback Zyon McCollum and right tackle Luke Goedeke. The Buccaneers were pissed off this week, starting on Sunday when the defense surrendered four big, explosive plays, including a pair of TreVeyon Henderson touchdown runs of 55 and 69 yards – and continuing on Monday when Todd Bowles ripped his players.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield and the offense were also pissed off after letting an early 7-0 lead evaporate on Sunday. Enjoy!

FAB 1. Inside Todd Bowles’ Heated Defensive Meeting On Monday

Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr. wasn’t the only one who had to stand up in front of the team to get called out by head coach Todd Bowles in Monday’s team meeting following the 28-23 loss to the Patriots.

Winfield, one of the team’s best defensive players and a team captain, had to stand there and get chewed out by Bowles for not properly containing Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson on his 69-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter to give New England a 28-16 lead.

Bowles’ volume was raised in front of the team as he pointed out how Winfield tried to go inside of 335-pound nose tackle Khyiris Tonga, who was moonlighting as a fullback, to make a failed tackle attempt rather than maintaining outside leverage and containing the run.

But Winfield was not the lone star player to have to stand up and get called out in front of the team by Bowles, who was doing exactly what he needed to do to drive home his point to his defense.

Cornerback Zyon McCollum was among several players who had to stand there and take Bowles’ wrath on Monday – more than once. Bowles gave McCollum hell for getting lazy and allowing wide receiver Mack Hollins to get behind him on third-and-14 for a 54-yard deep shot inside Tampa Bay’s red zone.

Yet nothing infuriates Bowles, who prides himself on producing top-ranked rushing defense, like giving up long touchdown runs. And McCollum got called out on that play too – even though he was the furthest Buccaneer away from the ball.

“If you want to bring out another version of [Bowles] – another side of him … a lot of the time he’s calm and stoic, but he has no tolerance for stuff like that,” McCollum said. “You can play a great game, but give up four big plays and it’s 28 points. That’s the main thing.

“[Safeties] Coach [Nick] Rapone, he put up a cut-up [film] and we watched all of the explosive plays against us. It’s to the point to where we’re playing 90% of a great game but then we give up a few big plays. [Bowles] has zero tolerance for it – and he let us hear it for sure.”

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles and ILB Lavonte David – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

There was no pussyfooting around by Bowles on Monday, and he called McCollum out for loafing on Henderson’s late touchdown run because he didn’t sprint to the ball from the backside of the play.

“If I sprinted – it’s not a big play, absolutely,” McCollum said. “Yes, I was one of the ones that was called out. He came up to me and said, ‘You get lazy as the games go, you get lazy and you start standing straight up.’

“He wants to harp on me about finishing. Finishing these fourth quarters. Not get lazy if I don’t get any action [my way] and don’t get out of the game [mentally]. But also understanding that’s where I’m going to make my plays – from me running to the ball and using my effort. So yeah, I was definitely one of those guys called out.”

McCollum said he and his teammates responded the right way in practice this week.

“It wasn’t a fun film study,” McCollum said. “Even in the team meeting he was calling guys out, and having guys stand up and be men about the situation that we’re in and what we have to do to move forward. He even called out a lot of our leaders. It was a good meeting and sometimes losing is better than winning [in the short term]. You want to win, but sometimes you need to take that punch – and this will only make us better.”

Bucs outside linebackers coach and run game coordinator Larry Foote said that a big play can happen on any play and that’s why focus and attention to detail matter.

“Every play counts,” Foote said. “Every play counts – just as first-and-10 or the second play coming out of the half, you have got to do your job. Ultimately, that is why we lost the game. Every play is important, and you [have] to be focused, you [have] to take care of the little details.”

“It takes a little fight out of the team and it’s easy. Going back to it, you just have to learn from it. You have to do your job every play, but it takes a little life out of you when you give up that explosion play.”

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

I asked Bowles on Monday if he had gotten over those two long touchdown runs by Henderson. He told the media he had moved on from those – but only after reaming out his defense for allowing them.

“As a coach or a player, you always take the negative plays and you remember everything in life,” Bowles said. “So, I’ll remember those plays for the rest of my life. But, [I’m] not upset, I’ve moved on. I understand it. It’s a learning teaching point you can go back on and say, ‘I remember when…’ You just never get over it; you just move on from it.”

The media saw the calm, stoic version of Bowles on Monday, while the players saw the pissed off version.

“There’s nothing Bowles hates worse than giving up big runs, and we gave up two big ones last week,” said Bucs outside linebacker Yaya Diaby said. “We heard about it and that’s why we’re putting a big emphasis on that and getting back to stuffing the run.”

After Wednesday’s walk-through, Bowles put a huge emphasis on having all 11 players hustle to the ball during Thursday’s practice.

“That was a big emphasis, especially at practice [Thursday],” Diaby said. “Running to the ball – even the guys on the backside tracking, just to get all 11 guys to the ball.”

McCollum said Bowles’ message came through loud and clear all week in team meetings, film study and practice. And it doesn’t get any easier for Tampa Bay’s defense this week as Buffalo running back James Cook III is the NFL’s second-leading rusher this season with 920 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 5.5 yards per carry.

Former Bucs ILB Devin White and Bills RB James Cook – Photo by: USA Today

“That’s exactly what Bowles was seeing in our meeting [on Thursday],” McCollum said. “He said, ‘I better see all 11 hats at the ball! We need to work on the backside and everyone flowing to the ball. We’ll redo plays all day if we have to – in order to get all 11 to the ball.’

“James Cook – he sees the film. They all see the film. He thinks he can probably fit something up, and we’re welcoming that challenge because we want to know that we can bounce back. We want to know that we have cleaned everything up. It will be an awesome test.”

Cook already has five 100-yard rushing games this year, including a 216-yard, two-touchdown performance in a 40-9 win at Carolina in Week 7, followed by a 114-yard effort in a 28-21 win over Kansas City the next week.

“He’s dangerous,” Bowles said. “He’s very dangerous. He can do a lot of things running and catching the football. if you’re a half-step late, he’s going to take it to the house.”

McCollum said that Bowles’ message was sent and received this week, and that the team has had a pissed off attitude leading up to Sunday’s game at Buffalo.

“We’re excited and we’re buzzing around,” Bowles said. “You wouldn’t tell on the field that we are a team that lost last week. In the meeting rooms, we took those punches and we took them hard – and we’re ready to respond. You have to be pissed off.

“Me, thinking about the plays that I gave up – and us thinking about plays that we gave up, it pisses us off. Coach Bowles, he loves to poke the bear too and get us going. We’re all pretty pissed off to be honest with you.”

FAB 2. Pissed Off Baker Mayfield Is Searching For Killer Instinct On Offense

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles wasn’t the only one sounding the alarm following Tampa Bay’s 28-23 loss to New England on Sunday. His quarterback also got in on the act, calling out himself and the offense for lacking a killer instinct.

Tampa Bay’s defense was not the only pissed off unit at the AdventHealth Training Center this week. So was the Bucs offense.

“Offensively, I’m hoping our guys do get pissed off about this,” Mayfield said after Sunday’s loss. “This isn’t the end of our season. I know that. We still have very important games ahead of us. Games like this, when you don’t win them, it should sting. It should really, really hurt.”

“When the stuff comes up during the week and when there’s mistakes or things we talk about and then it shows up on Sundays, you have to have some pride about you,” Mayfield said. “You’ve got to have the fear of that failure of messing up for your teammates. When we talk about something, you’ve got to have that responsibility and accountability for the guys around you and get it fixed. In tight ball games like this when you play a good team like the Patriots, little things will get you beat.”

Mayfield continued.

“Lack of execution,” Mayfield said. “There is a certain point — we are a good team, but to be great, when you score on the opening drive, you know what it looks like, you set the tone, you’re not satisfied with it. You come back, and in your head, it’s 0-0 and you go do it again. Right now, I think we are lacking that on offense and it comes down to me – that is my job to get that fixed and I will do that.”

What did Mayfield think was lacking?

“Killer instinct,” he said.

Bowles approved of Mayfield’s message this week.

“When you’re one of the captains of the team, you know what it looks like,” Bowles said. “You know, we encourage accountability here. We don’t pull any wooden nickels out of here. So, we talk about it when we do good and when we do bad and what we need to do better as a team. He spoke and everybody took it the right way.

“You know, we’re not getting on anybody in a bad way, but leadership counts on this team. So when certain people talk, you know, everybody takes heat for it. So, I’m perfectly fine with it.”

Bucs OC Josh Grizzard – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Bowles wasn’t the only coach who applauded Mayfield for calling out himself and others on offense for making critical mistakes in the loss to New England. So did offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard.

“I agree with it,” Grizzard said. “I echoed everything he said on Monday as well, because when you have a practice week and you’re having a play and it might not have been executed the way you wanted to execute it, there’s not a lot of time to run a lot of these plays multiple times because you move on to third down or the red area. Guys have to be able to correct it at that point and know when we get in the game, you have to execute it at a high level, and you might not get another rep at that, especially full speed to do it.

“When he talks about the killer instinct, I’d echo that as well. We’re coming off a bye week, guys got time off. We talk about starting fast, we go down there and get seven points – and then you go down there on the second drive and it sputters out. That’s, I think, where the killer instinct needs to come in – that seven [points] is not enough, especially some of these high-powered offenses. It’s got to be for 60 minutes, and if it takes more than that, it takes more than that. You can’t let off just because you got seven on the first drive.”

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

Word from a few offensive players is that the unit was very focused and locked in on the details on Thursday. We’ll see if it carries over to Friday’s practice and how that translates to the field on Sunday in Buffalo.

“Last week was last week,” said Bucs right tackle Luke Goedeke, who returned to action for the first time on Sunday since Week 2. “It sucks that we lost, but we can’t change that. Don’t get me wrong, we are absolutely focused – laser-focused – on getting a win this week. I like to not even think about last week.

“Yeah, it happened – but learn and grow from it. I have a short memory. How many games do we have left – at least eight? Hopefully many more than that. I’m ready for the Bills and getting a win against a great opponent. A win against the Bills would be huge for us.”

FAB 3. Luke Goedeke Was Pissed Off That He Missed Six Games

Bucs right tackle Luke Goedeke was excited and grateful to return to the field on Sunday, despite the team’s 28-23 loss to the Patriots. That was a far cry from how he felt in Houston in Week 2 when he had an early exit due to a foot injury that worsened with him trying to play on it.

“To be honest with you, it felt great,” Goedeke said. “I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. Anytime I am away from the game I miss it. I miss being out there with the guys. You don’t get the same kind of camaraderie when you’re not out there practicing [and] when you’re not out there playing, it’s just really not the same. It really sucks, but it is what it is and it’s part of the game.”

On Thursday, Goedeke revealed exactly what type of foot injury he was dealing with.

Bucs RT Luke Goedeke – Photo by: Jeffrey Jones/PR

“I tore my plantar fascia and it had to scar down, and I had a bunch of rehab I had to do,” Goedeke said. “I strained some muscles and had a contusion. It was just not at a good place with where it was at.”

Goedeke, who did not have surgery on his foot, was not in a good place mentally, having to deal with that early season foot injury, which really pissed him off.

“[I was] not the most pleasant at times to be around,” Goedeke said. “Football is what my life revolves around. I train in the offseason and make these sacrifices in-season and in the offseason to be in the best physical shape in-season and to have that taken away from you – it’s very frustrating.”

I had the chance to speak to Goedeke one-on-one on Thursday and he expanded on what it was like having to deal with that foot injury on the heels of signing a massive, four-year, $90-million contract in August, which includes $50 million in guaranteed money.

“I was extremely excited [to return on Sunday] – anytime you miss time it [expletive] blows,” Goedeke said. “It’s very annoying. There’s a saying that when you see guys crying because they get injured, it’s not the pain. It’s because of how much time they know they’re going to miss. I was really itching to get back out there with the guys, get back out with the offense as a whole and try to win games.”

Bucs RT Luke Goedeke and Patriots OLB Harold Landry III – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

There was a false report during Goedeke’s six-game absence that he was done for the season. That was never in doubt, according to the star right tackle.

“I was coming back at some point, it was just a matter of when, and just kind of how things were progressing,” Goedeke said. “Just trying to push through and make sure to check all the boxes before I return.

“Feel good from that standpoint. I’m looking forward to continuing out the season and everything. I’m glad that everything held up.”

I asked Goedeke if it was wise for him to try to play through his plantar fasciitis, which got worse in Week 2 at Houston, forcing him to leave the game.

Bucs RT Luke Goedeke and OT Charlie Heck – Photo by: Jeffrey Jones/PR

“Hindsight is always 20/20,” Goedeke said. “We could say, yeah, if I didn’t play … who knows what would have happened the next week? Obviously, I might have been in better shape. Looking back, maybe I would have liked to take that week off. But again, I hate missing time with my guys.

“I tried pushing through and what happened, happened. We play a dangerous sport in which risk is always involved. How much more injury prone would I have been? It’s tough to say.”

The Bucs’ ground game got an instant boost with Goedeke’s return. Tampa Bay ran for 113 yards against the league’s top-ranked run defense on Sunday. New England was giving up 75.3 yards per game prior to Week 10.

“I think there was progress 100%,” Goedeke said. “There were a few other opportunities we had where we could have capitalized even more in different situations in different run plays. Yeah, we’re looking to get the run game back on track and keep this thing rolling.”

FAB 4. Bucs Must Go In For The Kill Against Josh Allen

Pressures won’t get the job done for Todd Bowles’ defense against Bills Pro Bowl quarterback Josh Allen this week. Even under pressure, Allen can still throw for first downs and touchdowns, and rip off runs that convert third downs or wind up in the end zone.

No, what the Bucs need are sacks this week in Buffalo – plays that do not pick up first downs or score touchdowns. Plays that result in a failed down by the Bills offense and wind up losing yards. Plays that will force Buffalo to try to score field goals on fourth-and-long into what could be 38 mile-per-hour wind gusts on Sunday, rather than go for it on fourth-and-short as a result of an Allen scramble.

At 6-foot-5, 237 pounds, Allen is a load to bring down to his strength. He can stiff-arm would-be tackles and blaze past other defenders.

Bills QB Josh Allen and Bucs S Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photo by: USA Today

“He’s a big guy, like you said, and you’ve got to wrap him up,” Bowles said. “Then you’ve got to try to get him to the ground. Even with you hanging on him, he can still throw the football. So, it’s going to be important that we try to rally and get as many people to the ball as possible and not let him out the pocket and try to make it hard for him.”

When outside linebackers like Yaya Diaby, who had his first NFL sack against Allen back in 2023, and Anthony Nelson, or blitzing defenders like Jacob Parrish, Antoine Winfield Jr., Lavonte David or SirVocea Dennis have the chance to get a point-blank kill shot on Allen they can’t afford to miss the tackle.

“You’ve got to watch your terminology when you say, ‘You have got to kill him,’” Bucs outside linebackers coach Larry Foote said. “You have got to get him down,’ [because] you are going to be more aggressive and [he is] going to use it against you. He’s old school like Brett Favre. He does a real pump fake, and guys have to stay on their feet.

“The coaching part is you’ve got to slow down, come under control and get him down. You’ve got to wrap him up. But when he wants to make the plays, he is going to be able to make the plays, we just cannot let it take over the game.”

Bucs OLB YaYa Diaby and Bills QB Josh Allen – Photo by: USA Today

Bowles has faced off against Allen twice in his time as Tampa Bay’s defensive play-caller. The first time was in a thrilling, 33-27 overtime win in Tampa back in 2021. Allen threw for 308 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, while also running for 109 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, averaging 9.1 yards per carry.

The last time was in 2023 when Allen passed for 324 yards and two touchdowns with one interception in a 24-18 win over the Bucs. Allen also ran for 41 yards and a touchdown that day, with that score coming on a QB draw in the red zone. Buffalo’s dual-threat quarterback thrives in the low red zone area from the 10-yard line to the end zone, where he has scored seven touchdowns this season.

“He’s a freak; he’s hard to get on the ground,” Foote said. “He is unique in the way he’s big and strong, but he can get to his top speed fast. That is why he can rip through some defensive lines. We have got to be disciplined; it is going to take all hands-on deck to get him down. I joke with my guys… Good luck, I’ll be rooting for you guys.

“Good luck – get him down, because if he wants to put his eyes down and take off, it is going to be a challenge for us. We’ve got to be disciplined. We know he is going to make plays; we just cannot allow that element of the game to takeover and dominate.”

Bills QB Josh Allen – Photo by: USA Today

With Allen being able to scramble for first downs or touchdowns, the Bucs need to strike a delicate balance between being aggressive and not being too aggressive when trying to sack him. Tampa Bay recorded two sacks in each of the times the team has faced Allen, and he’s been sacked 20 times this year – with 12 of those coming in the last four games, in which Buffalo is 2-2.

“It’s tough, when he does that boot, when he has [an] option to keep it or throw it, it’s a challenge,” Foote said. “That is why the game is changing in that direction. We’ve got to have a good plan; we’ve got to be disciplined. With that being said, we still have to be aggressive, and we still have to shoot our shot. He is a weapon down there – probably since he’s been in the league, [he is] one of the top in the red zone because of that element.”

FAB 5. SR’s Buc Shots

• The Bucs’ ground game took a big step in last week’s loss to the Patriots, rushing for 113 yards against the NFL’s top-ranked run defense. Up next is a Buffalo defense that is one of the worst against the run, allowing 147.5 yards per game.

Tampa Bay may need to lean on the run this week with the temperature expected to be 42 degrees at kickoff with a wind chill of 29 degrees and windy conditions between 23-38 miles per hour during the game. There’s even a chance of rain or snow flurries. That weather forecast is music to the ears of offensive tackles Luke Goedeke and Tristan Wirfs, who played college football at Central Michigan and Iowa, respectively.

“That’s phenomenal,” Goedeke said. “I saw that and I was like, ‘Music to my ears.’ I cannot ask for nicer weather to play a game.”

Bucs RT Luke Goedeke – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Wirfs is also excited to play in some cooler weather this week, although his blood has kind of thinned out having lived in Florida since being drafted in the first round in 2020.

“I am,” Wirfs said. “I will say, 37 degrees in the morning kind of crushed me. I’ve been down here six years now, and I’m like, ‘That’s cold.’ I’ve softened up a little bit … that’s cold as shit. Playing in it is different, because you’re moving around.

“Just waking up wearing slides out of the house and I was like, ‘My piggies are cold.’ It is gorgeous weather; this is the best time of year in Florida – this stretch coming up. I know we’re all enjoying it.”

• Speaking of Luke Goedeke, his return was a welcomed boost for the offensive line. Left tackle Tristan Wirfs has given “Luke the Lifter” a new nickname.

“‘The Enforcer’ is back, I think I said that last week,” Wirfs said. “It’s just nice having him out there and just hearing him. Knowing my guy is back out there, balling, throwing us bones. I think for everybody, knowing No. 67 is back out there, it’s pretty sweet.”

Bucs RT Luke Goedeke – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

I asked Goedeke if he liked being called “The Enforcer” up front, as he’s kind of taken on the role of the firestarter along the offensive line that former center Ryan Jensen once had.

“I guess I’m one of the guys on the line who talks a lot,” Goedeke said. “I have my guys’ backs at the end of the day – I don’t care who it is. I’ll stick up for them all. I love them all to death. I’d die for them. I appreciate how they come to work every day. I’m big on loyalty and I like to reciprocate. If anyone does anything dirty to them, they are going to hear about it for sure. And feel it – 100%. I don’t forget things.”

• Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard was asked this week what the offense’s identity is halfway through the season. It’s been a year of monumental challenges for Grizzard in his first season as a play-caller given the massive amount of injuries the team has had to deal with upfront along the offensive line and playing most of the season without star weapons like running back Bucky Irving and wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin Jr.

Bucs OC Josh Grizzard and WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I’d say we lean on being able to be balanced – having both the run and the pass – and being disciplined and being the most physical unit,” Grizzard said. “We talked about that going back to the spring. I thought we cleaned up some of the pre-snap penalties we talked about when it came to the New Orleans game.

“As an identity, it’s what do we need that week to beat that opponent? There’s been some shuffling from positions and things of that nature, but the identity – the toughness, discipline we talk about, the consistency we talk about – shouldn’t really change whether there’s a backup in there or a starter in there.”

That’s the right answer. The Bucs need to be able to beat teams with the run and/or the pass – whatever is called upon in a given week to deliver a win. Despite a mountain of injuries, Grizzard’s unit has done a good job of being balanced most weeks.

• The Bucs are trying to avoid losing back-to-back games for the first time this season. That’s the mark of a truly great team. Tampa Bay is a good team right now at 6-3, but if the Bucs can go steal a road win at Buffalo where the Bills are 15-1 in their last 16 home games, then Todd Bowles and Co. can take a step towards greatness this season.

Bucs CB Zyon McCollum – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I would say definitely that’s the mark of a great team,” Bucs cornerback Zyon McCollum said. “There are a lot more marks, though. The whole big play situation – to be a great defense, you can’t allow 20-yard-plus plays.

“As a team, collectively, to be able to bounce back after losses going into the playoffs, yes – you can’t get used to losing. You can’t allow yourself to fall into slumps like we have in the past. That’s where I do believe the leadership in this locker room has changed. The team itself has changed in terms of not allowing these losses to compound and to domino.”

Yet even if the Bucs lose the next two games at Buffalo and at Los Angeles versus the Rams, they will only be 6-5 with just two games remaining – both against the 5-4 Panthers – versus teams with winning records down the stretch.

• I’m not sure if running back Bucky Irving and wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. are ready to return to action this week against Buffalo. I would be surprised if either plays versus the Bills, despite practicing this week. We’ll see what happens, but the guess here is that both will be listed as questionable on Sunday and I wouldn’t be surprised if both wind up being inactive. We’ll see – and I hope I’m wrong.