Monday FIRE Rant: Rams Show Bucs What a Real Contender Looks Like

ehinote · 2025-11-24T19:57:27Z

Last night’s game was inevitable, and while I won some holiday money betting against the Bucs, it’s still a tough pill to swallow. This team was simply not ready for this matchup. One team looked like Super Bowl favorites, while the other resembled a squad lucky enough to be in the worst division in the league. Yes, injuries have impacted this team, but there’s much more to dissect beyond that. Here comes this week’s heartfelt rant. Bowles’ Defense is Embarrassingly Bad Coach Todd Bowles’ defense continues to underperform against competent offenses. Last night was so dismal that it felt like the Rams were playing with 11 players against our 10 or 9 on the field. I can’t recall seeing receivers running so wide open so frequently in an NFL game, and this isn’t the first time it’s happened. Bowles hasn’t demonstrated any ability to slow down a Sean McVay offense since he arrived in Tampa. It must feel like Christmas Eve for McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford whenever they face our defense. Stafford had all day to throw, and when his first or second options weren’t available, he had plenty of time to check down to his third or fourth reads. I hit on almost every parlay bet I placed for Rams offensive players by halftime, and Puka Nacua sealed the deal with an early catch in the third quarter. The Rams targeted our number one corner, Zion McCollum, repeatedly last night, completing all four passes thrown his way on the first drive. On a critical 3rd-and-18, they went right back at him for a 20-yard first down. I’m not blaming McCollum entirely; the issues lie with Bowles’ defensive schemes and the techniques he teaches. We have enough talent to beat up on teams like the Saints, who are struggling with their salary cap. But when we face a competent offensive coordinator and a quarterback who can quickly find the open receiver, Bowles defense looks schematically wrong. We don’t play man coverage enough to be effective at it, so when we do, our defenders struggle to stick to their assignments. Meanwhile, opposing teams have no trouble playing man coverage against us. When we switch to our cover 3 or cover 4 schemes, we fail to disrupt routes, allowing teams to slice through us like butter. Bucs Yaya Diaby – Photo by: Buccaneers.com I’ve been saying for three years that we have a major issue at outside linebacker, and until that gets resolved, we won’t be a top defense. Our defense has been underwhelming for far too long. Stafford, Josh Allen, and Drake Maye have hardly been pressured over the last three weeks. We can’t get any push with our front four. Just once, I’d like to see a player win a one-on-one matchup when we rush four. FYI… Yaya Diaby’s sack last night was achieved through a five-man blitz. So here we are, dealing with coverage issues and a lackluster pass rush, with a coach who relies solely on the blitz. If blitzing doesn’t work, this defense has no other solutions. And there’s no help on the way—at least none that would have made a difference in recent weeks. Our fan base has been so beaten down that we now think Jamel Dean is the next coming of Ronde Barber, despite most fans wanting him gone last year. Now he’s seen as our missing piece? Absolutely not. GM Jason Licht hasn’t replaced the veteran talent lost since 2021 and 2022, and Bowles is at a loss for how to improve the situation. Baker Mayfield Hasn’t Played Well in the Pocket Most of the Year First, let me say that Baker has put us in a position to be a playoff contender. I can’t think of another quarterback I’d want to lead this team this year. However, he has not been efficient in the pocket. He’s had a few highlight-reel passes, like his game-winning touchdown to Emeka Egbuka in Week 1, but those moments have been rare. Much of his success has come from scrambling and making something out of broken plays, which isn’t sustainable for long-term success. Bucs QB Baker Mayfield being pressured by Jared Verse – Photo by: Buccaneers.com Even last night, Baker started the game by holding onto the ball too long, going 3 of 8 for less than 10 yards. Sure, injuries have played a part, but he’s been hesitant throughout the year, often missing open receivers and putting himself in situations where he has to run for first downs. We admire his grit—who wouldn’t want to play for a guy like that?—but aside from the Seahawks and Bills games, he hasn’t effectively operated within the system. I understand that some of this reluctance stems from injuries to his receivers and the new offensive coordinator, but if he can’t consistently drop back and release the ball on time, the offense won’t function. Bowles’ Bucs Teams Are Fool’s Gold Coach Bowles has led the Bucs to three straight NFC South division titles. If he secures another this year, he’ll have the most division titles of any coach in Bucs history—a nice feat! However, it’s not that special when you consider the historically weak division we’ve been a part of during this stretch. Looking closer at ...

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Blayton Cigsby

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Posted by: @mic

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Nothing wrong with power rushers imo, James Harrison, Strahan, cam jordan, justin tuck all double digit power rushers. He also had a 4.51 forty with a 37 vert so a lot more twitch than these guys

I'll do my best to highlight yaya next game im sure he'll get some pass rush wins.

Yes I agree nothing wrong with power rushers ESPECIALLY when they have counterpart on the other side. I think when people are dicussing what is misisng though they think of a singular double digit sack guy like the many FA's discussed here.

Posted : Nov. 26, 2025 8:40 am

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Monday FIRE Rant: Rams Show Bucs What a Real Contender Looks Like

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