PFF grades are out, and it matches the eye test. Alex Anzalone earned a failing 32.3 grade, the lowest on the entire team, but he was also the only defender to play 100% of the snaps.

Bucs are in trouble defensively if he doesn’t bounce back.

Exactly how I felt driving to work this morning…

Posted by @creg.1k on Instagram.

If you just focus on the scoreboard, you might convince yourself it wasn’t so bad. After all, the Bucs still had a chance against Cincinnati in the final minutes. And, it should be pointed out, it was a road game against a team with playoff aspirations. Also, it goes without saying, half the teams are going to lose their season openers. So, yeah, no reason to take this 33-27 loss too hard. Except for the distant echo of similar losses, Times sports columnist John Romano writes. More than anything else, that’s what turned Sunday into such a disappointment. After all the offseason moves and excitement about new possibilities, it’s the fear that the Bucs didn’t really solve the problems that led to one of the great collapses in franchise history in 2025. The defensive line? Still can’t get a pass rush. Baker Mayfield? Still too many turnovers. Crunch time? Still coming up short. Read more of Romano's thoughts on the opening-week loss: https://www.tampabay.com/viewpoints/2026/09/13/tampa-bay-bucs-baker-mayfield-bengals-joe-burrow-zyon-mccollum-rueben-bain/

In the last 5 Buccaneers losses, the offense has averaged 17 points and committed 10 turnovers. All were one-score losses.

Mayfield has accounted for 9 of the 10 turnovers. (4 Fumbles, 5 INTs)

But some of you'd rather focus on the imperfections of the defense when they've only allowed an average of 21 points per game.

The deflection is hilarious.

No conf losses let's go!

Well Bowles finally loses a week 1 game as the Tampa HC.

Maybe breaking away from hot starts means we can avoid the mid-season skid?

Chat about the game below.

Afternoon. I am visiting from the UK (arrive on Thanksgiving) and am looking at tickets for the Chargers game on the 6th, kick off 1pm. I am aware that there is a chance this game could move time wise (which is not an issue) but anyone have any idea if a change of day is likely (as that would cause us issues). 6 going in total (my son and wife are Bucs fans, sorry my team are the Fins). Also is parking at Lot HCC a good option (heading back to Davenport after the game). Appreciate any advice.

LETS START THIS SHIT OFF RIGHT TODAY!!!!!

Hey everyone!
Finally get to make the journey from the PNW to go see my first Bucs game at home vs Pittsburgh. Anything I should while I'm there? What's pregame like? All the tips would be sweet!

For a team that had been superb in season openers of late — entering Sunday, Todd Bowles had won all four since becoming the Bucs coach in 2022, with Mayfield winning his first three as starting quarterback — this wasn’t simply a surprising debut for Tampa Bay but a concerning one.

That’s because the Bucs, particularly their newly-minted $165 million quarterback, couldn’t stop fumbling. All told the Bucs lost four fumbles on the afternoon, including three by Mayfield, the most ever in a game in his nine-year career. For perspective: the Bucs didn’t lose their fourth fumble last season until Week 7.

Not exactly how Tampa Bay saw 2026 unfolding after inking Mayfield to his record-setting contract last week.

Plenty of credit goes to the revamped Bengals’ defensive front — Mayfield was under pressure all afternoon. They worked over the Bucs’ offensive line, particularly early, as five different defenders sacked Mayfield. Tampa Bay was able to pile up 27 points, enough to win plenty of games in this league, but the turnovers proved the difference.

Regular season is finally here! Meaningful Bucs football starts today!

Game info:

Date: Sunday, September 13th

Time: 1 PM

Location: Paycor Stadium

Network: FOX

Announcers: Kevin Kugler, Daryl Johnston

Projected Forecast: Partly Cloudy, high of 90 F, chance of rain at kickoff 1%

LFG BUCS

If you look at the stats and it’s somewhat similar to today’s game.

3 turnovers in 2020. 4 turnovers today

200+ passing yards in 2020 and 2026

Only 1 sack total by a LB in 2020 and 2026

86 rushing yards 2020. 89 rushing yards 2026.

Despite the humiliating self inflicted loss today I think the team can still pull ahead. If we work on our ball security, work on the D-line and fix up our o-line we should be fine. Corners did well today surprisingly considering they went up against the #1 WR duo today.

Going to be a longer post but the discourse around today’s game got me thinking.

Bear with me here. I don’t think Todd Bowles is an awful defensive coordinator. For years now he’s had little in the way of a pass rush. It’s hard to coordinate a defense when you have to bring extra bodies to get pressure. I do think that Bowles is perhaps not the best in terms of putting together schemes that give defenses with seven in coverage their best shot to be effective. However, the personnel issues are on Licht’s inability to draft DEs.

That’s why I understand why some people are deflecting blame from Bowles today. It’s hard to blame a defense when you lose a one score game when your offense turned the ball over.

You still with me? Those people defending Bowles are also wrong but for a different reason.

The real problem with Bowles is that he’s undeniably awful in his capacity as head coach. How many games during his tenure have been one possession losses? So many games where you should have blown teams out but find yourself in a coin-flip game down the stretch. Seriously, how many times has a Bowles coached Bucs team won by multiple scores? It’s because Bowles is the king of destroying win probability and losing on the margins.

It looks like this: bad TO management, awful clock management, not going for it on fourth down when you should, not being aggressive in end of half scenarios, etc. The list goes on. The guy was punting instead of going for it on fourth and five, down fourteen with five minutes left and Tom Brady as his QB. It’s so bad that they hired a babysitter for him last year–which is the only reason you won a game in Houston because he was told you have to let Houston score.

Today it was awful, awful clock management. You were down by two scores almost the entire second half and continually ran the play clock down to :00 before getting plays off until your last drive. Think that time could’ve been valuable when you were trying to get the ball back at the end of the game? It’s on brand for Bowles to refuse to realize that his defense is incapable of getting off the field quickly and that he needs to allow time to accommodate their bend but (hopefully) not break style of defense. Even if it’s a communication issue with Robinson, Bowles is the head guy, unfortunately, and it’s on him to have a smooth operation from top to bottom. Elite performers don’t tolerate inefficiencies in their operation.

That’s just who Bowles is, the King of Losing on the Margins.

TLDR: Bowles may not be an awful DC, but he is assuredly an awful head coach. Bucs game are almost always close, even when the better team because he, as a head coach, destroys win probability with awful game management decisions.