Bordering On “Untrustworthy”
December 3rd, 2025

Rough November.

It isn’t just you.

Before the season, Joe thought the Bucs truly had a legit shot to make noise in the playoffs. Maybe even make a run. But unprecedented injuries and a defense that for the past month plays like they have the U-Hauls backed up and reservations in the DR booked has really thrown a wrench into Joe’s playoff dreams.

After watching the Bucs lumber to a three-point win over a team starting a backup and losing 9 of its last 10, Joe is wondering if the Bucs can hobble their way to a division title.

A month ago it seemed all but a done deal. Man, how a month can change things.

Joe isn’t a big power rankings guy. Everyone has them and many of the folks voting in these rankings don’t watch half the games. Sometimes, however, these power rankings tell a tale.

For example, after losing three straight games, two on national TV, where the Bucs’ defense got clobbered and then followed that up by surviving the Cardinals, it’s understandable some folks think the Bucs have become a poor team at the worst time: in December.

BSPN dropped the Bucs two spots from last week to No. 17 in their power rankings.

That, boys and girls, means BSPN thinks the Bucs are in the bottom half of the league. So it’s not just Joe who has been left both unimpressed and worried for the Bucs after a nightmarish November.

The same holds true for the crowd at CBS.  Zachary Pereles typed an article about the most trustworthy teams in the playoff hunt and he put the Bucs in his fifth group — the least trustworthy teams in order of trust called “Wild card.” Of these seven teams, he has the Bucs ranked last.

The only lower group Pereles has is called “Untrustworthy.” The Bucs apparently are just above the bar of untrustworthy.

That’s how damning the month of November has been. People don’t know if they can trust the Bucs to win enough games to wrap up the NFC South.

Joe would feel a lot better about the Bucs’ playoff aspirations if they go out Sunday and curb-stomp the slimy Saints by three touchdowns.

Joe has a nagging fear it’s going to be much closer than that.