Bucs Fall Short Again - and This Time, the Refs Are in the Spotlight
For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2025 has been a season full of bumps, bruises, and missed opportunities. Injuries have taken their toll, but another frustrating theme has emerged - questionable officiating. And once again, tight end Cade Otton found himself at the center of a moment that left fans and players alike scratching their heads.
Let’s set the scene: Sunday against the Saints, late in the fourth quarter, Bucs trailing by a touchdown, just over five minutes left. Baker Mayfield drops back and fires a pass toward Otton near the goal line.
The throw? Catchable.
The coverage? Let’s just say it was more WWE than NFL.
Live, it looked like Otton was fighting through contact. But the slow-motion replay painted an even clearer picture - he was being held, grabbed, and effectively tackled before the ball even got there.
No flag. No first-and-goal.
No chance to tie the game.
Instead, Tampa Bay had to settle for a field goal, trimming the deficit to four points. And that moment - that no-call - shifted the momentum.
It didn’t decide the game outright, but it certainly changed the math. A defensive penalty there would have put the ball on the doorstep, giving the Bucs a golden opportunity to punch it in and either take the lead or at least drain the clock and control the game’s tempo.
Instead, they walked away with three points and a lingering sense of what could’ve been.
Now, let’s be clear: the loss wasn’t solely on the officials. The Bucs were facing a two-win Saints team and still found themselves in a dogfight.
That alone raises questions. Missed tackles, stalled drives, and inconsistent execution all played their part.
If Tampa Bay had handled its business earlier in the game, the Otton play might not have even mattered.
But in a tight contest - and this one was tighter than it should’ve been - officiating becomes magnified. And when a crucial call (or non-call) directly impacts a potential game-tying drive, it’s going to draw attention.
For Otton, this isn’t the first time he’s been on the wrong end of a controversial moment this season. There was the Lions game, where a catch was ruled an interception.
Then a first down that was overturned after a rare double review. Now this.
It’s starting to feel like the football gods - and the officials - have it out for him.
The Bucs, meanwhile, are left to regroup once again. They can’t control the flags that don’t get thrown, but they can control how they respond. And if they want to stay in the playoff mix, that response needs to come fast - and with fewer self-inflicted wounds.
Bottom line: the officiating didn’t lose the game for Tampa Bay. But it didn’t help. And in a season where every inch matters, that missed call looms large.