Things have gone from bad to worse for Todd Bowles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After yet another collapse against an NFC South division rival, the team’s playoff hopes are beginning to dwindle. Despite having a 15-point lead over the Atlanta Falcons in the 4th quarter, the Bucs failed to close out the game at home, ultimately falling 29-28.
Not only did the Buccaneers lose the game, but they have lost control of the NFC South division, opening the door for the Carolina Panthers to take possession of first place with a victory over the New Orleans Saints this weekend. Frustration was visible as the Buccaneers walked off the field in disbelief; however, that feeling continued into the post-game press conference as Bowles made his feelings clear.
Todd Bowles Did Not Sugarcoat Anything When Asked About the Loss
The Buccaneers’ head coach has seen his team struggle for an extended period, losing 6 of the last 8 games. While Bowles has normally kept his emotions in check after a loss this season, this one was different. The 62-year-old let the expletives fly when asked what he would tell the locker room after a loss like this.
“It’s inexcusable; we don’t make excuses. You’ve got to f*****g care enough where the s*** hurts. You’ve got to f*****g care enough where the s*** hurts,” Bowles told reporters.
“It’s got to f*****g mean something to you. It’s more than a job, it’s your f*****g livelihood. How well do you know your job? How well can you do your job? You can’t sugarcoat that s***. It was f*****g inexcusable, and there was no f*****g answer for it, there’s no excuse for it. That’s what you tell them in the locker room, look in the f*****g mirror,” he continued.
Bowles has been in the hotseat for a majority of the season as the Buccaneers have simply struggled to click on both sides of the ball. According to PFSN’s Defense Impact, the Buccaneers rank 20th in the NFL, while their offense sits 23rd on PFSN’s Offense Impact rankings.
The team will need to figure things out sooner rather than later, as their next matchup comes against the Panthers. If they are able to pull off a victory, the Bucs could still lock up first place in the NFC South; however, that might be easier said than done at this point. Perhaps Bowles’ rant might unlock something inside the Bucs locker room to inspire them to step up. At this point, only time will tell.
