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Thursday night was not Todd Bowles finest moment.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach made a number of questionable decisions in the team’s 24-18 loss to the Buffalo Bills, helping to spoil an otherwise scrappy performance from his underdog team.
There was the strange decision to try an draw the Bills offside at the end of the first half from the field-goal formation before ultimately punting. Or a 17-play, 92-yard touchdown drive with the team down two scores late in the game that took seven minutes and 21 seconds, draining the clock at a time when the Bucs needed to show more urgency.
The Bucs sent pressure against Josh Allen in situations where it bit them. Mike Evans was a non-factor for the majority of the game and only had one reception for seven yards before reeling in a 24-yard touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter (he finished with three receptions for 39 yards and a score on six targets).
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It was an odd game from Tampa Bay, in other words, and NFL fans and pundit alike aimed their discontent in Bowles’ direction:
Jon Ledyard @LedyardNFLDraft
Bucs are good enough to be in these games against good teams, but really hard to pull upsets when your coaching staff gives you no advantages on the margins with clock/situation management
Matt Verderame @MattVerderame
Are Todd Bowles and Dave Canales aware this is the fourth quarter? Are they aware the game started?
This is insane.
Marcus Mosher @Marcus_Mosher
Todd Bowles is going to end up losing his job because he has no idea how to manage a game.
chris✌🏼 @sonohedman
a 10 minute drive to end the game while down 2 scores is the perfect description of the todd bowles era 😂
NFL Philosophy @NFLosophy
So thinking about the last 2 games and Bowles’ 4th down decisions. I think he’s trying but I think he’s getting it backwards. He was aggressive vs. ATL. He was conservative vs. BUF. Flip that and he might win both games.
Cousin Sal @TheCousinSal
Cmon Bowles. If you’re trying to draw them offsides have Baker at the line of scrimmage screaming 6 inches from the d-linemen’s helmets..not the silent holder 7 yards away not even looking for the snap.
Hugo Stiglitz @jfahr
Bowles can’t help himself. He’s always gonna bring pressure on key plays. And he’s always gonna get bit by good QBs.
Ashlie #PAYM1K3 @EMT_Ashlie
Todd Bowles has to go. There’s no way Licht is watching this and isn’t pissed off with the rest of us. The poor time management, personnel choices, awful decision making in every area . He shoulda went with Leftwich
CigarMan @ITGuy26
A coaching overhaul is a MUST. Canales designs have been great, but sequencing leaves much to be desired as does his QB.
Long story short, there’s nothing fresh with Bowles and his staff, need younger minds on both sides of the field.
There were positives from this game for the Buccaneers, it should be noted.
Baker Mayfield was solid, finishing 25-of-42 for 237 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers. The defense struggled for large stretches, giving up 427 yards of offense, but also came up with a goal-line turnover on downs at one point, an interception at another and got a crucial stop in the fourth quarter to give the offense one last crack at the win.
The Bucs showed fight, on the road, against a superior opponent. There is plenty to build on from the game.
Moral victories don’t mean much in the NFL, of course, and Tampa is now 3-4 on the season and second in the NFC South behind the 4-3 Atlanta Falcons. Perhaps some different coaching decisions might have changed the result. Certainly, there will be plenty for Bowles and his staff to analyze from this one.
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