Todd Bowles: Can’t Worry About Disrespect
January 10th, 2023
Can’t worry about the noise.
The Bucs are in the playoffs. That’s great. But the Bucs are also a target among NFL fans.
Many don’t like how division winners automatically get a home game to start the playoffs. Some would rather the NFL just select the top seven teams from each conference, regardless of divisions, and build a playoff format from that.
And the Bucs have lit a fire under those fans because of their losing record. And yeah, Joe can understand why folks don’t want the Bucs in the playoffs and think the Lions are more deserving with a winning record.
If not for the NFC South being such a rotten division, the Bucs would now be heading to their winter vacations throughout the Caribbean, Bahamas and Central America.
That disrespect of the Bucs, if it spreads to opponents, could be an advantage. Bucs coach Todd Bowles said yesterday the Bucs cannot worry about perceptions of the team.
Instead, Bowles said, Bucs players have to be ready to play on Monday night.
“You really can’t worry about people counting you out,” Bowles said. “When you lose games, they’re going to talk bad about you; when you win, they’re going to talk good about you. That’s part of it.
“Different guys get motivated over different things, so whatever can make you play on Sunday, that’s what you try to do and play on Sunday.
“We know we’ve been in the foxhole since we got to training camp and we’re going to continue to stay in that foxhole and we’re going to fight our way out of it.”
The Bucs have a puncher’s chance on Monday night. The Cowboys are not playing well, including 11 turnovers in their last five games. To Joe, it was a huge sign that with a chance to win the NFC East on the line, the Cowboys laid a huge egg and got blown out Sunday by the mediocre Commandos and a rookie quarterback.
January 10th, 2023 at 7:06 am
Is it me? Or does it look like Todd Bowles is the most uninspiring coach you’ve ever seen on the sidelines…..he just always looks so stoic……never excited….I dunno if I ever seen a camera shot on him that shows him smiling???
Anyhoo…… The Bucs will not get any respect until they Beat the Cowgurls……
January 10th, 2023 at 7:15 am
Why have divisions if winning the division means nothing? Football playoffs are fine the way they are with division winners regardless of record making the playoffs, and gets a home game. It’s a great model for the greatest game, and doesn’t need fixing.
January 10th, 2023 at 7:16 am
They darn sure aren’t getting their motivation from Bowles. He has yet to say anything useful or constructive. He could stay at home and no one would know the difference.
January 10th, 2023 at 7:18 am
…..Joe, Yes the Cowgurls got blown out by Washington…..but let’s not forget that when the Cowgurls play to their full potential……..they’re truly an Elite team.
The Bucs have a chance if the Cowgurls plays down to it’s competition like they’ve done all season long.
January 10th, 2023 at 7:21 am
@ Hodad
I agree….the current playoffs format is perfect…..it adds intrigue to the playoffs and it also serves as motivation for teams during the season to play harder because of how teams can get into the playoffs.
January 10th, 2023 at 7:23 am
The Browns beat us, coming off a bi…enough said
January 10th, 2023 at 7:25 am
@ Chris
What does that have to do with anything????
January 10th, 2023 at 7:27 am
I agree that division winners should get a playoff berth……there are divisions for a reason…..and that’s it.
January 10th, 2023 at 7:39 am
“Why have divisions?”, is the wrong question. Who won the most?”, is THE question! The NBA & NHL have divisions & only allow the top teams into the playoffs. This seems correct. It’d be upset if I were the Lions or another winning team outside the playoffs, just like I was when our Bucs traveled to a lesser team, Washington in the 2020 playoff run. The best players should be in the Hall of Fame & the best teams should be in the playoffs. Sorry. Go Bucs!
January 10th, 2023 at 7:53 am
In the immortal words of HOF running back Emmitt Smith, the Cowboys got “blowed” out. The failed to “carouse” the Commanders.
January 10th, 2023 at 7:53 am
You want to get in the playoffs, win YOUR division. The Lions were 2-6 at one point, big deal they are 9-8. One year the Pat’s went 11-5 and didn’t make the playoffs.
I posted it before, this guy couldn’t motivate a starving dog with a rib eye.
January 10th, 2023 at 7:59 am
Winning a Super Bowl with Tom Brady is so easy even Bill Belichick can do it
January 10th, 2023 at 8:07 am
Belichick spends an entire season with his motivation propaganda. Brady looks for motivation under every rock he sees. Bowles: It’s a potluck.
January 10th, 2023 at 8:21 am
Anthem, I went to the Bucs/Falcons game and watched where Brady NEVER interacted with Bowles. That was never the case with BA. It really didn’t seem as if Bowles interacted with many players. Not a motivator.
January 10th, 2023 at 8:24 am
Payton please n thanks
January 10th, 2023 at 8:39 am
@Hodad
I agree with everything you said. But…your username rubs me the wrong way…if I had a daughter (I don’t) Hodad would be rather…well…
Anyway… 😉
January 10th, 2023 at 8:42 am
Jerseybuc Says
“Payton please n thanks”
I would love that…except I know the Saints would rake us over the coals for the rights.
January 10th, 2023 at 9:01 am
We sat behind the Bucs bench vs Falcons and yeah, it is so odd to see a head coach not interact, speak, heck even LOOK at players. Bowles looks like a HC who would much prefer to be a DC up in the booth…. i honestly don’t get why excellent coordinators feel they NEED to be a HC… it is a different job.
oh well. go bucs!
January 10th, 2023 at 9:30 am
“ To Joe, it was a huge sign that with a chance to win the NFC East on the line, the Cowboys laid a huge egg and got blown out Sunday by the mediocre Commandos and a rookie quarterback.”
Maybe they didn’t want to win the division? Maybe they felt playing the Bucs was in their best interest?
January 10th, 2023 at 9:38 am
I love how idiots know so much about the motivation Bowles brings to the team, and is a huge reason why they are behind. And sh!t happens every year. NFC South might be the best division next year.
January 10th, 2023 at 9:39 am
The players need to use that disrespect all playoffs long. Feed off of it and use it to motivate them. We all know their coaches are unable to.
January 10th, 2023 at 9:42 am
Bowles is uninspiring to just about everybody and having Leftwurst as an OC makes the situation worse. Bowles is an example of the Peter Principle personified.
January 10th, 2023 at 9:53 am
It’s payback for the Lions knocking us out in 2010
January 10th, 2023 at 10:13 am
You think this year is bad wait to next year. A full season under Bowles with no Brady. Don’t be surprised if Sam Donald is our next QB.
January 10th, 2023 at 10:34 am
I recall the Bucs gettinff gf the short end once before.
January 10th, 2023 at 10:40 am
One thing is for sure, Toad. You have earned every bit of disrespect you and the Bucs get. Wear it well. A vegetable in the refrigerator could run this offense better, and since you are the head coich, that is on you, not Bymron. Although he might be the vegetable in the fridge.
January 10th, 2023 at 10:48 am
Tell Todd the game’s Monday not Sunday. Oh forget it he still won’t show up
January 10th, 2023 at 11:47 am
Bowles ruined a SB contender. He’s the absolute worst coach I’ve ever seen. With the talent on this team to go 8-9 is a complete utter FAILURE by Bowles and Leftwich. I despise them both.
January 10th, 2023 at 12:10 pm
@Bucsbeback, as far as I can tell NBA division winners DO get into the playoffs no matter how bad the record.
That said, I do not know how the seeding works, but they have a five game series in the first round and seven game series later.
No matter if you get swept you get at least one home game.
January 10th, 2023 at 2:13 pm
TheBucsAnthem
In an article referencing respect and whether or not they belong , if you don’t understand the comment, I can’t spell it out for you.
January 10th, 2023 at 2:51 pm
SOEbuc, if you can’t see this man is NOT a motivator, you haven’t played a sport since pee wee soccer.
January 10th, 2023 at 6:27 pm
NEFan, balderdash. Your problem is you think the NFL is PeeWee. It sounds like you have zero clue on how an NFL coach motivates professional athletes and since you only sit in your misery and theorize, it’s clear that you think a press conference is where that always happens. 32 teams, 32 ways coaches motivate grown men, the best football players in the world, making money you can only dream off. Give it a rest. If you want to prove something about any coaches abilities to motivate, stop talking out the side of your neck and prove it. Go Bucs!
January 10th, 2023 at 7:48 pm
Reach, you’re reaching. Did you see any player pour Gatorade or water over Bowles head or congratulate him at all after winning the conference? Try watching other teams that actually play for their coaches. How often do you hear a player praising Bowels? Just stating the obvious.
January 11th, 2023 at 3:13 pm
Competition Committee has looked at this several times before. They ultimately make no changes. They aren’t going to change it just because some fans don’t like it.
Conferences are divided into divisions. Win the division, you are in the playoffs. Period. If you don’t, then you fight among the rest in the conference for better record to get the wild card. Complain all you want, but that is just how it is.