“Coach’s Decision”
November 5th, 2024
Players have his back.
The answers really didn’t surprise Joe. Still, Joe wanted to know what went through the minds of two offensive skill position players in the Bucs’ locker room after the game.
Todd Bowles had just elected not to go for two after coming within 24-23 with 27 seconds remaining in regulation play of an overtime loss to the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium.
Choosing not to go for two basically gave lethal, once-in-a-generation Chiefs quarterback Pat Mahomes a chance to do what he has done so many times: Burn a team for a victory.
Roger Staubach, Joe Montana, Tom Brady and Mahomes — dudes you never wanted to voluntarily hand the ball to with the game on the line. Unless you were their teammate.
So Joe asked two players who had key roles in Monday night’s game what they wanted to do. Did they want to go for two and possibly win? Or did they want to roll the dice and pray Mahomes never got his mitts on the ball again.
Joe got the very same answer from both: “Coach’s decision.”
It wasn’t like they were upset. If anything, Joe seemed to startle both, like they thought Joe was trying to set them up (which is why Joe is not identifying the players in question).
Nope. No ambush was attempted. Joe wanted to know how they felt.
Both seemed OK with how everything shook out. The Bucs had their chance and just didn’t have the knockout blow.
Joe is confident few if any Bucs fans agree with the two players.
November 5th, 2024 at 1:15 am
Andy Reid when asked if he was surprised that Todd Bowles didn’t go for two: “No … But I’m glad he didn’t.”
November 5th, 2024 at 1:16 am
I don’t know why everyone is so upset, afterall the Bucs got a moral victory!
November 5th, 2024 at 1:18 am
Im ok w Bowels decision
Fans have to understand its not a video game….passing from the 2 yard line is incredibly difficult especially with your top redzone targets in Godwin/Evans out.
Fans act like going for 2 is a gimmie, it’s quite the contrary.
The attention needs to be on why Bowles defense is putrid, not this silly 2 point discourse.
November 5th, 2024 at 1:20 am
Bowles needs to go. Not during the season, but definitely after it. Coen HC and Saleh DC.
November 5th, 2024 at 1:28 am
No one thinks going for two is easy. But we know the defense isn’t good and there’s no guarantee your offense gets a chance in overtime. It was a gutless decision from a gutless coach. He’ll be fired at the end of the year – a year later than he should have, after squandering one of the best offenses in Buc history.
November 5th, 2024 at 2:13 am
Yup, and even the announcers were questioning the timeouts management.
He’ll directly lose at least two games a year through “decision-making” alone, easily.
In the 4th Qtr. when it was “4th & 2,” Bowles punted. Giving the ball back to a 7-0 Chiefs in the 4th when bold moves are mandatory? That’s asking to lose.
Too bad, because the team played pretty well; and needed an edge, not play with minus edges from the sidelines.
Even
November 5th, 2024 at 2:40 am
Tbbucs3 You Don’t Get it. Whatever the odds were against the Bucs making a 2 point conversion, the odds of the Bucs winning against KC on the Road when they couldn’t stop them were higher that the Bucs would lose if it went into Overtime.
November 5th, 2024 at 2:42 am
Gotta agree with Ed here. Todd never plays to win the game. He always plays not to lose the game and ends up losing the game because he has no balls. Look at Raheem and how many times he’s going for it on 4th down and look at their record. Todd did the same thing against ATL, he decided to kick a FG instead of going for it on 4th and short and gave ATL enough time to drive down the field and nullify our FG with their own.
November 5th, 2024 at 3:45 am
Bowels would’ve taken the ball out of Mahomies hands as well. He’s such a great coach and we’re so lucky to have him!
November 5th, 2024 at 4:40 am
The fans get more upset then the players about losses. The players check clears whether they win, or lose.
November 5th, 2024 at 7:01 am
Rod Munch sometimes you should just give it a rest.
November 5th, 2024 at 7:23 am
You want to talk analytics? What are the odds of making it when you go for 2? Are they 50-50? Probably lower I would guess. The odds of Mahomes getting the ball first in OT are 50-50. So, just on the surface it might make sense to tie it up and go to OT. However, when you consider that even if the Bucs get the ball first in OT, what are the odds of them scoring a TD and putting the game away? I would say pretty slim. And even if they score a FG, Mahomes is going to take the Chiefs down the field and score a TD. So, when it’s all said and done, why not go for 2 and try to put the game away. Even if you don’t make it, Bowles gains the respect of the team. He gave them a chance to win and showed he has confidence in Baker and the offense. Instead he showed what we all have known. He doesn’t play to win. He plays not to lose. How’s that working out?
November 5th, 2024 at 7:39 am
People that defend Bowles…glad I’m not on a team with them.
November 5th, 2024 at 8:39 am
I’d go for two just to avoid the OT, we’l play in a short week against a team that just had it’s bye so no need to extend the game last night.
November 5th, 2024 at 9:05 am
So nobody’s going to talk about all the missed calls !!!?
November 5th, 2024 at 9:52 am
Joe says: Joe is confident few if any Bucs fans agree with the two players.
Put a poll out there Joe!
November 5th, 2024 at 11:49 am
You can’t hinge the entire game on 1 play. The defense had just stopped them to get the ball back with 2 mins left so they could score. You trust that they can stop them again. Give them another 10 plays (or however many it took mahomes to score in) to make a play and get you the ball back. Not just 1 play and we win or lose. As an announcer or a fan it’s easy for us to sit back here and act like putting the whole game into 1 play is the right choice but in actuality it is irresponsible. What happens when they don’t convert? then you are questioned why did you go for it instead of playing for overtime. When your decision could have ramifications on the lives and salaries of dozens of other coaches it’s a little more serious than just typing some words on the internet trashing a man and his judgment.