Todd Bowles: “Wet Conditions” Led To Decision Not To Go For Two
November 5th, 2024
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
Joe has to admit, Todd Bowles’ answer didn’t make sense. And when Joe asked a follow-up to get a clearer picture, it still didn’t make a ton of sense.
Of course, facing Pat Mahomes and the Chiefs on the road, one of the most lethal quarterbacks the NFL has ever seen — even if he was hobbling on one leg with an ankle injury — this is not the type of man you give the ball back to and let him win the game in overtime or regulation.
But that’s exactly the option Bowles chose.
To no one’s surprise, Mahomes did exactly what Mahomes does. The Bucs chose not to go for two in the final seconds after pulling within 24-23 and Mahomes made them pay, marching the Chiefs down the field on their first and only possession of overtime.
That handed the Bucs (4-5) their fifth loss of the season.
Bowles initially claimed the wet conditions of the field — the final quarter was played under a steady rain — led him to not go for two.
“We wanted to get it to overtime,” Bowles said. “With the wet conditions on the field we felt we had to go to overtime.”
Now Bowles has said in the past he and the Bucs analytics people have a direct pipeline between each other during games. Joe asked Bowles if the numbers crowd influenced his call. That didn’t go over very well.
“No, we went for one!” Bowles said. “We had our chances all game. We lost the game. It didn’t come down to that.”
Well, no it didn’t come down to that, but that decision set up Mahomes and the Chiefs to win without a doubt.
Still, the “wet conditions” angle didn’t make sense — and Joe actually thought Joe misunderstood Bowles, but video of the press conference confirmed that’s exactly what Bowles said.
When Joe asked for a clarification, Bowles said he liked the way the Bucs moved the ball on the game-trying drive and wanted to take his chances with his offense.
Joe guessed Bowles overlooked or forgot two key elements. One was Mahomes getting the ball back. Two was his porous if not overworked defense.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:18 am
Losing culture from a losing coach. Coward
November 5th, 2024 at 12:19 am
The more he talks.. the more I realize how clueless he is. At this point he just says things, just to say them.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:19 am
This answer just gets me more angry. So you rather play a whole overtime in those conditions compared to one play? That makes absolutely no sense. Bowles continues to be clueless in clock and game management
November 5th, 2024 at 12:19 am
Makes pretty clear sense: in extremely wet conditions you chances of a ball drop goes up dramatically.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:20 am
Coen would have gone for 2
November 5th, 2024 at 12:20 am
Nutless coward.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:21 am
He didn’t want Coen to win an instant Classic and take his HC job when the Bucs offer it to him to prevent him from leaving. Either that or Bowles just displayed his true weakness to the world. Either way all signs are not “pointing up” for Bowles
November 5th, 2024 at 12:23 am
This HC is incompetent. What a bunch of nonsense. I guess he couldn’t blame it on communication issues this week?!?!
November 5th, 2024 at 12:24 am
Go for 2. Make it, you win.
Fail, the onside kick. Nothing to lose by trying. If successful, a FG wins.
Went for extra point?
Should have done an onside kick. Successful, you have a shout at getting in FG range.
Fail, and we would might have the clock run out in time to stop Chiefs from winning in regulation.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:24 am
DC mindset
November 5th, 2024 at 12:25 am
Matt Says:
“He didn’t want Coen to win an instant Classic and take his HC job when the Bucs offer it to him to prevent him from leaving.”
I REALLY doubt that was the case.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:25 am
Fire Todd Bowles Testerday. Alternatively Fire Todd Bowles Now! He has Cost the Bucs at least 3 Games they could have won & cost the Bucs Chris odwin by playing him in a Game the Bucs Weren’t Going to Win. I want him out now!
November 5th, 2024 at 12:26 am
Fire Todd Bowles Yesterday. Alternatively Fire Todd Bowles Now! He has Cost the Bucs at least 3 Games they could have won & cost the Bucs Chris odwin by playing him in a Game the Bucs Weren’t Going to Win. I want him out now!
November 5th, 2024 at 12:26 am
Bucs D got worked on 3 of the final 4 times they were on field giving up long TD drives. In the process they mad retread Kareem Hunt look like beast mode, and over the hill Hopkins look like Justin Jefferson. Bowles had zero business not going for 2. Players deserved better.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:27 am
The wet conditions affect the 2-point but not scoring and moving the ball in regulation? Wet conditions have NEVER lead to a botched FG/PAT attempt?
Bogus answer to put it mildly.
Your division rival has beat you twice, you have nothing to lose. Todd is timid. BA would have gone for 2.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:27 am
No accountability from Bowles. How many times has Mahomes simply won games like this. Granted, good chance the Chiefs could have won with a FG if the Bucs did go up 25-24 but we will never know because Turtle Todd played not to lose…..
November 5th, 2024 at 12:27 am
What a complete and total coward. Everyone knew that banged up defense had zero percent chance of making another stop, and Bowles just meekly does what the 1970s coaches handbook says to do. Just a world class gutless coward.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:28 am
That’s 3 games this season….
November 5th, 2024 at 12:31 am
Let’s also not forget the Coward called a TO with 33 secs left and the ball at the 1!
Even though Chiefs won, they had a chance to not even let OT become a thing because of that nice little lapse of judgement!
November 5th, 2024 at 12:33 am
How in the hell does he keep his job…promote Coen and hire Robert saleh to run the defence…save this year before it’s to late.
Can’t beat a QB on 1 leg who can you beat
November 5th, 2024 at 12:33 am
Bowels has been HC long enough that you would hope he would come off smarter and more seasoned at the HC position…. He still comes off as talking out his bum and just trying to get past the speech!
November 5th, 2024 at 12:33 am
Then doubles down on mediocrity at the press conference.
The Tampa bay buccaneers franchise is worth over a billion and you sir are bad for Business we need new management
November 5th, 2024 at 12:34 am
wet conditions in his pants
loser
November 5th, 2024 at 12:34 am
This is disgusting how the fans treating Bowles Winfield literally had two back chances after that td
.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:39 am
What a complete and total coward. Just disgusting.
Absolutely no feel for the game at all. Who watching that game, that isn’t a complete idiot, didn’t know KC had won the game the moment Bowles decided not to go for 2? You had to have an IQ under 50 if you didn’t see this coming.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:42 am
THAT IS WHY HE NEEDS TO BE FIRED!!!! HE IS NOT FIT TO BE COACH IN THE NFL. POP WARNER…..maybe!!!! If you have even the slightest chance to win a game against the Chiefs, you go for it. No one is gonna question your judgment as a coach if you risk everything against a perennial Super Bowl team and lose, however, if you win, you’ll go down as one of the Best coaching decisions of the season.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:42 am
And now he’s getting defensive. Never any accountability for himself. He’s said “gotta coach it better” 100 times but he’s never actually meant it.
The more Flaccid Todd speaks, the more I realize he’s just not an intelligent person
November 5th, 2024 at 12:42 am
I have no problem not going for two. Odds are you’re going to get the ball in overtime at some point. On top of that, you stopped the Kansas City offense the majority of the day.
The problem is they need another cover corner so they can play less zone and they need a linebacker who can cover beyond 5 yards down the middle of the field because KJ Britt is not the answer.
And I have been a big Liam guy from the moment they hired him. The offense has been doing great putting up points… But… The majority of the season they stall quite a bit in the second half. They need to make adjustments better.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:46 am
Andy Reid even came out and dunked on Bowles for being a retard and not going for 2. Asked why he thought the Bucs didn’t go for 2, he said he didn’t know, but he was glad they didn’t. Just openly laughing at the moron coaching Tampa.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:48 am
Typical conservative BS from him … his record is under .500 as a coach more BS
November 5th, 2024 at 12:54 am
At this point it’s clear that Bowles is in over his head and by the end of the season Coen should be the new HC
November 5th, 2024 at 12:57 am
The option was: go for 2 with an offense that was rolling, or take a 50/ 50 coin flip on putting mahomes back on the field. You never take the chance of putting mahomes back on the field with a tired defense. Stupid decision, even 20 concussion Troy aikman was questioning Bowles.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:57 am
We have the dumbest fan base in pro sports….
I can’t believe how toxic this discourse about a freaking 2 point conversion has become…..2 point conversions are incredibly hard in the NFL with condensed passing windows especially in rainy conditions.
Blame Bowles for the putrid defense, not for kicking the extra point.
Smh 🤦
November 5th, 2024 at 1:01 am
Cowards lose. Iys obvious he’s the problem
November 5th, 2024 at 1:04 am
Is there a Tampa Bay Bucs number we can lave a message t o Fire Todd Bowles that will get to the owner & GM? If so, please Post!
November 5th, 2024 at 1:06 am
HEY GUYS, WE ALMOST DID IT, WE ALMOST BEAT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONS THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS! WE TOOK THEM RIGHT DOWN TO THE FINAL MOMENTS, TO OVERTIME!!!! SURE, WE DIDN’T GET THE WIN THIS TIME, BUT NEXT TIME THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT!!! THIS IS A HUGE MORAL VICTORY, AND WE SHOULD ALL BE CELEBRATING RIGHT NOW!!! THIS IS THE START OF THE SUPER BOWL RUN!!!! JOIN THE #TEAMPOSITIVE BANDWAGON NOW WHILE WE STILL HAVE PLENTY OF GOOD SEATS AVAILABLE!!!!
#TEAMPOSITIVE!!
November 5th, 2024 at 1:19 am
Lovie 2.0. when will it end? Or…. I feel an 8 game winning streak coming to end regular season on the way to the Superbowl #teampositive.
November 5th, 2024 at 1:53 am
It just makes 0 sense to go to overtime in KC against Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reed.
Todd Bowles just makes the wrong decision every single time it matters.
November 5th, 2024 at 2:28 am
Cowardly excuse.
November 5th, 2024 at 4:30 am
Water on the brain.
November 5th, 2024 at 4:47 am
I don’t know about wet conditions, but Todd did leave a stain on the field.
November 5th, 2024 at 4:48 am
And there is the issue. Its not a couple of plays every game but the mentality and the philosophy of this Coach and this team.
With the OT rules you may not have a chance to win the game, we saw that in Atlanta. You have an opportunity with one play at the 2yd line to win the game. But you think because of the conditions is better to go to OT where the chances to get the ball at the 2yd line are wayyyyyy less.
So you can see the problem when even after the fact Coach still thinks he made the right decision. Mind boggling.
YOU ARE AT THE 2YD LINE JUST GO FOR IT.
November 5th, 2024 at 5:00 am
i guess coach really must trust his swiss cheese defense…
go figure…
warren sapp used to rant “just give us 17 points” or something like that
November 5th, 2024 at 6:26 am
It did come down to that…. U go for 2… just asked wife, who doesn’t give a s___ about football, what she would do in this scenario and without hesitation says u go for 2…
November 5th, 2024 at 7:22 am
The look on Mayfield’s face when he lost the OT coin toss said it all.
November 5th, 2024 at 9:01 am
Total BS! Had ’em on their heels and should have went for 2! Concerned about the ‘wet conditions’? It was just as wet for KC!? WTF????
November 5th, 2024 at 9:24 am
I don’t think firing a coach in-season is the answer, but if he’s still here next season, they’ll have to rebuild with a new group and will have wasted the rest of ME and CG’s careers.
November 5th, 2024 at 9:33 am
Can we fire him yet I’ve been asking the same question since he arrived in tampa as our de coordinator fire him already for the love of god fire him please
November 5th, 2024 at 11:22 am
Bowles may be a 2x NFC South Championship coach…But he coaches with a losers mentality.
On the road, in wet conditions with chance to steal a game from an undefeated team…You go for 2 late in the 4th believing that the OFF will have better anticipation of the play called than the DEF…. You try to win it right then & there.
November 5th, 2024 at 6:16 pm
Should have gone for thee WIN!!!! NO BALLS
November 5th, 2024 at 6:18 pm
NFL OVERTIME RULE IS HORRIBLE. Tod should have gone for the WIN!!!!!
November 5th, 2024 at 6:29 pm
if Coen isn’t our head coach next year, i’ll have lost faith in Licht