The Faux Field Goal Debacle
October 26th, 2023
Why?
Joe cannot begin to count the number of football games Joe has seen since first getting hooked on the game in grade school. Tonight was a first.
Can anyone explain to Joe what the faux field goal stunt called by Bucs coach Todd Bowles was to end the first half?
Buffalo led 17-10. The Bucs had the ball and were feebly trying to mount a two-minute drill. Joe imagines watching senior citizens in The Villages attempt to fornicate without medical aids would be equally hopeless.
With 16 seconds left, Bowles decided on fourth down to kick a 59-yard field goal.
This, believe it or not, is in Bowles’ wheelhouse. (How many long 50-yarders did Bowles march Ryan Succop out on the field last year to attempt even though everyone in the GD stadium knew he didn’t have the leg.) Earlier in the same quarter, Chase McLaughlin nailed a 57-yard field goal. So Bowles attempting a 59-yarder field wasn’t crazy with seconds left in the half.
The field goal unit lined up. A snap never came. The Bucs took a delay of game. Punt.
Huh???
So basically Bowles, who each and every week talks about scoring points, took potential points off the board.
Make this make sense.
What exactly was the purpose of that stunt? If Bowles was scared to kick a 59-yard field goal, why the hell did he kick a 57-yard field goal just minutes before?
Joe has never seen that before. Never. Joe cannot count all the football games he’s seen in his life, he’s never seen that before. And nothing about it makes any sense.
ESPN talking head Dan Orlovsky Twittered that he thought perhaps the Bucs had a fake field goal on and the play wasn’t there so instead the Bucs ate the ball.
Just on face value this doesn’t add up because field goal teams and punt teams always take the field with options. So Bowles sent the field goal team out there with just one directive?
Joe doesn’t think it is a coincidence that the same guy last year that pulled the ball out of Tom Brady’s hands in Cleveland because he was scared of a pick also dialed up a faux field goal with 16 seconds left in the half tonight and took a delay so he could punt.
Have you ever seen such nonsense?
Joe has a feeling that faux field goal might just be Bowles’ “You like that!?” Capitol Collapse Lovie Smith moment.
Joe is quickly losing hope.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:23 pm
If the coaching search didn’t start 3 days ago then it needs to start tomorrow.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:23 pm
Have they ever heard of hurry up offense? You know what other teams do when they get behind.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:24 pm
Harbaugh
October 26th, 2023 at 11:25 pm
Wasted time when down 14 points cost us this game. That’s pi$$ poor coaching!
October 26th, 2023 at 11:25 pm
Lost it before the half. Difference in the game. Quit running the ball. Screens, and check downs. Simple as that before runs.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:26 pm
Terrible coaching.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:26 pm
Chief arms crossed is soo bad. This team makes the same mistakes every week. He should have been bounced last year!!
October 26th, 2023 at 11:27 pm
I thought it was smart decision after Buffalo called TO. If they kept clock running a FG was missed, no loss. With 16 seconds on the clock and time stopped. You don’t risk missing and giving the Bills ball on the 50. I thought that was a great adjustment by Bowles!
October 26th, 2023 at 11:27 pm
Fire this staff. Time to collapse for Caleb.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:27 pm
The center didn’t even have his hands on the ball
October 26th, 2023 at 11:28 pm
Terrible call on him. Again I don’t like him as a head coach.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:28 pm
Do we keep Mayfield in to make a run for the #1pick.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:28 pm
Buffalo called a timeout. Bucs didn’t get a delay of game.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:29 pm
Bye Bye Clown. I think the fans and the Glazers have seen enough.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:31 pm
That was a wierd play.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:32 pm
Hey Joe I thought you called Todd Bowles big bawls Bowles?
October 26th, 2023 at 11:32 pm
Fire Bowles 💩💩💩💩💩💩
October 26th, 2023 at 11:32 pm
I’m glad that people are finally seeing whats been crystal clear since preseason game 1 last season. Todd Bowles is a terrible HC and over rated D-coordinator.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:33 pm
Yes they did get a delay of game….the time out was on the play before!
October 26th, 2023 at 11:33 pm
I know why he punted – because he’s a coward.
It’s why, with 2 mins left in the half, he was running the clock. He was more worried about the Bills getting the ball back and scoring, than he was worried about the Bucs trying to score.
If the game was tied, that’s one thing – it’s still gutless, but at least you could make a case for it. But down by 7, and kicking off the ball to start the 2nd half, it’s complete and total coward BS.
Bowles is a loser, and this is what losers do. They worry more about losing than they care about winning.
The team has now lost 4 of 5 on the way to a 5-12 or 6-11 season.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:33 pm
Why are they letting the first attempt get blocked? The special teams is atrocious outside of the the individual performances by the kickers. It’s a team phase and they suck as bad as any team in the league. A real GM would have fired Armstrong in the offseason. Licht is weak
October 26th, 2023 at 11:34 pm
Who cares… Hail Mary open number 2 receiver puts one hand up catching rain? Lack luster to the end. Game would’ve been won. Bad game throughout for everyone
October 26th, 2023 at 11:34 pm
Gutless football. Kick the FG or go for it. In either case, be aggressive. That was as gutless a call as I have ever seen. That’s the type of call that loses a team. This season is over and that call is emblematic of why. There’s no toughness and no aggressiveness. It’s awful to watch.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:34 pm
There was one other option there…..how about go for it on 4th down??
October 26th, 2023 at 11:35 pm
Horrible coaching all around. The 3rd down zone-blitz leaving Diggs wide open was Mike Smith quality stuff. I bet we could’ve used that extra clock. It’s just so bad. Canales makes me long for the halcyon days of Jeff Tedford
October 26th, 2023 at 11:35 pm
We were trying to run out the clock
October 26th, 2023 at 11:36 pm
It’s real simple:
Todd Bowles sucks.
Clueless, inept, stubborn and cowardly. But worst of all, he’s a pansy.
And I’m writing “pansy” because I can’t write the word I wanna use. Im done with him. Absolutely pathetic and cowardly.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:38 pm
Even more ridiculous because the kick from 57 would probably have been good from 60+. He would have had a good chance from 59.
Forget the field goal – we need to hurry up and go for that on 4th down. No risk it, no biscuit. This offense certainly has no biscuit mentality.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:38 pm
Defensive played Lovie Smith ball tonight so when we should have been man we were prevent zone and got 1st downed over and over to the pt that commentator’s literally said “they’re making this look too easy”! Wtf
October 26th, 2023 at 11:39 pm
This team gives me a serious case of Bowles incontinence
October 26th, 2023 at 11:41 pm
Btw we lost at home to Atl…………………………run defense lol
October 26th, 2023 at 11:42 pm
Everything just seems to have fallen apart since Arians retired. Its now proven Byron Leftwich was a scapegoat for Bowles failures as a HC. Bucs need to clean house and start over.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:43 pm
Fire Bowels, fire Bowels, fire Bowels! Someone should purchase Fire Bowels billboard space near the stadium or fly a Fire Bowels banner over RJS during the next home game.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:45 pm
I’m glad to know I’m not crazy for thinking that might have been the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen on a football field. Holy smokes. I was pissed off at that for the rest of the game, even with the abysmal play in the second half I couldn’t get over that field goal BS. I’d have been fine with a field goal attempt or just go for it on 4th and 3 and try to make it a more manageable distance. Even if they didn’t pick up the first down there’s 10 seconds left on the clock and Buffalo is 20 yards from field goal range. Buffalo would have probably just kneeled it out anyway to end the half but even if not if you don’t trust your defense to make that stop then that’s another whole problem in itself.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:47 pm
Also, Bowles last the game for us with that terrible blitz of Izien on that crucial 3rd down on their last drive and he left Diggs side open with nobody covering him. Lol, SMH
October 26th, 2023 at 11:47 pm
*lost
October 26th, 2023 at 11:47 pm
Todd Bowles is a coward and Canales can’t call plays and such.
I get that the Offense is a myth. You still have to go for it and not kick phantom FG in the first half. This website addressed that
I understand that we have multiple gaps with our personnel.
Which is why we should always be going for it on offense right?
I just don’t get why people making 6-7 figures are so bad at their jobs.
Clear house. Trade people who deserve to be on competitive teams.
I love Tampa Bay.
You don’t vent know how much I bleed with this team.
Bench Baker and/or fire Canales.
#barberjureviciussapplynchbrooksquarlesalstott
October 26th, 2023 at 11:47 pm
The glazers have to realize that if they don’t fire Bowles the seats will be empty and no one will care.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:49 pm
Agreed Joe. This was the nail in the coffin for Bowles. The cowardice/stupidity is simply overwhelming, and the entire organization is taking on his loser personality.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:49 pm
I’ve been watching Bucs games since 1987 and can’t recall a more gutless call than that one. Go for it or kick the FG. If you don’t trust your D to hold with 16 seconds from the 39 (as a defensive minded HC), then you’ve already failed. Punting there was literally the only bad call, and that’s exactly what they did. That’s the quickest way to lose a roster, and I’d be shocked if that’s not exactly what will happen the rest of this season. Hello 4-13.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:53 pm
This.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:53 pm
All of these problems can be solved with a QB change. Then, we wouldn’t be constantly playing catch up. The offense needs to score more than 2 touchdowns per game and Mayfield just isn’t cutting it.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:56 pm
doesn’t this compare to the debacle in cleveland last year ?
they say things really do go full circle
October 26th, 2023 at 11:56 pm
Joe Says:
October 26th, 2023 at 11:53 pm
Go for it or kick the FG. If you don’t trust your D to hold with 16 seconds from the 39 (as a defensive minded HC), then you’ve already failed.
This.
———-
In fairness, it would have been the 49 since you get it at the spot of the ball – and 49+10 = 59 yard attempt.
But Bowles is still a coward, and was more concerned about losing than trying to win.
October 26th, 2023 at 11:57 pm
Joe, in your post your forgot that the Bills called a timeout, gifting us time to set up and kick the 59 yarder the is clearly in this kids range.
Then, after the gifted timeout. We took the delay.
Todd Ball-less
October 26th, 2023 at 11:58 pm
adam from ny Says:
October 26th, 2023 at 11:56 pm
doesn’t this compare to the debacle in cleveland last year ?
————
With as much as I don’t like Bowles – no way this compared to that game.
That team was headed by Tom Brady and was literally the preseason pick to go to the SB from the NFC according to Vegas.
Bowles taking the ball out of Brady’s hands to play for a tie is 1-billion times worse than this, and should have got him fired on the spot.
October 27th, 2023 at 12:06 am
The game was horrible. BUT a legitimate PI call on the Bills and we may have won! Hard to believe but we also lost the previous game by one score.
October 27th, 2023 at 12:07 am
How much more do the Glazers have to see of Bowles ineptitude. He showed it last year and has shown it again this year. Personally I don’t even think he is a good Defensive Coordinator and he definitely isn’t a head coach. I don’t know who will be out there but they need to be more like Arians and Gruden. It’s no coincidence that the two Super Bowls we won were with fiery Head coaches.
October 27th, 2023 at 12:15 am
It amazes me that everyone thought this team would suck and despite Bowels they came out and went 3-1 and everyone thought wow we were wrong.
Well, NO, they weren’t.
It just took time for Bowles to find his footing in ruining a team.
Gutless Wonder wouldn’t dare go for it again after losing to Atlanta last week by, well, going for it.
I agree he s so concerned about CONTROLLING the outcome amd he doesn’t realize that is exactly what he is doing.
Handicapping this team with every smug arm cross.
As hard as he has tried, you can’t polish a turd.
October 27th, 2023 at 12:26 am
Well, in fairness to myself, not to take credit of anything, I did repeatedly compare this team to a Ray Perkins team, where I thought they’d get off to a hot start, had them even being 3-1, and even pointed out of the 1990 Ray Perkins Bucs went 3-1, then 4-2, before finishing the season 6-10 – and I said the Bucs this year would be either 5-12 or 6-11, would have a hot start, be the talk of the NFL, before going on a long losing streak.
It also means they’ll probably win like 2 of their last 3, which will not only cost them a top QB in the draft, it means they might even bring back Bowles.
October 27th, 2023 at 1:22 am
Its called a DUD, which is obviously what Bowles operates with pretty consistently…i shouldve known, nothing changes up there…cant fix stupid DUDS!
October 27th, 2023 at 5:32 am
The best way to be a Bucs fan with bowles here is to not watch the games. He make better decisions that way
October 27th, 2023 at 9:27 am
I don’t see you doing a fake field goal with 16 seconds left.
Only thing I was thinking was maybe they were waiting for a tail wind to pop up and it didn’t. Not sure it was windy there though.
October 27th, 2023 at 10:23 am
Joe Says: ” Joe imagines watching senior citizens in The Villages attempt to fornicate without medical aids would be equally hopeless.”
Who thinks about spit like that? Joe you are weird.
October 27th, 2023 at 11:59 am
“Joe imagines watching senior citizens in The Villages attempt to fornicate without medical aids would be equally hopeless.”
Joe, you are gold, baby! I live for this wacky stuff from you. Please never change! Very necessary in these very dark Buc times.