Todd Bowles Still A “Coach Of The Year” Candidate?
October 7th, 2024
Todd Bowles
Everything seemed to be looking up for the Bucs. Solid team. Seemed well-coached. Dangerous offense. Defense that could be stout.
Joe was stoked. If the Bucs on short rest could knock off the Dixie Chicks, Joe figured this team was capable of going on a run.
Then Thursday night happened. Maybe it’s because “this Joe” had plenty of zen moments watching 24 hours of quality football these past two days, but Joe’s rage about how the Bucs choked away a win in Atlanta has turned to depression.
That loss was a cold slap in the face. Apparently Joe wasn’t alone before the kickoff of Thursday’s game. The Bucs seemed to be one of the best teams in the NFC. So much so that follicly-challenged Billy Barnwell of BSPN just before the game typed about his three favorite candidates for the NFL “Coach of the Year” honor.
One was Todd Bowles.
The only coach to beat Quinn and the Commanders comes in second. Bowles’ Bucs have been without key players Calijah Kancey, Antoine Winfield Jr., Vita Vea and Luke Goedeke for stretches of the first month of the season. They’ve faced the league’s 10th-toughest schedule, a mark that should rise as metrics such as ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) learn the Commanders are for real. Those concerns haven’t stopped the Bucs.
The Bucs’ offense looks even better after losing Dave Canales to the Panthers, with Baker Mayfield currently fourth in the league in passer rating despite battling the league’s second-highest drop rate, at just under 11%. Bowles’ defense, meanwhile, has been the only one to slow down the Commanders on offense this year, limiting Jayden Daniels & Co. to two touchdowns on their first seven drives before a garbage-time score. Tampa Bay also held the Eagles and Lions to 16 points each despite playing without Winfield, its best player from a year ago.
Joe pretty much agrees with Barnwell. Things were looking good.
Then Thursday happened. No pass defense. No edge rush — a Bowles staple — and it very much smells like someone ordered a Code Turtle in the second half.
Denver was a bad loss. Bad losses happen. But the way the Bucs lost to Atlanta, it was worse than just a bad loss. The Bucs could have taken control of the NFC South and pretty much knocked the Dixie Chicks out.
Thursday’s loss has the feel and the stench of when the Bucs blew a lead against the woeful Lions in 2010 that eventually cost them a wild card berth.
Lesser teams after a loss like that will crumble and circle the drain. Let’s see what the Bucs are made of. On comes New Orleans.
Of course, Joe can just hear it now. If the Bucs lose to the slimy Saints, the excuse of the week will be locked and loaded well before the game, just ready to be fired.
The hurricane!
October 7th, 2024 at 9:52 am
If you told me we would be 3-2 right now, I wouldn’t have been surprised but it would’ve taken me 100s of guesses to figure out who we lost to.
October 7th, 2024 at 9:58 am
Hahahaha.LOL.
ROTFLMAO.
October 7th, 2024 at 10:10 am
lol
October 7th, 2024 at 10:17 am
From Five Alarm Fire to Coach of the Year
October 7th, 2024 at 10:31 am
tough ending — last week
some brutal end of game management issues
October 7th, 2024 at 10:37 am
Im glad you brought up the hurricane.
The team is flying out Tuesday and the glaziers have a long track record of ensuring everyone in the org, including families are moved to safety.
If they lose, it will be the excuse, just like last hurricane and the ones before. I seem to recall VV talking about dogs and kids running through the hotel — very distracting.
So, I hope they at least consider multiple hotels for family or another plan as they relocate to safety.
October 7th, 2024 at 10:47 am
I have all the confidence in the world that the Bucs will hold the Falcons to under 300 total yards for the game at RayJay. If they get over three hundred it is because the Bucs are up by more than 2 scores going into the 4th. Now as far as the ravens game, that scares me, but the other do not
October 7th, 2024 at 10:54 am
Joe you summed it up perfectly as far as I’m concerned. This was not just a bad loss. It was a stunning lack of situational awareness by this coaching staff.
Sickening and unacceptable. This staff gets their team ready to play 1 out of every 3 games. Save your excuses. This team is as average as it gets.
October 7th, 2024 at 10:59 am
Agree, and just like that it happened. We play them at the end of the month on Bucs field. They should be healthier too. Hoping to see us win against the Saints. There will be a noise factor again too with the closed dome. The Falcons kept their dome roof closed against us.
October 7th, 2024 at 11:10 am
I have no problem with losing a game, losing is part of the game
But to lose a game that you had won, is a different story
That’s what’s so hurtful
October 7th, 2024 at 11:20 am
He would have to be in the NFC championship.
October 7th, 2024 at 11:22 am
LOL! He never was. He’s a below average HC and an average DC.
October 7th, 2024 at 11:24 am
Fire this guy he lets too many games get Slipped Away. 509 yards put on you and you pissed the game away trying to run out the clock
October 7th, 2024 at 12:03 pm
The Bucs were in similar position last year but continued their swoon on a losing streak. We all gave up. The players did not. They not only kept their faith in Todd they IMPROVED. Is that not even possible to IMAGINE repeating.
Again…go 2-3 over the next five. Take the bye and get healthy and THEN roar through the soft second half and finish 12-5! OK that may be too much but 10-7 would be easily doable.
Do we like excitement? Buy your tickets for the final Home game against the Stinkin Saints. IMHO the Division and maybe the playoffs will end up coming down to that game.
October 7th, 2024 at 12:06 pm
Events didn’t bounce the Bucs’ way thursday.
The 4th quarter fumble was recovered by Falcons.
The refs missed a facemask penalty.
Last night, Steelers forced an end of game fumble defending their goal line, but Cowboys recovered and then scored winning touchdown.
It’s one game, move on.
October 7th, 2024 at 12:09 pm
I thought the loss to Denver stung, but snatching defeat from the hands of victory is far worse. I was hoping watching the games yesterday would help ease the heartache from that loss, but instead, I just want to fly down to New Orleans and yell at Bowles until the end of the game on Sunday. He shows no emotion; I’ll have enough for both of us. Hopefully the Hurricane doesn’t completely wipe out Tampa saw it was just upgraded to a CAT 5…. Stay safe everyone!!
October 7th, 2024 at 12:10 pm
I think Todd Bowles is still in position to be named coach of the year, depending on how the Bucs finish out the season. I believe it for several reasons, but mainly because he knows how to inspire players to win. Coach Bowles knows the Bucs are a good team and he does everything he can to build team confidence.
Bruce Arians wouldn’t have suggested Coach Bowles take over if he didn’t have 100 % confidence in him.
The fact is Coach Bowles did a fabulous job of coaching in Atlanta. We were in a position to win it on their turf !
I am confident the Bucs will be well prepared to beat the Saints this Sunday !
Go Bucs !! L G !!
October 7th, 2024 at 12:44 pm
Sorry, the doom and gloom and panic is misplaced. DESPITE all the injuries, the bad calls, and everything else, they still were in control of the game most of the day, and had a shot to win if the coin bounced differently.
Yes, they can play better, and they will as the injured return. We took Atlanta’s best shot, and it required a massive performance by their QB, a missed penalty, a bad coin toss and a missed tackle for the Dirty Birds to win. We’ll be fine.
October 7th, 2024 at 1:28 pm
This.
October 7th, 2024 at 2:22 pm
Where’s this coach of the year nonsense come from! He was on the chopping block last year
October 7th, 2024 at 2:41 pm
And neither Bowles and Litch look to make a plan to find a pass rusher I guess this team is pieces away from a championship
October 7th, 2024 at 3:05 pm
Fans always overreact to losses. Joe had it right originally–the game was stolen by the officials. Buccaneers did not deserve to win the game, but neither did Atlanta. The missed face mask and the missed illegal procedure on the spiking of the ball were really bad calls.
Tonight, the Saints play at KC. They do not want to lose three in a row and then have to face the Buccaneers on short rest. They too had a game stolen by bad luck. Completely outplayed the Falcons and lost. I’m not calling this game officially, but overall Saints have been a better team than KC, which has had more than their share of good luck. KC is awfully hard to defeat at home, but the DVOA data make the Saints awfully tempting as a 5 point underdog.
October 7th, 2024 at 3:26 pm
That’s ridiculous.
October 7th, 2024 at 4:05 pm
nonsense…
October 7th, 2024 at 4:15 pm
And he should be on there and now the bucs know how it feels when the Saints got that to the Vikings with the officials right there few years back
October 7th, 2024 at 4:35 pm
Todd Blows will NEVER finish in the top 5 for Coach of the Year
EVER
His defense prides itself on holding teams to 3 points vs 3 & outs. Just a loser mindset
October 7th, 2024 at 5:42 pm
I rather read about if RJS is still standing than this nonsense. Glazers can now sell the team, and it can be moved. That RJS deal has expired.
October 7th, 2024 at 7:19 pm
RJS will be fine until they dynamite it. In the works I thought. Probably trying to finagle more public money, since they don’t make enough…
October 7th, 2024 at 7:28 pm
Thanks for the positive spin Batow Bucs. Some of us just have to vent. We’ve seen enough of the turtle. That’s 2 awful, two good and one inspired lucky. That’s a tough resume to sell. Long season though. Keep our chin up. Go Bucs. Despite Bowles.
October 7th, 2024 at 10:51 pm
When the defense gets healthy, many Bowles haters here will quietly acknowledge
That perhaps the Atlanta loss was a one-off. People underestimate not only winfields talent, but his ability to make sure each secondary player knows their assignment, pre snap. Communication breeds competence.