As one of the handful of NFL head coaches who choose not to employ a defensive coordinator because they’re so good at calling their own schemes, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles also opens himself up to some added criticism.
While Bowles might be used to it, Buccaneers fans seem destined to an annual dose of Bowles doing something so inexplicable it begs the question of why he insists on calling the defensive plays.
The latest round of criticism came after a 28-23 home loss to the New England Patriots in Week 10 that seemed to fall squarely on the shoulders of Bowles’ defense.
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski singled out Bowles as the team’s “Biggest Loser” after the loss.
“Bowles isn’t just the Buccaneers’ head coach; he’s also the team’s defensive play-caller,” Sobleski wrote on Monday, November 10. “Tampa surrendered three touchdowns of 55 yards or longer and gave up another pass of 54 yards. An aggressive approach is all well and good until the opponent can handle the pressure, as the Patriots did. If Bowles wants to live by the sword, then there will be days when his defense gets gashed.”
Bowles, to his credit, took all of the blame for his team’s defensive failures.
“It starts with me,” Bowles told reporters after the game.
Big Plays Crushed Bucs Against Patriots
Three of the Patriots’ 4 touchdowns came on plays of 55 yards or longer, including the longest pass play of quarterback Drake Maye’s career on a 72-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams and touchdown runs of 55 and 69 yards by rookie running back Treveyon Henderson.
Henderson finished 147 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on just 10 carries while the Buccaneers gave up 435 yards of total offense.
It was the kind of performance that left many wondering if the Buccaneers can actually be considered NFC contenders anymore and seemed to cement the NFC South as the NFL’s worst division.
Criticism of Bowles Ramps Up Online
It wouldn’t be an NFL season without Bowles becoming a trending topic online — which happened again after the loss to the Patriots.
X user JV pointed out that Bowles is one of just 3 head coaches left from the 10 who were hired before the 2022 season along with Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.
“I genuinely don’t think you can win a Super Bowl under Todd Bowles,” Bucs Wire’s EMT Ashlie wrote on her official X account.
“The Bucs gave up three touchdowns of 55+ yards today,” 10 Tampa Bay TV’s David Schiele wrote on X. “Brutal performance by the defense.”
“No Evans, Godwin or Irving I can give you,” Buccaneers fan Geoff Frantz wrote on X. “But a healthy defense giving up 435 yards of offense and 166 rushing of that is inexcusable. That should not happen under Bowles. This team is weak, mentally.”
“I still don’t get why anybody says Todd Bowles is an elite defensive coach,” X user Shot by Ronin wrote. “Their defense has sucked for years! Three big play touchdowns today? No sir. They should have fired Bowles and kept Liam Coen because even their offense looks less explosive than last year.”
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