It’s time for Scott Reynolds’ 2-Pt Conversion post-game column, which features two statements, two questions and two predictions based on the latest Bucs game.

The Bucs lost yet another close game at Raymond James Stadium in Week 4, falling to the Green Bay Packers, 17-14. Rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels had a fair game, leading Tampa Bay on two touchdown drives, but also threw two big interceptions and failed to lead the team on a game-winning drive at the end. Tampa Bay falls to 0-4 and will travel to Dallas for a Thursday Night Football game against the 2-2 Cowboys on Amazon Prime.

2 BIG STATEMENTS

STATEMENT 1. This Bucs Team Is Going Nowhere

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this 0-4 Buccaneers team is going nowhere after Sunday’s 17-14 loss to a bad Packers team at home.

But you knew that, didn’t you?

Tampa Bay is likely heading for another losing season without a playoff berth, and as of right now, owns the third overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

There has been only one team in NFL history that has started the season 0-4 and still made the playoffs. That was the 1992 San Diego Chargers team, which won 11 of its last 12 games and wound up 11-5. The Chargers even won their first-round playoff game that year.

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Does this team look like it could be a once-in-a-generational squad that could pull that off?

Heck, even getting to eight wins to match last year’s 8-9 record seems like a Herculean task for Todd Bowles and Co. That would require Tampa Bay going 8-5 down the stretch? You show me where those eight wins are going to come from on this schedule.

Yes, I know the Bucs reside in the lowly NFC South division where you can be a division winner with a losing record. It’s happened three times before, including the 2022 season in Bowles’ first year as head coach, and with Carolina last year. But through the first quarter of this team the Bucs are still struggling to find their identity on either side of the ball.

On offense, the scoring is going in reverse as Zac Robinson’s unit has gotten worse each week. Starting a rookie quarterback didn’t help in Week 4, but the point production is bottoming out as each week passes. The offense is clearly regressing right now, and the Bucs may not even have a receiver with 600 yards this year, which would be a stunning development.

On defense, the Bucs can kinda stop the run and they’ve held two really bad offenses to under 20 points in the last two games. But Bowles’ bunch can’t rush the passer. More on that in a minute. And even though Tampa Bay’s defense recorded two takeaways on Sunday it has yet to win the turnover battle in any game this year, finishing even with Green Bay at 2-2 courtesy of two Jalon Daniels interceptions. The Bucs are minus-5 in the turnover differential this year. Only the Falcons and Colts at minus-6 are worse.

This is just more of the same with a Bowles-coached team. The Bucs can’t win close games with a 15-21 record in games decided by a touchdown (eight points) or less since 2023. It certainly feels like this is Bowles’ last season in Tampa Bay.

STATEMENT 2. Bucs Pass Rush Is Incredibly Disappointing

Despite Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love being the most hit quarterback through three games – over 30 times – he was only twice on Sunday in Tampa Bay and wasn’t sacked at all. Fresh off a game where the Bucs notched a season-high three sacks, Todd Bowles’ troops couldn’t get close to Love in Week 4.

Tampa Bay has six sacks through the first four games of the season. The Bucs’ pass rush has to be one of the most disappointing aspects of this team so far. Rueben Bain Jr., the team’s first-round pick, has missed the last two games after an underwhelming start to his rookie season. Fellow outside linebacker Yaya Diaby is in a contract year and has yet to record a sack.

Bucs OLBs Yaya Diaby, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Rueben Bain Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

New outside linebacker Al-Quadin Muhammad, who had 11 sacks last year in Detroit, has yet to record his first one in Tampa Bay. Second-year outside linebacker David Walker doesn’t play as much as he should but leads the team with two sacks.

Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey has been a big disappointment with four tackles in his last seven games dating back to last year, and hasn’t had a sack in the last eight games, dating back to the 2024 season. Defensive tackle Vita Vea is also without a sack and has done little to justify his $27 million per year status. Newcomer A’Shawn Robinson is the only defensive tackle on the team that has a quarterback capture.

If you thought last year’s sack total of 37 was bad, Tampa Bay is on pace to record just 25 this season, which is absolutely awful. The 37 sacks in 2025 was the lowest of any Bowles defense, but this would set a new dubious record for sure.

2 PROBING QUESTIONS

QUESTION 1. Would The Bucs Make Any Changes During The Mini Bye Week?

I don’t think so if the team falls to 0-5 this year because it’s so early in the season, and if the Bucs won in Dallas the team certainly wouldn’t make any changes – certainly not at head coach. But if the Glazers were going to contemplate an in-season head coaching change, which they have never done before, the mini bye week after the Thursday Night Football game would present the best opportunity.

Bucs co-owner Darcie Glazer-Kassowitz and head coach Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Todd Bowles is now 2-11 in his last 13 games dating back to the bye week from a year ago. The Glazers don’t like to get embarrassed, especially on national TV. And if that happens at the hands of the Cowboys on Thursday night it could open that door to the team’s first in-season firing. It’s always tough to make an in-season coaching change, especially in the middle of the season with game-planning taking place on a near daily basis. Complicating matters would be the fact that Bowles is not just the head coach, but also the play-caller.

Tampa Bay can’t really wait until the bye week to make a change intended to jump-start the season, as the bye comes too late – after the 10th game of the year. So if anything is going to happen – whether it’s firing Bowles or Bowles perhaps making a change at offensive play-caller and firing offensive coordinator Zac Robinson – doing so after the Thursday Night Football game is the best opportunity from a timing standpoint.

QUESTION 2. Who Would Take Over As Interim Head Coach If Todd Bowles Was Fired?

I’ve been inundated with this question a bunch, so I’ll address it here. If the Bucs were going to fire head coach Todd Bowles during the season don’t look for an outsider like Jon Gruden or Sean McDermott to suddenly come in midseason and take over. Any new coach would want his own staff with his own schemes and playbooks. Switching out schemes and playbooks during the season just won’t work. There isn’t enough practice time to effectively work in the new plays.

So any interim head coach would have to come from the existing Bucs staff. The problem is that it’s just not that talented of a coaching staff. Outside of offensive coordinators Dave Canales and Liam Coen, other NFL teams just don’t raid Tampa Bay’s coaching staff – certainly not on the defensive side of the ball. If Bowles were be replaced the team would also have to find a new defensive play-caller.

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles and OLBs coach Larry Foote – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

The most likely scenario would be promoting Larry Foote to head coach and installing pass game coordinator George Edwards as the defensive play-caller. Edwards has defensive play-calling experience whereas Foote doesn’t. Foote would be able to supply the team with some vocal leadership on the sidelines, at practice and in the meeting rooms.

With special teams coordinator Danny Smith and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson new to the team, and Robinson’s side of the ball really struggling, that would seem to take them out of the running for any possible interim head coach status.

2 BOLD PREDICTIONS

PREDICTION 1. Bucs Will Fall To 0-6

Two weeks ago after the Bucs lost to the Browns at home I predicted that Tampa Bay would lose the next three games to start the season 0-5. Well, after losses to Minnesota and Green Bay, this team is 0-4. A defeat in Dallas on Thursday Night Football would complete the prophecy.

But I think I screwed up a few weeks ago. I should have said Tampa Bay would start the year 0-6 because I don’t see Tampa Bay’s offense having much success against Pittsburgh’s defense in Week 6. I don’t know how the Bucs offense can keep up with the Cowboys offense on Thursday Night Football, especially with rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels making his second NFL start.

PREDICTION 2. Offense Could Show Some Signs Of Life In Dallas

There is a chance that Zac Robinson’s offense actually shows signs of life against a bad Dallas defense that ranks 29th in the league, surrendering 28 points per game. Dallas’ run defense is putrid, allowing an average of 150 yards per game on the ground. That could present an opening for Bucky Irving, Kenny Gainwell and Sean Tucker – if he’s used – to move the chains on offense.

The Cowboys are also suspect against the pass, ranking 24th in the league, allowing 239.3 yards per game. That might be a tall order for rookie Jalon Daniels to come in and light up the Dallas secondary, though. It’s unfortunate that Baker Mayfield got hurt when he did because the Bucs would have stood a better chance of putting up enough points to win last week against Green Bay and to be competitive on the scoreboard in Dallas.

Tampa Bay hasn’t scored 20 points on offense since Week 1, but they could top that in Dallas on Thursday night.