Why should an injury ravaged beating the following week excuse Bowles for his defense unable to force one punt or get off the field?
I don’t get how you’d even come up with that. One doesn’t excuse the other it just says that either people are underestimating WAS (you said playing above their grade) or the Bucs defensive performance against WAS was probably not as bad as many here claimed it to be (Lions force one punt and similarly lost the TOP by the same amount Bucs defense held to a couple FGs etc)
why in the world is it either/or? If you agree that either one of those might be true THEN you’re “excusing” Bowles?
Nope
If it's not excusing Bowles, what is it?
It's literally "well look Lions couldn't stop them either so. Bowles didn't do that bad".
But he did do that bad. Not as bad as he's been all year so... Congrats to him on that I guess?
It's not just his defense tho... It's clock managment and 4th down analytics.
He has way too much faith in his defense...
I think most of us that “defend Bowles” is more we know how the real world works and there was no way a guy that was 3 for 3 in division titles for a franchise that only one can describe as “shit” when it comes to their history was firing this guy after this year
I do think the expectations will be higher in 2026, more cap room, a draft more focused on defense, maybe a big signing; Bucs will not only have to make playoffs but likely win a game for Bowles to even have a chance at being extended. A playoffs and another home playoff loss and he’s cooked.
so with that being said, Bowles likely has a 75% chance of being fired in January 2026. Hang tight.
But again should/deserve vs will be... Be fired.
I've said all along that I want him gone but they won't.
But again should/deserve vs will be... Be fired.
I've said all along that I want him gone but they won't.
they might not but it’s really hard to say
to me all that matters is getting the most out of the team when it’s close and that seems much more likely to happen with an infusion of obviously needed defensive talent and depth, as compared to tearing it down
so I am not excusing Bowles I am pointing out that there is not a lot of distance between current Bowles defense with depleted talent and Super Bowl contender
I just don't want a defensive head coach. I want a coach that runs the offense and is aggressive.
Or at least is offensive minded and has a great coordinator.
Inversely I want my defensive coordinator focused on just that... And not being an actual tard with clock managment and analytics.
But again should/deserve vs will be... Be fired.
I've said all along that I want him gone but they won't.
well Bowles should be fired for the very reason that he never should have been hired in the first place. But Bucs had little choice given the timing of Arians exit. Damn, Arians, if he was going to retire, he should have done it a month or so prior! Why would he do that to Bowles? Thought he wanted him to succeed? hmm
That 2022 season was such a disappointment.
then sitting at 4-7 in 2023, it was all assured that this assclown was gone. then something magical happened.
Bucs played their best with their back against the wall, finishing 5-1 in the regular season; followed it up with this year a 6-1 finish. Now, they never should be in these 4-6 situations to begin with but this year, at least we can note that tough schedule in the middle along with no wide receivers. Given how the Bucs finished strong the last 2 years, coupled with the players likely enjoy working for Todd; it would be a tough sell this offseason.
but like i said, talent infuse the defense and if they don't jump to top 12, bucs dont win a playoff game next year, then yeah, i dont see how they let him be head coach for 2026 season.
