What say you?
2022 - Bucs 8-9, underachieved
2023 - Bucs 8-8, overachieved
over/under 6.5 wins
he has 3 years left on contract
Does it depend on Carolina game? Playoffs?
is his job security:
A) Bucs must win division at 9-8, make playoffs and can lose a playoff game
B) Bucs needs to beat Eagles in first round of the playoffs
C) He has already saved his job even if Bucs lose to Carolina, choking away playoff birth
my heart is with option A in that if they make playoffs he will keep his job and despite being an uninspiring coach he would have earned another year. I fear that option C my be the facts
I hope I’m wrong on option C but hears hoping we don’t find out!
Pretty simple. If the Bucs lose, Bowles is out. He just lost a do or die game to the worst team in the league. If the Bucs win, Bowles is in. He went 9-8 after losing Brady and won the division in a year where many predicted the Bucs to get last even in the sorry NFC South.
If Bowles can't beat the Panthers, he'll be looking for a job the next day, but win and he's good. I don't think there's going to be a lot of mystery or speculation surrounding the Bucs head coaching position next Sunday after about 4 O'clock.
The team is winning in spite of Bowles. His JETS resume, him bringing Brady the only losing season of his career, games like the Texans, make it glaringly obvious he doesn't have what it takes to lead a team.
The team is winning in spite of Bowles. His JETS resume, him bringing Brady the only losing season of his career, games like the Texans, make it glaringly obvious he doesn't have what it takes to lead a team.
oh i don't think you will find many Bucs fans clamoring that he is a good head coach. He probably had a 3% approval rating after the 2022 season, and i'd say he's holding steady at 2.7% now.
my point more is from a what will the Glazor's do perspective and their perception, league wide perception could be different than us emotional fans.
A
Last year was a wash, in terms of his position as HC. You've heard Licht and Bowles imply as much.
This year is even understood to be a no money year, so if he gets us to the playoffs and maybe we are at least competitive he probably saves his job
Also, Canales was his hire, so the Mayfield/Canales thing buys him time, pushes the "tie" to the "runner," so to speak
The team is winning in spite of Bowles.
Exactly.
He was horrible with the Jets.
Helped oversee Brady's only losing season of his career.
And, has looked equally inept this year.
Unfortunately, if we win this week, he'll most likely be back for another season.
The team is winning in spite of Bowles.
Exactly.
He was horrible with the Jets.
Helped oversee Brady's only losing season of his career.
And, has looked equally inept this year.
Unfortunately, if we win this week, he'll most likely be back for another season.
Unfortunately. It shouldn't be like that. The fact is "IF" the rest of the Division was 3-14, and the Buccs were 4-13, they have a home playoff game. Just winning the division shouldn't be a prerequisite for keeping your job. It's glaringly obvious Bowles sucks as a head coach.
The team is winning in spite of Bowles.
Exactly.
He was horrible with the Jets.
Helped oversee Brady's only losing season of his career.
And, has looked equally inept this year.
Unfortunately, if we win this week, he'll most likely be back for another season.
Unfortunately. It shouldn't be like that. The fact is "IF" the rest of the Division was 3-14, and the Buccs were 4-13, they have a home playoff game. Just winning the division shouldn't be a prerequisite for keeping your job. It's glaringly obvious Bowles sucks as a head coach.
while we all agree Bowles should have never been head coach, it was the hand we were dealt with Arians retirement
Bucs front office would face backlash if they fire Bowles are a 9-8 season and division title after a season where they didn’t even try to compete (75 million dead cap hit, taken all of Brady’s 35 million when they could have spread it)
like I said, I hope we don’t find out, but i don’t think it a forgone conclusion he’s done with a loss. He should be by all means. But when a firing doesn’t happen on Monday, what would that say? What if it drags on a week or so, would it settle in then!
And what if baker doesn’t play, is there a built in excuse as to why we lost?
Disagree. If the Bucs lose to the Panthers, then it's not just about the 8-9 record. The Bucs would have finished up with a huge thud - losing two critical games against division foes with a team that is pretty healthy for the end of the season. They threw out a dud against the rival Saints and who knows what kind of fiasco it would take to lose to the worst team in the league who should have their golf clubs in the trunk of their car already. I don't think it will happen, but if it does there's no way they can rely on Bowles going forward. They already flopped in their playoff game last year. Whether it's Mayfield or Trask it doesn't matter. If Bowles can't get the team to come to play against the Panthers there's no way they don't fire him.The team is winning in spite of Bowles.
Exactly.
He was horrible with the Jets.
Helped oversee Brady's only losing season of his career.
And, has looked equally inept this year.
Unfortunately, if we win this week, he'll most likely be back for another season.
Unfortunately. It shouldn't be like that. The fact is "IF" the rest of the Division was 3-14, and the Buccs were 4-13, they have a home playoff game. Just winning the division shouldn't be a prerequisite for keeping your job. It's glaringly obvious Bowles sucks as a head coach.
while we all agree Bowles should have never been head coach, it was the hand we were dealt with Arians retirement
Bucs front office would face backlash if they fire Bowles are a 9-8 season and division title after a season where they didn’t even try to compete (75 million dead cap hit, taken all of Brady’s 35 million when they could have spread it)
like I said, I hope we don’t find out, but i don’t think it a forgone conclusion he’s done with a loss. He should be by all means. But when a firing doesn’t happen on Monday, what would that say? What if it drags on a week or so, would it settle in then!
And what if baker doesn’t play, is there a built in excuse as to why we lost?
@ABuccsFan- I’ve thought several times over the past 2 years how similar this situation was back in 2010 when the Rams,Seahawks,and 49ers were in the hunt to win the division with less than 8 wins. Agree with everything you said in your last post.
@Badabingbucs Agree with the fact that Bowles was the hand we were dealt. While the Glazers signed off on the transition at the time I feel like it was more to appease Arians. as I don’t feel Bowles was their ideal choice in the circumstance. That said there was a large portion of the fan base that wanted Bowles fired after last season. I think most sat back and watched either giving him the benefit of the doubt with one more chance to prove them wrong. Tampa was kind of their own worst nightmare this year. Started on a hot streak, had a losing streak, won 1, went on another losing streak with some heartbreaking losses, then we all know how the past 5 weeks have played out. Granted we weren’t predicted to win many to start the year, but I think the 2 streaks built hope in the fan base just to have it dashed due to Bowles doing Bowles things. I don’t feel the losses would have been as poorly received by the fan base if the team didn’t look so terribly unprepared, coupled with the stubbornness or blatant unwillingness to make roster changes for better performing players, those same players that are still getting significant playing time and still being major contributors in losing games. While I will always root,cheer, and hope for a Bucs win, I hope that if we can get past Carolina, but lose to the Eagles or Cowboys especially if it’s a blowout, that Bowles will be shown the door.
SR in the Fab 5
"Two straight wins by Bowles in Carolina and in the first round of the playoffs would be a sign of progress and would likely solidify not only his return, but the return of offensive coordinator Dave Canales in 2024. The development of Canales, a bright, young offensive mind with the charisma and energy to become a head coach, actually helps Bowles’ cause for sticking around.
I talked about possible offensive-minded head coaching candidates who could replace Bowles if he’s fired in last week’s SR’s Fab 5, so I won’t repeat myself here. But one scenario that could play out is keeping Bowles in 2024 with Canales being a potential in-house candidate as an interim head coach if the team falters at the start of next season."
SR in the Fab 5
"Two straight wins by Bowles in Carolina and in the first round of the playoffs would be a sign of progress and would likely solidify not only his return, but the return of offensive coordinator Dave Canales in 2024. The development of Canales, a bright, young offensive mind with the charisma and energy to become a head coach, actually helps Bowles’ cause for sticking around.
I talked about possible offensive-minded head coaching candidates who could replace Bowles if he’s fired in last week’s SR’s Fab 5, so I won’t repeat myself here. But one scenario that could play out is keeping Bowles in 2024 with Canales being a potential in-house candidate as an interim head coach if the team falters at the start of next season."
apologies it cut off
"It’s unlikely that Canales hasn’t accomplished enough in one year as an NFL offensive coordinator to take over for Bowles outright this offseason. But the team may not want to let Canales get away so quickly with a house-cleaning this offseason.
With another year of seasoning as a play-caller and the team’s leader of the offensive coaching staff, Canales may wind up as Tampa Bay’s head coach eventually if Bowles gets off to a rocky start and the team begins 2024 in underwhelming fashion."
typo aside probably right on
SR in the Fab 5
"Two straight wins by Bowles in Carolina and in the first round of the playoffs would be a sign of progress and would likely solidify not only his return, but the return of offensive coordinator Dave Canales in 2024. The development of Canales, a bright, young offensive mind with the charisma and energy to become a head coach, actually helps Bowles’ cause for sticking around.
I talked about possible offensive-minded head coaching candidates who could replace Bowles if he’s fired in last week’s SR’s Fab 5, so I won’t repeat myself here. But one scenario that could play out is keeping Bowles in 2024 with Canales being a potential in-house candidate as an interim head coach if the team falters at the start of next season."
apologies it cut off
"It’s unlikely that Canales hasn’t accomplished enough in one year as an NFL offensive coordinator to take over for Bowles outright this offseason. But the team may not want to let Canales get away so quickly with a house-cleaning this offseason.
With another year of seasoning as a play-caller and the team’s leader of the offensive coaching staff, Canales may wind up as Tampa Bay’s head coach eventually if Bowles gets off to a rocky start and the team begins 2024 in underwhelming fashion."
typo aside probably right on
yeah i think that's the likely outcome. Bucs hopefully win Sunday, retain Bowles and Canales gets more experience.
Mirror mirror on the wall.....
Another first place schedule next year, appears to be brutal with road games at KC, @LAC, @Detroit and @Dallas along with home games versus Eagles, 49ers, and Ravens; Canales could be the interim head coach by week 8
again, let's see what we do in the off-season but if it's another "let's just run it back with the same core, have rookies round out roster and get the cap right", we simply wont have the talent to compete unless of course the NFC South winner needs just 9 wins again lol
I'm sure Licht is not interested in tearing down the offense and starting over again after just hiring a new OC last year and spending the whole year trying to develop an O-line that fits that system. He would love to keep Canales regardless of what happens to Bowles. But if the Bucs lose and fire Bowles I don't know how they hire a new HC while telling him who his OC will be. That would mean Canales was more beholden to Licht than the new HC and there could be friction because of that.
I think Licht would just as soon keep moving forward with the status quo. I don't think he's itching to make a change. However, the Glazers may not be on that page. They think about the ticket sales and profile of the team. If they can make a big splash they will do that.
One (crazy perhaps) option is to hire Bill Belichick. At this stage of his career he may be willing to take on a Bruce Arians role. He's struggled with the personnel side and with his offensive coordinators. Perhaps he'd be willing to take the Arians approach and totally focus on the job he's good at - Head Coach. He would be somebody who wouldn't be threatened by taking on an OC he didn't hire himself. The only question is does he care to follow the path of Tom Brady?
Crazy? Maybe, but we've had some crazy unpredictable stuff going on in offeasons here in Tampa Bay in the past. It would allow the Glazers to make the big splash while allowing Licht to continue building what he's building. If the Bucs beat Carolina I think they just roll with the status quo. But if the Bucs lose don't be shocked to see Belichick as the HC of the Buccaneers. Well, we'll all be shocked including myself, but I'm just throwing that possibility out there.
