Bucs head coach Todd Bowles delivered a severe message to his workforce after their hard-fought, mistaken-prone 28-13 win over the visiting Las Vegas Raiders. The win, which snapped a three-game shedding streak at Raymond James Stadium, coupled with a 35-21 loss by Atlanta, propelled Tampa Bay into sole possession of first place within the NFC South.
In the meanwhile.
“It’s one thing getting to first place, it’s a whole [other] thing staying there,” Bowles stated. “We got four games left. It’s going to be a battle all the way through. We have to come ready every week.”
Tampa Bay has now received three straight video games for the reason that bye week when the workforce was 4-6, and at one level was three video games behind Atlanta, which swept the Bucs earlier this yr. The Bucs’ three-game profitable streak has coincided with the Falcons’ four-game shedding streak to permit Tampa Bay to surge from behind and retake the lead within the NFC South.
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles – Photograph by: USA Immediately
The Bucs at the moment are 7-6 and the Falcons have fallen from 6-3 to 6-7 on the season. Tampa Bay now controls its personal future with 4 video games left. If the Bucs win all 4 video games left on the schedule they’ll end 11-6 and can win the NFC South for a fourth straight time no matter what the Falcons do.
That’s what Bowles meant in his post-game tackle to the workforce in a really excited Tampa Bay locker room at Raymond James Stadium.
“Well, just like I’m telling these guys, you know, just because we’re in first, it’s one thing. To stay in first is a whole [other] deal. We got four weeks to play. We’re happy to be playing meaningful football in December. We understand what that means, we have to go out every week and try to squeeze out these games but it feels good.”
Bucs No Stranger To Taking part in Significant Soccer In December
The Bucs are in the same state of affairs to a yr in the past when the workforce noticed an an identical 3-1 begin dissolve right into a 4-6 document by midseason. Really, Tampa Bay slumped to 4-7 earlier than profitable 5 of the final six video games to complete 9-8 and capturing the division title for a 3rd straight season. The Bucs went 4-1 final December, solely shedding as soon as – at dwelling to the Saints on New Yr’s Eve, 23-13.
Bucs RT Tristan Wirfs – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
With a 26-23 extra time win at Carolina final week, coupled with Sunday’s 28-13 over Las Vegas, Tampa Bay is already 2-0 within the month of December this yr. Subsequent up are a pair of highway video games at Los Angeles subsequent Sunday towards an 8-4 Chargers workforce that’s taking part in Kansas Metropolis on Sunday Night time Soccer, adopted by a visit to Dallas on December 22. The Bucs return dwelling to play the Panthers once more on December 29 earlier than the season finale at dwelling in Week 18 towards the Saints the primary week in January.
Bucs social media publicly shared an abbreviated message from head coach Todd Bowles to his workforce.
“Now we’ve got four games left,” Bowles stated in a clip the Bucs put out on social media. “December football. We’re trying to play meaningful football in December. Right? We’ve got four games left. We’ve got a two game road trip. I’ll see you guys on Wednesday.”
The important thing takeaway there for the workforce is that the non-injured gamers don’t have to come back in to the power on Monday. They’ll take a “Victory Monday” off and are available again for apply on Wednesday.
Bucs left deal with and workforce captain Tristan Wirfs broke the workforce down after Bowles’ tackle.
“Hey, good work today, boys. Way to keep (expletive) swinging,” stated Wirfs. “That’s all it takes. One day at a time. Let’s keep grinding.”
