Bucs Mailbag: Todd Bowles Comes Beneath Fireplace After SNF Loss | Pewter Report

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QUESTION: Why can Todd Bowles beat Jared Goff and Justin Herbert, however surrender 200+ yards in a half to Cooper Rush and allowed Kirk Cousins to have his two finest video games of the season?

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photograph by: Jeffrey Jones/PR

ANSWER: It’s maddening isn’t it? Bucs head coach Todd Bowles will say – and he’s proper – that’s it not simply the quarterback. It’s the opposite 10 gamers on offense and the system, as soccer is the best crew sport. However what number of instances have we seen lesser quarterbacks have profession video games in opposition to Bowles protection? And it’s not simply this yr, is it?

It’s the duo of Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky in a 20-18 loss at Pittsburgh in 2022. It was third-stringer P.J. Walker the subsequent week in Carolina in a humiliating 21-3 defeat. It was Jacoby Brissett in a 23-17 loss at Cleveland that season. It was Brock Purdy getting his first NFL begin in a 35-7 blowout in San Francisco. It was rookie Desmond Ridder in a 30-17 loss at Atlanta in Week 18 to shut out that 2022 season. Shall I proceed?

Final yr m, it was Ridder once more in a 16-13 loss at Raymond James Stadium. It was permitting C.J. Stroud to set an NFL rookie report with 470 yards and 5 touchdowns, together with the sport winner within the last seconds, in a 39-37 loss at Houston. It was dropping to Gardner Minshew, 27-20, in Indianapolis.

This yr, it’s Denver rookie Bo Nix coming into Raymond James Stadium and Bowles’ protection having no solutions in a 26-7 loss in Week 3. It’s permitting Kirk Cousins – a quarterback who completely stunk in opposition to nearly everyone else – to mild up Bowles and his protection like a Christmas tree.

Cowboys QB Cooper Rush – Photograph by: USA As we speak

Cousins, who’s so unhealthy that he obtained benched after a win for rookie Michael Penix Jr. by the present NFC South leaders, set a brand new Falcons report with 509 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 36-30 additional time win versus Bowles’ porous protection in Atlanta in Week 5. Then he threw 4 extra touchdowns whereas finishing 79.3% of his passes for 276 yards in a 31-26 Falcons win in Tampa Bay. Cousins has appeared like a god versus Bowles and the Bucs with eight touchdowns and one interception in two wins, and a mere mortal in opposition to everybody else with 10 touchdowns and 15 interceptions and a 5-7 report.

On Sunday night time, it was Cowboys backup Cooper Rush who appeared like a Corridor of Famer in opposition to Bowles’ protection, finishing 26-of-35 passes for 292 yards with one landing and no interceptions in a 26-24 loss at Dallas. Rush was solely sacked as soon as and had loads of time to throw a lot of the night time. That is simply damning indictment in opposition to a defensive-minded head coach who calls the performs on protection. These kind of losses nullify the spectacular wins in opposition to the likes of Jared Goff, Jalen Hurts and others.

QUESTION: When the season is over will the loss to the Cowboys be the sport that causes a training change in Tampa Bay?

Bucs HC Todd Bowles and Falcons HC Raheem Morris – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

ANSWER: No, it’s the whole physique of labor this season – and maybe throughout Todd Bowles’ tenure as head coach since 2022 – that may decide his destiny. The loss to the Cooper Rush-led Cowboys – a crew that was eradicated from the playoffs earlier than kickoff – is sort of damning for certain. It value the Bucs the lead within the division and will in the end play a task in Tampa Bay lacking out on the postseason in the long run.

However the Bucs have misplaced seven video games this yr. They have been swept by Atlanta and that put them in place to want a one-win benefit over the Falcons so as to safe the division title once more. Tampa Bay misplaced in additional time at Kansas Metropolis due to poor clock administration, failing to go for 2 factors, and naturally by surrendering a landing on protection in additional time. The Bucs protection gave up the game-winning area purpose to the 49ers within the final seconds.

It’s not simply the blown alternative in Dallas on Sunday Night time Soccer, as Bowles and his crew completed 0-4 in primetime video games this yr. It was different blown possibilities in shut video games, along with a 26-7 beatdown in Week 3 by the Bo Nix-led Broncos when the Bucs weren’t able to play.

If Bowles desires to keep away from being fired, he wins the subsequent two video games to complete 10-7 and hopes the Bucs make the playoffs as NFC South champs resulting from a Falcons loss to the Commanders subsequent week or as a Wild Card resulting from a Commanders loss to the Cowboys in Week 18. After which I believe he must actually win the Wild Card sport, in any other case I might see the Glazers transferring on from Bowles, whose crew has simply been too inconsistent and hovered too near .500 over the previous three seasons. Bowles’ present report in Tampa Bay as head coach is 25-24.

QUESTION: Why will we constantly throw Todd Bowles beneath the bus when he’s teaching with a roster who has vital useless cash and accidents on the protection? Bowles didn’t have the ball on the Dallas 26 and one way or the other we find yourself with a third-and-40 state of affairs.

Bucs ILB SirVocea Dennis and HC Todd Bowles – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR

ANSWER: The Bucs have had vital accidents on protection, and the crew does have $60.7 million in useless cap cash. Each of these factors are legitimate. However the Lions have $38 million in useless cap cash and have 19 gamers on injured reserve – 19! – and Dan Campbell’s crew is 13-2 and vying for the highest seed within the NFC, in addition to a second-straight division championship.

Amongst these 19 gamers on I.R. are six starters on protection, together with Professional Bowl defensive ends Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport, defensive sort out Alim McNeil, cornerback Carlton Davis III and linebackers Alex Anzalone and Derrick Barnes. It actually looks like Campbell and the Lions have realized methods to win regardless of not being at full power, particularly on protection.

Against this, the Bucs have 10 gamers on injured reserve, however solely two starters in security Jordan Whitehead and inside linebacker SirVocea Dennis. Sure, cornerback Jamel Dean and security Antoine Winfield Jr. have missed a while resulting from harm, however the Lions have been extra decimated and but they proceed to win.

Tampa Bay’s offense didn’t play properly at instances in Dallas. Ball safety and penalties have been an enormous difficulty for certain, but the Bucs nonetheless scored 24 factors. That ought to’ve been sufficient in opposition to a Cowboys crew that actually had nothing to play for however delight.

However Bowles’ protection gave up six scores to the Cowboys totaling 26 factors, didn’t report a single takeaway, and allowed backup quarterback Cooper Rush to finish 74.3% of his passes for 292 yards and a landing. The center of the sector, which has been an enormous difficulty for Tampa Bay’s protection all season, was as soon as once more a simple goal on Sunday night time.

QUESTION: Everybody goes to speak about Rachaad White’s fumble, and the top zone interception. However can we speak about Todd Bowles’ lack of ability to handle the clock once more? Finish of the primary half, calling that timeout, scoring instantly, after which giving up chunk performs to let Brandon Aubrey nail one other area purpose from 50+ yards. Horrible!

Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photograph by: USA As we speak

ANSWER: Sure, poor clock administration was as soon as once more a think about one other Tampa Bay loss, and this additionally occurred in Kansas Metropolis earlier within the yr. Todd Bowles, whose timeout utilization because the Bucs head coach has been mercurial to say the least, did name a timeout too shortly and left the Cowboys with sufficient time to drive down the sector to attain a area purpose proper earlier than the half.

That hurts, particularly in a sport the place Tampa Bay misplaced by two factors. And naturally his protection didn’t get a three-and-out – not to mention a turnover – to cease the Cowboys’ last-minute drive previous to halftime. Bowles has had moments of brilliance as a defensive play-caller, however actually not on Sunday. And he isn’t an excellent sport strategist on the subject of timeout utilization.

Whereas the protection will get some credit score for holding the Cowboys to 4 area targets, Dallas did have six scoring drives. And Tampa Bay’s protection didn’t generate a single takeaway and misplaced the turnover battle 3-0 on Sunday Night time Soccer. The shortage of huge performs and takeaways has been a difficulty all season for the Bucs protection. And it’s not an excellent look when the top coach is the one chargeable for the protection.

QUESTION: The place the hell was Bucky Irving for these previous couple of drives?

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and RB Rachaad White – Photograph by: USA As we speak

ANSWER: The Bucs have been trailing by 9 factors, 26-17, and have been in catch-up mode late within the fourth quarter. With Baker Mayfield probably dropping again to move on nearly each down in that state of affairs, Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen turns to Rachaad White in these conditions as a result of he’s one of the best move safety working again on the crew, and he’s additionally an important pass-catching again out of the backfield.

Dallas knew that Tampa Bay needed to move and all of us noticed the strain that Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer introduced late within the sport. At 6-foot-1, 220 kilos, White is greater and extra able to selecting up blitzing defenders. It was a disgrace he fumbled on the finish of the sport, however I credit score defensive again DaRon Bland for making an amazing strip of the ball.

White truly had each arms round it and it was only a hero play by Bland to finish the sport. Performs like that – and Jourdan Lewis’ daring interception in opposition to Jalen McMillan on the purpose line – are too far and few between for the Bucs protection, sadly.

Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker each want to enhance as move protectors for Coen to belief both in late-game conditions. At 5-foot-9, 192 kilos, Irving’s measurement works in opposition to him in move professional. However former Bucs working again Warrick Dunn was even smaller at 5-foot-8, 187 kilos and was a beast in move safety again within the day.

Tucker gave up a sack that led to a Mayfield fumble in opposition to the Raiders, and Irving gave up the Bucs’ lone sack final week versus the Chargers. Irving is essentially the most gifted again on the roster, however must work on approach so as to achieve Coen’s belief so he could be on the sector as an alternative of White when the sport is on the road.