Todd Bowles didn’t like what he saw in the film. You wouldn’t either. The Bucs defense looked like a Pop Warner squad facing the varsity. That’s harsh? Last Sunday was harsher. The Bills lit up the scoreboard for 44 points on November 16. The shameful part? That’s the most since Bowles took over Tampa’s defense seven seasons back.
Three takeaways usually spell victory. That’s Football 101. The Bucs grabbed two Josh Allen interceptions. Jacob Parrish snagged his first career interception. They forced another turnover. Meanwhile, the offense scored 32 points. That should win most games. But the defense kept springing leaks. Big ones. Bowles saw it all. Then he said the words that every coach hates to say.
Todd Bowles Calls It a “Stinker”—And He’s Being Kind
“I’m embarrassed every time we lose, but from a defensive standpoint, we didn’t play well,” Bowles admitted on Wednesday. “We had a stinker… As coaches, we can definitely do a better job. As players, we can do a better job. And we didn’t play well.” His voice carried the weight of those 44 points. The Bills averaged 7.9 yards per play while racking up over 400 total yards. The result was historically bad for a Bowles defense.
The last time Tampa gave up (almost) this many points… Seattle beat them 40-34 in overtime. That was 2019. Ancient history in NFL terms. But that’s not the only shame Bowles and co. carry.
The Bucs now lead the league in defensive incompetence. They’ve allowed 11 touchdowns of 25 yards or more through 10 games. You can’t survive like that. “On the screen play, we misfit,” Bowles explained on Monday. “Either two guys jump inside, or two guys jump outside.”
He was stating facts. The zone coverage drifted like a raft without paddles. The Bucs players gave Josh Allen time to throw. Time he didn’t need. Bowles also noticed something alarming. “It’s almost like it’s a different guy each week,” he said. But that’s not a personnel problem.
That’s a system problem. And the concerning part runs deeper. “When we’re covering, we’re not rushing,” Bowles said. “When we’re rushing, we’re not covering.” The defensive line drops into coverage while defensive backs blitz. Allen exploited this. He found Tyrell Shavers for a 43-yard touchdown. He connected with James Cook for 25 yards. The Bucs never adjusted.
But wait. The defensive collapse tells only half the story. Because Tampa’s special teams played arsonist to the defense’s burning house.
Special Teams Fumbled The Matches
The kickoff coverage unit handed Buffalo three returns of 40-plus yards. Mecole Hardman ripped off a 61-yarder. Ray Davis added two 44-yard returns. Buffalo turned those short fields into 10 points. And those points decided the game. The margins in the NFL are too slim for that nonsense.
Thomas McGaughey’s unit keeps making headlines for the wrong reasons. Three blocked kicks in the first four weeks. Now this disaster. The coordinator’s seat must feel hotter than a deep fryer. Bowles can’t fix the defense if his special teams keep placing them in impossible situations. Field position matters. The Bills started drives near midfield, while the Bucs started pinned back. That’s a recipe for disaster.
Tampa Bay heads to Los Angeles for Week 12. The Rams await with Matthew Stafford and his weapons. Puka Nacua and Davante Adams form a three-headed monster with Kyren Williams. There is no get-well game here. The Rams score points in bunches and exploit weaknesses mercilessly. Bowles must find answers fast.
The talent exists on this roster. The secondary already has 3 more interceptions than last season. The pass rush has 26 sacks, nearly matching Los Angeles’ 27. These aren’t empty stats. They prove capability. But capability means nothing without execution.
Todd Bowles built his reputation on defensive genius. Now he faces his defining moment. Fix this defense, or watch a promising season circle the drain. The Rams game offers no respite. Another 40-point outing might break the fanbase’s spirit completely. Bowles knows this. He’s owned the failure. Now he must own the solution.
Main Image: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
