The Bucs’ absence from the postseason for the first time in the previous six years had a lot to do with the poor play on defense, which is led by head coach Todd Bowles as the team’s play-caller. Bucs fans have been very critical of Bowles and the defense for allowing too many big plays and playing a complex style of defense that makes for confusion amongst players that the offense benefits off of.
A Series Of Bucs’ Defensive Mishaps
There are countless examples of explosive plays allowed by the Bucs in different situations. It started right from the get-go when Tampa Bay allowed a 50-yard catch-and-run touchdown to running back Bijan Robinson on the first defensive series of the season against Atlanta. Then Todd Bowles’ unit surrendered a 78-yard touchdown run by Jahmyr Gibbs when the Bucs were throttled by the Lions on Monday night Football.
Bucs Hc Todd Bowles
Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: USA Today
Just a couple weeks later, the Bucs came out of the bye week to host the Patriots and allowed a 72-yard receiving touchdown, and rushing touchdowns covering 55 and 69 yards. Surely, the Buccaneers would clean that up the next against the Bills, right? Nope. They allowed a season-high 44 points, including touchdown passes of 43 yards and 52 yards.
Who could forget when the team tried to get into halftime on the road against the Panthers holding a lead with 12 seconds to go, only to unexplainably blitz and allow for the Panthers hit to Tetairoa McMillan from 22 yards out in the end zone. That score put Carolina up 13-10 instead of the Buccaneers going into the half with a 10-9 lead. Tampa Bay eventually lost at Carolina, 23-20.
Panthers Wr Tetairoa Mcmillan
Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan – Photo by: IMAGN – Jim Dedmon
And of course, the most egregious of them all – blowing a 14-point fourth quarter lead the Falcons on Thursday Night Football while wearing the creamsicle uniforms. Tampa Bay’s defense had the chance to close out the game by getting stops on third-and-28 followed by a fourth-and-14 that the Buccaneers were not successful in achieving.
Todd Bowles Responds To Suggestions That His Defense Is Complex
These are all just examples to show how big of a issue the Buccaneers were on the defensive side of the ball. And those most vocal about Todd Bowles’ defense being too complicated feel vindicated by all of those big plays the team surrendered.
Yet Bowles disagrees with that assessment.
Speaking at the [NFL Scouting Combine,](http://