Irony was flowing on Sunday early against the Panthers.
It’s the kind of irony Joe suspects fans will be remembering if/when the 2-5 Bucs miss the playoffs.
During the FOX broadcast of Bucs-Panthers on Sunday, play-by-play man Kevin Kugler noted that Panthers head coach Dave Canales talked to him about his time as a Bucs playcaller during the 2023 season.
Per Kugler, Canales said Bowles gave him Bucs words to live by, “If you score five times on drives, we’re going to win because our defense is going to help you that much.” That was the formula, and it very well still may be the formula Bowles shared with new Bucs offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.
Notice Bowles, per Kugler, didn’t include the word “touchdowns” or offer a points total. It was just score on five drives.
That got Joe thinking about what happened against Pittsburgh seven days earlier. Tampa Bay scored five times (four Chase McLaughlin field goals) and lost in overtime, as the Bucs defense choked away a 16-3 lead.
The aforementioned Bowles credo likely makes all kinds of data-driven mathematical sense, especially for a defense-first head coach. Five scores with a solid defense and non-leaky special teams should win a lot of games.
But it didn’t against Pittsburgh, an incredibly winnable game that may end up costing the Bucs a postseason berth and a leading to several job openings.