The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fought hard and competed blow for blow with the Detroit Lions in their 31-23 loss in the Divisional Round. Fans and pundits, however, are noticing that the Bucs may have been able to get one more blow in at the end of the game.
The Detroit Lions went to kneel down to ice the game once quarterback Baker Mayfield threw his interception on Tampa Bay’s final drive, but they did it too quick. When quarterback Jared Goff went to kneel down on 3rd and 12, he did so with 36 seconds left — the Bucs had a timeout, and should they have used it, they would have forced the Lions to kick a field goal with little time remaining. While unlikely, a missed kick or a block could have extended Tampa Bay’s life, but instead, head coach Todd Bowles did not use the timeout and ended the game.
When asked about this after the game, he gave his explanation:
“They already had the field goal lined up, and there would’ve been about 12 seconds left on the clock to end the ball game. We weren’t going to come back from that. No sense in prolonging the obvious.”
Fans were not happy, and many online were baffled that Bowles seemed to simply give up when his team had a chance, however slim. Here’s what the internet had to say about this coaching decision:
INSANE: Buccaneers chose not to use their final timeout after Jared Goff kneeled too early, which would’ve forced the Lions to attempt a 48-yard FG (with a kicker who is 38% from 50+ in his career).
If the Lions missed, the Buccaneers would’ve had the ball near midfield with 30+… pic.twitter.com/aQuUmJUmmv
— GhettoGronk (@TheGhettoGronk) January 22, 2024
This is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen in football. I don’t know what’s dumber. The Lions snap it early or the Bucs not using the last timeout to try to win the game. pic.twitter.com/pvVbe55gp7
— Adam Moelis (@adammoelis) January 21, 2024
Why’d the Bucs eat their timeout??
— Scott Hanson (@ScottHanson) January 21, 2024
Goff took the knee way early. If TB called their last timeout they could’ve forced DET to run a 4th down with like :25 left. What happened there???
— nick wright (@getnickwright) January 21, 2024
This isn’t being talked about enough.
Bad: The Detroit Lions snap the ball early.
Insane: Todd Bowles DOESN’T call a timeout? It would’ve been 4th & 12 from the 30 yard line w/ 36 secs left in a 1-possession game.
Coaching malpractice to the extreme.
pic.twitter.com/RIhNwm9FqW— Pool Party (@PoolPartyGaming) January 22, 2024
Did the Bucs just not call their timeout?
Did I miss something? Lions kneeled with 38 seconds left on 3rd down and Bucs still had a timeout?
— David (@DavidCBets) January 21, 2024
Buccaneers had a timeout left, which would’ve forced the Lions to kick a 47 yard field goal.
If the Lions miss, Bucs have 34 seconds to drive 69 yards. (nice)
The Buccaneers just accepted defeat? That’s insane.
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) January 21, 2024
This is pathetic.
Call the timeout. Make them kick the FG and earn the win. Attrocious coaching down the stretch there from Bowles. https://t.co/BxQuvZsgca
— Ryan McIntyre (@Moneyline_Mac) January 22, 2024
Todd Bowles and the entire coaching staff should be fired tomorrow. You preach play until the last seconds and you do this?! I’d be irate if I was a fan or player of the Bucs https://t.co/qfctxxuNoM
— Dayne Herron (@DayneHerron) January 21, 2024
Todd Bowles acknowledged that he just didn’t feel like taking his last TO with 36 seconds left to force the Lions to kick a FG from 48 yards to ice the game. Unreal. That is one of the dumbest blunders I have ever seen in an NFL game and he is blowing it off like it is nothing. https://t.co/u1qGr51BPL
— FantasyGolfInsider (@FantasyGolfers) January 22, 2024
I’ve always liked Todd Bowles. This is an awful answer. Dan Campbell incredibly/stupidly handed his team a lifeline and he refused it. https://t.co/LNnbzEzW3Z
— Kevin Sheehan (@kevinsheehanDC) January 22, 2024
How can this be real? This guy should be fired on the spot.
Bucs were a missed kick from having the ball with 30 seconds left and a chance to go to the NFC Championship. https://t.co/nL87RuoG8z
— Matt Smith (@SamENole) January 22, 2024
This is coaching malpractice. Seriously, you are not going to take any chance for your team. I mean he acts like missed field goals are unheard of. https://t.co/hpTPEEkNls
— High Seas Poacher 2️⃣8️⃣☣️ (@MWetsoil) January 21, 2024
there are 2 options here.
1) this answer is code for “I didn’t realize the game wasn’t mathematically over and this is my way of talking around it at the podium”
or
2) this response is actually real
either way, this is not a person i want running my football team. https://t.co/3tJVDMOdkg
— jack (@j__henk) January 21, 2024
I totally missed this earlier today.
This is maybe the most stunning coaching decision I’ve ever seen in my life. He didn’t make them kick a 47-yard field goal with 35 seconds left???? In a one-score game??? https://t.co/iLTxTDmldS
— Scott Chasen (@ChasenScott) January 22, 2024
I’d fire him if this was really true. He must not have known how many timeouts he had and simply doesn’t want to admit it. Otherwise he literally quit on his team. https://t.co/YLBjh1ro5j
— Greg C (Cable News Sufferer) (@greg06897) January 22, 2024
