The Tampa Bay Buccaneers faced a challenging defeat against the New England Patriots, losing 28-23 at home. Although the Buccaneers quickly took a 7-0 lead with just six offensive plays, New England responded decisively, outscoring Tampa Bay 21-3 before the Bucs managed their second touchdown.
Following the game, Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield expressed that the team has occasionally lacked a “killer instinct” throughout the season. In a press conference on Monday, head coach Todd Bowles was asked to weigh in on Mayfield”s comments. Bowles concurred, stating, “We encourage our players to have accountability. I don”t think we had a killer instinct . I thought we played like we had a bye week from an energy standpoint. You know, we have when we get rolling, and it”s good for him to speak up and say those things. He”s one of our captains. So, guys listen when speak. Accountability is making sure the guy next to you is doing their job. And you know, one of the guys that advocates that. He leads by example on offense.”
The Buccaneers” offensive struggles were exacerbated by injuries, with key players Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan sidelined during the Week 10 matchup. Evans is dealing with a broken clavicle, while McMillan is recovering from a neck injury. Godwin”s status remains uncertain due to a fibula issue.
In a separate interview, Bowles elaborated on the emotions in the locker room following the loss. He remarked, ” said some things in the locker room. I said some things in the locker room. We kind of see things the same way most of the time. We understand where we are and what we have to do to get better. We”ll go from there. Baker is p—. I”m p—. The team should be p—. Everybody should be p—off.”
The Buccaneers, now holding a record of 6-3, will face another tough challenge next Sunday as they travel to play the Buffalo Bills, who also have a 6-3 record. As of Tuesday morning, ESPN BET has listed Tampa Bay as a 5.5-point underdog for this upcoming matchup.
