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Journalist Albert Breer’s read on Todd Bowles’ job status came with a familiar warning label: Tampa Bay can still salvage the season, but the next three weeks matter. With the Buccaneers sitting at 7-7 after a brutal 29-28 loss to Atlanta and dropping five of their past six, the division race and the optics around it are now tied to what happens against Carolina in Weeks 16 and 18.
From there, ESPN added context on what actually sparked Bowles’ viral, profanity-laced tirade last Thursday night. Jeremy Fowler reported the blowup didn’t come out of nowhere; it had been building, and Bowles had already unloaded on the team minutes earlier with an even harsher message.
A team source framed the postgame scene as Bowles trying to wake up a group that looked like it was sleepwalking.
The issues aren’t subtle. Fowler noted Tampa is pressing on offense and struggling on defense, with third-string offensive guards in the lineup and a pass rush that isn’t getting home.
He also reported that some of Bowles’ frustration is tied to uneven buy-in across parts of the roster. It wasn’t aimed at established leaders like Baker Mayfield or Mike Evans, who were visibly shaken after the last-second loss to Atlanta and headed into the tunnel before Zane Gonzalez’s kick even cleared the uprights.
Instead, the report pointed to younger players still learning how to play with an edge and moving past a “happy to be here” mindset. Center Graham Barton summed it up: “We all have to look in the mirror.”
He added that Tampa is excited about wide receiver Jalen McMillan’s return after he posted two catches for 38 yards, with the expectation that his role could grow as Emeka Egbuka hits a rookie wall.
On defense, Zyon McCollum went to injured reserve, and rookie corner Benjamin Morrison is expected back soon after missing about a month.
If Tampa’s effort and detail don’t change immediately, the last three weeks won’t just decide the NFC South, but they’ll shape how this locker room and this staff get judged going into 2026.
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