Stop us if you've heard this one before this season, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just lost a game they should've won.

Losses to some of the best teams in the NFL are one thing. Losing to teams like the Falcons and the Texans is something else entirely.

Unfortunately, this loss shows us one clear thing about the Buccaneers; this team isn't very good, and the outlook for the rest of the season isn't going to magically improve under the current configuration of this team.

This loss was everything that a game couldn't be for Todd Bowles and company.

Bowles' defense got carved up by a rookie passer and an offense that has struggled to get its feet outside of the quarterback and a rookie wide receiver for most of the season. 

Losing to a rookie quarterback can't happen for a team that bases nearly its entire identity around its defense. To make matters worse, CJ Stroud's 470 passing yards and five touchdowns ended up setting an NFL record for a rookie. Also, in case Bowles wanted to know, this offense did all of that without any rushing attack to speak of.

Speaking of rushing attacks, today was arguably Tampa's best day running the ball all season and it did nothing to help the offense as a whole. A horrendous second half with no sense of urgency was saved only by a few excellent field goals by Chase McLaughlin. Without those, today's performance would've been even worse.

In short, one loss may not end a season, but it should be enough to show a very clear limit to what the Bucs can do, especially when you look at this in tandem with the other games this season.

The Buccaneers are simply a subpar team that won't ever be great with Todd Bowles as the coach. The sooner this team figures that out the better.

Recent trend should help Buccaneers in Week 9

This should go well for the Bucs.