Today was absolutely horrific for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Not only did they let CJ Stroud look like the second coming of Patrick Mahomes during a must-win game, but the franchise also suffered its fourth-straight defeat in as many weeks.

As much as many people may try to deny it, Todd Bowles is officially on the hot seat, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have no choice in how to handle the matter.

Todd Bowles needs to be fired. There is no way around it.

People have been making excuses for Bowles for several years now, and while the Bucs (and by extension Bowles), have their hands tied, there are still expectations with a roster like this.

From the way he inherited the team (one that competed for a Super Bowl with Tom Brady at quarterback and a roster that had been to and won a Super Bowl), to the way the team has struggled with money this season, people have tried to argue that Bowles has been up against it in Tampa, when, in reality, no coaches ever inherit a situation as good as the one Bowles fell into.

Tom Brady got divorced (and still managed to trow for 4,694 with one of the worst offensive coordinators in football). Ali Marpet retired. Ryan Jensen got injured. Bowles didn't have time to draft "his guys."

So what?

This is normal life in the NFL. The world keeps spinning and good coaches are expected to win with good rosters. Bad coaches blunder it.

Even if you give Bowles a mulligan for last season, which you shouldn't, how you can look at this season and see anything positive is beyond this writer.

The offense is regressing. The defense, Bowles' baby and pride and joy, just got carved up in dramatic fashion by a rookie. The chances of making the playoffs are starting to diminish by the day as other teams in the NFC are starting to put it together while the Bucs keep losing games.

Also, the fact that Ryan Neal and Ke'Shawn Vaughn keeping taking the field tells you everything you need to know about the abilities of Bowles to evaluate his team.

Bowles is stuck in the past; too conservative at the wrong times and never aggressive enough in the right ones. This style of coaching is never going to work in the modern NFL.

It may not happen during the season, but Bowles needs to go if the Bucs are ever going to be anything beyond mediocre again.

Brutal loss reveals tough truth about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This isn’t good.