Todd Bowles gets real about controversial decision that caused a stir after the Buccaneers’ win over the Cowboys
The Buccaneers head coach made a crucial call in the fourth quarter that a lot of people didn’t agree with. It’s easy to see both sides of the coin, however, and Bowles didn’t mince words when asked about it on Friday.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got its first win of the season by defeating the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football, but it didn’t come without a bit of controversy.
Head coach Todd Bowles opted to go for it on fourth-and-goal at the Cowboys’ one-yard line about midway through the fourth quarter. Kicking a field goal would have put the Buccaneers up by 17 over the Cowboys, making it a three-score game.
However, Bowles wanted to make a statement with a potential touchdown that would’ve put the Buccaneers up by 21 points. While a field goal would’ve made sense, a touchdown would’ve really put the game out of reach.
Ultimately, it didn’t work. Sean Tucker was stopped short of the end zone and the Cowboys proceeded to drive the ball 99 yards and make it a one-score game by getting into the end zone.
Personally, I’d have taken the points. Anytime you can tack on another possession that easily, you kick the field goal. At the same time, it was refreshing to see Bowles go for it, and his logic holds up.
“Absolutely,” Bowles told reporters when asked if he understood the significance of going up three possessions. “We talked about it, and I knew three was better. In my head, the way we were running the ball, and you know the way we were playing defense, I thought I’d put the dagger in right there.
“It was completely on me, and I knew we should have went up three points. I got greedy and went for it and you know, the defense made a play at the end to bail us out, but that was definitely on me.”
I don’t hate it, and I don’t think he deserves any flak for the decision. My one concern, however, is this causes him to shrink in big moments down the line. The Cowboys are talented, but they aren’t in that elite tier of teams. Tampa Bay will see teams like the Rams, the Bears, and the Ravens at some point, and there will be times when the Bucs have to put their foot on an opponent’s throat.
Bowles will always throw himself under the bus before he throws a player under it. That’s one reason so many players respect him. He just can’t let one decision dictate how he coaches in those bigger games.
Sure, the decision backfired Thursday night, but there are going to be plenty of other opportunities to follow through and it’ll be the right call. Let’s just hope Bowles can compartmentalize and doesn’t let the failure against the Cowboys predicate future decision-making.
