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For Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles, this is becoming the year of second guesses.
Bowles saw another of his late-game decisions becoming a talking point for football fans across the country in a 30-24 loss at the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football in Week 9.
After the Buccaneers scored a touchdown to make the score 24-23 with less than one minute left in regulation, Bowles made the decision to not go for the 2-point conversion and the win. In overtime, the Buccaneers never even saw the ball as the Chiefs won the toss and drove the ball for a 1-yard touchdown run by Kareem Hunt for the win.
MNF analyst and Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman extolled the Buccaneers to go for the win during the broadcast.
“I thought the entire drive that if they scored (the Buccaneers) would go for 2,” Aikman said on ESPN following the game. “… I’m not saying Tampa Bay should look at it and say they’re not as good as Kansas City but when you’re on the road against the defending world champs and you’ve got them on the ropes and have the chance to win the game on one play, you’ve got to do that.”
It’s the third consecutive loss for the Buccaneers and fourth loss in the last 5 games as Tampa Bay’s record dropped to 4-5. The Chiefs improved to 8-0 win the win.
It’s also the second time in 3 games where Bowles’ coaching decisions have come under the microscope. In a Week 7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Bowles found himself questioned for playing wide receiver Mike Evans with a hamstring injury and leaving wide receiver Chris Godwin in at the end of a game that was already out of reach.
Evans hurt his hamstring in the first half, hasn’t played since and won’t be back until after the bye in Week 11, at the earliest. Godwin dislocated his left ankle in the fourth quarter and is out for the rest of the regular season.
Social Media Melts Down Over 2-Point Decision
Social media users were left flummoxed over Bowles’ decision not to go for the win and take the chance of giving the ball back to 3-time Super Bowl champion and 2-time NFL MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes — already one of the greatest clutch players in football history.
The win over the Buccaneers was the 19th fourth quarter or overtime comeback win of Mahomes’ career.
“Todd Bowles really thought going to overtime against the best quarterback in the world was a better idea than attempting a 2 point conversion,” The Score’s Brenden Deeg wrote on his official X account.
“Todd Bowles will throw the ball down 30 and get his WRs killed but won’t go for 2 with an actual chance to win with 20 seconds left,” X user Catcher Freeman wrote. “Okay.”
The Buccaneers return to action in Week 10 against the San Francisco 49ers — a game that could serve as the 2024 regular-season debut of 49ers running back and 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey, who has missed the first 8 games of the season with Achilles tendon and ankle injuries.
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