Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles has received his fair share of criticism in the two years since he took over the team. Bowles has led Tampa Bay to a 17-17 record, two division titles and a 1-2 postseason record. That’s an even number of wins and losses in the regular season, indicative of the peaks and valleys he’s experienced. But what coach hasn’t experienced ups and downs? How does Todd Bowles compare to his peers around the league?
In a CBS Sports article by Cody Benjamin, he continued: Ranking all 32 coaches In the league. Let’s just say that if Todd Bowles saw it, he wouldn’t be very happy. Todd Bowles was taken 22nd overall and classified as a B class of “achievement, doubtful.” This is what was said.
Todd Bowles scores tough ranking
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles – Photo courtesy of USA Today
“Bowles, who went 2-1 as interim coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2011, isn’t exactly the Dennis Allen of the NFC South in that he tends to mask the more conservative game-management demands of a borderline Wild Card team with a physical defense. Still, Bowles’ Super Bowl ring and playoff victories over the past four years give him a bit more authority.”
Among coaches who have spent at least one season with their current teams, the only coaches ranked lower than Bowles are Saints’ Dennis Allen, Jets’ Robert Saleh, Cardinals’ Jonathan Gannon and Bears coach Matt Eberflus. Among coaches whose teams reached the postseason last year, Bowles is ranked last at 22nd, with the next closest being Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy at 17th.
Todd Bowles certainly has his pitfalls, but it’s complicated to gauge where he ranks among other coaches in the league. The article points out that Bowles is conservative in his game management, and while that’s true to some extent, I’d argue it’s the instability of his coaching tactics that plagues him.
Examining Bowles’ season as coach
Early in the season, Bowles was content with long-range field goals thanks to the legs of Chase McLaughlin. As the year progressed, Bowles became more aggressive, highlighted by a touchdown-after play that brought the Buccaneers to within one possession of a game against the Lions in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Timeouts and clock management remain a mystery for Todd Bowles. He and the Buccaneers barely took timeouts in the first half, which has been a storyline throughout the season. Then there was the blunder he made late in that same playoff game against the Lions where he didn’t take a timeout, which would have at least forced the Lions to kick a field goal instead of letting the clock expire.
People may have different opinions on how Bowles did in his first two seasons as head coach of the Buccaneers. On the negative side, he went 8-9 with Tom Brady at quarterback. On the positive side, he made some changes the following season, brought in a new offensive coordinator, put Baker Mayfield under center and did even better, making few free agent moves and going 9-8 when many expected the Buccaneers to land a top-10 draft pick.
Todd Bowles remains a highly regarded defensive game planner, and more importantly, his players love playing for him. That was evident when the Buccaneers weathered a midseason losing streak that saw them lose six of seven games. While other teams would have completely collapsed, Tampa Bay rallied to win the division with a winning record.
Bowles They are in a difficult position heading into this year. Likewise, he never gets comfortable with a losing season, and another division title, which would be the Buccaneers’ fourth consecutive division title and fifth consecutive playoff appearance, would go a long way to helping them climb the rankings.
