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BY IRA KAUFMAN
Take a good, hard look at your Tampa Bay Buccaneers. You won’t recognize ’em next season.
In tumbling to 4-7, the fumbling Bucs now must win at least five of their final six games to avoid another losing year. Does this team look capable of a run like that?
Hardly.
It’s time to face the music at One Buc Place, a funeral march toward major changes. Even another division title seems unlikely in the wretched NFC South as the Falcons and Saints are now each a game up with six weeks remaining.
Sunday’s 27-20 setback at Indianapolis followed a typical pattern: Tampa Bay fell behind early, made a fourth-quarter push and ultimately came up short.
The culprits this time around — poor run defense, a couple of key penalties and subpar pass protection. It’s hard to believe this club was once 3-1 and seemingly on its way to a third consecutive division crown.
Todd Bowles, now 12-17 since replacing Bruce Arians, contends the mistakes are correctable. What else can he say? (more…)