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FOX Sports: Todd Bowles Set The NFL Back Decades But Also Saved His Job

November 2nd, 2026

Saved his job?

In the past two games, the Bucs’ offense has looked like something out of a time capsule. Like you should be watching on a black-and-white TV with a pair of rabbit ears, all snowy and barely able to make out the players.

That’s the word from veteran NFL scribe Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports.

Vacchiano thinks it is an affront to football what Todd Bowles has done to his offense, basically going full-blown Woody Hayes with a constant ground attack and rarely using the quarterback.

While Vacchiano sneers, he admits Bowles is not only outsmarting other NFC South landfill teams; in the process, Bowles has saved his job.

Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles has set offensive football back 60 years, but he might have saved his job in the process. It was crazy enough last week when the Bucs ran on 49 of 60 plays (for 258 yards) in a shocking 43-13 win over Carolina. But on Sunday, on a rainy day in Tampa, Bowles topped that with 56 runs on 60 plays in a 16-0 win over the Falcons. QB Baker Mayfield dropped back to pass just four times, going 0 for 3 and getting sacked once, while the Bucs ran for 324 yards. Good thing they just gave Mayfield three years and $165 million.

Yeah, Joe read somewhere that a Bucs fan confessed if the Bucs aren’t going to use Baker Mayfield any longer, you may as well put in Jalon Daniels who might be a quicker runner.

Joe isn’t sure anyone saw Bowles’ locker room talk with the Bucs after the game, but he joked he was going to turn Mayfield into a wishbone quarterback.

That may not be stupid. Did you see that option Mayfield ran and then pitched to Bucky Irving after a bad snap? That was beautiful.

On that play, Mayfield looked like JC Watts. Too bad Bucky fumbled out of the end zone.

While Joe gets what Vacchiano is suggesting, what was Bowles supposed to do? Have his offense keep doing the same crap and keep losing and get fired? Or smartly look at the talent and play to the strength?

As for the offense turning into a 1950s attack, well, Vacchiano isn’t wrong.

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2 Responses to “FOX Sports: Todd Bowles Set The NFL Back Decades But Also Saved His Job”

  1. Hodad Says:
    November 2nd, 2026 at 4:41 am

    Bowles has been given a stay of execution, but he hasn’t been given a full pardon just yet. It’s going to be hard getting a win in Chicago next week, but even if we do we’d still be going into the bye below .500. Todd didn’t lose his job going 0-4 to start the season, he didn’t keep his job by winning the last two. Todd’s job will be decided after the Glazers see the whole 17 game season, and beyond. Do we come out of the bye and go on a winning streak, or a losing one? Do we go into the bye on a winning streak? We’re going to have to do better than. 500 ball the rest of the way for Todd to keep his job, IMO.

  2. Leopold Stotch Says:
    November 2nd, 2026 at 4:41 am

    He’s probably right. The defense has been phenomenal, as much as I hate to admit. The offense has been the achilles heel this year. I’d love for some passing, but as long as its a win, who cares? But the Joes may be onto something in regards to Team Glazer doing what they did with Chucky to Todd, get a better OC and watch out. Probably a mistake, but we’ll see. Enjoy the wins while we can.

 

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