Todd Bowles: Missed Tackles Changed The Fourth Quarter
October 19th, 2026
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
The Bucs entered the fourth quarter with a 16-3 lead.
The Bucs left late in overtime hanging their heads over a 26-19 defeat.
How did this happen? Well, KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles thinks he know. Missed tackles. That’s what happened, he said.
“We missed some tackles, number one,” Bowles said. “I thought we missed a couple of tackles, and we got off the ball late one time, for sure.
“I’ll look at the tape, but I know we missed some checkdown tackles that should have been [stopped] where they were.”
The Bucs simply are not a good tackling team. Haven’t been for a while.
Last week Joe asked Bowles if a team can still improve tackling in the regular season even with tight restrictions on having padded practices.
Well, if Bowles didn’t give Joe a song-and-dance (Joe believes Bowles was sincere in his explanation) then it might be time for Bowles to kick up the level of tackle practice — beginning today.
Unfortunately, Joe believes any type of practice of consequence is too late. The die has been cast. Joe cannot consider the possibility of a 1-5 team making a run for the playoffs.
October 19th, 2026 at 3:57 am
Coaching Malpractice
October 19th, 2026 at 4:03 am
I watched the whole game and I didn’t notice any sudden rash of missed tackles. What I did notice was our corners all of a sudden giving receivers a big cusion. “Missed tackles” is a convenient excuse for a DC who uses a Hackned scheme.
In other words, “My scheme would have worked if they tackled like they should have.
No Todd! You took your foot off their neck in the fourth. Your OC did the same and fed JD to the Steelers defense by running the samr play, a failed run up the middle, every first down of every series in the fourth quarter. we might as well have had only 3 downs every series.
October 19th, 2026 at 4:05 am
DR is gonna watch All 22 and tell you exactly what you did in the fourth.
October 19th, 2026 at 4:13 am
Sorry Todd that line only works for so long. Improving your defense is your job. Is it not? Piss poor tackling for at least the last 3 years sir. Try a new excuse?
Go Bucs!
October 19th, 2026 at 4:14 am
A supposedly defensive coach who doesn’t preach tackling?
I actually thought we would win this game. Silly me.
One thing I’ve been saying this year is that, yeah, the defense is slightly better this year, but they will still play just barely well enough to lose.
October 19th, 2026 at 4:18 am
The offense lost this game but it’s time to send people packing.. this season is a wrap
October 19th, 2026 at 4:19 am
Last place in the land fill NFC South. Todd you did it. In two short seasons went from first to worst. It looks like we need to GM it better, HC it better.
October 19th, 2026 at 4:37 am
Taken from a great article elsewhere:
“… Bowles didn’t take over a losing program. In the two years that proceeded his ascension to the big seat the Bucs were 29-10 including the playoffs. In games they were leading as they entered the fourth quarter, they were 24-1. They ranked 3rd amongst teams with at least 10 opportunities. The Bucs knew how to close out games prior to Bowles taking over. Tampa Bay is 30-7 in games where they were leading as they entered the 4th quarter under Bowles’ direction. That may seem like an impressive record, but their .811-win percentage in those situations over the past five seasons is 16th in the league and represents a five-loss variation from their previous close rate. The Bucs haven’t just failed to learn how to close out games. They actively lost the skill with him at the helm.”
“Per Pro Football Reference, there have been 72 head coaches who have coached at least 140 games. Bowles ranks 68th in win percentage. That’s the 6th percentile. That’s not a C- performance. That’s not a D+ performance. That’s an F if I ever saw one. This isn’t a team issue. It’s a coaching issue. His team hasn’t learned how to close out ball games because he has failed to teach them how to. And to expect that to happen in his fifth year with the team —his graduate program if you will — is an exercise in futility.”
October 19th, 2026 at 5:24 am
No Todd,
You played tight coverage the first 3 quarters, then you decided to play soft coverage in the 4th
October 19th, 2026 at 5:26 am
There were coverage issues late in the game. One play that puzzled me, was MCcullum trying to double a receiver. He had safety help and he left a wide open receiver in the vacated area.
October 19th, 2026 at 5:55 am
Remember when bowles took over as HC and said the offense scored too fast and wore out his defense in 20 & 21 (I seem to remember those defenses doing ok… but alright)? Well now we have an offense that can’t score (or much of anything else) and where are we? Defense on the field too long and getting worn out, BUT without a top 5 offense. bowles football philosophy is fundamentally BROKEN. Close games with long, run heavy, 16 play drives that end in FGs are NOT a winning strategy in today’s game. The fact we can’t seem to go one single drive without a penalty sure doesn’t help. He is too wedded to his precious scheme & philosophy to the point where the players and plays don’t really matter any more. That’s why it’s the same thing season after season, different OCs, different players, same style and same result. He has no answers because he can’t accept the true problem with this team.
October 19th, 2026 at 6:21 am
When the 4th started, endless soft zone and 4 man rush. The end was predictable, as was Bucky up the middle on 1st down
October 19th, 2026 at 6:22 am
when is the soft media going to ask him to resign 25 times a day. Perhaps he will get the idea through his dumb skull
October 19th, 2026 at 6:59 am
With the 1st pick in the 2027 draft the Tampa Bay Bowles select….
October 19th, 2026 at 7:01 am
The Steelers fans thank you, Todd.
October 19th, 2026 at 7:52 am
FIRE BOWLES NOW!!!!!!
October 19th, 2026 at 8:08 am
How many tines do we have to hear Todd Bowles talk about missed tackles. He’s been saying that every year. Here’s what the fans are saying to Todd Bowles- quit talking about it and do something about it.
The old saying applies- stop talking, either do it or walk the plank.
October 19th, 2026 at 8:43 am
We have plenty of talent to win games. But zero coaching capable of a coherent game plan.
Todd fired everyone but himself after 2025. Turns out he was the guy that needed to be fired above all others.
Everything he touches goes to pot. He sucks out loud.
October 19th, 2026 at 8:45 am
Woke up this morning, just knowing that we fired Bowles! Nope another missed tackle
October 19th, 2026 at 9:18 am
It’s not missed tackling. For whatever reason in the 4thQ, the CBs were playing 15 yards off the LOS. You take on the personality of your coach, and that’s exactly what you saw yesterday…that and the OC looks like a kid playing Madden.
October 19th, 2026 at 9:25 am
I wil have to agree with coments above. The Bucs played tight coverage until the 4 th quarter. What I noticed was the offense went limp .Pitt gained some momentum which led to a 16 10 game and the offense continued to sputter and the defense began to play soft allowing for those quick short completions. In OT it was clear the defense was gassed and Pitt just went down the field. Yes everyone in the stands was trying to understand why Robinson would run up the middle on first down even in OT with Pitt havinf gone ahead. It was sad to watch. I tell you this when Pitt made the score 16 to 10 you knew what was going to happen. We have just seen it so many times before.
October 19th, 2026 at 10:49 am
If they just kept Walker on the field and sent him after Rodgers every play you wouldn’t have to worry about missed tackles so much.
October 19th, 2026 at 10:52 am
Nope, it was Todd Bowles’ patented soft-zone-cover-no-one-prevent-nothing defense, that once again allowed an opposing defense to slice and dice his way down the field at will.
And then since our defense was on the field for almost the entire 4th quarter, the genius decided to trot them out immediately to begin overtime too… It’s hard to put into words just how STUPID his decisions are, but here we are.
October 19th, 2026 at 10:52 am
*an opposing QB
October 19th, 2026 at 11:10 am
Nice blame it on the players for being out of position. Couldn’t possibly be the coaching scheme. Naaah. Nothing here to see people. Move along. It’s a 3-28 Bucs life.
October 19th, 2026 at 11:11 am
Just shocking news… we can’t tackle or block. It’s been a problem for how long now? It’s the definition of insanity – doing the same things over and over and expecting different results. We suck. 3-12 over last 15. Soon to be 3-15 going into the bye week. Suck on that TEAM GLAZER. THIS IS YOUR MESS.
October 19th, 2026 at 11:16 am
Looked like a vintage TB defense. It has happened many times in the last 3 years where the defense hands the game away in Q4.
October 19th, 2026 at 11:22 am
We desperately need a new head coach… NOW
October 19th, 2026 at 11:25 am
This idiot gets any kind of lead, and proceeds to try and sit on it, rather than bury his opponent.
He let up on D and on O. I guarantee the conservative plan came from this clown. He’s done this time after time since he took over – he can’t help himself. He coaches scared.
October 19th, 2026 at 12:08 pm
Awww. Yes. Rdio never taking responsibility shows itself again. No dummy you backed off let pop pop play pitch and catch for 8 yards. Three 3rd and longs got completely. Man I can’t stand this guy!!! Bum
Got handed the job which is bull &&&&@. There’s enough talent in this team to win.
October 19th, 2026 at 3:35 pm
Anzalone can’t tackle. It’s no wonder teams have been willing to let him go.