Todd Bowles gave a weak explanation for passing on game-tying FG in Buccaneers' loss to Packers

Todd Bowles has made no shortage of head-scratching decisions over the course of his coaching tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

One of his most puzzling decisions came at the end of the Bucs’ loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 4.

On 4th-and-11 down by three points, Tampa Bay had the choice between going for it on fourth-and-long with a rookie quarterback or trotting out Chase McLaughlin to try a longshot 65-yard field goal. McLaughlin made a kick from that exact distance just last season and is the NFL’s most accurate kicker from 50-plus yards, but Bowles opted to leave his elite kicker on the sideline and the fourth-down conversion attempt was unsuccessful. His explanation for the decision didn’t do much to justify it. 

Todd Bowles explained why he didn't rely on Chase McLaughlin for a game-tying 65-yard FG

McLaughlin is an impressive 29-of-33 (88%) from 50-plus yards during his time with the Buccaneers, including a perfect three-for-three this season.

Naturally, the very first question Bowles was asked after the game is why he didn’t give his kicker a chance to tie the game late, especially given that he’s made that field goal in this stadium before.

“It was too far for us. Good 10-15 yards too far for us. The wind was blowing that way as well. We thought about it, didn’t feel good about it," Bowles said.

But when your offense has struggled as much as the Buccaneers’ has all season, and you add in an undrafted rookie quarterback making his first NFL start, it might have been worth trying your luck on the field goal attempt – especially with a kicker like McLaughlin. 

Now, to play devil’s advocate, there is a sect of the Bucs fanbase that has it out for Bowles and will find any way to criticize him. If the Buccaneers did try a field goal, and missed, you can bet those fans would have scolded Bowles for being too conservative and not giving his offense a shot to win the game. Unfortunately, he’s found himself between a rock and a hard place with this fanbase.

If the pass protection had held up instead of serving as a revolving door on that fourth-down try, perhaps the Bucs might have converted a big play to keep the game alive, and we wouldn’t be having this conversation. But his lack of conviction in the critical decision didn’t do much to help his case.

Ultimately, Bowles made the decision he felt was best for his football team, but unfortunately, as has been the case all season long, the team failed to execute, and that’s exactly why the Bucs are 0-4.

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