Overview
- The Buccaneers improved to 1-4 with a Thursday night win over the Dallas Cowboys, and that primetime victory has so far delayed any immediate in-season firing of Todd Bowles.
- ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell says Bowles can keep his job if Tampa Bay stays competitive in the NFC South until Baker Mayfield returns, but continued losses that drop the team out of the division race would likely cost him his post.
- Defensive metrics have been a rare bright spot under Bowles, with Tampa ranking well in expected points allowed per play, run stops and third-down stops even as sack rate lags.
- The offense is the central problem, highlighted by the firing of Josh Grizzard and struggles under Zac Robinson, and analysts tie coordinator turnover to Bowles’ personnel choices.
- The next four games against Pittsburgh, Carolina, Atlanta and Chicago form a narrow test that analysts say requires roughly a 2-2 result to keep the Bucs alive and give Bowles a plausible path to return in 2027.