The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are imploding. Carolina Panthers fans know it, and head coach Todd Bowles confirmed it after his squad suffered another demoralizing loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football.
It was another evening to forget for the reigning division champions. Atlanta conceded 19 penalties during the prime-time clash, but it didn't matter. Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was sensational down the stretch, and three touchdowns from tight end Kyle Pitts gave the Panthers sole custody of the NFC South lead with four games remaining.
Head coach Dave Canales must keep everyone on an even keel. This counts for nothing if they cannot beat the New Orleans Saints, but two more wins will clinch the NFC South. That should be enough to keep standards high and motivation where it belongs. And there is also the added incentive of revenge spurring Carolina on.
Todd Bowles' expletive-filled rant proves Carolina Panthers have the upper hand
As for Bowles? He let his feelings about the Buccaneers' collapse be known. The coach launched an expletive-filled rant during his post-game media availability, placing the blame firmly on his players for failing to get over the line when it counted.
"It’s inexcusable. We don’t make excuses. We — you gotta f-----g care enough where the shit hurts. You gotta f-----g care enough where the shit hurts. Gotta f-----g mean something to you. It’s more than a job, it’s your f-----g livelihood. How well do you know your job? How well can you do your job? You can’t sugar coat that s--t. It was in-f-----g-excusable. And there’s no f-----g answer for it. There’s no excuse for it. That’s what you tell them in the locker room. Look in the f-----g mirror."Todd Bowles via Pro Football Talk
This will be music to the ears of every Panthers fan. Bowles sounds like a coach whose job status is hanging by a thread, and the petulant frustration displayed by some senior figures during and after the game spoke volumes about Tampa Bay's current direction.
The Panthers have more momentum than ever. However, they have to handle business from here on.
Staying focused on the next challenge and nothing more is crucial. It's easy to get carried away, especially considering how long it's been since the Panthers made the playoffs. Canales will preach the need to keep the main thing the main thing, and the players should self-police the locker room to ensure this objective is achieved.
The Buccaneers are pointing fingers, dejected and angry, as their postseason aspirations fall by the wayside. And for the first time in years, they have lost control.
That's in Carolina's hands now. Hopefully, it stays that way.