Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles is backing his quarterback Baker Mayfield in suggesting the team find their inner fire for the rest of the season.
Via team transcript the QB reinforced his comments after their 6-20 drubbing at the hands of the Detroit Lions.
The Tampa Bay team face off to divisional rivals the Falcons this week and will need to be better all-round.
Mayfield, a former Browns QB, was one unhappy line caller after the showing, saying, “Like I mentioned, get pissed off but it’s also taking pride in your work. It’s about executing and doing your job each play. Today we had a good practice. There wasn’t any ‘rah-rah’ speech. The guys know what we need to get done.
Bowles was in no mood for contrition and backed Mayfield with strong words of his own.
“In certain instances, we should be pissed off every week,” he said via team transcript. “I think we are pissed off. I just think we have to play smart and we have to play more disciplined football, as far as understanding what we have to do and going out and everybody has to do their job. We have to coach it better and play it better — all of that includes and entails being pissed off.”
The Buccaneers still lead the highly competitive NFC South, with a 3-2 record.
They are the only divisional leaders who have yet to notch up 100 points, scoring 90 and conceding 80.
But two other divisional rivals, the Falcons and saints are also three from six going into week 7.
The Lions are purring and tip the NFC North with a near perfect 5-1 record.
Tampa Bay have not looked slick on offense with their Sox points gained worse than their week three gain of 11 points in a loss to the Eagles.
No wonder the coach and the quarterback are feeling sour. The Buccaneers offense better start clicking, or a playoff run could be out of the water before their knees get wet.
