KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles defended his determination to kick an additional level and never strive a two-point conversion after his group scored a landing with 30 seconds remaining in regulation in Monday night time’s eventual 30-24 additional time loss to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
“We needed to get into additional time with the moist situations on the sphere, we thought we had to enter additional time as an alternative of going for 2. We had our photographs. We misplaced the sport,” Bowles stated.
The Bucs surrendered a 5-yard landing to DeAndre Hopkins with 4:20 to go in regulation that, with the purpose after, gave the Chiefs a 24-17 lead. After the groups traded fast three-and-outs, Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield led an 11-play drive that culminated in a 1-yard landing move to receiver Ryan Miller.
However as an alternative of going for 2, which might have put Tampa Bay forward by one level with 27 seconds remaining, out got here Bucs kicker Chase McLaughlin.
“We went for one,” Bowles stated. “We took our photographs. We had our possibilities all recreation. We simply misplaced the sport. It did not come right down to that.”
In Week 9, 4 groups that scored touchdowns within the final two minutes of regulation determined to kick additional factors to tie their video games. ESPN Analytics modeling agreed with the choice to kick the additional level in all 4 cases, however all 4 of these groups misplaced.
The Miami Dolphins had been tied with 1:38 left after which misplaced on a 61-yard area aim in regulation on the Buffalo Payments. The New England Patriots tied their recreation with no time left after which misplaced on a 25-yard area aim in additional time on the Tennessee Titans. The Seattle Seahawks tied with 0:51 left after which misplaced on a 39-yard landing move in additional time in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams. After which the Bucs misplaced on a 2-yard landing by Chiefs working again Kareem Hunt.
Requested about placing the ball within the protection’s arms, Bowles stated, “We had been going to take our punches. We had been enjoying OK defensively. We thought we had been transferring the ball offensively. We thought we had a very good shot in additional time. We did not make the performs.”
The Chiefs improved to 8-2 in additional time video games, together with the playoffs, since 2018, when Patrick Mahomes grew to become the full-time starter, which is the most effective report of any group in that span.
For the Bucs, this was their second additional time loss in prime time on the highway this season during which the protection surrendered a landing on the primary possession. The Bucs additionally misplaced to the Atlanta Falcons 36-30 in additional time on Thursday night time in Week 5. Since 2012, when the NFL adopted the present regular-season additional time guidelines, there have been solely 4 groups to lose a number of prime-time video games in additional time in the identical season, in accordance with ESPN Analysis: the 2015 Cowboys, 2021 Chargers, 2022 Broncos and 2024 Buccaneers (all 0-2).
“It is robust. You do not take something from it however a loss,” Bowles stated. “And we won’t get used to shedding, and that is the largest factor. We’re not going to get used to shedding. We had some good performs. We took our swings. They linked greater than we did. We fought, nevertheless it wasn’t adequate, so we obtained to prepare subsequent week for an additional one.”
The Bucs have received the NFC South title the previous three seasons, and previous to that, they defeated the Chiefs in Tremendous Bowl LV as a wild card, however they now have misplaced three straight video games, slipping to 4-5 and under .500 for the primary time this season.
It began with their 41-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens two weeks in the past during which receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin each had been injured. Miller was known as up from the observe squad shortly after, and Monday night time’s landing was the primary of his NFL profession. Nevertheless, Mayfield was lacking a 3rd receiver in opposition to the Chiefs in rookie Jalen McMillan, who was deemed not wholesome sufficient to play due to a hamstring harm.
Mayfield confirmed a little bit of frustration when the Bucs misplaced the coin toss in additional time.
“Towards a group with an offense like that, you may solely give them so many possibilities,” Mayfield stated. “They win the coin toss, and that is what occurs. I am happy with our guys on offense that stepped up. Coach had a very good message … ‘We’re that shut. Do not get used to shedding however simply flip this factor round. We have a house recreation subsequent week in opposition to an NFC opponent, and we have to discover a technique to win. That is it.'”
Mayfield stated almost knocking off the NFL’s solely unbeaten group on the highway was no comfort prize.
“Proper now, it is about us,” Mayfield stated. “It would not matter who we play. We have to give attention to doing our job and discovering methods to win. That is all that issues. We simply need to cease the skid. We’ve to have a look at the issues of why we misplaced after we have a look at the tape and go from there.”
