The start to the 2022 NFL season has been far more complicated than predicted for the Buccaneers. With Tom Brady back, the team expected to be in a much better place after six weeks.
However, it looks like the return of the legendary quarterback hasn’t been enough for the Bucs. The team suffered significant changes in the offseason, with former head coach Bruce Arians and tight end Rob Gronkowski retiring from football. On top of that, Brady isn’t looking like his true self either.
On Sunday, Tampa Bay received an early wake up call by losing to the Steelers, who headed into Week 6 on a four-game losing streak. Therefore, head coach Todd Bowles sent his team a very clear message.
Todd Bowls wants Buccaneers to toughen up
“We were bad on third-and-short, even third-and-inches, third-and-one,” Bowlestoldthe Buccaneers Radio Network, via JoeBucsFan.com. “We’ve got to find a way to get one yard. We got some tough guys up there.
“We’ve got to understand what we are and who we are going forward, as opposed to trying to make a whole bunch of different plays, and we’ve got to be better at that. … We’ve got to be tougher up front. We’ve got to be tougher up front on both side of the ball. Plain and simple.”
Bowles was particularly upset with the team’s struggles to get first downs on third-and-short. While the offensive line should take note of this, the message goes for everyone in offense, including Brady.