The Tampa Bay Buccaneers disappointed fans on Sunday as they lost 24-20 against the New Orleans Saints. The loss stings even more since the matchup was supposed to be easier, given the Saints’ awful season. After a frustrating performance and growing pressure, head coach Todd Bowles is finally ready to get into action. He’s hinting at major changes coming to a specific unit. 

“When they get it on the plus-44, can’t have that,” he said, via The Pewter Plank on X. “We’ve got a few new guys there and we may need a few more.” 

While discussing the Week 14 loss, the head coach took out his frustration on the special teams while also confirming that changes may soon be coming. The Saints started a drive at the Buccaneers’ 44-yard line, which Bowles thinks is a terrible field position to give up by the unit. His remarks show that the current group isn’t performing well enough and needs some adjustments. 

Tampa Bay’s special teams showed flashes of competence but ultimately failed to take command of the field. Kicker Chase McLaughlin remained reliable, converting both field goals and extra points without issue. Punter Kai Kroeger booted several long punts, yet the coverage unit consistently allowed the Saints to gain favorable starting field position, including a 54-yard return to open the game.

While the unit avoided giving up any game-changing turnovers or touchdowns, the early lapses in kick coverage set the tone, forcing Tampa Bay to play catch-up throughout. In short, the special teams kept the game within reach but did little to swing momentum in the Bucs’ favor.

But the blame doesn’t fall on special teams alone. The offense struggled on fourth down (2-7) while the defense allowed the Saints to score 24 points, their second-highest total of the season. All of this has put pressure directly on Todd Bowles, forcing him to call for changes. Meanwhile, quarterback Baker Mayfield lost his cool after this week’s loss. 

Baker Mayfield fails to mask his disappointment

When the game came to a close, Baker Mayfield remained on the bench looking frustrated before he headed to the locker room. With this loss, the Buccaneers have dropped to 7-6 and are now tied for first place with the Carolina Panthers in the NFC South. Mayfield didn’t hide his emotions when asked how he keeps the team from boiling over.

“We should be frustrated about this loss,” he told reporters after the game. “We should take it out on Thursday night.”

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With 14 of 30 for 122 yards, Mayfield delivered an unimpressive performance. Though the quarterback threw a touchdown pass to running back Bucky Irving in the first half, his third-quarter interception proved costly. It allowed quarterback Tyler Shough to score a 34-yard rushing touchdown, which shifted momentum toward the Saints. 

On top of that, rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka had a painful moment late in the game. A potential game-defining touchdown pass slipped through his hands in the end zone. Unfortunately, the Buccaneers couldn’t tie the score in the end and had to settle for a field goal.

For now, Todd Bowles’ team has no time to dwell on mistakes, as they face the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. Their current playoff chances are at around 71% and the stakes are higher because the team still has two matchups with the Panthers in the remaining four games. The Buccaneers can’t afford to lose if they want to make it to the postseason.