The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had control of their own destiny heading into Week 15 against the Atlanta Falcons. They were leading the NFC North based on tie-breakers, but a four-win Falcons team meant they had a strong chance to improve their playoff chances. As they showed on the broadcast, the Bucs’ playoff chances would be north of 80% with a win, but drop to just over 50% with a loss.
Well, thanks to a Zane Gonzalez field goal as time expired, the Bucs are now down in the 50% area.
The Bucs gave this game away to the Falcons despite how hard Atlanta tried to give it right back. Nineteen penalties, a third and 28, and a fourth and 18 were all obstacles the Falcons overcame while the Bucs looked lost for most of the game. There are now scorching hot seats on both head coach Todd Bowles and quarterback Baker Mayfield, and something has to give eventually.
So, with that all in mind, let’s dive into some of our takeaways from this game.
The Bucs should fire Todd Bowles on Friday, Dec. 12
The Bucs need a spark; the season is not technically over, but they now have a big mountain to climb over to see any sort of promise. Head coach Todd Bowles has completely failed this team, this city, and the fanbase. It was clear over the last couple of weeks that he was not on his A game, but now, after tonight against the Falcons, and how he managed the clock, it proves his time needs to be done in Tampa Bay. Firing him on Friday would give a spark to veterans to prove something to each other and the remaining staff, and also allow the team to get a head start on the coaching search.
Baker Mayfield has a lot to prove in 2026
Baker Mayfield has looked like the Carolina Panthers version of himself since Week 6, when he was previously the frontrunner for league MVP. He has a lot of questions to answer for the team and management, as he is under contract for 2026 before hitting the market. This version of Baker Mayfield is not worth $45 million plus right now, but he can prove he is in 2026. Could they make a move in a different direction? Absolutely, but they should wait till 2027 because of his contract and the draft class in that cycle.
Linebacker and cornerback are top draft needs in 2026
Speaking of NFL Drafts, the defense needs some serious TLC. This secondary got an infusion of talent in 2025, and while Jacob Parrish has played well as a rookie and safety Tykee Smith has looked the part at his new position, more needs to be done. As for the linebackers, they continue to get gashed wide open by opposing tight ends and running backs week after week. They do not have the speed to provide coverage, and as a result, they feast upon them with chunk plays every week. General manager Jason Licht needs to focus on the linebacker and cornerback units early on in the 2026 NFL Draft.
This season will forever be a ‘What if?’
This season started out 5-1 despite injuries, and they looked poised for something special in 2025. Baker Mayfield was playing at an MVP-level as we mentioned, but others were rising to the occasion in spite of injuries and other circumstances. However, since Week 6, they have fallen off a cliff and played with no charisma despite being in the position they were. This team has some good losses, but the ugly ones in back-to-back weeks to the lowly New Orleans Saints and Falcons are going to make this season a complete waste when they look back on it.
Mike Evans and Lavonte David deserved better
Both Mike Evans and Lavonte David are considered two of the best players in franchise history. For Evans, especially, he is on their Mount Rushmore with the likes of Lee Roy Selmon, Warren Sapp, and Derrick Brooks. However, both he and David are seeing their careers in Tampa Bay likely come to a close in a very ugly way. David is likely to retire given that he will be a 36-year-old linebacker in 2026, but Evans could still play; would he for anywhere other than Tampa Bay? If this is both of their last season, they deserve better than to go out this way if the season ends without them winning the division and making the playoffs.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Instant takeaways from the Bucs loss to the Falcons in Week 15
