TAMPA, Fla. – If the Bucs lose to the Carolina Panthers Sunday at home, you can pretty much stick a fork in them. What does it mean for Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen? A lot. But right now he’s concentrating on how to scheme against the Panthers and have his unit ready. He thinks they’ve been ready.
“I think we’ve had five good weeks of practice, honestly, Coen said Thursday at his weekly media session Thursday…I think Todd (Bowles) does a good job of letting these guys know what’s at stake without it being an insurmountable task.”
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Well it will be if they lose. Tampa Bay will then have to beat the Saints i.n their season finale and hope the Falcons lose their last two games.
The Bucs were looking like the team that no one wanted to play in the postseason. Tampa Bay had won four in a row after their bye week and were sitting on top of the NFC South. But all that changed last week, after getting beat 26-24 by a Cowboys team that had been eliminated from any chance at the postseason.
“These guys are mature enough, grown enough obviously to understand what’s at stake. Then we don’t have a lot of wiggle room anymore.”
Coen’s name has continually been popping up as NFL head coaching opportunities continue to grow. Last week he said he had no time to even think about that, with his duties as a dad and as the offensive coordinator of the Bucs, just gameplanning week to week.
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Tampa Bay fizzled on offense for the first time in a while last Sunday but still can be dangerous. The Bucs are fifth in the NFL in points per game (28.5), third in yards per game (389.8), third in passing and seventh in passing. QB Baker Mayfield says Coen has done a good job of mixing up the game plan week to week and he believes the mentality of this offense is to attack even if things don’t go your way.
“The positive from the game is that we’re giving ourselves a chance to and an opportunity late in the games.” Mayfield said. “We’re always going to keep fighting, keep swinging and see what happens.”
The (4-11) Panthers have played hard for first year head coach Dave Canales and QB Bryce Young has been much better since being benched in Week 2. Sitting down behind Andy Dalton did wonders for the 2nd year QB. Young last week in an overtime win over the Arizona Cardinals threw two touchdown passes and has shown a much greater command of the offense.
Say what you will about Bucs head coach Todd Bowles. Even though they’ve had losing streaks last season and this year, they’ve managed to come out of them. The Bucs are reigning NFC South champs, but are in danger of losing that distinction. If Tampa Bay gets eliminated from the postseason will it be enough for the Glazers, owners of the Bucs to fire Bowles and promote Coen? That’s why there’s so much remaining in these final two games.
The Bucs haven’t forgotten the last time they played Carolina. Young put the Panthers ahead on a touchdown pass to Adam Thielen with 30 seconds left. But Baker Mayfield led the Bucs on a game tying drive to send it to overtime. The Bucs won it on a Chase McGloughlin field goal and are expecting another tough game from the Panthers Sunday.
Coen is still the OC and Bowles the head coach. Stay tuned.
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