Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles puts 'leaders' on notice ahead of Week 13

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 12/1/22

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles has called out some of his players ahead of their crucial Week 13 "Monday Night Football" game against the New Orleans Saints.

"The leaders lead and everybody else follows. So it’s time for our leaders to lead and step up. And everybody else has to follow, and make plays. Not just lead but make plays. And show them by example, show them by being vocal, show them by how they practice. And they’ve been doing that for the most part but, you know, we can’t piss away any more ball games sort of speak," Bowles said, via JoeBucsFan.com. "So it’s time for us to step up and make plays. We got six games left until we’ve got to get in the tournament."

The Bucs are coming off an overtime loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, a contest where they held a late lead. It was a historic defeat for Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady too, as it marked the first time a Brady-led team had ever blown a seven-point lead and fell in the final minute.

He had previously gone 218-0 in those situations.

The Buccaneers' 2022 campaign has been a rollercoaster ride thus far, as they opened the season with two wins followed by two losses, and then defeated the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5 to go back over .500. Tampa Bay dropped three games in a row from Week 6 through 8 -- including games to the lowly Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers -- before bouncing back with wins over the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks in Weeks 9 and 10 respectively.

They had their bye in Week 11 and still lead the NFC North despite holding a 5-6 record.

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