Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles discusses quick turnaround after loss to Saints

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in a familiar but uncomfortable position.

Following Week 14's upset home loss to the New Orleans Saints (3-10), the Bucs sit in a tie for first in the NFC South with the Carolina Panthers (7-6), having lost five of their last seven games, including four of five following a Week 9 bye. For some teams, that might cause panic. But for Tampa Bay, it's just another year.

Buccaneers have been here before

Head coach Todd Bowles discussed his team's most recent loss on Monday and told reporters, "We've got to get over it," later adding Tampa must be "big boys ... and own what we did.

"We understand that as a group we’ve been through this before, but it’s different every single year and every time (we) do it," Bowles added. (h/t Associated Press)

The Bucs have had dreadful slumps now in each of quarterback Baker Mayfield's three seasons. In the first two, the team came out the other side stronger, claiming consecutive NFC South titles.

In 2023, Tampa Bay went 1-6 in the seven games immediately following a Week 5 bye, only to post a 5-1 record from Weeks 13-18 to finish 9-8 and clinch the division title via tiebreaker over the Saints. Last season, Tampa Bay had a 2-6 stretch from Weeks 3-10 only to reel off six wins in its last seven games to go 10-7 and win a fourth consecutive NFC South crown.

If the Bucs are to get hot at the end of the year once again, they'll need more out of quarterback Baker Mayfield. While leading Tampa Bay to an 11-2 record to end the past two seasons (2023-24), Mayfield was 282-of-412 (68.4 percent) for 3,451 yards (265.5 yards per game), 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. 

During Tampa Bay's current 2-5 skid, Mayfield is 128-of-222 (57.7 percent) for 1,183 yards (169 yards per game), eight touchdowns and five interceptions. After playing at an MVP level earlier this season, he'll need to dial back in down the stretch for the Bucs to win the NFC South for a fifth consecutive season.

That starts on Thursday against the Atlanta Falcons (4-9), a great opportunity for Mayfield to get on track. The Falcons are 1-7 since Week 7, allowing 26.6 points per game. Tampa Bay also plays the Panthers in Weeks 16 and 18. Mayfield is 4-0 against the Panthers, his former team for seven games in 2022, since joining the Buccaneers.

For as bumpy a stretch as Tampa Bay is in, all hope isn't lost. It should know. After all, it knows how to navigate a safe landing.