The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had created an early separation in the NFC South with a 5-1 start to the season. Entering the final month of the regular season, those numbers have turned upside down. Now, even their head coach, Todd Bowles, has reached his breaking point, potentially attracting some hefty punishment after the Bucs’ Week 15 TNF loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

“You gotta fu-king care enough where the sh-t hurts. It gotta fu-king mean something to you,” Bowles burst out during his post-game presser when asked about what message he will send the locker room. “It’s more than a job, it’s your fu-king livelihood. How well do you know your job? How well can you do your job?

“Well, you can’t sugarcoat that sh-t. It was fu-king inexcusable, and there’s no fu-king answer for it. There’s no excuse for it. That’s what you tell them in the locker room, to look in the fu-king mirror.”

All the Bucs had to do was prevent Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins from converting on a late 3rd & 28 and a 4th & 14 in the final drive. However, Atlanta put up 15 points in the final quarter, and Zane Gonzalez drilled a 43-yard winner that silenced Raymond James Stadium in the 29-28 win.

With that, the Bucs have lost five of their last six games and sit a half-game behind the Carolina Panthers, who now lead the division. The defeat has also added urgency to the team as they look to make the playoffs with a closing window.

The coach’s meltdown is understandable. However, it can have some hefty consequences for him.

The Bucs fans are already asking to get rid of Bowles. Making matters worse, the head coach’s rant could draw a verdict from the NFL.

The league does not take kindly to coaches using explicit language in front of cameras. An NFL coach using an f-bomb during a press conference is subject to fines by the league for “conduct detrimental to the league.” And Todd Bowles might be next on that list, and history says the bill could be heavy.

Case in point, former New York Jets coach Rex Ryan: He racked up $225,000 in fines across three profanity blowups back in 2011. His last one cost him a massive $100,000 because the league viewed him as a repeat offender. So, Bowles might be looking at something similar if the league decides he crossed the line.

However, gaining control of his emotions at the press conference, Todd Bowles also added that it’s not that the team doesn’t care. But there’s a clear lack of execution.

The Falcons game was a huge example of the same. For one, their quarterback, Baker Mayfield, is taking responsibility for his mistakes.

Baker Mayfield took the blame for the loss

Since Mayfield suffered a shoulder injury in the Bucs’ Week 7 loss to the Detroit Lions, he hasn’t been the same quarterback for Tampa Bay. However, a game against a non-playoff team where their backup is leading the offense was the Bucs’ chance to end their losing streak. Unfortunately, Mayfield’s 277 yards and two touchdowns with over 55 percent completions weren’t enough.

While he threw a crucial interception, a lack of pocket protection that led to five sacks and a loss of 27 yards also changed the game. After the final whistle, Mayfield stepped to the mic and owned the moment.

“This one is going to haunt me. This falls on my shoulders,” he told reporters. “Listen, you can say what you want about being up two scores and the defense right there, but we have to be better on offense, and it comes down to how I play.”

In the game, Tampa Bay trailed 14-13 at halftime. But then they went ahead with a clean touchdown in the third. They stretched it with eight more points in the fourth and looked like they could cruise. But Cousins kept attacking.

Atlanta’s No. 18 ended his Thursday night with 373 yards on 68.2% completion rate and three touchdowns. While the win won’t help the Falcons to a playoff berth, Cousins proved he still has some juice left after being benched in favor of Michael Penix Jr. Interestingly, he has only had that stat line with no interception thrice before. The last of which was in 2021.

Now the Bucs sit at 7-7, sitting outside the NFC playoff picture at No. 9. According to NFL.com, they still have a 53 percent shot at the postseason. With three games left, their two clashes with the division-leading Carolina Panthers and then the Miami Dolphins in Week 17 suddenly carry massive weight for the postseason ticket. Let’s see how they approach next week.