The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took a brutal 27-24 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football, but it was Baker Mayfield’s 67-yard pick-six that really stung, marking his second such game-losing turnover this season. The Bucs had clawed their way back, tying it up at 24-all late in the fourth quarter after being down all night. Then, right after the defense had forced Caleb Williams’ *fourth* interception, Mayfield threw the interception that was returned for a touchdown, a gut punch they just couldn’t recover from.
That Pick-Six Was a Killer, And Bowles Didn’t Mince Words
You can imagine the frustration for Bucs head coach Todd Bowles. This wasn’t just any turnover; it was a pick-six that sealed the deal, on a night where the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback threw two interceptions and zero touchdowns. Bowles didn’t hold back after the game, calling out the decision-making directly. “He had his mind made up,” Bowles said. “Probably should have thrown it somewhere else. Obviously, it’s easy to say in hindsight, but you know we don’t like turnovers. We’ve been doing a good job of not turning it over. We can’t turn it over. He knows that. He understands that.” Mayfield hadn’t coughed up the ball in his previous two games, sure, but those were also games where he was asked to throw only 14 times, with the running game carrying the load. This game? It required Mayfield to step up, and it didn’t happen.
It’s Time For Everybody To Contribute
While the pick-six dominated the post-game talk, it wasn’t the only issue, and Bowles made it clear that winning is going to take a full team effort moving forward. Mayfield did throw for 243 passing yards, which shows they *can* move the ball through the air, but as Bowles put it, “It’s going to take everybody. We’re not going to be able to run the ball and win ball games. We’re going to have to throw. We’re going to have to catch it.” He pointed out dropped easy balls early on that complicated things. Special teams field position was a problem, too. Even the defense, despite forcing five turnovers and fighting back hard, started slow in the first two series. The offense battled back and “cashed it in” eventually, but the message from Bowles is crystal clear: everyone needs to do more and, critically, make fewer mistakes. This team showed heart to fight back, but without cleaner play, especially from the quarterback, those heartbreakers are gonna keep stacking up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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