If you thought the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense was supposed to be a brick wall, they just turned into Swiss cheese! In a game that was less “Thursday Night Football” and more “Thursday Night Track Meet,” the Atlanta Falcons, led by none other than Captain Inconsistency Kirk Cousins, soared past the Bucs with a jaw-dropping 45-39 win in overtime.
Sure, Tampa Bay’s offense showed up, but what about their defense? Were they out grabbing snacks while Atlanta danced up and down the field? The Falcons, who barely seemed to know which way was up a few weeks ago, just transformed into an offensive powerhouse overnight. And NFL analyst Skip Bayless was having none of it!
Skip’s Snappy Salvos on X (formerly Twitter)
When Cousins and Co. put the Bucs through a defensive blender, Skip Bayless jumped onto his favorite soapbox: X (yes, we’re still calling it Twitter in our hearts). Skip didn’t just criticize Todd Bowles’ squad—he went scorched-earth.
After watching the Bucs fail to wrap up a 4th-and-4, which ended in a Mooney Miracle Touchdown, Bayless erupted:
“Bucs made two big-time running-play stops … then on 4th and 4 missed the tackle on Mooney and let him waltz home for the tying TD. This Todd Bowles defense … doesn’t look anything like a Todd Bowles defense … having already given up almost 400 yards.”
Ouch! Guess the only thing Bowles’ defense stopped that night was our belief that it could stop anything.
Missing Tackles Like They Were Social Distancing
Early in the fourth quarter, the Bucs defense almost looked like they had a clue. They stood strong on three consecutive attempts, making the Falcons look like they were playing with their eyes closed. But hey, why settle for three solid stops when you can blow it all on the fourth?
On 4th-and-4, Cousins found Darnell Mooney near the line of scrimmage. It should have been a minor gain, maybe even a turnover on downs. But in typical Buccaneers fashion, they collectively forgot how to tackle. Seriously, they must have thought Mooney had the plague because three missed tackles later, he waltzed into the end zone like he was leading a halftime dance-off.
Bucs’ Defense Hands Out Free Yards Like Candy
Skip wasn’t done roasting Bowles’ crew just yet. With under two minutes left, Lavonte David snagged a golden opportunity interception from Cousins, practically gift-wrapping the win for Tampa Bay. All the Bucs needed was one measly first down to secure it. But, of course, instead of sealing the deal, they stepped on the banana peel!
A holding penalty, a couple of boneheaded negative plays, and poof—they were punted out of field goal range faster than you can say “defensive collapse.” Bayless’ digital megaphone crackled to life:
“This Todd Bowles defense doesn’t look anything like a Todd Bowles defense.”
It didn’t just not look like a Bowles defense—it looked more like a defense coached by someone who mixed up the playbook with a menu. The result? Younghoe Koo booted a game-tying field goal, sending the whole sorry spectacle into overtime.
When OT Stands for “Oh, Typical”
If anyone thought overtime would be a different story, well, have I got a plot twist for you—it was the same story, just shorter and more humiliating for the Bucs. The Falcons won the coin toss, which felt like the Bucs’ final nail in the coffin.
As Cousins dinked and dunked his way up the field, Bayless’ Twitter fingers were itching:
“This is starting to feel inevitable. Bucs can’t cover ANYbody and can’t get any pressure on Cousins.”
A few screen passes later, Skip’s prophecy came true. Cousins launched a 45-yard dime to KhaDarel Hodge, who galloped into the end zone untouched, leaving the Bucs secondary gasping like they’d just run a marathon. Final score? Falcons 45, Bucs 39.
Cousins Channels Prime Brady… Sort Of
Let’s be real—Kirk Cousins just turned in a performance for the ages, putting up a career-high 509 passing yards against a team that used to be known for its tough, stingy defense. Skip Bayless summed it up best: “Doesn’t look like a Todd Bowles defense.” Yeah, Skip, it looked more like a no-defense defense.
With Todd Bowles left scratching his head and Cousins suddenly looking like Tom Brady 2.0, one has to wonder—was this an off night for the Bucs, or is their defensive ship sinking faster than the Titanic?
One Last Jab from Skip
As if the night couldn’t get worse for Tampa Bay fans, Skip ended with one final shot across the bow:
“Bucs can’t cover ANYbody and can’t get any pressure on Cousins.”
Harsh? Yes. Accurate? Unfortunately, also yes. The Bucs now head into Week 6 licking their wounds, while the Falcons head home with a surprise win and Kirk Cousins clutching the game ball like it’s a long-lost treasure.
Stay tuned for next week—maybe Todd Bowles will finally find his playbook. If not, Skip Bayless is sure to find another excuse to light them up.
