The Buccaneers are slipping after a strong start to the season. Criticism of head coach Todd Bowles is growing steadily. The franchise is already being linked to coaching legend Bill Belichick.

After a strong start to the season with three wins from four games, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have now come crashing down to earth.

They have lost their last four games. After the late defeat to the Houston Texans in week 9, the franchise has dropped to third place in the NFC South with a 3-5 record and is increasingly losing touch with the play-off places.

Accordingly, reports are mounting that the future of head coach Todd Bowles within the franchise is increasingly being called into question. Voices criticizing the playcalling of the offense and his clock management are getting louder and louder.

In Ira Kaufman’s podcast, a spectacular possible successor has now been discussed.

According to this, the Bucs could have their eye on Bill Belichick, who has also been heavily criticized by the New England Patriots and could vacate his post in Foxborough after the season with increasing probability from week to week.

Belichick to Bucs if Patriots leave?

Belichick, one of the most successful NFL coaches in history, could have to leave his life’s work in New England in a few months: What seemed unimaginable months ago could soon become a reality. Albert Breer from “Sports Illustrated” reported weeks ago that Patriots owner Robert Kraft had already discussed internally replacing the 71-year-old. With a record of 2-7, the NFL’s longtime top team is now languishing at the bottom of the AFC East.

This brings the Bucs into play, whose general manager Jason Licht would apparently like to sign the coaching legend. The GM had already worked with Belichick in New England from 2009 to 2011 as Director of Pro Personnel. The two would therefore still get on well

In this podcast episode, it is also emphasized that unlike Bowles, Licht does not have to fear for his job due to his successes, such as the signing of quarterback legend Tom Brady in 2020 and the subsequent Super Bowl win.

In addition, the Bucs’ owners are said to be fascinated by big-name coaches, as the all-in trade for Jon Gruden in the past showed.

There are still a lot of question marks behind a potential Belichick signing. But the Bucs could already be positioning themselves in the background for the big coup.

Especially because it’s not just the offense under Bowles that is wobbling

Passing defense desolate: Criticism of head coach Todd Bowles on the rise

After Brady’s career ended, it was foreseeable that the franchise would need some time to reinvent itself on offense under successor Baker Mayfield.

In addition to the recent losing streak, however, it’s concerning that the defense looks worse this season than it has in years.

With 2,235 yards after Week 9, Tampa Bay is one of the teams in the league allowing the most passing yards. The poor performance of the pass defense is all the more surprising considering the Buccaneers have an All-Pro caliber safety in Antoine Winfield Jr. and two top-notch outside cornerbacks in Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean.

This is where Bowles once again becomes the center of criticism. Before his promotion to head coach, the 59-year-old gave the defensive unit a face with his aggressive, blitz-heavy style for three years as defensive coordinator.

There’s not much left of the dominance of days gone by. It is also noticeable that the defense is currently playing much more zone coverage instead of the man coverage that has worked well for years. A change that has not paid off and does not really suit the strengths of the defense’s skill players.

Accordingly, “Sports Illustrated” continues to report that behind the scenes of the franchise, the pressure from the franchise owners, the Glazer family, is increasing on Bowles.

The media is also increasingly asking whether Bowles is still the best man for the defense’s playcalling. The coach himself emphasized after the most recent defeat that he always thinks about it, but that it is not the answer to all the problems the team currently has.

Problems upon problems in Tampa Bay that make a change of course ever more likely. Maybe then under Belichick.