Todd Bowles Says Bucs Would've Lost to a High School Team After Loss vs. Saints

It's safe to say Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles was displeased with his team's 23-13 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

Per the Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud, Bowles believes that his team would have lost any game today — no matter who the opponent was.

"It didn't matter who we played today," Bowles said. "A good team. A bad team. A college team. A high school team. We wouldn't have won today.''

The loss was an ugly one for Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers had four turnovers — a pair of interceptions from Baker Mayfield and two fumbles — and were completely stagnant on the ground, tallying just 57 rushing yards.

The Buccaneers will take on the league-worst 2-14 Carolina Panthers next week, and they'll be looking for better results than they got on Sunday.

The Bucs could have clinched a playoff berth and the NFC South with a win over the Saints, but they couldn't get it done. Instead, Tampa Bay's future will be decided in Week 18. If the Buccaneers handle business against the Panthers, they will clinch a playoff berth and win the division. If they don't, the Saints will have the chance to win the NFC South if they defeat the Atlanta Falcons.

Until Sunday, Tampa Bay was trending upward, winning its last four games. During that stretch, Mayfield threw nine touchdowns and just one interception. The Saints managed to put pressure on Mayfield all game long on Sunday, forcing some critical mistakes. Along with his two interceptions, Mayfield didn't manage to lead the Buccaneers into the end zone until the fourth quarter.

Luckily for Tampa Bay, the loss on Sunday didn't define its season, and the Buccaneers will have the chance to get back on the right track next week.