Bucs' Todd Bowles 'dissatisfied with a lot of things' after loss to Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles was not pleased with the team’s performance in Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he’s not pointing the finger at anyone in particular.

During a press conference on Monday, Bowles was asked if he was disappointed with offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich’s play-calling through Week 6 as the Bucs struggled to score against a team that’s dropped four straight.

"I’m dissatisfied with a lot of things," Bowles responded. "Winning is No. 1. It’s not about the play-calling, it’s all-inclusive."

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He continued: "Players have to execute what the coaches call, and coaches have to make sure that the players are in the right position to call them. We don’t throw blame anywhere — it’s all-inclusive. It’s offense, defense and special teams when we have a bad game. It’s not even about play-calling, it’s just about team."

The Bucs poor execution in the red zone resulted in four field goals and just one late touchdown pass to get within reach of the Steelers, but it was too little too late.

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After the game, Bowles was blunt about the team’s struggles.

"I think guys that are living off the Super Bowl are living in a fantasy land, and you've got to get your hands dirty and go to work like everybody else," Bowles responded when asked if they took the Steelers lightly. "We've been working hard, and we've got to work harder because nobody's going to give us anything or feel sorry. We've got to go back as coaches, as players — the time for talking is over. You either got to put up or shut up."

When asked if he felt like there were players or coaches living in a "fantasy land," Bowles clarified.

"No, I didn't say we were. I'm just saying, you get patted on the back so much, you got to relive — every year and every week — you've got to go out there and earn your pay and earn your keep, and if you don't live like that, then it's going to be a result like today."

The Buccaneers are off to a disappointing 3-3 start. They are averaging 20.2 points per game this year after averaging 30.8 on the way to winning the Super Bowl two seasons ago and 30.1 in 2021.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Cowboys expect Dak Prescott to be cleared for practice Wednesday

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy will once again have Dak Prescott under center, as he expects him to be cleared for practice by Wednesday. 

While McCarthy says backup quarterback Cooper Rush has "put us in a good spot," Prescott, as expected, will be ushered back into his starting role right on schedule after recovering six weeks from thumb surgery. 

"Dak is going to be cleared officially. …The expectation is for Dak to be cleared today or tomorrow," McCarthy said via the Dallas Morning News. 

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McCarthy has mentioned that he wants Prescott to have a full week of practice before he gets back into a game, and this would likely fulfill his want. 

Prescott suffered his thumb injury during the Cowboys’ season debut at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was a loss to Tom Brady’s crew, 19-3, as the offense looked stale and Prescott not too sharp with just 134 yards on 14-for-29 before hitting the helmet of Shaq Barrett with his throwing hand. 

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Dallas was preparing for the worst once they got the news that Prescott needed surgery, but he’s recovered quickly and has been seen throwing before games as he continued his rehab. 

Rush lost his first ever start in the NFL on Sunday night, falling to the Philadelphia Eagles, 26-17, but the Cowboys won four straight games prior. They are currently 4-2 through their first six games, and with Prescott back, they are in a great position like McCarthy said. 

Prescott performed "light throwing" to receivers this past week, while Rush was still named the starter. Dallas’s franchise man even said that Week 4 against the Washington Commanders wasn’t out of question for him, though Rush led the Cowboys to a win. So, you get the gist of how bad Prescott wants to get back on the field. 

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The Cowboys will be going up against a Detroit Lions team that is on their bye week after suffering three straight losses, with their defense being the main culprit behind most of them this season. It should be a good opportunity for Prescott to get his feet underneath him again against a real opponent.

Prescott is on the second year of his four-year, $160 million extension that he signed with the Cowboys prior to the start of the 2021 season. The 29-year-old was one of the best quarterbacks in the league a season ago, throwing for 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with 4,449 yards to lead Dallas to an 11-5 record. He also completed 68.8% of his passes. 

As the NFC East currently plays out, the Cowboys are in third place due to the Eagles remaining undefeated and the New York Giants suffering their only loss in six weeks to the Cowboys. 

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