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Tampa Bay blew a 28-14 lead to fall in a 29-28 heartbreaker on a last-second field goal, and when Bowles was asked in his postgame press conference about how he addresses his team in the locker room after a game like that, he made sure to say that he relayed that the loss was \u201cinexcusable.\u201d<\/p>\n
That and some other choice words.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s inexcusable, you don\u2019t make excuses,\u201d Bowles responded. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou gotta f\u2013king care enough where the s\u2013t hurts. You gotta f\u2013king care enough where the s\u2013t hurts. It\u2019s gotta f\u2013king mean something to you. It\u2019s more than a job, it\u2019s your f\u2013king livelihood.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow well do you know your job? How well can you do your job? You can\u2019t sugarcoat that s\u2013t. It was inexf\u2013kingcusable, and there\u2019s no f\u2013ing answer for it. There\u2019s no excuse for it. That\u2019s what you tell them in the locker room \u2014 look in the f\u2013king mirror.\u201d<\/p>\n
NFL Wrap: Tampa loses playoff footing | 01:07<\/p>\n
The loss was painful not only because of the fact that the Buccaneers (7-7) were outscored 15-8 in the final quarter by the Falcons (5-9), but the defeat put Tampa Bay in second place in the division behind the 7-6 Panthers, who are slated to play the Saints on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns, but his interception with under nine minutes left in the fourth quarter led to a Falcons touchdown drive that cut Tampa Bay\u2019s lead to two points.<\/p>\n
The Buccaneers stalled after six plays on their next possession and punted. Atlanta QB Kirk Cousins then led a 45-yard drive, capped off by Zane Gonzalez\u2019s 43-yard field goal at the horn.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re pissed off,\u201d Mayfield said. \u201cWe expected to win that game, we want to win that game, we should be pissed off. \u2026 It\u2019s not the defense\u2019s fault, it\u2019s our fault \u2014 it\u2019s my fault.\u201d<\/p>\n