The Tampa Bay Buccaneers walked into Week 14 knowing a matchup with the 2-10 New Orleans Saints was still no guarantee, especially given the physicality that always shows up in NFC South battles.

But even with that awareness, Tampa Bay was stunned 24-20 at Raymond James Stadium, a result that further complicates their pursuit of an NFC South title .

Head coach Todd Bowles made it clear postgame that Tampa Bay’s inability to execute in crucial situations was the defining factor. Addressing the team’s repeated short-yardage failures, most notably two major fourth-down busts, Bowles didn’t sugarcoat anything .

“We couldn't get a fourth down play. We couldn't make a fourth down play. That's disheartening,” he said in the post-game press conference, via Jenna Laine of ESPN. Article

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