Buccaneers Need to 'Be Mentally Tough' to Prevent Three-Game Losing Streak

Following two bad losses the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on the cusp of a three-game losing streak with the Buffalo Bills waiting for them in Week 8.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in familiar territory as a 3-3 team after six games because they started with the same record last season. 

Eventually that Buccaneers squad made the playoffs but when they suffered their third loss of 2022 they were in the midst of a three-game losing streak, something this version of the team is trying to avoid in a short week with the Buffalo Bills waiting for them in western New York.

READ MORE: Buccaneers Fans React to Bad Divisional Loss to Atlanta Falcons

"Can't let one loss turn into two," coach Todd Bowles said following the Bucs' loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 7. "We got a game in a couple of days. We got to get ready for that. Understand the mistakes we got and we got to refocus and it's going to take everybody from a mental approach - be mentally tough. And as bad as this one was, we can't let it affect the next one."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles / USA Today

Of course, this is back-to-back weeks Tampa Bay is trying to shake off a bad loss in an effort to re-establish winning habits the following game. 

Despite three takeaways by the Buccaneers' defense, the offense couldn't find a way to muster more than 13 points against a Falcons defense allowing an average of 19 per game this season, and just last week surrendered 24 to the Washington Commanders. 

"We were not sluggish," Bowles said when asked about whether or not his team's performance was more about energy or precision. "Penalty-wise, it was very sloppy. And there was a lack of execution at critical times. Two minutes, defensively, in the red zone on offense. And we got to be better than that going forward."

Both the Bucs and Atlanta committed nine penalties with Bowles' team giving up six more yards in the process.

READ MORE: Buccaneers Open as Massive Underdogs Against Bills on Thursday Night Football

Quarterback Baker Mayfield also threw an interception in the back half of the fourth quarter with a chance to tie the score or take the lead late and receiver Deven Thompkins fumbled the ball away inside the Tampa Bay 30-yard line.

Fortunately, the Buccaneers' defense was able to prevent the turnovers from turning into points, but they weren't able to do enough to secure a win as the team fell to 0-2 coming out of their bye week and 3-3 through seven weeks.

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