Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-05 · by Rob Maaddi The Associated Press
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are struggling in their NFL season, having lost all four games so far. Their most recent defeat was a 17-14 loss against the Green Bay Packers. With an upcoming game against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, the Bucs face another tough challenge. Head coach Todd Bowles and players like Tristan Wirfs acknowledge that the team needs to improve significantly if they are to turn their season around.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to win a game first.
asserted
Buccaneers → need → game
The Bucs are 0-4 after a 17-14 loss to Green Bay and have a quick turnaround with a trip to Dallas for a game on Thursday night.
asserted
Bucs → have → night
Even with undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels at quarterback, Tampa Bay had a chance against the Packers but couldn’t make a play when needed.
asserted
Bay → have → play
There’s no time to dwell on mistakes with the Cowboys coming up.
asserted
Cowboys → ’ → mistakes
Dak Prescott leads a prolific passing attack and offense that beat Houston 34-30.
asserted
that → lead → Houston
It’ll be a challenge for a team that’s struggling on offense and defense.
asserted
that → struggle → offense
“We know what the problem is — it’s on us,” coach Todd Bowles said.
asserted
Bowles → know → us
“We can’t keep getting close and not winning, that’s not good enough.
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that → keep → ?
Our record says what we are, we’re 0-4, and until we acknowledge that and we correct our own mistakes, it’s going to keep happening.
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it → say → mistakes
We talked about it as a team, we’re going to be a team, and we play gotta play tough around the end, we gotta execute then, and that’s the only way you can win the ball game.”
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you → talk → game
The Bucs have lost 11 of 13 games since a 6-2 start last season.
asserted
Bucs → lose → start
They had won four straight division titles before finishing 8-9 and losing a three-way tiebreaker to Carolina in a weak NFC South.
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They → win → South
The rest of the teams in the division have improved while the Bucs have regressed this season.
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Bucs → improve → division
“No one is coming to save us,” two-time All-Pro tackle Tristan Wirfs said.
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Wirfs → come → us
“We aren’t going to magically get a superhero in here.
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We → go → superhero
We can’t snap our fingers and be 4-0.
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We → snap → fingers
We can’t snap our fingers and be 2-2.
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We → snap → fingers
It’s the guys in this locker room that are going to get us out of it.”
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that → ’ → it
Only the 1992 Chargers overcame an 0-4 start and made the playoffs.
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Chargers → overcome → playoffs
These Bucs are more likely to make a push for the No. 1 overall draft pick than get back into playoff contention.
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Bucs → make → contention
“Coach Bowles can tell us all he wants, but at the end of the day we’re the players getting on the field,” cornerback Jacob Parrish said.
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Parrish → tell → field
“Coach Bowles is putting us in the position; we just have to go make the plays.
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we → put → plays
It is one day at a time, and we have got to find an edge in our details, so that is what we are going to focus on this week.
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we → get → what
What’s working
The defense created turnovers in the fourth quarter to keep the game within reach.
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defense → work → reach
Safety Tykee Smith forced a fumble inside the 5.
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Smith → force → 5
Parrish made an excellent read to pick Jordan Love inside the red zone.
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Parrish → make → zone
What needs help
Everything.
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needs → need → help
The pass rush put no pressure on Love, who took 31 hits in the first three games.
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who → put → games
He was only touched twice and didn’t get sacked.
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He → touch → ?
Despite two interceptions that led to 10 points, he wasn’t overwhelmed in his first career start.
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he → lead → start
Daniels saw 10 quarterbacks drafted ahead of him and had to sign as a free agent.
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quarterbacks → see → agent
But he was the first in his draft class to start and was a play or two away from winning.
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he → start → class
“I was seeing everything right, (saw) everything that they were doing and was able to come back to the sideline and able to communicate that with the rest of the team and my coaching staff,” he said.
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he → see → team
“They get paid to go out there and make plays, too, and they made a few plays.”
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they → pay → plays
Stock down
Emeka Egbuka, a first-round pick in 2025, had just two catches for 13 yards and one drop.
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Egbuka → have → yards
He has only 15 receptions for 154 yards and one TD.
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He → have → yards
Injuries
Edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. (groin), CB Benjamin Morrison (quadriceps), TE Ko Kieft (elbow) didn’t play against Green Bay.
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Jr. → play → Bay
... S Antoine Winfield Jr. hurt his abdomen and a rib late in the fourth quarter.
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Jr. → hurt → quarter
... LB SirVocea Dennis injured his ankle.
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Dennis → injure → ankle
The Bucs allowed the Packers to go 3 for 3 on fourth down.
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Packers → allow → down
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
