For five seasons, Todd Bowles ’ defense had lived on the right side of NFL trivia. That streak ended Thursday night in gut-wrenching fashion. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers surrendered a fourth-and-14 conversion during their 29-28 Week 15 collapse against the Atlanta Falcons . It marked the first time since 2020 that Tampa Bay failed to stop an opponent on fourth-and-14 or longer. Before that moment, the Bucs had turned away eight straight such attempts. They have built a quiet reputation for long-yardage resilience. That, however, vanished at the worst possible time.

The breakdown came late in Atlanta’s stunning 15-0 fourth-quarter rally. That was when Kirk Cousins converted the pivotal fourth down to keep the drive alive. It was the kind of snap Bowles’ defenses typically feast on, bu

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