Bucs’ video board may have tipped Packers to final plays
TAMPA ― Head coach Todd Bowles will meet with the Bucs’ game-day operations staff to determine whether the operators of the video board at Raymond James Stadium unintentionally revealed critical information to the Packers late in Sunday’s loss with a shot of the Tampa Bay sideline before both two-point conversion attempts.
“We’re meeting this afternoon,” Bowles said Monday, adding that he wasn’t sure what might have been revealed. “I don’t know. I’ll have to see and talk to the people first.”
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he saw something on the board that helped Green Bay defend the failed two-point conversion in the Bucs’ 14-12 loss.
“They showed it on the previous play, too,” Rodgers told Tom Rinaldi of the “NFL on Fox” after the game. “It was a delay (of game) on both plays. But sometimes you see things they probably shouldn’t show, even at home. I saw something. I just passed the information.”
Rodgers said he told Packers coach Matt LaFleur, who presumably relayed the information to defensive coordinator Joe Barry’s unit.
After a 1-yard touchdown reception by receiver Russell Gage brought the Bucs within two points with 14 seconds remaining, they were penalized for delay of game, moving the potential tying 2-point try back to the 7-yard line. Brady threw incomplete to Gage on the next play.
Bowles said Monday the play clock was set at 20 seconds instead of 25 before the delay of game penalty.
“One time it said 25 seconds and the next time it said 20,” Bowles said. “We’re looking into it right now. We’ll send it in (to the NFL) and see what they say. We have to be cognizant of that as a unit. We’ve played enough ball. We know we’ve got to get the ball snapped.”
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