After Monday night’s game, Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles gave multiple reasons for the decision to leave receiver Chris Godwin still on the field during the final minute of what appeared to be a lost cause. The best – and really only – explanation should be this: crazier things have happened.

The Bucs trailed by ten points. A touchdown, a successful onside kick and a long finish could have set the stage for overtime.

Was it likely? No. It would have been a lightning-in-a-mile bottle scenario.

But lightning cannot strike the milk bottle unless the milk bottle is on the street.

And it’s no surprise that the Buccaneers would refuse to shout “uncle.” During a divisional round loss to conclude the 2023 season, the Lions grossly mismanaged the clock, opening the door for the Bucs to use the remaining timeouts, hoping for a missed field goal attempt (the drive started at Tampa’s 28, after an interception), to possibly score a touchdown, and to perhaps force overtime with a two-point conversion.

The Bucs then committed misconduct by not putting the milk bottle on the street. Last night a truck ran over the milk bottle, thanks to the Godwin injury.

But that is the real question, one that must be answered game by game, team by team. When must a match be abandoned? When (if ever) should key players be removed from a match that has not been fully awarded?

In January against the Lions, the Bucs were too passive. Last night they were too aggressive. Still, it’s much easier to defend last night’s decision-making.