Even when his Tampa Bay Buccaneers earn a much-needed victory, head coach Todd Bowles still does something that garners criticism and the wrath of the fanbase. 

The Bucs finally got their first win of the season by going on the road against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football. Tampa likely saved its season with the big upset, and the Bucs played their best game of the season by a wide margin. 

The Bucs forced three turnovers without any of their own. The defense held the lethal Dallas offense to a season-low 16 points. 

The offense got a career night from running back Bucky Irving. Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka had his most impactful game of the season. Undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels played with the poise of a seasoned veteran and earned the first win of his NFL career. 

There was a lot to like about Tampa’s performance. The Bucs dug deep and, even as 9.5-point underdogs, got a win they absolutely had to have.

Even after the prime-time triumph, there was still plenty of criticism aimed at Todd Bowles’ direction 

In the second quarter, Bowles decided to try a 61-yard field goal one week after saying a potential game-tying 65-yard field goal was a “good 10-15 yards too long.”

Kicker Chase McLaughlin drilled the 61-yarder. Unfortunately, Bowles took too long to make the decision to kick it, and a delay-of-game penalty took the three points off the board and forced the Bucs to punt. 

However, the bulk of the criticism directed at Bowles came from a questionable decision he made much later. 

About midway through the fourth quarter, leading 14-10, the Bucs faced a fourth-and-goal from the Dallas 1-yard line. 

The chip shot field goal would have put Tampa up by three scores and likely put the game out of reach. A touchdown would still have been a three-score lead, making the potential reward not worth the risk. 

Bowles decided to roll the dice and go for it anyway. Running back Sean Tucker was stopped short. It only took a hair over three minutes for the Cowboys to march 99 yards for a touchdown. 

A potential three-score lead quickly became a one-score lead, and the game’s outcome was once again in question. 

The decision to go for it was widely criticized both during and after the game and even earned Bowles the top spot on my “losers” list for the game. 

However, as Mike Sando of The Athletic reports, at least one other NFL coach defended Bowles’ fourth-down decision. 

The unnamed coach didn't have an issue with Bowles deciding to go for it because he believes that, whether they kicked the field goal, scored a TD, or got no points, whatever happened after was more important and would have a bigger impact on the game.

"'Why is everyone so hung up on that decision?' a coach from another team said. 'There are so many other moving parts that will have greater effect on the outcome, starting with keeping the clock moving on your next drive, and working those play clocks. There is always the layer of being a yard away and, if you like your play, giving it a go.'"

The Bucs won, so it's easy to say "no big deal" about Bowles making the wrong decision.

In Bowles' defense, the defense can't allow a team to drive 99 yards in only three minutes for a touchdown in that situation.

But that's exactly what happened, which is why the decision Bowles made was so egregious.

At 0-4 and the season on the verge of being over, the Bucs had no margin for error against Dallas, and that included the coaches.

Bowles must be better if Tampa wants to build on its first win and get back into the race for the NFC South.