Bruce Arians should be held responsible for Tampa Bay Buccaneers' loss to the Los Angeles Rams

At certain times, we’ve all heard NFL head coaches state: “I have complete confidence in the offensive and defensive coordinators and let them call their games.”

Okay.

But for casual NFL fans – and even seasoned ones at times – that declaration can raise the obvious question: “So what does the head coach do?”

Over the years, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians has not only proven himself to be exceptional in the job, but old-school tough-as-nails in the process. That said, because of a few truly suspect defensive and offensive calls in the game, I have to believe a number of fans are wondering how much impact he had in the Bucs' last-second 30-27 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Sunday's NFC playoff game?

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After all, he’s the boss. Right?

Any casual search of Buccaneer message boards and blogs will notice hundreds of fans outraged by Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles call for an all-out blitz on Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford on the second to last play of the game. The result ended the Bucs season as Stafford easily connected with Cooper Kupp running alone down the middle of the field with Antoine Winfield, Jr. trailing as the lone defender. That 44-yard catch set up the game-winning field goal as time expired.

Now, in the week prior, basically every expert NFL commentator was pointing out that Stafford thrives against the blitz. As he did for most of the other blitzes Bowles threw at him.

There was zero reason to blitz at that moment. Not only because Stafford excels against the blitz, but because, on the first play of that last series, Stafford ran and came very close to fumbling to give the Bucs a certain victory. Rams coach Sean McVay most likely aged 10 years when he saw that. With 32 seconds to go in the game, he would have been thrilled to run out the clock and take his chances with the coin-flip and overtime.

Semi-prevent defense, all-out blitz dooms Bucs

But then, he noticed something else. Bowles was playing a semi-prevent defense and Kupp was being given a great deal of room. Stafford then zipped in a quick first-down pass to Kupp, which set up the Bucs' season ending back-breaker pass from Stafford to Kupp.

How in the world are the Bucs not protecting deep and protecting the sidelines after Stafford made that first down pass to Kupp? Even if the Rams completed a 20-yard pass, the fourth quarter would have been over. Calling an all-out blitz at that point was a needless and irresponsible gamble.

A gamble that even Arians and some of the Bucs players admitted created some confusion for their defense. Said Arians after the game: “It was an all-out blitz. We should have gotten a ton of pressure.” He then added that he wasn’t sure everyone was on the same page.

What? Are you kidding me?

Team Captain and defensive star Lavonte David then seconded that confusion. Admitted David: “It was just the situation, hurry up, guys scrambling all over the place trying to get lined up. Just an unfortunate situation. Some people got the call, some people didn’t. It is what it is.”

What “it is” is defensive coaching malpractice.

The call was highly questionable from the outset. But on top of that, some defensive players were still not sure of the call.

Bruce Arians is the boss. He has the power to overturn any defensive or offensive call. He should not be allowed to pass the “Buc” on this one.

The next question falling to Arians in terms of his overall responsibility as the “boss” is this: Did he give any thought to a two-point conversion after Leonard Fournette’s 9-yard TD run with 42 seconds left pulled the Bucs within 27-26 before sending out Ryan Succop to kick the extra point and tie the game?

He should have - for several important reasons.

The first being his Bucs team was seriously depleted in a number of areas. Not the least of was the offensive line, which was not only missing All-Pro right tackle Tristan Wirfs, but his replacement, Josh Wells, was literally trying to play on one leg. Next to Wells, All-Pro center Ryan Jensen was playing with an obviously limiting high ankle sprain. Beyond that, the Bucs – and Tom Brady – were missing Chris Godwin, Breshad Perriman, Cyril Grayson, and Ronald Jones. And last, while an above-average kicker, Succop had already missed a field-goal not far from extra-point range.

Brady knew he was trying to win a game using bailing wire and chewing gum to hold the pieces in place. And thanks to some timely Rams turnovers, he was close to pulling it off.

Shades of Brady's comeback vs. Falcons in Super Bowl LI

It was clear that for about three and one-half quarters, the Rams were the better team. But then, something interesting began to happen, which actually paralleled Brady’s miracle comeback win against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI when his Patriots team was trailing 28-3. That being that the Rams defensive players were beginning to obviously tire.

Against the Falcons, Brady orchestrated not one, but two “two-point” conversions to send the game into overtime where he eventually won.

So, knowing that history, knowing the Rams defense was beginning to flag, knowing your team was seriously depleted and being outplayed for much of the game, was there any thought about trying to win the game with a “two-point” conversion after Fournette’s touchdown?

If not, there should have been.

I suspect that most of the football world believes Buffalo coach Sean McDermott blew a certain victory against Kansas City in Sunday night's AFC playoff when, with just 13 seconds left, he opted to kick the ball into the end zone rather than keep it in play to force the Chiefs to burn off precious seconds.

With that example out there, what responsibility does Arians have for a few very suspect or curious calls? After all, he is the boss.

*** Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official and an author.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Bruce Arians, Tampa Bay Bucs lose to Los Angeles Rams in NFL playoff