Just like their whirlwind courtship, the honeymoon may be ending quickly for the Bucs and Todd Bowles.

The defensive coordinator for three seasons under Bruce Arians was part of an arranged ascension to head coach.

He received the proposal over the telephone while courtside with his sons at a Hornets basketball game in Charlotte last March. With future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady returning from his 40-day retirement, the opportunity was presented to Bowles as a chance to inherit a Super Bowl contender.

But now the Bucs are 6-7 with one of the worst scoring offenses in the NFL.

With only four games remaining ? against the Bengals on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium, at Arizona on Christmas night, home against the Panthers on New Year’s Day and at Atlanta on Jan. 7 or 8 ? the Bucs hold a slim one-game lead in the woebegone NFC South. Coming off an embarrassing 35-7 loss at San Francisco, the Bucs are reeling under Bowles, having lost five of their last eight games.

Restless fans are attacking Bowles on social media, questioning his placid sideline demeanor and parsing words at every news conference.