Tuesday, 4 a.m.
5 Thoughts
- The way I figure it, if the NFL season went 25 games, the Bucs could make a run at the No. 1 draft choice.
2. Bucs' coach Todd Bowles made a thing of the Bucs winning the time-of-possession battle Sunday. Well, congratulations, Todd. I think Timex needs a spokesman.
3. Am I the only one who notices that the Bucs went downhill faster once they got more players back from injury? Is the team trying to force the ball into their stars' hands at the risk of damaging younger players?
4. Why don't the Bucs throw more to Luke Goedeke? He can grab anything.
5. I don't care what anyone says: The Bucs are indeed a dangerous team. For instance , they could fall on you.
5 Comments
(From Todd Bowles' day-after press conference)
(On why the offensive game plan didn’t call for more pass attempts, as opposed to the idea of “having to get 30 rushes”): “We didn't have to get it. We wanted to. It was a formula for us that worked last year. Last year we had 41 and 38 rushes against them. When you win the game, it's different; when you lose the game, we were right there…We did everything we wanted to do. We controlled every category except for the turnover battle at the end and we lost the ball game. So, we try to get the ball to our stars, but at the same time, we try to establish the run game and make it balanced as well.”
(On if Tampa Bay’s amount of first-down rush attempts offensively makes it easier for defensive coordinators to game plan against): “[It] depends on what's working. If they're running the ball and it's successful, then you keep at it. If it's not successful, then it's going to be difficult for you.”
(On if he’s talked with the team about them still controlling their own destiny by being able to make the playoffs with wins in each of their last two games): “Well, they're off today, but we talked about it yesterday after the ball game. We understand we control our own destiny, but our biggest enemy right now is us and we understand that as well. So, going into the week, that's all we'll focus on and we'll focus on the things that we can do better as coaches and players, and we'll go into the game against Miami.”
(On how the team can pull out victories despite players already having said they’ve understood the urgency required for some time): “[You’ve] got to execute. I mean, it comes down to execution. When you go in there, you play your hardest [and] you’ve got to play your best at the same time. Your best players have got to play great, and your role players have got to play [well]. Then, it comes down to execution at the end. We just didn't execute at the end.”
(On center Graham Barton saying the team plays best when they’re playing “free”): “We play best when we're executing. There's nothing wrong with our mental state. We’ve got to execute and finish plays at the end. It’s football – it's a game we've been playing since we were small children and we've grown up now to play professional ball…When you lose, you try to come up with different things and everything else like that, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to work hard and execute.”
Game Balls
Offense: Bucky Irving's stats were ordinary. But ordinary sat at the head of the class Sunday.
Defense: Lavonte Davis always leads this sad unit in tackles, doesn't he?
Special teams: Kameron Johnson had a fine game, but you can't beat Chase "Bombs Away" McLaughlin.
Grades
Quarterback: The Bucs tried to play around Baker Mayfield Sunday. They failed. Grade: D-.
Receivers: As talented as they are, no one got more than 40 yards. Grade: D.
Running backs: Irving had 71 yards, but it took him 19 carries to get there. Grade: C.
Offensive line: Two sacks and an ordinary (most of the time) running game. Grade: D.
Defensive line: No pressure, the same as its been most of the year: Grade: D.
Linebackers: David and SirVocea Dennis combined for 18 tackles and two sacks. Grade: B.
Secondary: How can you give up a touchdown pass when the whole world knows that you are throwing into the end zone? Grade: F.
Bucs' Second Half Collapses
(Worst finishes to a season)
2011 0-8 Raheem Morris
1987 0-8 Ray Perkins
1976 0-7 John McKay
1986 1-7 Leeman Bennett
2025 1-6 * Todd Bowles
- Two games to go
Baker's Slide
1st 7 Last 8
5 Wins 2
1769 Yards 1377
13 Tds 10
3 Ints 6
98.8 Rating 79.6
Baker Stats
Passing Yards 3144 13th
Touchdowns 23 12th
Interceptions * 8 27th
Rating * 90 19th
Rushing Yards 335 10th
- Minimum 100 attempts
NFL Stats
Rushing Yards Bucky Irving 484 41
Receiving Yards Emeka Egbuka. 910 17
Tackles Lavonte David 105 29
FGs (more than 50) Chase McLaughlin 10 1
Punts (Inside 20) Riley Dixon 24 6
Rookie receivers
Tetairo McMilllian, Carolina 65 924 7
Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay 59 910 6
Jaden Higgins, Houston 37 404 4
Luther Burden III, Chicago 36 479 1
Eric Ayomanor, Tennessee 34 428 3
5 Most Disappointing Seasons
(Non-injury)
- Hasaan Reddick
2. Todd Bowles
3. Benjamin Morrison
4. Chris Braswell
5. Josh Grizzard
Power Rankings
- New England
2. Seattle
3. Philadelphia
4. Buffalo
5. Denver
Bottom 5
32. N.Y. Giants
31. Las Vegas
30. Tennessee
29. N.Y. Jets
28. Tampa Bay
5 Hot Seat Coaches
- Pete Carroll, Las Vegas
2. Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland
3. Mike McDaniel, Miami
4. Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay
5. Jonathan Gannon, Arizona
Bucs' penalty leaders
Luke Goedeke 6 36
Graham Barton 4 39
Logan Hall 4 50
Tristan Wirfs 4 30
(10 players tied with three)
5 NFL Stars
- Sam Darnold, Seattle
2. Puka Nacua, L.A. Rams
3. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville
4. Caleb Williams, Chicago
5. Drake May, New England
5 NFL Duds
- D.K. Metcalf, Pittsburgh
2. Jaxson Dart, N.Y. Giants
3. Chris Oladokun, Kansas City
4. Marcus Mariota, Washington
5. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay