5 Thoughts
- Bucky Irving keeps passing other Bucs on the top 10 list in franchise history. It’s almost as if the Bucs have added a new dimension to their offense. Also, he’s made the line come together.
2. Liam Coen has done a fine job as offensive coordinator. But there are a lot sexier names if a team is looking for a head coach.
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Which is good.
3. Sure, Jake Camarda had misplaced his leg. But could he have been worse than Trenton Gill was Sunday?
4. I’m still convinced this is a horrible secondary that plays marshmallow (soft) defense.
5. Is it too soon to suggest Anthony Nelson for the Ring of Honor? Okay, I’m kidding. But that was a huge forced fumble.
5 Comments
(From Todd Bowles day-after press conference)
(On RB Bucky Irving’s development this season): “He’s getting more comfortable with the offense. The more comfortable he gets, the more you can give him, the more he can do. Like you said, both [Irving and Rachaad White] are running well – we’re happy with both of them. Bucky has a skill you can’t teach – he can make people miss in the hole. He’s tough on the inside. Rachaad [White] had a big run at the end of the game, as well. Using them both together seems to be working out for us.”
(On if QB Baker Mayfield’s first half struggles were potentially caused by Carolina’s coaching staff being familiar with his play): “They were two errant throws. I mean, you can’t make those throws right there. We have to be smarter with the football. One was third-and-short – one, he scrambled, nobody was open, he flipped it to the side, the guy made a play. [We] just have to get it out of bounds at that time. It was less than two minutes or two-minute situation going on and he’s going to make some mistakes. He understands that, but he gathered himself, he got back together after halftime and he made back and he made some plays.”
(On why winning with the run game wasn’t a priority earlier in the game: “We try to do sometimes – we tried to run it early. They made some plays early on. We tried to mix it up. We turned it over a couple of times. [In the] second half, we kept it on the ground a little bit more, we started clicking and two runners made some plays.”
(On what goes into having discipline and avoiding penalties): “Penalties are big. Obviously, they set us back and we shot ourselves in the foot in the first half, especially offensively. We had a personal foul defensively, as well, so it’s going to be huge going forward – December football because everybody is going to try to run the ball, everybody is going to try to stop the run. The less penalties you commit, the more chances you have at possessions.”
(On OLB Anthony Nelson showing up in big moments Sunday and throughout this season): “It was huge. I mean, he’s always played under control. He plays calm but he plays tough and he plays smart. He doesn’t have the build of a natural muscular defensive lineman and he has a baby face – ‘Baby face Nelson’ if you will [laughs] but at the same time, he’s extremely smart, he’s extremely strong, he’s extremely active when he’s on there, understands how to use his hands because he played inside [linebacker] so much in college. He understands that part of the game as well and when he’s in there, he doesn’t start but he gets starter plays and he will play more and he had a heck of a ballgame for us.”
Game Balls
Offense: If the Bucs don’t break Bucky Irving, he’s going to be a star.
Defense: No play was bigger than the fumble forced by Anthony Nelson.
Special teams: Chase McLaughlin missed one in overtime, but his 51-yarder at the end of regulation was huge.
Grades
Quarterback: Again, Baker Mayfield was bigger in moments than he was on the stat sheet. Good for him. Grade: B.
Running back: Irving and Rachaad White seem to have swapped roles. It’s a good trade. Grade: A.
Offensive line: Way too many sacks, but they dominated in the run game. Grade: A-.
Defensive line: Carolina didn’t do much running. Grade: B-.
Linebackers: Lavonte David needs a partner. Grade: C.
Secondary: Bryce Young had a career day. Grade: F.
Power Ratings
- Buffalo
2. Kansas City.
3. Detroit.
4. Philadelphia.
5. Minnesota.
——
15. Tampa Bay.
Bottom 5
32. N.Y. Giants.
31. Jacksonville.
30. Las Vegas.
29. N.Y. Jets.
28. New England.
Bucs' Top Rookie Rushers
- Doug Martin , 2012 1,454
2. Cadillac Williams, 2006 1,178
3, Errict Rhett, 1994 1,011
4. LeGarrette Blount, 2010 1,007
5. Warrick Dunn, 1997 978
6. Bucky Irving, 2024 732
Rating the Bucs’ Final 5
- Los Angeles Chargers.
2. New Orleans Saints.
3. Dallas.
4. Carolina.
5. Las Vegas.
Rating Atlanta’s Final 5
- Minnesota.
2. Washington.
3. Carolina.
4. Las Vegas.
5. N.Y. Giants.
NFL Stats
Scoring offense t-4
Rushing offense 8
Passing offense t-6
Passing defense 30
Scoring defense t-21
NFL Rankings
Passing Baker Mayfield 6
Rushing Bucky Irving 17
Receiving Chris Godwin 38
Tackles Lavonte David 36
Sacks Vita Vea t-30
Calijah Kancey t-30