Tag: Bucs game recap

Bucs fall short against the Lions 31-23 to end season

The team fought valiantly, but a fourth quarter from the Lions proved too much to overcome in Detroit. It was a great run, but Tampa Bay’s season is over.

The Buccaneers’ season comes to an end, coming up short against the Lions 23-31. Entering the game as underdogs, the Bucs went blow for blow with Detroit for much of the game, but down the stretch, the Lions’ offensive weapons were simply too much for Tampa Bay to overcome.

On both sides of the ball, the Bucs played admirably but made too many mistakes to overcome a talented and disciplined Lions squad. Baker Mayfield threw for 349 yards and three touchdowns but also threw two interceptions. He also took four sacks, most by unblocked rushers. On defense, the Bucs pass rush struggled to pressure Lions quarterback Jared Goff, who threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns while taking just two sacks.

The Bucs began the game with an ideal sequence, forcing a three-and-out from the Lions offense. Their fortunes turned on their first offensive drive when a Baker Mayfield pass bounced off Mike Evans and landed in the hands of Lions safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who took the ball to Tampa Bay’s 41-yard line.

Though the Lions pushed all the way to the Bucs’ 3-yard line, Tampa Bay’s red zone defense held with Jamel Dean nearly picking Jared Goff. Detroit settled for a field goal.

The offense looked to pick up the slack on their next drive, but a nickel blitz by Brian Branch caught Baker Mayfield for a nine-yard sack. The lost yards forced the Bucs to settle for a field goal of their own.

The Lions finally broke through on their next drive, scoring on a 14-play drive off a nine-yard Josh Reynolds touchdown catch. Down 10-3, the Bucs traded punts with the Lions before Chase McLaughlin missed a 50-yard field goal towards the end of the half.

With less than two minutes left in the half, Tampa Bay’s defense forced another Lions three-and-out, giving the offense one last shot at tying the game. Baker Mayfield made good on the opportunity, driving 92 yards and finding Cade Otton in the endzone. The half ended with teams tied 10-10.

The second half opened with a defensive battle with both teams gaining a total of 24 yards in three possessions. The Lions broke the offensive drought with a 29-yard catch and run by tight end Brock Wright, leading to a one-yard touchdown run by Craig Reynolds.

Tampa Bay were quick to respond with their own touchdown drive. A pair of big throws from Baker Mayfield to Cade Otton put the Bucs into scoring position. After just dodging a drive-killing sack, Baker Mayfield found Rachaad White on a 12-yard screen for the touchdown, tying the game 17-17.

The tie did not last long with the Bucs defense collapsing to start the fourth quarter. Lions rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs ripped through the defense and juked Antoine Winfield Jr. for a 31-yard touchdown run. The Bucs followed with a three-and-out, giving Detroit the opportunity to take firm control of the game.

The Lions did just that on the next drive. When Bucs cornerback Jamel Dean went down with a back injury on the first play of the drive, Goff began picking on his replacement Zyon McCollum. The second-year corner first gave up a key third-and-15 conversion then a back-breaking nine-yard touchdown reception, both to Lions star WR Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Down two touchdowns, the Bucs were not yet out. After struggling with drops, Mike Evans came alive, converting on 4th and 14 with a 24-yard catch and catching a 16-yard missile from Baker Mayfield in the endzone. Todd Bowles called for the two-point conversion, but the back shoulder fade to Evans was not successful.

Time winding down, the Bucs defense came up big one last time. After a Shaq Barrett sack was nullified by a hands-to-the-face penalty on Carlton Davis, Lavonte David made a key tackle for a loss on a David Montgomery screen. Jared Goff missed on third down, forcing the punt with two minutes left.

With the game on the line, Baker Mayfield went to work from Tampa Bay’s 10-yard line with just under two minutes left in regulation. On his second pass, Mayfield faced another nickel blitz from the Detroit defense and threw to a well-covered Cade Otton. Lions LB Derrick Barnes intercepted the pass, ending the game and Tampa Bay’s season.

Tampa Bay was competitive throughout the game, and absent some key mistakes on both sides of the ball, victory was not out of the question until late. Despite falling short in the divisional round, the Bucs clearly overachieved the broader preconceptions of the team before the season. With a strong playoff run, the Bucs should enter the offseason considered among the best teams in the NFL.

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Bucs blank the Panthers 9-0 to win the NFC South

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won a (very) hard fought matchup to bring the division title home.

It may not have been pretty, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pitched a shut-out on the Carolina Panthers, winning 9-0 and clinching the NFC South and a playoff berth. While the Tampa Bay offense struggled for a second straight week, the defense made big plays at exactly the right time to keep the Panthers off the scoreboard for the second week in a row.

Baker Mayfield struggled most of the day, going 20-of-37 for a season-low 137 yards. Bryce Young was not any better, as he completed 11 of 18 passes for 94 yards, his lowest of the season. Both teams had more relative success running the ball, with the Bucs gaining 113 rush yards and the Panthers getting 131 yards on the ground.

The first quarter was defined by a stubborn detente in which neither team gained more than 30 yards on any drive after the Bucs’ opening series. The Panther’s first offensive drive ended with a Yaya Diaby sack, giving him 7.5 for the season, leading the Bucs.

At the start of the second quarter, the Panthers managed to put together a drive that nearly put them in the endzone on a 43-yard reception until Antoine Winfield Jr. forced a fumble just short of the goal line. Jamel Dean recovered the ball for a touchback.

After trading another pair of punts, the Bucs were able to get into field goal range thanks to a 20-yard reception by tight end Cade Otton. A 36-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin gave the Bucs the first points of the game. A few more punts later, the Bucs drove down into field goal range again, with McLaughlin closing the half with a 57-yard field goal.

The second half began not unlike the first with both teams trading punts. A 29-yard punt return by Ihmir Smith-Marsette gave the Panthers good field position at bottom half of the third quarter. However, the drive stalled following an Antoine Winfield Jr. sack, pushing their field goal attempt back to the Tampa Bay 34-yard line. Backup kicker Matthew Wright missed the ensuing 52-yard field goal, keeping the Panthers off the board.

A big 21-yard Chase Edmonds run on the Bucs’ next drive put them in field goal position once again. Chase McLaughlin remained perfect on the day, making the 39-yard field goal and pushing the score to 9-0.

In Carolina’s final chance to get in the game, they drove 33 yards and appeared to score on a 28-yard Raheem Blackshear run, but an illegal formation penalty nullified the touchdown. On the next play, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka sacked Bryce Young, forcing a fumble recovered by Greg Gaines. The Bucs sealed the game on the next drive with eight Rachaad White runs and a key third-down conversion from Chris Godwin.

The win gives the Bucs their third-straight division title and fourth-straight playoff berth. Chris Godwin’s team-leading 51 receiving yards put him at 1024 yards for the season, giving him his fourth career 1000-receiving yard season.

Tampa Bay will play either the Dallas Cowboys or Philadelphia Eagles, depending on which of those teams wins the NFC East today. The Bucs have lost the previous matchups with both teams, and their current offensive woes do not bode well for their chances even at home next week.

Bucs fall to Saints 23-13

The Bucs were faced with the moment of clinching the division at home — and responded by playing one of their worst games of the year.

The Buccaneers road to the playoffs and the division title hit a speed bump in their last home game of the regular season, falling to the New Orleans Saints 23-15. Tampa Bay was simply dominated by the Saints, committing four turnovers, the most of any game this season.

There was no phase of the game in which the Bucs were successful. The offense was undone by its own mistakes, the defense could not stop the Saints offense until too late into the game and special teams frequently gave New Orleans short fields. Every time something appeared to go right, misfortune snatched it away from Tampa Bay.

The first half went about as poorly as possible for Tampa Bay. The Saints opened the game by orchestrating a 14-play touchdown drive. The Bucs responded by going three-and-out on their first offensive series. Baker Mayfield responded on their second drive by throwing an interception to Alontae Taylor at New Orleans’ two-yard line.

The Saints scored again late in the second quarter off a 22-yard touchdown catch by Taysom Hill. Another quick Bucs three-and-out and poor Jake Camarda punt later, the Saints closed out the half with a field goal, putting them up 17-0.

The second half did not start much better for the Bucs offense, going three-and-out once again. However, the Bucs defense tightened up and forced a three-and-out of their own. Tampa Bay’s offense appeared to get going on the next drive, getting into New Orleans territory before Rachaad White fumbled at the 25-yard line. The Saints recovered and were rewarded with a field goal.

After trading punts, the Bucs were on the move again but Mayfield threw his second interception of the game to Johnathan Abram. The Bucs quarterback had not thrown more than one interception in any game this season.

The Bucs ended the shutout on their next drive, that included a 35-yard completion to Mike Evans and a fourth-and-six conversion by Chris Godwin. Following the fourth down conversion, Mayfield fired a 22-yard dart to Trey Palmer in the endzone:

The Saints all but sealed the game with a four-minute field goal drive, burning too much clock to allow a Bucs comeback. The Bucs nearly had a window back into the game when Baker Mayfield found Trey Palmer for a 62 -yard completion. However, as was emblematic of the Bucs’ day, Palmer fumbled the ball which the Saints recovered.

The Bucs had one last gasp when Baker Mayfield connected with Chris Godwin for a 47-yard touchdown. Tampa Bay’s two-point conversion attempt appeared to succeed on a Godwin reception, but it was later found Godwin stepped out of bounds before the catch, nullifying the conversion. Mayfield threw a third interception on the second attempt, taking the final score to 23-13.

Baker Mayfield finished the day going 22-for-33 with 309 pass yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Derek Carr went 24-for-32 for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Rachaad White had just 42 yards on the ground, and Trey Palmer led the team with 82 receiving yards. Tampa Bay’s defense recorded just one sack and no quarterback hits and allowed 108 rush yards.

Despite the loss, the Bucs are still in control of their playoff destiny. A win over Carolina next week wins them the NFC South and a trip to the playoffs. However, another performance like this could end Tampa Bay’s season in heartbreak and possibly the delivery of pink slips to the coaching staff.

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Bucs overwhelm Packers 34-20, move to 7-7

Tampa Bay put in a strong performance to stay atop the NFC South lead and move to .500 football.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took another big step towards securing both the NFC South title and a playoff spot, running over the Green Bay Packers 34-20. With an explosive performance by Baker Mayfield and the offense, the Bucs maintain their lead on the division and have started to look possibly frisky in the playoff picture.

In their second biggest offensive performance of the season, Tampa Bay was firing on all cylinders in the pass game. Baker Mayfield found a rhythm and dropped bombs all over the field, going 22-of-28 for 381 yards and four touchdowns while averaging a season-high 13.6 yards per attempt. Wide receiver Chris Godwin also had his biggest game of the year, catching 10 passes for 144 yards. Rachaad White had another strong performance, adding 139 total yards and a touchdown.

The Packers had their moments, but Jordan Love and the offense was simply too undermanned to keep up with the Bucs. Love went 29-of-39 for 284 yards and two touchdowns. He got little help from the run game, which was held to just 60 yards.

On the Packers’ first offensive drive, they worked down to Tampa Bay’s 4-yard line but failed to convert, turning the ball over on downs. However, they got the ball right back when Baker Mayfield was strip-sacked by Kingsley Enagbare. Tight end Tucker Kraft scored two players later, putting Green Bay up 7-3.

The Bucs responded in kind on the following drive, scoring on a 19-yard Mike Evans touchdown catch:

The Packers managed a field goal on their next drive, tying the game up at 10-10. After trading punts, the Bucs managed a field goal just before the end of the half.

After halftime, the Bucs came out swinging. First, they force a quick three-and-out on the Packers’ opening drive. Then, they orchestrated a 66-yard touchdown drive capped by a Rachaad White 26-yard catch-and-run touchdown.

This set off an exchange of scoring drives, with the Packers scoring off a 17-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Love to Jayden Reed. Tampa Bay came right back with another touchdown drive in which tight end Ko Kieft made his first catch of the year on a 1-yard touchdown reception:

After holding the Packers to a field goal, the Bucs scored again on a 52-yard touchdown reception by David Moore, despite nearly giving the ball away at the goal line by celebrating a tad early. Moore’s touchdown put the Bucs up 34-20.

With the game on the line, the Packers begin driving on the Bucs defense once more, but on 4th-and-10 on Tampa Bay’s 30-yard line, Lavonte David and Shaquil Barrett force a Jordan Love fumble, recovering at the Green Bay 49. Tampa Bay all but sealed the game by converting on 4th-and-2 behind a three-yard Rachaad White run.

The Bucs offense was largely mistake-free outside of Baker Mayfield’s early sack and fumble. The defense struggled to keep the Packers from driving the field but held the Packers to just a 40% red zone conversion rate. The pass rush was inconsistent, notching just two sacks and six quarterback hits. For just the third time this season, Tampa Bay’s defense did not force a turnover.

Now at 7-7, the Bucs’ playoff chances are looking better than ever. Now on a three-game win streak, Tampa Bay has nothing but momentum behind them as they reach the home stretch to a fourth-straight playoff berth.

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Bucs top Falcons 29-25, take control of the NFC South

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are now atop the NFC South on tiebreaker and control their own destiny to get to the playoffs.

With the top spot in the NFC South on the line, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers squeaked past the Atlanta Falcons 29-25. Most of the game was dominated by the defenses until the fourth quarter, when the offenses came alive and started trading haymakers in the endzone.

Tampa Bay’s defense took control of the game early with a sick Carlton Davis interception inside the 10-yard line:

Davis’ pick set up a Baker Mayfield one-yard sneak touchdown. The Falcons responded with a 75-yard scoring drive, capped by a 36-yard touchdown reception by tight end Kyle Pitts. The Bucs’ defense struck back in the second quarter when a blitzing Antoine Winfield Jr. forced a Desmond Ridder fumble in Atlanta’s endzone, resulting in a safety, putting Tampa Bay up 12-10.

Outside the touchdown off the interception, the Bucs’ offense was stuck in first gear, gaining just 85 total yards in the first half. Baker Mayfield targeted Mike Evans and Chris Godwin just five times, resulting in just two catches for eight yards. The run game’s season-long anemia continued, averaging just 2.5 yards per carry.

As with their first game against Atlanta, the Bucs thrived in no small part off the Falcons’ miscues. Desmond Ridder turned the ball over twice in the first half and missed a wide-open Bijan Robinson for a touchdown, forcing Atlanta to settle for a field goal. Kicker Younghoe Koo missed his next two field goal attempts in the first half, which would prove costly in the final box score.

The third half started with five consecutive punts before the Bucs put together a 66-yard scoring drive in which running back Rachaad White took the ball 31 yards into the endzone, extending their lead to 19-10:

After another pair of punts, the scoring bonanza began. The Falcons started a 67-yard touchdown drive, including a 33-yard sweep and 3-yard touchdown run by Falcons RB Bijan Robinson. The Bucs responded with a field goal after Mike Evans just missed scoring a touchdown after his hand touched out of bounds before he got a second foot down inbounds.

Atlanta’s next drive flipped the game as they scored in under three minutes thanks to a 45-yard reception by wide receiver Drake London. After a successful two-point conversion, Atlanta was up 25-22. With just over three minutes remaining. the Bucs were able to drive 75 yards with a 32-yard Chris Godwin reception on a key third down conversion and an 11-yard go-ahead touchdown catch by Cade Otton:

With the score 29-25, the Falcons got the ball back with 31 seconds left. They were able to drive to Tampa Bay’s 3-yard line but failed to score before time expired.

Baker Mayfield finished 14-29 for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Rachaad White led the team with 135 total yards and a touchdown. Mike Evans was held to one catch for eight yards, his lowest output this season. The defense held Atlanta to just 96 rush yards but allowed Desmond Ridder to pass for 347 yards, his most in any game this season.

Though the Bucs, Falcons and New Orleans Saints are all 6-7, Tampa Bay owns tiebreakers against both teams and is now in the lead to win the NFC South. With just four games left including division games against New Orleans and Carolina, the Bucs remain in control of their own playoff destiny.

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Bucs sneak past Panthers 21-18

The Bucs rode a dominant performance by wideout Mike Evans to win their NFC South matchup and get within striking distance of the division lead.

The Buccaneers keep their playoff hopes alive, beating the Carolina Panthers 21-18. In a wet and ugly game, the Bucs and wide receiver Mike Evans in particular made just enough plays to keep the game out of reach from the Panthers.

Only a few minutes into the first half, rain began to pour on Raymond James Stadium, which appeared to affect both teams’ ability to move the ball. Tampa Bay drew first blood, scoring off a one-yard Rachaad White run set up by a 40-yard reception by Mike Evans.

The Bucs defense managed to hold the Panthers to just three points in the first half, holding them at the two-yard line on third-and-goal. Tampa Bay and Carolina traded punts for most of the second quarter, punctuated only by a Baker Mayfield interception and capped by the Panthers turning the ball over on downs to close the half.

The second half was much drier and heavier on scoring. The Panthers struck first with a 65-yard touchdown drive that included a 31-yard completion from Bryce Young to WR Jonathan Mingo. The Bucs immediately hit back, scoring in less than 10 seconds thanks to a 75-yard catch and run by Evans:

Tampa Bay scored again in the fourth quarter off a 19-yard Chris Godwin sweep play, which was his only touch of the day:

The Panthers responded in kind, putting together a 75-yard scoring drive, their longest of the day, that featured two of Young’s best throws of the game, including a pinpoint 30-yard drop in the bucket to DJ Chark Jr. Carolina subsequent two-point conversion attempt was successful, putting them within a field goal of tying the game.

After the Bucs went three-and-out on the following series, the Panthers had the ball with 3:31 left. On 4th-and-1, Bryce Young underthrew WR Adam Theilen and was instead picked off by Antoine Winfield Jr. The Bucs were able to convert on the following drive to end the game.

Both Baker Mayfield and Bryce Young struggled in the rain. Each completed less than 50% of his passes and threw a pick during the game. Mayfield, who went 14-for-29 and 202 yards, was entirely reliant on Evans, who caught seven passes for 162 yards and a touchdown.

Evans now has 1,012 receiving yards this season, giving him his 10th consecutive 1,000-yard season, an NFL record. He accounted for just over 50% of Tampa’s total yards, not including yards he picked up via penalty.

Tampa Bay’s defense got the job done without four of its five linebackers, albeit allowing 133 rush yards and more wide-open receptions. Rookie defensive tackle Calijah Kancey continued to make a case for Defensive Rookie of the Year, leading the team with two QB hits including one to force Young’s game-sealing interception.

With the New Orleans Saints losing to the Detroit Lions, the Bucs are now in second place in the NFC South and just one game behind the Atlanta Falcons who they face next week. The Bucs will likely need some of their linebackers back by next Sunday if they have any hope to retake the NFC South lead.

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Bucs come up short against the Colts 27-20

The Bucs have lost six of their last seven games.

Tampa Bay’s playoff hopes start to dim as the Buccaneers fall to the Indianapolis Colts 20-27. What appeared to be a winnable game became a nightmare for the Bucs as they looked unprepared and undisciplined on both sides of the ball. On defense, the dam of red zone stops and run defense broke, and the offense could not get out of its own way, turning the ball over twice.

The Bucs took a 3-0 lead with their opening drive, but after driving down to Indianopolis’ three-yard line, settling for the field goal would prove prescient for the rest of the day. It would be also be Tampa Bay’s only lead of the day.

After the Bucs defense held the Colts to a field goal on the following drive, Baker Mayfield threw an interception into triple coverage which Indy converted into a touchdown. The Colts scored a second touchdown on their next drive, overcoming a 4th-and-1 with a 24-yard pass Michael Pittman catch.

The Bucs looked to climb of the hole with a little help from Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew who struggled down the stretch of the first half. He threw a interception Bucs cornerback Carlton Davis III that Tampa Bay turned into points with a 1-yard touchdown catch by Mike Evans.

After the Colts opened the second half with a field goal, the Bucs defense forced a turnover on downs when Indy failed to convert on 4th and 6. Tampa Bay’s offense responded with their own fourth down conversion and Mike Evans’ second touchdown of the day, cutting the Colts lead to just three.

The Bucs defense failed to keep the game close, allowing the Colts to convert a 4th-and-1 on another play-fake pass, this time a 30-yard completion to tight end Mo Alie-Cox. Indianapolis capped the drive with three Jonathan Taylor runs into the endzone.

Tampa Bay’s attempts to get back into the game fell short as they stalled in the red zone on the next drive, settling for a field goal. After forcing a quick three-and-out, the Bucs attempted to drive down the field one last time. However, Colts defensive end Sam Ebukam beat left tackle Tristan Wirfs to strip-sack Baker Mayfield. The ball was recovered by Indianapolis, ending the game.

While the loss does not eliminate the Bucs’ playoff chances, Tampa Bay did not play like a team that can contend even in a division as weak as the NFC South. The usually stout run defense allowed 5.7 yards per carry to Jonathan Taylor and the Colts run game, and the secondary continues to allow easy completions, including the two fourth-down conversions.

The offense showed more incremental improvement, particularly the run game which recorded a season-best 6.6 yards per carry. Still, many of the same issues remain. Receivers are still dropping passes at the worst possible times and Baker Mayfield’s ball security problems persist for another week.

The uneven play on both sides of the ball could well be the undoing of head coach Todd Bowles, whose seat has begun to sizzle with the Bucs at 4-7. Continued regression on defense and a lack of improvement on offense exhibited against Indianapolis will not only keep Tampa Bay out of the playoffs. It could lead to a change at head coach as well.

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Niners outmatch the Bucs 27-14 in Week 11

The Bucs had more chances than expected, but the result on Sunday was ultimately predictable.

For the second straight year, Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers beat the Buccaneers, winning 27-14 this go around. Unlike last year, the Bucs entered the game with little real expectation of victory as they retool following Tom Brady’s departure while the Niners are very clearly Super Bowl contenders.

Brock Purdy probably wishes he could play the Bucs every year, completing 21 of 25 pass attempts and threw for 333 yards and three touchdowns. Baker Mayfield’s stats largely reflect his up-and-down outing, going 29/45 for 221 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Tampa Bay were largely competitive in the first half, allowing just one touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey. The Bucs defense otherwise forced San Francisco’s offense to settle for two field goals in the red zone.

The Bucs offense struggled to get going in the first quarter, and a Baker Mayfield fumble early in the second quarter threatened to let the ballgame get away from them. Mayfield and the offense were able to put together one 75-yard scoring drive thanks to big plays from Cade Otton and Deven Thompkins. A one-yard Mike Evans touchdown catch put them within one score heading into halftime.

Everything fell apart for Tampa Bay in the third quarter. Forced to punt after the opening drive of the half, the Bucs defense allowed two crushing touchdown drives by the Niners. The first came off a 76-yard reception by Brandon Aiyuk, who beat Jamel Dean in single coverage. The second came following a nine-play, 79-yard drive that included a 40-yard catch and run by Deebo Samuel and an uncontested three-yard touchdown catch by George Kittle.

The Bucs did everything it could to respond in the fourth quarter, mounting a quick scoring drive off a 41-yard Rakim Jarrett reception, capped by a one-yard Rachaad White touchdown run. After forcing a quick three-and-out, the offense again drove down the field to the San Francisco 12-yard line but turned the ball over on downs after a succession of misses in the endzone with just under seven minutes remaining.

Though it seemed the Bucs would be too far behind to get back in the game, another quick three-and-out led to a 51-yard Deven Thompkins punt return that put Tampa Bay right back where they ended the previous drive.

The San Francisco defense proved to be too much again. Their pass rush forced Baker Mayfield into an errant throw that deflected into the hands of Niners safety Ji’ayir Brown, effectively ending the game.

It was apparent the Niners simply outclassed the Bucs. Tampa Bay had no answers for San Francisco’s playmakers, particularly Brandon Aiyuk, who caught five passes for 156 yards and a touchdown.

The Bucs secondary was victimized regularly despite decent production from the pass rush which sacked Purdy four times. The run defense allowed Christian McCaffrey to run on them early, but tightened up late in the game, with McCaffrey finishing with just 78 yards on 21 carries.

While the loss obviously hurts the Bucs in their hunt for the NFC South title, the copious injuries they suffered might be worse. Both starting cornerbacks Carlton Davis (hip) and Jamel Dean (foot/ankle) as well as linebacker Lavonte David (groin) were declared out during the game. Left tackle Tristan Wirfs left the field in the fourth quarter with an apparent ankle injury but returned before the end of the game.

As thin as the Bucs are on defense, any long-term injury, especially in the secondary, could have major consequences for a team still in the thick of the playoff hunt. Next week, they face a lowly Indianapolis Colts team, but Tampa Bay’s own lack of consistency makes it anything but a sure win.

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Bucs don’t know how to shine, drop game vs. Lions 20-6

An entirely futile offense was the prevailing factor in Tampa Bay’s second loss of the season.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers threw it back to the 1970s on Sunday — in the worst of ways.

The Bucs lost their game on Sunday to the Detroit Lions 20-6, giving Tampa Bay its second loss of the season and first loss to the NFC North. Both of the Bucs’ losses have been at home this year, the first coming against the Philadelphia Eagles.

A futile offense was to blame, putting up just six points over four quarters. It was a pedestrian day for the entire unit, with quarterback Baker Mayfield throwing for just 206 yards on 37 attempts and Tampa Bay’s leading receiver in Chris Godwin only managing 77 yards (a chunk of which were in garbage time). The team’s run game was particularly dreadful, averaging only 2.9 with the team’s leading rusher in Rachaad White managing only 26. The Bucs were left without a touchdown across the game, the only game so far that such a thing has occurred.

Overall, the defense was good, holding a normally explosive Lions team to just 20 points on the day and holding in the red zone. The lack of offensive prowess left the defense tired, however, and the Lions took advantage after being stifled for just 10 points in the first half. Detroit scored two touchdowns, once on a third and long pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown for 27 yards and a deep ball to Jameson Williams for 45 yards. The team was particularly spited by 3rd and 10-plus scenarios, giving up over three over the course of the whole game.

The Bucs fall to 3-2 but still remain atop the NFC South, as the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons both lost their games on Sunday as well. Tampa Bay’s next opponent will be against the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday at 1 p.m.