Ira Kaufman’s 10 Takeaways From Bucs-Browns
October 21st, 2018
BY IRA KAUFMAN
It wasn’t pretty and it took almost four hours, but the Bucs survived. Heck, they might have salvaged their season in the process.
Tampa Bay fans don’t want to speculate what would have happened if the Bucs had lost at home to the Browns, then hit the road mired in a 4-game tailspin.
That didn’t happen, but Sunday’s 26-23 OT triumph was far from a modern art masterpiece. Just when the Bucs appeared to have the game in hand, Cleveland gave Buc fans the finger, responding with 21 points in the second half.
When the Buc offense wasn’t self-destructing, Tampa Bay was setting a franchise record with 34 first downs, six of which came courtesy of Browns penalties.
When Chandler Catanzaro’s 59-yard FG floated through the uprights, a 3-game losing streak was over and the Bucs were back to .500.
Here’s how the deal went down:
* Let’s hear it for Carl Nassib, claimed off waivers from these same Browns just before the season opener. In his first start as a Buc, the former third-round pick out of Penn State dropped Baker Mayfield twice, adding 2 hits, 2 tackles for loss and a defended pass. Don’t look now, but Jason Licht may have found himself another keeper off the scrap heap.
* What are we to make of Mr. Catanzaro? Before his game-winning kick, it’s not a stretch to think the Bucs would have been seriously thinking of replacing him this week because the ex-Jet has already missed 3 extra-point tries and two FG attempts. “I’ve always kind of found a way to bounce back,” Catanzaro said. “I rarely miss two in a row.” We’ll see.
* We’ll also see what a MRI reveals, but it appears Kwon Alexander suffered a serious injury to his left knee. A defensive captain, Alexander was having a solid game and he sets a fiery tone. His presence will be missed as the Bucs prepare for road games against the Bengals and Panthers, two teams that run the ball effectively.
* After the game, Mark Duffner was proud of his players while acknowledging there’s more work to do on the defensive side. One change that jumped out was the number of contested passes. Busted coverages, so prominent during the first five games, were at a minimum and Cleveland’s 3-for-14 success rate on third down helped the Bucs win the time of possession battle — despite four turnovers.
* Nassib was a key component of a fierce pass rush that registered five sacks. Versatile Jason Pierre-Paul was finally moved around the defensive line, hounding Mayfield from the interior. Noah Spence saw his first snaps since the season opener and came off the left edge with some energy.
* Ronald Jones contributed with a TD run and looked more confident with the ball in his hands. The second-round pick also caught the only pass sent his way, a 15-yarder midway through the third quarter. The Bucs are doing a nice job working Jones in behind Peyton Barber, who couldn’t get untracked on Sunday.
* This game lived up to its billing from a turnover perspective. The Bucs were minus-6 entering the matchup while Cleveland was tied for the league lead at plus-7. Sure enough, Tampa Bay finished minus-3 on the day. The Bucs had been 4-28 since 2014 with a negative turnover ratio.
* Jameis Winston did some significant damage with his feet, running for 55 yards and scoring from 14 yards out, so it’s high time to acknowledge the man has above-average mobility. Still, his 66.6 passer rating suggests Winston remains bedeviled by mistakes of judgment.
* The Browns tried very hard to give this game away. How hard? Try 14 penalties for 114 yards. Six of those flags gave Tampa Bay first downs while several others wiped out significant Cleveland gains.
* Nobody in Buc Nation would have been surprised if a loss to the Browns morphed into a 2-6 record at the midpoint of the season. Instead, Tampa Bay has avoided an early grave and now takes some momentum into Cincinnati, where the Bengals will be coming off a short week. Yes, the Bucs will be underdogs, but at least they have a fighting chance to make this an interesting year. They’re back to square one — and that sure beats the alternative.
Now in his 40th year covering the NFL, Ira Kaufman is the most revered sports personality and writer in the Tampa Bay area. He scored a full-time seat at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters in July of 2016. Tampa Bay’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter busts out columns here every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and his award winning podcasts fire Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can also hear Ira on SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio Wednesdays at 5 p.m. Also a TV star, Ira is part of the FOX-13 Tailgate Sunday NFL show at 10:30 a.m. He’s also on BayNews 9 Mondays & Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m. “The Sage” enjoys beet salads, Riesling, tennis, Bette Midler, Chiefs victories and needling Joe. …WATCH IRA AND DERRICK BROOKS on the new TAMPA TWO show from The Identity Tampa Bay and JoeBucsFan.
October 21st, 2018 at 8:27 pm
The Browns are young
The Bucs can’t play this sloppy in the future
They have some tough games coming up
October 21st, 2018 at 8:41 pm
For the 2nd week in a row, Ira manages to list 10 take aways without mentioning turn overs. Amazing! Just for your info, Ira, there were 3, giving you a 0 to 3 turn over ratio and a 0 to 2 TD to Interception ratio.
October 21st, 2018 at 8:45 pm
Jim do me and ira a favor and read take number 7. Says bucs were minus three today in turnover battle.
October 21st, 2018 at 8:47 pm
Jim please read take number 7 in the article again. If this was a book report you would get an f.
October 21st, 2018 at 8:52 pm
“The Bucs are doing a nice job working Jones in behind Peyton Barber, who couldn’t get untracked on Sunday.”
Is this the comedy part of your article? Barber was 2.7ypc and Jones was 2.2. Between Rodgers, Jones and Barber they were 20 for 51 for an average of 2.5 ypc for the day. I think I am seeing a pattern here.
October 21st, 2018 at 8:52 pm
Jim Says:
October 21st, 2018 at 8:41 pm
For the 2nd week in a row, Ira manages to list 10 take aways without mentioning turn overs. Amazing! Just for your info, Ira, there were 3, giving you a 0 to 3 turn over ratio and a 0 to 2 TD to Interception ratio.
Re-read. You must be some kind of stupid
October 21st, 2018 at 8:53 pm
Jim
How about 13 turnovers in 15 quarters
They don’t mention the Bucs turnovers on JBF
But this will keep the Bucs out of the playoffs
I guarantee it
October 21st, 2018 at 8:55 pm
I’m not speaking of the turnover ratio
I’m speaking of the 13 turnovers in 15 quarters
October 21st, 2018 at 9:21 pm
if you press control + F jim, you can do a search, then type in turnovers.
reading comprehension fella.
October 21st, 2018 at 9:26 pm
Looking over the games NFL highlights,
The O line gave JW room to read the field and step up,or to the sides.
JW foot work got sloppy in 2nd half.
The team began making mistakes which almost seems like it’s a mental hurdle they struggle with each game.
If we can reduce that by 10 to 15 minutes. …we might not have these nail bitter games.
Is the playbook to big?
Is Jamie not reading the field …over focus on 1 receiver?
If Jamie can reduce these mistakes and Mature in the skills dept, …He has the potential to take his game to the next level.
Offensive directors have to create a run game for the team.
JW missed on 20 throws today,
The Browns rookie only missed 11.
Team made significant progress today. …even though it was ugly.
Practice tempo this week needs to increase.
It’s time to earn that $$$
October 21st, 2018 at 9:26 pm
We must play better next game. The Dalton Gang are a veteran group who won’t give the Bucs so many chances like the young Brownies did. Even If they lose tonight to KC tonight, they will be even more focused next week.
October 21st, 2018 at 9:44 pm
Bengals DB’s are worse than us lol. They’re beatable!!! We need that win next week!!!!!
October 21st, 2018 at 10:29 pm
Mahomes is putting on a clinic.
Hmmm…..
October 21st, 2018 at 11:33 pm
The Bucs would have won a lopsided game if Fitz would have started at QB. He runs this particular offensive scheme much better than Winston
October 22nd, 2018 at 12:39 am
jameis might have ADD or one of those new diseases that fugg with you getting things accomplished…i love jameis tho…but i love fitzie even more…
if i was dirk, i swear i would be pulling a don shula on the leageu…but dirk is more of a copy cat dude than an originator, so he won’t go this route…i would be flip flopping my 2 quarterbacks all the time…like shula did with david woodley and don strock years ago…that would have teams on their toes and back peddling like mofos for sure
October 22nd, 2018 at 12:40 am
and slinging the ball all heavy like in the first couple of weeks too…
do it dirk do it…and you shall have a job next year…listen to adam from ny
October 22nd, 2018 at 12:41 am
i’m contemplating starting my own fuggin’ bucs podcast…watchout yall…
and it will be called just that…
#TheFuggin’BucsPodcast
October 22nd, 2018 at 12:47 am
and ira, i love yours and d brooks’ show…haha, with the rice and set all laced in walmart gear…i watch them all…sir d brooks is very passionate and physical with his arms and hands while he talks football…seems like he wants to suit up and knock some guys around on the field still…
maybe we can resign d brooks on a cheap one year deal…i hear we need backers now the kwon went down
October 22nd, 2018 at 12:49 am
now is just the right time to move spence to linebacker…one can dream right?
October 22nd, 2018 at 1:55 am
Throwing over 40 times a day is a recipe for disaster.
Where’s the run game?
When we gonna start talking about the sacred o-line?
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:03 am
Jeff, you mean “— despite four turnovers” at Point 4?? Seriously?
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:07 am
OK, Point 7 talks “Turnover”, got it.
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:30 am
Ira: You are a pro writer, your knowledge of the game is vast. You’ve been around a long time and have seen a lot of football, unfortunately for you, and also for me, too many years of it have been watching bad offensive football, courtesy of the Bucs.
I have to say if the Bucs had lost yesterday there would be finger wagging at:
OJ Howard: not seeing ball on a good JW pass for first down
Kicker: missing extra point and chippie field goal
Koetter: running clock down to kick field goal when he had 45 seconds to move ball closer before kicking, especially after kicker missed PAT
Winston: throwing INT into triple coverage with a LB right in front of his receiver
These plays are Buc errors, not great plays by the opponents.
The Bucs have enough players that they can win games if they don’t make mistakes like all the above, The only way they can win against better teams is to make all of those plays, the good teams and players make more good plays than bad, Bucs are still making mistakes and bad plays after 6 games.
Not the direction you’d expect a coach fighting for his job and a QB fighting to stay a starter in the league. Is it too much for the fans to expect to see professionals making the plays they are supposed to and not making the same stupid mistakes every week.
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:41 am
this team is going nowhere, with a quickness, with who they still have to face the rest of the way thru, i do not see more than 5 maybe 6 wins just being honest
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:42 am
2020 new coach and TANK FOR TUA
October 22nd, 2018 at 8:53 am
As fans, we may be gullible but we’re not stupid. The Bucs won this game only because the Browns imploded with a ton of penalties. Against a decent team, this would have been another Chicago beatdown. This team stinks:
*No running game because of…
*A OL that can’t run-block and got dominated yesterday
*A QB that makes too many mistakes (physical & mental) to be elite
*A QB that is simply not accurate enough to be elite
Do you really think that Jameis gives the Bucs a better chance to win against Cincy than Fitz? Fitz is not a viable long-term solution but my answer to that question is “no.”
October 22nd, 2018 at 9:17 am
Yesterday I did what I think was a wise move, based on who we were playing, and the nice weather. I left the house (and the TV) about mid-way through the 2nd qtr. Who wants to spend 3 1/2 – 4 hours watching them LOSE to the Browns when you can do something else much more fun??
So I went to an event and enjoyed sunshine & live music (and noticed the Browns erased the 14 point lead we had when I left) and caught the highlights later. I’m sorry folks, but I would have been PISSED if I had invested all that time in a losing effort to another rookie QB (aren’t we 1-10 against them all-time before yesterday??). 3-3 as of today and I wish I felt better about the prognosis for rest of season . . . . gonna be a lot of WOULDA-COULDA-SHOULDA I am afraid!!
October 22nd, 2018 at 10:05 am
Start Fitz. Cut Winston.
October 22nd, 2018 at 10:06 am
Winston has to stop with the turnovers….I liked how he ran the ball today…..need more of that…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
October 22nd, 2018 at 3:00 pm
Bengals coming off a short week? Are they playing again tonight?