Ira Kaufman’s 10 Takeaways From Bucs-Bears
October 9th, 2020
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
Buc fans woke up Friday morning on what would have been John Lennon’s 80th birthday, lamenting a hard day’s night.
Bucs beating Bucs.
Again.
CBS analyst Scott Pioli called out Tampa Bay as a dumb football team after the sloppy setback in Chicago — and he has a point. If you viewed the mug on Bruce Arians following the 20-19 loss, you saw a face of disgust.
He surely wasn’t happy with the officials, but most of all, Arians is frustrated with yet another defeat sowed by mistakes and penalties. Officials marked off 11 flags thrown at Tampa Bay, and there were others that weren’t accepted.
At least Arians didn’t make excuses at the end of a 3-game winning streak. He didn’t want to hear about the absence of Chris Godwin or O.J. Howard. That’s because he knew the Bucs were still the better team — a better team that deserved to lose.
The better team shouldn’t allow Nick Foles to throw 30 completions.
The better team shouldn’t lose three separate leads at Soldier Field, including a 13-0 advantage against a pedestrian offense.
It was a bad loss, but it’s early and this club has extra time to recover before Aaron Rodgers struts into town off a bye week. We’ll see how the Bucs respond, but they flew home knowing they blew a big opportunity in the Windy City.
Here’s how the Bears inexplicably improved to 4-1 with a prime-time upset:
* In a 60-minute fistfight, Tom Brady was left counting his fingers. Yes, he lost track of downs during that final sequence. It was shocking, but he’s human. That lapse didn’t cost Tampa Bay the game, but it was a graphic example of how this franchise wasn’t sharp on the details Thursday night.
* There were offensive bright spots, although the Bucs failed to score a touchdown in the final 38 minutes. Ronald Jones continued his breakthrough season with 106 yards, rookie Tyler Johnson grabbed four passes for 61 yards, including a 35-yard reception, and Cameron Brate stepped up with five catches.
* Neutralizing Khalil Mack was the obvious focal point for Tampa Bay’s offensive line heading into this matchup. They failed. Mack draped himself over Brady, finishing with two sacks, two tackles for loss and three QB hits. He abused Tristan Wirfs and Donovan Smith on his path to the pocket and by the end, Brady felt his presence on every snap.
* Give the Bears some credit for a comeback victory. They generated a consistent pass rush against Brady, who had been sacked only five times through four games. Jimmy Graham made a heck of a scoring catch over Jamel Dean late in the opening half and Chicago’s secondary stiffened as the game progressed.
* Arians wouldn’t comment on the officiating, but we’re on no such restrictions. The zebras had a bad game. They called phantom penalties and didn’t throw some flags that were warranted. The roughing-the-passer call against Shaq Barrett was abysmal — and it was significant. Instead of punting from their 16 after a third-down completion, the Bears ended up punting from their 33 and backed Tampa Bay up. The difference in field position proved critical in a subsequent drive that ended with the go-ahead FG.
* Tampa Bay’s final two possessions were atrocious. Let’s remember Brady had a chance to salt this game away with a couple of first downs. Instead, Jones was stopped for a 2-yard loss and Brady threw incomplete to Jones and Johnson. Are those the two guys you really want to target with the game on the line? Then the Bucs couldn’t capitalize on a dumb pass thrown when the Bears were already in FG range. That incompletion ended up giving Brady plenty of time to mount another comeback. It didn’t happen.
* Tampa Bay’s defense, hacked off from last week’s poor performance, was just alright. Devin White, invisible against the Chargers, was no factor with only three tackles. Dean was the defensive standout with four passes defended, but the Bucs continue to be exposed by flare passes in the flat to wide-open backs. That looms as a major concern against Rodgers and Aaron Jones.
* Brady and his guys didn’t get the job done in key situations. The Bucs were 4-for-14 on third down and struggled in the red zone, where Tampa Bay had been superb. Let’s hope Godwin returns in Week 6 because Brady needs another trusted weapon.
* There have been several NFL teams through the years that were talented enough to overcome a steady rash of penalties. The Raiders of the 1970s and 1980s and the Seahawks from a few years back were flagged often because they were aggressive and physical in an effort to intimidate opponents. Most of Tampa Bay’s penalties are due to poor technique or lack of focus. Big difference.
* Thursday night’s loss against an inferior opponent stings for sure, but a 3-2 start is no cause for panic. Still, Buc fans don’t want to hear about a plan to clean up the details. That storyline is getting old, as old as a 12-year playoff drought. Just do it. When you average more than 80 penalty yards per game, you get labeled a dumb football team.
Smarten up.
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Ira!
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October 9th, 2020 at 10:52 am
Offense is underwhelming defense is overrated
“Simple as that”
October 9th, 2020 at 10:56 am
BA can’t blame this one on JayMiss.
Peace, out
October 9th, 2020 at 10:57 am
Stop blaming officials. You lost. Get on with it.
October 9th, 2020 at 10:59 am
This was a bad loss on all levels. Poor coaching, poor communication, playing undisciplined, and losing Vea for the whole season is crushing. We needed to add more youth to the front 3 or 4 and we didn’t. We needed to add a young pass rusher and we didn’t. I know Wirfs is needed and I am thankful we got him. He will be a foundation piece for a long time. But we have holes on both lines of scrimmage. Too many needs to play as bad as we did on the o-line and losing Vea on Defense will hurt. Hopefully Davis can step in and continue to push the pocket like he did in practice. The refs were pathetic. Hate to see games come down to this but they weren’t the reason we lost. We know the NFL is getting softer on all levels and its a shame. Settling for field goals inside the 20, being sacked, and dump mistakes. Bucs hurting Bucs. Props to Rojo. No matter what is said the kid can play. Just needs a better set of hands!! Prayers to Vea! Go Bucs
October 9th, 2020 at 11:00 am
We should kept JW if it was gonna like this. At least he presses the ball down the field with conviction and urgency
October 9th, 2020 at 11:05 am
LaMarcus
If you want people to read your comments, dude, you have to proof read the darn thing before pushing the “submit comment” button.
Your comments constantly doesn’t make sense. It’s hard to take you serious when you can’t even make sense on what you are trying to get across.
October 9th, 2020 at 11:06 am
All I know is we better get every call next week
October 9th, 2020 at 11:12 am
Blame todd bowles all you want but it was whitehead who for no apparent reason fakes to go in for a blitz when the running back goes straight on a wheel route..thats not coaching thats just a sorry play by whitehead in coverage. Who by the way is a huge liability in coverage..
October 9th, 2020 at 11:12 am
Bucfan951
I’ll make it clear: we should of kept JW IF this was gonna happen or be like this. This team is more garbage than last year. Brady should of shoved his 4 fingers down his throat and started eating them
October 9th, 2020 at 11:14 am
Mike Evans Pass interference call. No surprise there. D Smith Bench his @ss. Refs have had it out for the Bucs for a long time. Can’t afford to make mistakes. Brady was a surprise on the 4th down. No excuse for that. Sky is not falling. Even with the Vea injury that’s why they have backups. Do what they need to do.
October 9th, 2020 at 11:23 am
Ira, this may be your best opening line ever! 🙂
October 9th, 2020 at 11:23 am
As bad as this sounds, this was a good loss. It shows the players that they are not as good as they think they are. They can’t just show up, play uninspired and undisciplined, and win.
Discipline needs to be addressed by the coaching staff. There are far too many dumb penalties. Jensen has been flagged at least twice this season for unsportsmanlike conduct after a play. You have zero chance when you are in first and 30 or second and 27. Undisciplined play stalled drives that had the potential for points.
The late game play calling was poor. You have a 2 point lead and get the ball back with about 3 minutes left. Everyone knows you are going to run the ball on first down to force the Bears to burn a timeout. This would have been a great time for a play action pass with the ball going to a tight end. Not this night. ROJO gets stopped for a loss forcing passes on second and third downs which fall incomplete and allow Chicago to keep the rest of their timeouts. Unimaginative and uninspiring. Play to win. Don’t play not to lose.
Last night was a major disappointment but can be used to propel this group to work harder on becoming disciplined.
October 9th, 2020 at 11:40 am
bradynumber1fan
bowles and the defense got burned on that wheel route all game…anytime they needed a 1st down they ran that wheel route….
bowles couldnt/never adjusted….
what happened to DW being able to “run” with RBs…didnt he run 4.4, 4.5 at the combine?….
i 100% agree with you that whitehead has been a liability in coverage since entering the NFL….
GO BUCS!!!!!!!
October 9th, 2020 at 11:46 am
Double standards! Why are players subject to fines & suspensions for doing stupid things on the field and refs are exempt? Those two blown calls kept drives alive for the Bears and cost the Bucs the game, in part.
Wonder why teams can not challenge questionable calls? ANYONE that took a second look at those two plays saw the calls were bogus!!
October 9th, 2020 at 11:54 am
#fireLeftwich
October 9th, 2020 at 12:19 pm
The Bucs played another stinker on national television. What is it with this team when they are on the big stage? The entire game, offense and defense, turned it on and then turned it off. No consistant effort for an entire game. After halftime the D came out and forced punts but the offense didn’t have the strength to handle the Bears pass rush. You know Mack is a force, why have Wirfs and Smith blocking him one on one? You certainly could see by early in the 3rd quarter he was having his way. Where was the adjustment. Give Tom Brady a decent pocket and he’ll throw darts with laser acuracy. Make him uncomfortable in the pocket and the ball comes out with much less velocity. I havn’t watched a Green Bay game but they usually win with offense. The Bucs will be playing at home and the defense is better in Tampa. Packers are going to be favored but this is a game that means much more than last night so expect a much better effort. Lets hope the refs make the right calls. That was horrible what they did to Shaq Barrett last night. He is a clean player, he should have gotten the benefit of the doubt on that roughing penalty. Bang-bang hit, clean, a no-call. Just block for Brady, he’ll do the rest, don’t block and he’ll be what he was last night.
October 9th, 2020 at 12:22 pm
Tough to watch such a dumb football team.
Heard a funny take this morning.
Brady may be tired of being coached by Belicheat but I bet he wishes the rest of his team was.
So true. This was a debacle full of penalties and poor execution. A game they should have won.
October 9th, 2020 at 12:35 pm
I called it right. I said them Maulers would be tough defensively and they were. mack is a straight up beast. When he turns it on guys….We needed our hurt receiver and Fountenot at RB badly. Well, on to the next game. This was a tough loss. Nobody is going to feel sorry for you. The Packers certainly will not. And they will be ready. press on..no excuses.
October 9th, 2020 at 12:38 pm
Say Ira, what a crock. You cll the Bears an inferior opponent? The score says different and if one of them reads this I know they are laughing their A’s off silly. No opponent is interior to the Bucs. Even you ought to know that Ira.
October 9th, 2020 at 12:48 pm
I was a long time season ticket holder and moved to California where I rarely get to see my Bucs play. TheY have not been a team that was being televised nationally over the last decade for obvious reasons. Any time they were being shown on TV, I would let friends and family know that the TV time belonged to me and not to disturb me. I was very excited to watch my Bucs last night until midway through the second quarter. This defense is overrated. Maybe I’m spoiled because my season tickets were back in the days of Sapp, Brooks, Rice, Lynch and Barber. I’m so disappointed that this is the game I got to watch. Embarrassing. They gave the game away. Stupid play calling. A defense that STILL allows too many completions. I do think Barrett was unfairly penalized but good teams overcome those scenarios, and we had plenty of opportunities pissed away by OL penalties, including Jensens bonehead personal foul. On top of the embarrassment, we lost Vea.
I’m hoping the next time I get to watch I see the team that everyone has been so excited about. Yesterday I just saw the same bumbling Bucs that have been around for a decade.
October 9th, 2020 at 1:17 pm
Tom in Mad City
Well said! I was thinking the exact same thing about discipline and the last COUPLE drives of the game.
Ira
Please don’t EVER say Bucs beating Bucs again, I am sick of hearing it come out of Bruce’s mouth. It’s coaching! Period! I bet he didn’t say a word to Evans last week about losing his cool costing us 15 yards. So what happens? Jenson thinks it’s okay to head butt someone after the play is over. WTF? I am sick of the undisciplined bullchit!!! Just retired still if you ask me. Look what he did to SHAMELESS! Pathetic!!!!
October 9th, 2020 at 1:26 pm
Very few old time Bucs fans on here anymore. No surprise. I could only watch the first third of this one. Had to be up before sunrise today. Team looked and played solid on all sides of the ball. The red markers went up with the usual BS referring–bunch of defensive holds and DPI not called. The other was BAzz going for it on 4th and 1 from the Bucs 20. Bucs made it barely. How come it wasn’t repeated in the 2nd half? Methuselah coach and QB lost this one. PERIOD!
October 9th, 2020 at 2:03 pm
THE SAGE HAS SPOKEN! 3-2 is not all that bad folks, and in a week where rock n roll legend Eddie Van Halen passed away, the the Bucs O Line had their own ERUPTION!
They let Kalil Mack run with the devil, and while Tommy’s Cryin over a pseudo lost down, the real culprit in this game was the Atomic Punk No.76 who is having his worst year and will probably force Bucs to address LT in 2021.
All is not lost folks, If you thought the Bucs would be a Super Bowl team because of one person, thats silly. But this team is competitive, and I like watching a game the Bucs can win, and thats every game now. Ira is the sage, but “The Optimist” has spoken, and approves this message!
October 9th, 2020 at 2:08 pm
Crispy, Bucs held the bears offense to 243 yards passing, and 36 yards rushing. Bears offense had bad numbers for a 1990s football team. Defense played pretty good, if you want to compare to SAPP and co, this is 1997, not 2002. Its one year after the defense GOT IT, which was 1996 for the old Brooks Bucs
October 9th, 2020 at 2:29 pm
The play calling SUCKS! Another poster on here said exactly what I have been screaming all year. When EVERYONE knows you are running on 1st down, do something else! Play action works and its all about catching your opponent off guard. There are high percentage throws you can make will still running down the clock!
Also, the routes are terrible! Multiple players bunched up…open it up and create space and when we need 8 yards, what the hell is a 3 yard route gonna do? I am over Leftwich and his play calling!
October 9th, 2020 at 3:09 pm
Bucs were out-coached. The players realized it and the game became a brawl. Then the coaching got worse.
It is becoming easy to see why Bowles tenure for the Jets was so short, his timing is awful.
Leftwich is still calling plays for the way he played, slow and with a big wind-up.
The defense needs to be restrained so they keep their lanes, not run all over the place.
Offense needs some smarter and trickier plays, some of them are grade school stuff.
October 9th, 2020 at 4:54 pm
Hey Bucsfan, you may want to proofread your comments before hitting submit! It’s don’t not doesn’t! Lmao trolling someone and then you do the exact same thing!
October 9th, 2020 at 5:20 pm
From my chair, that was a sorry last 32 minutes if Buccaneer football.
The bad, stupid penalties were equal to some of the worst officiating I’ve ever seen.
The stripes saw stuff that wasn’t there, and blind to blatant stuff that was there.
No team will be successful taking all those penalties.
October 9th, 2020 at 6:49 pm
Great Article again Ira!
I am still stuck on why we went for that final FG on 4th and 1!!
October 9th, 2020 at 11:00 pm
Mack draped himself over Brady, finishing with two sacks, two tackles for loss and three QB hits
__________
In all fairness, one sack counts as tackle for loss and a QB hit. So other than the two sacks, hd had one QB hit.