“Mom!”
December 7th, 2021
Bucs made Atlanta cry for mom.
In the words of one national analyst, the Bucs’ win over the Dixie Chicks was nothing more than a cruel tease.
Teasing the Dixie Chicks.
The Bucs, believes Mike Tanier of Football Outsiders, played just sloppy enough on Sunday to make Atlanta think they could hang with them. Then the Bucs got tired of toying and put the Dixie Chicks out of their misery.
The Buccaneers were like an older brother teasing their much younger sibling by dangling the football just out of reach. “Want an upset? Look, our defense is playing poorly! This is your chance. Yoink! Look, Tom Brady threw a pick-six to a defensive lineman before halftime. You are still in the game. Yoink! Oopsie, our drives keep stalling. Whatsamatter? Too small and weak to take a win from us?”
If you listened carefully, you could hear the Falcons crying to mom when Pierre Desir peanut-punched an apparent third-and-long conversion away from Russell Gage in the third quarter.
There’s not much to be learned from watching Tom Brady use the Falcons as his lint brush for the umpteenth time except that the Buccaneers are unlikely to trip over any of their creampuff opponents down the stretch. Even if we pencil in a Bills win, the Buccaneers will finish 13-4 at worst. The other NFC heavyweights, including the Cardinals, have zero margin for error.
Joe sure would feel a whole lot better about the Buffalo game had the Bills not lost last night to the Belichedats. Now, Buffalo is a wounded animal in survival mode. They pretty much have to win to save their postseason.
With the Bucs defense being leaky the past two games, now is not the time to be facing a desperate team.
December 7th, 2021 at 9:04 am
The 3rd quarter was almost surreal in the way the Falcons and their fans (what fans there were at the game) went all defeatist and helpless. Our 2nd drive in that quarter with the methodical hurry-up dunk-and-dish approach took their will to win away!
December 7th, 2021 at 9:07 am
I’m still pessimistic. Them walking through a soft schedule into the playoffs is not going to prepare them much.
December 7th, 2021 at 9:07 am
Joe, You do know what you do to a wounded animal don’t you? You put it down!!!!
December 7th, 2021 at 9:12 am
The falcons are a circus act. Fun experience at the game, about a 40% Bucs crowd it seemed and the stadium was maybe 70% capacity if I’m being generous. A hype man and DJ in the corner section of the end zone, which btw resembled a futbol crowd in those 2 sections with their incessant flag waving, triple reminders over the PA that “it’s 3rd down, it’s 3rd down! It’s 3rrrrd dowwwn” (they get it, they just don’t care to get loud buddy), and that stupid squealing pigeon sound of a falcon were comical to say the least. Megatron’s b-hole (local nickname for the stadium) was clenched and inflamed w red lights the whole game.
The falcons are in that mode that old-school buc fans may still have lingering memories of where their fans just can’t give away tickets if they try, and their football product shows it.
December 7th, 2021 at 9:12 am
Score early & often…..the Bills can’t keep up.
December 7th, 2021 at 9:15 am
You could have spun that the same way had they WON. The fact is, the Bucs have the better team and play amazing at home.
December 7th, 2021 at 9:22 am
Not really worried about Bills. The Bucs have been unstoppable at home since the loss to KC November 2020. Let that sink in we haven’t lost a home game in over a year. The bills may keep it close but in the end the Bucs still win on Sunday.
December 7th, 2021 at 9:28 am
Yeah, the Bills are wounded.
But if the Bucs want to show they have the grit to repeat, on the field and not flapping their game, if they are truly dedicated to the #1 playoff seed and the bye reward, they will come to RayJay Sunday for the dedicated purpose of thrusting a virtual dagger into the hearts of Josh Allen and the Bills.
IMO this team is talented. But do they have a champion heart? Do they have the grit to win against a desperate team?
The coming game will tell us all we need to know about this team.
December 7th, 2021 at 9:38 am
If the Bucs can’t match the intensity when the Bills arrive then they have no business making the playoffs. Saying the Bills are wounded and we should be worried is stupid. They will be desperate and play tight cause they won’t want to make any mistakes . We are home and the crowd will be pumped. No reason the Bucs should use this as a playoff tune up. I’m not worried in the least . It’s December and time to make the final push . To think we have an unfair advantage cause the Bills lost is just weak.
December 7th, 2021 at 9:43 am
I’m not very concerned about the Bills because they cannot run the ball like the Bucs can. Josh Allen is a rushing threat sure, but their RBs are not very good. Arguably the worst RB group the Bucs have faced all year.
December 7th, 2021 at 9:48 am
Leighroy, I was at the game as well. Was that your first time there? You are spot on with all your observations but quite frankly what we experienced isn’t much different than what the Bucs did during the lost decade. The Falcons clearly piped in crowd noise as well.
That stadium is amazing though, and so was the overall experience. The Falcons offer things for the regular fans that are exclusive to club members at Ray Jay. It looked like it was at 70% capacity because so many people are walking around the building.
December 7th, 2021 at 9:53 am
Both the Colts and Patriots ran all over the Bills, so perhaps we will become a power running team for this upcoming game ?
Honestly, I think the Colts are a better team than the Bills, and we beat them.
The Bills are 0 and 2 in their last 2 games, and when they leave Tampa, they are fixing to be 0 and 3.
December 7th, 2021 at 10:14 am
Bucs have to win to have a shot at home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Unless they don’t mind playing at Lambeau in January or in front of a domed,crazed Phoenix crowd.
December 7th, 2021 at 10:20 am
The Bill’s beat themselves. They were man handled a bit but in the end they had a real good chance of winning. They are embarrassed and the only way to save face is to knock off the defending SB champs. Sorry to those that think Bucs should run the ball but Lenny is not Taylor, Harris and that rookie Stevenson is a beast. Pat’s also have a really great 260 LB fullback. I wish Bucs had that in their run game. BA needs to get Bucs up for this because Bill’s need to prove they are a physical team and they are going to take this loss out on Bucs.
December 7th, 2021 at 11:09 am
I’m thinking more and more it could be TB12 vs Bellicheat in the Super Bowl, works be awesome
December 7th, 2021 at 11:24 am
I actually like the Patriots winning. Puts doubt in the Bills heads, and improves our chances of playing the Belicheats in the SB.
December 7th, 2021 at 11:30 am
Listn says: “Sorry to those that think Bucs should run the ball but Lenny is not Taylor, Harris and that rookie Stevenson is a beast. Pat’s also have a really great 260 LB fullback.”
As much as I have loved what Lenny has done, this game lends itself very well to Rojo’s angry style of running style and the way he hits the hole. If he’s healthy, I like this matchup for him.
December 7th, 2021 at 11:48 am
“I’m not sure I trust the team walking through a soft schedule in to the playoffs.” This opinion blows. Secondly – I’d like to introduce you to the 2020 Bucs. Ever heard of them? Thirdly – who are the good teams? The ravens? Don’t make me laugh. Chiefs? Packets? Cardinals? Do you really care to bet on Kyle Murray in playoffs over Brady. Please educate me, who exactly is great? No one. Who is more talented than Tampa? No one.
December 7th, 2021 at 12:29 pm
“Tom Brady uses the Falcons as his lint brush” … brilliant writing.
December 7th, 2021 at 1:21 pm
I dont think this team plays down to the level of the opposition. I think they struggle, and have found ways to win because if it. We havent seen a complete game yet, but understand that they put them together at the end of the year when it counts.
December 7th, 2021 at 2:38 pm
I bet a lot of sports journalists feel like the joes because people picked them to take a step forward and compete to represent the afc. I remember the Bucs teasing us a couple times coming close to playoffs then being picked the next year to take a step but just doesn’t work that way
Can’t run + can’t stop the run = no playoffs and Bucs need need this win for our sanity just as much as the bills need it so not buying the wounded animal talk. They suck and lost their best corner for the season. No excuse for losing this game Bucs
December 7th, 2021 at 4:59 pm
Seems like the Falcons choking away the Super Bowl took the heart out of team. Like being left at the alter by the girl of your dreams, it’s something that will that will take them a long time to recover from.
December 7th, 2021 at 6:41 pm
Damn … “lint brush?”
Gotta use that one sometime.
December 7th, 2021 at 9:41 pm
I loved that game last night at least the defensive side of the ball for both teams. I love hard nose football and I know all those fantasy football people hated it and I loved it. Just like the 2018 superbowl Rams vs Patriots was one of the best games ever played . And that’s what makes Belichick a great coach because he can care less if his quarterback throws for 300 yards. I remember how in the AFC championship game against the Colts they pound the Colts by running the ball to win the AFC championship. A running game and defense wins championships. We know what happened in the 2019 superbowl the 49ers vs Cheifs. 49ers had that game won but the coach kept the Cheifs in the game by throwing the ball just like he did in the Falcons vs Patriots superbowl. All he had to do is run the ball the Patriots couldn’t stop the run but I think he was trying to get Ryan the MVP just like he was trying to get Jimmy G the MVP and they lost both games.