Nearly A Comeback For The Ages
January 23rd, 2022
Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians.
In NFL press boxes, and most professional press boxes, cheering is strictly prohibited. In fact, Joe saw the governor of Missouri tossed out of the Busch Stadium press box at a Cardinals game because he refused to pipe down.
So when Playoff Lenny scored on a seven-yard touchdown to tie the game at 27-27 this afternoon, the non-media workers in the press box erupted. But no one frowned or tried to have them run. Everyone was shocked.
Unfortunately, the near miracle failed. Just as the Bucs defense did to open the game, they played gutless defense in the final seconds and allowed Matt Gay to win an inner battle with his demons in the north end zone and beat the Bucs, ending the season with a divisional round playoff loss.
(Yes, Joe meant north end zone, not south. Gay earlier today missed a kick in the north end zone. And in his last two kicks as an employee of the Bucs in a closed scrimmage at the stadium prior to the 2020 season, Gay hit the left upright and missed a field goal in the north end zone).
The Bucs, after giving the Rams a disgraceful lead, battled back and made it a game. The Bucs were basically playing with half an offense near the end. Joe thought sure that John Brown, who the Bucs pulled off the street last week, was going to get a target, it was so bad.
Joe gives the Bucs credit for fighting back and darn near taking the game to overtime. It was a blowout early and Joe wouldn’t have blamed anyone for shutting the TV off and doing shots until they couldn’t see straight.
The sad thing of it all, it never should have come to this.
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:37 pm
Are we playing horse shoes?
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:39 pm
Live by the blitz, die by the blitz. They should have never left Winfield on Kupp 1 on 1. That is something you just CANNOT do.
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:39 pm
If the offense would have played anywhere close tp normal, the defense could have been MASKED/ HIDDEN again. but without 30+ big problem.
GO BUCS!!!!
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:40 pm
Unbelievable for McVey to have the guts not to take a knee there and instead take the risk to try and go down and get a FG.
Gotta give him credit.
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:40 pm
Mike that was completely bush league. The average fan knows that’s an insane call. You have a few people deep
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:41 pm
It’s almost like they just assumed they were content to go to ot. The team that wanted it more obviously won in the end
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:42 pm
So single coverage with a safety on the best wideout in football?????
Wow
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:43 pm
I’m trying to figure out which stage of grief I’m in…
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:43 pm
I wish TB12 was 10 years younger.
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:44 pm
Bungles vs 9ers in the superbowl
Lowest ratings ever!
Congrats refs!!!!
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:45 pm
You simply cant’ give these QBs any time…..it has happened all weekend…..Lenny needed to down it on the 1/2 yard line……
Can’t trust our secondary….
Getting burnt deep like that…..sickening. After all that work to get to the tie.
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:45 pm
SMB is a dud. Yes, he recovered a fumble. However, he gets beat, plays outta position, n does not know the basic fundamental of tackling.
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:45 pm
LOL. August. I suppose you weren’t watching the game? That’s an elite defense but Mike Evans and Tom Brady had that defense solved. Stupid ass Todd Bowles refused to use COMMON SENSE and play against the big play. So, what happened? 2 big plays in a row to their best player. It’s just all so brilliant. 30+ would have happened but Bowles refused to allow the game to continue. His incompetence is the only thing that cost us the game. Otherwise, we go to OT and it’s anybody’s game. He’s terrible and what he did on defense on that play solely is enough to start a blanket party.
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:46 pm
Special teams was awfu..l. We need a new punter, kicker, AND – a new left tackle as we have all been saying for years.
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:48 pm
This is not Lenny’s fault. Let’s stop coming up with this and that. I thought it was going to be the O Line that cost us this game but again… at the end of the day the game was tied. There is 40 secs lkeft and it’s at their own 25 yard line. Zero excuse for the defense to turtle up and give up big plays unless your D coordinator is incompetent. Fortunately for the Rams., our D coordinator is indeed incompetent. That’s the only reason for the loss. It previously could have been special teams or the offense or the O line or the D line but it became solely the D coordinator for scheming a defense that set this team up to fail at the end of the 4th quarter and it was incompetence. Sheer 100% incompetence by 1 man and 1 man only.
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:51 pm
Blame BL for not adjusting enough to pressure on Brady and not running the edge more. It’s a shame to have to read the trash from gutless fans saying it was over in the 1st qtr. Especially that troll Anthem. It was hard to watch at times but Brady and boyz made it a game just too little too late.
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:52 pm
TODD BOWLES IS A MORON. SOMEONE ELSE PLEASE HIRE HIM. DUMBEST PLAYCALL EVER.
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:54 pm
@Destinjohnny,
All they had to do was keep Kupp in front, I don’t know how Winfield Jr. let him get behind him. He’s a Safety, he just has to keep Kupp in front of him. Ughhhh.
Regardless, this team showed a lot of heart to comeback. I just wish it went into OT. But, the Rams outplayed the Bucs just enough to squeak by.
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:57 pm
Bottom line: Coaching didn’t come through, especially at end of game. My finger is pointing at you Bowles. Proud of team fighting through injuries all season. Will Brady return or will we be searching for a QB?
January 23rd, 2022 at 6:57 pm
Inconsistency has been the hallmark of this season and roster.
January 23rd, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Should have kicked the ball short of the end zone. Less time would have been left in the game.
January 23rd, 2022 at 7:03 pm
Lambs have beaten the Bucs the last three match-ups. This latest one was dominance from the opening kifckoff. Go Lightning!!!!
January 23rd, 2022 at 7:04 pm
Unbelievable 2 years and we had no business to win they game, but the GOAT and a couple fumbles and fluke plays brought us to the brink. Yes I’m disappointed and even said oh no why didn’t Lenny stop at the one yard line because of Bowles and the D ( which shouldn’t even be a thought !!) I’m ok with losing because of players, but not a coach blitzing the CB that should be covering one of the best WRs in the league. Tom is going to leave either now or next year, but what makes me sick is after the Den of Depression starts because we have no money and Godwin was truly missed along with Wirfs. The Rams were defeated and looking to go into overtime until they saw what Bowl movement was doing with his coverage and blitzing ?? Unbelievable and lastly we have so many holes on D and I don’t think can be fixed, but I’m a fan and Tom and Mike Evans are ballers and instant HOFS. So is Gronk, but Shaq was a ghost and please tell me one defensive player on our team that showed today they are All Pro ? Sickening to think they tied it up and then lost because our D can’t stop Staff Infection with 40 seconds left on the 25
January 23rd, 2022 at 7:04 pm
You know, I almost think it might have been better had we done the QB sneak on 4th and taken more time to score. Would have left the Rams with less time for that final drive.
January 23rd, 2022 at 7:09 pm
WHY < WHY IN TH HELL DIDN"T BOWLES CALL FOR A PREVENT DEFENSE ????
January 23rd, 2022 at 7:11 pm
Stanford completed 28 passes today. About 4 of them were contested catches. The majority of time the “ defender” did not even show up in the TV frame, say nothing about being in a position to defend or pick the ball. Look at Tampas receptions. Only about 6 of them were NOT contested! Great throws and catches Were required to beat the Rams coverage. Meanwhile, the Rams played toss and catch most of the game. Bowles a greatDC and game planner? Just don’t see it. Sorry
January 23rd, 2022 at 7:11 pm
Stafford!
January 23rd, 2022 at 7:13 pm
Lambchop … ‘this team showed a lot of heart to comeback. I just wish it went into OT. But, the Rams outplayed the Bucs just enough to squeak by.’
That was the worst game I’ve seen all season. Bucs were pathetic in all 3 phases for the majority of the game. Rams outplayed us by a wide margin for most of the game. If it hadn’t been for the FOUR fumbles that the Rams lost we would’ve gotten blown out (and yes, that was incredibly sloppy on their part). After successfully fighting injuries all season, today was a major disappointment in more ways than one IMO.
January 23rd, 2022 at 7:15 pm
JMark, August, Swamparse, Anonymous, Buc1987 and the rest of you BA fans, how’d you like that preparation, discipline, special teams, freaking Darden, Pinon & Succup were playing for them. The run was working with Brate lead blocking, why abandon that? 1 run on second down, I am sick to my stomach they fought so hard to come back and to leave Winfield on an island against the best receiver in the league is dumbfounding. Good luck Bucs fans all the hits Brady took over the years and it took a 69yr old washed up coach to retire him.
January 23rd, 2022 at 7:25 pm
Defense Rules, totally agree. The Bucs had no business being in the game at all. Totally outclassed.
January 23rd, 2022 at 7:48 pm
Richard I actually hated the call to hand it backwards to Lenny. Thought for sure he’d be hit in the backfield… Was happy to be wrong, but yeah seemed what too risky
January 23rd, 2022 at 8:05 pm
I said all last week our defense would have to play like mad Dogs to win. They did not. Poor tackling, no pash rush and a reactionary secondary cost us dearly. We tried hard in the end. But the rams held on. They are a good team this year. On the other hand, the rams defense played like we should have all game. Their pass rush was outstanding. Bring on next year.
January 23rd, 2022 at 8:10 pm
As soon as we had that 1st down I said we needed to run it down their throats to run out the game clock.
Didn’t happen. Okay then, no worries just okay orevent D don’t give up the big play they only had like 30 seconds left.
Todd Bowles: “ I think I’ll call a blitz against the QB who happens to be best in the league against the blitz, and leave the best wide receiver in the league in single coverage against a safety”
^ fkn Moron. F U Bowles.
January 23rd, 2022 at 8:10 pm
*just play prevent defense
January 23rd, 2022 at 8:22 pm
This game should give Brady horrible flashbacks to NE’s SB losses to the NY Giants. Your depleted O line gets mauled and you get pressured. Your D, problematic all season, is a sieve. You do enough to bring the team to a win only to watch your D allow the bad guys to march down the field easily and win.
January 23rd, 2022 at 9:25 pm
The officiating was clearly BS all game. I mean, glaringly obvious this time. Spotted Rams at least 7 pts, 10 pts. Even with that, even though outplayed for 3Q, they came back. No matter what, that was a vintage TB comeback. He had it solved.
January 23rd, 2022 at 9:27 pm
Props for a tough comeback.
Would not a Bengals-9er SB be a repeat from the Sam Wyche years? SB XVI?
January 23rd, 2022 at 9:51 pm
Listen. In the end what ended our season os the same thing that hurt us all year. Poor pressure on the opposing QB and poor coverage. Players and coaches deserve the blame. All in all however we had a great season considering all the injuries and a bit of drama.
January 23rd, 2022 at 9:55 pm
In the end it was lack of pressure on the opposing Qb and poor coverage that hurt us and ended our season. Blame the players and poor scheming by Bowles. The same thing that hurt us all year. Overall tho it was a great year. Stay Tom.
January 23rd, 2022 at 10:37 pm
im depressed.. 6 months of bucs.. wtf am i going to do now.. i guess i need to get a girlfirend..uggh
January 23rd, 2022 at 10:47 pm
The 3 Coordinators we’re terrible today. Losing Byron and Todd would be addition by subtraction. How do we not play coverage????
January 23rd, 2022 at 11:16 pm
On the last Drive of the Rams official never touched the ball to set it for the next play which was a spike, time would have ran out and would have went into overtime.
January 23rd, 2022 at 11:41 pm
Frank Pillow, I suspect that Bowles stock fell today, same with BL. They will still interview but now they are not serious candidates, just check boxes for the Rooney rule. Choking in the clutch is not what GMs want in a headcoach like Bowles did.