Ira Kaufman’s 10 Takeaways From Bucs-49ers
December 12th, 2022
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
Let’s go straight to the highlights: the heavy rain held off for most of the afternoon.
We now return you to our regularly scheduled programming.
The Bucs weren’t facing the Rams, the Seahawks, the Browns or the Saints on Sunday. They played a real team with a real identity and came away looking like a playoff impostor. In the process of absorbing an ass whipping, the Bucs suddenly appear to be in danger of missing the postseason, despite Tom Brady taking every snap.
That’s not a typo. That’s a travesty.
After posting a 29-10 record and hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy in two seasons with Bruce Arians calling the shots, Tampa Bay looks shot. The Bucs look old and they look slow. Worst of all, they look disinterested.
With the streaking Bengals coming to town Sunday, Buc fans have every reason to believe this team will be 6-8 heading to Arizona on Christmas night.
That game now looks like a toss-up and the Panthers, who have already humbled the Bucs, are no easy mark.
Can you imagine how bleak things would look around here if Brady hadn’t authored last week’s miracle comeback against New Orleans?
It’s laughable to think Sunday’s debacle would have been different if Keanu Neal and Donovan Smith hadn’t been flagged for first-quarter penalties. The 49ers were in another league against a club that is now minus-30 in scoring differential on the season.
Brady’s parents should have gone home early because this laugher was hardly humorous for Buc fans.
It was decided by halftime as the 49ers sought their second shutout in three weeks. The Bucs scored a cheapie touchdown in garbage time before jumping on a cross-country charter.
If Todd Bowles reviewed the game film on the flight home, he had five hours to single out the Buccaneers who came to play.
Good luck with that.
Perhaps the most depressing aspect of the beatdown was the poor play of a defense that had been keeping Tampa Bay close. By the half, the 49ers had generated 19 first downs, 296 yards and four touchdowns. Here’s how the Bucs pissed all over themselves on Brady’s homecoming in Northern California.
* Trailing 35-7 with 13:31 remaining in the game, Bowles inexplicably sent Brady back on a wet field to face the NFL’s No. 1 defense, a unit that had already hounded him for three quarters. Brady threw 13 passes in that ensuing drive, unnecessarily risking injury in a situation with no upside. Of course, Brady didn’t want to come out. So what? He should have been told to take a seat on the bench and start thinking about the Bengals.
* Donovan Smith says he’s been dealing with some personal stuff. At the moment, his professional stuff is hurting this team.
Chris Godwin
* You know all those quick screens to Chris Godwin? Lose ’em.
* The Bucs took 15 more snaps than San Francisco but gained 82 fewer yards. That’s hard to do.
* Tampa Bay did a decent job against Nick Bosa, one of the leading candidates for Defensive Player of the Year. Overall, Brady felt pressured on many of his 55 throws, but hey … it’s the 49ers.
* Falling behind by a large margin early crushed any hopes of a balanced offense for Byron Leftwich, who has enough trouble scoring when games are close . Finishing 4-for-16 on third down was the death blow for an
offense that has been incredibly inept in the opening half this season.
* It’s time to mention Brock Purdy, who shredded the Buc pass defense in his first NFL start. It didn’t hurt that the 49ers ran for 209 yards, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Purdy looked poised and confident against what had been one of the league’s better pass defenses. This kid looks competent enough to lead a very good team a very long way.
* Buc defenders continually took bad angles to the football. Everyone played a part, but Devin White had the look of a primary culprit.
* This used to be a downfield passing team, but no more. Tampa Bay had only three gains of 15 yards or more while the 49ers, with an inexperienced quarterback, gashed the Bucs for 15 yards or more nine times.
* Look out for the Panthers. They’re 5-8 after a 1-5 start and they close with home games against the Steelers and Lions before hitting the road to Tampa and New Orleans. That Jan. 1 matchup at RayJay, with Arians entering the Ring of Honor at halftime, could ultimately decide the division title. What a way to kick off 2023.
Ira loves that lifetime warranty on new and used vehicles!
December 12th, 2022 at 8:00 am
This team might as well just pack it up and go home
With a month to go I. The season it could not look any worse than it does this morning
Likely to lose the last 4 in a row, 5 counting SF
Then they all get run and we start from scratch again
December 12th, 2022 at 8:04 am
They featured the Bowzo Drink and Drunk Game plan. Drunk by halftime. If this keeps up, Soon the head bags and 3rd qtr tailgate party will be back with cheap tix in the parking lot at gameday.
December 12th, 2022 at 8:08 am
Bucs wanted $3K for the full playoff tix package…if they even make it. 2 tix…300 each, 500 each, and 700 each for game through NFL Title. They go on sale as “what ifs” tomorrow but I opted out Friday by pulling my payment form. There is no way I’m spending another dime of this garbage. Also canx for next year. 20 years of seaon tix for mostly losing. Just not worth the change. Sadly, I think the resale prices will drop in future years so we can go to the occasional game. Looking at male cheerleaders, lack of halftime activities, $31 burger, fries, drink…woke slogans on the field, followed by a mind-boggling loss at home is simply not much fun! Go Bucs!
December 12th, 2022 at 8:12 am
Thompkins, Godwin played like they cared. Bucs are getting destroyed at line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Back end out of position on 2 poorly thrown deep balls by Purdy that were blown coverages.
The Bucs next quarterback has to be mobile. Without a good offensive line, a drop back, slow QB isn’t going to help this team. Brady, the all time great can’t get it done anymore and can’t escape trouble.
I wonder if the Jets will give up on Zack Wilson or if Detroit gives up on Jarrod Goff. Mike White on the Jets deserves to be a starter, he took a beatdown from the Bills and still completed some great passes, possibly playing with broken ribs.
Next Bucs coaches have to be flexible enough to bend their systems to the talents of the players. The reason Bowles and Leftwich need to be replaced is that they don’t hold bad players accountable and can’t see that their players don’t perform well with the plays they are calling.
On TV they appear as the slower team every game and a team that doesn’t have any “dog” in them.
December 12th, 2022 at 8:21 am
The Bucs are missing on some opportunities and penalties are hurting this team. I still don’t think the players are getting the best out of their coaches.
December 12th, 2022 at 8:28 am
I agree with you Ed. Brady is too immobile for this team. Brady cannot overcome the play calling by the coaches or the below average offensive line play as a strict pocket passer. Tom Brady is still a great QB in this league but the position has changed. Mahomes, Tua, Jackson, Herbert, Lawrence, Burrow, Allen, Prescott, and most other star QBs in the NFL can extend plays with their feet. Brady cannot at least not with this line.
The Bucs should back up the Brinks truck for Lamar Jackson because the Ravens aren’t going to it seems.
December 12th, 2022 at 8:30 am
Wokedunn that sounds awful. I did not know it was that bad. 31 Bucs for a Burger? Male Cheerleaders? Soon they will chant Go Away Bucs if this keeps up. I could never afford to go to a game nowdays. At least the radio is still free and many of the games are on over the air free tv. I do have an old leather Super Bowl Hat from the first one and a very old Buc T shirt to wear.
December 12th, 2022 at 8:35 am
“They look old and slow.” THANK YOU. I think I said that 10 times yesterday but I think Rod was the only other commenter that agreed. Play calling is a major issue to be sure, but this is not the explosive team of 2020 or even last yr. We are not very explosive on offense or defense. Mike Evans, actually has good long speed and is much faster than people give him credit for but all of his routes are intermediate, which requires something we don’t have: pass protection. So he becomes generally useless as he doesn’t have that short area quickness like a Davante Adams, so they can’t force him the ball with the quicker stuff. Godwin and gage aren’t the same players with injuries, as with Julio. Our defense outside of Jamel Dean is SLOW. Devin White does not play like his 40 time. People keep talking about “alll of our talent.” My take is we’re not near as talented as some like to think we are. The Bucs have quickly become yesterdays news and….boring.
December 12th, 2022 at 8:36 am
Screen to Godwin IS the new “Benn’d Around”.
December 12th, 2022 at 8:37 am
Bucs lose,Kappa and bring in Shaq. Bucs then lose Marpet ,Jensen, and Wirfs- What does Jason Licht do? NOTHING NOTHING AND MORE NOTHING.
Licht chooses to not sign Suh or JPP-look where they are now-Suh is on the best team in the NFL and JPP is on a playoff team , but Licht believes they were not good enough to play in Tampa-Licht is a moron.
December 12th, 2022 at 8:39 am
I agree with the mobile QB……..a mobile QB can overcome lots of offensive issues and poses the extra threat to defenses.
Purdy proved that you can not only win with a rookie mobile QB….you can dominate.
If we move on from Brady next year…..we need to draft a mobile QB.
December 12th, 2022 at 8:42 am
HC Grover- Male cheerleaders have been on College Teams for decades. You know those nonfemale types who are usually tossing the female cheerleaders into the air and catching them with their feet. Where have you been? 31-dollar burger yeah… It sounds like those neighborhood kids are on your lawn again, so I won’t keep ya.
ASS WHOOPING indeed Ira!
December 12th, 2022 at 8:46 am
Welcome Sean Payton with open arms team glazer needs to be in negotiations with him and brady asap
December 12th, 2022 at 8:50 am
Bowles is the perfect example of the Peter Principle and BL is just grossly incompetent without BA holding his hand. Actually not opposed to us missing the playoffs if it inspires the Glazers to clean house. Would love to see what Brady could do being re-energized by a proper OC, but not sure he sticks around for that after this clusterf#@k of a season. And I just can’t anymore with D Smith, he’s been a slug since he arrive, outside of a few very brief moments.
December 12th, 2022 at 8:55 am
Jesus Sean Payton is not coming here. Why would he come here. Reminds me of Laker fans that think every big name will be coming here. This is isn’t near as good of a job as sayyyyy the Chargers. The Bucs have a poor cap situation next yr, bad team with a middle of the round pick, a roster facelift is needed, oh and Brady will be 46. If he even decides to stay. Why would Payton want any part of that
December 12th, 2022 at 9:11 am
Arians in the ring of honor? After selling the Glazers on his loser protoge’s? Wow! Glazers are worst owners in the league. Pure suckers!
December 12th, 2022 at 9:19 am
Poor cap unless brady pushes that 30 mil cap hit back ..lol and Payton was definitely link to brady and Miami do live on earth cuz that was everywhere??
December 12th, 2022 at 9:38 am
Don’t need 10 takeaways. Just 3.
New head coach
New offensive coordinator.
New defensive coordinator
December 12th, 2022 at 9:42 am
Worst thing that happened was that comeback win against the Rams… otherwise we’d be sitting with different coaches and might have a prayer for a good season.
December 12th, 2022 at 9:42 am
Neal and Ryan are a far cry from Winfield Jr and Whitehead.
And once Vea left the game, 49ers just focused on blocking White with their OLineman that would normally double Vea.
December 12th, 2022 at 9:56 am
It’s laughable how often the Yucs have been slapped around and embarrassed by an opposing teams WB making their first career start. How many times has it happened? Absolutely ridiculous!
December 12th, 2022 at 10:01 am
Breadwinner – yes, that was Miami. With Draft picks, receivers and young talent. Not Tampa. And frankly the rumors of Brady wanting to bolt tampa after last yr may very well be true, I think some things rub him the wrong way, but hes in a no-win position. Better for his reputation to continue to be respectful. But you can see on the sideline how maddeningly frustrated hes become with everyone and everything. He may play next yr, but it wont be here if he can help it. And to be fair his play/ability has dropped. This circus. This….absolute clown show is partly on him too
December 12th, 2022 at 10:07 am
Good chance that next week the Bucs will be tied for the division title. Chicks play the Saints and Panters the Stealers while we play the Bengals. That means we gotta beat Arizona to stay tied. If they lose in Arizona look out below.
December 12th, 2022 at 10:50 am
Yes, we are in very real danger of missing the playoffs altogether.
The ONLY way we get into the playoffs is as division champions. Our record is no where near good enough to get in any other way.
And winning the division is no longer a given.
Does anyone really thing we will beat the Bengals ?
And playing Arizona at their home is not a given either.
We are in real trouble!
December 12th, 2022 at 11:03 am
“…Tampa Bay looks shot. The Bucs look old and they look slow. Worst of all, they look disinterested.”
——————————–
Geez, Sage, that sounds just like Tom Goathead Brady. And, in front of his homies, too. Why won’t Bowles bench him for Trask next Sunday? Why? The team is thoroughly demoralized. That is part of the reason for the bad play.
December 12th, 2022 at 11:14 am
What an absolute waste of a season. I could handle this kind of play when there were young guys all over the field developing and showing some growth.
The future might be bleaker now than it ever was in the two lost decades before this latest sale to the devil for a Super Bowl. Tristan Wirfs is the only bona-fide redeemable asset right now.
December 12th, 2022 at 12:25 pm
Bucs Mngt gotta start thinkin about mobility at the QB position. Just look at all of the leading teams right now. Their QB; s will pull it down and take off on you gaining huge chunks of yardage. I counted at least 7 times where Brady had the opp to make big gains with his feet. He’s so nervous back there because of his O line, He is under and over throwing targets. I love the guy. But his time is slowly coming to a close.
December 12th, 2022 at 2:44 pm
Induct Arains in the ring of honor, and the next day fire him, Bowles, his whole staff, and also put the Licht out! Time to start new across the board.
December 13th, 2022 at 1:22 am
RustyRhinos Says:
“Male cheerleaders have been on College Teams for decades.”
.
.
You are intentionally obtuse. Those are actual men playing a male role. What we have is men pretending to be women. I think you can figure that out, Xir.
December 13th, 2022 at 3:22 pm
Put this abortion of a football team out of it’s misery. Sooner we’re bounced out of the playoff picture the faster we can get rid of all the dead weight on this team.
That includes coaches and players.