Missed Opportunities
October 8th, 2024
Bucs coach Todd Bowles.
Yes, Joe is still muttering into a pint of cold beer at Hooters about how the Bucs choked away a game last week in Atlanta.
Joe has had a range of emotions — rrom disbelief to rage to the past couple of days, depression. Joe guesses the thought of Hurricane Milton ravaging the area has helped temper Joe’s anger.
Joe wrote last week that the Bucs were handed way too many gifts from the football gods and apparently the Bucs didn’t offer the gods enough thanks and contrition in return.
But, in part by carrying out a Code Turtle, the football gods were angered and they made the Bucs play.
Jenna Laine of ESPN also believes the loss by the Bucs can be blamed on blowing way too many chances that were handed to the Bucs on a silver platter by the Dixie Chicks.
Describe the game in two words: Missed opportunities. With Tampa leading 30-27, the Bucs’ Tavierre Thomas blocked a field goal attempt with 6:37 left in the fourth quarter, but Bucky Irving fumbled on the ensuing possession. With 1:52 left, Tampa’s Lavonte David intercepted a pass, putting the Bucs on the Falcons’ 28. But Tampa couldn’t get a first down on the drive that followed, actually losing 14 yards, and were forced to punt.
Well, maybe if the Bucs had leaned on their proven, clutch players on offense, this wouldn’t have happened.
Aside from possibly Travis Kelce, name a more clutch non-quarterback offensive player in the NFL than Chris Godwin. He’s having a career year. Whose number did the Bucs call when they needed a first down to seal a trip to the Super Bowl? No. 14.
The next year, who did Tom Brady target to move the ball down the field to set up a winning touchdown to open the 2021 season against the Cowboys? No. 14.
Why the Bucs didn’t target Godwin (or Mike Evans) to get a critical first down on their final two drives, Joe can’t wrap his head around that. Negligence!
October 8th, 2024 at 4:23 pm
Be Careful Joe’s…. we need you ,LOL
October 8th, 2024 at 4:31 pm
Our pass D was atrocious. At a record level. Needs a drastic change. Need to understand about strategy adjustments during the game. The coaches clearly don’t at this point in the season. That is most worrisome.
October 8th, 2024 at 4:45 pm
Conservative football teams don’t win in the NFL. You gotta light up the sky to win in this league..
October 8th, 2024 at 4:48 pm
Feeling the same as Joe and had Hooter wings this weekend! Turned off the weather for awhile too.
Rookie Bucky fumbling was after the refs missed the blatant face mask. So they didn’t help the ending for us. Can’t wait to hear news from the Bucs in New Orleans. Thank you for keeping things going.
October 8th, 2024 at 4:48 pm
Enough with the “code turtle” stupidity. The play calling was working. If Bucky hadn’t fumbled it would have been a 10 yard plus run. Maybe even a TD. Game over either way.
Time was the Falcon’s enemy. The next possession the refs killed us. And it still should have worked if Dean and the refs didn’t help Atlanta spike that ball impossibly quickly.
October 8th, 2024 at 5:17 pm
I’m with Joe on this loss….hard to get over Bucs beating Bucs….getting over being stomped by a underrated Broncos at home was much easier.
October 8th, 2024 at 5:36 pm
Koala going to have to agree with you! The NFL is about momentum. We had it for a good portion of the game then it was over once the ball was fumbled. Leave the window open a crack and let the other team steal a win.
October 8th, 2024 at 6:42 pm
Its ok Joe, saw some great news out there to cheer you up. Derek Carr is out for the next game!!! Jeff Haener is the backup on depth chart. Lets Go Bucs! Go Live 45 and start at middle linebacker against the Saints and lets go get after the Saints Backup QB Jeff Haener!!Go Bucs! I want to see Jamal Dean interception, a another Logan Hall and a sack from JTS. Go get this QB!!
October 8th, 2024 at 7:18 pm
“Describe the game in two words:”
F-ing Rigged.
October 8th, 2024 at 7:42 pm
Defensive coordinators make lousy head coaches.
Bowels gives me heart burn every Sunday.
His record speaks for itself.
We need a new direction. Perhaps a losing record at the break does it.
October 8th, 2024 at 9:21 pm
Joe … ‘Why the Bucs didn’t target Godwin (or Mike Evans) to get a critical first down on their final two drives, Joe can’t wrap his head around that. Negligence!’
MAYBE it’s not Godwin OR Evans. MAYBE it’s Mayfield they didn’t trust. Or MAYBE our OC just felt like a run would work out better.
Starting at 6:29 to go in the game, the Bucs had a 1st-and-10 on the Tampa 44. Mayfield throws an INCOMPLETE pass (to Evans BTW). On 2nd-and-10 Rachaad runs for 8 yards, then on 3rd-and-2 Baker scrambles 5 yards for a 1st down. Bucky gets the call on a 1st-and-10 and gains 5 yards. On 2nd-and-5 Baker passes again, but for only 3 yards. Bucs have a 3rd-and-2 on the Atlanta 35 (FG territory), so they run Rachaad who gains 3 yards for a 1st down at the Atlanta 32 with only 3:00 left and the Bucs ahead 30-27.
At that point in the drive, Baker had gone 1-for-2 passing for 3 yards. Rachaad, Bucky & Baker had run it 4 times for 21 yards & 2 first downs. We were in FG territory, but needed to burn some more clock. The call for Bucky to run over Left Tackle (Wirfs) wasn’t a bad call at all on 1st-and-10 at the Atl 32 with 3:00 left. He gained 7 yards … BUT fumbled. That was an effective drive … UNTIL BUCKY FUMBLED. Prior to that, Bucky had 0 fumbles; Rachaad had 0, Evans had 0. Godwin had 1, Otton had 1 and Baker had 3. Good call, bad outcome. Sucks, but not the first time that’s happened in football.
October 9th, 2024 at 1:04 am
@DR – I believe Joe was referencing the next Bucs drive (the one that started just under 2 min left).
Ya know, the drive in both Jenna and Joe didn’t mention the BLATANT facemask that was missed on Bucky, while we were called for a hold, which completely changed the trajectory of that drive.
But yea- missed opportunities. Bad luck. Whatever you wanna call it. That loss has really stuck with me for some reason. Just felt like we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, in a critical game vs a division opponent. Frustrating.
October 9th, 2024 at 4:11 am
Unbelievable … Based on the quote, I took it as the final 2 drives. Focused on the next-to-last drive because I think the play-calling was reasonable (we achieved 2 first downs, ate the clock & drove to well within FG territory … when Bucky fumbled). Stuff happens.
The last drive was a travesty of justice IMO. I saw multiple plays in the game with guys holding, yet they weren’t called. Happens every game. Barton’s ‘hold’ wasn’t grevious, but it certainly was a game-changer (moved us out of FG territory). The facemask penalty (that wasn’t called) was incredibly obvious … and a game-changer also. Technology caught it, but apparently the refs didn’t. If we can use technology to verify TDs (and other calls), why don’t they use it to verify penalty calls like that?
October 9th, 2024 at 8:54 am
Poor coaching..
October 9th, 2024 at 4:10 pm
@DR – I’ve been saying the same thing about the booth reviews to fix calls on the field.
ESPECIALLY for something like a face mask, which is a player safety issues, and is one of the oldest player safety penalties in the game. It’s egregious to miss something that was so clear, while then calling such a benign holding penalty.
Completely changed that drive and most likely the outcome of the game.