Ira Kaufman’s 10 Takeaways From Bucs-Chiefs
November 5th, 2024
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
They call it Stormy Monday
With the rain falling down in K.C., Tampa Bay’s hopes for a mammoth upset went slip sliding away before a prime-time audience as the Chiefs pulled out a 30-24 OT victory that dropped the Bucs below .500 for the first time since last December.
The stinging setback put the Bucs two games behind the Falcons, who also hold a tiebreaker advantage in the NFC South. Tampa Bay can still reach the break-even mark by the bye if the Bucs can beat the 49ers at home on Sunday.
There was no quit by the visitors Monday night as Baker Mayfield directed a long TD march, capped by Ryan Miller’s reception with 27 seconds remaining in regulation. Would the Bucs go for two? No. More on that later.
When Mayfield lost the coin toss to start overtime, Buc Nation prepared for the worst. Those fears were realized because Mayfield never got the ball back.
Patrick Mahomes led the 8-0 Chiefs on a drive deservedly capped by Kareem Hunt’s plunge into the end zone. It was Hunt who provided a critical spark by rushing for 90 of his 106 yards after the opening half.
DeAndre Hopkins, who could turn out to be the league’s most impactful trade acquisition, caught a pair of scoring passes while Travis Kelce tormented the Bucs by catching 14 of the 16 passes Mahomes sent his way.
Tampa Bay forged a couple of early leads and an embattled defense was stout through three quarters, pressuring Mahomes and forcing the game’s only turnover. With Hunt leading the way, the Chiefs wore the Bucs down with three long TD drives in the fourth quarter and overtime.
The Bucs played hard and they played aggressively, but KC has won consecutive championships for a reason. They win the close games and even the most ardent Tampa Bay fan can’t argue the Bucs deserved to win.
The Chiefs had possession for 40:42 compared to only 25:10 for the visitors, who have now dropped 4-of-5 after a 3-1 getaway.
Here’s how the Chiefs kept their unbeaten season intact while handing Tampa Bay its third one-score loss of the season:
* Mahomes was masterful on third down as the Chiefs kept the chains moving by converting 12-of-18 on the money down. No wonder they reeled off 31 more snaps (83-52) than the Bucs.
Sterling Shepard has impressed Sage Ira.
* You could make a convincing argument that Cade Otton has looked like the NFL’s premier tight end for the past month. All he did on Monday night was catch 8 passes from 11 targets for 77 yards and a score. He has taken wicked hits but he maintains his concentration and his downfield blocking is another example of Otton’s physicality.
* Rookie nickel cornerback Tykee Smith looks like another draft steal by Jason Licht. He caused another fumble with a well-timed punch out while registering nine tackles. No wonder Todd Bowles can’t stop smiling when he thinks about Smith’s future.
* Another young defensive back, Josh Hayes, isn’t faring nearly as well. Mahomes went after Hayes repeatedly and Hopkins burned him for a TD on a quick slant, but let’s remember that Hopkins has gotten the better of many veteran corners during a career worthy of Hall of Fame consideration.
* Sterling Shepard has stepped up nicely to fill the void left by injuries to Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. Shepard caught four passes for 48 yards and added 21 yards on two carries. A few of his receptions were highlight-film material and the Bucs will need him to play a big role against San Francisco.
* Even on a night when Bucky Irving found little running room, he proved his value with a 46-yard kickoff return to start the second half, setting up Mayfield’s 11-yard TD pass to Otton.
* Vita Vea was an unstoppable force inside, despite operating against an elite interior line. Vea posted two of Tampa Bay’s four sacks and was credited with 10 tackles — an extraordinary total for a defensive lineman.
* More than a few Buc fans are furious Bowles didn’t go for two. Instead, he essentially sent the game into OT by ordering up an extra point. Some coaches would have gone for the win right there. Some … but not many. Easy to second-guess after the result.
* There were several Buc defenders surrounding Hopkins on his sensational 35-yard catch midway through the second quarter. Bowles won’t like the tape, but it was a heck of a throw by a pressured Mahomes and a fabulous grab by a big-time receiver.
* Who wants to head into a bye week with a 4-game losing streak? Nobody. The Bucs just lost to a superior opponent, but the 49ers are not the Chiefs. A win against SF would stop the bleeding and set the Bucs up nicely for a late-season playoff run.
November 5th, 2024 at 9:39 am
Ira spitting facts as always. 9ers coming off a week of rest, short week for Bucs. Will most likely have Cmac back. Bucs need to find a way to win, this will be a battle.
November 5th, 2024 at 9:44 am
When the schedule came out this year, we all knew this would be a tough stretch before the bye. I had us at 5-5 at the bye and stated this team, and us on JBF, need to have resilience as the schedule after the bye is much easier.
Hayes was exposed against D-Hop but most DB’s would also. Hayes needs to keep his head up and get back to work, and he’ll get better.
November 5th, 2024 at 9:50 am
Zyon is gonna get paid and he is the best corner there is no reason for a first time starter Hayes to be covering a veteran like Hopkins ever. A competent defensive coordinator would have made that adjustment of their “scheme” that’s just arrogance that will help get Bowles fired. Zyon isn’t revis but come on
November 5th, 2024 at 9:51 am
Disagree that Mahomes throw in to triple coverage was fabulous. Disagree it was a fabulous grab by Hopkins. That play should be broken up 100 times out of 100. This is the ONLY thing I agree with Todd Bowles on, is when he called out Winfield by name. That’s generally a no-no. But Winfields play was so inexcusable it made even Bowles – the most mild mannered of men with barely a pulse, to call out Winfield. Bill Belicheck dang near got a brain aneurysm on the manning cast at Winfields moronic decision to play the ball as if he was going out for a pass with Hopkins right in front of him. Its not just guys that belong on the practice squad (hayes/Britt/JTS) that have been bad. Both of our highly paid safeties have NOT been good ok. Inexcusable
November 5th, 2024 at 9:53 am
Hi Ira, good objective reporting. Yes, many would not have gone for 2 at that point of the game. Hindsight always easy.Yes the Bucs D played better than I thought they would. From what I saw they played hard and agressive, something I don’t think they had been doing previously. Yes, Josh Hays not ready for prime time especially against D Hop. LaVonte played hard and solid. Britt was better,but still way short of what is needed. However, Peyton Manning was on cue saying Kelsey and D Hop would have big games. The middle of the field is still a problem and don’t think that will change. I wish I could agree about the SF game, but on now on short week, another emotional loss and SF getting McCaffery back, don’t see a win here.
Yes the last half of the season much easier. However, this defense is no where near a championship defense. I think Bucs management looking down the road and does not think adding players desperately needed is worth the price of future draft picks. To an extent I agree. Presently they need 4 payers to make the impact needed, mlb,corner,2edge players.
Q, Has Jamel Dean ever played anything close to a whole season?. Maybe we traded the wrong guy at corner. Carlton Davis playing well and playing all the time. I always thought between him and Dean Carton was the better player
At this point maybe 9 wins, 8 more likely, not enough to win the division or wild card and with this defense do you really want to see this team gaffed in the playoffs. Licht may have it right. Maybe it is not worth the price to pay to get 1 player whhen 1 simply is not enough.
November 5th, 2024 at 9:55 am
The 49ers are beatable.
November 5th, 2024 at 9:58 am
“most DB’s would also.”
What, exactly has Hopkins done in the last 5 YEARS or so. 5 second 40 dhop getting 80 yards against a guy that should never see live NFL game action does not put a stamp on anything to signify that he’s back. d-hop talking and doing the “too small” thing against a poor sap practice squad level guy is…something. Flopping like a woman against tykee smith is..something. We’ll see how good he really is when going against starting caliber players, but i feel comfotable in saying hes still a washed up tool
November 5th, 2024 at 10:02 am
I literally said if you score here you go for 2 on the prior possession. Bowles is an idiot… It’s not Bryce Young it’s Mahomes… Not going for 2 was the cowardly decision he shouldnt have called the timeout either. He needs to go away I have never been more pisse doff at a Bucs team than this one…
November 5th, 2024 at 10:05 am
Agree David Kilmer, fans and beat writers always become “experts” in hindsight…..
Last week is was blame Todd Bowels for the Godwin injury
This week its blame Todd Bowels for a 50/50 decision…..
When it really should be blame Todd Bowels and Jason Licht for the atrocious defense.
November 5th, 2024 at 10:10 am
Tolerable Todd does it again. Not great enough to win.. Cant make the important decisions to push this team forward in a pinch
November 5th, 2024 at 10:12 am
I would rather give my offense a chance to win the game on a two point conversion, then leave it to a coin toss. Bet on yourself.
November 5th, 2024 at 10:19 am
11) Bucs need to let Coach Bowles go.
November 5th, 2024 at 10:25 am
Easy to second-guess after the result.
I disagree and that is why i always say you cant judge a decision only from the outcome but if the decision was right or worng.
You GO FOR IT. Regardelss from the result you must go for it.
Even if you dont take into account that the Defense has played many snaps and are tired. Even if you dont think that is Mahomes on the other side. You dont need to think all that.
You are at the 2yd line. Either you make it or dont you have a play and you need 2 yds. Go fo it. You may not have a chance to win the game with the OT rules. If you are in the Playoffs with the different OT rules i still believe you must go but i understand the different view then. But not with the regular season OT rules. Go fo it, take your chance.
Go Bucs
November 5th, 2024 at 10:28 am
Ira says
More than a few Buc fans are furious Bowles didn’t go for two. Instead, he essentially sent the game into OT by ordering up an extra point. Some coaches would have gone for the win right there. Some … but not many. Easy to second-guess after the result.
That’s EXACTLY RIGHT IRA!!!!
You nailed it
As I’ve being saying, blaming JUST Bowles for this is incomplete inaccurate and unfair…..and utterly RIDICULOUS
November 5th, 2024 at 10:34 am
49er comming off a bye and we are on a short week…. ugh
November 5th, 2024 at 10:39 am
I’m done with Bowles.
November 5th, 2024 at 10:41 am
riding the rollercoaster at busch gardens and being a bucs fan are exactly the same thing…
i will say no more
November 5th, 2024 at 10:44 am
oh yeah one last thing…….
if we ran in the 2 point play for the win, and quickly scrambled out of their stadium and onto the plane…
people today would be saying: BOWLES FOR PREZ !!
November 5th, 2024 at 10:45 am
Mental Make Up
It will be interesting to see if Baker can be the leader he was last year and spark the team to winning ways. He’s the only real leader on the team.
When you have Bowles as a HC, you appreciate leaders like Arians and Dan Campbell.
November 5th, 2024 at 10:45 am
Considering the defense getting worn down and Mahomes, going for two was the smarter option.
Second guessing can only be done after the fact, otherwise it is first guessing. Most viewers first guessed this one, I bet.
November 5th, 2024 at 10:46 am
For as long as I can remember, the NFL goes for 2 on the road. So don’t give me that only “some” would have. B.S.
November 5th, 2024 at 10:54 am
When the Chiefs lined up on defense and got ready to rush it looked terrifying. When the Bucs line up and get ready to rush most of them aren’t even ready for the snap when it happens.
Hopkins has looked washed up for three or four years, Bucs make him look like an All-Pro. Kelce has been awful this year, Bucs make him look like an All-Pro. Kareem Hunt has barely played football for a year, yep, you guessed it, All-Pro.
The offense is currently making chicken salad out of chicken spit. No recievers to speak of, and still somehow moving the ball.
Putting Josh Hayes one on one in the redzone with their only legitimate recieving threat, multiple times, is asinine. Coaching malpractice.
November 5th, 2024 at 11:00 am
Definition of insanity: repeating the same idiotic thing over and over again and expecting a different result. That is Bowles coaching philosophy in a nutshell and also us faithful Buc fans who hope week after week that the coaching will improve and the Bucs will actually will improve and avoid these mid season slumps. Bucs 0-3 in primetime games this year, besides the playoff win last year I think they were winless in primetime last season as well, a reflection of their coach.
BTW: as Dallas and Tampa are both circling the drain, can that Sunday Night game they have scheduled be flexed for a better matchup?
Anyhow, Bowles better find a way to 10 wins or should expect the Glazers to break this cycle of insanity and launch him for general ineptitude and incompetence.
November 5th, 2024 at 11:16 am
Make a run for the playoffs Ira? What are they putting in the drinking water in the press box? Did you not see a defense give up 12 out of 18 third down attempts? Not sure Bowles saw it either otherwise he would’ve shown some nuts, and gone for two. This team won’t win the division, won’t make the playoffs. This team has a lot of good things, defense isn’t among them. They can’t stop anybody, the middle of the field is wide open. Not only did we lose the air war, their ground forces finished the job. If the game was played on water, they would’ve beat us there too. Playoff run? That’s a good one, needed a laugh after last nights coaching nightmare.
November 5th, 2024 at 11:20 am
I loved your article, Ira, and I think Todd is a good coach but still makes mistakes (many other coaches admit to some as well). I can’t see us firing him and losing a DC at the same time. I think it is ridiculous to hire Liam as HC when he is finally becoming a great OC in his first year here. I also thought our Bucs played very well in an exciting fun-to-watch game.
November 5th, 2024 at 11:29 am
Bowles is on the wrong side more often then not. There’s been several game management decisions that he simply doesn’t get right. He’s always going to lean to the safe side, that’s just how he’s wired. The league is set up to reward aggressive offensive play….opponents are a step ahead in both scheme and game management. I think 9-8 is his ceiling, no different than White is 3.9 yds per carry RB. It’s who they are.
November 5th, 2024 at 11:55 am
What’s missing here is that hopefully Licht learned something last night… a few key trades to bolster a depleted roster is what championship organization do!! While d-hop and his sissy flop may not be a long term solution, he sure did mind the gap last night. Instead, JL’s ego driven homer approach to free agency and trades is pedestrian at best. If Smith has a couple more peanut punches, he’s likely to be the highest paid corner in the league in a couple of yrs. JL’s incestuous resigning of the entire squad in 2021, sticking with Hall n JTS (he played solid last night), how coaches fall in his lap (Bruce begged gor the job, and the others have been holdovers), and his refusal to engage in mid-season transactions begs the proverbial question. “What came first, the chicken or the egg?” Who’s to blame Bowles or Licht, who is enabling whom?
November 5th, 2024 at 12:03 pm
The Bucs are overmatched at Head Coach nearly every week.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:24 pm
11th takeaway.
NFL OT rules suck asphalt.
Stupid.
This isn’t Jr. High.
I’d feel the same if we would have benefited.
After altar battle, it came down to a coin flip. Sort of.
Why am I not hearing more bitching about this idiotic rule.
It was fricking prime time football.
Next thing you know; the networks will decide to save money and not install pylon cams at every game.
Oh, wait…
November 5th, 2024 at 12:28 pm
Bowels is an idiot in terms of “in game” coaching. You’re on the road near the end of the 1st half at the Chiefs 49, 4th and 4. And he punts…..
The decision not to go for two at the end of the game with :27 seconds left was dunce worthy. He’s on the road, in a hostile environment, against Mahomes, with a very porous defense. If we lose the coin toss, which is exactly what happened, we’ll probably never see the ball, which is exactly what happened. I would have much rather lost that game 24-23 than kick the extra point and take my chances in OT, which were essentially nil.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:45 pm
Hilarious stat on ESPN this morning. Their Analytics firm said Bucs had a 41% chance to convert the deuce. Think that’s a poor bet? The chance for the PAT to get blocked was 42%.
If I’m Jason Licht, any trades I was considering today are crumpled up and thrown into the trash; I wouldn’t trust Bowles with any shiny new toy.
Totally disagree with Ira about second-guessing. Even if you had full confidence that you’d win the flip, is Bowles trying to tell us he prefers to drive 70yds than trusting the same coach to dial up something to get us 3yds?!
I no longer trust this head coach. I thought the bumps in the road would make him more seasoned and he would grow into the position, but he’s just not learning.
November 5th, 2024 at 12:49 pm
Ira, I have to agree with many above about Bowles decision on the overtime, the more I think about it, the lesson should have been learned in the Atlanta game as they were steamrolled with running gains and short gains. I call it “death by 1000 cuts”. The Bucs defense when they need to make stops (third downs and end of games” they don’t. Seeing what happened in Atlanta with them getting a touchdown, Bowles should have learned his lesson. The Falcons ran it down their throats when needed to and so did the Chiefs.
The other thing I am really on Licht’s case about is why they havn’t made a trade for any linebacker with speed or any corner. This horrid zone defense on 3rd down where anybody can run to an open spot 12 yards downfield and turn around for easy catches isn’t the way an NFL defense should be ran.
Every week I’ve been pointing out players the Bucs need to contain and its always tight ends, every week, what happens? Tight ends go crazy. Kelse has slowed down but the Bucs made it too easy. Now they have Kittle coming in and he’s much faster and more athletic than Kelse. Is he gonna catch 15 balls for 150 yards and Niners dominate possession again?
Where is the trades for LB or corner, there are still some out there. Does anyone really expect when Dean comes back he won’t get injured again.
C’mon Licht, get off your ass and get us a CB and LB now, TODAY!
November 5th, 2024 at 1:05 pm
Mike Edwards available #Gethim
November 5th, 2024 at 1:30 pm
No Ira, most of us were 2nd guessing the call the moment it was made. No hindsight necessary, just makes us right.
Everyone calling Coen a genius and we don’t trust him to get 2 yards? But we will trust the D vs Mahomes? Ridiculous decision that cost them. All the context in that situation last night says go. Bowles will never get it and it’s a problem.
November 5th, 2024 at 1:50 pm
On the 2-point go/no go decision: Bowles the defensive mind got in way of Bowles the head coach. Todd will never be a great NFL head coach.
November 5th, 2024 at 2:08 pm
After the bye this schedule is cake! And considering we get Mike Evan’s back it changes a lot we played hard and caught some very bad breaks we could easily be 7-2 right now. Nobody wants to see us come playoff time! This game gave me so much hope it’s very similar to the 2020 season after that loss to KC except the defense I think will pick up from this game and be more dominant against more inferior opponents! I think baker provides a lil more considering he has a formidable run game and he also can use his legs to get out of the pocket.
November 5th, 2024 at 2:11 pm
When we end up 10-7 at the end of the season and we don’t make the playoffs will we remember this loss?
November 5th, 2024 at 2:33 pm
We win the coin toss, we probably win the game.
In the midst of all the hand wringing and hair pulling being done by fans/critics in the comments section here, there were a lot of positives in this game.
We weren’t given a chance but we fought hard and it came down to a few key plays, again.
Honestly, I’m proud of the boys. Todd had them ready to play. I’d point to penalties if I were going to blame Todd for anything. The choice to play for overtime was probably a mistake but 💩 happens. If we’d won the coin toss, scored a TD, everybody would be praising the decision.
We are closer than many of you think, even with injuries and weaknesses in key areas. Defensive losses at ILB and CB have been killing us but we’ve stayed competitive.
Firing Todd mid season, which is what SO MANY of you are calling for, would be such a stupid move! 🙄
November 5th, 2024 at 2:34 pm
Idk why Zyon McCollum didn’t shadow or guard Hopkins does he not play that side of the field? It was a punch in the gut loss
November 5th, 2024 at 2:37 pm
The only one who didn’t have any bite in him was and always is Blowels
November 5th, 2024 at 2:44 pm
“There was no quit by the visitors Monday night.” Except for their coach who found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Great way to show confidence in your offensive line and the rest of the offense.
November 5th, 2024 at 3:02 pm
Ira’s not wrong that a playoff push is possible. Remember the Texans debacle from last year? The Bucs recovered from that so it is possible they could do it again this year as well.
November 5th, 2024 at 4:06 pm
Yeah, gotta disagree on the whole praising DHop thing. He hasn’t done anything worthwhile in years. Literally just collecting a paycheck based off his name. He should be ready to go now that he has something to play for, but he was nothing special for a long time.