Ira Kaufman’s 10 Takeaways From Bucs-Commanders
January 13th, 2025
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
Sometimes, you have to give the other guy some credit.
The 2024 Buc season ended with a thud Sunday, a game-winning FG that clanked off the right upright as time expired. Tampa Bay fans will undoubtedly dwell on what the home team didn’t do, but the reality is the Commanders played a confident, poised game in prevailing 23-20.
The Buc defense had its moments with a pair of goal-line stands in the second half, but there were no takeaways and Jayden Daniels kept converting third downs so often that Liam Coen’s group was limited to only 44 snaps.
Heading into the Monday night matchup between the Vikings and Rams, Tampa Bay is the only home team that didn’t advance in the wild-card round.
Rookie quarterbacks have traditionally wilted in the postseason, but Daniels stood tall, whether he was in the pocket or racing around end.
“You can’t rattle this kid,” Washington executive Doug Williams told me as he walked to the team bus after the game. “He’s just different.”
Daniels completed 24 passes, including seven to favorite target Terry McLaurin. Although Washington’s ground game went nowhere, the Commanders dominated time of possession.
“How many times did we punt today?” bellowed Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury as he exchanged high-fives on the way to the locker room.
The answer: a big fat ZERO.
Despite solid games from Mike Evans and Bucky Irving, the Bucs were held below 24 points for only the fourth time this season. Baker Mayfield completed 15-of-18 passes and threw two short TD passes, but he also played a central role in the game’s only turnover — a muffed exchange with rookie wide receiver Jalen McMillen on a designed jet sweep.
The Commanders move on to the Motor City while the Bucs have an offseason to think about what could have been. A young, talented roster and a 10-8 record suggests good times are ahead for Tampa Bay football fans.
The heartbreak cut deep in the Buc locker room as Cade Otton lamented that the 2025 Bucs will look different.
Yes they will.
Improving this defense will be the obvious offseason priority and we shall soon find out whether Liam Coen will return to orchestrate a potent attack.
The Todd Bowles skeptics, and there are more than a handful, will use this setback as another example of poor clock management and spotty defense. The bitter truth is the Bucs were outplayed. The margin of victory was small, but it was evident nevertheless.
Give the visitors their due.
The Commanders opened the season with a loss in Tampa as Mayfield threw four TD passes. Four months later, Washington’s success on third down (8-of-15) kept Mayfield and company on ice.
The Bucs were a good team for most of the season, but they weren’t a complete team. They finished with only seven interceptions in 18 games. That’s not nearly good enough — and Bowles knows it.
Here’s how the Commanders stayed alive, improving to 13-5 behind Daniels, soon to be the runaway Offensive Rookie of the Year:
* If this was Lavonte David’s final NFL game, he went out balling. David posted eight tackles and Tampa Bay’s only sack. He will take some time to decide whether to make the commitment toward a 14th season. One thing’s for sure — if he plays, it will be in a Buc uniform.
* Missed tackles were a problem once again as Washington receivers consistently spun away for added yardage. It’s been an issue most of the season and it contributed to an untimely exit.
* We tend to take Chase McLaughlin for granted, and that’s an oversight. He converted from 50 yards out on Sunday evening and on those rare occasions when McLaughlin misses a kick, Buc Nation is shocked.
* Evans shook off his past struggles against Marshon Lattimore and had a heck of a game.
* Mayfield helped Evans set the tone on the very first snap, rolling right and hitting No. 13 for 11 yards with Lattimore in coverage. With the Bucs nursing a 17-13 lead, Evans made a terrific play early in the fourth quarter, stretching his arm out for an 8-yard gain on third-and-7. That momentum disappeared on the very next snap as Mayfield fumbled at his own 13-yard line.
* Tampa Bay’s rush defense, outstanding all season, was particularly stellar against the Commanders, who averaged 2.5 yards on their 33 carries. For the most part, Daniels was contained on the ground, with a long gain of only eight yards on his 13 runs.
* The Bucs limited McLaurin to two catches for 17 yards in the season opener, but he hurt Tampa Bay repeatedly in the rematch. Besides a 35-yard reception, it was McLaurin who got open deep in the end zone on fourth-and-2 from the 5-yard line to put Washington ahead 20-17.
* McLaughlin’s 32-yard FG tied the score with 4:41 remaining, but the Bucs had every opportunity to do more on a drive that featured a 26-yard strike to McMillan and Otton’s 20-yard catch-and-run. Tampa Bay had a second-and-1 from the 12-yard line before Mayfield was stuffed for no gain and Irving was dropped for a 2-yard loss. That proved to be a killer sequence.
* The Bucs talked all week about containing Daniels. Then he flashed the skills that portend lots of good times are ahead for long-suffering Washington fans. “Incredible football player, man,” David said. “They have a great football player over there.”
* Mayfield registered a 146.5 passer rating in the season finale. He would undoubtedly trade that in for an opportunity to extend Tampa Bay’s season. He finished with 43 TD passes in 18 games, rewarding management’s investment with the best season of his career. Imagine what he would have done if Chris Godwin hadn’t dislocated his ankle in Week 7?
* Otton is on point about this roster churning over. No team stays the same, but most of the core pieces will be back and the Bucs should be favored to win the NFC South for the fifth consecutive season. Jason Licht may be one more stellar draft class away from making this a very dangerous team in the fall.
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January 13th, 2025 at 1:32 am
Jason will probably have another excellent draft, but we’re in our championship window now, so it’s time to sign a few free agents that can contribute effectively and immediately:
1. A middle or inside linebacker that can plug the running game AND drop back in coverage. We need to sign one AND draft one. We are very thin, and non-existent if LVD retires.
2. An edge rusher. I feel like Diaby and Braswell are coming along, but that’s a position you can never take for granted in this 3-4 defense.
3. A veteran backup QB that can win a few games. Trask is probably gone, and we don’t need to develop a young guy anyway.
January 13th, 2025 at 1:37 am
Jason Licht needs to buy us an edge rush x 2 and draft secondary and linebacker. Nothing else needed more than that.
January 13th, 2025 at 1:46 am
They were ‘favorites’ at HOME. You don’t lose that game. You CAN’T. The second half of the season was ALL “smoke & mirrors” (had lots of people/fans fooled). They were exactly ‘who’ I thought they were. And, that was a ‘slightly’ above average football team in a VERY BADDDD Division (with THE ‘easiest’ 2nd-Half schedule in the entire league). And, that is okay! But, Bowles did nothing ‘special’ with this team. It’s just meh. They are who they are. It just is what it is. There are some BIG decisions ahead. Sometimes, you have to go BOLD, in order to get over the hump.
January 13th, 2025 at 1:47 am
You do have to tip your cap to Dan Quinn tonight. No doubt about it.
Problem is… will we ever say that about Bowles? Yeah we have seen him call a great defensive game and get one over on the opposing OC. People can point to the SB win where he isn’t in control of game management and got to face 2nd string tackles.
He clearly doesn’t instill confidence in the offense. They don’t know how to put away games. If the HC is constantly worried about turnovers, the team will be to… that’s a loser mentality and it will stick around and hurt this team as long as Todd is HC. Todd only has faith in his D when his best players are on O. It’s been clear as day for 2 full seasons now.
January 13th, 2025 at 1:50 am
Ira always provides the best, balanced, and reasoned review, post game. He has the ability to avoid the emotional and knee jerk take, instead providing an opinion that takes others several days after the game to arrive at. Good stuff😊
January 13th, 2025 at 1:51 am
What’s behind Door #2
January 13th, 2025 at 1:53 am
many things could have changed the outcome but who are the bucs beating in the playoffs with an injured dean . bucs werent going anywhere with that defensive backfield
January 13th, 2025 at 1:59 am
I like the script better where the duck keeps that fg from bouncing in
January 13th, 2025 at 2:28 am
As much as I hate to say it, we needed this loss. This helps us avoid the perception that we are close to making any sort of noise in the playoffs. Our defense is bush league and proved once again that paying big $$ for a safety did nothing to improve our team. The most obvious thing in this game was that our edge rush went over as well as an unrehearsed mom joke. Toad Bowels is as clever as Elmer Fudd when it comes to managing a clock or knowing when to have the cojones to ever go for it on offense.
January 13th, 2025 at 2:34 am
You should do a poll and see how many fans of other teams would want Bowles if he were to be available. If bet then answer is near zero.
For some reason the local media is gaslighting the fans into thinking Bowles is a competent, motivating leader of men. If he coached in any other division, he’d have ben fired a year ago.
January 13th, 2025 at 3:23 am
“No risk it, no biscuit” as the last coach said. Not once in that game did Bowles take a risk and bet on his offense. And alas, us fans are going home very unfulfilled.
January 13th, 2025 at 3:28 am
Only 6 total guys besides the center touched the ball on offense.
They had 25 more plays than us.
The defense was so horrendous the offense never had a chance to really get going.
There are a lot of teams who are better than the Bucs who won’t win it all.
SBs are hard to win and the Bucs will be in year 1 of a 3 year window with Bucky at RB. I still think he should compliment another RB more. White only getting 1 carry is a joke. Tucker was an afterthought.
Year 2 will be better. With CG we don’t even need offensive players.
This defense needs all the draft picks it can get. Plus 3 FA additions.
Not taking a CB after trading CDIII was the biggest issue IMO.
Way too many easy TDs this year against Hayes and Funderbirkensteinawich.
January 13th, 2025 at 3:30 am
Like Simeon said check n see what’s behind door number 2
January 13th, 2025 at 4:03 am
Sorry but they were outcoaached. Fire Bowles.
January 13th, 2025 at 4:08 am
Bye Todd….im sorry, luv you man…
BUT who replaces him? this sucks, with you on that Jason
January 13th, 2025 at 4:20 am
Another crucial night game. Another Bowles flop.
January 13th, 2025 at 4:53 am
Great points, Ira. I always look forward to your honest perspective afterwards.
Jayden is definitely not rattled and he found the perfect fit with the team and coaches.
Thankful for the Bucs. McLaughlin has been the unsung hero throughout. They definitely have given us a nail-biting and sensational season. On to the draft picks now.
January 13th, 2025 at 5:04 am
I am sorry. I am tired of Bowles.
January 13th, 2025 at 5:17 am
And thats what i said. How many times did they punt? 0. Thats not good D. Thats unacceptable. Especially from a defensive guru.
January 13th, 2025 at 5:21 am
Simeon4HOF Says:
January 13th, 2025 at 1:51 am
What’s behind Door #2″
Your Mom
January 13th, 2025 at 5:53 am
all this fire Bowles stuff Reminds me of all the other FIRE COACH desires. Pushed Gruden out of town and that started the lost decade! 4 coach firings, each one an over reaction of the other. Raheem was too young at the time, but produced a 10-6 season with his Youngry Bucs, fans pushed him out and glazers overcompensated with a fierce dictator type. That did work so a ‘return to our roots” hire brought the Lovie disaster, then “can’t let the OC separate from our QB” overreaction brought on the worst defense we’ve ever seen in Tampa. So PLEASE.. Stop the fire Bowles stuff, He’s NOT the problem, we just need a little more talent on the team and lookout.
January 13th, 2025 at 6:41 am
One thing we cannot forget, if we fire Bowles, is that we will have a completely different defense next year. Obviously, we need a linebacker or three, but it won’t be Dick Lebeau’s old resurrected Frankenstein defence….I hope.
January 13th, 2025 at 6:45 am
Ownership loves Bowles. He is staying.
I was very disappointed in our OC’s game plan. Very vanilla. O-line regressed couldn’t protect, couldn’t run block.
Climbing the mountain is exhausting. Depth is necessary. We just don’t have it at this time. Agree with others here on what needs to happen in free agency and the draft. Are we out of cap hell yet?
January 13th, 2025 at 6:50 am
Fire bowles or force him to hire a DC. he aint it. redskins running 25 more plays and having ten more minutes of time of possession just tells you how crap the defense is.
January 13th, 2025 at 6:56 am
It’s nearly 7 am, the day after, why isn’t Bowles fired yet?
January 13th, 2025 at 6:56 am
Only home team to lose in the playoffs
January 13th, 2025 at 7:09 am
Ira, you sound like a battered wife who won’t blame her husband for her black eye! We were out coached, again. Todd did not have his troops ready, Quinn did. At home that’s inexcusable. I’m tired watching this Wooden Indian on the sidelines. Todd’s team plays as passive as he is. No fire, no passion. Maybe he’s different behind closed doors, but it’s obvious there’s no emotion on the sideline. Quinn kept his foot on the gas. Never punted, because he went for every 4th down. Todd settled for a FG to tie, yet again, and lost, yet again. Give me a Quinn, or Cambell, someone with stones, and passion. I’d rather go down in a ball of flames then settle for FGs.
January 13th, 2025 at 7:26 am
Chrisonthecape Says:
January 13th, 2025 at 6:56 am. “Only home team to lose in the playoffs.”
That isn’t Todd’s fault.
January 13th, 2025 at 7:32 am
“Funderbirkensteinawich”. LOL
January 13th, 2025 at 7:35 am
Outplayed and outcoached…
January 13th, 2025 at 7:46 am
That’s crazy when the other team’s OC is laughing and saying “how many times did we punt ” embarrassing Bowles
January 13th, 2025 at 7:47 am
Out-coached. Defense cost the game.
January 13th, 2025 at 7:53 am
TB is 3 games over 500. The last two years we had to go on a run to win a weak division. This team has talent. I dont see many of the defenders improving. Look at the skins down and distance conversion. And no PUNTS. I believe he has peaked. I dont have confidence in him taking us to the promise land. I dont see it. He was outcoached by KK. I also dont believe he had us ready to play, we looked flat and made some silly penalties.
January 13th, 2025 at 7:59 am
Bring back Godwin, sign a Edge rusher. Get rid of Dean Use his 15 million sign his replacement. Draft Defense with top 3 picks Edge LB DB
January 13th, 2025 at 8:03 am
The view from the cheapseats was simple
Turnovers
Bucs 1, Commanders 0
After that brilliant goal line stand, and the amazing dive Evans made to get the first down, we got bad Baker. The D damn near bailed him out but couldn’t.
Sad.
It wasn’t Coen’s best game.
Why does Irving stop sometimes?
Should we have gone for it on fourth (probably yes, not sure what the analytics said).
But in the end you can’t turn the ball over inside your own 20 in a playoff game and expect to win.
January 13th, 2025 at 8:06 am
And all the Bowles haters here are pathetic losers.
January 13th, 2025 at 9:08 am
If Bowles would have been desired by the Glazers instead of installed by ransom I’d understand their reluctance to get rid of him.
But that simply isn’t the case. And the results are in.
The only playoff victory under this HC was against a severely wounded Eagles team that was clearly finished weeks prior.
Being the prettiest 4H girl at the state fair shouldn’t be enough.
Remember that until the GOAT was brought in, this franchise was moribund.
Same as it ever was with the toilet bowl in charge.
January 13th, 2025 at 9:39 am
Hard to beat a team that makes no punts and doesn’t have a single turnover (other than on downs).
January 13th, 2025 at 9:41 am
The biggest weakness going into this season was a team full of very good starters, but having nobody experienced or stellar behind them. They paid the price for that in the end.
January 13th, 2025 at 10:23 am
Mike C a typewriter thuggette punk azz beotch lol
January 13th, 2025 at 10:37 am
I mean wuz just wondering if there is a DC that can win night games, build a defense, manage the clock, motivate the players proper, take responsibility, press receivers, practice better, not squander the talent we have, get us beyond mediocre again, end plan 9 and 90, etcetera
January 13th, 2025 at 11:21 am
Bowles is incapable of coaching close games that matter, except when Brady was the defacto real coach. This translates into 2 or 3 losses every season that Bucs should have won. They have a lot of talent but the coaching is mediocre. That doesn’t win championships.
January 13th, 2025 at 11:45 am
TB and the not ready for prime time team!! Get used to it as long as he’s the HC!
January 13th, 2025 at 11:52 am
“”And all the Bowles haters here are pathetic losers.””
What are you 12 yrs old?
January 13th, 2025 at 11:59 am
Godwin: if only!
January 13th, 2025 at 12:08 pm
“Jason Licht may be one more stellar draft class away from making this a very dangerous team in the fall.” – Ira
Agree 100%.
We’ll be fixing the defense, and that will make this team a superbowl contender for years to come.
January 13th, 2025 at 12:34 pm
The current set of DBs couldn’t cover a blind nun on a wheelchair. The defensive coaches are ten years behind the NFL trends. Nothing will change until the coaching is brought up to standards. It’s not only the players, Jason misfired on but also how the coaches teach and adapt defensive play. Clean house.
January 13th, 2025 at 2:14 pm
Yes, as others have pointed out, we were outcoached.
Liam skrewed the pooch. Offensive juggernaut my a$$.
January 13th, 2025 at 7:25 pm
Daniel’s turned out to be a good one. Still like Baker as our QB. ALSO we need a secondary!! And a DC. Let Bowles be the HC.