Was Sunday’s Win An Accident?
September 16th, 2024
Defense rocked.
When something happens that rarely occurs, is it better to call the event an accident?
Well, the Bucs defense was no accident yesterday. They very much bailed out the Bucs by stonewalling the Lions four times in the fourth quarter without a point, despite Detroit marching into Bucs territory on each of those four drives.
This was a one-sided game. The Bucs had no sacks yet gave up 4.5 sacks — to one man! The Bucs couldn’t run the ball yet they gave up 139 rushing yards.
Well, if you look at NFL history, yeah, the Bucs win yesterday was an accident. Only once since the merger in 1970 has a team been so statistically outplayed yet still won, per Kevin Patra of NFL.com.
The Buccaneers became the second team since the 1970 merger to win a game despite being outgained by 200-plus total yards (463-216) and having a sack differential of minus five or worse (other: Houston Oilers in Week 8, 1987, at Cincinnati Bengals).
So, was yesterday an accident? OK, yeah. Did the Bucs have some luck winning yesterday (like the Lions botched field goal attempt to end the first half)? Sure.
But as the old cliche goes, better to be lucky than good. And yeah, it appears the Bucs are good, too.
September 16th, 2024 at 11:03 am
A happy accident
Can’t count on many things like yesterday happening consistently
Offense needs to tighten up and the defense needs to get healthy and quickly
Go Bucs!!!
September 16th, 2024 at 11:05 am
Never would’ve bet the D would’ve won that game. Offense looked terrible except for 3 drives.
September 16th, 2024 at 11:06 am
Actually, the Bucs defense got more pressure on Golf. They didn’t get any sacks, but they got 10 QB hits. The Lions got 5 QB hits on Baker, and they all came from Hutch.
September 16th, 2024 at 11:09 am
Bucs have learned how to win. It’s a culture change that started the day Bruce Arians walked in. The team believes it can win even when things aren’t going our way. We got beat on the yardage & sacks but we made key plays and stops when we needed them. Our culture change started with BA & Brady but Baker has definitely kept it alive and well. We are going to be better than people expect because even when we are down key players the team will respond and fight to win.
September 16th, 2024 at 11:13 am
Got to address that RT situation. Highest priority.
September 16th, 2024 at 11:13 am
Accident isn’t the right word. “Accident” implies they weren’t trying and the incident randomly occurred.
“Anomaly” is more accurate.
September 16th, 2024 at 11:15 am
Nothing lucky about it when you play great red zone defense. Joe, the NFL is about points and not yards (I think I read that here 😉 . Maybe you can start a football league JoeFL where yards are used to score the game. 🙂
I’ll take a defense that creates a 1-7 red zone stat.
September 16th, 2024 at 11:15 am
LOL @ “A happy accident”.
September 16th, 2024 at 11:16 am
“”Never would’ve bet the D would’ve won that game. Offense looked terrible except for 3 drives.””
Good point.
September 16th, 2024 at 11:17 am
We won the turnover margin and if you consider the lions botching the end of the first half another turnover, that makes a difference. As Bucs fans were also understand the importance of finishing drives with touchdowns not field goals. Sometimes you find a way to win a game.
September 16th, 2024 at 11:18 am
From where I was sitting it looked like EVERYONE on defense was playing like it was the Super Bowl. This team has depth and guys played like it was the last game of their life.
September 16th, 2024 at 11:18 am
We got lucky for sure but we would not have not neede luck if we had Luke and winfield and chancey
September 16th, 2024 at 11:19 am
I don’t think they outplayed us. They got more yardage but the defense kept them out of the end zone except once. Yardage means nothing if they don’t score!!
September 16th, 2024 at 11:19 am
Yeah the 4.5 sacks from the same guy isn’t a indication of a problem other than the one guy needing help. The fact that he got 4.5 sacks to me means the coach didn’t adjust to it fast enough, but he did adjust. The fact we didn’t have VV, or Winfield, Clancy, I think they did a hell of a job. Even with as much Rushing they allowed. It just goes to show the impact VV has
September 16th, 2024 at 11:23 am
More NFL games are LOST rather than WON …
That’s why, turnover decide the winner …
That’s why, stats are for losers …
Bowles plays to not lose and it’s pretty smart. The Bucs had the lead and challenged the Lions to win. It’s the reason for the stat differential. Bowles trusted his defense. The defense pulled through and the Lions ultimately beat themselves.
September 16th, 2024 at 11:27 am
I gotta disagree. Look they threw 2 interception and realistically should have been 4 int. The yardage was there but we absolutely shut that offense down. The offense on the other hand made horrible mistakes by leaving skule without an extra lineman. The very thing we said we can’t do……we did. Liam…..you gotta be better than that. Why aren’t we running screens right at him. That slows down the rush
September 16th, 2024 at 11:29 am
Credit Licht for drafting solid players….especially backups…..we overcame perhaps the worst RT play in Bucs history
September 16th, 2024 at 11:33 am
Some of the best things come from mistakes. Just take a long look in the mirror JBF family…
September 16th, 2024 at 11:49 am
The 4 point lead was Golden….
September 16th, 2024 at 11:50 am
This game was won with the botched/missed field goal opportunity at the end of the first half by Detroit.That coaching mistake changed the game. Then to compound things Goff tried to force a pass late. Defense was great and the offense did enough to win.
September 16th, 2024 at 11:59 am
The coaches deserve a ton of credit, they had the backups totally prepared. 8 was awesome, smacking dudes left and right. Those players all played their azz’s off yesterday. Bowles is doing an amazing job so far this year!
GO BUCS
September 16th, 2024 at 12:08 pm
Great team win
September 16th, 2024 at 12:15 pm
It was not an accident because that is what we intended to happen. From the Lions perspective it could be an accident. But I don’t care about the Lions point of view.
September 16th, 2024 at 12:17 pm
Micky mantle said better to be lucky than good
September 16th, 2024 at 12:44 pm
Raw Numbers –
In 2023, against opponents of all caliber:
– 8 teams had winning records when playing as the visitors.
– 5 teams had breakeven records as the visitors
– 19 teams had losing records as the visitors
So, anytime you defeat a Quality opponent as the visitors, yes, you are lucky. But, you must also be doing something that works.
In pregame analysis, Joe Belichick said that the key was to get pressure in Goff’s face and then to catch the ball when he throws it to a defender.
The Bucs did exactly that twice yesterday, and it was the difference in a very close game. The first pick gave the Bucs 3 points and 2 minutes and 20 seconds of ball possession. The second pick gave the Bucs 2 minutes and 22 seconds of ball possession and 54 yards of field position. Pressure on Goff up the middle made exactly the difference that Belichick predicted. Who would have think it?
September 16th, 2024 at 12:51 pm
I remember days back in the late 90s when our defense played lights out but the offense couldn’t do anything and we’d lose 9-7. I’ll not apologize for yesterday’s win.
September 16th, 2024 at 1:03 pm
@Ufcguy32
The Bucs just do not have the OL to grind the ball down the field against a team like Detroit, so they rightly played risk it for the biscuit when they needed to.
I wonder if the way they played Schule was part of that. Near the end of the game, they had Evans alone on the right side and tried to get the ball to him immediately one-on-one. They did not execute the play successfully – the ball was batted in the backfield and Evans was covered. I do not recall seeing a safety in the area. If Evans had run a Go to the outside with a rainbow pass from Mayfield, they might have had a big gain or six points.
Generally speaking I agree with you. But, maybe, just maybe, they were trying to set up something big.
September 16th, 2024 at 1:16 pm
SlyPirate Says:
September 16th, 2024 at 11:23 am
More NFL games are LOST rather than WON …
I believe those numbers are exactly even.
September 16th, 2024 at 1:19 pm
At the end of the day, the Bucs got the W! In January, that’s all that matters!
Accident? Or did the Bucs just out play the Lions at most key spots in the game? Pick one! It doesn’t matter! Same result! W!!!
September 16th, 2024 at 1:48 pm
It wasn’t an accident, Joe. It was mental toughness.
September 16th, 2024 at 1:50 pm
On a side note, many teams have won with less offensive production. The fact that Mayfield stayed mentally tough after being sacked so much…that was impressive. And it kept the rest of the team tough.
The man scored points with me.
September 16th, 2024 at 4:14 pm
Wasn’t an accident or an anomaly stats without context is what pff does the bucs are a solid team and they won cuz they made the plays when they needed to. I don’t think the field goal before the half lost the game for the lions either nothing will play out exactly as it was becuase the circumstances are different . It’s hard for sports pundits to admit and some fans that the bucs are just a good team. Go bucs!
September 16th, 2024 at 4:42 pm
BB, you are exactly right. Mayfield’s feisty toughness infected the entire Bucs team. 5 sacks and he wasn’t carted off on a stretcher? Simply beyond amazing. I have watched so many of these games end with heartbreaking losses. This was an entire team victory, and no accident. I will say the Lions have a very good team. Hutchinson deserves all the accolades he’s received.
September 16th, 2024 at 8:15 pm
it was the secondary. those young guns played all out and made the difference.
September 17th, 2024 at 8:26 am
Lions beat themselves