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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered Week 12 at 5-5 but somehow leading the NFC South. They were coming off their bye week, a place where quarterback Tom Brady typically excels. Everyone remembers that the Bucs were 7-5 heading into their bye week two years ago. They did not lose another game on their way to a Super Bowl victory. Considering the Buccaneers had won two straight before the bye with the offense looking as good as they had all season, Sunday was a bitter disappointment.
The Buccaneers lost 23-17 to the Cleveland Browns in overtime. They led 17-10 for most of the 4th quarter until Jacoby Brissett found David Njoku in the back of the end zone. It was a fantastic catch that sent twitter ablaze. In overtime, Brady and the Bucs offense did nothing with the ball, not once, but twice. Brissett found Amari Cooper for a deep ball, setting up Nick Chubb to send the Browns fans home happy with a three-yard touchdown run.
This must easily be the most disappointing loss of the year, and there have been a bunch of them. So, we decided to delve into the 3 Buccaneers most to blame for the deflating loss to the Browns.
1. Tom Brady – Buccaneers QB
Everything the Buccaneers do begins and starts with number 12, Tom Brady. Statistically, he did not have a poor game. He finished 29-for-43 for 246 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions. But there were a number of times that Brady missed some shots downfield. He also failed to make some changes at the line we are accustomed to seeing Brady make.
He is the first to stand up and say that he needs to do more, and did so after the game. Brady is far from the only reason the Buccaneers lost Sunday. But the leader of this team needs to shoulder some of the blame.
2. Mike Evans – Bucs WR
As each game passes, Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans continues to be more and more ineffective. Despite garnering nine targets, he was only able to reel in two passes from Brady. He turned them into 31 yards. Evans now has a total of 125 receiving yards over the last three games.
It's not for a lack of volume. Brady looks his way, especially deep. But the connection just hasn't been there. Ever since his awful drop on a wide open deep touchdown pass, he hasn't looked like the same player. The normally sure-handed receiver has dropped a number of balls. It's so bad, even Julio Jones has been more productive over the last month.
If the Bucs offense is going to turn it on at some point this season, Evans needs to be an integral part of it.
3. Jason Licht – Buccaneers general manager
If I asked you what was the most consistent part of the Tampa team the last few years, what would you say? Tom Brady? The running game with Leonard Fournette? No, it was their ability to stop the run.
The Buccaneers were so good at stopping the run the last three seasons that often teams would not even try. They would just drop back in shotgun and let it rip, to their demise against a talented secondary expecting the pass. This offseason, the Bucs decided not to re-sign defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
I don't think it's just a coincidence that just about everyone can run on the Bucs defense now. Entering Sunday, they ranked 20th in the NFL allowing over 123 rushing yards per game. Nick Chubb rushed for 116 yards and the game-winning touchdown in overtime today.
Meanwhile, the Eagles picked up Suh on a one-year deal. It would not have cost much to bring him back. Jason Licht must have thought the 35-year-old wasn't worth it. But I bet he is regretting that decision today. Anytime you know what the opposing offense is going to do, you have a massive advantage. That was once an advantage only Tampa Bay owned. They found out the hard way once again that is no longer the case.
