Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Full Report Card Grades for Tampa Bay
It wasn't a 56-14 drubbing in front of a national audience, but it was another loss just the same for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who fell to 1-8 on the season with a 27-17 home loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Despite outgaining the Falcons 373 yards to 322 yards on offense and getting a 300-yard performance from quarterback Josh McCown in his return to the starting lineup, penalties and poor execution down the stretch led the Bucs to their first 0-5 home record since 1983.
Tampa Bay's defense did its best to limit the big plays from Atlanta's offense, holding Matt Ryan to just 219 yards passing and not allowing any plays over 40 yards. But it wasn't enough to stop the Falcons from notching their third win of the season—two of which have come against the Bucs.
Despite running the ball with extreme success in the first half of last week's loss to the Cleveland Browns, the Bucs abandoned the run in the second half of that game and continued that trend Sunday, spreading only 18 carries among their three backs. McCown ended up leading Tampa Bay with 39 yards rushing on five attempts.
The absence of cornerback Alterraun Verner was painfully obvious throughout the afternoon, as Ryan continued to take advantage of matchups between his top receivers and Crezdon Butler, who started in Verner's place. Julio Jones led the Falcons with 119 yards on eight catches, while Roddy White caught six passes for 72 yards and Ryan's only touchdown of the game.
Tampa Bay's starting receivers turned in a solid performance of their own, despite dealing with the quarterback change. Rookie first-rounder Mike Evans continued to prove his worth as a top-10 pick with yet another 100-yard performance and his fifth touchdown of the year, while veteran Vincent Jackson caught a team-high eight passes for 75 yards.
With every loss, Tampa Bay fans look more and more toward next year's draft rather than the team's chances of turning things around this season.
Quarterback
1 of 10
It may have been a different man under center, but the result was much the same for the Bucs with McCown calling the signals.
The veteran completed 27 of his 43 passes for 301 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but he threw an interception on each of Tampa Bay's final two drives to seal yet another loss for the Bucs. McCown seemed to find a rhythm for a decent stretch of the game, but much like with most of Glennon's starts, it was a case of too little too late.
McCown's mobility does set him apart from Glennon, which he showed by leading the team in rushing with 39 yards on five attempts. But this was just another performance that proved the Bucs need to look for their next franchise quarterback in the 2015 draft.
GRADE: C-
Running Back
2 of 10
There was definitely a committee approach with the running backs this week, and none of them did anything in particular to set themselves apart in Sunday's effort.
Much ado was made about rookie Charles Sims making his first appearance of the season after returning from ankle surgery, and the third-rounder did show some flashes, ending the game with 40 total yards on 10 touches. But a second-half fumble marred what was otherwise a solid outing for a first-year player getting his first crack at regular season action.
Bobby Rainey rushed for just 14 yards on his six carries, but he continues to show his value in the passing game, catching four passes for 42 yards. Mike James excelled in his short-yardage role, carrying four times for 16 yards and converting all three of his short-yardage attempts.
Nothing spectacular from this group and Sims' fumble hurts the overall grade, but Rainey's contributions in the passing game and James' success converting 3rd-and-short situations help make up for that.
GRADE: C+
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
Tampa Bay's starting receivers continued their run of impressive performances this week, and it looks like the Bucs may have knocked one out of the park with their first-round pick in 2014.
Evans became the first rookie in Tampa Bay history to log back-to-back 100-yard games, catching seven passes for 125 yards and his fifth touchdown of the season, three of which have come in the past two games. The top-10 pick continues to show big-play ability and uses his size to win jump balls against smaller corners.
Jackson may have passed the torch of being the Bucs' No. 1 target to Evans, but the veteran is still putting up solid numbers of his own. Jackson caught a team-high eight passes for 75 yards and moved the chains consistently all afternoon.
Rookie tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins had the best performance of his career so far, hauling in five passes for 30 yards and a touchdown, his second score of the season. The touchdown was marred by a personal foul penalty for using the ball as a prop in his celebration, and the Washington product had yet another dropped ball on what should have been an easy reception.
Evans and Jackson keep making plays, and Seferian-Jenkins looks to be developing nicely. This week was another solid effort by this unit.
GRADE: B+
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
Last week, this unit turned in an impressive effort, even without its starting left tackle. Anthony Collins was missing due to injury yet again this week, but the Bucs didn't get the same overachieving performance from the offensive line.
Despite playing a Falcons team that had posted a league-worst seven sacks coming into the game, McCown was sacked four times, hurried or hit plenty more and was forced out of the pocket often enough to lead the team in rushing yards. Oniel Cousins struggled in his second game at left tackle, having moved over from his normal guard spot in place of Collins.
On the ground, Tampa Bay's running backs managed just 53 yards on 18 carries.
Penalties continue to plague this group as well, from holding calls to false starts.
No matter who is under center, the play of this unit must continue to improve for the Bucs to have any hope of winning games over the second half of the season.
GRADE: D
Defensive Line
5 of 10
Tampa Bay's front four was outperformed by the league's worst pass-rushing team, managing just one sack compared to four from the Falcons.
Clinton McDonald was the only Buccaneer to bring down Ryan, and the unit's overall lack of pressure allowed Ryan enough time to keep converting key third-down attempts down the field.
After bagging three sacks over the past two games, Gerald McCoy's name was called only when he committed two offsides penalties on one drive.
Atlanta crossed the century mark in rushing yards as well, putting up 110 yards on the ground and averaging just shy of four yards per carry.
Every week, it seems like the same story: The Tampa 2 is predicated on pressure from the front four that creates turnovers by the back seven. Neither of those things is happening, and the Bucs continue to lose.
GRADE: D
Linebacker
6 of 10
Tampa Bay's linebackers continue to succeed at keeping things in front of them for the most part, but the splash plays that are vital to the defense's success just aren't coming yet.
Lavonte David racked up his weekly helping of 14 tackles, while Mason Foster was second on the team with nine total stops. Danny Lansanah tallied six stops of his own, but pass deflections, forced fumbles and interceptions were absent from this group for yet another week.
This unit is likely still adjusting to the transition from last year's scheme to the Tampa 2, but fans are growing impatient with allowing opposing offenses to eat up yardage in small chunks and still convert once inside the red zone.
This group bent but didn't break, but that's just not good enough without any big plays.
GRADE: C-
Secondary
7 of 10
This group started the game behind the eight ball, playing without Verner. Much like the linebackers, though, the Tampa Bay secondary is excelling in the "bend, don't break" aspect of the Tampa 2 but can't seem to create the turnovers needed for this defensive scheme to be successful.
Butler replaced Verner in the starting lineup and was picked on often, giving up plenty of yards to Jones and allowing Ryan's only touchdown pass of the day on a simple crossing route.
Johnthan Banks continues to prove he's progressing nicely in his second season and has easily been Tampa Bay's best defensive back so far this season. Banks got beat deep by Jones, but he took advantage of a poor throw by Ryan and recovered to knock away a sure touchdown. Banks also finished second on the team with eight tackles on the day.
Major Wright looks like an upgrade over Mark Barron due to his fit and experience in the system, and both he and Dashon Goldson kept Ryan and the Falcons passing attack from taking the top off the defense.
Like most of the team, there were positives from this group, but it just wasn't enough. Without creating takeaways, it's tough for this group to turn in a high grade. Considering it played without Verner, though, it wasn't too bad of a showing.
GRADE: C
Special Teams
8 of 10
Rookie Patrick Murray flashed the big leg that gave him the job over veteran Connor Barth, as he opened Sunday's scoring with a 51-yard field goal to give Tampa Bay the early lead.
The punting game was another story, however, as Michael Koenen elicited boos from the home crowd on multiple occasions with terrible kicks, averaging an anemic 30.3 yards put attempt.
Tampa Bay's coverage units kept Devin Hester in check all afternoon, not allowing him to return a punt—though Koenen made that rather easy—and holding him to an average of 26 yards on his four kick returns.
A recent addition to the roster, Marcus Thigpen gave the Bucs their longest punt return since 2009 with a 53-yarder on his only attempt of the day.
Three out of four aspects of this unit performed well, but Koenen consistently gave the Falcons great field position and put the Tampa Bay defense in bad situations.
GRADE: C
Coaching
9 of 10
If Lovie Smith wants the Bucs to be known as a running team, he might want to let his offensive coordinator know.
Despite averaging four yards per carry and the fact that this was a close game all the way to the end, Tampa Bay's running backs carried the ball just 18 times, and the team's leading rusher was McCown.
Penalties continue to be a huge problem, which is a direct reflection of a lack of discipline allowed by the coaching staff.
The best thing Smith did all day? Two successful challenges on the Bucs' next-to-last drive, which led to an opportunity to get within a score.
Smith preached patience all throughout training camp, but fans are running on short supply after a 1-8 start.
GRADE: D
Final Grades
10 of 10
It sure seems like the same story every week for Bucs fans. There's talent on the team but very little depth, and the execution is simply too sporadic to come away with a victory.
The defensive scheme needs pressure and turnovers to survive, but neither is happening. The offense has an identity crisis and two versions of the same quarterback, neither of whom seem to be able to get this team over the proverbial hump.
This grade isn't an average of the unit grades, but rather a reflection of the fact that this team looked like a below-average team Sunday against a fellow NFL bottom-feeder.
Bad teams find a way to lose winnable games. The Falcons are a bad team, and Sunday, the Bucs proved that they're worse.
GRADE: D
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