Bengals vs. Buccaneers: Full Report Card Grades for Tampa Bay
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, botching the chance for a game-winning field goal in the game's final seconds and falling to the Cincinnati Bengals 14-13 on Sunday.
The Bucs looked to have set themselves up for a last-second stunner, but a penalty for having 12 men on the field negated a big completion to Louis Murphy, ultimately keeping Tampa Bay winless at home this season.
Tampa Bay's defense did all it could to put its team in position to win, intercepting Andy Dalton three times, sacking him twice and coming up with multiple fourth-quarter stops to give the offense a chance to mount a game-winning drive. But penalties and poor execution kept the Bucs from capitalizing on opportunities, including two possessions where they began inside the red zone but came away with field goals both times.
The Bengals were held in check for most of the day, with Dalton throwing for just 176 yards and A.J. Green catching just four passes for 57 yards and Dalton's only touchdown pass. Dalton would find the end zone on the ground, however, and 14 points proved to be all that was necessary to send the Bucs to a 2-10 record on the season.
The Bucs converted just two of their 11 third-down attempts and were shut down on the ground in the second half after Doug Martin did his best impression of his Pro Bowl, rookie-year self in the first two quarters.
Lovie Smith's bunch got out to a 10-0 lead for the third week in a row, but for the second straight week, it couldn't hold the double-digit advantage.
Even with the loss, Tampa Bay remains alive in the NFC South race, pending the result of Sunday's game between the Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals.
Quarterback
1 of 10
With each passing week, Bucs fans are more and more convinced that a top pick in next year's draft needs to be spent at the quarterback position.
Josh McCown struggled yet again this week, completing just 15 of his 29 passes for 190 yards and an interception. The veteran missed on multiple throws and continues to make questionable decisions, all while failing to execute an offense in a way that takes advantage of the opportunities given to it by the defense.
McCown's grade always comes with the asterisk of poor offensive line play, but any successful quarterback should be expected to make plays on his own, and that's not happening.
Grade: D
Running Back
2 of 10
It was a tale of two halves for the Tampa Bay backfield, but Doug Martin did provide some encouraging flashes of the ability that sent him to the Pro Bowl in 2012.
Martin rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries in the first half, and he had a 28-yarder called back for holding. But the second half was a different story, as Martin gained just three yards on six carries.
Rookie Charles Sims showed his talent as a receiver out of the backfield, tying Mike Evans for the team lead with four receptions for 49 yards, but he managed just six yards on his five carries in the ground game.
Bobby Rainey made the most of his rare chances, logging 52 yards on just three touches, not including his return yardage.
Martin's first-half resurgence was a welcome sight, and it's hard to blame any backs who have to run behind Tampa Bay's porous offensive line.
Grade: C
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
This group was all but shut down by the Bengals, who have allowed the fewest passing touchdowns in the NFL this season and held the Tampa Bay passing game out of the end zone.
Mike Evans tied for the team lead with 49 yards on four catches, but he was rendered obsolete for much of the game after dominating his opponents over the past four weeks. Vincent Jackson had just two catches for 24 yards, while the rest of this group combined to post the same numbers in both categories.
Consistent pressure up front and poor throws from quarterback Josh McCown kept the playmaking opportunities to a minimum for this unit, so it's hard to hold the low numbers against it.
Grade: D+
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
Every game is won and lost at the line of scrimmage, and the Bucs offensive line did just about all it could to lose this week's game.
Garrett Gilkey having to move from reserve guard to starting center didn't help—starter Evan Dietrich-Smith had been ill all week—but the entire unit had one of its more disappointing performances of the year, and that's saying something.
Whether it was clipping, false starts or holding calls, Tampa Bay shot itself in the foot all afternoon up front, undoing big gains and wasting positive field position. Josh McCown was only sacked once, but he was pressured and forced from the pocket on numerous occasions.
Another week, another rough day for this group.
Grade: F
Defensive Line
5 of 10
The gaudy sack numbers weren't there, but Tampa Bay's front four still put together a solid performance against both the run and the pass.
This group only sacked Andy Dalton twice, but that's no small feat against a Bengals team that had only allowed 13 all season coming into Sunday's game. Tampa Bay's pass rush also contributed to Dalton's three interceptions, allowing the secondary to take advantage of poor decisions.
Against the run, this unit did a decent job of limiting big plays, holding the league's eighth-ranked rushing attack below its season average in yardage.
The entire defense did what it needed to, keeping the Bucs in the game despite a lackluster performance from the offense. The defensive line did its part, even if it wasn't spectacular.
Grade: C+
Linebacker
6 of 10
This unit was without its best player for the second straight week, but it sure was hard to tell.
Even with All-Pro Lavonte David inactive again, Tampa Bay's linebackers turned in an impressive performance. Playing in his place on the weak side, Danny Lansanah racked up a team-high 14 tackles, 13 of which were solo efforts.
This group did a stellar job of making sure tackles, limiting yards after contact and holding the Bengals' two-headed rushing monster—Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill—to just 89 yards between them.
Even in a loss, Tampa Bay fans have to feel good about their linebackers playing at such a high level, especially without their best playmaker.
Grade: A
Secondary
7 of 10
Like every unit on the defensive side of the ball, the Bucs secondary continues to show improvement on a weekly basis. Sunday's performance against the Bengals was yet another step in the right direction.
This unit made Andy Dalton pay for his mistakes all day, picking off the Bengals quarterback three times and holding him to just 176 yards through the air. Johnthan Banks grabbed his team-leading fourth pick of the season on the game's first play from scrimmage, while Alterraun Verner and rookie Brandon Dixon both had interceptions at key moments, as well.
A.J. Green was held in check for most of the afternoon—four catches, 57 yards—but he did haul in what ended up being the game-winning touchdown.
This group looks more and more comfortable in its new scheme every week, which should encourage Bucs fans about the future.
Grade: B+
Special Teams
8 of 10
Aside from a penalty that wiped out a fairly impressive punt return from Bobby Rainey, Tampa Bay's special teams had one of their strongest outings of the season across the board.
Rookie kicker Patrick Murray continues to be nearly automatic, connecting on both of his field-goal attempts on the day, while Michael Koenen averaged just shy of 40 yards per punt, pinning one inside the Bengals' 5-yard-line.
The coverage units excelled, as both Orie Lemon and Russell Shepard made big plays, including Lemon diving through multiple opposing players to snag an onside kick.
Rainey wasn't much to write home about in the return game, but he avoided any costly mistakes.
Grade: A
Coaching
9 of 10
Lovie Smith may be a veteran head coach, but his team continues to show poor discipline, committing another laundry list of penalties on the way to its 10th loss of the season.
The Bucs were flagged 13 times for 94 yards on Sunday, costing them yards, field position and points on multiple occasions.
Tampa Bay's chance for a game-winning field-goal attempt was also undone by a coaching oversight, as it was called for having 12 men on the field on what would have been a huge completion to Louis Murphy.
There was plenty of blame to go around in Sunday's loss, but the Bucs coaching staff didn't do the team many favors.
Grade: D
Final Grades
10 of 10
It's a tale as old as time for the 2014 Bucs, as they find yet another way to lose a game in the final minutes.
Still, there were plenty of positives to take away from this performance, as Tampa Bay's defense continues to improve every week, and the team went toe-to-toe with one of the better teams in the AFC.
Still, penalties and an inept offense continue to hold the Bucs back, keeping them winless at home this season with another disappointing finish. Tampa Bay had plenty of opportunities in this game, and it just didn't take advantage.
Grade: C-
*All stats courtesy of NFL.com
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