Packers vs. Buccaneers: Full Report Card Grades for Tampa Bay
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are down to just one more opportunity to avoid going winless at home in 2014, as they fell to the Green Bay Packers 20-3 at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.
Aaron Rodgers bounced back from last week's dismal performance against the Buffalo Bills, completing 31 of his 40 passes for 318 yards and a touchdown, becoming just the second quarterback in six weeks to throw for over 300 yards against an improving Tampa Bay secondary.
The Bucs defense held its own for much of the game, forcing an early Rodgers fumble and coming up with a big goal-line stand on fourth down, but the lack of production from the offense doomed any opportunities the team had of keeping pace with one of the NFL's most potent offensive attacks.
The Bucs were outgained 431-109 in total offense, failing to register a first down until 22 minutes into the game. Tampa Bay managed fewer first downs on offense than sacks allowed, as Josh McCown was dropped a season-high seven times.
McCown completed just 12 of his 26 passes on the day for 147 yards and an interception, while Doug Martin led the Bucs in rushing with just 17 yards on 10 carries. Tampa Bay managed just six first downs and converted only four of its 14 third-down attempts.
The Packers held a slim 10-3 lead at the half, but the Bucs would never touch the scoreboard again after a 43-yard Patrick Murray field goal closed out the first half. A 44-yard Eddie Lacy touchdown run got the scoring started, while Jordy Nelson hauled in a one-yard touchdown pass to put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter.
At 11-4, the Packers keep pace with the Detroit Lions in the NFC North, while the Bucs fall to 2-13 and look headed for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft.
Quarterback
1 of 10
His offensive line didn't do him any favors yet again, but McCown made enough of his own mistakes this week to earn a poor grade.
The veteran completed just 12 of his 26 passes for 147 yards, missing on multiple throws, showing communication issues with receivers and failing to show effective pocket awareness. He also saved his lone interception for the worst possible time, again trying to make a play while falling to the ground on the team's final drive.
It sounds like a broken record at this point, but McCown was billed as a savvy veteran who would take care of the ball and make smart decisions. He's been the complete opposite all season, and Sunday was just another example.
Grade: F
Running Back
2 of 10
Same story, different week for the Tampa Bay backfield.
It's hard to hold much against any group of backs that has to run behind such an awful offensive line, but Tampa Bay's runners failed to prove yet again that they're capable of creating much on their own. Martin led the team with just 17 yards on 10 carries, while rookie Charles Sims managed to gain negative total yardage on his four carries, though he did add 30 yards on three receptions.
In all, Martin and Sims teamed up to gain a meager 46 total yards on a combined 17 touches, despite playing against a Packers defense that was giving up over 125 yards rushing per game coming into this week.
Even behind weak blocking, Bucs fans should expect better than what they got Sunday from this group.
Grade: D
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
On a day when not much went right for the Tampa Bay offense, this unit did a decent job making the most of the limited opportunities.
McCown misfired on multiple throws, failing to put his receivers in position to make plays for much of the game. Even so, Vincent Jackson managed 60 yards on his three catches—40 of which came on one play—while rookie Mike Evans caught four passes for 49 yards, taking him close to the 1,000-yard mark in his first NFL season.
Tight end Luke Stocker added two receptions for just eight yards, but he did a decent job as a lead blocker when lined up at fullback.
Again, there wasn't much to write home about from anybody on the Tampa Bay offense this week, but this group did the best it could with what it had.
Grade: C
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
When you face one of the worst rush defenses in the league and your longest running play of the day is four yards, you're probably not going to earn a high grade.
When you've struggled to protect the passer all season but somehow manage to set a season high by allowing seven sacks, you're probably not going to earn a high grade.
I hope you're catching on here.
Tampa Bay's offensive line got McCown beat up all afternoon and paved the way for a dismal 1.1 yards-per-carry average on the ground against a Green Bay defense that was averaging over 125 yards rushing allowed per game.
Tampa Bay rebuilt this entire unit this offseason, replacing four of five starters. It looks like it'll need to do it all over again next year.
Grade: F
Defensive Line
5 of 10
This group set a fantastic tone early but simply couldn't sustain the pressure that forced Rodgers out of his comfort zone on Green Bay's first few possessions.
Michael Johnson made his presence known quickly, smashing Rodgers just after he released a pass, then following it up with a sack-fumble that gave the Bucs the first big play of the game. But the offense couldn't turn the takeaway into points, and Tampa Bay's front four didn't register another sack for the rest of the game.
Lacy was able to gash this group for a few different runs of decent length—including a 44-yard touchdown—falling just short of the century mark with 99 yards on just 17 carries.
This unit started with a bang, but it ended with a whimper. The secondary did what it could, but without a consistent pass rush, Rodgers was able to wait for things to open up downfield and take advantage. Still, this grade is somewhat saved by the the fact that the defense was forced to play way too many snaps against Rodgers and Green Bay's vaunted offense.
Grade: C-
Linebacker
6 of 10
A weak pass rush didn't help, but it was injuries and missed tackles that helped drag down this unit's grade.
Lavonte David was his usual self, tallying eight tackles and coming up with a huge stop on 3rd-and-goal that ultimately led to a goal-line stand on fourth down. But losing Mason Foster to injury yet again forced Danny Lansanah and Dane Fletcher into extended action, and the results weren't fantastic.
Lansanah missed the key tackle that sprung Lacy for a 44-yard touchdown run, while Fletcher continued to look completely lost in coverage.
The depth of this unit will have to be addressed this offseason, and the reasons why were obvious on Sunday. Still, as with all the defensive units, the grade isn't as low as it could be thanks to the offense forcing the defense to remain on the field far too long, and it didn't do half bad against one of the league's best offenses.
Grade: C-
Secondary
7 of 10
Did the Bucs give up over 300 yards passing? Sure did. Did they force any takeaways? Not a single one.
Then how does this unit get an A grade, you ask?
Tampa Bay's secondary turned in a valiant effort against an NFL MVP candidate in Rodgers, despite allowing 300 passing yards and a pair of 100-yard receivers. This group bent but didn't break for most of the afternoon, limiting big plays and providing solid support against the run.
Rodgers didn't register a scoring throw until late in the fourth quarter, and many of his longer completions were due to a lack of pass rush allowing Green Bay's receivers plenty of time to find an open spot.
The brightest spot in this group continues to be Bradley McDougald, who made his second straight start in place of injured veteran Major Wright. McDougald had a team-high 15 tackles against the Carolina Panthers last week, then led the team again this week with nine stops, showing effectiveness both in the box and in coverage.
The box score might not say this was an "A" performance, but the tape says otherwise.
Grade: A
Special Teams
8 of 10
Not many holes to punch in this group this week, as the kicking, coverage and return teams turned in a solid performance.
Murray continues his strong rookie season, connecting on his only field-goal attempt of the day from 43 yards out. Punter Michael Koenen has had his struggles this season, but he averaged 41.5 yards on his eight—yes, eight—punts, landing one of them inside the 20-yard line.
The Packers didn't get an opportunity to return any kickoffs, and the longest punt return registered by Randall Cobb or Micah Hyde was a whopping four yards.
Bobby Rainey didn't gain anything on his only punt return of the game, but he took his only kickoff return for 29 yards.
These groups certainly took their lumps early in the season, but they're coming on strong to finish out the year, which can't be said for many on this team.
Grade: A
Coaching
9 of 10
No huge gaffes in this department this week, and one of the biggest struggles for the Bucs this year—penalties—showed great improvement Sunday, as the home team was only flagged three times for 30 yards.
The biggest issue for the Tampa Bay coaching staff continues to be the lack of a true offensive coordinator, as quarterbacks coach Marcus Arroyo keeps trying his best to establish some sort of identity for the Bucs on that side of the ball, despite having no previous experience in such a role.
These difficulties were made even more frustrating with the news this week that the man who was supposed to be the team's offensive coordinator, Jeff Tedford, had taken the head coaching job with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Due to a heart procedure, Tedford never called a play for the Bucs this season, citing continued health concerns. But as Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune reports, Tedford said he's been "good to go for a couple of months now," which won't sit well with Bucs fans.
The improved discipline and reduced penalties are encouraging, but the Bucs will have to look for a new play-caller again this offseason.
Grade: C-
Final Grade
10 of 10
The defense did its best to keep the Bucs in the game for four quarters, but the offense squandered every opportunity it was given, failing to establish the run against one of the worst rush defenses in the league and managing to not find the end zone at all.
Tampa Bay still can't control the line of scrimmage in either the run or pass game on offense, leading to short drives and forcing the defense to stay on the field to try to defend arguably the best quarterback in the NFL.
This game will remind many Bucs fans of the old days under Tony Dungy, when a valiant effort on defense was wasted by a putrid offense on a near weekly basis. The defense keeps this grade out of the gutter, but a 17-point loss can never get you near a passing grade.
Grade: D+
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