Biggest Takeaways from Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Week 14 Loss

After a dramatic comeback win in Week 13, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were riding a wave of momentum toward a potential playoff push in the final quarter of the season.

But those hopes came to a crashing halt on Sunday, as the Bucs fell at home 24-17 to the New Orleans Saints, shrinking their playoff chances considerably with just three games left in the regular season.

The defense struggled for most of the first half, but it was the offense's inability to move the ball against the league's worst defense that proved to be Tampa Bay's biggest failure on Sunday. Quarterback Jameis Winston was erratic, the Bucs abandoned the run game too early and an injury to receiver Vincent Jackson made a huge impact in the second half.

It was as disappointing a loss as the Bucs have had all season, but there were still a few bright spots, from Bruce Carter stepping up as Kwon Alexander's replacement to another solid performance from the offensive line.

Here's what we learned about the Bucs in Week 14.

Loss Showed Lack of Experience, Mental Toughness

Steve Nesius/Associated Press/Associated Press

Lovie Smith

Whether it was a costly personal foul on Mike Evans, erratic ball placement from Winston, dropped passes or blown coverages, the Bucs proved on Sunday they still have a long way to go to become a true playoff contender.

With all the pressure on the Bucs to take care of a team they should have beaten handily on paper, the young team faltered, coming out flat and seemingly uninspired. With a chance to gain even more valuable ground in the playoff hunt, Tampa Bay instead watched its postseason hopes evaporate in its home stadium against the NFC South's last-place team.

The future is still bright for a young Tampa Bay team, but Sunday's performance was a painful reminder of the Bucs' lack of experience in high-stakes, late-season showdowns. It should be a helpful learning experience for them, but that won't make it hurt any less at the moment.

Despite Success, Bucs Abandon the Run Too Early Again

Brian Blanco/Associated Press/Associated Press

Doug Martin

The Bucs had the second-best rushing attack in the NFL coming into Week 14, and despite their continued success on the ground, they refused to stay committed to the run in the second half.

Doug Martin gashed the Saints multiple times on Sunday, but he had just 12 touches all game. Charles Sims contributed plenty as the team's leading receiver on the day—six catches for 64 yards—but Tampa Bay seemed allergic to sticking with its strongest asset on offense.

The Bucs went down 14-0 early, but they still had plenty of time to maintain their identity and claw back into the game without abandoning their greatest strength. Even against the league's worst pass defense, it was unwise for the Bucs to make themselves one-dimensional, as their inability to sustain drives by sticking with the run led to a worn-out defense and a huge loss.

Where in the World Is Mike Evans?

Steve Nesius/Associated Press

After watching Carolina Panthers wideout Ted Ginn Jr. burn the Saints secondary in Week 13, Mike Evans must have been salivating over the opportunity to run free against the league's worst pass defense.

Instead, Evans had minimal impact on Sunday's game, catching just three passes for 39 yards, never threatening the Saints for a big play or coming up with clutch third-down conversions.

After an explosive rookie season that saw him go over 1,000 yards receiving and catch a franchise-record 12 touchdowns in 2014, Evans has struggled with consistency and replicating his big-play success from last season. He's only topped 64 yards receiving four times so far this season, and he hasn't done it since Week 10. He's hauled in just three scores all year.

With Jackson struggling through a knee injury, it's time for Evans to prove he can truly be a No. 1 receiver and a game-changer. So far, it's looking more like a sophomore slump for last year's top-10 draft pick.

Penalties Fewer, but Just as Costly

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

It's pretty sad to consider eight penalties for 80 yards an improvement for the Bucs, but as the most penalized team in the NFL this season, it's the hard truth.

But just because the penalty numbers were down for the Bucs on Sunday doesn't mean they weren't just as debilitating as they've been all season, as multiple infractions came in key situations and cost the team valuable yardage.

On Tampa Bay's first offensive snap, Jackson gained 35 yards on an impressive catch-and-run, but holding negated the play. That miscue seemed to foreshadow how things would go on offense for the Bucs all afternoon.

The defense had its own backbreaking penalty, as an egregious hands-to-the-face penalty nullified a clutch sack on 3rd-and-long. Instead of forcing New Orleans to punt on 4th-and-forever, a five-yard flag gave the Saints an automatic first down, eventually leading to the touchdown that wound up being the difference on the scoreboard in the end.

Expected to Be a Weakness, Offensive Line Continues to Overachieve

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Tampa Bay may have turned in one of its more disappointing offensive performances of the season on Sunday, but it wasn't because it couldn't get the job done up front.

The offensive line paved the way for a productive rushing attack again in Week 14, as the Bucs averaged a stellar 6.1 yards per carry. The O-line also gave Winston plenty of protection, allowing just one sack and keeping the pocket clean for most of the afternoon.

Not only could the Bucs not take advantage of solid pass protection with consistent gains through the air, they largely abandoned the run in the second half, despite having plenty of time to get back in the game.

This unit took plenty of grief in the offseason, as people expected it to be one of Tampa Bay's biggest weak spots. Instead, the O-line easily has been one of the most consistent bright spots for the Bucs throughout this turnaround season, and it did it again in a losing effort on Sunday.