Buccaneers-Redskins: Tampa Bay Snags Defeat From The Jaws Of Victory

The defense was stuffing the run, sacking the quarterback, and causing turnovers. The offense was running the ball well and a young quarterback was playing well. It felt like old times for one half of play...but then reality came crashing down on the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Bucs lost their eighth consecutive game, fourth this season and fell short in their upset bid of the equally inept Washington Redskins, 16-13, wasting a rare, but solid performance from the Buccaneer defense.

First thing's first.

Mike Nugent, you are the weakest link, good bye. Nugent missed his first two makable attempts and finished with two short fields to go 2-for-4 on the day &mdash but let's face it folks, he's horrible.

Bucs GM Mark Dominik needs to be on the horn with Matt Bryant and see if the veteran is ready to kick because Nugent needs to take another flight home.

Next, is it too late to fire Greg Olsen? Olsen called a horrible offensive game plan today, not utilizing the mobility of his young quarterback Josh Johnson — especially in third and short or in the red zone. How about a roll out giving Johnson a run-pass option, coach? Somewhere Mike Shula is looking like Sean Payton.

Not to mention, why the heck was Clifton Smith — who touched the ball once all day — in the ball game instead of Cadillac Williams or Earnest Graham?

Oh and before I forget, Mr. Morris, I think I'll be writing that article this week on how the Bucs made a terrible decision giving that big contract to Michael Clayton. Clayton couldn't catch a disease in an  Ebola ward.

Aqib Talib, nice game young man but the good vibes of a rare three pick day get wasted when you give up a 59 yard touchdown. Still, good game for the young kid.

Hey everyone, there was a Gaines Adams sighting! A sack, a fumble recovery, five tackles. Unfortunately, most of that was in the first half — his name wasn't called in the second half. Do that more consistently Mr. Adams and maybe that bust label will wear off.

Not to harp on the coaching, but at halftime with the Bucs leading 10-0, obviously the Redskins made some adjustments to adjust what the Bucs were doing. Meanwhile the Bucs seemed to make no adjustments and it cost them.

A 16-point third quarter ruined a solid defensive performance. Three sacks, four turnovers, and 277 yards allowed. Clinton Portis just missed a 100-yard game but he carried the ball 25 times.

Really, this latest defeat rests on the play of the offense. Johnson didn't play poorly, but truth be told (as it always is here in this column), he looked like an option quarterback, pulling down and running. Once the Redskins got wise to Johnson's inability to push the ball down field, they brought up their defenders to bottle up the run.

229 total yards and 2-for-13 on first downs is not going to get the job done.

Managing just 13 points, especially when the Tampa Bay defense set your offense on short fields throughout the day is not going to do it either.

If the Bucs can't get more production from the quarterback position then the murmurs of a winless season will begin to get louder.

Not to mention, maybe, just maybe you should go over clock management during the two-minute drill with the kid. Seconds bled off the clock as Johnson took too long to get his team set.

Considering the Washington Redskins aren't the New York Giants, the Buccaneers at least showed some improvement, especially on defense. Only one big play against the defense ruined what could have been a superior, old school Bucs defensive effort.

Offensively and special teams...meh.

As you look at the schedule, you begin to wonder where this team can win a game? I would be shocked if they beat the Eagles next week, as would the rest of the nation.

Carolina at home?

Not unless Greg Olsen can get his offense working. Perhaps Mark Dominik has Mike Shula on speed dial as well.