In what was expected to be a championship Sunday in Tampa, the Buccaneers laid an egg in front of their home fans and played their worst game of the season, losing to the New Orleans Saints 23-13 on Sunday afternoon.
The Buccaneers played with little emotion and came out flat in the most important game of the year as they were embarrassed at home by the New Orleans Saints 23-13.
The loss snapped the Buccaneers’ four-game winning streak, dropping their record to 8-8.
The score was not an accurate indicator of how one-sided this game was. The Saints built a 17-0 halftime lead and led 20-0 with under eleven minutes to go in the game before the Buccaneers could get on the scoreboard.
Buccaneers Come Out Flat And Never Got Going Until It Was To Late
At the half, the Bucs had three first downs and 45 yards of offense – 36 yards are in the air, and nine are on the ground. Sunday’s offense was reminiscent of when the Bucs lost five of six during October and November.
This was a tale of two teams battling for a playoff berth. The Saints wanted to win the game and played like it. The Buccaneers were more concerned with establishing the run, and when they couldn’t run the ball, they kept trying to run the ball instead of opening up the offense.
In a game this big, there are zero excuses for not being prepared and coming out as flat as the Buccaneers did. There was no competition for this Tampa team until the game was already decided.
“We weren’t ready. With everything at stake, we weren’t ready. I wasn’t ready as a leader to get everybody going. We’ve definitely got to get everybody for next week,” Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David said after the 23-13 loss to the Saints.
The Buccaneers put 12 points on the board in the fourth quarter, but by then, it was garbage time, and the Saints were in their preventive defense.
Turnovers Hurt The Bucs Chances In The Second Half
Another dagger for the Buccaneers was the four turnovers. In the last four games before this debacle, Tampa turned the ball over just twice. On Sunday afternoon against a mediocre New Orleans team, Baker Mayfield threw two interceptions, and Rachaad White and Trey Palmer fumbled the ball after big gains. Both were colossal momentum killers.
The White fumble was a turnover that took the air out of the Buccaneers. Trailing 20-0, the Buccaneers were moving the ball for the first time all day and had moved the ball to the Saints 27-yard line before White fumbled and gave the ball back to the Saints.
In the biggest game of the year, the Bucs came out flat, played with little emotion, and executed poorly. And that is a reflection of head coach Todd Bowles. Todd Bowles did not have his team prepared when the game mattered the most.
The Buccaneers hope the sloppy and emotionless play ended with the final gun and that they will execute much better next week.
Buccaneers Still Have A Lot To Play For
The Buccaneers still control their destiny despite the loss and are tied with the Saints at 8-8 for first place in the NFC South. The Buccaneers can win the division and earn a playoff berth with a win in Charlotte against the Carolina Panthers next week. The Panthers were shut out at home by Jacksonville 26-0 on Sunday.
“It’s unacceptable, especially at this point in the season in a game like this,” Wirfs said. “Got to do everything we can to get it fixed. Not a fun way to spend New Year’s Eve. It sucks.”