Dropping Chris Godwin and Mike Evans over the last sport in opposition to the Ravens drastically modified the dynamic of the Bucs offense and added extra stress on Todd Bowles’ protection to play higher than they’ve up thus far. On Sunday afternoon in opposition to the Falcons, the Bucs allowed Kirk Cousins and Atlanta’s offense to have one other huge sport and was unable to maintain up, dropping 31-26.
It was one other robust day by Tampa Bay’s protection, which highlights this week’s most disappointing column.
HC Todd Bowles And His Defensive Scheme
Bucs HC Todd Bowles – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
The theme for the Bucs protection going into this sport was fixing the communication points which have plagued the protection this season and much more so in current weeks. After giving up 550 whole yards to the Falcons the primary time round, issues weren’t significantly better this time.
A whole lot of that falls again on head coach/defensive play-caller Todd Bowles and his defensive scheme.
Kirk Cousins had by far his greatest sport of the yr – and among the finest of his profession – again in Week 5. Cousins adopted that up with simply his second-best sport of the season in Week 8. He accomplished 23 of his 29 passes for 276 yards and 4 passing touchdowns.
There aren’t any excuses for the protection’s poor play, and contemplating the expertise on that aspect of the ball, it makes it look that a lot worse.
W/the exception of Funderburk each single participant within the again 7 has no less than three years on this protection.
If it’s communication that’s an indictment of the teaching.
But it surely’s greater than that.
— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) October 27, 2024
Not solely did the protection fail to include Atlanta, however in addition they didn’t report a single turnover. Needing to win the turnover battle was very important in popping out with a win, and even getting one might have turned issues round. It didn’t occur, and it doesn’t seem like the unit will flip itself round anytime quickly. That ought to fear Bowles and the remainder of his defensive workers.
CB Tyrek Funderburk
It was a down day for the undrafted rookie cornerback.
Whereas there have been some optimistic moments, akin to breaking apart one finish zone go meant for extensive receiver Darnell Mooney, the negatives far outweighed any flashes of fine play. Funderburk struggled to make tackles, most notably whiffing when Kyle Pitts barreled down the sphere for his controversial second landing catch.
Later within the second quarter, Kirk Cousins aired it out for Mooney down the sphere, and Funderburk did not cease him once more and allowed a landing. Earlier than halftime, he was overwhelmed but once more by him for 21 yards, placing Atlanta in subject purpose vary to make it a 24-17 sport going into halftime. At this level, the group ought to hope to get Jamel Dean again and let the younger cornerback return to the bench to develop in observe, not in dwell sport motion.
S Kaevon Merriweather
Falcons TE Kyle Pitts and Bucs SS Kaevon Merriweather – Photograph by: USA At present
The Bucs had an opportunity to get a giant fourth-down cease after the Falcons recovered Rachaad White’s fumble early within the first quarter. Merriweather’s personal blunder allowed Atlanta to place up the sport’s first seven factors.
Merriweather was known as for a holding penalty on tight finish Kyle Pitts down the sphere, however Pitts nonetheless pulled away to haul in a 36-yard landing. The reserve security doesn’t get to see the sphere a lot and performs like this gained’t do him any favors for getting extra taking part in time going ahead.
ILB Ok.J. Britt
To paraphrase a well-known saying, madness is doing the identical factor again and again anticipating completely different outcomes. That rings true with Todd Bowles’ resolution to proceed trotting out Ok.J. Britt in a full-time position on protection. When contemplating how profitable Kirk Cousins was the primary time round distributing the soccer, one would have thought Bowles would have adjusted and regarded different choices, akin to taking part in J.J. Russell.
Russell solely obtained into the sport when Lavonte David went down with an ankle harm within the second half. The defensive play-caller caught by his struggling linebacker, and it didn’t repay.
Britt continued to surrender the center of the sphere for Cousins to search out his extensive receivers and tight finish. Not solely have been there chunk performs, however he was additionally most at fault for Kyle Pitts’ 49-yard landing. He shuffled his ft backward and was late on the route, spending more often than not working behind Pitts and never being in place to interrupt up the play.
Bucs’ Move Rush
Falcons QB Kirk Cousins – Photograph by: USA At present
The Bucs’ entrance seven did generate some stress on Kirk Cousins, however they did not wrap up the motionless veteran quarterback. The group did get two sacks, each by reserve defensive sort out C.J. Brewer. Their collective incapacity, nevertheless, to take him down allowed him to get right into a rhythm by way of the air.
Making it worse is that it was not for a scarcity of attempting, as blitzes have been dialed up usually. Their lack of success upfront created a trickle-down impact and contributed to the secondary’s struggles.
Yaya Diaby
A part of the Bucs protection’s incapacity to disrupt Kirk Cousins, Diaby was a non-factor in Sunday’s sport. He was credited with one of many group’s 4 quarterback hits, however that’s not sufficient for the highest go rusher on this group. Truthful or not, it’s on Diaby to paved the way given the inconsistency and inexperience behind him on the depth chart at exterior linebacker. A sport like Sunday’s wherein he was largely shut down will harm the Tampa Bay protection each time, and he’ll must bounce again and discover a technique to influence the sport extra shifting ahead.
