The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell to the Carolina Panthers 23-20 to lose grasp on first place in the division.
That can only mean it’s time for Carter Brantley’s weekly article “Captain’s Table – Walk the Plank”. Enjoy!
Walk the Plank:
Baker Mayfield!
Going from a potential MVP candidate to being a significantly below average quarterback in the span of one season is quite impressive. Yet Baker Mayfield has managed to do it and made it look easy. To start the season it looked like Mayfield could do no wrong leading. Constant game-winning drives and finding an instant connection with rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka. Now I’m not entirely convinced that another NFL team can actually make the playoffs with him at quarterback, barring some perfect set of circumstances. And those perfect set of circumstances aren’t going to come to fruition here in Tampa Bay.
Todd Bowles!
While not nearly as large of a fall from grace as Mayfield the head coach has taken what was supposed to be an easy straightforward path to securing another division title for Tampa Bay and turned the opportunity on its head. Bowles has a lot to answer for in terms of player execution. And while the roster certainly needs some work, and the players have most of the blame, his role in this incompetence cannot go unpunished. Week after week it’s something on the defensive side of the ball. I’m tired of having to write or talk about how much the defense just struggled week to week in pretty much every measurable area.
Josh Grizzard!
He’s a first year play caller so he’s earned a little bit more grace than the previous dimensions but my goodness the offensive game planned for Sunday afternoon was uninspired and depressing. It’s understandable that since Mayfield has been playing so poorly that they would want to try to run the ball. But for goodness sake when it works as little as it did Sunday afternoon an adjustment has to be made. Unfortunately, for the Buccaneers, and unfortunately, for the coaching staff, no adjustment was submitted and Tampa Bay suffered another embarrassing loss.
Bucky Irving!
He’s getting outperformed by Rachaad White in yards, per carried by a considerable amount in an equal amount of carries. Well, I understand that the brunt of the blame probably lies at the feet of the play caller as well as the offensive line, Irving has also not been good. He’s lacked the explosiveness that he showed last season. And when White who is facing the exact same environment is outperforming you… well, it’s not great.
These “Star Wideouts”
No one had over 40 yards receiving Sunday afternoon, which would be fine if it was after the result of a gutsy victory where the Buccaneers ran the ball really well and the defense also showed out, but the receivers needed to step up, and they did not plain and simple. Mike Evans had nine targets and only five catches. Egbuka had one catch. I just don’t get it. This was supposed to be their strength and one could argue that it was their largest weakness Sunday afternoon.
Captain’s Table
N/A
What a shit show!
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