The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell short against the Carolina Panthers, losing 23-20 on Sunday, which dropped them to 7-8 and handed the NFC South lead over to the Panthers.
Baker Mayfield’s interception in the fourth quarter, caused by a miscommunication with Mike Evans on the final drive, marked the second straight week the Bucs’ offense faltered. The team struggled to generate explosive plays, and the defense had trouble pressuring Bryce Young, who made some crucial throws.
The Bucs’ defense allowed some big plays, with balls going over defensive backs’ heads for crucial moments.
With 12 seconds left in the first half, Carolina was in the red zone and the Bucs led 10-6. The Panthers had no timeouts remaining, making a tackle in bounds almost certain to end the half, and guarding the end zone was crucial.
The Bucs blitzed, but it backfired as CB Jamel Dean got beat on a fade to Tetairoa McMillan for a touchdown, giving the Panthers a 13-10 halftime lead.
The decision to blitz has been questioned, but Todd Bowles shifted the blame to Jamel Dean, saying he was out of position and got beaten deep.
Todd Bowles Points Finger Again
“Like you say, he could have played it better,” Bowles stated. “The blitz should have gotten home. He should have been in a better position. It was a bad technique and play on his part. The ball should have never happened.”
“He was by himself. That should have been off and deeper, and we talked about it. He understands that, and he knows the situation. We do it all the time.”
Bowles is right about Dean’s execution. The defender needs to be deep enough to handle the play in the end zone.
The Bucs chose to be aggressive, not dropping players deep when the end zone was Young’s only viable option to beat the clock.
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Dean should’ve made the play, but the call put him in a tough spot. Bowles’ decision to blitz likely contributed to the issue.
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