The Buccaneers are unable to repeat their recent domination of the Philadelphia Eagles, losing 31-25 and recording their first loss of the season. The start of the game was anything but ideal with Tampa Bay surrendering a blocked punt returned for a touchdown after their first offensive drive of the game. The rest of the first half went about the same way as the Bucs were down 24-6 at halftime.
As they have for most of the season, the Bucs came alive in the second half, holding the Eagles to one touchdown on a short field and scoring 14 points in the third quarter. Still, their mistakes persisted with two turnovers that all but killed their chances of making a comeback, as they have for the past month.
This was the definition of a team loss. Even the Bucs’ best players had lows to go with their highs during the game, holding the Bucs back as much as giving them the chance to win.
Here are the studs and duds from the Bucs’ Week 4 loss against the Eagles:
DUD: Todd Bowles
If there was one person to point to for the loss, it is head coach and defensive play-caller Todd Bowles. Though his defenses were a major reason for the Jalen Hurts led Eagles being 1-4 against the Bucs, Bowles was completely unprepared against Philadelphia this time around. Bowles’ blitzing allowed Hurts to carve up the Bucs with underneath passes and scrambles, which were instrumental to Philadelphia’s two scoring drives in the first half.
Slow starts, particularly on defense, have plagued the Bucs in every game so far this season, and that is a Todd Bowles problem. The Bucs have given up points on every opposing offense’s opening drive this season. This is indicative of poor preparation, even if Bowles has his team firing on all cylinders coming out of halftime. If he wants to put his team in better positions to win, Bowles needs to have the Bucs ready at kickoff, not thirty minutes afterwards.
STUD: Baker Mayfield
Without Baker Mayfield, the Bucs lose this game in a complete blowout. There was no angle from which Mayfield was not under siege. He saw constant pressure from Jalen Carter and the Eagles’ pass rush. His receivers let him down through much of the game, dropping passes that bounced off their hands. Mayfield finally got some help in the second half when he found Emeka Egbuka deep after scrambling away from pressure and throwing a pinpoint pass for a 77-yard touchdown.
Mayfield then did the same with Bucky Irving, again throwing on the run to Irving for a 72-yard touchdown. It was the first time in Mayfield’s career that he completed multiple passes for over 70 yards. While his fourth-quarter interception was a major blow to the Bucs’ chances of victory, they would not have been close without some of the best passes of Mayfield’s career.
DUD: Special teams protection
For the second straight week, Tampa Bay’s special teams protection allowed a blocked punt or kick to be returned for a touchdown, which proved to be a major difference-maker in a one-score loss to the Eagles. It was the Bucs’ second blocked punt this season, which is as many as the Bucs had allowed in the previous ten seasons combined. It is already a major issue for the Bucs and has to be fixed immediately for Tampa Bay to have any championship aspirations.
STUD: Chase McLaughlin
Any questions about the kicker Chase McLaughlin’s reliability were put to rest today. McLaughlin was perfect, making all three of his field goal attempts. His most impressive kick was a career-best 65-yard attempt to close the first half:
McLaughlin also hit a 58-yard kick in the second half. The Bucs do not want to rely on McLaughlin for too many long kicks if they want to be a contender, but he remains a valuable weapon despite a few misses early this season.
STUD: Vita Vea
If there was one Bucs defender who came to play Philadelphia from the start, it was defensive tackle Vita Vea. The massive defensive lineman was not only the only Buccaneer to sack quarterback Jalen Hurts, but he did it twice. Vea added two tackles for a loss and two quarterback hits and was instrumental in holding Saquon Barkley to 43 rush yards on 19 attempts. With the defensive line besieged by injuries, Vea is the pillar on which the rest of the defense leans.
DUD: Chris Godwin
It may be a little unfair to call a player coming back from a major injury a dud, but nevertheless, the Bucs needed more from Chris Godwin against the Eagles. There was significant, noticeable rust on Godwin, particularly on his hands. On 10 targets, Godwin had just three receptions for 26 yards, which is a far cry from the near-automatic receiver he was last season.
Again, it was Godwin’s first game back after rehabbing a gruesome ankle injury, so expectations should be tempered. However, with Mike Evans out with a hamstring injury, the Bucs have no choice but to rely on Godwin to get back up to speed as soon as possible.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Studs and duds from the Buccaneers’ Week 4 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles
Reporting by Jason Kanno, Buccaneers Wire / Bucs Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
