Bucs at Lions: Most Disappointing In 2024 NFC Divisional Round

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It was fun while it lasted, but the fun ended for Tampa Bay on Sunday afternoon after the Lions emerged victorious, 31-23, over the Bucs at Ford Field. It was close for much of the game, but Detroit pulled away late and sealed the game with Baker Mayfield being intercepted on the final offensive drive of the season. It was a tough ending to what should otherwise be considered a successful season for Tampa Bay. Still, they fell short in the divisional round, and here is what was most disappointing about the game. Fourth-Quarter Defense Both teams headed into the fourth quarter tied up at 17 with the game very much in the balance. But with a chance to stop Jared Goff and Co. from moving down the field, the Bucs’ defense failed. In fact, they let Detroit move the ball at will. To start the quarter, Goff led them 75 yards down the field for a touchdown on just five plays. After the Bucs failed to respond and punted it back, the Lions controlled the rest of the quarter. On what would be a 10-play, 89-yard drive that took up nearly six minutes of the clock, Tampa Bay had little answer for what Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was dialing up. It did not matter who was targeted, as Detroit picked up first down after first down and the drive ended with Goff finding Amon-Ra St. Brown for a 9-yard touchdown to make it 31-17. At this point, the defense looked gassed and was not matching the intensity and effort of a hungry squad backed by a roaring crowd. At a crucial, season-defining moment, the defense did not step up and make a play or get a stop when it needed to most. Bucs Cornerbacks Bucs CB Jamel Dean and Lions TE Sam LaPorta – Photo by: USA Today The Bucs’ starting cornerbacks did not fare the best against Jared Goff, especially as the game went along. In the first quarter, Jamel Dean had every chance to make a scene. On one of the biggest stages, he fell just short of making a heroic act. With the Lions having a short field following C.J. Gardner-Johnson intercepting Baker Mayfield, Dean had a chance to counter with one of his own. Instead, with the Lions at the 3-yard line, Jared Goff targeted Jameson Williams, but it was Dean who had a chance to haul it in the endzone — but dropped it. It was a huge “what could have been” moment on defense, especially as it would have kept Detroit from taking an early lead. Besides this play, there were times when Carlton Davis III had chances to deflect passes away from Amon-Ra St. Brown but failed to. Late in the game, Davis was called for an illegal use of hands penalty that negated a Shaq Barrett sack. After Dean left the game due to injury in the fourth quarter, his replacement failed to do much better. Zyon McCollum filled in as the opposite boundary corner and was beaten in coverage a couple of times as Detroit drove down the field and definitively pulled ahead. ILB Devin White Bucs ILB Devin White – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR The point has already been made clear that Devin White should not return to the Bucs next year. Sunday was the latest reason why, as K.J. Britt was having a career day with 10 total tackles in the first half alone and had 12 on the game. Meanwhile, when White came in to spell him, he struggled in coverage and failed to have much of an impact. At this point, White is more name recognition than the product he puts on the field, and based on Britt’s big day, he deserves to be considered to be one of the starting inside linebackers in Todd Bowles’ defense next year. This likely spells the end of the “Get Live 45” era in Tampa Bay. S Ryan Neal Ryan Neal had a chance to redeem himself from earlier this season when he allowed a big touchdown to Jameson Williams in Week 6. With a chance to make a play, Neal let a backup tight end (a blocking tight end, really) pass by him. Dial it up for Brock Wright on 3rd & 1. : #TBvsDET on NBC
: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/frRD38ClOq pic.twitter.com/yiL8CSNaFE — NFL (@NFL) January 21, 2024 While Brock Wright had the first down by the time Neal was in position to make a tackle, the Bucs’ safety failed to make a concerted effort to take him down and allowed him to barrel downfield. In a do-or-die game, his lack of effort there and his failure to contribute much else on Sunday afternoon likely make this the last time he will play for Tampa Bay. K Chase McLaughlin Chase McLaughlin is usually money. When he is entrusted to make a deposit, McLaughlin is as automatic as they come. That was until the second quarter. He came on to attempt a 50-yard field goal to make it a 10-6 game, but he doinked it off the left upright. He made his other field goal attempt, but this was a chance to get some extra points on the board and he failed to come through. The post Bucs at Lions: Most Disappointing In 2024 NFC Divisional Round appeared first on Pewter Report.

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