There were a few moments in Sunday’s loss to the Falcons that changed the course of the game. It was a tough battle for the Bucs without Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, but the offense proved it can still put up points without two of the biggest receiving threats in the NFL. Whether it was on the backs of Rachaad White and Bucky Irving or it was utilizing Cade Otton as a primary target, the offense wasn’t the problem - for the most part.
But what were the moments that had the biggest impact on the outcome?
With the Bucs leading 14-7, Kirk Cousins found an open Kyle Pitts for the second time that day. As Pitts was crossing the goal line, he held the ball behind him and Antoine Winfield Jr. did what Antoine Winfield Jr. does - force a touchdown saving fumble as a Falcon reached the plane. Only, the NFL didn’t have a goal line camera angle and the call on the field stood due to insufficient evidence to overturn the call. We have since seen cell phone video from a member of the media that showed it was clearly a fumble, but instead of getting a touchback and a chance to extend their 14-7 lead, the game was tied up at 14-14.
On their ensuing drive, the Bucs were looking to answer Pitts’ touchdown with a score of their own to steal back momentum. On 3rd-and-7 from their own 33, Jalen McMillan snuck past the defense and was wide open at midfield. Baker let it rip - but the pass was behind him and fell incomplete. McMillan had started to cut in after Mayfield let the ball go and had no chance to recover and haul in the pass. Had that pass been completed, McMillan walks into the endzone on a 67-yard scoring play and the Bucs regain the lead 21-14. Instead, it was a three-and-out for the offense and the Falcons quickly scored a touchdown of their own on a 30-yard touchdown strike to Darnell Mooney to take a 21-14 lead of their own.
After the defense held the Falcons to a three-and-out to open the second half, the Bucs’ offense was marching down the field and got themselves in position to potentially tie the game at 24-24. Coen dialed up a flea flicker, handing the ball to Sean Tucker before he pitched it back to Mayfield. The Bucs scored on this play a few weeks ago against the Saints, but that scoring play was a check down to Tucker who did the rest himself. This time, Mayfield forced a pass to Ryan Miller and it was intercepted by Jessie Bates. If that was Evans or Godwin, you have a chance - but all do respect to Miller, he’s not beating one of the best safeties in the game on that jump ball. The first of two promising drives to end in a bad decision.
In scoring range again and trailing 31-17, Baker dropped back on 2nd-and-7 from the Atlanta 24. This time, he had a window to get the ball to McMillan for a potential touchdown but at the very least it would have been first-and-goal. Baker underthrew it and didn’t see A.J. Terrell waiting in the wings. Terrell picked it off and killed another potential scoring drive for the Bucs, getting the ball back for the Falcons’ offense - who had been stifled by the Bucs defense in the second half outside of converting a stupid fake punt into a touchdown. While the Falcons would wind up fumbling out of their own endzone for a safety, that two points wasn’t nearly as good as the seven the offense should have scored.
The Bucs had the Falcons facing 1st-and-22 with time winding down. Atlanta cut it to 2nd-and-14, but were still outside field goal range. With pressure coming from the edges but no one inside, Cousins took off and ran, picking up twelve of the thirteen yards the Falcons needed for a new set of downs. Two plays later, the Falcons moved the chains and forced the Bucs to burn the rest of their timeouts, proving to be crucial as the Bucs had to go 64 yards in the final 1:01 in order to win the game - but they had to do so without any timeouts. They got into position for a prayer at the end, but things could have been very different had they been able to stop the clock on that final drive.
There were a few moments in Sunday’s loss to the Falcons that changed the course of the game. It was a tough battle for the Bucs without Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, but the offense proved it can still put up points without two of the biggest receiving threats in the NFL. Whether it was on the backs of Rachaad White and Bucky Irving or it was utilizing Cade Otton as a primary target, the offense wasn’t the problem - for the most part.
But what were the moments that had the biggest impact on the outcome?
With the Bucs leading 14-7, Kirk Cousins found an open Kyle Pitts for the second time that day. As Pitts was crossing the goal line, he held the ball behind him and Antoine Winfield Jr. did what Antoine Winfield Jr. does - force a touchdown saving fumble as a Falcon reached the plane. Only, the NFL didn’t have a goal line camera angle and the call on the field stood due to insufficient evidence to overturn the call. We have since seen cell phone video from a member of the media that showed it was clearly a fumble, but instead of getting a touchback and a chance to extend their 14-7 lead, the game was tied up at 14-14.
On their ensuing drive, the Bucs were looking to answer Pitts’ touchdown with a score of their own to steal back momentum. On 3rd-and-7 from their own 33, Jalen McMillan snuck past the defense and was wide open at midfield. Baker let it rip - but the pass was behind him and fell incomplete. McMillan had started to cut in after Mayfield let the ball go and had no chance to recover and haul in the pass. Had that pass been completed, McMillan walks into the endzone on a 67-yard scoring play and the Bucs regain the lead 21-14. Instead, it was a three-and-out for the offense and the Falcons quickly scored a touchdown of their own on a 30-yard touchdown strike to Darnell Mooney to take a 21-14 lead of their own.
After the defense held the Falcons to a three-and-out to open the second half, the Bucs’ offense was marching down the field and got themselves in position to potentially tie the game at 24-24. Coen dialed up a flea flicker, handing the ball to Sean Tucker before he pitched it back to Mayfield. The Bucs scored on this play a few weeks ago against the Saints, but that scoring play was a check down to Tucker who did the rest himself. This time, Mayfield forced a pass to Ryan Miller and it was intercepted by Jessie Bates. If that was Evans or Godwin, you have a chance - but all do respect to Miller, he’s not beating one of the best safeties in the game on that jump ball. The first of two promising drives to end in a bad decision.
In scoring range again and trailing 31-17, Baker dropped back on 2nd-and-7 from the Atlanta 24. This time, he had a window to get the ball to McMillan for a potential touchdown but at the very least it would have been first-and-goal. Baker underthrew it and didn’t see A.J. Terrell waiting in the wings. Terrell picked it off and killed another potential scoring drive for the Bucs, getting the ball back for the Falcons’ offense - who had been stifled by the Bucs defense in the second half outside of converting a stupid fake punt into a touchdown. While the Falcons would wind up fumbling out of their own endzone for a safety, that two points wasn’t nearly as good as the seven the offense should have scored.
The Bucs had the Falcons facing 1st-and-22 with time winding down. Atlanta cut it to 2nd-and-14, but were still outside field goal range. With pressure coming from the edges but no one inside, Cousins took off and ran, picking up twelve of the thirteen yards the Falcons needed for a new set of downs. Two plays later, the Falcons moved the chains and forced the Bucs to burn the rest of their timeouts, proving to be crucial as the Bucs had to go 64 yards in the final 1:01 in order to win the game - but they had to do so without any timeouts. They got into position for a prayer at the end, but things could have been very different had they been able to stop the clock on that final drive.
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