(Source: nfl.com, cbssports)
At this point in the NFL season, playoff hopefuls are clear and teams are fighting to edge into a wild card. However this year the NFC south is still wide open. Bucs have a one-game lead over the Panthers, Saints, and Falcons who are all at 5-9. The Bucs division record is 2-4, and they will have to play against the Panthers, and Falcons again.
Let’s get into the Bucs latest defeat at the hands of the Bengals. The game finished 34-24 in favor of the Bengals; which was a surprise because the game at the half was 17-3 in favor of the Bucs. Brady aired the ball out 44 times completing 30 of them for 312 yards and three TDs; the key number here is he threw two interceptions. The interceptions were just two of the turnovers because Brady also lost two fumbles totaling four turnovers.
Burrow and the Bengals took advantage of those turnovers, turning them into 4 TDs of their own. Burrow completed a TD to 4 different receivers picking apart a depleted Bucs defense. They did get home for two sacks against Burrow but that was not enough to keep the out of the endzone.
These next three weeks are crucial for the Bucs. They will face the Cardinals 4-10, the Panthers 5-9, and the Falcons 5-9. All games are winnable but if they play to their potential. Managing not to turn the ball over, and pressuring the QB to force bad decisions. Bucs fans who have been here before the Brady era will be used to this feeling but we didn’t think we would go through it again so soon.
-Jonathan Perez