Bucs at Cardinals: Most Disappointing Players In Week 16

First off, Merry Christmas, Bucs fans. Writing most disappointing today feels weird on a day that has brought me so much joy, but alas, this is the Tampa Bay team we’ve come to know this season. Even still, the Bucs delivered a Christmas wish with a come-from-behind 19-16 overtime win against the Cardinals.

It was, as you’d expect, another sloppy game for the Bucs, but a win is a win. The team controls its destiny at 7-8 and a win against Carolina next Sunday gives them the division crown. They’ll need to play much better against the red-hot Panthers than they did on Christmas night.

Tom Brady

After starting the night by marching down the field with the aid of a chunk-yardage defensive pass interference call, Brady missed a wide-open Julio Jones in the end zone on third down. Later on, he was under pressure but hung in the pocket to deliver a deep ball to Mike Evans as he was hit. The ball was underthrown and picked off for his seventh interception in six games.

Brady then threw his second interception on the offense’s second drive out of halftime. Marco Wilson came down with his second pick of the game by undercutting a deep pass targeted for Evans, who broke open on the play.

Brady would find Rachaad White for his only score of the night and finished the game going 32-of-48 for 281 yards, the touchdown and his two interceptions. He was off-target all too often on the night, but to his credit, he once again came through in the clutch. He was perfect on the game-winning drive that set up Ryan Succop’s 40-yard field goal.

Punt Teams

On the Cardinals’ first drive of the game, they went for it on a fourth-down fake punt and successfully executed it. On the heels of a big third-down stop, Arizona punter Andy Lee tossed the ball to Kamu Grugier-Hill for a four-yard gain and a fresh set of downs. In the second half, the Bucs’ punt coverage team gave up a 28-yard return to set the Cardinals up inside Tampa Bay territory.

Josh Wells

Off the defense’s big turn over by Anthony Nelson, Wells had a false start penalty on the Bucs’ second drive of the game. It would prove to be costly, as the Bucs wouldn’t convert on fourth down. On the Bucs’ third drive, Wells let J.J. Watt split him inside to break through for a tackle for loss. His night came to an unfortunate and early end, as he suffered a torn left patellar tendon and will miss the rest of the season.

Cade Otton

Otton had a big drop on a third-down target that would’ve picked up a first down and sustained the drive. He was also called for an illegal shift that nullified a Julio Jones touchdown. The rookie later picked up his second penalty of the night on a false start on the offense’s second drive after the half.

Offensive Play Calling

While the Cardinals displayed numerous creative looks, pre-snap motion and even went hurry-up in the middle of a drive, the Bucs were the same old song and dance. Facing a 2nd & 1 early in the game, the Bucs ran the ball for no gain. On 3rd & 1, they did the same. And on 4th & 1, they did the same and actually lost a yard. Then, on the final drive before halftime, the team dialed up four straight touches for Leonard Fournette, including two runs up the middle that went for a combined eight yards.

Seemingly adamant to get anything going on the ground, the Bucs ran it repeatedly with little success coming out of the half. Perhaps one of the biggest head scratchers was a decision to call a run on 3rd & 3 in the final two minutes when the team needed just a field goal to win. The Bucs had to punt the ball when a score could’ve won it in regulation.

Robert Hainsey

Whenever the Cardinals lined Watt up against Haisney on the interior, he gave the first-year starting center all kinds of problems. On the Bucs’ third drive of the game, Watt bull-rushed the second-year pro on his way to hitting Brady as he threw.

Run Defense

The Bucs run defense just isn’t what it used to be. James Conner carved the once-vaunted defense up all game. Giving up runs of 22 and 20 yards to Conner and Dortch, the Bucs were gashed for a total of 121 yards on the night. Connor averaged 5.3 yards per carry on 15 attempts for 79 yards and a score. Meanwhile, Dortch put up 8.3 yards per carry on his three attempts.

Containing Greg Dortch

Cardinals WR Greg Dortch and Bucs FS Logan Ryan – Photo by: USA Today

The Bucs had all sorts of issues containing the young wide receiver. On the Cardinals’ first drive, Dortch had an end-around that went for three yards picking up a first down. On the same series, he picked up a 23-yard catch deep down the field. He reeled in a short pass on Arizona’s second drive that he turned up the field for nine yards.

Dortch broke free for a 20 yard end-around on their third series. With just 28 seconds in the first half, he then reeled in an amazing sideline catch for 17 yards. He picked up a quick five yards on a catch and run to help improve field goal position for the Cardinals to tie it up at six before the half. Dortch torched the Bucs for 10 receptions on 11 targets for 98 yards to go with his three carries for 25 yards.

Brandon Walton

Replacing Josh Wells at left tackle after he sustained injury, Walton allowed an immediate pressure by Cam Thomas. Thomas hit Brady, who had to quickly get rid of the football to avoid the sack. On the next play, Walton let his man, Trysten Hill, off his block to make the tackle on the ball carrier.

Cardinals CB Marco Wilson – Photo by: USA Today

Walton was then charged with a major pressure from Thomas, who hit Brady as he threw on his pass that was intercepted. In the second half, Walton let Watt blow him up and go through him for a tackle for loss. He had a big false start penalty in overtime, too, backing the Bucs up five yards and out of the red zone. He held up much better in run protection, but gave up several pressures on passing downs.

Mike Edwards

Edwards was a part of two huge play swings for the Cardinals. The first was on a deep pass to Hollywood Brown where Edwards got turned out of position on the play. Then, the second one led to six points when he was blocked out of the play, allowing James Conner to score from 22 yards out to improve Arizona’s lead to 16-6.

Mental Mistakes and Red Zone Woes

Wells had a false start penalty to stall a drive. Down in the red zone, Otton and Julio Jones were called for an illegal shift that negated a Jones touchdown. On the next play, right tackle Tristan Wirfs had a holding penalty negate first down catch by Otton. The Bucs wouldn’t convert and had to settle for three points. That’s a significant sequence of mistakes.

The Bucs did find the end zone in the fourth quarter with a Rachaad White touchdown catch. A false start penalty backed the Bucs up five yards in overtime and out of the red zone. The Bucs finished with just five penalties for 30 yards, but several key flags kept points off the board.

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