Buccaneers 21, Falcons 15

October 9th, 2022

It wasn’t really a fair fight. The Bucs had their way with the Falcons — when they got out of their own way with penalties, screwups in short yardage and missed tackles, especially on special teams.

That’s more nitpicking from Joe than anything else. Our beloved Buccaneers were humming with their passing game and Atlanta’s special running game was slowed just enough by the Bucs defense. And of course, it helps when you force a team to pass and they are starting runaround JV quarterback Marcus Mariota.

But damn, that Bucs passing game is a sweet sight, and it all starts with the pass blocking that settled down in a hurry after the first quarter.

Tom Brady was 22-of-30 for 224 yards — in the first half!

Joe and every other Bucs fan got a beautiful lesson in what the offense can look like with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin healthy. Godwin truly looks like he has his legs back, and the Falcons had no answer with their No. 1 cornerback A.J. Terrell spending the day with Evans.

Good for Todd Bowles, who desperately needed the win to avoid the Bucs going 0-3 at home to start the season.

Great to see the defense bounce back after allowing 41 points a week ago, even if it wasn’t much of a test. Shutting out any NFL team through three quarters like they did today before pseudo garbage time is a big deal.

Yeah, Joe wishes the Bucs had played a complete game and not crapped the bed trying to close out the Falcons, but it’s more proof that the Bucs can win while still needing a lot of work.

And don’t bark at Joe about the Bucs getting a gift of a call with the Grady Jarrett personal foul with three minute remaining. That came immediately after the zebras passed on a clear pass interference call on the Falcons in the red zone on Scotty Miller.

Tampa Bay sits ALONE atop the NFC South at 3-2.

65 Responses to “Buccaneers 21, Falcons 15”

  1. Show Me the TDs Says:

    The game isn’t over, dumbxxx

  2. DoooshLaRue Says:

    God you’re dumb Joe.
    Just plain dumb.

  3. 1Gr8Buc Says:

    Why the hell would you post something like this?

  4. #99 Says:

    We can’t run or stop the run..
    This is absolutely ridiculous

  5. BucsFan81 Says:

    Spoke a little to soon Joe. We have a 4th quarter left and they are only down 2 scores.

  6. Austin Christopher Lewis Says:

    What’s up with our run D? Was Historically great

  7. Show Me the TDs Says:

    Dewey wins!! Joe, you’re as stupid as Bowels and Leftwich!

  8. HC Grover Says:

    Boles tried but the chicks pulled out the loss.

  9. Jack Sparrow Says:

    Bowles and Leftwich sucks !

  10. Roc Says:

    COACHING

    NOTHING ELSE TO SAY ….

  11. unbelievable Says:

    It wasn’t really a fair fight- yet the Bucs did everything they possibly could to give that game away in the 2nd half.

    Atlanta is not good. That 2nd half performance was pathetic and embarrassing. No doubt in my mind ATL wins that game if they have Patterson and Pitts.

    And now our defensive backfield is littered with injuries.

    #ItsABucsLife

  12. DoooshLaRue Says:

    Oh good Joe, you left up the earlier comments from your premature journalistic ejaculation.

    Don’t ever do that again.

  13. Da Bucs Guy Says:

    Joe cannot see the forest thru the trees.

  14. Buc4evr Says:

    Wow play calling in the second half was really bad, defense can’t stop the run and the Bucs had to rely on a bad roughing the QB call to win.. This team is going to struggle to score points. SUH.

  15. Arn platz Says:

    339. 339 yards rushing given up by the Bucs D.

    Call SUH. Call him now Licht

  16. Ricardo Says:

    That WAS a gift of a call.

  17. SufferingSince76 Says:

    Please, Tom. Take over the play calling.

  18. Arn platz Says:

    339. 339 yards rushing given up by the Bucs D.

    Call SUH. Call him now Licht. Hicks will come back a game or two and be reinjured

  19. Jack Sparrow Says:

    No wonder no other team last year tried to acquire Bowles or Leftwich. They know both coaches sucks.

  20. BucsBro Says:

    Ugly ending, but we saw the best of what the team can be in this game. They just took their foot off the gas too soon, especially the defense.

    This is Peak Brady. And it’s just starting.

  21. A Bucs Fan Says:

    Poor offensive play calling. Give BA his red pen back!

    Also, Bucs overall just seem softer this year. No killer instinct at all. I’m not impressed with the product on the field.

  22. D-Rok Says:

    Bucs win. Bucs 420 yards, Birds 261. I will gladly take this win.

  23. Listnfrmafar Says:

    Will you people finally listen to List? These coaches suck. They are like giveng the opponents a 12th man. Bowles is already a 2 time loser and BL is obviously NOT qualified. I actually feel bad for the fans. #jetstrash

  24. HC Grover Says:

    fire bowles

  25. Architek Says:

    This offense stinks I’m sorry!

  26. Arn platz Says:

    Comments on how great our run D use to be. Gee I wonder what is missing. It SUHre beats me as to what is missing

  27. D-Rok Says:

    List, I will start “listening” to you when your predictions start coming true. Bucs win and take sole place in our division. How you like them apples?

    The score might have been close but the game really wasn’t – the Bucs mostly dominated this whole game.

  28. Rod Munch Says:

    Stupid coward Bowles cost the Bucs a win vs the spread, and literally cost me money. What a POS.

  29. Jack Sparrow Says:

    If it wasn’t for the help from the refs, bucs fans will be at RayJay with pitchforks calling for both Bowles and Leftwich to be fired!

  30. unbelievable Says:

    I’m sorry but I can blame the coaches for Russel Gage not being able to catch.

    I don’t blame the coaches for Miller being too small to make a play if there is a defender within breathing distance.

    I don’t blame the coaches for our lazy lineman that cant tackle a running back.

  31. unbelievable Says:

    *cant blame

    Stupid effin autocorrect

  32. Kgh4life Says:

    The refs gave this game to the Bucs.

  33. BucU Says:

    This coaching staff is unbelievable! Nothing what they say during the week remotely resembles the product on the field on Sundays. How many more weeks of stunning mediocrity before we get our shyt together on BOTH sides of the ball Todd? Yeah great they won. But everybody knows what’s at stake this season. And as it stands right now with almost a third of the season gone we are a very average team. At best. So I’ll ask again Todd. When do we get to see this team play to their potential?
    Fix it. That’s YOUR job.

  34. Fairminded Says:

    Weak win. Not a confidence builder by any stretch. Bailed out by the refs. Would have preferred we got one more shot at showing we can actually stop them because our D looked overmatched in the second half! I’m sure the players feel we scraped by with one

  35. unbelievable Says:

    @Jack Sparrow – tbh the refs just threw a flag to make up for the completely blown PI call on the play before. Atlanta should be happy it was a 15 yard penalty instead of 30 yards…

    But overall the officiating was garbage. For both teams at different times.

  36. D-Rok Says:

    @ Joes,

    This was a HUGE test. It was the SB for them Fowlcons. The score doesn’t reflect the dominance from the Bucs today.

    Either way, a gritty, tough win for the Bucs, and we should all be grateful for what the Bucs did today. The end results was never in doubt, although we almost coughed up the lead later in the game. I’m impressed the Bucs never truly let the Birds back in the game.

    The passing attack from the Bucs today? A total clinic. A good, resounding win against an opponent most casual fans would have said we needed to score 40+ on. Not that kind of game, and I’m proud of the way the Bucs D stepped up for 3/4 of this game.

  37. D-Rok Says:

    Lenny needs to get the game-ball today. Dang he was awesome. RIGHT?

  38. HC Grover Says:

    post game Bowles……i need to look at the film……

  39. BigMacAttack Says:

    Lucky win. The defense quit in the second half. Our CB’s are so fragile it’s a joke. Leftwich ran a prevent offense. Prevent from getting a first down. Refs were horrible all game both sides.

  40. Craig Says:

    The defense got lazy and almost gave it away.

    The poor officiating actually gave us this one. The calls they made were atrocious.

  41. Redeemer Says:

    Hanging on to beat a bad football team isn’t cause for celebration. If the bucs played the 49ers next week, they’d get waxed.

  42. D-Rok Says:

    Redeemer,

    C’mon man – it was a win. Now sitting at 3-2 and alone atop the division. Is there something else to complain about? We won bro.

  43. Buczilla Says:

    We got lucky at the end and atlanta got screwed on a couple of calls. We did too, but this game was just more proof that the nfl is corrupt AF. Scew atlanta and I’ll take a win any way that I can get one.

  44. Goatfarmer Says:

    Thank you D-Rok.

    Goatfarmer has an erection for Lenny.

  45. Coburn Says:

    No the refs didn’t give the game to the buvs. Sound just as annoying as the announcers who wouldn’t shut up about the Jarrett penalty. Yes it was a terrible call. Guess what the play before it was every bit as terrible of a no call. If flag is thrown from Miller getting tackled.beforr the ball arrived it’s not even in the conversation..it’s 1st down way further down the field

  46. Coburn Says:

    Not to mention all the non calls on holding. Their second td Barrett was being held right from the snap and was still almost in Mariota face

  47. D-Rok Says:

    @ Goat,

    Anybody with eyes saw how dominant Lenny was.

  48. LakelandSteve Says:

    The offense played great in the first half and then kind of disappeared for quite a while. The defense is absolutely terrible. If it wasn’t for the Falcons not being able to get out of there own way a couple of times on offense this very well could have been a loss. What happened to our ability to stop the run. Vea made a couple of plays but when it mattered the Falcons ran it down our throat. That is far from a championship defense and if we don’t change something in a hurry the offense might have to put up 30 to 35 points a game just to have a chance of winning. Oh and you can kiss the Super Bowl good bye if the defense doesn’t get their heads out of their asses.

  49. Bojim Says:

    Miss BA.

  50. D-Rok Says:

    Lenny:

    Rush: 14 rush, 56 yards, 1 TD.
    Pass: 11 targets, 10 receptions, 83 yds, 1 TD.

    139 total yards, 2 TD’s.

    DOMINANT.

  51. Bucfan Says:

    This is the dumbest post by A JOE since I have been coming to this site. How much did the Bucs pay you for this stupidity? Wow!!

  52. Redeemer Says:

    D-Rok, of course I’ll take the win. But you must admit, this team has serious problems. They are a poorly coached, mistake prone team right now. Things can and should get better. The falcons suck, and didn’t belong on the same field today. Better keep beating these lambs, cuz Brady can’t do it by himself.

  53. T REX Says:

    What a joke…we are an AVERAGE football team.

    Average.

    We do nothing special. Nothing.

  54. The Chef Says:

    Rod Munch Says:
    October 9th, 2022 at 4:15 pm
    Stupid coward Bowles cost the Bucs a win vs the spread, and literally cost me money. What a POS.

    Talking about cowards. I seriously doubt you’d call Todd Bowles a coward to his face.

  55. Faspro Says:

    The bucs defense sucks.

  56. Defense Rules Says:

    Thank you D-Rok. I can’t figure out for the life of me what’s wrong with these fair-weather Bucs’ fans who blast the HC for winning & blast our defense for giving up only 15 points … ALL in the 4th quarter. If you looked at the faces of our defensive players (and especially the DLine), they were totally gassed by that point. SHOULD tell you all something (maybe about DEPTH?).

    Bucs had 75 plays in today’s game to Falcons 61, yet we LOST the TOP 29:26 to 30:34. It was a good, hard-fought clean game … no turnovers, low penalties (6 each). Bucs 3rd down efficiency was 9-for-16 (56%), much better than we had been doing. And oh ya, we cobbled together over 400 yards of offense in those 75 plays (5.6 yards per play is actually pretty good IMO). Problem was: we ONLY scored 3 TDs out of all that yardage.

    Fournette definitely should get the game ball; 14 rushes for 56 yds (4.0 YPC) plus 10 receptions for another 83 yds, with 2 total TDs. That’s big-time production. Of course Mike Evans & Chris Godwin also showed up, as usual, but so did the rookie Cade Otton (6 catches for 43 yds).

    Defense did quite good … UNTIL the 4th quarter. Loved the 5 sacks & holding the Falcons to 14 of 25 passing (147 yds). Run defense obviously needs more than work; it needs 1 or 2 talented DLinemen. As constructed, this DLine isn’t SB caliber by any means. THAT’S not on the HC though; THAT’S on Jason Licht for his priorities in building this team.

  57. BucsBeBack (Artist formally known as: BringBucsBack) Says:

    I don’t know what was worse:
    The run “defense”
    The play calling
    The refs (for both sides) or
    The 25 seconds 3 & out drive in the 4th quarter with a 2TD lead

    “Shutting out any NFL team through three quarters like they did today before pseudo garbage time is a big deal.” Joe, an entire quarter is not “pseudo garbage time”.

    The birds left points on the field throughout the game.

    Outcoached.
    Doesn’t feel much like a win, either.

  58. Richbucsfan Says:

    When a win feels like a loss it ain’t good. Brady was hit hard several times. This inexperienced Oline will get him hurt at some point. The Dline is pathetic. They are a sieve for ant running back to have a career day. Their failure makes the DBs very vulnerable. When SMB got in I knew it would become a close game.

    Pretenders not contenders. 9-8 at best.

  59. Redeemer Says:

    Defense, sounds like you’re trying hard to convince yourself. Bravo 👏👏 a win is a win. Again, better beat these lambs coming up, or it’s wild card city.

  60. King C Says:

    Bucs benefitted from a very shady roughing the passer call that usually does not get called. Loudmouth fans on this forum are silent about it tho

  61. Ed Says:

    Arians is missed. Team is softer. I want to see those deep shots going to Evans not Miller. He can’t fight for the deep ball. Big Mike is a bad dog, feed him those shots down field.

    Leftwich slowed down Brady in second half.

    Bucs get a win but still the defensive line is getting bulled over by no name running backs.

  62. Jbeachbuc Says:

    Actually Joe, there were two clear pass interference penalties against Scotty… Great point nonetheless tho.

  63. Purplepirate Says:

    “We won bro.”

    Yes, we barely beat a bad team down 2 key starters including the league’s leading rusher.

    Yay.

    Guess what happens when teams like that play someone decent? They lose 41-31. But I’m sure no one decent will be in the playoffs so no biggie.

  64. Purplepirate Says:

    “Loudmouth fans on this forum are silent about it tho”

    Kinda like how loudmouths like you are silent about the uncalled pass interference the play right before that are usually called.

  65. Defense Rules Says:

    Redeemer … Yes, a win is a win, and I’ll take all we can get. This team is playing ‘average’ football right now, at best, but we have the starting talent to do much better (once our starters get healed up). Problem is our depth in many position groups is just meh, and it’ll take better than that to win another Super Bowl.