Grading the Buccaneers Week 16 Loss to the Saints

Dec 24, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) is sacked by New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) and defensive end Kasim Edebali (91) in the second quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

For the Buccaneers to keep their playoff hopes alive for this season they needed to come through with a win on the road in New Orleans.

Whether the Buccaneers see post-season football or not is going to be decided once and for all next week, but we’re a bit closer to seeing the playoff picture after the slate of pre-Christmas games played this weekend.

After a 31-24 loss to their divisional rivals, the Bucs will look to close out the season with a win at home.

It was disappointing to witness this team drop one to a team they just beat two weeks ago, but when it comes to divisional match-ups you can never assume victory against anyone.

Let’s break down what happened and pass out judgement.

Dec 24, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) looks to throw against the New Orleans Saints in the first quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

QUARTERBACK: D

Jameis Winston hasn’t looked his sharpest for the Bucs as of late and luckily the defense has been able to step up in some key situations during the team’s playoff push.

This afternoon’s match-up wasn’t much different to start as the Bucs offense netted just 97-yards of offense with Winston accounting for 72 of them through the air.

His 70% completion rate was promising, and his touchdown pass to get the scoring started for Tampa Bay certainly inspired some hopeful thoughts among the fan-base.

The second half saw more yards for Winston, but not more success.

After throwing a touchdown pass to bring his team within striking distance, the young quarterback threw a bad pass into double coverage and was intercepted for the second time by Jairus Byrd.

Bad decisions and a lack of ability to adjust to what the Saints were presenting him doomed the Bucs’ quarterback, and his teammates.

It’s been a few games since Winston looked like a budding passing great, and his team will certainly hope to see more of what his potential holds as they look to close the season on a high note next week.

Dec 4, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Jacquizz Rodgers (32) runs the ball during the second half against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Tampa Bay won 28-21. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

RUNNING BACKS: C

The Buccaneers made Doug Martin a surprise scratch as he was inactive for perhaps the most crucial game of the last five seasons.

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Starting in his place was Jacquizz Rodgers while Charles Sims got his own snaps in as the Bucs looked to establish some ground dominance.

Running the ball ten times including one by the quarterback, the Bucs totaled just 35 first half rushing yards while Rodgers started the game averaging 4.5 yards per carry.

The duo would combine for just nine second half carries and turn in 75 rushing yards total on 18 touches.

Rodgers scored the Bucs’ lone rushing touchdown capping off one of only a few good-looking offensive possessions which brought Tampa back to within a score of their NFC South rival.

Sims is known to be a better receiver than he is a runner, and he showed his abilities in the passing game by bringing in four catches for 30 yards while Rodgers added two catches of his own tallying 15 yards on the day.

Neither running back was afforded many opportunities to really impact the game, so we’ll grade this as a group project.

Overall, not bad, just not good enough to really lead the class.

Dec 18, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) runs a route against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

WIDE RECEIVERS and TIGHT ENDS: C

Mike Evans has been suffering a drought of sorts while Cameron Brate has been rising up the tight end ranks into one of the most productive players in the NFL in the second half of the season.

For the Bucs, long-term success will hinge on getting both players involved consistently, and each had two targets in the first half as Winston tried to do just that.

While Brate got the lone score for the Bucs in the first half, Evans was able to collect just 28 yards on his two receptions to start the game.

After both of Winston’s primary targets were banged up in this one it was apparent the Bucs would need someone else to step up in order for them to pull out a victory.

Russell Shepard caught three of his five targets for 61 yards and was probably the best receiver on the field outside of Evans and Brate.

It was Shepard who Winston was targeting on his second interception of the game, and honestly, there was nothing the former LSU wideout could have done about that one.

Evans was able to stay in the game to the end and finished with a respectable stat line of seven catches, 97 yards and one score which came on an “interesting” sequence which resulted in a pass interference call on former Bucs cornerback Sterling Moore.

Josh Huff looked fairly effective on a couple of screen passes and showed what this offense has been missing for most of the season in speed and agility.

Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Donovan Smith (76) against the Chicago Bears at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers won 36-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

OFFENSIVE LINE: C

Can’t blame the Bucs’ slow start this week on the offensive line as they opened holes for the running game early and even gave Winston more time than he’s had in the last few weeks from the pocket.

The Bucs quarterback was sacked once in the first half, but the play came on a busted rollout screen which the second-year leader of the offense should have fired out of bounds. Instead, he held the ball and swallowed a 10 yard loss setting up one of several three-and-outs on the afternoon.

Late in the game the Saints defense became very fixated on pass rushing, and the offensive front for Tampa simply wasn’t able to hold up consistently enough.

Don’t get me wrong. Winston’s bad decisions were his decisions, and the O-line can’t control his mentality, but a quarterback expecting pressure is under pressure before the defenders even get off the line.

Ali Marpet had a pair of second half holding penalties which didn’t help matters, and neither offensive tackle was able to keep Cameron Jordan and his buddies off of the Bucs quarterback very much at all.

The running game looked better today than it had in a few weeks, so give credit where it’s due, but we won’t be putting this performance on the refrigerator anytime soon.

Nov 13, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Clinton McDonald (98) takes the field prior to the game against the Chicago Bears at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers won 36-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

DEFENSIVE LINE: D

Getting pressure on Drew Brees had to have been a key to the game for the Bucs, and despite two sacks – one by defensive tackle Clinton McDonald – the Saints quarterback still notched 142 yards passing in the first half.

Unlike the last time these two teams faced off, the defensive front simply didn’t contain the run as effectively and New Orleans was able to gather more than 50 yards on the ground helping them dominate the time of possession measurement.

Saints running backs combined for 45 yards rushing two weeks ago. This week they totaled 64 in the first half alone.

By the end of it Mark Ingram and Tim Hightower would put 119 yards on the ground and two Heisman posed touchdown runs by Ingram helped put the win on the board for New Orleans.

They aren’t to blame alone of course, but run defense starts with the defensive line, and this group was pushed for four quarters pretty consistently.

Brees wasn’t sacked once in the second half, and looked pretty comfortable for most of the match-up as he finished just shy of 300 yards on the day.

No excuses in this one, they just didn’t get it done.

Dec 24, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) is pressured by Tampa Bay Buccaneers outside linebacker Lavonte David (54) in the first quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

LINEBACKERS: C

Whenever the Bucs’ defensive front isn’t firing effectively it puts more pressure on the linebackers to make big plays.

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Early in the Week 16 contest Lavonte David secured a sack on Drew Brees and nearly came up with an interception which would have gone for an easy pick-six had he been able to secure the pass.

Unfortunately he could not, and even Kwon Alexander’s team leading seven first-half tackles couldn’t keep the Saints of the board as they took a 13-7 lead into the half.

Alexander finished the game on top of the tackle stats with ten on the afternoon and broke up two passes for good measure.

At one point in the second half with the Bucs still very much in it, Alexander forced what looked to be a fumble, but was overturned upon review.

The Bucs defense didn’t every fully grasp momentum over the Saints offense, and a very long day leading to the teams second straight loss seemed to deflate the group more than anything.

Reports from the sideline stated Alexander was doing what he could to boost his teammates shortly before the overturned fumble, but it was too little too late.

Dec 24, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas (13) is tackled by Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Vernon Hargreaves (28) during the second quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

DEFENSIVE BACKS: C

The last time the Bucs and Saints played each other Brandin Cooks was the subject of off-season trade rumors and Michael Thomas was inactive due to an injury.

This time around Cooks was coming off a huge performance and Thomas was back healthy. The duo combined for five catches and 67 yards in the first half as they certainly made their presence felt.

Tampa’s secondary was able to contain the attack however as neither player found the endzone and the defense was able to hold two promising New Orleans drives to field goals to keep the game within a score at halftime.

Give the secondary some credit in this one as they did all they could to contain the Saints high-powered offense as much as we could really expect them to.

299 yards passing by Drew Brees isn’t hard to give up, but just one passing score when his offense put up 31 points isn’t their usual scoring pattern.

Cooks and Thomas found room to make plays later in the second half with the rookie from Ohio State especially delivering a dagger to what’s left of the Buccaneers’ playoff hopes.

Each receiver finished with 98 yards a piece which certainly drives down the early efforts to contain the damage this trio can do.

Dec 11, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Josh Huff (15) runs with the ball in the first half against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

SPECIAL TEAMS: B

Roberto Aguayo made his lone extra point try for the Buccaneers and punter Bryan Anger did a great job pinning the Saints inside their own 20-yard line on all three of his punts.

Josh Robinson had a hand in the punting effectiveness as usual downing one kick inside the five while two others were fair caught by the New Orleans special teams group.

Kick returner Josh Huff may have seen his last field time on special teams however as he muffed a kickoff return for the second time in as many match-ups against this team this season.

The gaff pinned Winston and the offense against their own goal line and ultimately resulted in two score lead for the Bucs’ division rival.

Aguayo made all three of his extra point tries and nailed the one field goal he was called upon to kick.

As usual, the return game was non-existent for the Bucs, and should be an area they hope to find an answer for before the 2017 season.

TAMPA BAYBUCCANEERS24

That’ll do it for our grades for the Week 16 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

The Bucs fall to 8-7 with one more shot at securing a winning record coming next week against the Carolina Panthers.

The Pewter Plank will be bringing you all of our usual coverage leading up to this final game. The Bucs’ playoff chances aren’t dead yet, so keep an eye out for some key match-ups as we all pull for this squad to get it together for one last regular season win.

What are your thoughts on the game today, and what grades would you give out?  Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter anytime!