Extra Point: Top Takeaways From Bucs' Loss to Ravens

JC Allen delivers his biggest takeaways from the Buccaneers' 41-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Aug 23, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles against the Miami Dolphins during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are down bad after a 41-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football. Not only did they lose the game in disappointing fashion, allowing 34 consecutive points to be scored on them after jumping out to a 10-0 lead, but they are now without several key playmakers for an extended period.

Star wide receiver Mike Evans left the game early, reaggravating a hamstring injury that has plagued him for the last two weeks, and will be on the shelf for at least the next three games. Standout rookie defensive back Tykee Smith left the game and is in concussion protocol. However, the biggest loss came with just over a minute left when Chris Godwin, who was on an All-Pro trajectory, had his ankle dislocated and is now lost for the season.

In the middle of the toughest stretch of their schedule and with a rematch with first place in the NFC South on the line against the Atlanta Falcons, the Bucs are in rough shape. They're not out of the mix by any means but will need to win at least one of their next three games to head into the bye week .500 and have a chance at making a late-season run. The "next man up" mentality is in full effect at the wide receiver position as the Bucs try to navigate their season on a steady course. It's always tough to lose, but to do it the way the Buccaneers did on Monday Night and lose key players in the process makes things even more difficult. Here are my top takeaways from the Bucs Week 7 loss to the Ravens.

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Run Game Builds Consistency

For the fourth consecutive game, the Buccaneers' offense totaled over 100 yards on the ground rushing. Now, the production against the Ravens wasn't the same 277-yard offense explosion as it was against the Saints, but coming into the Week 7 matchup, Baltimore's defense was allowing just 59 yards per game on the ground to opposing teams. The Bucs offense broke out for 125 yards behind their three-headed rushing attack led by Rachaad White, Bucky Irving, and Sean Tucker.

White still led the way with 39 snaps and was the starter when the team took the field. He led the Bucs with 40 yards on the ground while chipping in 71 yards and two touchdowns on six receptions through the air. Irving was the next man up and logged 29 snaps, adding 23 yards on the ground and a score while totaling 54 yards through the air. Tucker, who won the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award in Week 6, logged just 16 snaps but ran for 29 yards and had one catch for nine yards. The Bucs will need their three-headed monster in the backfield to continue to build on their performance, especially with Mike Evans sidelined for the next couple weeks and Chris Godwin lost for the season.

Middle Of The Field Woes Continue

The Bucs have struggled to contain opposing offenses this season when targeting the middle of the field on defense. On Monday, those issues reared its head again, with Lamar Jackson completing five of his seven passes to that area of the field for 65 yards and a touchdown. It wasn't the abysmal 19 of 23 for 296 yards and two touchdowns showing the defense put up against the Falcons, but from the line of scrimmage to 20 yards down the field the Bucs have been horrendous this season at stopping opposing quarterbacks.

Through seven games this season, the Bucs' defense has allowed opposing teams to complete 69 of their 83 passes for a whopping 813 yards and four touchdowns. That's a 116-per-game average when targeting the middle of the field. Not good.

Part of the struggle falls on the coaches not being able to make proper adjustments when they know teams will be targeting that area of the field, but the players have their fair share of blame as well. Like it or not, Lavonte David is not the same player of yesteryear and is coming off his worst game this year and one of his worst games in recent memory. K.J. Britt is fine when asking to come downhill but does not possess the skill set to drop in coverage effectively when matched up against premier backs and tight ends. The worst part is there is no quick fix to the solution, especially with LB SirVocea Dennis out indefinitely and DB Tykee Smith now in concussion protocol.

Bucs Collapse In Second Quarter... Again

For the second straight week, the Buccaneers got off to a fast start and then let everything fall apart in the second quarter. After jumping out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, the Bucs self-imploded in the second. In less than three minutes, the Ravens took the ball 70 yards down the field and scored on a short pass to the (you guessed it) middle of the field to put their first points of the game on the board. The Bucs marched down the field looking to answer, but Baker Mayfield threw his first interception of the game in the red zone and four plays later the Ravens were out in front 14-10.

The Bucs started the ensuing drive promising with a 15-yard run by Tucker, but two plays later Mayfield threw his second interception of the game and the Ravens went down to kick a field goal with just seconds left in the half to put them up 17-10. The Bucs lost both Evans and Smith on those drives to injury and it was all downhill from there as the Ravens would score 17 points in the third before the Bucs attempted to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter. Too little, too late. The Bucs must figure out why the team is stalling on both sides of the ball in the second quarter and fix it, because if they don't, their next three opponents will know how to exploit them and get them in an early hole they might not be able to climb out of. They were lucky against the Saints but they won't always be so lucky.

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