BucDad’s 3 Takeaways from the Bucs loss to the Rams

Sunday’s loss to the Rams should be humbling in a way. For this first time in 11 games, the Bucs have lost. There can’t be any excuse outside of L.A. scored more points at the end of the day and this could very well be a rematch in the playoffs.

Bucs secondary struggled against Rams receivers

The game was that shootout that I warned you about earlier in the week and it absolutely was regardless of what the score shows. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford went toe-to-toe with the G.O.A.T. and in the end managed to lead his team to a victory. This led to Tom Brady and the Bucs being handed their first loss since November 2020.

The Bucs secondary struggled to contain the Rams receivers allowing their third straight 300-yard game this season. Stafford found six different receivers and four of them to averaged over ten yards per catch. Cooper Kupp and DeSean Jackson gave the injury depleted Buccaneer secondary nightmares.

With rumors that GM Jason Licht has already reached out to free agent corner Richard Sherman, the team would be wise to possibly pursue that deal if the veteran is willing to sign for cheap. Something needs to happen now especially after Jamel Dean went down during the game with a knee injury and didn’t return. This comes just two weeks after the team lost Sean Murphy-Bunting for an undisclosed time frame with an elbow injury.

Pass rush was nearly invisible

Outside of the lone sack by DE William Gholston, the Bucs front seven was just flat all game, generating only hits on Stafford. Not getting pressure allowed the thirteen year veteran to have enough time to pick the defense apart. The defense absolutely felt the absence of Jason Pierre-Paul as he was inactive for Sunday’s game after it was suggested he rest his shoulder.

Rookie Joe Tryon-Shoyinka got his first career start in place of the injured JPP and looked exactly like expected, a rookie. He did manage to register two tackles while batting down a pass, but also showed his inexperience against the Rams offensive line. With time, Tryon-Shoyinka will develop his skill set and technique and be one of the league’s top pass rushers.

The defense would definitely benefit from having Pierre-Paul back next week when the Bucs travel next week to Foxborough to face Brady’s former team, the New England Patriots.

Where is the running game?

Byron Leftwich needs to carry a majority of the blame for the Bucs not producing a run game. The lack of a running game is horrendous. The Bucs are not a run heavy team but utilizing the rush is key to being successful through the air. The Bucs running backs combined for a total of 35 yards on 13 carries and the only rushing touchdown came on a Tom Brady QB sneak in the third quarter to make it a 21-14 game.

If you’re going to beat these teams deep, you’re going to have to have an established run game. With an apparent injury to Giovanni Bernard’s knee, it’d be wise for the coaching staff to utilize second year back Ke’Shawn Vaughn in the mix with Fournette and Jones II. Whatever it takes, the team is going to have to average between 20-25 carries per game.

Time to move forward and focus on next Sunday Night’s matchup against the Patriots. Tom Brady’s homecoming. He returns to face the same organization that he spent 20 seasons with. Brady took over for Drew Bledsoe and never looked back. He made the organization relevant to winning six of his seven Super Bowls with them. The atmosphere is going to be electric and Brady is going to want to get back on track to go for two.