The Bucs got the win in New Orleans on Sunday afternoon, taking them to 6-2 and fully putting them in the driver’s seat in the NFC South. It was a beautiful performance from the defense, so today’s most disappointing will heavily feature the offensive side of the ball.

Bucs 3rd Down Execution

No one player or coach owns this, but the collective wasn’t great. The Bucs were 3-of-13 on third down and struggled to sustain all but two drives on the game. They failed to convert via a zero blitz they didn’t diagnose pre-snap on their first drive. Baker Mayfield was sacked for an 11-yard loss later in the game. Other third downs killed by pressure allowed up the middle by the interior.

Mayfield missed a couple of throws and Tez Johnson dropped an easy pass. On a 3rd & 3 in the fourth quarter, Sean Tucker couldn’t find the room to pick up the minimal yardage required to keep a drive alive. Nothing worked on third down for most of the day. If it had, this game would have been a bigger blowout much earlier in the game.

Bucs Offensive Line

Baker Mayfield was under assault for most of the night as the offensive line struggled to keep him clean. The Saints pressured Mayfield on over 40% of his drop backs with scant little opportunity to hitch and climb to find any of his receivers.

The line was unable to create even a modicum of push on not one, not two, not three, NOT FOUR, but five consecutive plays at the goal line where offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard called inside run after inside run to try and establish a physical dominance early in the game. Instead, the Bucs turned the ball over on downs and showed they are another team altogether without Cody Mauch and Luke Goedeke on the field.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and Saints DE Chase Young – Photo by: Jeffrey Jones/PR

Tristan Wirfs had an unusually rough game, allowing Chase Young to get to Mayfield twice – resulting in 1.5 sacks on the official stat sheet. Young’s ability to dent Wirfs with power and keep his eyes on Mayfield has resulted in an unusually successful track record against the Bucs All-Pro left tackle.

Graham Barton’s up-and-down season continued with another down game. The switch to left tackle to start the season may have stunted his growth as a center, but he seems to be reacting slowly to the havoc that happens on the inside and because of that, he is struggling to keep defenders out of his chest which negates his anchor.

He gave up multiple pressures and at least one sack in this game. Barton was part of an interior offensive line that is struggling to get any push in the run game and is constantly allowing pressure in Mayfield’s face. They will need to find some consistency during the bye week if Tampa Bay hopes to make a deep playoff run this year because Cody Mauch is not returning this year.

Special shout out to right tackle Charlie Heck, who had perhaps his best game of the season in pass protection from my live view.

Bucs OC Josh Grizzard

Grizzard’s low redzone play-calling alone earned him a spot on this list. On one hand, he should be able to expect his offense to gain a single yard in five plays. But after the second…or third attempt without success, he also has to try other methods of punching the ball in. A boot. A wide zone run to stretch a defense that isn’t particularly athletic. A rub route. Literally anything else.

Grizzard got a second chance to learn from that mistake and disappointed once again. The Bucs eventually punched the ball in…on 4th down. But that included another two up-the-gut runs to go with two single-eligible pass plays. Insert the Mad Men “Not Great Bob!” meme.

Bucs OC Josh Grizzard and RB coach Skip Peete – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

But you can also add in that Grizzard, who did not expect the Saints to blitz much, struggled to adjust his protection plan to keep Mayfield clean throughout the first half. Things got better after halftime, but that is an area he has consistently struggled with this season compared to his predecessor Liam Coen.

Grizzard’s offense failed to capitalize fully on three turnovers the Bucs defense provided them, netting just three yards, three points and a turnover themselves on those three drives (the fourth Bucs turnover went for a defensive touchdown). Add in two more drives where they took over after the defense forced turnovers on downs and Grizzard’s unit could only muster 14 yards and three points from advantageous field position.

QB Baker Mayfield

Mayfield wasn’t terrible in this game. But he also did not elevate his team either. Add in a lost fumble and the fact that he had been playing at an All-Pro level prior to week seven and this does count as a disappointing game for 6. Mayfield had a few errant throws, likely the byproduct of an oblique injury that is clearly limiting him. He also was unable to avoid sacks at the rate he had previously established throughout September.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

In the fourth quarter, Mayfield had Emeka Egbuka open for a walk-in touchdown but double-clutched the throw, allowing the Saints defense to recover and break up the pass. The Bucs would have to settle for a field goal on the drive.

For the game, Mayfield was 15-of-24 for 152 yards and a lost fumble. He was able to lead two solid drives, one resulting in a touchdown, and generally did enough to get the win against a division rival. But his play was far from inspiring in a season where that has been his standard.