It’s been difficult for most teams to generate big passing plays down the field on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season, but the Raiders created a couple on Sunday. What went wrong for the Bucs defense, and is there cause for concern? I examined each of the Raiders’ 20-plus air yard passing plays to identify the issues.

This is a variation of a Mills Concept, which includes a post with a dig from the opposite side of the field, with a shallow underneath. Against a two-high look, the Raiders are banking on the post route from Henry Ruggs III (no. 1 receiver on the right side of the formation) pulling the middle linebacker vertical so that Derek Carr can hit the dig route by Nelson Agholor underneath the post.

The only way to really stop this route from hitting is to disrupt the quarterback or hope he throws a bad ball. This Tampa 2 coverage will always have an intermediate middle hole in the zone, and if the quarterback throws it with timing and anticipation as Carr does here, it’s a big play waiting to happen. Shaq Barrett can’t get to his middle zone fast enough, and Lavonte David has to wall off the receiver as he initially stems vertically. It’s a great concept by the Raiders, called at the perfect time to combat the Bucs’ Tampa 2 look, which is not one of Tampa Bay’s more common coverages.

I think you tip your hat to the offense here, but you know schematically you’re going to be in better position to combat this route combination later in the game, likely cutting the dig with your free safety and having the outside cornerback replace the safety in the middle of the field on the post route. That’s how the Bucs would typically defend it out of their normal Cover 1/Cover 3 defensive schemes. The Raiders just happened to catch them in a look that made it tough to handle the route concept.

Agholor’s Touchdown Was Not On David

Many docked Lavonte David for giving up this touchdown to Agholor on the Raiders first drive, but he actually did his job well here. He’s supposed to wall and carry anything vertical down the seam, and the speedy Agholor is a very difficult assignment. But David is supposed to have safety help rotating back over the top, as Antoine Winfield, Jr. drops out of the box into the middle of the field at the snap, while Jordan Whitehead rolls down to cover Darren Waller after Sean Murphy-Bunting blitzes.

I’m not sure why, but Winfield hesitates at about the five-yard line despite no other routes in his area. Perhaps Carr froze him with his eyes? Tough to tell from the All-22 angles. But Winfield never gets over top of the seam route, and the perfect throw and catch from Carr to Agholor is completed for a touchdown as a result.

Dean Finally Gives Up A Big Play

The Bucs are playing Cover 3 against the Raiders 3×1 alignment, with Agholor to the single receiver side in a plus-split outside the numbers. Bucs cornerback Jamel Dean should be alerted to a nine route due to the formation and Agholor’s wide split, but the receiver does a great job stemming outside at the top of the route to flip Dean around before breaking back inside.

Dean honestly recovers brilliantly, showing off his easy speed as he accelerates to get back in phase. Despite the eye-popping burst to get in position for the breakup, Dean never finds the football or extends his arm in time to combat the catch. Agholor brings in a perfect throw unscathed, and the Raiders have a first down at the Tampa Bay 3-yard line.

For most of the season, targeting Carlton Davis III, Winfield or Dean has been pretty fruitless for opposing offenses, especially down the field. On Sunday, a great route by Agholor and a perfect throw by Carr found a way to beat one of the better cornerbacks in the league this season.

Defensive Notebook

• I’ve got another article coming on Sean Murphy-Bunting later in the week, but suffice to say he is struggling and the Bucs need to start looking at other potential options to replace him at nickel cornerback in the starting lineup. The next couple games will be big for determining what direction SMB’s career in Tampa Bay goes.

• Great start for Steve McLendon. He played 25 critical snaps for the Bucs run defense, making five stops and stacking-and-shedding like a pro inside. Terrific pickup by Jason Licht that should help keep the Tampa Bay run defense at the top of the league.

Bucs S Antoine Winfield, Jr. – Photo by: USA Today

• After a dropped interception last week against Green Bay, Winfield wasn’t about to let Mike Edwards’ deflected pass get away from him on Sunday. It’s a good thing too, as – like it or not – the Defensive Rookie of the Year is an award given out based on statistics, regardless of how well a player has played. With four pass breakups, two sacks and a forced fumble, Winfield just needs to add a few interceptions to stay in the race with Washington defensive end Chase Young and Indianapolis safety Julian Blackmon. In a year with very little competition for the award, every splash play Winfield makes goes a long way.