With the Bucs playing on Thursday Night Football last week, I was unable to review the Atlanta All-22 tape in time to put out game grades for that game as I have been doing all season. Instead, you will be getting an offense and defense-only game grades in a review of both games.

Both games were losses for the Bucs as they are now on a three-game losing streak, and the play on the field has a large role in those outcomes. I’m going to give shorter synopses for these grades in the interest of brevity. So, without further ado, here are the game grades for the offensive unit for each of the last two games:

Quarterback

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

Baker Mayfield’s play for the majority of the Bucs’ Week 7 loss to the Falcons was non-descript. But what did stand out was a symphony of Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde plays.

The good: His scramble late in the game for 31 yards. A tight window throw to Chris Godwin, leading him to the sideline and allowing him to turn through the catch to move up field for a big gain.

The bad: The missed throw to Chris Godwin on a wide-open slot fade early. Throwing into triple coverage on the deep shot to Rakim Jarrett. Running himself into sacks by holding on to the ball too long. The bad decision and throw to Cade Otton on a late drive to go tie or take the lead that was intercepted. Missing Godwin on an easy out late in the game and being too quick to check down before routes came open. Avoiding unblocked blitzers.

Ultimately, the bad outweighed the good and the interception late proved to be the difference in the game.

Grade vs ATL: C-

Mayfield had a few high-end plays against the Bills, including a laser to wide receiver Trey Palmer on the first drive and a layered dot to Mike Evans in the back of the end zone that Evans dropped. Add in his 11-yard scramble in the first half to evade Leonard Floyd and there was enough good there to keep hope alive for him to be a potential longer-term solution.

But there was just as much bad, including a late throw to Palmer that should have been intercepted as well as several times when his pocket management prevented him from making plays downfield and led to sacks. Mayfield has become (and always was) a high-variance player who will frustrate teams and fans to no end.

Grade vs BUF: C+

Running Back

Bucs RB Rachaad White and Falcons S Jessie Bates III – Photo by: USA Today

Against the Falcons, Rachaad White had one good run on the day. It came on an inside zone call where he felt the lanes breaking and was able to make two cuts to get through the lane for 13 yards. But he missed more holes than he found, which was a big factor in his 2.6 yards per carry mark.

On top of that, he lacked the burst to separate from linebackers when he was given opportunities in space on two different occasions. But White showed out in the receiving game, which is where he is strongest. With multiple good plays, White was able to add 65 yards on six catches to the offense’s totals. This included a great catch and run off of a play-action look that netted 20 yards.

Behind White, Ke’Shawn Vaughn was solid in pass protection but dropped an easy pass in space and picked the wrong hole on a counter run that could have broken for more than the minimal yards it netted.

Grade vs ATL: C-

Rachaad White played a solid game against Buffalo, especially as a pass-catcher. He was the most-targeted Buc with seven, grabbing all of them for 70 yards. White provided consistent outlets for Mayfield all night long, as well as good pass protections. What is most encouraging is White had over four yards per carry, forced two missed tackles and picked up over half of his rushing total of 39 yards after contact.

His 20-yard screen to set up a Bucs touchdown was a great play by both him and the line in front of him. Behind him, Chase Edmonds, who many were hoping would provide the Bucs running game a spark in his return from injured reserve, disappointed. He missed the correct lane on a run from deep in Bucs territory that would have likely sprung for 50+ yards and flipped the field position game Buffalo won handily on the night.

Grade vs BUF: B-

Wide Receivers

Bucs WR Chris Godwin – Photo by: USA Today

Mike Evans was kept in check for most of the Atlanta game with just five catches for 42 yards. But all it takes is one play, and Evans made the most of an attempted press by Falcons corner A.J. Terrell, beating Terrell off the line and catching a fade/go ball from Mayfield for 40 yards and a touchdown.

Chris Godwin added to the catch-and-run mentioned above five more catches for 33 yards, showing a trend that the Falcons for the most part were able to keep a lid on the Bucs’ deep game. Trey Palmer was flagged for a holding penalty that negated a strong White run and added a false start for a lackluster game. Deven Thompkins fumbled on a jet sweep where he attempted to reverse direction.

Grade vs ATL: C

The Bucs struggled to get Evans the ball in the first half of the Buffalo game. That was due to Buffalo rolling coverages his way and the nature of receiver that he is. Later in the game as the Bills made adjustments to take other aspects of the Bucs offense away, it provided Tampa Bay with opportunities to get him the ball. It would have been slightly different if not for Cade Otton (more on that later).

Bucs WR Mike Evans – Photo by: USA Today

Evans wound up hauling in three passes for 39 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown was an incredible display of concentration as he was able to contort his body and still secure the ball even after it bounced off of Christian Benford’s helmet. Of course, that line (and the game overall) may have been different if not for a phantom hold call against Cody Mauch on the penultimate offensive drive of the game. The penalty negated what would have been a 42-yard catch and run by Evans that would have put Tampa Bay deep in Bills territory with plenty of time left in the game.

Godwin was once again an engine to keep drives alive. He had a big catch and run for 31 yards that helped lead to the Bucs fist points of the game in the 2nd quarter. He also caught a laser of a pass from Mayfield for the Bucs’ first touchdown of the game and helped lead off the game for the offense with a 14-yard end around. It was yet another solid game Godwin.

Beyond those two, it was a fairly quiet performance for the rest of the Bucs receivers. Rakim Jarrett had a costly drop that could have otherwise kept a drive alive, and Palmer slipped on a bubble screen. Deven Thompkins blew a block on that play so even if Palmer had secured the catch cleanly, it was unlikely that the play would have amounted to much more than the no gain it wound up being. The trio combined to catch just four of nine targets for just 31 yards. And 15 of those yards came on a slant during the first drive to Palmer. So, after that catch, the Bucs’ secondary receivers went 8-3-16.

Grade vs BUF: C

Tight Ends

In Week 7, Cade Otton had a solid game as a receiver, making several catches to help keep the Bucs offense on time in addition to picking up multiple first downs. But his efforts as a run blocker were once again suspect as they have been all year long. In this game, the lowlight was a failed block where he got displaced backwards into Vaughn on a counter that ended up going for a four-yard loss.

Ko Kieft, whose entire value comes as a blocker, had a bad game, missing several blocks on the day. Payne Durham started to get more reps in this game, but dropped an easy pass from Mayfield over the middle and made the failed block on a 3rd & 1 run that went for a loss and killed a drive.

Grade vs ATL: D

From a receiving standpoint, Otton had a fine game for what he was asked to do. He induced a defensive pass interference call early in the game. He also caught two of his three targets on the Bucs’ final (endlessly long) touchdown drive. He also showed incredible concentration in grabbing the two-point conversion late in the game after the ball was deflected at the line of scrimmage.

But Otton’s longest catch of the day was 12 yards (on 3rd & 15) and he finished with four catches for 27 yards and one ball that I generously attribute to the Bills defense as a forced incompletion where others would say he plum dropped. Then, there is the blocking, which continues to be an adventure. He is still a net-negative as a blocker and the most frustrating part of it has to be that from snap-to-snap, you don’t even know if he will be able to do the bare minimum of getting in someone’s way.

Credit to Baker for evading the sack and turning it into an 11-yard gain, but what could have been with the “Wolf” concept with Durham/Evans off of the play-action? BC Otton misses the SZ block we will never know. pic.twitter.com/nrAS3YoX94

— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) October 29, 2023

Kieft and Durham had 14 snaps between them with nothing of note overall. Durham does not look to be anything better than what the Bucs had on their roster as a blocker.

Grade vs BUF: D

Offensive Line

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Matt Feiler struggled against a very good Atlanta front that included David Onyemata and Grady Jarrett. Onyemata in particular was able to get consistent pressure and helped disrupt Tampa Bay’s run game. Likewise, Luke Goedeke had his hands full with Calais Campbell as he shows that he faces his biggest challenges against big powerful edge rushers.

But on the whole, the Bucs offensive line gave Mayfield enough time in pass protection as much as any team can expect. Tristan Wirfs was outstanding, and Robert Hainsey had perhaps his best game of the season.

The biggest issue on the day may have been the decision by Feiler and the coaches to leave him in late in the game after he sustained an injury. He was clearly not right and it contributed to a sack on the final drive that forced the Bucs to kick a field goal to tie the game rather than score a touchdown to take the lead.

Grade vs ATL: C+

With Feiler out, the Bucs had to field just their second different offensive lineup of the season. Aaron Stinnie filled in for the injured left guard and overall, this unit performed well. Mayfield was only under pressure 31% of his snaps and some of those were due to his own pocket management.

Hainsey followed up a solid game against Atlanta with a good game against Buffalo. Even the run blocking was improved from this group as they were better able to work in concert, execute their double teams and find second-level defenders. Luke Goedeke had trouble hearing throughout the night and committed three false starts. Mauch had the holding penalty mentioned earlier. It was not holding, but he will have to learn to let go when he feels his defender falling or it will get called every time. Wirfs committed a false start of his own.

Both guards had their issues with interior rushers at times. Mauch allowed a handful of pressures and Stinnie allowed a couple. But against a very good Buffalo front, the Bucs’ line held up more than well enough to have won the game.

Grade vs BUF: B