The Bucs host the Falcons on Monday night and the Pewter Report staff shares our thoughts on the game and predict the final outcome.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (4-9) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (8-5)
MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 8:30 P.M. ET
RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM (64,428)
NETWORK TELEVISION: ESPN
PLAY-BY-PLAY: SEAN MCDONOUGH ANALYST: JON GRUDEN SIDELINE: LISA SALTERS BUCS RADIO: 98ROCK, FLAGSHIP STATION (WXTB-97.9 FM)
PLAY-BY-PLAY: GENE DECKERHOFF ANALYST: DAVE MOORE SIDELINE: T.J. RIVES
LAST GAME: TAMPA BAY LOST VS. DETROIT, 24-21; ATLANTA WON VS. NEW ORLEANS, 20-17
PewterReport.com Publisher and Bucs Beat Writer Scott Reynolds
The Buccaneers’ rematch against the visiting Atlanta Falcons is merely the undercard for the main event on Monday night, which is the induction of former head coach and current ESPN Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden into the Bucs Ring of Honor at halftime. Of all of the previous seven Bucs Ring of Honor inductees none will have the drama and perhaps the excitement of Gruden’s, merely because of the fact that there is speculation swirling that Gruden could return to coaching in the NFL next year – possibly in Tampa Bay as Dirk Koetter’s replacement. With the Bucs mired in an incredibly disappointing 4-9 season, Koetter is on the hot seat and his team has currently lost three in a row.
One of those losses came a few weeks ago in Atlanta where Tampa Bay lost on the road, 34-20, when wide receiver Julio Jones caught 12 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns. Defensive coordinator Mike Smith refused to play man coverage against Jones and line up the team’s best cornerback, Brent Grimes, against him for the entire game. In fact, the Falcons steered clear of Grimes for most of the game and instead chose to line up Jones against second-year cornerback Ryan Smith, who struggled mightily. After that November 26 game, Koetter said that the Bucs used over a dozen different defenses against the player he and Mike Smith coached for years in Atlanta, but they didn’t use the best and most obvious one – using Grimes to cover Jones – and it’s those types of decisions that have this coaching staff in danger of losing its job at the end of the year.
Smith’s job will be even more difficult this time as his defense will be playing without Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who suffered a biceps injury last week, in addition to linebacker Lavonte David, who suffered a hamstring injury and is also listed as out. The Bucs might not have enough upper echelon defenders this week to stop Matt Ryan, Devonta Freeman, Mohamed Sanu, Taylor Gabriel and Jones.
Offensively, quarterback Jameis Winston, who didn’t play Atlanta in the first go-round, needs to bounce back from a three-turnover performance in last week’s home loss to Detroit. Peyton Barber should get the start – and more carries – over Doug Martin, who has really struggled this year (like he did last year) and the Bucs will need to win first and second down with the run game to set up manageable third down situations
Left tackle Donovan Smith’s knee injury is one to watch, as he will be going against former Bucs defensive end Adrian Clayborn, who has a career-high nine sacks and two forced fumbles. Clayborn didn’t have a sack in the November game, but rookie defensive end Tak McKinley did. Pass protection could be a big issue for the Bucs’ makeshift offensive line that is playing without center Ali Marpet and features second-year right tackle Caleb Benenoch. Atlanta’ secondary is susceptible to giving up some big plays, so good pass protection will be critical to allow Winston time to find Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson down the field.
Reynolds’ Score Prediction: Falcons Win, 34-23
Reynolds’ Pick To Click: WR Mike Evans
PewterReport.com editor and Beat Writer Mark Cook
David versus Goliath. The 1980 US Men’s hockey team vs. the Soviet Union. Rocky Balboa versus Apollo Creed. Daniel LaRusso versus Johnny Lawrence of the Cobra Kai.
An early Christmas present? Do you believe in miracles?
Me neither. Well some miracles, however when it was announced on Saturday that Vernon Hargreaves, Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David would miss Monday night’s rematch with the Falcons, any thoughts I had of picking the upset went out the window.
This game means a ton for Atlanta, not so much for the Bucs. While there is pewter pride on the line, the Buccaneers season was essentially over weeks ago. With that said, I don’t believe the Bucs get completely embarrassed on national television and will make it a competitive game. I expect the “Monday Night Football effect” to make a difference, at least early on, as Bucs players know their peers will be watching and this is a chance to show off for the rest of the nation that they aren’t maybe as bad as their 4-9 record says they are.
The problem is, I see no reason to believe that the Bucs penchant for self-inflicted errors will change. Week in and week out, this team has made a season of finding ways to lose, and more often than not, the reasons are more on them than their opponents. Why will it change on Monday?
There is little need to get into the obvious (stopping Julio Jones, generating a pass rush etc..) we all know what the Bucs have to do. But will it happen? I am not betting on it.
For the Bucs to really have any chance it will fall on the shoulders of quarterback Jameis Winston and the play calling of Dirk Koetter. The Bucs must score. A lot. There can’t be any meltdowns in the red zone. The only time the Bucs need to trot Pat Murray on the field is to kick extra points and for kickoffs after that.
Whatever may be hidden in the playbook, needs to come out on Monday night. Koetter should be in the lab designing every trick play from flea flickers to surprise onside kicks. The Bucs will need points and lots of them, hope Matt Ryan has an off night and Julio Jones eats a bad deviled crab in the pregame meal to stand a chance.
Cook’s Score Prediction: Falcons win 40-34
Cook’s Pick to Click: WR Mike Evans
PewterReport.com Beat Writer Trevor Sikkema
When the NFL schedules come out each year, players, coaches, fans and anyone who either follows or is involved with a team has certain games they circle.
For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, this week’s Monday night matchup against the Atlanta Falcons was one that every single person who knows this team highlighted as an important one.
On the field, unfortunately for the Buccaneers, the hosting Tampa Bay team might be in for a long night. The Falcons, a team finally getting into their groove after going through a bit of a Super Bowl hangover to start the year, come into this prime time game 8-5 with control of their own destiny for the postseason – what ever team fighting for a playoff spot this late in the year dreams of.
The Bucs didn’t face Falcons starting running back Devonta Freeman a few week ago when they fell to their divisional opponent in Atlanta, but they will be seeing him for the first time on Monday, as he is back from a concussion. Along with now facing Freeman, the Bucs will also have to have a much better game plan against one of the best wide receiver in the game, a player who burned them for 253 receiving yards by himself last time they faced off, Julio Jones.
On Tampa side, with injuries to defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and linebacker Lavonte David, they key moments to this game, if it’s going to end in an upset victory for Tampa Bay, have to now come from a more unlikely sources. The Bucs might be leaning heavy on two of their rookie starters, safety Justin Evans and linebacker Kendell Beckwith, as they have all year. Will defensive coordinator Mike Smith hangs his coverage plans for Jones this time around? Will be see cornerback Brent Grimes shadow him all game?
Even if they do, with all the players the Bucs are missing, I think it will be too much. Falcons will roll this one unless we see an offense from quarterback Jameis Winston and this Bucs team we haven’t seen yet this year to overcome the defensive injuries and deficiencies.
Sikkema’s Score Prediction: Falcons win 34-24
Sikkema’s Click to Pick: QB Jameis Winston
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About the Author: Mark Cook
This will be a blow out early as Falcons throttle it down later in order to prevent possible player injuries. Falcon 33, Bucs 19. What I don’t understand is why Hargreaves, McCoy, David haven’t been placed on IR unless they will be ready for the Saints game? If not, then just another no thinking coaching decision. I wonder why Licht is quiet as a mouse right now?
Because he knows his cake is baked?
So as not to confuse the readers, the game is Monday night, not Sunday night.
Horse, there’s been a lot of things I haven’t understood this season. Monday night affect, whatever, I don’t see us having a chance this game, or the next two. This game was circled by everyone before the season started, now it’s just circling down the drain. I don’t want to see anyone be humiliated, Dirk, so I hope we can make it close for his sake. It could get real embarrassing with Gruden getting honored. No saving face, 31-17 Falcons.
With so many key players injured and MIA, I take solace in the fact that we are not playing the Browns. Cause if that happened, I would sell my big screen TV and move down the block. lol.
I see a loss next three games, good news 49ers won today, Chicago plays Browns next week, looks like Bucs zero in on 4th pick in next Draft. Why not keep the same coaches go all in on Winston and we have good shot at the first pick in 2019 draft! I have watched this team go nowhere every since they hired Lovie Smith watched them bust with number one pick, I am true Bucs fan but this is getting old. Oh, by the way, Tell Gruden thanks for the Superbowl win and put him in the ring of honour.… Read more »
Mike.Seven; who should we hire?
Every post I speak to hire Gruden, I get slammed and several negatives, So I am tired let’s just keep the head coach , why would they hire a coach that was offence coordinator for team bottom of league like Dirk was, prior to that they hired Lovie who was defensive coordinator of a team that’s defence was bad . So why change now? Used to be in old days coaches that were coordinators of playoff winning teams were hired, but Bucs hire the coordinator of offence was one of the worst so bad that it head coach was fired.
I “predict” an awkward and uncomfortable game. So many disappointed fans, Jon Gruden doing so little to dissuade the return of Chucky talk and his halftime induction to the Ring of Honor? BAD combination. In a kind of disturbing way it’s going to be a spectacle.
So who’s going to the WTB tailgate?
The team will fold up just as they did Gridens last 5 games here. Gruden sucks.
Bucs 22
Falcons 29
The record suggests that Licht sucks. And that Koetter sucks. But I imagine you want them to stay. The ‘collapse’ to 9-7 (looks awfully good vs the last decade) was on Kiffin’s poor handling of the situation. Winston is a ticking time bomb. Hopefully we figure out how to rewire him before he detonates and blows up our salary cap. An OL and an experienced coach may be able to do that. Licht and Koetter can offer neither. Or Winston may be able to figure it out himself with a little more experience and maturity but I fear that would… Read more »
I don’t do much score predicting because I learned a long time ago that using logic can often be illogical. Plus, I’m a bit of a positive thinker, so my forecasts are usually swayed by my team loyalty. Of course the Bucs have no chance tonight. That’s what everyone says. We’ve all crossed the word “upset” right out of the dictionary. As always, I predict we will be invaded by the Falcons fans who were planning to drive instead of fly out of their airport that must be the basis of the song, The Night the Lights Went Out in… Read more »
Scubog; good one, you always keep it light and some of us need the humor like me. I just can’t remember when there was so much high expectations and now it’s shameful. We’ve been con before, but oh not again! Some of us have been in denail for awhile, but not now! This team is no team and they’re mostly talk with fat pay checks. Right now the best thing for us is to be able to obtain spot somewhere between 5-7 in the draft. Not sure if the top 2 DE’s will be there, but the OL, DB, RB… Read more »
As always, upsets happen. But an easy prediction now is that the Bucs lose this and the other two remaining games on the schedule and finish 4-12. A coaching change will ensue. Possibly GM too. Gotta tell ya, Bucs fans are like the weirdest fans on the planet. So many Gruden haters, the guy who not only delivered our sole Super Bowl championship but also three division championships in the always competitive, always churning NFC South .. more than any of his contemporaries had delivered in the first seven seasons of the division. Yet some people always attempt to deny… Read more »
why do you have to use the word haters when someone disagrees with your thinking? I don’t hate anyone. I look at Gruden first year as luckly. We had a very solid defense which was usually the reason why we had wins for years; got spoiled where we didn’t appreciate Dungy would get us to the Playoffs and not quite go all the way; Gruden had coached the Raiders the year before and new all their plays; Oakland starting Center went missing due to mental health reason the night before the games; it was just our time and all we… Read more »
“all we needed was some minor adjustments on offense…”
Upon your return to Earth and discharge from quarantine I would love for you to elaborate
Sorry – your same old/same old silly excuses to hate on Gruden just don’t hold water, never did Gruden didn’t coach the Raiders in 2002-2003, and therefore his playbook the years before was entirely different than the replacement coach’s playbook. All head coaches, especially those who act as their own offensive coordinators, have their own playbook That’s what head coaches do. Gruden did terrifically well even after his SB championship season, with three more winning seasons and two more division championships – of which we have had zero since he was fired stupidly by the Glazers. The negligent salary cap… Read more »
You don’t think I know that? I’ve been a hardcore Buc Fan since 1976 and have been to many games and have followed the Bucs religiously. Hate isn’t in my vocabulary; enjoy your word Naplefan. Again if Gruden is hired i would support him; just not sure about he’s the best choice or not.
Matador, Gruden picked up 2 OL, 1Te, 1 WR,1 RB; what makes you think Dungy wouldn’t had made some offensive changes too? Yes it was the last piece of the puzzle, but the main reason was our defense which actually got dominating towards the last half of the season and continued it during the Playoffs and Superbowl. If Gruden is the Coach that is picked, I’m not going to be against it.
The argument between who was better Gruden, or Dungy, is silly. They both were very good coaches, and either one would be light years better then what we’ve had since. If Gruden won the S.B. with Dungy’s team, he did something Dungy himself couldn’t do with numerous tries, right? Ask yourself if Dungy would’ve won a S.B. without Manning, and offensive guru Tom Moore. That Indy team might’ve had Dungy’s defense, but it sure wasn’t his offense. I don’t know who the next O.C., D.C., out there is going to be the next Dungy, or Gruden. For every McVay, there… Read more »
Surferdudes; I’m going to support him. My main arguments with Naplesfan mantra Gruden was great and Dungy didn’t get us there. I’m just trying to defend Dungy’s past which was next to Gruden the best thing that ever happened to the Bucs.