http://www.pewterreport.com/articles/buccaneers-vs-rams-unit-game-grades/
Mike Evans gets tackled in Sunday's loss to the Rams – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Buccaneers vs. Rams Unit Game Grades
by Mark Cook -
September 15, 2014
The Buccaneers could easily be 2-0 instead of 0-2, but instead found a number of ways to lose 19-17 to the Rams Sunday, and now face a quick turnaround with a road trip to Atlanta coming up Thursday. PewterReport.com graded each unit following the loss and presents the Buccaneers Unit Game Grades in this weekly postgame feature.
QUARTERBACK
Josh McCown’s poor decision to throw over the middle across his body leading to a second quarter interception was a huge play in the Bucs 19-17 loss to the Rams. It was first down from the 9-yard line and at the very worse the Bucs offense should have come away with three points. But prior to and after the interception, McCown had a decent game. The former Bears backup ran for two touchdowns and made some other good throws down the stretch, including a rope to Mike Evans on what turned out to be the final play of the game. Still, McCown must eliminate the bad decision-making for Tampa Bay to have any success this season. Arguably, the Buccaneers are 2-0 with better play from the quarterback. McCown finished the afternoon 16-of-21 for 179 yards with two rushing touchdowns and one interception.
GRADE= C
RUNNING BACKS
Bobby Rainey made his case to be the Bucs’ starting running back going forward with an outstanding performance on Sunday against the Rams. Rainey filled in for an injured Doug Martin and averaged 6.5 yards a carry while rushing for 144 yards and added three receptions for 30 yards. Rainey had to make his own running room at times, and also showed a bit more of a burst and the ability to make guys miss than Martin had shown. Mike James carried six times for just seven yards on the afternoon.
GRADE= A
WIDE RECEIVERS
When you only throw for 179 yards it is hard to judge the receivers performance. When given the chance Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans made plays on Sunday, but were held out of the end zone. Jackson and Evans both had four receptions on the afternoon and combine for 100 total yards (Jackson 51, Evans 49). Robert Herron was the only other receiver to record a catch on Sunday, with two receptions for 13 yards.
GRADE= C
TIGHT ENDS
Brandon Myers finished the game with two catches for 33 yards, including a long of 24 yards. Luke Stocker was primarily used as an additional blocker on Sunday and wasn’t targeted in the passing game. The Buccaneers hope Austin Seferian-Jenkins can get back on the field soon after being inactive on Sunday with an ankle injury.
GRADE= C
OFFENSIVE LINE
Any time you can run 157 yards as a team your offensive line did a solid job. That was the case on Sunday. While it may not have been a dominating performance – there were a handful of negative running plays – the line did enough to win the game. Pass protection wasn’t superb but considering the Rams were only able to get to McCown for one sack is a vast improvement over last week’s performance. Logan Mankins and Anthony Collins both had excellent games for Tampa Bay on Sunday, with Collins holding Robert Quinn sackless and Mankins doing a great job on Aaron Donald, who registered just one tackle in the game.
GRADE= B-
DEFENSIVE LINE
With starter Michael Johnson inactive due to an injury and Adrian Clayborn on injured reserve, the worst possible scenario played itself out on Sunday when star defensive tackle Gerald McCoy broke his hand in the first half and didn’t return. Tampa Bay played the rest of the game relying partly on two players – Scott Solomon and Larry English – who weren’t even on the team last week at this time.
Add in the fact that Da’Quan Bowers and William Gholston hadn’t seen the field since early in preseason and it is little wonder the Bucs struggled to get much pressure on Rams QB Austin Davis. Clinton McDonald easily had his best game of his brief Bucs career, notching seven tackles and recording a sack for Tampa Bay. Gholston was the only other Buccaneer to get to Davis on the afternoon, while also contributing six tackles and one for loss. In run support, the makeshift line did a good job for the most part by limiting Rams running back Zac Stacy to 71 yards on 19 carries.
GRADE= C
LINEBACKERS
No one will say Lavonte David is having a bad season, but the splash plays haven’t been seen so far in 2014. David did have seven tackles, including two for loss, but his name wasn’t called often and at times you almost forgot he was in the game. David was extremely frustrated following the game, and a member of the Bucs front office was seen in the locker room reminding him to let it go. Fellow linebackers Mason Foster and Jonathan Casillas combined for just four tackles, although Foster left the game with a shoulder injury and was replaced by Dane Fletcher who was credited with two tackles and one forced fumble.
GRADE= C
SECONDARY
Seeing Austin Davis carve up the Bucs defense for 235 yards you would think the Bucs secondary played poorly. While the unit failed to register an interception, this is the Tampa 2 scheme being exploited by a poor pass rush. Receivers will find soft spots in the zone if there is no pressure on the quarterback. Cornerback Alterraun Verner quietly had another good game. Verner isn’t the biggest corner on the team but is clearly the most physical, notching eight tackles on the afternoon.
One of those included meeting Zac Stacy head on in the first half with Stacy running down hill with a full head of steam. While Verner took the brunt of the hit, he wasn’t afraid to meet the running back in the hole. Safety play continues to be somewhat of a concern, however, as both Mark Barron and Dashon Goldson seem to always be a step behind or arrive a second too late. That was particularly evidenced by the third-and-9 conversion on the Rams final drive when Goldson arrived a split second too late to dislodge or make a play on the ball that Rams receiver Austin Pettis ended up hauling in.
GRADE= C-
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Buccaneers special teams had one of their worst days in a long time, having a punt and a field goal blocked. Occasionally you see one or the other, but having both happen in one game is inexcusable. Luke Stocker appeared to get beat on the field goal block and Major Wright was the culprit on the punt block.
GRADE= F
