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Buccaneers game grades: 2017 Week 5 loss to New England

By David Harrison

TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 5: Quarterback Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers makes his way off the field following the Bucs' loss to the New England Patriots at an NFL football game on October 5, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 5: Quarterback Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers makes his way off the field following the Bucs' loss to the New England Patriots at an NFL football game on October 5, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – OCTOBER 5: Kicker Nick Folk #2 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reacts after missing a field goal during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game on October 5, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – OCTOBER 5: Kicker Nick Folk #2 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reacts after missing a field goal during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game on October 5, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /

For the Buccaneers special teams, things are a bit sticky. Let’s kick it off with our normal showering of praise onto punter Bryan Anger:

Now that we have that out of the way, let me tell you about his day a little bit. Anger punted the ball six times. SIX TIMES.

His average was 36.7 yards per punt with three of them pinning New England inside their own 20-yard line and a long punt of 57-yards.

Just your average run of the mill day for the best punter in the NFL. No big deal.

What is a big deal however was the fact kicker Nick Folk was seriously challenging Anger for the amount of kicks which didn’t go through the uprights.

While I’m all about competition, Folks attempts at proving to Anger that he too can kick footballs away from the uprights, isn’t beneficial to the team or the vocal chords of Buccaneers fans everywhere.

I know kickers are the most abused position in the NFL, but it is what it is. I don’t know the nuances of kicking or what the rotation of the ball tells you about your kicker. Nor do I care if I’m being honest. I just want you to make at least 85% of your field goal tries. That’s it.

It’s good to see I’m not the only guy in an emotional state of disarray following this Aguayo-esque lack of display.

Folk currently sits at 54.5% for his made field goal percentage. That’s terrible for those who don’t know.

In fact, in order for him to bring his percentage up to 85%, the veteran kicker would have to make his next 22 field goal tries without a single miss. This would mean, he’d have to attempt a total of 33 field goals, which he’s done just three times in his career so far.

Next: Week 5 Winners and Losers

To hit 70% even, Folk has to nail his next six attempts. This would match the amount of makes he has through four games. I don’t think anyone believed it could get worse after Aguayo, but it has. Oh, it has.

If this wasn’t enough, Josh Robinson suffered a possible concussion. So, look out for him on the next injury updates out of One Buc Place.

Bottom line, the special teams lost this game. There were contributing factors, and yes, the Buccaneers had opportunities to take it off the leg of Folk altogether.

They didn’t though, and it’s his job to put up those points. He failed, and the special teams failed with him.

GRADE: F

These were this week’s grades as I saw them. My scale isn’t the same as your scale though, so tell me how you think the Tampa Bay Buccaneers position groups or individual players did against the New England Patriots.

Find me on Facebook, Twitter, or at walkingtheplankpodcast@gmail.com to give your part of the conversation.

We have ten days to lick our wounds and hopefully welcome a new kicker. This all leads up to a road contest with the Arizona Cardinals for win number three. Come back to The Pewter Plank all week leading up to the game.

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