Missed opportunities cost Buccaneers in loss to Redskins

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have hit a new low-point in 2018 after falling to the Washington Redskins.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense couldn’t capitalize on a single opportunity against the Washington Redskins, and it would cost them.

Despite gaining 480 yards of total offense, the Redskins defense would keep the Bucs at bay in the red zone, and Washington walked away with a 16-3 victory.

With a chance to make it a one-score game, Ryan Fitzpatrick fumbled the ball at the two-yard line, and the Redskins would take over to seal the ball game. On the previous play, star receiver Mike Evans couldn’t come down with a catch in the end zone.

For the fifth time, the Buccaneers would fail to score a touchdown in the red zone. Five trips, three total points.

Aside from the last play of the game, Tampa Bay had four drives in the second half. Here is how they all ended:

Missed FG, interception, fumble, fumble.

It’s nearly impossible to win a football game when four straight drives end in those results.

The story of the first half was missed opportunities.  Sound familiar?

Tampa Bay mustered 279 yards in the first half, but the scoreboard only read three points. Thanks to odd play calls in the red zone, an ugly interception and another missed field goal the Buccaneers trailed, 6-3 at halftime.

After arriving in the red zone for the third time, the Buccaneers finally found some points. Catanzaro nailed a 33-yard field goal to cut the Redskins lead in half. Putting a three-spot on the board felt like a win because the Buccaneers should have had a comfortable lead by that point.

Plus, Catanzaro shanked a 30-yard field goal on his previous attempt. Again, it looks like Catanzaro’s time in Tampa is all but up. He missed another field goal in the second half and was showered with boos.

On the Bucs first offensive drive, Fitzpatrick overthrew Shaun Wilson, and the ball landed in Josh Norman‘s hands.

All in all, the Buccaneers should have had a three-point lead going into the half. Instead, they trailed by three and had no answers in the second half.

The Bucs have now lost three in a row and sit at 3-6. Their next two contests come against the lowly Giants and 49ers, but even a pair of wins, Tampa would need a miracle to make the postseason.