So a good many of the pundits are saying how great it was for the Philadelphia Eagles to close Thursday’s game to six points before Tom Brady and the Buccaneers slammed the door shut.
They seem to have forgotten how easily the Bucs scored their first four Tuddies that night. And they also seemed to forget about coach Bucko Bruce Arians’ offensive philosophy, “no risk no biscuit”.
So, when the Bucs opted to go for it on fourth and three from the 48-yard line, many pundits thought they should have just punted and let Bradley Pinion pin ‘em to the end zone. And for most coaches on most NFL teams, that would be exactly the right thing to do. But the Bucs, including both Tom Terrific Brady and Coach Arians, thought they might be able to pick up a biscuit by going for it on fourth down.
I mean, why not? It had worked before last season against the Green Bay Packers, and the offense ought to be able to pick up three measly yards. Just insert Vita Vea as an extra lineman and give the ball to (All-Season) Leonard Fournette, and presto, you have a first down. Or possibly throw it to Chris Godwin over the middle, or either Mike Evans or Antonio Brown on a slant. Sure, there were dozens of ways that might have worked.
But under no risk it no biscuit there’s always that other side, you know, the “risk it no biscuit” side of the equation. And that is what happened on that play as a weak pass attempt hit the ground harder than Jalen Hurts under a Vita Vea sack.
But to think that the ensuing touchdown or the one Hurts ran in to close it to a one-score game was the result of better play by the Eagles is missing the point. Yes, the Eagles ended up in great field position on their way to score their second touchdown of the game. But what the Bucs would have had, had the Biscuit broke their way, so to speak, was an attempt to end the game on that possession. In truth, the Eagles never stood a chance to win that ball game. And, while the Eagles’ fans can look at the two late scores and thump their chests and sing “Fly Eagles Fly” all they want, in the end, the game would have still ended with “Bucs Win Bucs Win Fire the cannons.”
In simple truth, had they converted the fourth down, the Bucs likely would have been in field goal range, which is getting to be pretty much of a sure thing around Tampa since Ryan Succop joined the squad. So either way, a field goal or another TD would have been the dagger for sure. Even as it was at the end, sitting first and goal from the 10, who doesn’t think the Bucs score from there if they needed it.
Fact is, they didn’t need it. Brady milked the clock down and forced Philadelphia to squander their time-outs. And then, with a new set of downs at the Eagles’ 10-yard line, Brady and the Buccaneers ruined a ton of people’s bets by taking a knee to run out the last two minutes of the clock.
Sorry, Philadelphia fans, but this game never got out of the Bucs’ control. In the end, the Buccaneers are 5-1 and the Eagles are 2-4.
Want to write about the Buccaneers? Apply below!