Whatever joy was felt from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers snapping a four-game losing streak was short lived.
The Bucs got trounced by the San Francisco 49ers in Week 11, losing by double-digits and sinking back down the NFC South standings. It was another embarassing loss where almost nothing went right and fans justifiably have major gripes with how the team is being coached.
Like clockwork, the Bucs offense forgot that Mike Evans existed until the fourth quarter when it was already too late to do much. After three quarters, both Evans and Chris Godwin had combined for just 31 yards, continuing a troubling playcalling pattern.
Defensively the Bucs took a bit of a step back, although losing three starters to injuries during the game didn't help. Jamel Dean and Lavonte David both left early, as did Carlton Davis, which put the Bucs defense in a tough spot. For the most part the 49ers weren't allowed to go bonkers on offense, but the defense still allowed big plays that buried the team deeper than it was capable of surviving.
Updated NFC South standings after Week 11
Both the Saints and Falcons were on a bye this week, but the loss still sunk the Bucs back to third place in the NFC South. From here on out, though, all three teams will have an even amount of games to be played which will make tracking the standings a bit easier.
Until now, the Saints and Falcons had weird half-games on the Bucs -- something made more complicated by half tiebreakers owned by different teams. Tampa Bay has a half-tiebreaker on the Saints while the Falcons own one over the Bucs
Next Sunday the Saints and Falcons will meet in a game of utmost importance to the division race, while the Bucs have a chance to get back into things with a game against Indianapolis.
Here's a look at where things stand after Sunday:
Team | Record | GB | Next Week |
|---|---|---|---|
New Orleans Saints | 5-5 | -- | at Falcons |
Atlanta Falcons | 4-6 | 1 | vs. Saints |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4-6 | 1 | at Colts |
Carolina Panthers | 1-9 | 4 | at Titans |
While things are a bit rough at the moment, the season is far from over. Tampa Bay is in a strange spot, as the team owns the No. 11 pick in the NFL Draft but also are just a game out of first place. A win next week will go a long way in helping to right hte ship, but that seems like a spot the team has been stuck in since starting 3-1.
A hot start like that shouldn't see the same exact team in this sort of position, but thus is a Bucs life.