Greg Auman
NFC South Reporter
TAMPA, Fla. – The final time the Eagles got here to Tampa, the Bucs jumped out to a 31-0 lead in eliminating them from the 2021 playoffs.
Should you wanted a reminder of how the 2 franchises have gone in reverse instructions since then, in how the stability of energy within the NFC has shifted, Monday night time’s recreation did that nicely, because the Eagles dominated the road of scrimmage in a 25-11 win.Â
Since that playoff assembly, the Eagles are 19-4, whereas the Bucs are 10-11.
“They got here in right here, beat us fairly good, and we personal that,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles stated. “We performed onerous. We made some errors. Errors we did not make the primary two video games, we made on this recreation. A variety of it has to do with them, so give them credit score.”
Nowhere was the divide between the 2 groups extra obvious than within the floor recreation — they entered the night time ranked 1-2 within the NFL in run protection. The Eagles protection held true to that, holding the Bucs to 41 yards on 17 carries for a 2.4-yard common, with only one first down gained on the bottom. The Bucs protection had no such luck, as Philadelphia piled up 201 yards on 40 carries, led by D’Andre Swift, who went off for 130 yards on 16 carries.
“It is fairly s—– — when a staff will get 200 yards, it isn’t ultimate,” defensive lineman Greg Gaines stated. “They executed rather well, they usually’re actually environment friendly with their blocks, getting a hat for a hat.”
The final time a working again had 15-plus carries and averaged at the least eight yards a carry towards the Bucs, it was Adrian Peterson approach again in 2012. Opposing backs have solely had 4 such video games in Tampa towards the Bucs of their historical past, and Barry Sanders had two of these.
Tampa Bay’s protection, coping with accidents throughout, performed nicely sufficient early that it was a 3-3 recreation with 4 minutes left within the first half. On a third-and-10, Jalen Hurts prevented a sack and threw a 34-yard landing to receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, and the Eagles managed the sport the remainder of the best way.
Philadelphia’s potential to run and transfer the chains made the Bucs offense almost disappear within the second half. The Bucs had simply three possessions, and one among them was a single play, attempting to run the ball from their 1-yard line and getting dropped ultimately zone for a security. Tampa Bay had 99 yards of whole offense coming into the fourth quarter and got here up with three Mike Evans catches for a spark of offense. Then the Eagles grinded out the ultimate 9:22, with three third-down conversions and a fourth-down run to shut out the sport.Â
David Helman reacts to Eagles’ dominant victory over Buccaneers
The Bucs completed with 174 yards, their lowest whole for any recreation since 2014, when Evans was a rookie.
“We began too gradual,” stated quarterback Baker Mayfield, who had 146 passing yards on 25 move makes an attempt and threw his first interception in three video games with the Bucs. “That is an excellent soccer staff, so any time you give them extra alternatives to have the soccer of their arms, they are going to capitalize. We simply should get higher on offense as a complete.”
Tampa Bay’s protection was decidedly shorthanded. High nook Carlton Davis missed a second straight recreation with a toe harm, and the opposite beginning nook, Jamel Dean, left the sport with a shoulder harm, leaving backups at each spots. Defensive lineman Vita Vea was restricted by a pectoral harm, and when linebacker Devin White picked off a Hurts move simply earlier than halftime, he was slowed by a groin harm — so as a substitute of a pick-six, he went out of bounds after 26 yards.
“I want I’d have manned it out and received a landing, however I used to be in ache,” he stated. “I needed to go in, get it mounted and got here again out and completed the sport. I wanted lots of therapy. I will be prepared by Sunday.”
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Bowles stated the Eagles received as a result of they have been the extra bodily staff Monday night time, and for Bucs gamers on either side of the ball, that was powerful to listen to after the sport, however one thing they’ll work to vary.
“It was powerful to listen to, however he did not lie,” White stated. “Should you take a look at the scoresheet, we take satisfaction within the run recreation, and we let Swift recover from 100 yards. That is a slap within the face to us. We have got to be higher. Now we have to personal it and do what we have got to take action that does not occur once more, as a result of we’re fixing to play one other explosive again.”
Monday’s loss closed out a tough weekend for the NFC South, which noticed all three 2-0 groups take their first losses, with Carolina dropping to 0-3. The Bucs are nonetheless tied for the division lead, however to remain that approach, they will should win Sunday on the Saints, in a recreation that can depart one staff because the squad to beat within the division.
“Now we have to give attention to us, get again to the drafting board,” linebacker Lavonte David stated. “We at all times make an emphasis on stopping the run, and we did not try this at this time. Now we’re going towards a division opponent, going right into a hostile setting, so we’ve got to be prepared for no matter they throw at us.”
Greg Auman is FOX Sports activities’ NFC South reporter, masking the Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints. He’s in his tenth season masking the Bucs and the NFL full-time, having hung out on the Tampa Bay Occasions and The Athletic. You may observe him on Twitter at @gregauman.
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