ATLANTA (AP) — Too many missed tackles led to one huge missed opportunity for a road victory for Tampa Bay.
Tampa Bay gave up 509 yards passing and four touchdowns to Kirk Cousins, including a 45-yard touchdown strike to KhaDarel Hodge in overtime that gave Atlanta a 36-30 victory Thursday night.
As was the case on far too many plays for Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles, a missed tackle allowed the Falcons to turn a short gain into the decisive touchdown. Tampa Bay cornerback Zyon McCollum made a play for the ball as Hodge made a catch only 5 yards downfield, but McCollum's whiff left Hodge with open field for the winning play.
“The guy took off to make the play,” Bowles said about McCollum. “He just missed the ball and he missed the tackle. … Guys were where they were supposed to be.”
When asked about the tackling in the game, Bowles said “It wasn’t very good. A lot of catch and runs. A lot of 5-yard catch and runs.”
The loss left Tampa Bay (3-2) tied with Atlanta (3-2) for first place in the NFC South, putting a roadblock on the Buccaneers' plans for a fourth consecutive division title.
Tampa Bay is facing another road game at New Orleans, another division rival, on Oct. 13. The Buccaneers will focus on making tackles and getting healthy after having 14 players on the final injury report this week.
Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield wouldn't let missed tackles by the defense take full blame for the loss.
“It looked like it was over a couple times,” Mayfield said. “You know, the back and forth in there and stuff out there. Yeah, that was a crazy scenario there.”
Mayfield said if he had taken advantage of every opportunity “maybe should have even been an overtime situation.”
Mayfield completed 19 of 24 passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. The Buccaneers led 30-27 in the fourth quarter before the defense was unable to stop Cousins and the Falcons from driving for Younghoe Koo's tying 52-yard field goal at the end of regulation.
“The right guys were in the right spots but we’ve got to start making those plays whether it’s taking one more step when you’re running through the tackle or whether it’s finding the ball and punching it out,” Bucs safety Christian Izen said.
Izen said he believes the Bucs are mature enough to handle the loss.
“I think everybody in this locker room has great leadership and is very mature,” Izen said. “We have to understand we’re very early in the season. We just have to get better. We can’t let one loss ruin the season.”
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Charles Odum, The Associated Press
