Bucs Nation
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers went on a cross-country road trip to take on the Seattle Seahawks in a showdown between two 3-1 teams.
First up, Baker Mayfield and Tampa’s offense. The Buccaneers, minus a few critical pieces took Seattle’s defense to task early. Their opening drive walked Seattle back to their own goal line— A good drive that ultimately stalled and netted just a short field goal. 3-0, Bucs. Sam Darnold and Seattle’s offense did their best Bucs impersonation on the following drive. They darted down the field and wound up with a fourth down field goal attempt, one difference, their kick was no good.
Tampa’s second drive, eerily resembled their first— Down the field the team went, out of the end zone they stayed. A second Chase McLaughlin field goal and Tampa’s lead stretched to six. 6-0, Buccaneers.
Still leading by six as the first half rounded into its final seven minutes. The Seahawks, trying to catch the Buccaneers off guard, got caught with their pants down. Seattle brought in Jalen Milroe for a ‘Taysom Hill-esque’ wildcat rep. The thought was there, however, the execution was not. Milroe, on an option pitch, delivered an inaccurate ball which wound up on the ground and in the hands of Tykee Smith. With good field position, Tampa Bay’s offense cashed in their defense’s turnover with their first touchdown of the game. In a rare starting role, due to Bucky Irving’s injury, Rachaad White took a toss left side and followed Cade Otton and Tristan Wirfs across the goal line for six. 13-0, Tampa Bay.
Seattle faced a second down and 10 just shy of midfield at the two-minute warning. The Buccaneers rolled out a bit of a prevent style defense, hanging back, avoiding blitzing, playing passive which in turn made Sam Darnold look like prime Aaron Rodgers. Darnold toyed with Todd Bowles’ defense like a man in his prime throwing jabs against a battered, bruised elder who couldn’t defend himself. With minimal effort and even less resistance, The Seahawks’ offense scored for the first time in the game— Sam Darnold to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. 13-7, Buccaneers.
Tampa’s defense played the last drive of the first half terribly, in execution and approach. Half number two kind of looked like a instant replay. Sam Darnold, gifted momentum at the conclusion of the first half, clutched that momentum tight to his chest and he escorted his team right back into the end zone. Tampa’s defense began the game with ferocity and found a way to transition that ferocity into a malaise of lethargy— 14-13, Seahawks.
The Buccaneers’ offense stepping on the field for the first time since scoring a touchdown that gave the team a 13-0 lead, immediately went back to offense-ing at a high level. Baker Mayfield, using all the remaining tools in his arsenal, finding everyone from Tez Johnson, to Rachaad White, Sterling Shepard, and then finishing the drive with his newest starring actor Emeka...
