More self-inflicted mistakes doom the Bucs under the lights.

One must wonder if the Bucs would play better if they simply kneeled on every snap of the second quarter.

After another excellent start with a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, Tampa imploded in the proceeding frame for the third straight week with multiple turnovers, several scoring drives allowed, and sloppy penalties as it endured a 41-31 loss that was way more lopsided than it appeared. If this team wants to be considered as a serious contender, it needs to stop the constant self-sabotage.

What could’ve been a 21-7 lead flopped into a rut that saw the Ravens score 34 consecutive points to effectively ice the game by the third stanza. It really throws into question what Todd Bowles’s purpose as a defensive head coach is when he consistently fields mediocre-to-bad units as a head coach, but that’s a well-treaded conversation that’s probably best reserved for a different time.

Let’s do some shouts and get out of here.

Offensive Top Performer: WR Mike Evans

It was always going to be Mike.

With his opening-drive touchdown, his NFL-leading sixth, he officially became only the 11th player in league history with at least 100 receiving touchdowns — and he was the fifth fastest to reach that mark behind Hall of Famers Randy Moss, Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison, and Terrell Owens.

He would’ve had touchdown grab No. 101 but he unfortunately couldn’t hold on as his hamstring injury flared up in a bad way. Now the concern is how much time he will miss, as it will stunt Tampa’s offensive versatility and strongly jeopardize his vaunted 1,000-yard season streak.

Outside of Evans’s landmark achievement, it was largely a bad night. We will give some flowers to Cade Otton for getting absolutely brutalized throughout garbage time but still coming down with multiple highlight reel plays en route to 8 catches for 100 yards.

The run game looked great early, again, but the dire situation necessitated a heavy tilt toward the passing attack and stymied the impact of all three runners.

Rachaad White led the pack with 16 total touches for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Bucky Irving also threw his punches with 12 total touches for 77 yards and a touchdown, and Sean Tucker got his chances too with 5 carries for 29 yards.

The foundation is clearly there for a top-tier ground attack, especially since proving themselves against the NFL’s best run defense, but the self-inflicted mistakes from everyone must stop.

Defensive Top Performer: S Antoine Winfield Jr.

I mean, this should honestly be “no one” as well when you allow 34 straight points but Winfield did log 9 total tackles and his 16th career sack as a 26-year-old safety. There were hiccups, which is true for everyone, but Winfield is clearly rounding into form after an ankle injury severely derailed the beginning of his 2024 campaign.

Tyrek Funderburk, an undrafted rookie, stepped in for a broken Jamel Dean and held up well, all things considered, so that’s a win. Him being even a slightly above-replacement player would be good news for a beleaguered unit.

Special Teams Top Performer: K Chase McLaughlin

McLaughlin with his first miss after 30 straight makes stinks BUT he also converted the first successful onside kick attempt of the year with a picture-perfect kick! What a fun oddity.