Studs and Duds from Tampa Bay’s 27-14 loss to the 49ers
While Sunday’s result against the San Francisco 49ers wasn’t exactly unexpected, the amount of chances the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had to stay competitive was — and they were chances that the Bucs often squandered.
Tampa Bay lost to the 49ers 27-14 on Sunday, and the game was closer than many believed it would be for a period of time. The Bucs were down less than a score heading into the second half, but things quickly got out of hand in the third quarter for Tampa Bay. There were still some solid performers from the game, but as always, there were also a few that contributed to the team’s woes.
Here are our studs and duds from Sunday:
Stud: WR Mike Evans
Mike Evans has his ups and downs, but he was a big force in the passing game on Sunday. He caught the team’s first touchdown and ended with 43 yards on five targets for an average of 8.6 yards per target. Evans remains a big part of the passing offense and is making his case for the Bucs to play him to finish his career in Tampa Bay.
Dud: Baker Mayfield
Mayfield’s stats don’t look awful on first look, but it could have been a lot worse. Mayfield had one INT late in the game and multiple dropped picks, with a notable one to Dre Greenlaw dropped early in the game. Mayfield’s deep ball still needs work and it seems like he hasn’t been an elevator when he needs to be in games against top opponents. Mayfield is fine, but as it stands, there should be questions on whether he’s the future.
Stud: Yaya Diaby
Yaya Diaby made an impact in a big way on Sunday. He had two sacks, four total tackles, two quarterback hits and three tackles for loss on the day, making an impact on the edge. Diaby has improved recently, and he’s certainly earned more playing time going forward on a line where talent hasn’t been outwardly displayed in recent months.
Dud: The secondary
Brock Purdy certainly would love to play the Bucs as much as he can. He threw for 333 yards for an 84% completion percentage and three touchdowns. A big part of that was Brandon Aiyuk, who caught for 156 yards on five catches. The secondary continues to blow coverages in obvious situations and the secondary will be even further depleted after injuries suffered there.
Stud: Antoine Winfield Jr.
Antoine Winfield Jr. continued to be a big factor on the defense. He had 16 combined tackles with nine solo tackles, showcasing his ability to facilitate the defense through himself. While he may not have showcased a lot of heroics on Sunday, he managed to be reliable in bringing players down and continued to play at a high level.
Dud: Devin White
Devin White continues to struggle. He found himself lost in many respects in coverage today, giving up the first touchdown on a flat route to Christian McCaffrey and frequently finding himself out of the frame (quite literally, that is). White wants a big contract, but if he keeps playing like this, he won’t get it.
