How the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had 501 yards and only scored 3 points

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers gave us a riddle to clear up soon after their decline to Washington this week. Tampa Bay experienced 501 yards of offense, averaged 7.5 yards per engage in, converted 60 p.c of their third downs … and only finished with 3 factors.

That looks just about not possible, but it would make a small a lot more perception when you understand they experienced 4 turnovers nowadays on their 10 belongings. Here’s how the Bucs managed to pull it off…

Ryan Fitzpatrick averaged just about 10 yards per try in opposition to Washington, but he experienced two pricey turnovers as Tampa Bay was cruising into scoring territory. His first interception arrived when Tampa Bay was on Washington’s 19-property line — an errant pass that landed in the hands of Josh Norman.

On the second interception, Fitzpatrick stared down tight stop O.J. Howard. Washington rookie Greg Stroman was capable to bounce in entrance of the pass for an interception on Tampa Bay’s 37-property line before returning it to the 14-property line.

On the travel soon after the second interception, operating back again Jacquizz Rodgers fumbled the ball proper soon after breaking into the pink zone. That was the second time in the recreation Tampa Bay turned the ball about soon after having inside Washington’s 20-property line.

To follow up the travel with the fumble, Tampa Bay fumbled yet again soon after driving the ball 80 yards down the area all the way to Washington’s 2-property line. Ryan Kerrigan and Preston Smith worked collectively to get a strip sack on Ryan Fitzpatrick.

General, the Buccaneers’s second fifty percent was disastrous. Tampa Bay experienced five belongings soon after halftime — a missed area purpose, an interception, a fumble, yet another fumble, and then a one-engage in travel at the stop when the recreation was out of arrive at.

Right after the recreation, Bucs head mentor Dirk Koetter stated he took about the playcalling for the recreation.

It’s not honest to area the blame of the turnovers on Koetter — Tampa Bay did have 501 yards nowadays — but it is a little bit humorous that a crew that was averaging 28.6 factors per recreation (eighth in the NFL coming into 7 days 10) scored 3 factors soon after Koetter took the reins back again.

It’s difficult to rating factors with turnovers that arrive in scoring assortment. 3 turnovers in the pink zone is just about not possible to conquer. Now, the 501 yards resulting in the 3 factors would make considerably a lot more perception.