Buccaneers' AfterMath: Why Tampa Bay may not win another match

In the 38-35 defeat of the Buccaneers against the Giants on Sunday, Jay Cutler threw for 359 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions.

Oh, Cutler does not play for the Bucs? My fault. Let me check my notes.

It says here that Jameis Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick are right, well, that's pretty much the same guy. Too many interceptions. Too many bad decisions.

It's not the quarterbacks who win. They are quarterbacks who fought.

Of course, the Sunday Bucs have racked up more than 500 yards of offense for the fifth time this season. They have won more passing yards than any team in 10 games in NFL history, even more than the Rams 2000 "Greatest Show on Turf".

Maybe they are not so bad. They lost against the Giants by just three points, after all. They have played seven games with one point this season and a record 17 in the league since the start of last season.

A rebound here, a rebound there, right?

No.

No no no.

And in addition:

Forget all that. Forget the lessons. Forget the close games. Forget the decisions of the fourth. Forget the kickers.

In the grand scheme, these things mean nothing.

The numbers count. They count more than almost everything except the touchdowns. In simple terms: The more a team hits touchdowns, the more likely they are to win, and the more they do the turnarounds, the more likely they are to lose. According to ESPN, more than 40% of a team's total earnings can be determined solely by its margin of turnover.

You know it, of course. You have lived it.

Not only this season. Or last season. You live it since 1976.

Since then, the Bucs have engaged nearly 1,400 business figures. Only cardinals and rams have committed more. It's no coincidence that Tampa Bay has the worst percentage of NFL wins in this period.

This season, the Bucs have a record of 29 points and no other is particularly tight. The Bills and Jets have each committed 22.

Not only they give the ball but they never take it back. They forced only six turnovers. Only the 49ers forced less (five).

This is not luck. Defenders of the Bucs are often not even in a position to challenge the catch. Eli Manning started 18 assists Sunday, and for the most part, he did not have to throw the ball far to find an open catcher.

Odell Beckham? Open.

Saquon Barkley? Open.

Evan Engram? Open.

Wayne Gallman? Open.

David Meggett? Open.

The Bucs recorded 23 passes, the lowest in the league, defended this season. Brent Grimes cornerback had more than that by himself in 2016. Certainly, injuries and lack of experience are factors. They are flat. As a result, they play a lot of covered areas that a veteran like Manning can easily diagnose and exploit.

So how exactly is it? If you're wondering recently whether Tampa Bay will win another game this season, you're not too pessimistic. These Bucs have the mark of a team without a win or almost. They are on the verge of having the biggest turnover differential of all time. Yes, never.

This is what Tampa Bay maintains:

• The 1965 Steelers (operating margin minus 30, the NFL record): What do the Steelers do by sharing a list with the Bucs? It was before Chuck Noll. Before L.C. Greenwood. Before Mean Joe Greene. Before Terry Bradshaw. Before Mel Blount. In front of Jack Ham, Franco Harris, Mike Webster, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth and Jack Lambert. In other words, in 1965 the Steelers were not yet the Steelers. Recording: 2-12.

• The Cowboys of 1989 (less-25): It was the first seasons of Jimmy Johnson and Troy Aikman in Dallas. It was also the last of Herschel Walker. On October 12, the Cowboys sent their best player to Minnesota in the largest NFL history trade. Although the deal was resolved initially, the choices chosen by Dallas helped form the core of three championship teams. This team was refueling before all the cool kids started doing it. Record: 1-15.

• The 2000 chargers (less-28): The Chargers, like the Bucs, were actually trying to be competitive. But they had Ryan Leaf. They did not have a lot of running (1,062 yards) either. No team has struggled so much since, not even Tampa Bay. As a reward for his futility, San Diego was first pick in the 2001 draft and then transferred to Atlanta. The Falcons took Michael Vick; the Chargers took LaDainian Tomlinson and Drew Brees. Record: 1-15.

• The 2017 Browns (minus-28): The Browns continued their campaign 1-15 2016 by losing all games in 2017. By scoring a score of 1 to 31, they broke the NFL record with a record winning percentage in two seasons, a record previously held by the Bucs of 1976-1977. Their next big hope: Baker Mayfield quarterback. Recording: 0-16.

This free fall of the Bucs does not stop. They can not call on a quarterback or a coach that they can fire. There is nothing between them and the bottom.

NFL Standings: Tampa Bay Edition

If the season ended today, it would be the order of the NFL draft in 2019 (the first tie is the strength of the calendar):

1. 49ers (2-8)

2. Cardinals (2-8)

3. Raiders (2-8)

4. Jets (3-7)

5. Giants (3-7)

6. Invoices (3-7)

7. Buccaneers (3-7)

storylines

• ESPN's Adam Schefter announced on Sunday that the Jaguars would consider trading all-pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey during the off-season. The team rejected the idea in a report, saying that "the Jaguars have no intention of negotiating CB Jalen Ramsey. There is no truth to this rumor. "

The Bucs could use another cornerback or four, so they should participate in the Ramsey contest, right? Some points to consider: 1.) 30 other teams will be interested, so the price of the old Florida State star will be high, probably astronomical. 2.) Tampa Bay has already done – in 2013 with Darrelle Revis – and this has turned against him.

True, Revis had just had a serious knee injury. He was 28 years old during this season and was playing under the orders of a coach and general manager who desperately wanted to keep his position. Ramsey will turn 25 next season and will not be eligible for free competition until 2021.

Ramsey is a playmaker, but he may also be inclined to allow big games, which we saw in the Jaguars defeat against the Steelers on Sunday. Although he chose Ben Roethlisberger twice, he also dropped 25 yards to allow a touchdown to win.

• The last time the Bucs forced a turnaround: October 21 against the Browns, when Antony Auclair pulled the ball out of Jabrill Peppers during a punt return. It's not just a question of a ball that does not bounce. Often, they are not even close. Example: Eli Manning completed 17 of 18 passes.

• Acting Browns, Schefter said Cleveland wanted to interview former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for her position as head coach. "No thanks," Rice said. Good call.

It is unclear whether Tampa Bay will also seek to ransack George W. Bush's cabinet and prosecute Colin Powell.

• In his Bucs debut, Cairos Santos scored each of his five extra points. It's great and everything, but before handing him Tampa's keys, let's see how he behaves in front of the crowd.

• In anticipation of the 49ers' visit, it will be a homecoming for Matt Breida, the former star who competed at Nature Coast Tech High in Brooksville. Breida, who signed with San Francisco after the NFL draft in 2017 (the draft in which Tampa Bay chose Jeremy McNichols is the fifth round), is currently experiencing an exceptional season. He won 756 yards in the scrum and scored five touchdowns. Peyton Barber, Jacquizz Rodgers, Ronald Jones and Shaun Wilson had 814 yards in the scrum with three touchdowns.

Other link with Tampa Bay: Jeff Monken, the cousin of Bucs' offensive coordinator, Todd, recruited Breida at Georgia Southern in 2013.

• Sunday will be a reunion for Todd Monken and Nick Mullens, from player status on the training team to the 49ers from the quarterback. Monken recruited Mullens in the southern Mississippi in 2013, and two seasons later, Mullens broke school records in one season in touchdown passes (38), passing yards (4,476) and completions (331). ). He also holds records in career touchdowns (87) and passing yards (11,994).

• It's Thanksgiving week. Here's a video of Ryan Fitzpatrick and his wife Liza making chicken squares on Rachael Ray. "Chicken, cheese, croissant – it has it all."

Connections

• Martin Fennelly: The Bucs stop here: play Jameis Winston

• Rick Stroud: The only thing that changes in Tampa Bay is the quarterback

• Eduardo Encina: Jason Pierre-Paul's return to Meadowlands lives up to the hype

Contact Thomas Bassinger at [email protected]. Follow @tometrics.