TAMPA, Fla. -- A few thoughts on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 27-17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.
What it means: It just keeps getting uglier for the Bucs. They lost a fourth-quarter lead for the third straight game. They also officially are the NFC South’s worst team. At 1-8, they fell two games behind the Falcons in the win column. The loss spoiled the return of quarterback Josh McCown, who missed the last five games with a thumb injury. McCown gave the offense a bit of a spark, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a bunch of penalties and some breakdowns by the defense.
Stock watch: Rookie Charles Sims made his NFL debut after missing the first eight games of the season with an ankle injury. Sims was used sparingly behind starter Bobby Rainey. Sims had eight carries for 23 yards and caught two passes for 17 yards. More importantly, Sims lost a third-quarter fumble that put a stop to what was shaping up to be a nice Tampa Bay drive. Sims is going to have to prove to the coaching staff that he can hold on to the ball before he gets more playing time.
Thawing the kicker: The Bucs tried to ice Atlanta kicker Matt Bryant on the final play of the first half. Bryant kicked anyway, hitting the goal post and missing the field goal. But when given a second chance, Bryant made the field goal to give Atlanta a 13-10 halftime lead.
Game ball: For the second straight week, this honor goes to rookie wide receiver Mike Evans. He had seven catches for 125 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown.
What’s next: The Bucs play at the Washington Redskins (3-6) next Sunday.
