Bucs fail to finish off 49ers, lose 4th consecutive game Baker Mayfield had Nick Bosa pulling on his left arm like a rope in a tug of war, yet still found enough strength in his right one to complete an improbable pass on fourth down to keep the final drive alive. The Bucs benefitted from not one, not two, but three consecutive penalties on the 49ers. None of this even happens if Niners place-kicker Jake Moody doesn't miss three field goals. Yet, when the Bucs had first and goal at the San Francisco 8-yard line with 59 seconds left trailing by a field goal Sunday, they couldn't finish the deal. For the second game in a row, they lost after giving the football back to a quarterback who piloted his team to the Super Bowl last year. Monday night, it was the decision not to try for a 2-point conversion but settle for an extra point and a tie that resulted in Patrick Mahomes leading the Chiefs to an overtime win. Six days later, the Bucs had a chance to beat the defending NFC champions. Instead, they lost 23-20 on Moody's redemptive 44-yard field goal as time expired. "We've got to play to win down there on offense," Mayfield said. "We tried to balance trying to bleed the clock out so they don't have too much time but also go win the game. Of course, we had a negative play down there that set us back a little bit. You've just got to make the right throw or win our one-on-one matchups and find a way to win. That's all that matters." Yes, the defense has been the culprit in three walkoff losses this season, including two in overtime in which the Bucs lost the coin toss and never got the ball. But it's worth examining why Mayfield and company couldn't punch it in the end zone to win the game. On first down from the 49ers 8, Rachaad White gained 3 yards. On second down, rookie center Graham Barton was spun like a top and White was dropped for a 3-yard loss. On third down, Mayfield fired incomplete short of the goal line to Rakim Jarrett, forcing the Bucs to settle for Chase McLaughlin's tying 26-yard field goal. Tom Brady, calling the game for Fox, made the biggest observation. "That would be such a great place for Bucky Irving," Brady said. "To me, if you are going to run it, he provides the most juice for this offense." Irving had led the Bucs with 73 yards on 13 carries, including a dazzling 12-yard run for a touchdown in which he broke some ankles of the 49ers defenders on his way to the end zone. You could argue White is the better 2-minute back for blocking purposes. But the Bucs were committed to running it to wind down the clock. "They were going back and forth," Todd Bowles said. "Rachaad had some good plays, and he had some good runs in the second half as well. Bucky had his runs, Rachaad had his runs. I don't think when the guy penetrates in the backfield, I don't think it matters who the back was." The fact is that the 49ers did everything they could to lose. Not only did Moody miss three field goals, the 49ers muffed a punt return that was recovered by Anthony Nelson at the San Francisco 21-yard line early in the second half. Four plays later, Mayfield dumped a middle screen to White, who ran it in from 9 yards for a touchdown. It's hard to continually bang the defense, but the fact is they were on the field when the Falcons and Chiefs mounted game-winning drives in overtime and again when the 49ers needed only 41 seconds to march 39 yards in six plays to set up Moody's winning kick. It was a good thing for Moody he made the kick. After missing his third field goal, receiver Deebo Samuel went after him and had to be separated by teammates. "It's in the heat of the moment," said Moody, who had only missed one field goal this season prior to the game. "It happens. I do have to make those kicks at the end of the day, so that's all I'm focused on." The Bucs have a lot of soul-searching to do. For the second year in a row, they are embroiled in an epic collapse, having lost four straight and five of their last six after a 3-1 start. The Falcons (6-4) were upset Sunday at New Orleans (3-7), so a win over the 49ers (5-4) could have given the Bucs (4-6) a chance to get to .500 heading into the bye week. The first thing they need to do is get healthy. Receiver Mike Evans and cornerback Jamel Dean are expected back for the Giants game on Nov. 24. But the Bucs finished Sunday's game without cornerback Zyon McCollum (hamstring) and linebacker Chris Braswell (oblique). Receiver Jalen McMillan (hamstring) and defensive back Tykee Smith (knee) didn't play. The worst loss was left tackle Tristan Wirfs, who suffered what is believed to be an MCL sprain in the second half. He will undergo a MRI but is likely to miss several games, if not more. "Take a week, get healthy," Mayfield said. "Get your mind ready to make this stretch run. We're going to need everybody we possibly have down the road. One day at a time, one practice and then games. We've just got to put it together. We keep saying we're that close, but it's got to be the message. You've got to believe in it, and we've got to go execute. As a group, the fight in what we're doing at the end of the game and the effort is never in question. We have that, now let's go execute." Rick Stroud, Tampa Bay Times, published 11 November 2024