Early penalties set the tone for Bucs' letdown to 49ers On the first play of Sunday's 35-7 loss to the 49ers, blitzing Bucs safety Keanu Neal greeted quarterback Brock Purdy with a devastating sack for a loss of 8 yards. Welcome to your first NFL start, rookie. But Neal's helmet struck the former Iowa State star too high, and he was penalized for roughing the passer, negating the play. Five players later, the 49ers scored on Deebo Samuel's 13-yard run. "As I got closer, I expected (Purdy) to step into the pocket or step out," Neal said. "Yet he didn't see me, so I just drove through him. But my goal wasn't to hit him in the head. That was never my intention, and I'm not that kind of player." The play didn't affect Purdy, who completed a 15-yard pass to tight end George Kittle before Christian McCaffrey ran for 21 yards to set up Samuel's touchdown run. Fast forward to later in the quarter, when the Bucs appeared to have tied the game at 7. Receiver Mike Evans somehow was turned loose by the 49ers' defense, and Tom Brady connected with him on a 68-yard touchdown pass. The play not only would have gotten the Bucs right back in the game, it was one of the rare explosive passes that Brady has been able to complete this season. But for the second time in as many games, a touchdown pass was erased when left tackle Donovan Smith was flagged for holding. All told, the Bucs were penalized eight times for 62 yards. "They're devastating, because we're playing the Niners and we're playing the Bucs, and we can't beat two teams and we're beating ourselves," coach Todd Bowles said. "And credit to (the Niners). They beat us, as well. They had a good scheme, but we're beating ourselves, too, making it harder." Smith, whose six holding penalties in 11 games is a season-high for his career, declined to talk about the play after the game. "I'm not allowed to talk about penalties with the ref," Smith said. "It's illegal." On Friday, Smith indicated his poor play has been the result of some personal issues that might not be limited to hyperextending his elbow in the season opener at Dallas. "We got to find the answer and we've got to fix it quick, whatever it is," Smith said Sunday. "Me included. That's the way it goes." The Bucs already are missing right tackle Tristan Wirfs, who is out with an ankle sprain. Bowles said he didn't feel inclined to bench Smith at this time. "We've got to play better," he said. "We know what Donovan is. We can't have the penalties. It's Bucs beating Bucs. He had some last week. He had some this week. He's got to play better. We got to play better as a group. We've got to coach better as a group." There were breakdowns on a defense that allowed 209 yards rushing. But Bowles simply couldn't excuse the penalties. He said coaches had talked to Neal and other players about lowering their strike zone, especially since Purdy is listed at 6-foot-1 but appears much shorter. "He's got to lower his target," Bowles said of Neal. "(Purdy) was a smaller quarterback to begin with. We talk about it all the time. We work at it all the time. He understands that. You can't have a penalty." Another key infraction occurred when cornerback Carlton Davis was flagged for defensive holding late in the first half, negating an interception by linebacker Anthony Nelson. When Brady was told Bowles believed the Bucs were beating themselves, he didn't disagree. But he added that they haven't played consistently all season. "It's easy to say. Everyone has to play better," Brady said. "But we just haven't played consistently well very often. We haven't played it for four quarters. We've played it a little bit at times. Not (Sunday) at all. But some games we've played well for five minutes and don't play well for 55 minutes. Some games we play pretty well for a half. We just have not played consistently well for a game." Rick Stroud, The Tampa Bay Times, published 12 December 2022