Re: What a difference one game makes...
 

A blind man can see the coaches of Tampa threw this game. Mike Evans and other starters on defense didn't play the second half. Galette beat a player last on depth chart (rookie) activated for 7 games this season.

Bucs claim they didn’t tank for top pick | ProFootballTalk
“I guess I understand why,” said linebacker Lavonte David, who also didn’t play in the second half. “We wanted to get everybody else some playing time or whatever. They told me I wasn’t playing the second half, so I just took it for what it was.”

Re: What a difference one game makes...
 

what a showing. completely unbelievable and so far beyond any expectations i had going into this game. i am blown away by this team and the way it closed out the year.

we came from behind to beat a team on their home field that has the first pick in the draft!

To make matters worse they gave us a handy cap in the second half as most have pointed out. they get the 1st and we get the 13 and atlanta gets what the 7th pick in the draft.

hats off to the bucs they played the game perfect.

but once again the first half showed that no matter the records any one can win in the NFC South when the teams take to the field.

this was as ugly as an ugly win can get

Re: What a difference one game makes...
 

Not finishing at the end of games killed us, we win against SF and Detroit and we are in the playoffs

2014 saints had no resolve and no identity, when they got down early they panicked under pressure - not what we are used to seeing.

Re: What a difference one game makes...
 

I makes you right.

Re: What a difference one game makes...
 

can't get any pressure all day

then those last two sacks sure looked fishy

Re: What a difference one game makes...
 

Yeh the win in Tampa was a little suspect. We have not been a fourth quarter team all year. But I appreciate them letting us go out on a high note.

Re: What a difference one game makes...
 

Hang on. For 3+ quarters, the Bucs made their point:

We're better than the Saints, by a lot.

It was extraordinarily clear that they were not about to lose their 1st overall pick in the draft. However, they didn't want to look like it was a tank. So, power run and play "prevent the win" defense (remember, they studied Saints tape all week).

If it wasn't obvious prior, the "sack-safety" was a designed play. McCown dropped back well inside the end zone and stood there - he didn't even lift the ball into a prep-passing position or bounce on his feet for reads. The OT didn't "blow" the assignment, Gallette was allowed to simply run free from the edge.

Don't fool yourselves, the Bucs knew exactly what the score was.

Re: What a difference one game makes...
 

I thought sucking all year killed us.

Re: What a difference one game makes...
 

Fair enough. I can give him credit with getting mostly 2nd string, 3rd string, and Practice Squad players to play team defense for the 2nd half of that football game when Tampa had 'packed it in for the 1st overall pick' & had become one-dimensional. He was working with a bunch of scrubs who'd never played together all year until this game...for all 4 quarters.

You do have to admit he was working with handcuffs from the get-go of this game. I want RR back next year. 2 years isn't enough. If he fails in 2015, you can come back & ask me "What the hell were you thinking?!?" ;)

Re: What a difference one game makes...
 

Most fun ive had all season was watching Tampa deliberately throw the game. It was quite amusing.

In fact, i'm going to dial it up and watch the 2nd half again for the lolz.

2:03 left in the 4th:

'You know what I like? Neither team is playing out the string here, they are playing hard!'

Oh, we laughed.