Struggling Buccaneers are suddenly no lock to win another division title

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Forget the 6-2 start and dreams of making a championship run. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers don’t even look like a playoff team right now.

They have no time to dwell on a dismal effort in a 24-20 loss to the lowly New Orleans Saints. The Atlanta Falcons are coming to town for a Thursday night game.

The Falcons are only 4-9 but Kirk Cousins beat the Bucs twice last year, throwing for 785 yards, eight touchdowns and only one interception.

“We lost yesterday and we’ve got to get over it,” coach Todd Bowles said Monday. “We’ve got be big boys, we’ve got to get over it and own what we did, and we’ve got to get better at things we need to get better at. … We understand that as a group we’ve been through this before, but it’s different every single year and every time (we) do it. Nobody likes to lose, and you’re coming on a short week, (we have) a chance to get the bad taste out of your mouth, but they should be upset. They should own what they do. We as coaches own what we do, and as a team own what we do, and we’ve got to come out Thursday and we’ve got to correct them.”

The Buccaneers (7-6) are tied for first place in the NFC South with Carolina. They’ll face the Panthers twice in the final three games to determine whether they’ll win their fifth straight division title.

Until losing to the Saints, the Bucs had only lost to teams with winning records. That was a problem because they’d have to play good teams in the playoffs. First, they need to get there.

What’s working

Run game. The Bucs had 179 yards rushing and averaged 4.6 per carry. Bucky Irving had 55 yards, Rachaad White had 53 and Baker Mayfield added 42.

What needs help

Fourth down. The Bucs were 2 for 7 on fourth down, failing to convert fourth-and-1 twice and fourth-and-2 once.

“We gotta execute fourth downs better as well, especially the fourth-and-shorts, the fourth-and-1’s,” Bowles said. “You want to come out on the plus side of most of them, and we understand that as a group. (On) third down, we are shooting ourselves in the foot. Sometimes it’s the pressure or the rush, sometimes it’s things that we (get) wrong, but we gotta get that fixed.”

Stock up

NT Vita Vea. He had a sack, three hurries and two tackles for loss.

Stock down

Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. The rookie dropped what could’ve been a game-tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Egbuka had a sensational start this season but his production has declined. He had two catches on nine targets vs. the Saints.

“When your great players drop the ball, you just gotta live with it, but he’s hard on himself and he’ll come back from that, and he’ll play better,” Bowles said.

Injuries

All-Pro LT Tristan Wirfs (oblique), WR Mike Evans (clavicle) and WR Jalen McMillan (neck) are in play this week. Evans has been sidelined since Oct. 20. McMillan hasn’t played this season.

Key stat

46.7% — Mayfield completed just 14 of 30 passes for his lowest percentage of the season. Playing with a wet ball through a driving storm didn’t help but that’s the third time in four weeks Mayfield has been under 60%.

Next steps

The Buccaneers and Falcons meet in prime time. Tampa Bay opened the season with a 23-20 victory at Atlanta.

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