THE Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Baltimore Ravens were set to face off in a highly competitive matchup, and that was the case for part of Monday. For other parts, injuries have stolen the spotlight and a massive Baltimore Ravens lead will be the talking point this week.
Todd Bowles lost his top two receivers in a decision that left many perplexed. The defense went from effective to losing after the first quarter. Oh, and Liam Coen has proven to be a master at the art of calling, but Baker Mayfield and his lack of consistency proves troublesome.
With this disaster of a game behind us, let’s do our best as a teacher and grade their entire performance.
Quarterbacks
Grade: C
Baker Mayfield had a classic Brett Favre game. He made several big plays, but ultimately the bad decisions overshadowed everything. He made two very bad interceptions, but the box score would hide those behind his deadline success. He finished with 370 passing yards and three touchdowns, the majority of which came in the fourth quarter, down 24.
Running backs
Grade: C+
After a game in which we thought they would have further success in the running game, it’s on against the Ravens. Roquon Smith and the Ravens’ front seven proved to be too many and none of them could rush for more than 40 yards. Rachaad White and Bucky Irving combined for 125 receiving yards with two touchdowns, which highlighted the group’s performance.
Wide receivers and tight ends
Grade: A
Mike Evans made history early before being lost to a hamstring injury that was brought into the game. Chris Godwin was looking great until a thawed ankle ended his night, with a minute to play and it got out of hand. Cade Otton stepped in and received 100 yards; he will need more in the future.
Offensive line
Grade: B+
The offensive line did a good job protecting Baker Mayfield despite surrendering four sacks. The running lanes were dismal and proved to be a major disappointment for this group. It was a mediocre performance after their best in Week 6 against the Saints.
Defensive line
Grade: B-
They started off strong with back-to-back sacks on Lamar Jackson on the Ravens’ first drive. After that, the Ravens passing attack had all the time in the world, and Derrick Henry had another career night. This defense must find some consistency, and quickly.
Linebackers
Grade: C+
Derrick Henry ran for 169 yards of the 244 yards the Ravens had as a team. Henry averaged 11.3 yards per carry, which was just below the career high he achieved in 2017 as a Titan. They had a tough task ahead of them against the best rusher in the NFL, but they couldn’t overcome it.
Secondary
Grade: C+
Lamar Jackson passed for 281 yards and tied for his career high with five touchdowns. He’s re-entered the MVP race, all to the detriment of the Bucs’ secondary. Oh, and that group that already lost Jame Dean before the game lost Tykee Smith to a concussion during the game. The injuries are piling up and could be too much for this high school and its team to overcome.
This article was originally published on Bucs Wire: Report card grades for Bucs’ Week 7 performance against the Ravens
