Blame it on Bucco Bruce? Bucs offense stalls in loss to Lions

TAMPA — The easy thing to do would be to blame Sunday’s result on Tampa Bay’s throwback creamsicle uniforms.

The Bucs conjured up memories of stagnant offenses belonging to Leeman Bennett and Ray Perkins against the Lions. Quarterback Baker Mayfield struggled mightily against the Detroit defense in a 20-6 loss.

His Lions counterpart, Jared Goff, played most of the game without running back David Montgomery (rib injury) yet still spread the football around, and passed for 353 yards and two touchdowns.

Mayfield, meanwhile, entered the game as the top-rated passer in the league on third down but the Bucs converted only 2-of-12 in those situations. Twice he missed deep throws to rookie Trey Palmer, who got behind the Lions defense.

On the flip side, Goff and the Lions were 9-of-15 (60%) on third down Sunday.

Fortunately for Tampa Bay, all three of the other NFC South teams also lost, allowing the Bucs (3-2) to maintain a half-game lead in the division.

While the Bucs did well to get off to a 3-1 start before the bye week, they have not been able to stand up to the better teams in the NFC, also losing to the Eagles (6-0).

Mayfield finished 19-of-37 for 206 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception.

Whether there was some rust Mayfield had to shake or not, he struggled from the outset, completing only 8 of 17 passes for 75 yards in the first half.

The Bucs gifted the Lions (5-1) their first points of the game. Mayfield had Mike Evans open in the middle of the field, but his pass was deflected by defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs and intercepted by cornerback Will Harris at the Tampa Bay 12-yard line. It was Mayfield’s third interception of the season.

Credit the Bucs defense for dropping Montgomery for losses on back-to-back rushing attempts, forcing the Lions to settle for a 30-yard field goal by Riley Patterson.

Chase McLaughlin tied the score at 3 by connecting on a 33-yard field goal.

The Bucs should have gotten a lift when Montgomery was forced to leave the game in the second quarter. But Goff, who started 12-of-19 for 150 yards, threw a 27-yard touchdown pass with 2:39 remaining in the first half to receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. He picked up a great block by Josh Reynolds on Carlton Davis to spring him into the end zone.

Mayfield came out firing in the second half, completing a 23-yard pass to Chris Godwin and 18 yards to Mike Evans. But facing third and 1 at the Lions’ 8-yard line, Mayfield tried to throw a fade pass in the right corner of the end zone to Evans. But the Bucs receiver was called for offensive pass interference.

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Mayfield’s next pass to Evans was incomplete and the Bucs cut the Lions’ lead to 10-6 on McLaughlin’s 37-yard field goal with 7:44 remaining in the third quarter.

But Goff and the Lions simply were better on the big downs.

On third and 11 from midfield, Goff connected with Kalif Raymond for 12 yards and a first down. Then on third and 10 with 3:19 left in the third, he heaved a 45-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Williams, who managed to hang on despite being blanketed by Bucs safety Ryan Neal. The Lions led 17-6 at that point, tacking on a 36-yard field goal later in the fourth quarter.

This story will be updated.

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