National Football League

Buccaneers observations: Another bad loss keeps top draft pick in sight

Published Dec. 21, 2014 3:53 p.m. ET

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TAMPA, Fla. -- Green, gold and ghoulish offensive play ... oh my.

Can this loss for the dismal Tampa Bay Buccaneers count against their road record? Cheeseheads turned Raymond James Stadium into their personal playpen Sunday during their Green Bay Packers' 20-3 victory, sending the supposed home team to 2-13 and a step closer to clinching the draft's top pick.

Yes, take moral victories when they come.

"We were beat by a great football team today,” Bucs coach Lovie Smith said. "It's one thing to be a great football team like they are, but we would have liked to have fought them a lot harder than we did. … It's hard to win games when you put up that type of offensive production, which was very little.”

Aaron Rodgers was solid, but Green Bay could have sleepwalked past a bumbling Bucs offense that was flat-out terrible. If you were part of the Legion of Dairy, you left happy. If you were a Bucs fan, you likely didn't show at all.

"I know how they travel,” Bucs center Evan Dietrich-Smith said of Packers fans. "Especially if it's Florida, I wouldn't blame them for getting out of there this time of year. I'm sure if we put a better product on the field, it might be a little bit different.”

Here are a few thoughts from Tampa Bay's loss to Green Bay ...

1. The Bucs' running game was bad again.

The common thought was that the Bucs could run against the Packers, if and only if they overcame themselves and put together a decent threat on the ground. That wasn't the case for all of Sunday, with Tampa Bay closing with 16 yards rushing.

This was a missed opportunity. (We've heard that before.) Green Bay entered ranked 27th in the NFL by allowing 128 yards per game. But neither Doug Martin nor Charles Sims established anything effective. Martin finished with 17 yards on 10 carries, and Sims had minus-1 yard on four carries.

There was a chance to run, and as has been the case most of the season, the Bucs did nothing. One of the biggest mysteries late in the year continues: What has become of Bobby Rainey, who entered as Tampa Bay's leading rusher with 406 yards? He has had two combined carries in the past four games.

2. The Packers' offense was OK, not explosive.

No one could be blamed for cringing at the thought of what Rodgers might do to the Bucs' defense. He's one of the NFL's most prolific passers. He's one of the league's most sound decision-makers behind center. He's a brand name, a Super Bowl champion and one of the best the game has to offer.

Coming off an abysmal performance against the Buffalo Bills last Sunday, the possibility was there for him to go off at Raymond James Stadium. Big time.

That wasn't the case, though. In fact, Green Bay was much more average than expected. Rodgers finished 31-of-40 passing with 318 yards, but the Packers sputtered on offense most of the afternoon and had just 10 points after three quarters.

Face it: This could have been much worse. A loss is a loss, but those visions of a Baltimore-style blowout never came to be.

3. The lack of offense in the first half was stunning.

To think, the Packers' defense entered as a supposed weakness.

The Bucs were without a first down and a single yard of total offense halfway through the second quarter. No, that's not a typo.

The vulnerable rush defense only allowed 11 yards rushing in the first half and 76 yards total. Josh McCown looked awful in completing 4-of-14 passing for 85 yards.

The Bucs managed to cobble together a 13-play, 56-yard drive late in the second quarter, capped by a 43-yard field goal by Patrick Murray. Still, the Packers outgained the Bucs 236 yards to 76 in the first half and had 10 first downs to Tampa Bay's three.

U-G-L-Y.

4. The No. 1 draft pick remains in play.

Hey, the Bucs didn't do anything to hurt their standing for the draft's top pick next spring. A victory Sunday would have done more harm than good in that regard, so this loss should be considered a win.

Seriously, what else is there to play for at this point?

The race for the draft's top pick will come down to the season finale next Sunday, when the Bucs host the New Orleans Saints. Keep your eyes on the prize.

5. Yeah, about all those Packers fans.

At least all that green and gold at Lambeau South contributed to the local economy. Rough estimates are rough for a reason, but it's fair to say at least 60 percent of a packed RayJay cheered for the cheese.

The "Go Pack, go!" chant was in full form in the fourth quarter's final minutes. Be sure, all those Northerners went home happy after their thaw.

Who can blame them? They received sun, beaches and a comfortable victory over the comatose Bucs. That's a trip to enjoy.

You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.

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