The highest paid offensive-lineman in the NFL can afford new underwear, thank goodness.
“It sucks. I’m pissed. I’m not happy about it. It was right there. They gave it to us,” Buccaneers star tackle Tristian Wirf told reporters following the overtime loss to the Falcons on Thursday.
“We s–tted down our legs.”
There are less graphic ways to describe Tampa Bay’s fourth-quarter meltdown, though Wirfs certainly painted a succinct picture.
“It was a back and forth game — we had every opportunity to close it out and we didn’t,” the lineman said. “We have three days to let it steep.”
It’s not a pretty mixed metaphor but it is apt.
With less than two minutes remaining in the game and the Bucs up by three, linebacker Lavonte David intercepted Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins on a fourth-and-15.
Had David swatted the ball down, Baker Mayfield and company would have taken possession at the Falcons’ 20-yard line.
Instead, the drive began at the Falcons’ 27.
One first down would have put the game away, but a rush for minus-three yards and a holding penalty backed the Bucs up 13 yards before a short pass lost two more.
Bucky Irving’s third down run recouped only one yard and forced Tampa Bay to punt the ball away instead of attempting a field goal.
Kirk Cousins, who set a franchise-record 509 passing yards in the game, promptly marched the Falcons down the field and into field goal range.
Younghoe Koo’s 52-yard kick sent the game to overtime, and Cousins’ 45-yard touchdown pass to KhaDarel Hodge sent Tampa Bay packing.
Both Atlanta and Tampa Bay sit at 3-2, but the Falcons now own the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The teams will meet again in Week 8 on Oct. 27 at Raymond James Stadium.
