Tampa Bay Buccaneers All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs had missed the team’s last game against the New Orleans Saints with an oblique injury. He came back on Thursday and got a front-row seat to another disaster at Raymond James Stadium as the Bucs lost 29-28 to the Atlanta Falcons.
The lineman spoke to reporters after Tampa Bay blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter and Atlanta kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired to win the game.
“I don’t know… that was f***ing insane.” “That was embarrassing,” Wirfs said.
“That was f***ing insane” “That was embarrassing” #Bucs All-Pro LT Tristan Wirfs was FUMING in the locker room after tonight’s loss #GoBucs #NFL #WeAreTheKrewe
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With the loss, the Buccaneers dropped to 7-7 and now trail Carolina by a half-game in the NFC South. Tampa Bay had lost to last-place New Orleans 24-20 five days earlier. Two straight home losses to division rivals have the four-time defending champions in trouble.
In terms of the NFC playoff picture, the Bucs are now on the outside looking in. They are ninth in the conference, but they still have a 53% chance of making the postseason, per NFL.com.
Tristan Wirfs tells the locker room to let the loss sit
Tristan Wirfs had a message for everyone in the locker room about how to handle what just happened.
“I hope everybody sits and lets it f***ing stew,” Wirfs said.
Tampa Bay led 28-14 after Chris Godwin Jr. caught a touchdown and a 2-point conversion in the third quarter. Atlanta clawed back after Baker Mayfield threw an interception to Dee Alford in Falcons territory. Kirk Cousins then hit Kyle Pitts for a touchdown, but the Falcons missed the 2-point try and trailed 28-26.
The Buccaneers had chances to put the game away, but couldn’t. Atlanta faced third-and-28 late in the fourth quarter after a holding penalty. The Falcons converted on fourth-and-14 when Cousins found David Sills for a first down. Zane Gonzalez drilled the game-winner as time ran out.
Pitts finished with 11 catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns. Cousins threw for 373 yards without a turnover.
The Buccaneers face Carolina in a week and a half. The Panthers are 7-6 and control the division race.