|
TAMPA, Fla. -- After falling to 1-3, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers find themselves at the bottom of ESPN's NFL Power Rankings. The Bucs dropped to No. 32 from No. 30 in the latest edition released Tuesday, after a 37-23 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. Kicking problems and five turnovers, including four interceptions from rookie quarterback Jameis Winston, contributed to Tampa Bay's second consecutive defeat. Winston's inability to connect with wide receiver Mike Evans is mentioned as a reason for the Bucs' placement. Evans had just three catches for 32 yards against Carolina, a drop from his seven catches for 101 yards in Week 3 against the Houston Texans. The Bucs will host the Jacksonville Jaguars during a Week 5 matchup between the NFL's worst teams. The Jaguars (1-3) are ranked No. 31 in ESPN's NFL Power Rankings after a 16-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Despite Tampa Bay's issues, a chance to move up is possible. The Jaguars own the 31st-ranked scoring offense with an average of 15.5 points per game. Their defense, meanwhile, stands 25th in the NFL by allowing 26.8 points per game. The Bucs need a victory to gain some momentum before their bye week. Coach Lovie Smith continues to insist his team is moving forward. On Monday, he pointed to better performance on third down and improved production in the red zone as evidence. But a win, especially against an opponent like Jacksonville, is necessary to quiet some of the questions about the team's direction.
|
