Why Bucs can’t reach end zone once they enter red zone

BUFFALO, N.Y. — They paint the end zones in the NFL, but there’s no need to spruce them up with a fresh coat after the Bucs play.

Tampa Bay has scored touchdowns on just 37.5% of its trips to the red zone this year. That’s tied for 28th in the league with New Orleans.

The Bucs have been even worse at Raymond James Stadium, where they have scored touchdowns only 20% of the time inside the red zone. They are at 66.7% on the road.

In Sunday’s 16-13 loss to the Falcons, the Bucs went 0-for-2 in the red zone.

Offensive coordinator Dave Canales admits that the lack of a run game — the Bucs are next-to-last in the league, averaging 3.1 yards per rushing attempt — is a big factor in their failure to score touchdowns.

Case in point: The Bucs needed a touchdown to win Sunday when they faced first and goal at the Atlanta 8-yard line with just over a minute remaining. But Canales called three consecutive pass plays that resulted in two incompletions to Chris Godwin and a sack, and the Bucs were forced to settle for a field goal.

The Bucs lost shortly afterward when Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo connected on a field goal from 51 yards.

Did the inability to run influence Canales’ play-calling?

“For me, yes,” Canales said. “But the way I see it, the best opportunity to score? Where’s Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin] at? Trying to attack coverages, and we have plays designed to attack those. Some near misses down there in both red-zone opportunities. So really, it’s details in our route-running, details in our reads.

“The last drive there, we got pressured a little bit. [Left guard Matt] Feiler was fighting through [a knee injury] there. He stayed in there. What a stud. He stayed in and gave us a chance to do that there, so I really appreciate him for that.”

Of Baker Mayfield’s eight touchdown passes this season, five have come in the red zone. The Bucs have only one rushing touchdown.

“As you know, we take a little bit of a step back and look at it, it’s just getting completions,” Mayfield said. “Kind of our third-down recipe. Just getting guys with the ball in their hands so they can break tackles. I think just too many incompletions down there, and obviously running the ball down is going to help you keep the defense balanced.

“So yeah, finding completions. Especially in the red zone. You try to draw up these plays that get guys’ eyes in the wrong spot so you get a touchdown or a 1-on-1 throw. But they get paid, too, so if it’s covered, move on and find a solution, and good things will happen.”

Though it doesn’t technically go down as a red-zone failure because the play started at the Falcons’ 26, Mayfield tried to force a pass to tight end Cade Otton with the Bucs trailing by a field goal with under four minutes to play. Otton was double-teamed, and safety Richie Grant intercepted the ball at the 11, returning it to the 15.

“Just get the ball to [running back] Rachaad [White], we get a big gain,” Canales said. “And [Mayfield] knows that. At the same time, coach [Todd Bowles] has asked us to try and play the best offense we can.”

If there is a silver lining, it’s that White has proven to be a pretty reliable receiver out of the backfield, which may be the way to go moving forward.

“Absolutely. He’s a tremendous athlete,” Mayfield said. “Great hands. Runs routes really well, different than any running back. He’s a talented player that we’re learning as we go to that he can be a weapon in the pass game.”

Against the Falcons, the Bucs moved the ball up and down the field. That only added to their frustration. One more touchdown would have won the game. They were 6-for-12 on third down, which is outstanding.

“It gets frustrating when we can’t get into the end zone when in the game we do well on third down and we’re moving the ball pretty good at times there,” Canales said. “Of course, the penalties hurt us. But we overcame a lot of those penalties. Even when we got behind the sticks, we were able to … convert them.”

The Bucs have to have a premium on scoring touchdowns Thursday night at Buffalo.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen is a dual threat, and because of it, the Bills are second in the NFL in red-zone efficiency, scoring touchdowns on 71.43% of their trips inside the opponent’s 20. Allen has accounted for 19 touchdowns this season, including four using his feet.

Maybe Mayfield should take note.

“Yeah, it’s just the red-zone production,” Canales said. “We’ve got to figure that out and do more things that complement the quarterback’s skill set.”