TAMPA — The Bucs needed another stop on third down when defensive tackle Calijah Kancey moved into the backfield for Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels with just under a minute to play in Sunday’s NFC wild-card game.

“I kind of knew they didn’t want to screw anything up, so they were going to keep the ball in his hands,” Kancey said. “I just shot the gap. He is a great athlete. He’s fast. I should have had him, but I missed him.”

Instead, all of Kancey came upon the white rag hanging around Daniels’ waist.

What cruel symbolism. Unable to stop the clock, Zane Gonzalez hit the game-winning 37-yard field goal that hit the right upright and went through as time expired, ending the Bucs’ 23-20 loss to the Commanders and their season .

Afterwards, Pain and Pride were forced to share a locker room.

“It absolutely sucks right now, so it’s disappointing overall because I believe in this team, believe we have the talent and the coaching staff and everyone around us to go far,” Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield said.

Two plays ultimately defeated the Bucs on Sunday.

After an inspiring stop on fourth-and-goal from the Tampa Bay 3-yard line with the Bucs 17-13 in the fourth quarter, Mayfield botched a handoff to receiver Jalen McMillan on a jet sweep and Washington linebacker Bobby Wagner recovered itself.

Four plays later, Daniels fired a 5-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin, giving the Commanders a 20-17 lead.

“It comes to mind again, just timing it right,” Mayfield said. “First time all year it happened and obviously the timing wasn’t great, we rallied and the defense just did a great job with another stop on fourth down to give us the ball. It’s unfortunate, but that falls on me.”

The Bucs came back on the field with a chance to win. But on third-and-1 from the Washington 12-yard line, center Graham Barton grabbed the ball too early, which affected the timing of the ball and dropped running back Bucky Irving for a 2-yard loss. Instead of regaining the lead, the Bucs had to settle for Chase McLaughlin’s game-winning 32-yard field goal.

Mayfield said he believed Barton snapped the ball because he felt the Commanders were in the neutral zone. Barton said something else.

“I wish,” said the newcomer. “NO. I was snapping in the wrong rhythm. I was trying to get a call. There just has to be more discipline. I have to be able to sit in there and take my calls. … In the fourth quarter of a playoff -You have to be able to realize moments like that. I’m definitely disappointed.”

For an offense that has been running well most of the season, averaging nearly 30 points per game, Sunday was a major step backwards. It was the fewest points the Bucs have scored since their 23-20 loss to the 49ers on November 10th.

“You just get back on the same page and everyone moves when they grab the ball and make the play, but that didn’t happen,” Mayfield said.

“Tonight was a perfect example of us offensively taking advantage of what the defense did for us, that fourth down stop. And then obviously no timing for the movement of the jet sweep. So there are things, if you don’t do all the little things right, you’re going to get defeated in the playoffs.”

There will be plenty of time to analyze the Bucs’ rollercoaster 2024 season.

It was definitely disappointing. However, you also have to keep in mind that the starting defense missed a total of 34 games due to injury. The only players to start every game were Yaya Diaby and 34-year-old Lavonte David.

Offensively, they weren’t much healthier considering who got hurt. The Bucs’ starters missed 26 games, including 10 by receiver Chris Godwin, three by receiver Mike Evans and four by McMillan.

Every team has injuries, but the Bucs have overcome most of them because young players grew up quickly. Irving and McMillan, to name a few.

“It’s disappointing because I really believed in this team,” Mayfield said. “Still does. But every year the squad is different. The sad thing was that this group had the makeup to last the whole way, and unfortunately we didn’t bring our best tonight, Washington did.”

Four NFC South titles in a row is a big accomplishment, but it will be boring without playoff success. It wasn’t until the 2020 season that the Bucs won Super Bowl 55.

“The ceiling is high, but honestly, at the moment I know that a lot of these people that you get on very well with are not coming back, so you have to say goodbye and thank you. It’s a sad moment,” Barton said. “We really thought we could take on this thing.”

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