Yes, The Highest Scoring Team In The NFL (Bucs) Can Be Better
September 22nd, 2021
Room for improvement.
Joe was talking this morning with one of the hardest of hardcore Bucs fans and was marveling with him at the transformation of Tampa’s favorite sports team.
It was hard to believe the discussion was about the NFL’s top-scoring team, the same team lousy Lovie Smith ran into the ground so badly with disgustingly bad coaching and horrific, moronic personnel decisions. It took the Bucs six years to dig out of that hole.
From a guy who led the Bucs to the first overall draft pick to a coach who won a Super Bowl in his second season, the Bucs have come a long way.
How far? The Bucs, just a couple of years ago, were never known as a franchise with (good) offense. Now they have the NFL’s highest-scoring offense with the game’s best quarterback and receivers so deep most NFL general managers have emotional dreams about them.
And yes, the Bucs can get better.
Jenna Laine of ESPN has on her Instagram stories feed clips of a recent video report she filed. There she mentioned how the Bucs are tied for the NFL’s lead in turnovers (with Urban Meyer’s jughead Jags led by a rookie quarterback and the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets and their rookie quarterback).
The Bucs are also the second-leading team in the NFL when it comes to penalties.
So when you hear Bucs types say they can get better, despite an undefeated season and leading the NFL in scoring, that’s not a con. The Bucs truly can get better.
And the NFL ought to be scared as hell.
September 22nd, 2021 at 11:04 am
Good points. Cut the turnovers and the penalties and we’ll score even more. BA can make that happen.
September 22nd, 2021 at 11:10 am
We’re in the “Golden Age” of Tampa Bay sports! We’ll be telling our grandkids about these times! Enjoy it while we’re hot!
September 22nd, 2021 at 11:12 am
Casual I agree we need to cut turnovers and penalties. BA can not make that happen. Its starts and ends with the players. We need to tighten up or it is going to be a miserable Sunday. No Joke!
September 22nd, 2021 at 11:20 am
I thought I remember (could be wrong) that something like that happened last year. BA toughened up the practices, emphasizing penalties avoidance, and it seemed to work.
September 22nd, 2021 at 11:20 am
They cleaned up the penalties in the second half of the year last season. Unfortunately this didn’t last into this year. They need to fix this proactively rather than wait to lose a game due to undisciplined play in order to address it.
September 22nd, 2021 at 11:32 am
Unlike previous administrations, the Bucs have proven with current coaching staff they have the ability to identify problems and resolve them.
Isn’t it refreshing? 🙂
September 22nd, 2021 at 11:35 am
Yes.
September 22nd, 2021 at 11:36 am
The Bucs are on pace to destroy most record for most points in a single season.
September 22nd, 2021 at 11:40 am
These issues will subside as the season goes on. Practice makes perfect.
September 22nd, 2021 at 11:57 am
AB has the Sickness
September 22nd, 2021 at 12:00 pm
Beat me to the draw, Rads.
Bad time for Antonio Brown to test positive. Since he’s vaccinated we can always hope for two negative tests that are 24 hours apart prior to Sunday.
September 22nd, 2021 at 12:04 pm
Absolutely! Thank you Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr Please don’t let BA screw it up. I’m still fuming about the “held the ball too long comment” haha If anybody believes this, watch film of Aaron Rogers, Russell Wilson and the all time scrambler, Fran Tarkington from the Vikings
September 22nd, 2021 at 12:04 pm
Do they count “taunting penalty” after a touchdown as a negative to a team, i don’t mind having that penalty. GO BUCS!!!!!
September 22nd, 2021 at 12:05 pm
Any word on ab yet??
September 22nd, 2021 at 12:35 pm
Stuff like this was used constantly as excuses for losing. Yes the can be better and the better be. Because you can’t keep playing with fire.
September 22nd, 2021 at 1:20 pm
Interesting analysis Joe. Yes the Bucs’ offense can get better, but I doubt for some reason that our average Points Scored per game will increase much. Heck we’ve scored 78 points in 2 games as a TEAM (39 PPG average).
Where I could see us improving offensively is in (1) fewer giveaways; (2) fewer penalties; (3) higher percentage of 3rd & 4th down conversions … all leading to a much better TOP. And that’ll help the defense tremendously IMO (less time on the field & potentially fewer injuries during the season?).
Our biggest improvement though will be in our defense. We’re doing good against the run, and decent in terms of takeaways, BUT … (1) our pass defense is atrocious; (2) 3rd down conversions allowed is really bad; and (3) penalties are killing us. And oh ya, the pass rush isn’t getting there AND our blitzing effectiveness sucks. Put it all together and it spells far too much time on the field AND too many Points Allowed. We can and will do better. MUCH BETTER.
September 22nd, 2021 at 1:49 pm
Defense – All good points. D must get better. Need better adjustment strategies during the game. Be a bit more unpredictable in the D set ups.
September 22nd, 2021 at 2:27 pm
Alton Green what the hell is your problem? Did BA steal your girlfriend in high school or someting? Or did you actually have the hots for him and he spurned your advances? Get off it man.
September 22nd, 2021 at 5:22 pm
Yup: turnovers, penalties and missed tackles are one way to define this year’s Bucs.
That s#!t needs to change. Like Sunday afternoon.
September 22nd, 2021 at 6:18 pm
This week is the perfect time to change all that “beat ourselves” stuff!! Like last year when the Green Bay game came ( 0 turnovers,0 penalties)!!! The Rams will be tough. RISE UP BUCS RISE UP!!! Play the Rams penalty-turnover free!!!! GO BUCS!!!! Bucs 34 LA 24!!!
September 22nd, 2021 at 7:05 pm
Kudo’s to the Bucs for being undefeated at this point!!!