Your reigning, defending Super Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the discombobulated New Orleans Saints on Sunday due to STUPIDITY. Yes, I am going to say what many have shied away from. It was STUPIDITY. Some would call it unprofessionalism. Some would call it being undisciplined. Some would call it being ultra-aggressive. The Bucs defense was rung up for 7 penalties, totaling 64 yards. That can be classified as amateurish which is an antonym to professionalism. But it really comes down to being stupid. Why? Because the only way to get penalties is to create them yourself. In the Buccaneers case, it has become accepted and consistent behavior. They are not correcting the problem. They are continuing it.
The Buccaneers lead the league in defensive penalties. Truthfully the defense has been a penalty-making machine throughout eight games. In their first game against Dallas, they accumulated 7 of them for 76 yards. They have maintained their incompetence from there. In fact, creating penalties, not tackling or defending, has become what they do best. The team, as a whole, leads the league in penalties. Despite the fact, the offense is the 6th least penalized in the NFL at 152 yards. There is room for improvement considering the L.A. Rams offense has only committed 86 yards in penalties. But it is the Bucs defense dragging them down like an anchor. Tampa Bays’ defense blows away every other team with 377 yards in penalties. This is from a team that returned all eleven of its starters.
From Bruce Arians to Todd Bowles, to the players. This is inexcusable. They have to realize. That allowing this to continue is STUPID. Every week there are offside penalties on the defense. Why? Are they new to this? Are they hearing impaired? Are they not familiar with the rule? No, No, and NO. In looking to gain an edge in rushing they have become lazy. In the glorification of themselves, they have become uncaring. Being lazy and uncaring in the NFL is the mark of a team with a loser’s mentality. You are wondering how I can say that after the very same defense won the Super Bowl last year. Here is how. Winning is one thing. Remaining a winner takes discipline. Discipline takes one from being just a player to a professional. No one can be held accountable if they, the top players, do not hold themselves accountable. Your top players cannot just show up with undeniable talent. They have to lead the team in personal discipline. In approaching the game like a professional.
Stupid penalties lead to the back-up (Trevor Sieman) to the back-up (Taysom Hill) having success. Trevor Siemon looked like Johnny Unitas out there. He carved the Bucs defense up like a Thanksgiving Day turkey. Somehow many on the defense have come to believe that a professional is someone who gets paid to play the game. WRONG. A professional is someone who gets paid to WIN the game. It is a mindset and the mind controls the body.